Thanks for your reply. I didn't know the eye exam was the same cost as a regular eye doctor. I was just guessing it would be costly, so that's good to know. Finances are an issue and we don't have health insurance. I applied through before the ACA deadline, but haven't heard anything at all. I didn't really delay phonics due to thinking he was delayed. He has just picked up so much from being around and part of his older brother's lessons, that I thought phonics would be a cake walk and I'd start it this past Sept. when we started up school again. Math, he is doing multiplication. I got him to sit with StarFall.com, he didn't want to do it because he thought his friends would find out. And then after this today we went over our phonics book work, and I am noticing he can only read the CAC words (or 4 letter) if I tell him which sound to start with. I know he knows all the sounds. So after this I wrote some CAC words and tried making new words by replacing the first letter. After about 8 -ip words written out in front of him, I said how would we spell "tip" and he said "theip" I asked him why is reading so hard and he said every time he see a word he has to think which direction to read it from. And when he starts to read a sentence from the left, half way through he is confused and will start to try to read it from the right side. He is showing some anxiousness about it. I feel like even though I started "late" months of this he shouldn't have to think about this every time? Or am I wrong? He told me, when I learn to write I want to write a book about my life. So cute! I hope we can get there. Sorry if I am going on too much with details.

I would only wait a few months. I guess my question doesn't really make sense. I was just thinking there might be some "disadvantage" to starting with a special program before a diagnosis, something I might have overlooked. Overactive brain on my part maybe. I think your husband's assessment of the program you are using might help me to convince him for us to look into it. If you don't mind I am sending you a PM. You sound busy, no rush to answer :)

Sorry, one more question. If I started him on a system meant for dyslexics, would I still be able to determine if he did indeed have an issue? Does this makes sense? If he does have a reading problem and would need additional time at school if he ever went, it would be beneficial, as a PP mentioned, to have it documented. I'm just wondering if it is better to try something like HOP first to determine if it's my way of teaching or an issue with him? Hope that makes sense.

Didn't see this before posting. I'm so happy to hear that your kids are making progress :D

Ok, I understand what you are saying about guessing with reading. I will look into all the links first. I have read The Dyslexic Advantage and have posted a few times on their site to ask questions for my husband. It was very helpful, would even say it improved my marriage to discover it. I do see a lot of the traits mentioned in the book about my son: big picture in thinking, big story teller, etc. I haven't heard of the other book before, so will put it on my list. thanks for the help

Thanks for all the replies. It makes a lot of sense to just use some of the programs for a child with reading issues, what could it hurt? I guess I just need to make a plan: look into a way of teaching to address phonemic awareness problems and give it some time. We are trying to have him read one small book a day out loud, and today he was crying saying he gets confused which way the letters are supposed to go. I am a bit paranoid about dyslexia due to the trouble my husband has had in school and just life in general, so maybe I am jumping the gun a little. Dh says he thinks he just hasn't had enough formal teaching to say there is an issue and wants us to try hooked on phonics like his brother did. I purposely didn't start teaching him until he was about 6 1/2 because I just wanted him to be ready to sit and learn with me.

I worried about this alot with his brother, now 10. Seeing him still reverse b's d's. But with DS 7, it just seems different than that. he can read a word on one page of a book he's heard 1,000 times and not recognize it on the other. He reads "in" as "all" and doesn't recognize "the" most of the times he sees it. So, how do I get this done as a homeschooler? I suppose I should start with the pediatrician. We don't have health insurance. We did apply through the ACA website, but didn't hear anything yet.

Yes, my husband is dyslexic. I just get confused, thinking I am just teaching it wrong or just haven't hit on a way that clicks. Are both your children dyslexic?

I am worried about my son's progress with phonics. He is 7, and he grasps things very quickly otherwise. Just wondering if you had your child tested for reading issues, what age was it at and what finally made you ask to get testing done?

Hi, my husband is 36 and is dyslexic. He didn't get tested until he was 17, so no early intervention. I think early identification is so important. I see and live with the struggles he goes through because he didn't get help as a child. Please look up The Dyslexic Advantage, this book and the authors' facebook page has really helped me understand things better.

Congrats on the job! It must be a relief to get insurance now. I don't know how this will all work out, but I just read that my state, NJ, is expanding their family care medicaid program. Before, only kids were covered. Now I think lots more adults will be getting coverage.

Hi, Hoping someone can help me out. I'm looking at the plans on the gov site for obamacare. I am estimating a low income for 2014. I'm not too sure what our income will be, but this year was rough and next year may or may not be the same. If I estimate a little lower, then it says we may qualify for medicaid. So when it show us as paying, then it says $84/month for the first bronze plan but the site says one enrollee - does this really mean one family? ETA: I missed the part to input everyone's age. It then gave us different options based on the kids ages. Thanks so much

Thanks. This makes sense. I'm going to just sum it up to this and leave it at that :D

I have HSed in both NJ and MA. Mass, at least in the Boston Public School District asked for a simple form showing what we planned to teach and with what materials as well as our chosen method of eval: narrative, samples of work, or testing. This was fine with me. But in NJ I know of one mother who just pulled their daighter out of school and never educated her, ever. I'd prefer *some* communication between the family and the state. It does bother me when a state has no interaction at all for this reason.

The CogAt looks like something I would really like to do. Do you think it's ok to do it a few months into our school year, or would it be better to wait until later?

Thanks! I signed my 10 year old up for Jan. :hurray:

I have never heard of this, thank you.

The recommendations are helpful. I haven't looked into which one yet, I just remember Terra Nova from when DS10 was in first grade. I am in NJ and there are zero requirements, which I don't actually like. I guess maybe test results would be useful in the long run because there are no hoops to jump through here. This makes a lot of sense. Which one did you use?

Hi, I am debating ordering a standarized test like TerraNova maybe every other year. I guess this is just for my peace of mind. Does anyone have an opinion about using tests like this for homeschoolers? I feel weird not wanting to mimic school and then measuring my child by a test meant for school. If you have used a standarized test did it give you any good insight? Thanks