Is it the writing you want to skip? Could you do something else? Have them do lectures, or make movies, or act it out, or write a song, or whatever their interests are. At the end of the year you could still have something to show (albiet on CD rom or canvas, instead of a sheaf of papers) and you wouldn't have to worry about whether or not your kids are being turned off from learning. I would teach all the stuff, because it creates a base for everything else to build on, but let them run with what they love. For us, ds is starting to write storybooks for some subjects, instead of just narratives. He loves it and actually does more in depth worth, because he's including himself and it's something he enjoys. It's funny, because the narrative is still there, but now it's a story line and at the end of the month, he's kept more of the info.

Coming from a Christian standpoint, the only perfect positive ways to be, would be through Christ. Some would, others wouldn't. I do.

Or, because they're forced to put funding into certain areas and other important areas are lacking. They aren't trying for a free ride, they're working for the extra funds.

I think the point is, it's not a free ride. If the kids want all the stuff the schools hand out then they have to help the school raise the funds.

I'm not really sure. I know VA has started jumping on these bandwagons so quick it's scary. They tried to make the guardasil vaccine a requirement (for school??? what????). You can call me Julie, lol.

no blankets, no loose sleepers, no pillows one sheet, no mattress covers that make it softer (the rubber things or leak guards are okay, but nothing soft or cushy and the rubber things should definitely be under the fitted sheet) Do what you can to make it safe, that's all you can do :grouphug: All three of mine slept on their sides with the wedge things. It was a compromise between what they wanted and what the doctor insisted upon. You could try swaddling her and seeing if that helps her sleep on her back, if you want :)

The court it's being held in is New Jersey, so I'm not sure if it's going to be national... someone more knowledgable could clear that up. Anyway, they're trying to make swine flu vaccines mandatory for ps children. We got a note about dd, already, and school hasn't even started. It hasn't gone through the court system yet, it's just being brought up now, from what I understand (making compulsery illegal). I believe part of the idea is that a child would not be allowed to attend school without either the vaccination or else an exemption (assuming that state has exemptions in place).

thank you for posting this

Did you compare authors? I never knew this, but now I wonder if the authors aren't different, or if the key to the differences lay in the different authors...

Dh has already decided that our youngest is staying home, no K, no preK, nothing. At two, he's already far enough ahead that all either of us see for him in ps is a ton of notes being sent home for not paying attention, interrupting, etc. He'd be bored out of his gourd! Of course, when anyone asks, I say, we're keeping our options open. No sense in starting an argument ;)

You know what I find delightfully ironic? That the same scriptures being used to make Mormons followers of the anti-christ could be used against many/most of the denominations that use them. But no, let's not join together into a stronger church for God though Christ, remember Them? Let's just keep being divisive, let's keep fighting and pointing fingers and accusing fellow Christians as idolators (oops, that's not Mormons) I mean, necromancers (are you KIDDING ME?). Seriously, I am so glad that Christians do not judge or condemn each other. I'm glad we all have and share the closest to agape that we are capable of attaining. Elizabeth, hugs, what a hurtful and rediculous thing for someone to accuse another of.

Our local ps bases part of its budget on fundraisers. If the fundraisers don't bring in enough then there aren't some of the extras. I know budgets are different from place to place, but here, the state cut funding last year, the county had to cut funding and the local ps is getting much less than it was in the past. They try to make it up with fundraisers. Yes, it can be irritating when anyone you've already helped needs more help, but there's not much more they can do (here anyway). O/Tish, this is one of the problems I have with big social programs going through the government. The closest town raised the money and built their local schools out of their own pocket. The citizens there give gladly to help the school, and a big part of it is pride that it is THEIR school, another part is that they aren't being forced to contribute to start with. When charity becomes enforced, it loses all spirit.

I've known a lot of people that started churches at home, with their friends. That way they can avoid many of the denominational issues that people struggle with. Someone wrote something rather anti-charasmatic, I'm wondering, what's the problem with charasmatic? Good conversation :)

I just say that the school was unable to deal with ds's needs. He's advanced, and sometimes that response makes it sound like he was behind, but it's the truth and it keeps people from getting that sneering, 'oh aren't you so special,' gleam to their eyes.

We do both. Ds uses Latina Christiana and Hey Andrew. Hey Andrew is easy enough that he does it primarily on his own.

Coming in late, skimmed some responses and zeroed in on yours, don't you feel special :lol: I just wanted to send you big hugs. If you want to find God, your best bet is to cry out to him. We're people, no matter how many times we read the Bible, no matter how many church services we might've officiated or participated in, we're still people. Try reading the NT. That's the Gospel (harharhar, sorry bad joke). Really, God wants you to be happy, He loves you. Miseries, trials, tribulations, they can strengthen you, they have their places. You don't have to go it alone, as a matter of fact, even without you knowing it, you've never had to go it alone, God's always been there. You're not a lost cause, you're the greatest cause :) Hugs hugs hugs hugs and if it's alright with you, I'm not great at prayer, but I'm getting better and I would be happy to include you.

Ours goes both ways. Dh has me listening to music and being WAY more relaxed that I was. I have made him a family man. We married young and in the ten years we've been married a lot of changes have happened between us. Sometimes, I feel bad that I'm not dangerous enough for him, he feels bad that he's not literary enough for me. We've talked about our differences and instead of causing rifts, as they have in the past :( we've figured out that it's what attracts us to each other. He embraces his toughness and tries to remember to call his worrywort wife. I embrace my inner PTA mom and try to add an edge here and there.

I've read number one....... There's enough food for thought, or fodder for concern, right there. I KNOW I'm supposed to trust God for all our needs. I KNOW, we could sell everything we have, donate the proceeds to a church or Christian charity and God would bless us. I KNOW I should spend as much time and effort as possible, bringing the reality of God into my children's lives and minds (and dh's). I also know I have a stiff-neck. I also know that I fear my kids will not be prepared, that they need this education that they will not succeed without it. I KNOW those are worldly concerns and, as a Christian, they shouldn't be mine. Living by faith is scary. I'm edging towards it, but I'm scared to take that plunge. In the mean time, I will follow the laws of the land (which we are supposed to follow) and make sure that my kids can pass their standardized tests. Augh, this is too much to have to think about this early in the day :(

Dmmosher, they aren't FREAKS.:lol: Actually, I'm sure it does have to do with wanting to distinguish themselves from people that are in it for sex, whereas they are in it for the emotional and spiritual benefits.

Which is why I said "mainly," because at one point he did search the deep dark recesses of his audience to find the one or two carefully waffling detractors. Didn't hear about the loaded gun guy. I'm surprised he was free to do interviews later.

I would be so tempted to stop recycling, or even recycle elsewhere. What do they do if you don't pay? Do they stop picking up your trash at all? Good riddance to bad rubbish :lol:

I only watched a few snippets. Was this the man that just wanted to leave and was being held back by another? I'm just surprised that Obama's town hall meeting was so positive, what are the odds that he would end up with an audience that mainly agreed with him????

With The Ethical Slut as your "bible" how could you possibly go wrong? When I was gigantically pregnant with our first, I told dh I would understand if he ran around. That was one day, the next, I told him I could never forgive him. There's the extent of our looking into sharing each other. Just sounds like people that decided to compromise so they could have their cake and eat it too. I think their "bible" is aptly named, even if the title is an oxymoron.

I've known couples where one or the other was "fixed" and years later they became pregnant. I've known people that use birth control religiously (:lol:, sorry, but it was a good pun), and became pregnant. I have known a girl who'd gotten an abortion and months later gave birth. IMO, if God wants to bless you, you'll be blessed. Dh and I will not get sterilized, and the only bc we use is one that most people scoff at. We're not trying to have more kids, there's days when all my little blessings make me want to pull my blessed hair out, but if we should, well, okay then. IOW, there is a grey area and you are welcome here. We don't try to get pregnant, but we don't go out of our way to avoid it, either.