Scary! :eek:

My quick response would be that number bonds are absolutely fundamental. I would not move on until 1-10 are mastered. You will be rewarded 10 fold later on down the line. My dd's mental math skills were totally honed by mastering this concept. 1. How long did you spend teaching number bonds to your dc before they "got it"? Every child is going to be different. My dd is pretty conceptual but if I remember it took a good month before I was very comfortable. Dd is fairly mathy and she started 1a at 4. 2. At what point did you feel comfortable moving on from number bonds to addition and subtraction? Bonds really are your first introduction into addition and subtraction. 6(2,4) 2+4=6, 6-2 =4, etc. 3. How can you tell if a child really gets the concept of number bonds and hasn't just memorized the answers? Good question. I'm sure I can have a good answer for you in the morning. (it's late) :tongue_smilie: 4. What were your favorite techniques for teaching this concept? This is the only time we used manipulatives; pennies and M&M's. But the one that clicked best for my dd was Legos. We would pick out the small square bits with the 4 bumps on it and I would make 8 stacks with 2-10 pieces per stack. I'd take one stack and break it apart into each of the bonds, making note when one half got smaller the other got bigger. We also did a lot of verbal drill. I'll get back to you in the morning if someone else hasn't beaten me to it. :001_smile:

It is, I am, vague. I'm just wondering what could/would it take for us to get some of our tax dollars back seeing how we do not utilize schools that get federal subsidies. It seems I want my cake and to eat it too. :) In WA I find it a scam that you can register with the homeschool connection of your local school and utilize their advisors, attend a class or two and receive a whopping $400 of the $3,800 the school receives for having you "registered". I would never do that but I'd sure like some of what the government is setting aside to publicly educate my child. I'm paying twice. So far I like Peek's idea as well as another poster's idea of a voucher for each child to be sent on to PS, or to private school or for us homeschoolers to keep.

No, this was in response to the poster asking how much of a credit. I have to submit to a school district too. I'm not sure how states that don't require it get around truancy laws? In some ways I feel if we had a national count of homeschoolers it could help us politically. Strength in numbers and all that. At the very least it would give some marketing data for curricula publishers.

Again, just hypothetical but I guess it would be more of a head count with the IRS like the tax credits for families with kids in college.

It's just hypothetical. How much would it take for you to put on your 1040 that you homeschool?

hmmm.....I like that!

I was having a conversation with a PS parent friend of mine and I mentioned how much I spend on curricula every year. She was the one that actually mentioned how she thought the government should give us something for not having to support our kids in PS.

I agree I wouldn't present receipts either that would be overboard for me too. I do like that idea about checking a box that says not in PS.

:lol::lol::lol:

I just figured it would be automatic when you applied for your credit. I also thought most states have something set up where they already sign a declaration of intent to homeschool. This came up in a conversation with a PS parent friend of mine. She's the one that mentioned after I told her how much I spent in curriculum and also had to pay PS school taxes. Okay, so what if it was a rebate of $1000 per child per homeschool year? I think I might consider that.

Why? What concerns would you have? I'm seriously curious. :)

If homeschoolers were offered a federal tax credit but we're asked to sign a national register, would you do it? No restrictions, no governing body just a register. I'm still contemplating my answer on this. What say the hive?

Hi Linda, I think this thread might help you out..... a lot of folks have recently signed this one. I'm Billie by the way and I'm in my 4th year of homeschooling. :seeya:

Actually it might be an unpopular view on these boards but that is exactly what the majority of people would do. There are so many case studies of people not advocating for a child because they thought they should mind their own business. Sometimes it is just not a bad parenting choice..... it is the law, as in this case.

I understand your point as well as your justification for your comfort level. However people have different comfort levels. I drive a lifted F350 diesel, my child is statistically safer than those in a Prius. Obviously the function and safety features are for my personal comfort levels more so than the if the Jones' think I'm not green. (I'll fight that tooth and nail, too :)) Increases in public school violence is close to the top of my reasons why I homeschool :) Does that make me paranoid or cautious? Probably a bit of both. Because some ones says it's not likely to affect my child, I'm still not playing the risk game. When I confronted an ungrateful teen about leaving her child in a running car she sneered at me. I did not call the cops; I let it go realizing that this was her comfort level. It didn't stop me for having an overwhelming feeling of sympathy for that child. :)

:001_huh: Great! That must be so if the parent gets drunk they wouldn't be able to cross the parking lot to find the kids they left in their car next door. :glare:

This has been a concern for us too. Dd was involved with theater early but most of her friends dropped. I really was looking for something where she could make some long term friends not just short term camp friends. Dd just turned eight and we all agreed to increase her outside activities this year, as long as it doesn't interfere with her studies or her attitude. So she is taking on girl scouts and 4H. 4H has so many projects there is bound to be something your dc can get into. They generally start up at the end of September and meet all year until they show at the fair. My dd chose dog obedience because she is very interested in it and quite frankly one of our dogs really needs it. When we went to a 4H introduction meeting there were representatives from so many different projects. Check with your county extension office if you are interested. Both girl scouts and 4H meet twice a month (enough for me) but it varies club to club.

WASHINGTON: 46.61.685 Leaving Children unattended in standing vehicle with motor running-Penalty. It is unlawful for any person, while operating or in charge of a vehicle, to park or willfully allow such vehicle to stand upon a public highway or in a public place with its motor running, leaving a minor child or children under the age of sixteen years unattended in the vehicle. I would have waited for that parent and explained the law. This same thing has happened to me and that is what I did. Of course all I got was a sneer from an obvious young teen mom that felt the risk was worth her Red Bull and a pack of smokes. BTW I never leave dd unattended in a car running or not; not for ATM's, gas, cart returns, nothing. Can that extra hassle free minute ever be justified if it was that ONE minute when something could happen? How many times do we hear moms say "If I had just ......" :confused:

I pm'd her with the same concerns last week. Let's cross fingers that the Dr. will see you sooner or better yet find another Dr's office that take your symptoms seriously. Did they do a CBC with differential when they took your blood for a pregnancy test or was that just a urine test? Please insist.

:iagree: You said you've had the same pediatrician since birth, but have you considered seeing a specialist like a pediatric urologist. My brother's soon to be step son had VERY similar symptoms. He could feel it but actually not quite enough and it turned out he had under developed bladder sphincter. I didn't get if there was a medical problem for the other elimination though.

:grouphug: I say keep it and when he becomes a world famous author you can embarrass him on Oprah. :001_smile:

I don't have a word wall but I do have a word fridge door. We currently have reversible synonyms on there now. I'm looking into getting some magnetic sheets for the laser printer and printing out other vocabulary words, maybe Latin too. Dd loves sitting on a chair in front of the fridge writing notes and lists.

Not trying to be snarky but speaking fairly plain I would answer this........ so you and I and everyone on this board can sit in the comfort of our homes discussing our political and moral views and opinons without fear of retribution to our person and our families. I agree that the methodology for training is not for me either, but many say the same about my homeschooling in a classical format. :) For the good of the many ....... It's a hard choice but one our great grand parents voted on.

Wow, does everybody get free fair tickets or only certain districts?