Whew! I didn't check in for a couple of days and this thread took on a life of its own! I am not in NY, btw. Since I first posted the question, the situation seems to be clarified somewhat. She is a former classroom teacher, and has definitely been imagining "school at home" with recess, and with us "co-teaching" classes. Not how we homeschool. In the end I think I will teach her daughters science (I LOVE teaching science) and they will tag along with us for other subjects until she feels she has her feet under her, and then we will just support each other. I love my kids too much to take away their joyful homeschooling experience and lock them into a scheduled, structured environment for which they are not ready.

We moved a few months ago, and have become close with a wonderful family down the block. As luck would have it, their school has just decided to close, and the mom, along with a few other families in town, has decided to homeschool. I have mostly boys ( 9yo, 8yo, 6yo, and 4 yo as well as my 3yo daughter), while she will be keeping home her two girls (9 yo and 7yo), and perhaps her son (6yo), who I swear was separated at birth from my 6yo. We have decided that I will teach history, science art and some religious studies to the group. I already have the materials prepared, so the more the merrier! She will teach some religious subjects to the oldest guys, which is a huge relief to me. In general I am so happy about this new development. I am sure, however, that many have done this sort of thing before, and can tell me about the potential pitfalls and challenges. I welcome all advice. Also, I want to assess her girls in terms of reading and math skills. I just worked with my kids one on one for a while, observed how they thought and learned, and then found curriculum to address their personal needs. Is that what I should do with her girls, or would a formal assessment test at the beginning and end of the year be better? Thanks, Rina

Thanks all!

Great thinking, no, he does not have impulse control outside of the house at all. His older two brothers (9yo and 8yo) both have ADHD, which is why I began homeschooling. We medicated for 6 months or so, but everyone hated it - the kids and us, and we made a group decision to homeschool and not use meds. But for this kid there are days when I say "Drug him, I can't take it!!". He gets very, very hyper at bedtime (almost like sundowning with an Alzheimers person) and so once a month or so we give him melatonin. Funny thing is, he still wont go to sleep for a few hours afterwards (any time we have given it to our other kids it knocks them out in thirty minutes), but he is so calm, pleasant, thoughtful for those few hours. But ritalin made him crazy - violent, raging, tearful, frantic - so scary I almost called 911. Again, we are against medicating in general, but I would be curious to hear others' thoughts on that. I know that if I took him to a scrap yard and found several pieces of "junk" for him to build/create/destroy he would be so thrilled, but I am also ready all day every day to find him with a finger dangling (G-d forbid!), or enjoying the glow of a fire that he created with chemicals etc...wish there was a gifted program near me, but I have checked into it, and there is not. He is truly brilliant, but It is not such a simple blessing to have a child with a gifted but incredibly intense mind....

I have a 5 yo (almost 6) ds who is gifted and VERY curious. He loves to take things apart. Which is great in theory, except when he takes apart my working mixer with my meat tenderizing hammer. He is so very creative, and can build amazing things. But he also conducts chemistry experiments with my most expensive gluten free flours and all of my spices. He also has ADHD, so he can sometimes spin from one thing to the next. There are times where I have to shadow him, literally not use the bathroom, for fear of what he will get into. There is no child-proofing the house from him, because he can take a paper plate and some tape and make an amazing creation, though he can also get ahold of a knife and cut open our guitar because he wants to know how it is build so that he can carve wood and build his own guitar. I have four other kids, including a 4yo ds on the autism spectrum, to teach, so it is nearly impossible to watch him all of the time. He has NO interest in anything that resembles an actual toy/kit/curriculum piece - not snap circuit, lego, magnatiles, he does love wikisticks, but that is about it. He taught himself to read right before his fifth birthday, but doesnt want to sit for any formal academics yet. He asks a million amazing questions a day, and thought it is incredible that he is so intelligent and curious, by the end of the day I just want a break from him (I feel so bad to say that!). Any ideas of materials, kits, classes, hobbies, anything to safely occupy this guy so that I can successfully homeschool the rest of the family??

The school psychologist is a member of my religious community, but does not work in my local school district. My local school district is known for having an awful school psychologist on staff. This woman I spoke with would gladly test my son for me this Sunday for $400 (what she charges others to do private testing), but she is the one who is telling me that I should consider not testing. She said that, as a parent herself, she would want more vs. less information. And I totally agree. But she said the most successful evidence-based method for dealing with most reading issues is O-G programs, and I already own LOE and will be using it once camp ends. So her argument (against putting $400 in her pocket, mind you!) was that if the remediation will be the same, why test? She said the test could turn up some "zebra", but when you are looking at a reading challenge, first think "horses", and try the O-G method. If in a few months it isn't helping him, then go for the big tests and see if in fact we need other interventions. I actually did have my son tested by a COVD optometrist three years ago, when the school first told us they suspected ADHD. They said he had major visual tracking issues, and I should bring him in for therapy twice a week at a rate of $100 per session. Then we went to the neurologist, who told us that the COVD is a scam and a waste of time and money, and that he has ADHD, and we needed to medicate. In the end, we went with the neurologist's recommendation for six months, hated medication, and then decided to homeschool. We were living at the poverty line, so there is NO way we could have even considered the COVD therapy at the time, but I am very embarrassed and feeling like I failed my kid to not have paid more attention to it at the time. What do you all recommend - getting ahold of the report from three years ago, or starting the process over? Does insurance typically pay for any of it?

I have realized over the past few months that my just-turned 8yo ADHD ds is most likely dyslexic. We just moved to a new state, and got new health insurance. there are quite literally NO neuropsychologists or developmental pediatricians in our insurance network in a 100 mile radius. A school psychologist in our new community so kindly gave me an hour of her time last night to talk through the situation, and her conclusions were that he definitely sounds like he has dyslexia or visual tracking deficits, but that she doesn't think testing him is worth the very big private price tag. She said he will end up needing an Orton-Gillingham approach, no matter what a test shows (and I just bought Logic of English a month ago!). Her point was that, if the remediation will be the same, no matter what a test says, is it worth the $2000 price tag to know exactly what flavor of reading issues he has. $2k can buy a lot of curriculum, so I want to agree with her, but I am generally an information-seeker. What would you all recommend?

Oh, I wish I had found this board a few weeks ago! We moved to Passaic at the beginning of June, and I have spent the last few weeks looking for homeschooling groups in this area, and have come up empty handed ( I guess I am so tired from unpacking that my internet research skills have been poor!). I knew it couldn't be true, but I was beginning to worry that we had more homeschooling activities/classes/opportunities back in Missouri! Does anyone in the area know of a good chess center or program (Northern New Jersey, but we will travel)? I will get on the suggest yahoo groups right away, please send any other tips for new NNJ homeschoolers!

While some of my kids are in camp, I am planning for my second year of homeschooling. I learned so much during the first year - what works, what doesn't. But I am still struggling with a scheduled vs. unscheduled, structured vs. interest-led style of homeschooling. I am a type A and would LOVE it if structured/scheduled worked for us. But the reality is, it didn't work so well when we tried it - we fought more than we learned, and when they were required to sit down and do the work I gave them, you could literally see their brains turn off. But when we had a more relaxed schedule, either no work got done, or they just begged to be on the computer all day. And then everyone would want my help at the same time (4 pm of course), and be upset when I wasn't available (after I had been present and available for 8 hours, but with no one wanting to work with me). I eventually gave them a folder with their work for the week, set hours each day that I would be available to help them, and it sort of worked. For this coming year I would like to follow their interests more - how do airplanes work? Let's open a Janice Van Cleave book, do a few experiments, build a model plane, sit near the airport and watch planes for fun, etc. But I have five kids - oldest two are both 8 right now, with vastly different interests, then a 5 yo who is gifted and could keep me busy all on his own, an autistic 4yo who stops the whole train in its tracks when he is having a bad day, and an almost 3yo dd who I haven't focused on at all yet. I may receive state services for my 4yo but won't know for a while. I could afford help - an aide to be with the younger two in the afternoons for a few hours while I take the older ones to classes/field trips, or just focus on projects in the house with them without worrying what the younger ones will get into. But I can't follow three different interests at once I think - pulling together resources, field trip ideas, ordering library books, collecting supplies for experiments - or is that what other people do? And how do you actually make interest -led homeschoooling happen? If you haven't planned on teaching aviation, and you don't have the supplies around for the experiments, do you run out to three different stores and the library with all of your kids in tow? If you were me, and you had exciting opportunities (we just moved to the NYC area), more financial resources (my husband just started a new job which mean more wiggle room each month, but he is never around), and a tumult of curious,energetic kids with a wide variety of interest, but who will default to screen time if allowed, how would you structure your homeschool?

How do others on here manage screen time (computer, iPad, Wii, etc)? There are so many educational opportunities that can be accessed with the internet or iPad. But my children, especially my oldest 8yo Aspie son, have a weird relationship with screens that almost seems like an addiction. The more time they get, the more time they want, and the harder time they have occupying their non-screen time productively (ie in any way other than whining and begging for more screen time). And although my oldest will choose to play live chess against opponents from around the world with his screen time (educational and time well spent), he could do that for six hours in a row if allowed to, and will still beg for more time. We don't own a television, and the kids generally watch only an hour or so of videos per week cumulatively, so there is little viewing time added to the computer game time. Still, a family down the block allows their kids NO video/screen/computer time at all, and the kids always seem to be engaged in something wonderful - building clay figurines, making up secret codes, etc... thoughts?

Amazing advice, thanks all. My two oldest sons are both 8 yo right now (they are 11 months apart), with the oldest turning 9 in a few weeks. When pressed, they said they want to go back to school so that they can carpool with their friends. then I reminded them that, after they arrive at school, they will be at SCHOOL, that place where you are locked in a chair for most of the day, learning at a painfully slow pace what other people tell you that you should be interested in, taught at you/to you in a manner that they think you should find engaging and effective. And then they both said, "yeah, ok, maybe we don't want to go back to school after all!". I am so excited to continue this adventure. It has only been one year, and I hope to still be learning together for many more.

We moved very recently from the Midwest to the NYC area. My kids are still adjusting, but are thrilled with the new friends they are making here....so much so that they have asked to go to school in the fall. First they have to get through camp, which has three hours of religious studies learning each morning. If they are successful at sitting for three hours in a structured environment (which I HIGHLY doubt), then I guess I would consider sending them to school in the fall. But my oldest has Asperger as well as ADHD and I remember so clearly how awful school was for him socially. My next son has extreme ADHD and can't sit for more than 30 seconds unless drugged (which we all agree is a price not worth paying). I do think they will be ready to return to school someday if they desire, but I don't think they are ready (we have only been homeschooling for one year). My dilemma is that I am not sure I am able to be objective, as I love homeschooling them, and have already purchased, prepared, and planned at least half of what I would use next year if they homeschool. My plan was to spend this next month while the kids are in camp finishing my planning for next year. Now I am not sure if I should invest all of that time and energy. Are they not ready to go back to school, or am I not ready to give up homeschooling?! How can I tell the difference??

On a whim, I promised my son a few months ago that he would have the option of electives this year. He complained that last year he only learned what I wanted him to learn (math, language arts, religious studies, science, history) and not what he wanted to learn. We didn't have any resources last year to make extra-curricular classes (music, art) happen. We are in a different position now, and I could sign him up for classes/lessons, or prepare material for topics he is interested in. Kids are about to go to camp for the next month, so this is my time to research/prepare/arrange those sorts of things. Problem is....neither he or I can think of many options. He reads - about 2500 pages per week - and is obsessed with chess, and he already fills much of his day with those activities. He doesn't really like art or desire to learn an instrument. He wants to learn Spanish, and I speak it and will happily create a program for him. Any other ideas? I remember getting the course catalog in college each spring and feeling so excited by all of the options available (yes, I was a total nerd!). I ended up taking classes I never thought I would have been interested in, and loving them. I would like to give my son that experience. Suggestions?

Thanks for the advice everyone. I have decided to steal money from a different subject area and splurge on this curriculum.

I am planning my language arts for next year for my two ds who will be in the 4th and 2nd grades. I will be using "old school" books for spelling - Natural Speller and How To Teach Spelling, as those appeal to me. I purchased Learning Grammar Through Writing, and thought I might use that alone as a grammar program, but am not sure what else I need to teach. I have no plans right now for teaching literature or poetry. I see that EVERYONE seems to love MCT - and yet I have read that the program doesn't teach spelling, or diagramming, or grammar thoroughly, or.....I forget what else was on the list of what it doesn't teach well, but the list was long! I am a newish homeschooler, so I am sure I am missing something, but if the list of what it doesn't teach well is so long, and people using it feel the need to supplement with several other resources, why do people love it? If it cost $20, of course I would simply buy it and find out what all of the fuss is about. But with that big price tag, I am hesitant to sink a big portion of my budget for next year into a program that leaves several gaps/holes. We tried FLL this year, and were just BORED to death. The scripted style seemed strange and the pace was slow. MCT lovers out there, please tell me what the love affair is about. Also, if anyone out there has a better recommendation of a program for us, I would love any suggestions! Thanks, Rina

Absolutey, thanks so much for taking the time to share all of those resources. We are in Missouri, and there are fascinating caves here, and we are heading west this summer, through Jackson Hole, so that will coincide beautifully. I think there is nothing better than looking at the amazing world G-d created and pairing the experience with Psalms or scripture to give kids a very tangible sense of the magnitude of G-d. Have you ever heard of the book "Perek Shirah"? You would have to look at a Jewish bookstore online, but any version should have the scripture translated into English on one side of the page, with Hebrew on the other. It is the song that all of the animals sing to G-d, i.e. the duck says "His glory shines on the waters", etc. Very fun for kids and adults alike. It might be a nice add-on the next time you study animals.

I will be beginning Year 2 of TWTM cycle next year, focusing on earth science and astronomy. I have a few spines in place (making up my own curriculum because I just can't make myself fall in love with anything out there). What "extras" did you use and love? My kids are all in the Grammar stage, and there are a few toddlers in the mix, so I am hesitant to invest in a nice telescope any time in the future. I bought one from a thrift store a couple of years ago, and they had it dismantled and were playing with (read losing) the pieces before I could stop them. Savages! :) So I have that kind of house. Given that, would you still recommend buying a telescope? What other rock kits, amazing books, best field trips made the Year 2 cycle come alive for your kids in the Grammar phase?

Hi all, I wanted to let everyone know that our lawyer found out that we CAN put away our max contributions in an IRA for retirement without penalty or fear that it will all be taken. And there goes my homeschooling budget! Ha! Total reversal of fortunes. Thank G-d I am totally used to that by now. So now I am back to business as usual, planning next year's homeschool materials with the money I can glean from the non-existent food budget. But I am so much more comfortable in that space. Now I am running over to follow an amazing thread started by Hunter (thanks again Hunter! hugs) about homeschooling with a Bible, library card and a few other essentials. See you all there!

Question for you all - I just looked at Learning Grammar Through Writing on Amazon. It seems to me that I could use that book solely as a LA curriculum - adding in poetry, literature etc. of course, I mean in terms of productive language arts - grammar, writing style etc.... would you say that is true?

I spent last night checking out all of the suggestions, and they look amazing. Already on my Amazon wish list. Thanks!

To the above poster, it feels weird to us, and wrong, to spend this tax return. But our lawyer, who is very highly respected in our community and friends have used, assures us it is fine. But I like to listen to that little voice inside of me, and that little voice does keep shouting that this doesn't feel kosher. Bankruptcy may not be a great experience, but at least I am pretty sure I will be able to feed my kids, which I don't feel like I can consistently now. And overall it has been positive for us, refining our focus, bringing us even closer, developing my skills at cooking beans in a thousand new ways :) Also, we seem to have kids similarly spaced - first two 11 months apart, and then 4 in 5 years (in the end I had 5 in six years, then had to have a hysterectomy due to a complication). Is your house total madness as well?! Then again, your oldest is a girl, and my last is the only girl, so my house is bursting with testosterone....

Can I add a question? My 5yo is a future engineer, I am sure of it. He is like MacGuyver - he can three random household items and build a working machine. He amazes us every day. But he has anger management issues. He is very intelligent, but very quickly bored, and has a really short fuse (ADHD but we don't medicate right now). He is begging us all of the time to give him more MacGuyver type supplies, and he would be happy to spend all day in the garage with my husband's tools. But he is five. If a brother walks by and teases him while he has a saw in his hand.... I love the balsam wood plane/boat idea. Any recommendation for tools for this sort of boy? The hand drill was an amazing suggestion, and I've already put one on my Amazon wish list! Any other recommendations, in that vein? Projects/hobbies that would be a good fit?

Really interested in this thread. I have four boys - real boy boys - who do like to sew, but REALLY want to whittle. I am just not sure if I can put knives in their hands, as one minute they are best friends and the next minute they are out for blood. They are 8, 7, and 5 (those who want to whittle). Thoughts? I love the ideas being shared here, thanks for this thread!

I must share with you all, I tried a schedule today, giving each child a 30 minute slot to do our one on one work. I explained my expectations in the morning before we started, that I would be serving snack at a set time, and that I was not to be interrupted unless something or someone was on fire. They were each really excited to have their time slot. It was incredibly successful! I know my kids well enough now to know when the best time would be for each in the day. By noon all independent work and work with mom was done, and we just had our short group work to do in the afternoon. They spent most of the afternoon creating water rockets. Sadly, they did this in our basement, because it was snowing outside. Oh well, you can't have it all, a clean house AND happy kids, right? Thanks again for great, concrete suggestions.

Thanks Hunter! And thanks for the hugs and support! I don't know how to use emoticons yet, but group hug right back atcha all. I really appreciate the advice. We are heavy library users, and have made it through the first 6 months of homeschooling without a ton of purchased curriculum. I feel like lining my shelves with multiple options for LA, math etc. might give me lots of teaching options, but I would also feel tons of pressure to use the curriculum, or risk feeling guilty about wasted money.