http://www.eequalsmcq.com/classicsciinfo.htm I've been looking at the Life Science curriculum for a few days now (free online - the subsequent books are not free though) and it looks really easy, fun and comprehensive. But I rarely hear anyone talk about it. Is it because it is relatively new, or is my initial impression of the quality of it wrong? Anyone using it or at least looked at it extensively? Just curious :)

I was a teacher (PS) for about 10 years before kids and I truly loved working with children (hated the system though, and what they asked Teachers to do - or not do in some cases). But....... on some days, it's more challenging to enjoy it at home with my own kids. Yes, I treasure the moments I get to see that I otherwise would not (if they were in PS) but the actual *task* of teaching wears me down on many days. I also *occasionally* think maybe my life would be simpler if I didn't have to worry about all these details. But...... at the end of the day when I might be feeling kind of "low", I think "who am I kidding??" I would worry about the details no matter where they were and it would be worse if they were in PS. And my memories of the Teaching end of it all - OMG! Bad (again, the system, not the kids) So, I manage to snap back to reality and am suddenly refreshed and ready for tomorrow! Any "bad" (and it's really not *that* bad when it's bad) is truly worth it 1 million times over for me. I remind myself that it's important not to get bogged down in the daily details, and step back and appreciate the big picture. That being said, I do NOT think it is for everyone, but those it IS for, will know it at the end of the day when they consider the alternatives!

We do: *something to eat (candy) *someting to make (craft, model kit) *something they just enjoy (small toy-under $5-of a character they like) *something to share/do with family (this year each will get a board game - last year was zoo passes) DD will get: m&m's (to eat) potholder loom set (to make) "kelly" doll (Barbie's little sister) (to enjoy) monopoly board game (to play with family) DS will get: m&m's (to eat) small star wars lego set (to make) bakugan single toy (to enjoy) Pictureka board game (to play with family)

Don't mean to butt in, but have any of you used K12 for two kids very close in age/grade? My DC's will be 1st and 2nd next year so not sure if I should try to combine them in certain subjects like History or Science, so I only have to buy one course of those instead of two (also better for time management of course to combine where I can!)

Thanks for this post - my situation is a bit different, but in the end, I have the same feelings as you - burnt out but not wanting to give up or anything - I just need to find something that fits me. So I have gleaned alot from the replies and am checking out OM and K12. I'd love to know what you end up choosing :)

I choose a meal from one of the OAM cookbooks, and make a double portion the first time we try it - that way we have an extra for next month, but only ONE extra in case we didn't really like it. If we liked it, it goes back into the recipe rotation (I have two 5 week menu plans and buy for one 5 week period when I do my "big trip" to the grocery store every 5-6 weeks) and the next time around, I make 2 extra. So while I am probably cooking more *times* per month this way, I don't have to do an entire cooking *day* once per month (which also seemed like more than I could handle right now).

This is actually a very clever idea! I dont know if I could get past the dirty socks and underwear though - especially for college students! LOL My husband owns a business as a Fed Ex Ground and Fed Ex Home Delivery contractor. He owns 6 routes (owns the territory, own the trucks and maintenance them) and we have 6 employees. The income is very dependable since it's coming from Fed Ex, but we are not Fed Ex employees, so I do all the bookkeeping and office work since it's really OUR business. I'm a procrastinator though - Of course the employees and all the bills get paid on time and the necessary tax and other reports get filed on time, but that's largely due to www.paycycle.com :) As far as reconciling and filing........it's just so easy to get distracted by other stuff at home (including homeschooling) and put it off and then I get behind and have to go crazy catching up. Sometimes I think it would be *easier* if I had to go to another location to do the work. I also used to tutor for the local school district ($25/hr - I'm a certified teacher) and worked in the Children's Ministry of our old Church part time 20 hours a week (of which 8 or so could be from home). I did that until I couldn't take the politics of the inner-workings of the Church anymore (it was a HUGE church). Oh, and I also have my Real Estate license and sold over $1M in Real Estate last year - but it TOTALLY consumed me the few months I had those deals going on and while I DID renew again this year, I am not pursuing any business as of right now. It's just too much.

Reviving this older thread..... Robsiew, what made you say that AAS teaches the same rules but in a more fun/easier way? I'm super curious because we will finish Blend Phonics next week and we are ready to start spelling practice. I have been looking through Level 1 of AAS and b/c Blend Phonics was so thorough, it looks like we could blow through it super quick. I actually think I will feel silly asking them to spell hat, cat, pig, etc because they can spell those orally with no problem. I know we could pick, choose and skip things from AAS Lvl 1 and then go on to Lvl 2 (I own that too) but I had planned to go back through phonics using PP (just for something different) and noticed the spelling instruction in the appendix - I actually really like how she teaches spelling by rules - it seems to make sense to do that because that is how they learned phonics. I also have to admit, I am tired of my schoolroom (and mind!) being cluttered with so much "stuff". If I use PP to review phonics, the idea to use the same book (PP) for spelling seems so much easier than dragging out another book, cards, tiles, etc.

Thanks for the replies - may I ask how often you do each? Do you do HWOT (or other workbook study) and copywork on the same days or do you alternate?

We started HWOT K book in the middle of Kinder last year and just finished the book. But I think DD still needs help with letter formation - she will ask me "how do you write a 'k'?" (and many other letters) etc as she's writing and she still mixes capitals and lowercase partly becuase she doesn't know how to form a letter (the instant recall of any random letter might be capital for one and lowercase for another) Part of her constant asking is is her perfectionist personality - she would rather ask me first to make sure she gets it right versus taking a chance and getting it wrong. But if she doesn't ask, she gets alot wrong anyway. Anyway, I went ahead and ordered the 1st grade book of HWOT for additional "instructional" practice. But I would like to introduce copywork a la WWE or Queens (CM) style---so when I should do that? Should I just finish the HWOT workbook to solidify the formation skills and then begin copywork, or should I toss the workbooks and assign copywork instead and sit with her and help her form each letter she doesn't know. Or should I do a few days of the HWOT workbook and then work on a copywork project (like from one of the Queen's copywork books I have - a poem, or other longer type copywork lesson)? This shouldn't be so hard, I know, but just wondering what others think :)

My 29yo single BIL with no kids, who has an opinion about *everything* did bring up the notion that kids who are homeschooled "forever" are screwed up. When I reminded him politely that WE homeschool (I mean, did he forget that when he said that??) he quickly noted that WE were doing it "right" (I didn't ask what his definition of "right" was), but MOST people don't. I told him while I don't know ALL homeschoolers, I would NEVER use the word MOST. Maybe SOME? More likely A FEW. Anyway, he based this very long drawn out opinion on ONE kid he had as a friend (some 18 YEARS AGO!!) who was HS'ed until 6th grade where he then entered public school and tried to "assimilate" - but was tortured/teased/taken advantage of by my BIL and friends because he was "weird". I was like "yeah, HS sucks and I'd much rather my kid be exposed to what you and your're friends did!" (huge huge sarcasm). He basically dropped it.

I've seen some fairly big ones at Walgreens - do you have those in your area? Target had some decent sized ones too, but I wouldn't call them Giant. JC Penney had a HUGE dog recently online - so maybe they have them in the store too? Sorry, probably not much help - good luck with your search!

Ahhhh, that is what I get for speed reading -it seems to be the only way I read nowadays - where did my focus go??? I skipped right over your #2 instruction - I just saw that link in the next part and clicked! LOL I voted!! Good luck!!!!

I loved it! But I can't find a comment box to type VOTE in!!!! Ugh! Why???

DH's birthday was Dec 3, so he got a big gift from the family (well, me mostly - I paid for 75% of it but his mom, dad and brothers chipped in as much as they could afford) -he got the Big Green Egg BBQ smoker and a bunch of accessories (I mean "egg-cessories") and wood chips. That was supposed to be it for both Christmas and Birthday, but for under the tree I did get him a new waterproof bag for his camping trips - his old one had holes in it (and wasn't really waterproof). Oh, the kids got him "Punch Out" for the Wii with their own allowance they've been saving :)

Ummmm, I've done this for at least 3 or 4 years already - maybe longer??? (my memory is gone too!)

I'm 38 years and 11 months and I have noticed a BIG change in me lately. But mine is not as much about moods, but about "mental capacity" LOL I can't handle things like I used to. I really think it's been ever since I had kids, but I do think it gets a little worse each year. I am not very flexible (can't stand "last minute" plans). I can't handle multi-tasking AT ALL anymore - it makes me feel completely insane. Little things can seem completely overwhelming on some days. I think if I HAD to work outside the home, I'd completely fall apart - and that scares me because you never know what will happen and I had someday *planned* to go back to work (when kids are older and out of HS). My doctor prescribed Prozac and it just made me really sleepy and very unmotivated. Oh, my PMS is MUCH worse too - then I am more like what you described above: irrational, angry, sad, etc. The prozac actually helps me that week (because sleepy is better than b*tchy!) So I do NOT think you are crazy :D, but I have no idea if it gets better :confused:.

We've done: Keurig coffee maker Kitchenaid Mixer 3 in 1 Printer (her favorite gift ever, she says) Movie Tickets Ballet Tickets (this year - going to see The Nutcracker) Stuffed animals (a little unusual I know, but she loves monkeys) Bookstore gift cards Earrings (James Avery, handmade stuff off Etsy.com, Silpada) Charms/pendants (mostly James Avery) Bracelets (Silpada, Brighton) Purse (she loves Ellington bags) Magazine Subscription Cookbooks Digital Photo Frame spa gift cards digital camera body lotions (Philosopy is a fave) DVD's - movies, workout I have a great MIL too (and stepmom) :)

Ditto! I had this as my tag line on my email for a long time and I got lots of chuckles/comments on it. I changed it (for variety) and have yet to come up with something as good as that!

Well, he got the grill as a present on Thursday night and has already been back to the BBQ/grill store and to the grocery store twice for meat, different flavored chips, etc. He is DVR-ing some BBQ Pit competition show and has made a list of "egg-cessories" he wants. We had new york strip and t-bone last night - hickory style ;) Tonight is RIBS (although he said he may wait until tomorrow so he has a chance to go back to the BBQ store and get the "rack" tool/egg-cessory ("better for slow cooking/indirect heat" blah blah blah) I'm glad to see him having so much fun with it, despite the additional expense!! I would likely say it's probably his favorite gift of all time (2nd would be some underwater scuba diver spear gun thingy I got him like 10 years ago).

What are his interests? Does he like to BBQ? I got my DH the Big Green Egg - the Large size. He got it Thursday because it was his birthday and it's a combo gift. He is in heaven - and this is a man that does not get excited about much. But he loves to BBQ though so..... The kids got him a Wii game (more for them I think, than him!) and I will probably get him some Egg-sessories for some things to unwrap at Christmas.

This is *exactly* what happened to me, and *exactly* how I feel. My kids have also done chores since they were 4 or so. My daughter actually ASKS to do more chores than I will let her do. She told me that she wants to do more because she "likes to help mommy". She specifically requests to dust because she says it allows her to touch things she normally is not allowed to! LOL I've been shocked at how many people feel that kids shouldn't have to do anything - and I can't for the life of me figure out why they would feel that way! To me it is not a selfish act (requiring chores) - it is FOR the child! Do it for the sense of pride and accomplishment or the independence the child feels when doing something for themselves. Anyway, I wouldn't plan to change my parenting style based on what others say - especially those on an online group who don't really *know* me. You sound like you are doing a fabulous job with your kids!

Me too!!! :) Please? Thank you!!!

My son is 5.5 and reading on 2nd grade level and could do this book just fine. However, I would shorten the copywork for HIM. He writes beautifully (better than my 6.5 yo DD!) but he tires very quickly, so he does not have enough "writing stamina" LOL :) We are just starting this book with DD 6.5 and she could do several lessons a day with ease, so we will supplement with WWE (for narration) and other Queen's copywork books. LLFVY really seems to cover so many areas in one neat compact book!

Cool! I went for the LG set - mainly b/c I could order it online easy peasy with free delivery. It seemed like the LG and the Samsung from Sears were pretty comparable in so many aspects. We didn't do pedastals either. We'll have to compare notes Amy!