... May I just say that, analogous to the booKs/books topics, I think we need some way of distinguishing chatting from chatting (chatting and Chatting? chatting and *hatting? chatting and chattin*?), because I seriously (well, sorta) wondered if abbeyej was talking to friends or "talking" to friends - which struck me as VERY out of character for her - but then again, who can tell on a message board? Ya think ya know someone! On the other thread someone talked about chatting in the car (but I was thinking that poster was talking about chattin* in the car :auto::driving:, and while bike riding or something like that) and my head was spinning.... :001_huh: Carry on. (Any way you want.) :001_smile:

Um, you're wearing headphones because you have to go get your hearing checked because of the !!!***BLING***!!! on your finger? :001_smile: (OK, that was silly, but I hope you have fun, whatever it is!)

I'd forgotten that (or repressed it, more like!): was driving home from somewhere with mom and dad. Mom said something that I thought was dumb. Without thinking, I said, "Mom, you ignorant slut!" Don't think she or dad had ever actually seen SNL, and I'm not completely sure mom knew what a "slut" was, but ... I don't think I ever made that slip again! :lol:

I remember at that point in Singapore, we just stopped completely and did the Keys to Fractions workbooks, which helped a lot (and took several months, IIRC). (As far as fun: when I was in 5th grade, doing fractions, I remember that my mom made "fraction cakes" and brought them to school - multilayered cakes (e.g., 1/3s), with different colored icing (representing fractions) and fractions written all over them - that was 38 yrs ago, and it is such a fun memory! Maybe you could have a fraction meal - pizza, peas/corn, decorated cookies or cake, etc.)

And that's a wonderful thing! She's only in K!! REALLY! (I can use all of those "!!!" because ds, 11, was a child who just didn't get it - when he was 5 or 6. We cried and fussed over Phonics Pathways. I made games. I cajoled. *I* fussed. I worried. Dh just said, "Back off; give him 6 months. He'll be fine," and other comforting phrases - phrases that I wish I had on tape for the number of times I've needed to do just that (not just for reading!)). It IS developmental, and she WILL get it. Don't pressure her. Keep reading to her, and one day, she'll want to find out how the story ends and she'll decide to pick up that book! (One thing we did that was VERY high interest for ds during those dark he's-never-gonna-read months: dh wrote him little stories that were about our family's activities, and I typed them up - and ds actually LIKED reading those little booklets!) Just keep telling yourself (and others who hound you!), "Back off! She'll get it!" And above all, keep reading to her! I still read out loud to ds and dh, and those are wonderful family times, where we're on shared adventures. It actually makes me a little sad now when ds reads books that I'm not sharing with him! I think someone posted recently an article about the benefits of reading aloud, and I cdn't agree more! Walk with her into those other worlds, and enjoy what she is able to do, and who she is now, not who you (or others) think she should be based on your other children.

Yeah, I thought of that right after I hit "post reply." Clearly, I have not yet been assimilated!

But I think at 742, you get one of these: http://www.centurynovelty.com/detail_225_163-847.html?mr:referralID=434e509a-3691-11dd-990b-000423bb4e79 (Clearly, I need to learn how to do pics, but ... not tonight!)

You are tooooooooo kind! For poor little ol' me?! Thanks!:blushing:

So, does it seem that my 100th post (woohoo!) should be full of gravitas, wisdom acquired from many years of homeschooling, encouragement to new homeschoolers, an update that we had to "finish" (ha!) this year "early" due to a tree falling on our house during a recent storm, just a plea for someone to just tell-me-for-pete's-sake-what-to-do-for-math-next-year, or something else?! Hmm. How to decide? Or should I just try to figure out how on EARTH some of you posters have THOUSANDS of posts? Well, when I figure it out, I'll post #101! :001_smile:

We did SOTW 1-4 (in grades 1-4), then did SL5 (Eastern Hemisphere cultures) for 5th, and then started TOG Redesigned Yr 1 for 6th. I have really enjoyed TOG, and highly recommend it, especially as a follow up to a SOTW cycle.

Levenger's (http://www.levengers.com) has wonderful paper, and they sell many fountain pens, so I'd imagine you could find a match there! Also, you might want to PM "Patty Joanna" - IIRC, she uses a fountain pen.

Prentice Hall's Science Explorer (plus the guided workbooks) have been good here (for 6th, coming up 7th). I would think a 5th grader cd probably do them with a little more hand-holding. You can choose topics from a list of about 16, and do 2-4 per year (depending on age, I think).

FWIW (and I know you didn't ask me!), we're finishing up Yr1Redesigned and ds 11 (Sept BD) has been doing just what you said - reading the UG books. Occ. I'll have him read a D book, but many of those were read-alouds. I had him do a mix of the other work - that is, some UG, some D - depending on what I was trying to accomplish. I think it worked well, and he'll be more ready for D this next year, as we tackle Yr 2. I really do like that ability to change horses mid-stream! Enjoy your year!

*I* thought so; we started this year (ds 10-11) and it seems very straightforward to me. However, we abandoned it mid-year (and will start again next year) as it was frustrating to ds ---- not too difficult exactly, but maybe not incremental enough, either. (I have a history of starting too far along; the author of AG told me (at a curric fair last year) that I cd start with JAG or AG - I think I made the wrong choice!) I really like that you end up with a book of all the grammar you'll ever need to know (once you remove all the worksheets). Nice, efficient layout, imo.

...if we ever finish Rome (TOGYr1)! (Maybe 2-3 more weeks to go; ds doesn't believe that *I* need a break possibly more than he does!)

We'll be doing Yr2Redesigned; I must say (to OP) that we have REALLY gotten a lot out of Yr 1 (and definitely didn't do everything that was available) -- enjoy!

There was a published list, lo, those many yrs ago when I was in the spelling bee. I'm sure that it's gotten MUCH more official, as the Bee has gotten more visible! Anyone here had their child participate in the Bee? (FWIW, in 1969, I could NOT understand the "pronouncer," and thus misspelled the word ... "efnic." (I did not know the word "ethnic" at that time and could not understand the woman's "ethnic" (to me) accent....) :lol:)

Does anyone remember (from the old boards) a post about doing your best (? as mom / teacher?) --- something like "Is this the best you can do?" or "Did I do my best today?" or "I ask myself whether this is my best..." Anybody? Beuller? Thanks!

I'm sorry - it sounds like a tough time for you all. I suppose that there are many ways to approach this, and (since I have a whiner/slacker [in some ways] myself) I may not be the best to answer, but here are a few thoughts off the top of my head: -when ds gets like this, I generally tell him that there are two kinds of work he can do in the world - work with his mind or work with his muscles. Either is fine and can be honorable, but he needs to learn how to do one or the other. So, when he has balked at schoolwork, I have shown him, vigorously, how to (e.g.) scrub a toilet, or weed, or something like that. Spelling and math usually look a little more appealing after that. - what are her privileges? friends, computer, phone, movies, outings, shopping, clothes, magazines, music? I think she'd have to lose them until she started being more responsible with the work that she's charged with. She needs to "own" her work. I'd say, "Dd, you had a choice to keep up with your calculator, but didn't, so you will need to do the problems without it. You have xx minutes and then we're moving on to subject Z." Whatever math doesn't get done then gets done at the end of the day, before any privileges occur. (I always think this "stick" approach is worse than the "carrot" approach - but I always feel taken advantage of when I offer too many "carrots." I do try to remember the verse in the Bible, though, that says, "...pleasant words promote instruction." I probably don't remember it often enough!) - it also sounds as though she's learned that you don't mean business until the third+ time you tell her something (that is, "instant obedience" is not the norm). She needs to take responsibility for her own work. I really struggle in this area, because it's usually easier to do it (whatever it is) myself. To answer your question, yes, b'fast is at x o'clock and if she misses it, she misses it. I'd probably have a bowl of fruit or something available, but no catering to her whims. She's manipulating you, it seems. I'll be interested in other responses, although I suspect they might sound harsh to those of us who have kids who "push back" hard!

Try this one: http://www.musictheory.net HTH!

Chris, Did you send this to Michelle Malkin? A link to your post here is on her website (http://michellemalkin.com).

I was in Grenada in 1983 when Reagan sent troops in, and was rescued by those men, and subsequently met Mr. Reagan at the White House. I now take care of many patients with dementia (which is what Mr. Reagan died from), so his death was poignant for me. I respected him so much for making a difficult decision as president, and felt so for the pain his family bore at the end of his life. When he died, I wanted to honor him, so stood with dh and ds from 12M to 7A (in a huge line on the Mall) to pay tribute at the Rotunda. We were the last group in that morning, and it was a tremendously moving moment for me. An especially apt memory for Memorial Day....

This is the one I have: http://www.vaharpcenter.com/dusty_fh36s.html in bubinga - it is just gorgeous (both aesthetically and in sound). The Virginia Harp Center is really helpful, if you really decide to go for one!

I've never seen one done without local anesthesia (usually a gel in the urethra, although I'm not positive that this is what would be done for young children; Dr. Alice, are you here?). Here's a blurb from a site: Voiding Cystourethrogram (VCUG). A VCUG involves putting dye into the bladder and then watching with continuous X-rays to see where the dye goes. Doctors typically order a VCUG when they are concerned about urinary reflux, which can sometimes lead to kidney damage later. A catheter is inserted through the urethra, into the bladder, which can be uncomfortable and scary for a child, but usually is not painful. The bladder is then filled with contrast material that is put in through the catheter. Images are taken while the bladder is filling and then while the child is urinating, to see where the dye and the urine go.

Can I reply if I play *at* the harp?! I have a beautiful Dusty Strings lever harp (that dh thought I should learn to play - in my spare time!?); I have taken exactly one lesson, and have a Sylvia Woods video. I have a number of harp books and have just sort of tried to figure it out. I play piano, and it was quite an adjustment in terms of muscle memory to go from one to another. I actually played with some friends at the nursing home I work at (in one of the dementia buildings, since I figured that all of my mistakes would be both forgiven and forgotten!) last Christmas, and people said they "wished there had been more harp playing," which I'm positive was NOT because of my skill but because of the beautiful sound of the instrument - even if played one note at a time! What are your specific questions? There used to be a Wendy (I think) on the boards who played - don't know if she's still here.