All you need to do is give them your email address that is attached to your paypal. Paypal will take fees out...I'm not certain what the rate is, etc. However, I still prefer using paypal for the ease and the option for mediation if the sale has any problems.

Does he like to draw? Could you get him to draw a picture about what you've read and then tell you about the picture? Not sure if that helps at all...I'm no narration expert. But, in addition to narrating the stories in the CW Primers, they have a space for the child to draw a picture from the story. Maybe drawing about it would help him to talk more about it.

Wow!!! Thanks SO much for sharing!

My dd really enjoyed reading this version with beautiful illustrations by Helen Oxenbury. This Book Page review sums it up nicely: "The volume is oversized, the typeface large and friendly, the margins generous. This beautiful book quietly takes Alice out of the inky hands of scholars and places her back in the hands of children, where she has always belonged."

Higher Up and Further In? ETA: by the same person who constructed the website in the previous post

I've been researching this myself and so far what I've found out is the MP versions have been updated a bit, put into a two column format and have color illustrations and maps added. I have the Greenleaf version of Famous Men of Rome, but I'm seriously considering purchasing the MP version to use with MP Intro to Classical Studies next year.

We enjoyed Primary Phonics (workbooks and storybooks) coupled with the phonogram cards from Riggs Institute (WRTR).

I haven't used them, but these at Ellen McHenry's site look very interesting.

One of the great things about homeschooling is that you can keep her in the official grade you want while teaching her at the academic level you choose. I am doing that with my dd. According to her age, she would be in 2nd grade this year, and that is what I label her as when people ask or when placing her in Sunday school, etc. However, she is working academically at a third grade level in most subjects. The 16-month-old will cause more challenges than the baby. Thankfully, when you feel recovered enough after the delivery to get back to schooling the baby will likely sleep right through most of it. The toddler...well, that's another story. :D Like a previous poster mentioned, this age level does not require a great deal of time. I was able to still school in the morning with dd when ds was that age. He was taking a long afternoon nap, and on off days I could school her during that time. However, most days I needed that time for my own rest and sanity, as I imagine you doubly will having a newborn as well. Ds did cause temporary distractions, but for the most part he was happy to play around while I worked with dd. You could put the toddler in a high chair near you with toys or books...something entertaining while still being close to mom. It does require a lot of flexibility, creativity, patience and trial and error, but it is definitely doable. If you are okay with Christian materials, we have been very pleased with the CLE products. You can see their scope and sequence here. You also may want to look into a boxed curriculum, all-in-one type program like Sonlight. WTM will help you put together various materials in each subject, and Rebecca Rupp's Home Learning Year By Year is another great resource. Best wishes to you on your journey!

I've purchased a few things: BJU Math 4 CLE LA 4 (I was able to find 1/2 of the set unused) Portraits of American Girlhood + some needed resources Holling C. Holling Set Writing Tales 1 I'm waiting on our income tax return to purchase the rest: CLE Reading Elementary Greek Intro. to Classical Studies (Memoria Press) Mapping the World With Art (something I know I want, but not sure when we'll add) Some science experiment kits I'm also planning to purchase the MCT Grammar Island level if the budget will allow and see if this is something that will work for dd. I love CLE, but dd is a very creative wordsmith. She loves to write, and I'm thinking MCT might foster her love for language. I'm not letting go of CLE just yet, and may even work it in somehow even if we use MCT. We'll see how it goes.

Primary Phonics storybooks This link shows the first of six sets. We really enjoyed these.

I was going to suggest you look at Christian Light as well. My dd has really enjoyed the stories. You can see samples at the website: reading materials list. You can also read the scope and sequence here. My dd reads the Sonlight readers in addition to using CLE. Making the leap from readers to chapter books is usually all about confidence for an early reader. Just have the books available, and when they are ready, they'll dive in. :001_smile:

If she doesn't know all the letter sounds, I would use flashcards and a fun song (the one on Sounds Like Fun by Discovery Toys is the best I've heard) to help her learn them. If she knows the letter sounds, I would use some manipulatives like magnetic letters and start to help her blend. You can find the Montessori pink (three letter, short vowel), blue (consonant blends/digraphs), green (long vowels) cards at this link. Once she is blending, you could print out the cards (or purchase others at Montessori websites) and have her match the word with the pictures. These are all fun, early reading activities that have been effective in my experience.

:iagree: I think this is what people are referring to when they say they dislike scripted materials. I don't mind being given a teaching example or a guide in the teacher's manual...but when every lesson is presented in this format it felt, as quoted above, "artificial and stultifying" for me as well. However, the materials that I had this problem with are definitely effective, well-loved materials for many families. Different strokes...

I plan on dd learning Latin and Greek simultaneously. However, the more traditional method would be to allow a child two years of serious study in one language prior to introducing another. For this reason, many people chose to focus on Latin first and add Greek in during later elementary or in middle school. We used Song School Latin last year. This year we are using Prima Latina with Minimus. Dd is also working through the first level of Hey, Andrew, Teach Me Some Greek which is a very gentle introduction to the alphabet. Next year dd will be studying Latin online through Lone Pine Classical, and I will be teaching her Greek with Elementary Greek 1.

We are currently using CLE LA 3. I set the timer for 45 minutes when we begin, and we are usually done with 5-10 minutes left on a normal day. However, some days there are writing assignments: a paragraph, a friendly letter, a thank you note, etc. On these days I know that the lesson will likely run long.

Congrats on your new baby! You have more time than you think to wrap your mind around this. Definitely get your hands on WTM. She will give you some sound places to start. This board is also a HUGE help re: planning curriculum. I also like Rebecca Rupp's Home Learning Year By Year. Once you start learning about suggested materials, search for them here and you'll find oodles of reviews, as well as alternatives suggested by those who went a different direction. The process can be overwhelming at first, but it will start to gel with time. You will likely have a bit of trial and error with some products, but there are so many things out there...you are going to eventually discover what works best for your children. My dd is a lot like your ds. She will be officially entering 3rd grade in the fall, but she's working a year ahead in several subjects. That is only one great thing about homeschooling: being able to meet your children right where they are. Best wishes to you on your new journey!

Have you looked at Proverbs People? I haven't used them, but I have heard good things about them.

What about a Latin root vocabulary study like Memoria Press' Book of Roots?

I'm using level 3, and we have added in the CW Primers. Next year we plan to use CLE LA 4 plus WT1. I'm not sure if that will be overkill...I'll have to evaluate it as we go.

:iagree: We are using CLE LA and Reading. If we weren't so pleased with BJU Math I might be tempted to look into math as well. We also use Rod & Staff's Reading for our Bible time. Dd reads the Bible story and then we orally work through the "after you read" section in the workbook. We have enjoyed this part of our day. I, too, love the CLP Nature Readers. Some of the reasons why I like CLE LA: it is thorough, user-friendly, has excellent review, and teaches my dd how to effectively prepare for quizzes. The CLE Reading uses very sweet character stories that dd really enjoys. The phonics instruction in her current level helps solidify spelling rules. The R&S reading in its entirety was a little burdensome to dd. Since we are only using it for the Bible portion of our day, we have modified it to fit our needs. I do have high regard for R&S, but I was not satisfied with the format of their English program.

For the most part, I have had great experiences with sellers at VegSource and have found excellent bargains. I do try to avoid sellers at homeschoolclassifieds who have no feedback and do not accept paypal. However, if it is something inexpensive that I really need, I would probably take the chance. Just exercise caution...as with any purchase, and if you feel uncomfortable after connecting with the seller, just pass. I often times ask for pictures or for delivery confirmation numbers to be sent by email as confirmation of the package being mailed.

You might look into some Hap Palmer cds for your car time. He has some very fun educational songs for that age: Amazon's Hap Palmer Store.

One pivotal tool in ESL is the three-part lesson. It is also used in Montessori. 1) Introducing the item--Point to each item saying, "This is an 'a.' This is a 'b.' This is a 'c.'" You can also have pictures of household/common items: "This is a table...." 2) Starting with the last item identified (never more than three items at a time), say, "Can you point to the ___?" For instance, if I had introduced a, b and c...I would start with c when asking this question. That way there is more chance of recall since it was the last thing spoken. Repeat the question asking for the child to point to each of the three items. 3) The child being able to name the item vocally. This is a very hard mental step. A child can point to all three items correctly consistently and still not be able to vocally name the item when asked. To do this step, you start again with the last item identified in the previous step. Point to the item and ask, "What is this?" Once a child is able to correctly answer you, you can move on to other items. Whether your children are in school for a while or not they are going to be immersed in the English language. Children have a great propensity for learning new languages. If you have a university nearby, check to see if they have an ESL program. If they do, students in those classes often have to do "tutoring" projects as part of their assignments. Many of them work with the public school system or with International students on campus, but there is always a chance if you shared your story with a professor that you could get some help that way. Sorry I don't have much to offer besides :grouphug: I know it must be very difficult preparing for this transition and all the unknowns. I hope you are able to find help from an ESL expert either here or elsewhere...or at least from others who have btdt.

Yes, she does offer online classes. The commute from Mississippi wouldn't be too fun either. :D