Lots of walking, squats and lunges. And sex of course.This may be TMI, but make sure it is good. An orgasm can definitely trigger labor better than if it is boring. Weird...I know.

You could order something custom from Etsy that has the baby's name on it. Then you would have something one of a kind and handmade, but you wouldn't have to make it yourself.

I would check out Mod cloth. Very cute and affordable and you can search by length.

Wow! So many fantastic responses and thoughts. I am off to figure out what all of those acronyms mean, and then I will be back with my question plethora. Thanks, all!

Lynnita - What were your favorite "open and go" programs? Moon - Is the idea behind the history portion of VP that they integrate literature/great books/and history all in Omnibus? Were you happy with this program? Also, I have heard that it really only covers Western Civilization, and leaves out Africa, Asia, South America for the most part. Is this true, and if it is do you think that adding in additional learning about other parts of the world would be possible and realistic or too heavy of a workload? Shannon - To discover what you like and don't like about the VP curriculum, do you just have to order it and then make changes the following year? Can you return things that you decide not to use? Also, I was wondering if their Bible curriculum is staunchly Calvinist/Reformed or more of a non-denominational approach. Thanks all for the help with my multitude of questions! Emily

Thanks for your thoughts. I have perused their website and catalog, and I am finding that I am still pretty confused as to what to expect. I am not familiar with all of the books used, so without reading all of them, it is kindof a guessing game. Do you see any differences between the approach of the WTM and VP or do you see them as complementary?

Let's see..I night weaned my first baby at about 22 months and my second baby at about 10 months. It was quite hard for the first and fairly easy for the second, so you definitely have to take personality into consideration, but for both of them the key was (like another poster stated) getting Daddy really involved. I don't remember exactly how it happened the first time, but I can tell you what we did the second time. We cosleep, so what we ended up doing was this: -Wash the sheets so that they don't smell like mama milk. -Nurse baby really thoroughly before bed and then have baby and daddy go through an elaborate ritual of saying night night to Mama and leaving her in the living room to go to bed. Lots of hugs and kisses, maybe a book or two. -Daddy puts the baby to bed and is there to cuddle and comfort when the baby wakes up. Mama stays on the couch. -The first few nights he did wake up and cry, but was eventually soothed by Daddy. This wasn't the crazy hysterical crying of CIO. He was just expressing his disappointment at the new arrangement, but he still had Daddy to soothe and comfort. -After about a week, he started completely sleeping through the night! We were amazed at how easy this transition was. Then I came back to the bed, but I made sure to wear a high neck shirt and sleep with my back to the baby at first. He now is 22 months old and knows that he gets to nurse right before he goes to bed and right after breakfast. The only nursing that has been a challenge has been the one that he asks for at 6:30 when he wakes up. We decided to move this to after breakfast so that I could get another hour of sleep. -In a month we are buying bunkbeds for the boys, and honestly, I am going to miss my little cuddle bug! Cosleeping becomes so enjoyable once they stop waking up constantly, and I am trying to soak it up before it is over... Emily

Did anybody see this? If my question has already been answered somewhere else, can someone share a link with me?

Hi everyone! I am new to classical education, and have been researching my curriculum options. Holy cow, I am overwhelmed!! My son is only 4, so I know that I have a while to decide, but I would like to have an idea of where we are heading. I also would like the option of being able to put him in a classical private school if we ever move to a town that has one. My first exposure to classical schooling was reading The Well Trained Mind, which I love, but I am also drawn to the idea of ordering a full curriculum that would have things like lesson plans, online support, and classes in the things that I am not strong in (calculus, chemistry etc.) Piecing my own curriculum together based on The Well Trained Mind seems a lot more daunting considering the fact that I did not have a classical education myself. At the same time, I am having a hard time getting the root of what the actual philosophies behind some the major curriculum options are. I don't want to get half way through and discover that they teach philosophies or beliefs that are very different than our families. One of the main curriculums that I am looking at is Veritas Press. It looks promising, but I am scared to commit, not knowing exactly what to expect. What I would really love is the inside scoop from those of you who are familiar with the program. What are they all about? What are the big differences between them and The Well Trained Mind? Is it worth the extra expense? If we encounter materials that aren't in line with our family's values, is there anyway to substitute something different, or are we stuck? The first thing I would be ordering is the Phonics Museum, so I would also love to hear thoughts on that. Right now we are using The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading, and it seems to be working just fine for us so far, but I will have to track down some readers and worksheets soon, so I am trying to get an idea of what I want to do. Thanks for the help! Emily

I am a homeschooler of a Preschool, so I certainly hope so! :) There is a sizable chunk of The Well Trained Mind dedicated to it...

I think that believing in right or wrong has gone out of fashion these days. People see it as being hateful or judgmental, because of the prevalence of black and white people who are not gentle with their views or try to push their beliefs down your throat. I think the main thing that is annoying is when people think they have everything figured out and don't have anything to learn. In my opinion, the big issue isn't whether or not you believe in right and wrong, but whether or not you are kind to others. I wouldn't care how passionate someone was about their beliefs as long as they are respectful. I see what you are saying about the "most". There are some of these issues where we simply have to make the best decision we can based on the information currently available to us, with the humility to know that we could be wrong, but we are doing the best we can. I am like that about vaccination. I believe that I am making the right choice, but I accept that 20 years from now new information could come out that proves me wrong.

I didn't mean it as any kind of diss. I was thinking of myself actually, and the fact that I have changed my mind about these sorts of things as I have learned more over the years. The possibility remains that I will learn new information that could change my mind again. Hopefully that clarifies what I am saying...

Pamela, I totally get what you are saying. There are issues that people are afraid to take a hard stand on because they would stick out like a sore thumb. I have very strong opinions about these things, but I would still label them gray due to the fact I don't think a person is sinning for choosing the opposite side, unless they have the same convictions as me. Is one of us right and one of us wrong? Yes, I think so. But I think most of those issues tend to be matters of lack of knowledge. Examples of things like this might be circumcision, education, vaccination, diet, alcohol, politics. I do believe that there is a right or wrong in all of these topics, but I also try to be understanding of those who have come to different conclusions.

Several people have mentioned eating more fat, and I would like to chime in and say that they are SO right. It makes a giant difference for me. You could try making vegetable latkes fried in lard or coconut oil and then dipping them in homemade ranch. Or batter your zucchini with chickpea flour and fry it up. Tastes like bar food, but it is totally healthy and wonderfully filling. Salmon patties dipped in tartar sauce are lovely. Shrimp scampi over zucchini noodles with plenty of butter, garlic and parmesan cheese. You will probably start liking the vegetables a lot more as your sweet tooth adjusts. That is how it was for me! I can't even stand things like standard sweetness chocolate anymore. I do enjoy a piece of dark chocolate covered banana from the freezer once in while though. Melt dark chocolate with a bit of butter or coconut oil and then dip chunks of banana in it. Throw them all in the freezer, and limit it yourself to one or two pieces! Amazing! If you need links to recipes or have any questions, let me know! Emily

I am definitely both depending on the topic. I think the deciding factor for me is whether something is a moral issue or not. I believe that there are certain things that are absolutely evil or absolutely good, and other things that depend on the situation. In those situational issues, the only black and white factor is following your own conscience. An example of the first category might be something like cheating on my husband. I see that as completely black, no possibility of gray whatsoever. An example of gray would be buying organic food. If I am strongly convicted that it is the right thing for me, it would be wrong for me to go against my convictions. But I would never point fingers at someone for buying non-organic who has never been convicted in that way. As a Christian I believe that they we are meant to live in freedom and love, and eliminate any unnecessary legalism. I see people who are stuck in strict black and white thinking as people who are bound to the law, because they are trying to prove their worth by following a long list of rules. I think that the only rules that matter are those that have to do with loving other people. Everything else is pretty gray, and unique to the individual. Anyway, just my two cents. I understand that there are people from all different belief systems represented here. Emily

Brilliant! I loved this!

It is wonderful that we have the freedom to protest, but what these people are doing is trying to take away other's freedom to read a book. That is what I have a problem with.

I am scared to death of Highschool level science, particularly chemistry. I never understood it well myself, so I am not sure what we will do if my kids are still homeschooled by then. Hopefully we will be able to find a book that can teach the teacher as well as the student.

To answer your first question, I do think that consistency is really important. But I think that it won't really matter how good of a job you are doing at home if everything is getting undone at school. If the teacher is not on the same page as you, she will probably undo a lot of your progress. I am not sure what the solution to this is. On my recent thread about discipline, a lot of people made book recommendations that looked promising. You might try looking at those books and seeing if any of them would be helpful. Emily

Gah! Censorship drives me insane, even when it is directed towards a book that I am not a huge fan of. This reminds me of how there were people at my Christian school who didn't want The Chronicles of Narnia on the reading list because there was a witch in it. I don't know whether to just get mad or to pity them for their ignorance and move on. In college I went to a class called Banned Books and Censorship where we read through some of the most banned books throughout history. Some were great and others were terrible, but I don't think that it is right to ban something simply because you disagree with it. One of my favorite books, "A Wrinkle in Time" has been censored hundreds of times since it was first printed. I think that this comes from parents whose goal is to shelter their kids from everything instead of teaching them the skills to approach books with an analytical mind.

This is great advice, and I like how polite and non confrontational it is. Confrontation might be necessary if this doesn't work, but I would start with the nicest option. It is possible that what you are up against is a cultural difference. In some parts of the country stopping by unannounced is much more common. I actually love it, but my friends that do it never stop by for more than an hour or so, and never stay for meal times. I would consider that rude, unless I had invited them to stay. Generally my friends come bearing a coffee for me as well, so that makes everything ok! LOL But coming over that often, for 5 hours sounds extreme even to me. Try the gentlest method first and then work your way up. Good luck! Emily

Kiddo is ok if you are talking to a kid...not a grown woman with two children.

NaturalKate - I did do an intro post, but I don't think anyone really saw it. Then I did a second post that referenced the first one. At first the comments were really helpful, but then I made one wrong move and a lot of people started being very hurtful. The problem wasn't that they disagreed with me, but that they did so in an unkind way. I knew that there would be differences in opinion, but I didn't expect to be called names etc... Now I am being called a troll everywhere I go...not a great start.

Thanks for the understanding. It isn't one of those things that I want to go into in incredible detail, because it was 7 years ago, and I am trying really hard to get past it. I still have minor PTSD type moments anytime I get called one of the names from those days. I am particularly sensitive to condescending names like "sweetie, honey, kid, etc." because in my past those were always said to put down not build up. This is one of the main reasons that I want to homeschool my kids. I never want them to experience the scars that I have been through. When I hear the word "socialize", I shudder, because to me that means make someone's life a living hell until they finally conform to the system. So far they are open, loving kids, and I am really optimistic that they will never be "socialized".

Exactly, SKL! I am glad that I am not the only one who feels this way. I made the mistake of asking for help with discipline. I had no idea that it was going to be so controversial. But I am not one to come ask questions about trivial questions. That is what I use Google for!