I have been having constant problems with my 6 1/2 year old son. His behavior can be quite inappropriate at times. I feel like we go in cycles. Right now we are in a downward cycle of not listening. I've had some help with Transforming the Difficult Child. My husband is just starting to read it and we haven't implemented the whole technique, but plan to when my husband is finished with the book. We have got to be on the same page. I also asked a good friend who is in a post-doc program as a psychologist, specializing in children. She just wrote back to me and told me to check out Parenting the Strong-Willed Child by Forehand and Strong. I requested it from the library. We will see where we can get with these books. But, I really feel he needs a neuropsych evaluation! It's not easy. Good luck!

My son, 6 1/2, just finished reading the 5 sets of primary readers. Each story was 16 short pages and took about 10 min. or so. I did them 4 days a week. Now he has started the #2 readers that we either have or get from the library. I'm making sure he does it 5 days - about 6-8 pages or a chapter, if the book has chapters. We just finished Frog and Toad are Friends and are onto Amelia Bedilia at the doctors office. I've also googled first grade reading books and got a list off of a school web site that I plan to progress through.

For my son, who is currently 6 1/2 - we plan to: Math - Saxon 2 Language - FLL 1 Handwriting - Zaner-Bloser 2 ETC - 2,3,4.... Going to give Five In A Row a try (starting Before RIR when it arrives in mail any day now) Also planning to see how lapbooking works this coming week and will start with The Story of Ferdinand and see if he likes doing it! Science - Most likely Neoe First grade mapping skills by Evan-Moor History - STOW ancients Bible - still undecided So far, that's it! I am 8 lessons away from finishing Saxon 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our school district just implemented a full day kindy program last year that you have to pay $1,000 for. There was an uproar by some parents and after all was said and done they ended up with one class out of the 6 elementary schools having a half day program that was free with only 9 kids in it. Many more parents wanted half day but the district said that the child was not assured a spot in their designated school if there were not enough kids. So, about 100 possible 1/2 day kids fell to 9! Needless to say, this year they will not have that one 1/2 day option. But, the parents can take there child out 1/2 day if they want and not pay the full day price. I'm sure there will not be a person to take there kid out because it goes against the masses! The school district can charge for a kindy program because in MA it is not required by law that a child attend kindy! I've heard some districts charge up to $4k for an all day kindy program! Our kindy program at home has consisted of about 1.5 hours in the morning and about 1/2 hour to an hour of reading time of history, art, fun, or science. We've also done a lot of K mapping skills book and puzzles a few times a week for about another 1/2 hour. I'm planning on doing much of the same for next year, grade 1. But, just try to be a bit more consistant with designated days for history, art, and science instead of just doing it randomly.

I don't have much to add to all the others responses, but my younger son took a bit longer to be interested in a story he can't see. I would play alot of books on cd in the car, mostly for my older boy, and I never thought about whether my 3 year old, at the time, was listening much until he started telling me all the time to "turn the volume up"! I think that helped him visual the story without seeing it in a book. Most of the stories we listened to in the car were the Magic Tree House series - basic with a kid friendly voice narrating it. Another one my boys absolutely loved to listen to was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory narrated by one of the monty python guys (he won an award for it). They also go to sleep listening to books on cd (Narnia, Charlotte's Web, etc). Some very kid friendly, longer reading, picture/chapter books that they liked were Henry and Mudge, Poppelton, and just longer picture books I found off books lists for early readers that I would read to them. A longer picture book both my boys love and is the book that has been the most worn out is The Treasure Tree!

You may want to check out the book Discover Your Child's Learning Style by Willis and Hodson. It has questions for each child to answer to get to know who they are and it also has suggested curriculum. It could be a good start to find out each child's style. My oldest is only 6, so I'm still trying to understand him, but he is pretty straight forward with how to teach him right now. I can't say that we have used the curriculum suggestions in the book, yet. My second son, who is 4, is a totally different kid in every way and I have begun doing the same phonics plaid program with him that I did with my first son last year. I am using many different teaching techniques with him than I did with my first. I think a good program has all 4 learning styles built into it.

That is an interesting question. I think a young woman should be guided to pursue her passions or interests and where ever that leads her, whether it be a public university or private. I think that you were very lucky to meet your husband at a good time in your life that you were both able to make a decision together for how you wanted your family life to be. I guess I would guide her to make decisions similar to yourself. Pursue your own road and when you meet the man you marry make decisions that will make the best sense for your family.

I really like them. We listened to them all in the car - I bought them all on cd. Mostly over a year ago and my kids would listen to them over and over and pick the one's they liked most to hear. They were 3 1/2 and 5 at the time. I didn't care about sentence structure, I just wanted them to listen to something fun and interesting. My kids now know a lot about history due to them. I think historical fiction is great!

and get accepted to Harvard, you only pay 10% of tuition! My friend, who went to Harvard, just told me about it this morning. She assumed most ivy league schools were headed in the same direction. Apparently, since their endowment is so enormous they can afford to do this. But, with the hit the endowment has taken, I'm not sure this will be true for much longer. I'm just surprised to here it! And, of course your kid has to get in and then actually want to go to such a liberal school!

I'm not so sure I would have gone out of the way for piano lessons if it were not for the WTM book to suggest that every child have at least 2 years of it. Piano, swimming, martial arts have become our staple classes that are not an option. They are allowed to take other fun classes of their own choice at our local rec. center, such as, cooking, art, and gymnastics.

Why do my friends want to tell me all about the math programs their children are doing in public school? This is like the 4th time I've been told about the wonderful program for math at the public schools. And, this one last night actually took out her sons math to show me. Do they think I'm just teaching them to count to 10 without a structured program. I would think to ask what type of program I was doing and how it was going before I tell another person what is working for their child in public school. Just a bit weird. I look and check it out, and say how wonderful it is and then I just shut up and move on to a whole new subject.

From my experience in a church, it appears to be the job of the additional ministers, aside from the head pastor, to reach the congregation as a whole and help guide members to find their gifts to help others. The thing I worry about too much focus on just that one thing is people get too busy with doing so much for others and end up making their own family suffer in the process. I think the main job is to make sure those you are guiding to minister to others feel 'right' in their own family and relationships. I don't mean perfect, but working on putting your family first. We all tend to look so great on the outside, when our own families and marriages might be breaking. I think when we feel more whole as an individual it is a greater extension that we will naturally move toward ministry to others. It is so much easier to help others than help ourselves and our own family members. The real challenge isn't getting others to minister, but getting us to have thriving relationships to the people we are most close to. Deep, honest, growing relationships.

My initial reaction to that is if I wanted to be equipped to minister I would go to seminary school. I think of a pastor as a wise counsel and someone who is teaching and helping me make decisions in my life. I should be able to go to them with difficult issues and their guidance as to what Jesus would do.

That's a tough decision. The Montessori in our town is private and expensive and very liberal. We visited a private Christian school for our kids and really liked it, but I think what it came down to for us is how do we want our family structure to be and what was our long term vision for our kids. Homeschooling was more appealing to us. I think you just have to cast a vision for your family and decide what would be best to work towards that.

We did get this and did the first 3 projects. My boys are 6 and 4. Too young. They just weren't getting the appreciation out of it. I'll try again in a couple of years when they can be part of the prep work for it. They love learning about artists by reading about them in Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series we get from the library. That surpised me how much they like it. Throw in some cartoons and my kids love it!

Really depends on you and how you feel. I would try not eating. And, exactly how much time you have before you walk. Some tend to get a stomach ache if eating before exercise. Plus, you probably want at least 30 min. before exercise to eat something light. You will actually burn more fat if you don't eat and exercise within a reasonable time from waking. I like to eat something if I am going to the gym and won't be back in the house for about 3 hours (weights, cardio, shower there and then run some errands).

There is absolutely no logical reason for it! Some form of depression that formed over years of unhappiness and lack of healthy communication and possibly getting married too young (and coming from a dysfunctional family and creating your own dysfunctional family). These are two reasons my mom was the first to leave for one year while I was young and then the same reasons my father left the following year and never came back!

I was a personal trainer before kids - have a degree in it and everything! And, I am a runner. One shoe does not fit all. You could find out you are a natural runner and pick it up quickly or you may need a real gradual turn into it. The best bet is to always start out slow. Injury and common discomfort from exercise is probably the top reason people stop doing it. It would probably be a good idea to just start out walking and see how it goes. If you feel like running/jogging at the end go for it. Make sure you stretch fully afterwards. Slow and gradual and just listen to you body. When I got back into running after my daughter was born, she is 2, it was a real struggle for me - I was having headaches and hip pain. I backed off and did walking and played tennis. I just recently picked up running on a treadmill at the gym. It has been a good gradual process. I felt I could only run 2x in the week and about 8 weeks later am doing 3x week. I could definitely do more but I don't have enough time to get there on the other days. I am now running without headaches and hip pain! I think the general goal to have an active lifestyle is 30 min. of vigorous exercise 3-4 days a week. For weight loss the time could go up to 45 min. or the days could be increased. What I really like is strength training and running. The running I truly enjoy and the strength training makes me feel strong. Building muscle is a great way to lose weight because it takes longer for the muscle to build itself and therefore uses up more energy over a greater amount of time, even after you are done doing it. Whereas, the running, which is cardiovascular fitness burns calories as well, but mostly during the activity itself and not after. I'm going on a bit too much. I hope some of it is helpful.

We have done the K and are on the grade one and it is working very well for us! We do not use the teacher manual. I had my son sample 3 writing programs and my son fit ZB the best. I actually wanted another program, but it wasn't going to work for him.

We are a camping family! Love it! We do it in a tent. Our longest trip tenting in one place was for a week. We plan another week long trip this summer. I actually prefer a tent over a hotel. My dh must always have a pair of shower shoes for public showers! It's great to bring along a table cover for a picnic table (with holds so it doesn't blow away). An ax for getting firewood. A rope to tie up to trees to dry clothes and maybe some clips. And, we keep meaning to set up a tarp over the picnic table for shade and in case it rains (need extra rope for that). We always forget newspaper to start a fire. And, a broom to sweep up the messy floor build up. And, of course a first aid kit. The amount of stuff you need and want is overwhelming and alot of work to pack up. Have a blast!

We just bought a new sofa and I don't think it's the sturdiest, but I must tell you that my son, 6, jumps on the sofa like crazy - he can't seem to not do it. His brother never bounces on the couch! He gets very excited watching t.v.! I have always thought he has ADHD tendencies and now I have yet another thing to add to the list! Oh boy!

We are having great success using the Primary Phonics from our library! It is published by EPS and our library has 5 bound sets that progress for the child to read. Each set has 10 little stories in it. I have my son read one of the stories along with Phonics Pathways, ETC 1.5 and Zaner-Bloser handwriting each school day.

The location definitely matters and not only that but the quality of the job. We live in a town where the median home price is $800K! Yes, we are choosing to live here, and it isn't easy, but my husband has a 3 mile commute and really likes his job. It is almost impossible to have it all. We could have a bigger house or a cheaper house 30 min. or more away from his place of work, but we also made the choice that we would settle for less in a house and have more time together. He can come home if i need him easily or help out to take my son to a hs class at the aquarium. And, he can come to the recreation center in town and watch the kids activities from time to time. And, we also go and have lunch with him at work too.

I totally can relate to some of this. The only difference is it comes from my mother. If I say the slightest thing about my 6 year olds behavior changing she is quick to say that he 'needs more' and that means he would be happier and better off in public school! It drives me crazy! The fact that he is taking karate, swimming, art class, piano and sunday school is irrelevant to her and not enough for him to be a 'normal kid'.

Animated Hero Classics and Schlessenger media videos we have gotten from our library or library connections. Anything and everything educational you can think of! They have ages on them (k-3). Look up Schlessenger media on google and then go to the first one - libraryvideo.com and just scoll down. The topics are awesome. I get the names from this site and then check them out from the library.