Sorry to be so ignorant again....... but what exactly would a "complete collapse of the economy" look like? I'm in the UK, by the way, but I expect that what happens in the USA will be pretty similar to whatever would happen here.

I'm hearing all over the place about the terrible financial situation. But I still don't really understand how this all affects...... well, to be honest...... me. Are we all going to be poor? How poor? Starving to death poor? Or can't afford satellite TV poor? Are there going to be more wars because of this? Why exactly do so many people seem so worried?

This thread has been very helpful to me in trying to understand what's going on.

Don't ask your pyromaniac husband to dismantle an old shed for you. Don't strain a pan of boiling potatoes through a colander in the middle of the kitchen. Don't forget your sons got half their genes from your pyromaniac husband.

Yes, my dh works really hard. He typically gets up at about 4 am and works till 10 or 11 pm. Sometimes he works right through the night. I think he'd do that even if we weren't homeschooling though. He runs his own business and feels an obligation to his clients.

We live in Northern Scotland, have 5 cats and they spend the nights outdoors all year round. There are lots of outbuildings and such like places they can snuggle up if they want. They have never come to any harm even during nights of the hardest frost. They never even try to get us to let them in - I supposed they are just used to it.

You and she have done really well to have her achieve so much by 4 1/2. I don't think it would do any harm to just back off for a while and leave her to do whatever she wants. She'll see you and your older child having fun doing school together and I would be surprised if she doesn't eventually want to do school again.

Have you heard of Toe By Toe? I use it for two of my children. It is a very thorough phonics program.

I'm sorry to hear that. I felt your question was tactful and not objectionable.

That is very funny - we all giggling here.

Skylands Classical Academy. I think it sounds the nicest.

Older kids would share but for now the two little girls have to have one each the same, not for the magazine - for the free gift!

25, I'd say. Don't know why........

Spongebob, of course. :D

All mine slept swaddled on back or on side, propped with rolled up blanket. None of them had flat heads. Maybe some babies just have flat heads naturally.

Just eat lunch! Then we go for a nice long walk with the dogs, down to the river in the woods.

We start with reading for the two youngest but end with reading for big brother. We do Bible - related things first thing after breakfast but I voted reading because I don't count Bible as part of school.

If restricted to only a 2-5 things, they must necessarily be broad concepts. When it comes to 'school' as separate from life I don't include religious beliefs since those are part of life whether or not we homeschool or whether or not we are doing school that day etc. As for academic subjects, apart from 'learning to love learning', the top 5 things I'd like my children to learn are: 1. Reading with fluency, comprehension and pleasure. 2. Mental arithmetic. 3. Writing with fluency and style. 4. A sense of history. 5. Latin. I agree with the above posts that the only testing necessary is close observation.

We split school - reading, writing and maths in the morning and history, science and Latin in the evening, after everyone is ready for bed and cuddled on the sofa in my daughters' bedroom. It's working out very well.

We've cut out breakfast cereals and have fruit for breakfast now. Salad and bread with cheese for lunch and soup for supper. Everything made from scratch with fresh, organic ingredients except the bread and cheese. Also, we've started growing some of our own veg and plan to increase the amount of food we grow each year. Hanging out washing instead of using the dryer and stopped using laundry detergent. Only heating water for 20 mins twice per day. Stopped all unnecessary car trips. Driving at no faster than 50 mph. That's all I can think of for now, but I am saving a LOT compared to what we were spending a few months ago.

Have they seen Galaxy Quest? We love it - I could watch it again and again and it makes me laugh every time. I'm always a little hesitant to recommend movies in case there is anything I've forgotten about that others may find objectionable. Keeping that in mind, I remember really liking October Sky but I can't remember the age rating.

We like Fawlty Towers, Only Fools and Horses, The IT Crowd, Father Ted...... and so many others.:001_smile:

I'm a newbie here so sorry that I don't know how to do the quotes thing (I've tried but haven't figured it out yet). I did not say, or mean to imply, that one should be disappointed with one's children - that would not be a pleasant way to live. I also did not say, or mean to imply, that one should expect not to be thanked, that would also be a very negative way of viewing the relationship. I believe it is possible to cultivate a very happy, positive relationship with polite, loving children by being a happy, positive, polite and loving parent.

Don't expect gratitude from your kids - you will be forever doomed to disappointment! :) It is the parent's duty, responsibility or whatever, to provide clothing for their child. It would be nice if the children were appropriately thankful but it's not necessarily a realistic attitude to expect from an eight year old. I believe that children learn best (but not only) from example. Catch her doing something nice or good or even just not awful and thank her. That's all, don't go overboard with praise or rewards, but just a sincere thanks. I'd be tempted to rant and punish too but I think we as the adults in the relationship have a moral duty to not give in to such temptations.

A good book is "All New Square Foot Gardening" by Mel Bartholemew. I have just started gardening this year too although I've read heaps of books over the years. Hope it goes well for you.