I think it CAN be done, and certainly you can get into college. I don't think it's "better" one way or the other; it all depends on the student/situation. I definitely plan on a mix of outsourcing and at home studies. Some of the things I want dd to experience are insanely expensive, if not impossible, to duplicate at home. Science labs come to mind. She's also the type to thrive on a certain amount of competition, and loves the challenge of setting herself against other students. So I can definitely see where she might be the type to get involved in things like mock trial, etc, in addition to enjoying the day-to-day competition of a class setting. I also think there is tremendous value in new situations. If I did decide to 'do it all' at home, I would want to make sure that I didn't use the same boxed curriculum from k-12, kwim? I'd want to ensure that my students were exposed to a wide variety of strategies and ways of thinking.

Wanna share that link, girlie? ;) I think that's fine. It will still be practice. You should try to duplicate the conditions of the real test as much as you can, I think - - following the same schedule for breaks, no food if they don't allow food, sit at a desk or table, get up at the time you would need to for the real test (allow for travel, etc).

I would look at Plato Cybered for the oldest; home school co op is running a special on it now but it ends very, very soon. Then I would just add in some fun read alouds, experiments, and field trip type things to include the youngest, on the same theme as what big sis is studying. Even the occasional netflix dvd. That's a might wide age spread to combine. I would combine in the sense of using the same TOPICS, but not the same program. Don't worry about the 1st grader too much; provide her with appealing books, let her tag along with the occasional experiment or project with big sis, buy her a nature journal and point her to the backyard, lol.

Your method sounds excellent, no formal supplement needed imo. And no better way to demonstrate learning than being the teacher!

yes, I don't have it on hand, but it's covered in WTM.

We did some prealgrebra for a while, and then just dove into Art of Problem Solving's Intro to Algebra. So far, so good. Prealgebra is just a 'placeholder' for the most part, for students who have finished arithmetic but may not be developmentally ready for algebra (longer problems, more abstract thinking, etc). It is lots of review and practice, and a slow introduction to some algebraic concepts. I started dd with it, but when it seemed pretty tedious I gave her the choice, and she decided to just move into algebra. She will probably go slower than an older student, but she is learning new things as opposed to mostly review. dd was ready to try something non-Singapore. I wasn't enchanted with the NEM samples, and I felt that the TGs for the earlier years were poorly written, so was wary of that. With AoP, there is a complete solutions manual that the student is meant to read after solving the problems (they acknowledge that many teachers won't allow this, but it is the intent of the program). It enourages students to think and dive right into problems where each step HASN'T been explained up front, and we love that. If she had problems with the algebra, or if she hits a wall with it, we would use the general Introduction to Problems Solving books instead, and/or various types of math challenges and exploration of topics. I'm becoming less and less of a fan of pre-algebra courses in general. //slight diversion// I also wanted to talk about Lial's BCM for a minute, which lots of people seem to use before moving on to algebra. I'm sure it's great for many students who need that solid review of core concepts (fractions, decimals, percents, etc), but I'm not sure that everyone understands that it's essentially just another prealgebra program. Basic College Math = student who did not test into college algebra because they do not have a strong foundation on the basics. If your student DOES have a strong foundation in the basics, there is no reason to use BCM or any other 'review' program. High school algebra or geometry is more advanced than basic college math, not less. If a student does not have that strong grasp on the fundamentals, I am sure it can be an excellent choice. But I'm always a little puzzled when I see that people are using it when their students completed a standard arithmetic course successfully and with good understanding. These kids don't need it. If they aren't ready for algebra, I would explore problem solving books, math puzzles and challenges, etc. There are soooo many interesting math topics and activities that there is no reason for a student to 'mark time' until they are ready for algebra.

I've never seen a math program that DOESN'T teach the metric system, so unless you do your own thing for math, it will come up.

Really? I wonder if this made them popular party guests.

Don't increase it too quickly! I prescribe the rest of the week off, ;).

There are letters back and forth, so I'm assuming he has their address and basic personal info already. The agency has to, even if he does not.

I remember some of the pages from last year as being really basic, like "Write down 5 possible character names" and such, so I'd probably pick and choose what to print.

The first rule I would implement is that 11- and 13-yr olds are NOT allowed to complain about the amount of work 6-yr-olds and toddlers are doing. Seriously, that's just silly! I would tell them they can have the workload of a 6-yr-old (which includes days off when mom is sick), if they are willing to be 6 full-time. Do they rilly, rilly want to have ONLY the priviliges of a 6-yr-old? I know that, in my house, 11 and 13 have a lot more priviliges and independence than a 6-yr-old does. So, older kids need to suck it up and get their work done. I'd have a set time for them to work alone each day, and a set time for you to help them. I'd also consider having them just do what they can on their own during the day, leaving questions and problems for the evening when dad is home to help. I bet they get more done on their own when it might turn into 'homework,' ;). Also, they can always work ahead in certain subjects and then catch up on the ones they need help in. The 6-yr-old, I'd say, "Mom can either work with you for an hour now, or you will not be doing schoolwork today." Put it on your schedule. If she decides to take off for the week . . . she's 6, she'll survive. When my youngest showed some resistance to school at that age, I made it her choice: you may do skip, or you may do schoolwork with a good attititude. If you skip, you must stay in a different room and amuse yourself quietly. She couldn't stand to be left out, and very rarely chose the 'skip' option. Also, either of the older girls should be able to work with her, no? Or dad in the evenings? If the kids resist or fuss, I would tell them, "I am sick. I do not have the strength to argue with you or stand over you to make sure you get the work done. I am taking the week to rest and get well. If you choose to not do your work, no worries; it will be waiting for you, and it will get done. We might have to give up some Saturdays or holidays, but it will get done." Don't say it in an angry way, just very matter of fact: the work is there, and it will get done now or later, your choice.

You really need to figure out where she is spending her time before you can make adjustments. Offhand, I'd say that typing and spelling should take very little time. I would aim for 10 minutes each, and definitely not more than 15. If her spelling program takes longer than that, I'd switch. fwiw, I have a 7th grade dd who is also a voracious reader/poor speller, and I'm thinking . . . that's not gonna change, lol! She's doing a "roots" vocab program this year, b/c I figure that, even if it doesn't help her spelling, she'll learn some new words. How long on writing? I would give a set amount of time for this; you might be surprised and see that she gets nearly as much done in 30 minutes as she does in an hour. I wouldn't have her working at length on IEW assignments every day. Writing is definitely one of those tasks that expands to fill any available time! Getting assignments done within a set amount of time is a VERY valuable skill; in the professional world, good work done on deadline beats perfect work that misses deadline every. single. time. I second Growing with Grammar; it's quick, clean, and effective for many students. 15 minutes on most days. Reviews are longer, but we split those up, b/c it doesn't take a full year to get through the book. I agree that it's worth trying more of a block schedule, instead of rotating just history and science. Sometimes, a lot of time is wasting in the transition from one subject to another. Even little things, like inserting the cd and starting up the typing program, add up over the day. Also, do like work together: everything on the computer should be done at the same time, everything that just requires switching from one book to another should be done at the same time, etc. Math: does she watch the DIVE cd routinely, or only as needed? If she can do the work just by reading the book, by all means let her do so. That can shave quite a bit of time. General: I would make sure that she has at least 2 hours of completely uninterupted time to work at some point of the day. Everything takes longer when you start and stop and start again. I don't think it's a light schedule, necessarily, but I also don't think it's excessive. Time leaks in the strangest of ways, and I would literally use a stopwatch for a few days to see where it's going.

Thanks for the update. That idiot bully got off far too easily (ONE day??), but hopefully it throws a scare into him or his parents. I remembered the soccer post as well, but hadn't quite put together that all of these incidents were your kids. //hands you a strong drink//

Around here, everyone is wandering the neighborhoods at Halloween: kids, teens, and adults. I guess about half of the teens t-or-t, while the other half just walk around visiting and such. I have no problem with teens, and it would never cross my mind that 11 was too old. It surprised me a bit when I first saw it as an adult, but I quickly decided that it was a vast improvement over how it was when I grew up, which was quitting the 'kid' parts at 12 or so, and moving on to much less appropriate activities. I will admit that I was glad when my kids, then 9 and 11, agreed that it would be more fun to go to our camp for Halloween with some family and friends. They still dress up and trick or treat (in the woods, fun!), and I did let them decide. I would never have told them they were too old to go; I'm definitely in the camp of 'fun and harmless' when it comes to this, Santa, the Easter Bunny, etc!!

Absolutely not, for all the reasons listed by other posters. I also think you should keep in mind that he is already 10 years old. You hope to meet him when he is 11. That would realistically peg the adoption age much closer to 12 or 13 at best - - just a few short years from adulthood in our own country, much less his. I think you could give him far more help at far less risk by simply continuing to sponsor him in his own country, with an eye to continuing his education or possibly setting him up in a small business, etc. He has his grandmother there, even if she can't care for him, and quite possibly other family members who are also unable to take him in. They're still family, y'know? You can always try to sponsor him for a visa if he decides as an adult that he wants to leave his country for America.

What do you mean by "funeral?" The visitation, a church service, or the actual burial? If he wants to go to the visitation or church/memorial service, I would make every effort to bring him. During the visitation, there is generally a lobby type area in addition to the viewing room, and usually lots of people who are glad to divert a young child and have a reason to stay in the lobby or walk outside to the parking lot for a while. You can always ask somone ahead of time if you're not comfortable doing it on the fly, but I have never found it to be a problem. I would explain to him what the viewing and service entail, and let him decide. You could perhaps offer him alternative ways of 'memorializing' the person, like drawing a picture or hanging a special photo, but he might really want to do the group event. I would be much more reluctant to bring him to the actual burial or entombment; that can be very disturbing even for adults. At that age, I told my kids that viewing and service were their choice. They both chose to attend, and someone took them home after church and before the funeral. Neither of them went up to the coffin, or really even went into the viewing room very much. They stayed in the lobby with a succession of people who made over them and fed them donuts, :001_smile:. Someone took them home while we went to the funeral; if it's too far away for that, I bet someone would be happy to take them to McDonald's or something, or to wherever you are gathering afterwards. Truly, you may be thinking you don't want to put someone to the trouble, but there are always plenty of people who would vastly prefer that to staying at the funeral!

We LOVE staying on-site, and LOVE the dining plan. Buying the fun extras, like Mickey Mouse ice cream ears, can really add up even if you bring in snacks and leave for meals. And what's the fun of Disney if ya can't eat Mickey ears, I ask you? :lol: And while it certainly can be cheaper to eat offsite, it's not as cheap as you might imagine; when we used to stay offsite, I remember that even the fast food joints charged more than regular prices, and they definitely did not bother with the dollar menu. Plus, it just takes soooo long to leave, eat, and come back. There are often lines in the park, of course, but it works well to have one person in line while others are going on a ride. Are you SURE you have to go at peak time? We're doing 4 people, 7 nights at the hotel, single park each day, 2 counter service meals and 2 snacks per day, for about $1850 during free dining in November. We won't need to buy any extra food, snacks or water. You will pay more for the extra person hotel-wise, but less for kids who are not 10 at the time of the trip. I think that's an awesome deal! The only things we pay for besides that is of course transportation to and from (we drive), and we always buy some cheap Disney pins online ahead of time for trading with cast members. The onsite hotels are really a lot of fun for the kids. My kids were 6 & 8 for their first trip, and they were SCREAMING with excitment when they explored the room: Look, towels folded into Mickey ears! Look, the border is all different Disney characters! Look, look, the SOAP has Mickey Mouse on it! They loved all the little details, plus the great lobby with TVs playing Disney shows while we checked in, and all of the oversized characters and such that are all around the pool and property. My dh loved not driving for the entire week, that may have been his favorite part. We all loved staying immersed in the Disney magic, rather than traveling back and forth from the 'real world.' It's definitely worth going to Disney online and playing around with the reservations, putting in different dates and hotels. Your arrival date can make a BIG difference, so try really hard to arrive during a non-peak time! Mousesavers.com is worth a look, and the Unofficial Guide to Disneyworld is indispensable (I would try to get it from the library for browsing, and get the online membership rather than buying the book). We've always found a sufficient number of healthy food choices at the resort itself; milk, juice, fresh fruit, salads with and without meat, etc. Of course, we usually go for the chocolate chip pancakes instead, lol. You'll have a great time no matter what. We did several trips pre-kids, including our honeymoon, and this will be our 4th trip in 5 years. It's much fun, enjoy!

Yes, we have a Kindle, and we love it!

This is exactly what I was trying to express in the other thread! It's just as much about the approach as the difficulty, imo. Yes, you need to be a good math student, but I dont' think you need to be a TOP math student. Not in the sense of the top 2% to 3%, at any rate. I can't imagine my dd would score anywhere near that high, but she loves AoPS. And you can be a top math student, but if you hate this approach, it will be very hard to persevere and succeed.

I think this is the best idea so far!

You need someone else to "front" for the event. Even if you take a big part in it and raise most of the money via the photography, someone else needs to be doing the promotion and I would have at least a couple of other activities. It just sounds much better for someone else to say "please come out and support the Smith family" rather than you saying "please come out and support my family," y'know? It also makes it much more likely that the event might get donations from the business community, or publicity from the community news section of the paper. A church or service club is even better. If you want to do it on your own, then you need to just do it without mentioning the reason or your dd's illness, and charge whatever amount you wish.

I think 11 hours a day (including commute) is pretty par for the course for many, if not most, jobs, unless your dh is working Saturdays and Sundays as well. So I don't think the issue is that he is gone too much. If he's working 7 days a week, then I don't think I would expect much other help! The first thing I would do is try to calmy clarify in my own mind what contributions he does make at home. List everything that has to be done, and see who does what (ie, I don't see yardwork on your list, does he do that?). If he truly doesn't do much, you need to figure out how to change that. Maybe he can commit to three hours every Saturday morning, working on whatever needs to be done. And then take the kids to a on an outing every Saturday afternoon to give you a break, with Sunday as family day. Or perhaps 30 minutes every evening would work better. You really need to brainstorm possibilities, b/c no one knows all your details. For example, I could suggest that he take over the finances, as he likely cannot take over doctor appointments, but for all I know he's rubbish at it and would bankrupt you. I think the defining variable here is the special school and medical needs of your children. There's simply more to do, all of it's important, and I think it would be overwhelming no matter what. Don't be too hard on yourself or dh. Sh*t happens. We've ALL let the sump pump repairs slide, with ensuing disastrous results, y'know? You have lots of balls in the air, so give yourself some grace when one of them falls.

You're fine inviting only certain kids as long as you don't pass out invitations in front of the others. It's best to mail them if you aren't sure you can hand them to the parent privately. Put the invited child's name on the invite so it's clear only that child is invited, and request an RSVP. Anyone who doesn't reply, call them up and ask if Invited Kid is attending, and this should flush out any sibling requests. If they ask about sibs, simply tell them you are at your limit, but if they wish to pay the charge at the door (make sure you can tell them what it is), there will be plenty of cake and ice cream. Lots of people will ask if they can pay for siblings, simply because it's often much easier to bring them and stay rather than dropping off one kid and returning (party places usually have quite short parties, and often involve a bit of a drive!). You should also inform the party place that people need to give names so they can check on your list, not just say "We're here for Susie's party."