Well, I googled & found this: http://www.usma.edu/cfe/Literature/Workman_12.pdf Interesting... Guess I'm comfortable with learning preference as opposed to learning style...

Have seen this referenced in a couple threads now... Can someone point me to a thread where this was discussed previously or link me an article...or explain if you've got the time ;) why different learning styles...aren't? Where I'm coming from...I assume there are different learning styles b/c of what I observe in my kids... The oldest three definitely appear to have different strengths/approaches to learning... Ds6 is very auditory, dd5 is visual, and ds2 is very hands-on/kinetic. There's some overlap, for sure. But they are very different from one another in the way they learn... But maybe I'm just reading what I know about learning styles into what I am observing...? Just curious. Thanks. :)

We currently have a morning read-aloud time that lasts 20-30 min. I give them a little snack to munch on while they're listening, but they're free to play quietly during this time, too. I read from good/quality picture books. They all (toddler, k'er and 6yo) generally listen in...but 6yo occasionally wanders off to play. That's fine. He's an auditory learner, and I know he's listening. We also have a hard-and-fast read-aloud before naps. Sometimes the toddler gets out of bed to sit next to me while I read (if the book has pix)...sometimes I let him look at picture books in bed while I read (if the book is totally over his head). For this time, I read good/quality chapter books geared for the older kids (Charlotte's Web, Charlie & Chocolate Factory, Narnia, etc.). I try to read something (board books/picture books) to the baby & toddler in the evenings...but that doesn't always happen. My oldest two are strong readers, though, so they don't mind reading to the littles... This is when I end up reading the same things over & over again... (How many picture books can I quote from memory? ;)) For the other reading times *I* choose the books. In the event that Dh is not home for bedtime in the evenings, the kids always request a special story time...and I usually grant it. (I look forward to the reading time at least as much as they do. :)) All my kids enjoyed reading the same books over & over when they were in the baby/toddler stage. I think it makes them feel secure...being able to predict what will happen & all... Yeah, as they get older, I think they don't enjoy re-reads as much. My 6yo only picks up a book for re-reading when he can't remember the plot points, ending, etc.

Yes. Thank you for the caution. :) I totally agree... I was just thinking that aspect through here... I would probably have them memorize rules as we learn applicable word lists.

I like to think that I am always progressing towards ‘doing it all.’ I am *not* doing it all…or I am not doing it all *well*…the former more often than the latter…but I am improving. I tell dh (when he politely refrains from comment, but lets his eye rove suggestively over the pile of laundry that has been sitting on the bedroom floor for three-or-is-it-four-now days *again*) that he may not be able to see it (in fact, I am certain he cannot see it) but *I* know that I am making progress… Week by week, I get faster at making those ultra-simplistic-yet-family-favorite meals that help *so* much when I’m in a pinch. Week by week, the kids learn new chores & become more independent in their chores. (Ds6 can wash the dishes, and vacuum the living room rug, and open cans…dd5 sweeps the floor and puts away dishes and cleans the glass on the front door…they fold & put away their own laundry…) Week by week, the toddler progresses in potty training, ds6 moves closer to independence in some of his schoolwork, the baby stops teething, etc. Of course, with littles there are (week by week) new ways that I now need to improve and setbacks in previous improvements… I *refuse* to consider myself defeated or become depressed because I didn’t get it all done this week. Next week, I’ll do better. And the next week. And the next. And some day…(am I kidding myself?) we’ll get it all done. ïŠ (I personally don’t believe it’s OK if I never do get it all done… I think my kids need a clean house almost as much as they need a good education. I think a clean house contributes to their personal character & the standards they set for their own lives…but if they’re going to have a clean house, they’re going to have to help to keep it that way…and it takes time to train them how…) (P.S. If I had it *my* way, I would spend the entire day playing with/reading to/doing school with the kids…) (P.P.S. Whoever invents a fun/fast way to iron collared shirts will be my hero.)

Some strategies that have worked here: 1) Having regular one-on-one 'talk times' so I have an opportunity to talk out any concerns/burdens and regularly communicate love/praise to each child without the discussion being directly tied to the emotion of any daily 'happening.' This has been *so* helpful with my sensitive/emotional/introspective/potentially-insecure 6yo. We have 'talk time' two nights a week before bed, and then other times like walking together to the library or munching crackers at the kitchen table while the littles are napping. We small-talk, get to know each other better, I listen to whatever he has to say and try to draw out what he doesn't say, give him a chance to talk out frustrations, suggestions, etc. I've found this infinitely more helpful than trying to talk the same things out in the middle of math class. ;) We're becoming good friends this way...and we often tell each other - let's talk about *that* during our next 'talk time.' 2) Having fixed 'play' times and 'work' times This way, the kids know they can't just rush through their schoolwork and run outside... We have a set time for doing math, a set time for doing language, etc. Then there's a 'make up' time later in the morning for finishing anything they didn't get finished earlier. If they *did* finish it all, they can use that as free time. Same thing with chores...they can't leave to go play until the timer goes off, or they've had all their chores checked by me & are dismissed. 3) Positive attitude is important - but so is good handwriting! Ds6 struggled with handwriting last year... I stayed positive, but I also gave him an extra writing assignment for "extra practice" to help him improve... He fixed his sloppy handwriting almost overnight - just so he wouldn't have to do the extra worksheet anymore - and now everyone comments on his super-neat writing! 4) Making *all* chores fun... I don't think it's at all abnormal for kids this age to struggle with internal motivation. You want to work towards that, for sure. But I would start with helping her to see that work *is* fun. Any job can be enjoyable - and it's actually really easy to make it enjoyable. If you let her be part of the "how-can-we-make-this-fun" process, she'll learn to make work fun on her own.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-30785232 Creepy messages posted by "ISIS" (or at least some group claiming to be ISIS) including warnings to US soldiers to "watch your back" and claims that they "know everything about you, your wives and children." These guys have *so* got to be stopped. :mad:

Spalding might be too wordy for what I'm looking for...something brief & catchy for easy memorization... Spelling Plus looks promising. I'm bookmarking that...will look into it more when I have time tonight...I like the word lists! Might go back through some of these once we're done with Alphaphonics... LOE are pretty short/simple, too...I'll have to compare this with Spelling Plus tonight... Thanks for the links! :)

So...I love curriculum...but I'm also pretty cheap. I'm also very aware that our time is precious. Therefore...since ds6 is a natural speller, I haven't bothered spending $ on a spelling curriculum that will just eat up our time... We're working through the word lists/sentences in Alphaphonics (which I used to teach them to read)...and that's been sufficient. Now I'm putting memory work together for this semester... Is there a list of spelling rules we could memorize floating out there in cyberspace...for the copying/pasting (I mean, for FREE)...? I think it would be good for my 2 oldest (both strong readers/writers) to commit some rules to memory...but I'm not really wanting to spend big $ on a curriculum just for that list... Any recommendations? I and my budget thank you. :cool:

Psalm 10...David wrestles with the non-intervention of God... (thinking of another thread ;))

Thanks again! :) I fell behind a couple days last week...but this thread has helped so much with getting me back on track. Ds6 is tracking with me through Matthew... It's been good for both of us! :) edited bc it's ds6 not dd :)

Geography & politics...you're probably right. Thanks. Yes. I think the sentiments I mentioned are more anti-US than pro-terrorism. So umsami could still be right about radical sheikhs/disillusioned youth being the terrorist-proponents...not broader than that... My apologies, all. I am happy to stand corrected. :)

Aargh! I lost my post again! :( To begin again... Oh, Umsami... I am very, very sorry for the pain and hurt you have to go through every time these attacks occur. I appreciate your posts. Your perspective has given me a greater respect & appreciation for Muslims in general - and a sympathy for the horrible things they are experiencing around the world as well. I understand the frustration/pain/hurt that I sense in your post. I apologize for the frustration/pain/hurt I have cause you. I reread my post, and I can see how I implied that I had a number of Muslim friends...I don't. I wasn't trying to make it sound like I have knowledge/experience enough to make sweeping remarks about Muslims...just that from my *limited* perspective (I *don't* know many Muslims...and so it's hard when the ones I *do* know have these sentiments...) there are Muslims who were *not* disappointed that 9/11 happened. Not that they were glad people died. But they were glad that America got what she 'deserved', so to speak. The "openly applauded" was probably too strong a word choice. I'm rushing to sneak a sentence or two in here & there between diaper changes, cooking, quick-clean-up-b4-Daddy-gets-home, etc. I should wait to post things like this until I have more time... I have two friends whose fathers are Muslim - one more religious than the other. They both expressed the "America deserves it" to their families. I know a man who was shadowed by the FBI after 9/11 b/c he was believed to have connections with terrorists. He's in jail today for aiding & abetting terrorists. I personally have a hard time believing that he really did...and his family vehemently denies it. But he was *not* sorry when the Towers went down. I think that's why he was targeted by the FBI. He was a more devout Muslim. My brother just talked to a Muslim man a couple days ago who told him that Americans & Christians are "food for dogs" (his words)...and I have gotten that sentiment a handful of times since 9/11. I live in NYC. I can't answer the why. Discovery Channel ran a documentary a couple years after 9/11 that asked the same question.

The majority of Muslims I know openly applauded when the WTC went down. They are not *evil* people. They would not have committed the crimes themselves. They are not violent. They do not covet power. Okay, I can't know their hearts, but they're ordinary Americans to all appearances. Still...they didn't view the 9/11 attacks as a terrible, horrible, no-good, very-bad thing. It was more like "well, America deserves this, so..." I am *not* saying the majority of Muslims feel this way. Umsami's posts give me real hope that they don't. But from my perspective at least it's more than power-hungry sheikhs and disillusioned youth. And it's not necessarily just the religiously zealous...or the I-don't-really-care-about-my-religion-but-killing-people-sounds-cool group. Is it a cultural thing? A religious thing? A historical thing? IDK...I guess I assumed it was religious at the time, and maybe...I hope...I'm wrong.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30740115 2 people dead...others (at least 1?) being held hostage...

I don't have any past 1st grade, so I know the work load/time spent schooling will increase some as time goes on...but for right now, everything's working great for us. Baby still naps in the morning. Not *always*, but most days... That helps. a. lot. Kids are up 7-ish. We have breakfast at 8:00. This gives them time for devotions & morning chores...and I can feed the baby, start the laundry, and make breakfast... We start school at 9. 20 min Bible, 20 min Math, 20 min Language. They finish up what they didn't get done later on... Baby usually goes down for morning nap during math...toddler plays by himself, or asks incessantly if it's time for "preschool" yet. We have snack at 10, and I read picture books to them for 30 min or so... Toddler likes this (snack and stories). Then I do preschool with him while the older ones finish up anything they have left. Or they do memory work. Or they play. (Baby is awake by the end of this, and wanting his snack.) (10:30-11:00) Then we all regroup for health & science. We do a lot of hands on stuff. Or a nature walk. Or a short documentary. Toddler likes this. (Baby likes this, too...esp. if it involves splashing in a big bucket of water...) (11:00-12:00) Then we do Spanish. (12:00-12:15/30) Then we do lunch. (12:30-1:00) Then we have 30 min clean up time...everyone helps, and we make it fun. Baby usually sits in the highchair... Then I read a story while they lay in bed...then I catch up on Bible reading, emails, planning, etc. until Baby & toddler fall asleep...and I tiptoe out of the room... Fridays we *just* do History & Art...with a lot of music listening. So everybody's happy. The older ones don't have math...the toddler gets to paint...and Baby gets his snack as usual. :)

And I thought I was the only one... :)

I think it depends on the literature. :) I like literature, but I've never read Summer... I prefer Dickens. :) What kind of stories would interest you?

So...what then is the solution? Stronger governments? Better paying jobs? We have bored, underemployed, etc. teens in America - and have for decades...and some of them end up in gangs, fights, drugs, suicide, etc. We don't have massive training camps for killers...out to obliterate entire countries of innocent people. Is there something about Islam that lends to this? Or maybe just Islamic governments? Or Middle Eastern culture? There has got to be some way to change the "thrilling, glorious, cool" appeal of mass murder! I'm not lashing out at all...nothing meant to be personal. I'm genuinely wanting to believe your post...just frustrated & really trying to make sense of it all...

I think that this is maybe the one positive (I really hesitate to use that word in this context... :() outcome of all of this violence/murder. I have to hope that these jihadists are going to shoot themselves in the foot (so to speak) by their actions. Killing innocent children, journalists, other Muslims... I keep thinking that surely *this* will be the last horror story... I was so hoping that newspapers by the *thousands* would be standing for free speech this morning...sending these terrorists a clear message of "sorry, you lose. you tried to terrorize us...instead we are emboldened by your actions to speak what we please." Easy to say, I know, bc I'm not a journalist/cartoonist/editor... :/ I am encouraged to see the French people standing together... All that to say, I think we're getting closer to the "real change"...I just hope it comes before we have to read another of these horrible stories. :(

This will go all over the place. :) I love curriculum. :) I was more obsessed before joining the boards... I've been encouraged/inspired/challenged by a number of posters to work to find my big-picture education philosophy, long-term goals, my kids' strengths & weaknesses, my budget, etc. Once I nailed that down, I chose curricula that reflect where we are and where we want to go... I still enjoy browsing other curricula...but I'm content (okay, *more* content) with what we're using. (I still like adding to/enhancing what we have...) What I'm *loving*: Bible Road Trip (1) it fits my budget - FREE, 2) I can teach everyone together, 3) we're having a blast reading through the Bible together!) Math Mammoth :leaving: (I love that 1) it fits my budget, 2) it's so flexible...I can skip whatever I feel like skipping...so we can go as fast or slow as we like/need, 3) we're really liking Math!) R&S English (1) fits my budget...can you see a pattern developing here?, 2) again, flexible...we do most of it orally, no pressure to complete separate worksheets) SOTW1 (okay, so this stretches the budget a little...but something has to, right? :laugh: and we're loving history, so...) We read Narnia this year (kids would move to Narnia in a heartbeat :D)...and the Treasury of Virtues book (this is wonderful - can't like this book enough right now...I *love* the way it tells super-familiar stories in a new, fresh, character-building way)

I think lowercase is better. But I've done it both ways, and it didn't seem to throw my kids at all either way. I planned to teach the toddler his lowercase letters first, but the alphabet books he likes have just the uppercase letter, and he learned them before I realized what was happening. :/ So I'll have to find a lowercase-only alphabet book to introduce to the baby... ;)

Good question. I'd be afraid to try. :) I went without soda for 9 mo of college...and definitely ended up not loving soda anymore. :)

Following from a distance here... Just wanted to add some thoughts that have come to mind as I read the discussion thus far...mostly some things I get from the Bible about faith/doubting... This is mostly for a Christian who *does* believe in God, but might be struggling with their faith... Not really going to help an atheist. 1. Bible examples It's not an unusual/abnormal thing for a REAL believer (even a spiritual leader) to question/doubt God. It's actually quite common. (Some have already mentioned this, but I think it's been mostly based on personal experience. Wanted to add that I believe the Bible absolutely supports this idea.) Abraham, Peter (and the rest of the disciples), Solomon, Samson, Elijah, etc. all "fell into unbelief" (to use a Bible phrase) at some point in their lives and to varying degrees. Granted, not all of them totally turned their backs on God, but some did... Many of the above examples are people who actually heard God's audible voice, and saw Him do miracles. So...what kind of evidence do you think would convince you of God's existence? The Red Sea parting? (Not asking any one person necessarily. Also, not meaning to be snarky. :) Just trying to provoke thought.) I think it's easy to have an if-God-only-did-XYZ-then-I-would-believe attitude, when plenty of people in the Bible experienced what we would consider to be ample evidence...and that didn't solve their faith struggles. 2. The Character of God If God is Who He claims to be (and I believe He is), He is the best judge of how to reveal Himself to man. He is God. I am fallible, sinful, finite, created human me. The evidence is on His terms...for good reason. God is not obligated to prove Himself to anyone...but He has revealed Himself through Creation and His Word. God is not a genie-in-a-lamp so that we ask Him whatever we want b/c He can do anything... 3. Prayer Prayer works as I line my requests up with His Word and His Will. This is why I don't believe "break-the-silence"/"prove-yourself-to-me" prayers accomplish anything... I'm not trying to be trite or ignore the pain anyone may have experienced as a result of not feeling like God is there/doubting Him... Just saying that this is why I don't believe I could/should expect an answer to this sort of prayer. 4. The Evidence The Bible teaches that God has already given us all the evidence we need to believe in Him. (Again, you can disagree with the Bible on that, but that is what it says.) We are "without excuse." 5. Why Christians Doubt God There are many reasons the Bible gives for why a Christian might struggle with "unbelief." We have the "flesh" that does pull us away from God (so the relationship must be nurtured), some may not have been a REAL Christian in the first place ;), depression, experiencing unexplainable (not a word?) hardships, etc. Another possibility is that Satan is actively engaged in attacking the faith of believers. That's why the spiritual "armor" Paul instructs believers to "put on" includes "above all, having the shield of faith, with which you may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Wicked One." 6. The Hope... It's not my place to judge whether anyone who walks away from Christianity is a REAL Christian or not... It saddens me that REAL Christians do walk away from God. But many of the Bible examples of people who struggled with their faith did come back to God. And so I have reason to hope that any other person may as well.

I just love this verse: But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. (Psalm 5:11) A great verse to meditate on at the end of a long Monday morning homeschool. It puts a smile on my face just reading it. :)