KJB
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Posts posted by KJB
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We have Rosetta Stone 1&2 and my kids are just finishing up 2. We need to buy 3 and probably will after the holidays. I must say, for myself anyway, Pimsleur cds are awesome and give you very practical skills you'll use right away. RS starts off a little slow with vocab you won't use everyday (begins with words for airplane, horse, table, etc. where as I want to know how to find a bathroom in a public place first! lol)
Having said that, I must say we've learned a lot from RS, too. The two programs together work well. Also, my dd attended the Goethe Institute camp this past summer and her German skyrocketed. She also had a fantastic time.
We are in Germany, too! Where will you be living? If you are military, you'll find language classes through the community center, too. Ours run for 6 weeks and cost $50.
You'll love it here! Very beautiful!
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ornaments. She had taken a silver metallic pen and written all the names of the families that lived on our street on it (The Jones, The Smiths, The Johnsons, etc.) They were cute, cheap, and a nice keepsake to remember that group of neighbors.
Also, we've received a glass pyrex bowl decorated with paint (snowmen skiing, I think, and swirly shapes) and in the bowl was a giftcard to a movie store, popcorn and popcorn salt.
And, one year we got homemade cocoa mix in a pretty glass jar.
Oh, and another time someone gave all the neighbors a Christmas cactus (we lived in the southwest at the time).
If you plan ahead, there's always that homemade vanilla, too!
Just a few ideas....
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This year I have a 12 yo dd, 9 yo ds, and 5 yo ds doing school work. (I also have two little girls ages 3 and 4 mos, fwiw.)
Every day, in addition to his math and handwriting, ds and I sit on the comfy couch and do Phonics Pathways followed by reading a page of history from the Usborne First History Encyclopedia and a page from the Usborne First Science Encyclopedia. Then he picks a couple picture books for me to read to him and a reader for him to read to me.
Anyway, the Usborne First books have been a terrific springboard to many topics of discussion. He's been very briefly introduced to world history and many science concepts. Just reading non-fiction to him has had a great impact on his vocabulary and knowledge base. I usually have him narrate back to me what we've read informally. I don't call it "narration" nor do I pressure him about it; I just let him tell me what he learned and we talk about it.
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Here's a link:
http://www.nature-gifts.com/3208-venus-fly-traps.html
It looks better in the picture than in real life, btw! But, it has grown and he loves it. It's interesting, too, since the plants are carnivorous and uncommon.
Also, a few years ago, dd made a root view planter similar to this where she could watch carrots grow underground. It was really fun!
https://www.ivillage.co.uk/parenting/school/articles/0,13843,186590_526093,00.html
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We always test at the end of November. Then we have Thanksgiving and do school-lite until after Christmas. We do a lot of advent activities, make cookies, do Christmas read-alouds, and keep up with daily language study, math, and music practice. The kids usually have a Christmas recital and participate in our church Christmas pageant.
I'm sure you realize it, but I'll mention that your child's scores will be based on not only what grade they are in, but also what month they are in their current grade. Hence, their score will be compared against a child in the same grade and same month. It shouldn't matter when you test. There's no "advantage" score wise to wait until the end of the year.
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We have the National Audubon Pocket Field Guides and my kids have used them a million times for almost every subject. They use them for art when they draw, they use them for nature walks and science projects, they use them for reading since they're just fun to read.
We have the entire set and I think we bought them from Rainbow Resource. Here is one at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/National-Audubon-Society-Familiar-Minerals/dp/0394757947
Also, I like the American Heritage Dictionary. We have the "adult" version since it's more complete than the student version without being much more complicated to use:http://www.bartleby.com/61/
I also use our Timetables of History book frequently to match up events from different subjects.
http://www.amazon.com/Timetables-History-Horizontal-Linkage-People/dp/067174271X
And, if I were you, I'd make the case that you need all of the Jim Weiss read-alouds on CD since you will get a ton of use out of those if your children enjoy listening to stories.
And, I also have all of the Vox Music Masters CDs which are really nice to pop in the CD player in the car. We listen to them on the way to music lessons.
http://www.bestprices.com/cgi-bin/vlink/musiclabels/cds-by-recordlabel-Vox-Music-Masters.html
Have fun shopping!
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We stayed in Cairo for most of the time but we also took a cruise up the Nile. There is so much to explore and it was so much fun.
We live in Germany, now, and February is not the time to come here, fwiw. It's very wet and chilly. If you want to do the France trip, I'd wait until late spring if you can. We live around 4 hours from Paris and I love it there.
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Good Luck! :)
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This is after selling everything - down to the bolts and the scrap metal. Included in that $300K number is business and personal debt (including student loans), money we used to buy the business, and money we borrowed to keep it going while we waited for the economy to turn around.
Well, the student loans won't be forgiven by a bankruptcy, I don't think. Although, you should be able to get an economic hardship forbearance to defer repayment until you're in better shape.
Have you considered if the business itself (not the hard assests but the customer list, contracts outstanding waiting to be filled, or good name of the business) has any value?
Do you have an accountant for the business who can advise you?
Just a few thoughts I had while I read your response. Sorry it's so difficult for you.
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Alternate paper rings of green and red construction paper to count the days until Christmas.
I always loved making these as a child.
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I went through her wanting to nurse, too. I let her try (like everyone else says to do) and she then started wanting to try every time I nursed the baby.:001_huh: She weaned herself at 14 mos and I had no intention of nursing her again as a 3 year old. At the same time, poor little thing, I felt really bad for her. So, I let her pick out a new dolly at the store and explained she was in charge of nursing that baby.
She's been happy with the new arrangement and she nurses her dolly when I nurse the baby. In fact, I've made a big deal out of "Go get Sally (doll's name), it's time to nurse the babies again." She and I sit down with a glass of water we share and nurse and take turns drinking as we nurse our babies. Once in awhile we have cookies, too. :D
Of course, 3 and 18 mos aren't the same. It's a tough situation. I hope you find a solution that works!
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the Klutz paper airplane book. He spends hours folding new planes.
http://www.amazon.com/Klutz-Book-Paper-Airplanes/dp/1570548307
Also, I second the Dover recommendation. My ds also has paper Roman soilders, a paper castle he put together, and some paper army guys.
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What did you get for that $300 K? That's just such a huge amount of money to have nothing to show for it or get out of it.
I'm really really sorry that you have to face such a tough time.
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I don't know how many times I've watched, in person or on television, some stupid human getting "dangerously close" to a wild animal.
In Florida, you can go to alligator farms and watch alligator shows followed by photo ops where people place their small snack size children on the backs of alligators with their mouths taped shut (the gator's mouths, not the children's lol) for pictures. Ummmm....does anyone think it might be a bad idea to get their toddler used to the idea that sitting on the back of a living dangerous creature is OK? Not to mention, the strain on the animal (psychological and physical both).
I am sickened by all of the television shows that (in the name of nature preservation) show glitzy star types exploiting wild animals. They wrestle crocs, tease tigers, stare down snakes, stick their heads in the mouths of lions and all kinds of insane death defying (usually) antics. Personifying nature, or sparring with it for ratings, is nothing short of arrogant. And getting people to think it's OK to pet an alligator (so long as someone with duct tape was there first) only encourages people to forget that wild animals deserve and should be treated with respect and caution.
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Well, I'm a "deal with it" kinda mama. I don't care if they're bored as long as I am happy with how our school is running. If they have a point, and life has become all paperwork and no gravy, I might have a gentler response.
However, I do try to spice up the mundane by offering incentives or treats to my kids for work especially well done. Little treats (a Hershey's kiss for a perfect spelling test or a poem memorized), afternoon tea/cocoa breaks, science experiments, working towards a goal and being rewarded for accomplishment keep school interesting enough around here.
Also, on Friday, we do our favorite subjects (philosophy, logic, art!!) in addition to math, music practice, and language flashcards. We all look forward to our fun philosophy discussions or logic puzzles and that gets us through some of the boring in our week.
And, I have 5 little ones around the same ages as yours (mine are 12, 9.5, 5, 3, 4 mos) so I can relate with not being up for too many out of the house experiences right now. Maybe try to have one fun experience every couple of days to give them something to look forward to and see if that makes any difference.
Good luck!
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I'm a big believer in quantity time. I think the "quality" time camp is just fooling themselves.
Have him spend all the time he can with them. Doesn't matter what they do.
"Quantity has a quality all of its own."
Quantity time and working on projects together are a great way to build relationships. My kids work meaningfully with their Dad. He builds shelves and they hold the hammer and hand him nails. Or he cleans out the car and they vacuum. My DH is a worker (always has a project going when he's home) and he keeps our kiddos busy doing chores with him. He also plays word games with them while they work and asks (and answers) a million questions.
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You might put up a "crate wanted" sign at your vet or ask their office to help you locate a crate second hand.
We have a puppy that just turned one, and we would have been lost without her crate. We've had her since she was 8 weeks and the crate has been beyond helpful for all kinds of training and safety issues. For example, when our puppy hears our doorbell, she goes right to her crate!
We love love love her, but she needs her own space and, so do we sometimes!
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and in line with the idea of giving him a job to do, maybe he could be the photographer. My kids will do anything with me if I let them use my camera! Can you get him a disposable one so he won't mess yours up?
(I just let my kids use mine, but I'm insane like that. :D )
Happy Birthday to sweet 3 yo dd!
(I had to add...this is really funny! Good for him! Princesses....YUCK! LOL!)
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For *us*, given my dh's career, if dh wasn't in the USAF, he would probably try to work for the State Dept in the Foreign Service. If he had that job, we'd continue to move frequently, but get to live abroad many great places. For us, getting the opportunity to travel and live all over is ideal for us at this point in our lives.
Ultimately, we want to spend time between Anchorage, AK and someplace warm like Florida.
For homeschooling, Alaska is marvelous. If you choose to participate in a state sponsored "correspondence" program, you are eligible for up to around $2000 per student per year. The programs' requirements are easily met and in my experience they give you latitude to run your school as you see fit.
Also, the state gives you money for every eligible member of your family just for living there. Last year, the fund was around $3000 per person. It's also a beautiful place to live and people aren't caught up in Pottery Barn madness (stop the insanity!!) People are real, good, interesting, and hard working. The pace of life is slow. The scenery is unimaginable.
And the salmon is to die for. Fresh salmon caught by you or your dh by the ton (dip-netting with enormous limit) is reason enough all by itself to live there. When we live there, we eat salmon all winter long. And halibut. Mmmmm. I'm hungry now.
Oh, and no state tax. And, if your children attend public high school, the top 10% of every high school class receives college scholarships.
Anchorage isn't a big city (it's no NYC), but they have enough culture to keep you satisfied.
Specifically, I want to live in the Soldotna area, but there are many great places close to Anchorage.
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Steven King's On Writing: Memoirs of the Craft?
http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Memoir-Craft-Stephen-King/dp/0684853523
Great book even if you're not a Steven King fan.
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Writer's Workshop. The program allows a student to work on their craft while pursuing an undergrad degree. Admission is selective and I think you have to be invited to participate to be admitted as an undergrad.
Many prolific writers (Flannery O'Connor and Kurt Vonnegut to name a couple) have been involved with the Iowa Writer's Workshop. Here's a link to a description of the graduate program:
http://www.answers.com/topic/iowa-writers-workshop
Here's the workshop link:
http://www.uiowa.edu/~iww/admissions/undergrad_courses.htm
Also, here is info about the undergrad program:
http://www.uiowa.edu/admissions/undergrad/majors/at-iowa/WritingPrograms.htm
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is the recent ability we have attained to carry around hundreds of books in our pockets. People are now able to store every book in the Library of Congress on a home computer or even maybe a laptop. Our *needs* are changing as a society. We no longer have to have a huge building warehousing printed media when we can carry around the same number of books in our pockets.
Carrying around books digitally might not appeal to you, but I bet it appeals to your children. And (cue Whitney) children are the future. Our children won't need libraries for research like we (I) did back in high school and college. Our children will be able to download "borrowed" books, periodicals, newspapers, music, you name it at home.
So, that suggests the obvious question, which is not what *are* libraries for, but where are they headed and how can all of those people in the library business keep their jobs? I guess the wii (Wii, WII, ???, whatever) is one solution.
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We've done all three levels. It's the best science program I've used so far. It's published by Gravitas Press.
http://gravitaspublications.com/store/catalog/Pre_Level_1_K_3rd_Grade-1-1.html
Wanted to add, in RS4K, they make a model of a molecule using toothpicks and marshmallows. Also, I think you will find (even in the pre-level 1 book although it is written very simply) a good basic knowledge of definitions from which to spring board your Chemistry studies. Level 1 is meatier and Level 2 even more advanced. I am glad we started with the pre-level 1 and went from there but you could start at level 1 and slow down if necessary.
OK ...What do I want for Christmas. Help!
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
season passes to the community playhouse? Or tickets to a show you want to see? Or to the zoo, a museum, a gym, a pool, someplace you enjoy.....
Or, how about a service that would help you somehow? Like a housekeeper for both fall and spring or having your car detailed? Or one of those places you go and put together a bunch of meals for the freezer?
Or what about a short trip?
Or what about a piece of furniture you would like?
Or what about a GPS?
Or outdoor stuff like patio furniture, picnic table, porch swing, gardening supplies, plants, etc.
Just some ideas! Merry Christmas!