I want to ditto the "stick with one all the way through" sentiments you've heard already. No matter what you pick, that will leave the least holes and prepare your dc the best. I do use Saxon with all 4 of mine. My suggestion is to do all of the problems. You can skip the meeting with youngers (3rd and under) and just make sure the skills are taught. You can also skip the extra problems in the back and just do them when extra help is needed, but don't skip problems on a regular basis. This just doesn't work for Saxon like it does other programs. Their math is an incremental appoach (not spiral) and each problem is slightly different even when they appear on the surface to be the same. If you feel there are too many problems or too much repetition then switch programs. Reptition is Saxon's program. It will pay off. Remember 5/4 is a transition year and kiddos may or may not like it, but it will prepare you well for 6/5. My oldest hated 5/4, but is soaring through 6/5.

Yes, Thank you! :party: Doing the happy dance!

....that says something like..... If I've not taught my child about God then I've failed. Or something like that. It was a great post that I thought I saved. I've searched and searched. Help please.

Me, too. The only exception I've made is with the D.I.V.E. CD's. It took me 1 1/2 years to agree to those, but it has made a world of difference for my dd. I avoid all others, though.

did you do all of the problems or pick and choose? I've heard the success is due to completing all of the problems. My oldest is only in 5th grade so I don't yet have results to back up my theory.

Our public school did count a camp like this. In third they took us to a camp and to the same camp again in sixth. Anyone who was not allowed to go stayed behind to do book work. It was free and not really academic. We did nature hike and similar camp type things, which you could definitely argue as science, but no "academics" per say. That said, I probably would not count them as school days unless I needed extra days. Then, I wouldn't bat an eye and would just record it. My oldest dd did a summer camp one year that included art. I kept some of her artwork in her portfolio for the year. We didn't count the days, because we were over the required amount anyway. I had no problem counting the work as done that year, though!

:iagree: I second these. Very simple for the earliest readers of Latin!

Have you checked out Chadwick's?

Yes! I use and like it. I will go through periods where my schedule feels too strict so I ditch it. Then I realize that we aren't accomplishing as much and we have discipline problems, so I quickly return tweaking when needed. I do better on a schedule and I know my kiddos do, too. One of the ways the book explains it is this...You wouldn't like going to work every day and having everyone have to run to their boss to ask what to do. (My very bad paraphrase...I don't have my book here right now.:rolleyes:) They argue that children shouldn't have to feel that way either. I would also suggest Managers of Their Chores! It has been amazing the transformation in our home. My 4yo can get up, make her bed, get dressed, brush her teeth, get me for hair, and feed the dog without my help. It frees up your time by not having to direct, "Now go brush your teeth." It also give accountability to you and your kiddos by causing consistancy and you checking chorework.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I agree. It does matter. In our neighborhood kiddos as young as six regulary ride bikes unsupervised.

Isn't it interesting that the errors are always in their favor?:glare:

Thank you for posting this. Interesting comments after the article.

That is ingenius!

Chuch of God does not cut hair, wear jewelry or wedding rings. They can wear watches, as they are functional. Some of DH's family attends this church. I do not agree with the wedding ring part, especially since they can wear watches, but it's not my decision. While it is not a denomination, some very conservative members of the church of Christ don't cut their hair. (This is not the United church of Christ that Ombama attends, which is a denomination.) I *think* the Assembly of God doesn't. I did think all Pentacostal Holiness did, it surprises me that some don't. This is a very interesting thread!

I didn't until a year or so ago. The ONLY time(s) I do is if I take $ from the ATM which is right by the window so I can see the car. Because I wait to go in until there is no line, this takes less than 1 minute. I have also gone in to pay for gas before the goofy pay first rule. :blink: Yes, I have been known to put library books and Blockbuster movies in the slot while the kiddos were still in the car. To me *none* of these is bad as letting young kids ride their bikes unattended for hours through the neighborhood. When dd11 was 4 and in public school, there was a kid that was considered a "walker" by the school. He was allowed to walk home from Pre-K. (And he did not live across the street...it was a couple of blocks away.) THIS is worse than me walking 5-10 steps to drop off a movie at Blockbuster, and it was considered okay by the parents and school. ARGH! *off soapbox*

We did/do teach mythology to the youngers. We use Veritas Press for history and like how they approach it. I am very careful about showing the end result and making coorilations (spelling?) to today's society and immorality in our world today. We do dicuss how they did not follow God and how they were punished because of it. I don't divulge all information, just as I would not read them Song of Solomon at these ages. While I do believe it is important to know, we will wait until mental maturity to discuss some of the details.

Jessica, I have not read the other posts, so if I repeat forgive me. I have always had trouble explaining the trinity too until I heard/saw this demonstration. You take an apple and cut it down the middle. You show the core and how it is a separate part of the apple. The skin is also a specific part, but distintly part of the apple. The same with the flesh of the apple. Each has its specific role, but each is also part of the whole, and the apple would not be complete without any of them. Excelsior!

Darn! I read that as free shopping! LOL!!

I marked American Indian, but DH is only a 1/4 and I'm pretty close to that. (There is some debate, due to different relatives having differing amounts listed.) I look totally white, but DH looks at least 1/2.

I LOOOOOVE smilies. Here's a post for them.:party::smilielol5::auto::banghead:

We don't give our kiddos meds very often, partly because they are rarely sick. I wonder if the change in dispensing meds is due to some abusing them and overdosing their kids? I get irritated when a few ruin it for the rest of us! P.S. Using new smilies becase I can......:banghead:

TWEM itself. I also would enjoy having someone else reading from the list(s) at the same time. I need the dialog and accountability. KWIM? I'm currently on chapter 5, but I did my reading at the park while watching my kiddos play. No telling how much I retained. :D

Hmmm...You might have to cut a lot from the manuals. We are taking a year per set, but with my younger children I was planning on doing the sets in three years. Two years might be hard if you do a lot of the readings. D'Aulaire's and The Children's Homer themselves can take a while if you stick to 1/2 hour - 1 hour readings per day. It is doable, but be prepared to pick and choose.

I'm not sure about the other curriculum you mentioned, but I'll put in another vote for HWT!