Brother David Servant has a fantastic ministry. www.heavensfamily.org Our biggest form of charity is very personal. We live in the 'burbs of a very large city. We get together with other Christians and take food, clothing, blankets, and the Word of God to the homeless that live in the downtown area. Life changing, really. Much different than writing a check. Not that I have anything against that. :001_smile: We also have some personal friends that the Lord called to the mission field. www.puregospeltruth.com and www.preachingjesuschrist.com Both of these families live totally by faith. They were not sent by a 'church', but rather they rely on the Lord and other brothers and sisters for their physical/financial support. Such great faith, it's very inspiring.

We did skip the first unit of the second grade book, since it is strictly review of first grade. We started in the second unit of second grade math, and he's still bored. What about a book like 'What Your Second Grader Needs to Know' or something? Would that be more detailed, or would it be basically the same info as what I'll get from looking in the teacher's manuals that I already have for second grade?

Ok, my son is almost 5 1/2. Last year, we did CLE 1st grade math, got through the whole year's curriculum in like 7 months. He can add and subtract two or three digit numbers in his head, and has also figured out multiplication, even though we've never 'learned' it. So when we started second grade a few weeks ago, we started CLE 2nd grade math. The problem is, he's always been the most 'advanced' in math, and I think the curriculum is boring him. We do a 'speed drill' every day, which is 28 addition/subtraction facts, and it is two minutes timed. He almost always finishes all of the facts with time to spare, and almost always gets them all right. I know CLE uses as 'spiral' aproach, which I like, but I'm not sure ds does. He gets bored/annoyed with doing things that, well, I qoute, 'I already know how to do this'. I can tell that it is not challenging him enough, but I don't know what to do?! I've looked ahead in the teacher's manual, to see what new skills will be taught, and there seems to be some pretty important things that he wouldn't learn if we just went ahead and skipped to the third grade material. Is it ok for me to just put together my own lessons based on the 'new' stuff, then give him the test and see if he can pass it? I mean, I know it's ok, but, well, is it ok? I really feel like I don't know what I'm doing; he's my oldest, and with being 'ahead of the curve' so to speak, especially in math, I just don't know what to do sometimes. Please, someone with some experience, help! I don't know much (ok, I know zilch) about any other math curriculums besides CLE, and I'm a bit nervous about switching. I'd almost rather just use the teacher's guide from CLE as a reference for myself to make sure he's learning what he should be, but make our own lessons that move at his pace. Does this make sense? Is there something better I can use to guide me in the 'important math concepts you should learn in second grade' area?

I have this wonderful homemade granola bar recipe. Whenever I make them, the whole family gobbles them up. Soooo much better than store bought, and you can mix them up a thousand different ways. And a great chicken salad, that has celery, grapes, and roasted almonds in it. Mmmm, now I'm hungry... Oh! No-bake cookies are always a big hit around here too, and very easy to make.

But I can totally relate. I hs my two sons. My stepson, 11 and a sixth grader, has flat out asked me to homeschool him before. He spends about 1/3 of his time here with me and dad, the rest with mom. Well, I told him that of course I would, I would even come pick him up from his moms every day that he's not already here, but that he would have to get his mom's ok on it. Well, he talked to her, and you can guess her response. He's still in ps. :sad: When I spoke to her about it, she gave me the 'well, I told him, you'll never get to see your friends, blah blah blah'. (I guess she assumes my sons have no friends? :001_smile:) It makes me sad. I've been his stepmom since he was 4. I know what you mean, he IS like one of my own...

Oh, oh! I just got my first two rep points! Wow, that's neat! Ok, I think my newbieness is showing... :blushing:

I just wanted to see what my signature looks like when I post. I guess I need to get an avatar, too. :001_smile: Also, I've read a bunch of stuff about the rep, and it still is a bit confusing. So I can't rep someone until I have 50 posts? And what does it look like/where can I find if someone reps me? Thanks!

I've been seeing the Little House books a lot on different homeschool forums. I LOVED the tv series as a young girl, are these books based on that series (please pardon the ignorance if they're not:blush:)? And is there more than one series named this? It seems that I've seen one called 'new' Little House or something? Also, anyone have an opinion on if boys would like these, not just girls? It's so wonderful to get so many different opinions! You ladies are so helpful! Also, I regret putting 'no foolishness' in the original post, it seems to have confused some people. I should have realized that everyone has a different definion of what 'foolishness' is. My main criteria for his reading material right now is both that it is wholesome, and that it be long enough that it takes him more than five minutes to read the whole book. :001_smile:

Thank you so much everyone for all the great suggestions! I'll be spending some time looking at them all! I'm so glad I found this forum! :001_smile:

Well, I'm really new here, but I really could use some help, so I'm being brave and posting. :001_smile: My ds, who just turned 5, will be starting second grade on Tuesday. Obviously, this makes him two years 'ahead' of his ps peers. My 'problem' (if you can call it that) is that I can't buy books fast enough for him. I really need some suggestions for reading material. Let me tell you where we're at; he has read TONS of Rod and Staff Little Jewel books, and these are a bit below his level now (though he still enjoys them). He is finishing the third book (Climbing Higher) in the 2nd grade level of the Pathway readers (read Busy Times and More Busy times in less than a week, just reading by himself in his spare time). We are doing Christian Light level 200 for reading curriculum this year, so I can't give him that reader yet! I have some other Rod and Staff books on their way (ones rated as age 8-11 in the R&S catalog), but until I get them, I don't know if they're too advanced vocabulary-wise or content-wise for him. I'm not really interested in ordering the Rod and Staff Bible Nurture and Reader Series, as he has loads of bible story books that he's read already. I don't know what to do! I'm considering ordering the third grade Pathway Readers, but I have no idea if that would be too advanced for him. So, all that said, can anyone suggest any thing else? I'm fairly new to homeschooling, and have NO local friends who homeschool, so I don't know much about any other curriculums/companies besides CLE, Rod and Staff, and just recently, Pathway. We are very conservative Christians, however I don't insist that the reading material be scripture. Just very wholesome in nature, nothing with foolishness. Any ideas,would be so welcomed! Thanks, bethanyniez