I'm no help, but I'm curious what the "mythology audio" is.

We're Asgard Classical Academy, home of the kraken. :)

Nevermind.

Our default Netflix is Canadian, but on the Wii we have American. It's been a while since I've checked but I think the US version has more documentaries and educational programs. Canadian does have some shows that the American doesn't, but probably not many that would be worth it over the educational content of the other. I think I have the link to that history site on my computer. I'll post it if I can find it.

Yes, I thought this too, but I was signed in to both. Maybe my tablet messed up and showed me as still signed in when I wasn't, I'm not sure.

I love that our local library is very open to book suggestions. There is such a form on their website and I often receive e-mails shortly after, informing me that they will be purchasing said suggested books. I like that they try to fill gaps when possible. Books bought from a patron's suggestion are automatically reserved for them first when it arrives in stock. Our library also has a store. It's not run by the library themselves, but by an organization for fundraising on behalf of the library. Books donated to the store are sold at incredible prices and profits are given back to the library. Perhaps this is why they can afford to be so accomodating in book purchases. I've found many gems in this store and I'm grateful for their prices and sometimes hard to find books. ETA: While our local library doesn't offer this, in the neighbouring towns the libraries have museum passes for borrowing. Saving $30 for a family pass seems great, and they give you 14 days to return it. We belong to the library system in a major city, as well, which also offers this for their local museums.

I just tried this. I found it odd that my default tablet browser shows prices quite a bit higher than my tablet Opera browser.

Ours does this too. I had never noticed until I saw a little puddle under the corner of our fridge. We don't use it often so ours isn't being shaken or anything either, but it is on the door... though it's not full so even slamming of the fridge as the kids are prone to do should make it spill over. I was stumped as to why it happened.

Not at all. I know the younger 2 won't be interested for long, if at all, and that's fine by me. DD takes naps, but more often than not DS4 does not. I need to find something else to occupy him while I read, I think, because he doesn't like to let me go more than 2 sentences at a time. :) I don't expect everyone to sit twiddling their thumbs while I read. I'm fine with drawing, colouring, puzzles, anything quiet really. But more often than not, they're arguing, yelling, and it's frustrating that none of them are listening. Lunch reading is looking like an even better idea since they won't have much to argue about. Also, the books I've tried are books DS7 could read himself. He's read Magic Tree House, etc, but finds them too easy. Like I said, I'll add some picture books to my library list and try those starting tomorrow. I'll offer them more busywork while I read and see how they do. I'll try during lunch or snack. We'll see what works. I'm going to add all these book suggestions to my list too. Thanks everyone. :)

Thank you everyone. I'm going to make another trip to the library this weekend with all of this in mind. Lots of picture books, and we'll see if we can get them more interested :) Worth a try!

I'll start looking for picture books then. I've been meaning to try reading during lunch, maybe I'll try that next week. Thanks!

They like video games. (sigh) I limit those and they've had their handhelds taken away. They play with Wedgits.. They like music... Sometimes they ask for a movie or show. They don't do a whole lot without some sort of protest but still proclaim that they're bored. DS7 has read Magic Tree House, the Magic School Bus chapter books, and Pokemon chapter books. He's re-read the Pokemon books at random and DS5 has tried his hand at them but they're too much for him. DS7 has been reading a Pokemon manga series from the library. I've tried the Spiderwick series, The Odyssey books from Mary Pope Osborne, Grimm's fairy tales, Magic Tree House...

My kids don't seem to have any interest in read aloud. Sometimes they appear to be listening quietly but will actually be staring off somewhere. Sometimes they flat out refuse to listen and tell me so through grumbles and complaints and "awwww, again?!" I don't think it's a matter of age appropriateness of the books because it's the same for SOTW. It's hard to get anything done that isn't book work but I don't want that to make up the entirety of their school day. I love the idea of read aloud.. But anything I read goes in one ear and out the other. It's frustrating. I'm jealous of all these mothers whose kids ask for read aloud and seem glued to the story. I want to pile onto the couch and enjoy a book together. Is there any way I can foster a love of being read to? I'm trying to line up some new books in the hopes they'll catch their interest. They don't listen to audiobooks either, fwiw.

Sorry to hijack your thread, but rather than start another along the same lines... I've been looking at this microscope for the kids. Keeping in mind my oldest is 7 and we will upgrade a few years from now, and that I know nothing about microscopes, does anyone have any thoughts on this one? http://www.hometrainingtools.com/20x-iexplore-stereo-microscope/p/MI-20KIDS/ It has no reviews. :( We want a cheap-ish option as an introduction.

Well, technically, mine have never skated before. They've put up an outdoor rink in our park for the past 2 winters so I'm hoping they do that again. It seems a pity not to take advantage of it while it's there and the weather permits. If they like it, maybe we can continue throughout the year at the indoor rink. :) Speed skating sounds interesting. I'd never really thought about that as a possible branch off of learning to skate. DS wants to play hockey, but that'd be a while from now.

We're really behind this year. We had a few months of break at the beginning of the year. But next year I had planned to take at least a month in the fall off, aside from the basics. Or maybe focus on nature studies. We live across from a park, so now that it's not so hot out I'm trying to get in the habit of taking them across every morning, since we usually school after lunch while DD naps. Once winter hits, we'll be able to skate all morning while everyone else is in school and I'm really looking forward to that.

I'm trying to go with "Something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read." It's not working so well. Hubby wanted to get our older 2 an upgrade for their GameBoy Advances, probably a DSi. Or maybe we'd hand down our 2 DSi and our Pokemon games. Then he changed his mind to a PS3 remote each, since they've both had their GameBoys taken away. Really, I'd love to avoid electronics this year. I have them each down for a pair of ice skates. The city has erected a skating rink across the street from our house for the past 2 winters, and hopefully will again, and I'd love to finally take advantage of it (none of them have skated before), and we'd have all those school hours to ourselves! Misc ideas Lego table & Lego sets (group gift) The Guardians series by William Joyce (they love Rise of the Guardians) How to Train Your Dragon dvd and/or the tv series, maybe the first few books, and the audio books (okay, that's more for me ;) <3 David Tennant) Bedroom makeovers, but I may hold that for their birthdays (they're all clustered in the spring) A pair of Converse each (probably DC themed) Step Into Reading-style books (younger 2 boys) knit dresses & leggings for DD (if I get them finished) Wii uDraw Marvel game Hubby (he's a big kid) Scott Pilgrim boxset comics (might buy for his November birthday instead) Converse DC Comics custom Probably a PS3 game from his wish list They have sooo much stuff and Hubby has a big family that buy a lot. I'm stumped as to what to put on their lists when they start asking for them. I don't have enough ideas for ourselves! I wish I could get some school stuff in there :p

I'm wondering if someone that has received these books could tell me how religious-based they are? I see the parables in Narrative sample, and the first story seems fine but the next seems to include more, which I would be inclined to skip over. Are the rest of the lessons fairly secular, or would I probably just have to skip this book and find an alternative?

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Thank you all for the suggestions. I purchased Math Mammoth through the HSBC and we'll see how he likes it. I'm also planning to get Beast Academy because he loved the samples. If these don't work for him I will look into your other suggestions. Thanks! :)

I have yet to read TWTM all the way through. My oldest is 7, though. I do plan to start reading ahead this year. I believe I borrowed the book from the library before coming to the boards.

I will definitely look into Math Mammoth. Is it the Light Blue Series that I would want? Or the Blue? I'll explore their website. Thank you :) Yes, Beast Academy has been on my wishlist for a while. I wasn't sure DS was really at that level but he picks things up so easily that I don't think he'd miss a beat.

I haven't updated my signature, but yes, we did try MEP. It was, well, different than what they're used to. I started him off at the beginning so he could get used to the idea of doing math that way, and figured he'd go through relatively fast to where he needed to be. He says he liked it, but again, he wants to do things by himself, so other than explaining how a few questions were supposed to work, he didn't want to deal with me teaching a lesson. I understood though, because he was back at stuff he knew very well. I think we do have the Challenging Word Problems, and we used it today for lack of anything else for me to give him at the moment.

Crossposted. DS7 does math for fun. He uses his birthday money to buy workbooks from the store. I've bought them to tide him over until I can find a new curriculum for him, but he breezes through them. I'm lucky if I can pace him and make them last a week. He was doing Saxon 1 last year, but it was just so easy for him. I was going to bump him up to Saxon 2, but I don't think Saxon is a good fit for him. The (store-bought) workbook he just finished was labeled Grade 3. He finally got some stuff he hadn't seen before. I'm not sure where to go from here though. I need to find him something that will keep him progressing. I was thinking maybe I should buy a textbook, like public schools use, and let him work through it or assign him pages. At least the pages and pages of problems would give him extra practice where he needs it. Am I supposed to be teaching him math? I know that probably sounds like a silly question but he's been pretty much self-sufficient in math since he was 4. When he gets stuck, he asks for clarification, but he can usually figure it out himself and seems to prefer that. Sometimes I do explain a bit before he tries something new, but only a few minutes. Is that enough? He's been finished that last workbook for a while now and I've been trying to find something more substantial than getting a grade 4 workbook, but maybe I should get one to hold us until curriculum?