These books look wonderful. Just read the sample excerpts from all. Just what I need for my first grader. Really truly bummed right now that my hubby is unemployed otherwise I'd order them right away. I hadn't heard about them until this post. I really like the look of them and will definitely order as soon as I can!

Anyone have kids who hated SOTW?? Mine hates the spine, but loves the extra reading and activities. She doesn't want to give up the studies, but wants to get rid of the spine. Any other spine that might work with us? Any other thoughts or ideas? We are TRYING to get through volume 1 Ancients. Trying being key word. She really seriously dislikes it. Throws major fit when ever I pull out book. She's only in first, so I'm considering just doing activities and reading the books. I was hoping to lose the fits once I got rid of the FLL and moved to MCT, but no such luck ... now it's the history spine. We didn't get an encyclopedia to use with it because it really was NOT in our budget this year. Especially with DH losing 3rd toe and all that time off of work. So I have no encyclopedia, just the Spine and AG. Oh help me AGAIN:tongue_smilie:! THANKS Janelle

Thanks to all who posted suggestions on my grammar post. I ordered the basic package of Grammar Island and we're on week 2 of it. She is absolutely loving it. Asks to do grammar every day...oh can we please do Grammar Island today mommy??? I'm taking it slow a section a week or so. But will go at her pace. She loves loves loves it. So thanks for all who responded and gave me the courage to try Grammar Island with a 6 year old :). Janelle

Does everyone do all of the reading recommended in The WTM and SOTW Ancients? I'm constantly redoing my lists it seems because there are other books we want to read together and I'm driving myself crazy. She's 6 1/2 like it's not going to scar her for life if we don't do all the reading right? Calm me down please. :) I'm driving myself nuts and as my DH says it's so easy to do for me :glare: Janelle

You know I've been trying to figure that one out myself. One of the links here looked like it was stored in a big bucket?

Our Island is due to arrive this Friday. We are eagerly waiting its arrival so we can dive right in.

Did anyone make the mummy chicken from the activity book? Is it very messy and smelly? We live in an apartment and that's coming up quickly...so I guess I gotta decide! OR should I try the apples or is there something else that is fun? We're all for trying the chicken if it's not to stinky! HELP again! Janelle

In hindsight I'm kicking myself. Major, but we had to register with state, fill out our books, hubby lost 3rd toe, hospital stay, no walking, I settled. UGH. We are ordering the basic package right away. We read the first lesson of FLL and she went walking around naming what would be nouns and what wouldn't be nouns. I started looking ahead and wanted to cry. Nouns, nouns, nouns. Got to first poem to memorize, she got it the first day. Still says it, no need to review. Got to picture study with questions, she started listing what info we didn't know and why did we need to do this Mommy? Oh joy. Went to library book sale today...she's scanning the shelves "looking for another grammar book Mommy". People are getting whiplash twisting their head so fast to look at this short creature reading big words and looking for grammar books. That's when I promised her I had something else in mind and was waiting to see what package I needed. When we got home I was directed to look to see if anyone had answered my questions. Will be ordering this weekend :).

If I had just rethought my strategy several months ago, I wouldn't be in this mess. Sighhhhh. I've decided to ditch where we are since Clarissa asked what we were doing in school and if we HAD TO DO that language book again. So in looking at the packages is it better to go with the basic or complete package? What package did you get? Blame it on me losing my mind this summer with hubby losing 3rd toe due to diabetes. But my mind is working once again :) and reviewing previous message. Can we get by with the basic package? Thanks again Janelle

So I'm using FLL with Clarissa (1st grade) ... she is loving the study of grammar, but we are BOTH HATING FLL. I've lumped lessons together as she catches on very very very quick. Any other suggestions? I just lumped like 10 lessons together into one to get through the proper nouns. The pictures and questions she hates and looks at me like I'm putting her through pure torture. UGH. Please send ideas. I think we're both ready to have our own book burning of FLL.:) Do I wait for MCT till she's 3rd grade? Words, reading, and the understanding are where she's accelerated for certain. Math she'd like to stuff in a deep dark corner and forget about. :glare: Janelle

Ok I'm rethinking spelling for next year. Clarissa (6) loves spelling, sees the word in her head and just spells it. Then can tell me the book she saw the word in.... :glare: I'm too chicken to ask the page...she'd tell me that one also. So what's a good program or do I just hand her a dictionary???:tongue_smilie: But I do want to make sure she's got a good grounding with the rules etc....of course that's just me. She'd more than likely whip the word out with her handy dandy magnet letters and proceed to tell me the book and page number...and what day we were reading it if I asked her. I choose not to...call me chicken. Any good ideas?! Janelle

Thank you for your help. We are working through MEP right now, ok zooming through. So was looking to also supplement along with it. Actually WWE was on my list already to get, so it was good to hear that it's working well! Still undecided about grammar, but have emailed Sandi at Queens Homeschooling to get some questions answered. Would you then recommend Grammar Island?

My daughter is six and doing some first grade work now. In reviewing my order for next year I have a couple of questions. First Math...she either loves or hates it (depends on the minute/second) but does very very well at it. Catches on way quick. I've chosen Singapore based on what I've reviewed, seen, and read. But do I really need the extra practice and the challenging word problems? My dh lost a toe due to Gangrene in Feb and we're still trying to recoup our financial losses since Aflac decided so kindly NOT to pay. Can I make due with the student book, teacher's guide and supplement with living math books and the Family Math book I have already from this year? Question 2 - debating between FLL and Queens Language Lessons for the Very Young. She's gifted word/language wise. Way. Ready for grammar, and way quick to catch on. Making older cousin's mad because she's helping them read:001_smile: There's pros and con's of both...but any thoughts you might have on the two programs? Don't want to bore the poor thing, because then she starts looking around for trouble to get into. Everything else I've got covered and figured out, but those two are puzzling me. Thanks, Janelle

Is there a book for the Teaching the Classics? I'd be interested, but I'm a visual learner, if I can read it I get it. If I have to watch or listen I just don't! Drove my teachers nuts.

I'd like to start dd on spelling next year (she'll be 6 in April). She's reading several levels ahead, catches onto math way quick and has spelled words already that floored dh and I. I heard about All About Spelling, but read that if your child is a good speller it will be boring for them. What other spelling programs are out there for advanced kids? Her motor skills haven't caught up with the rest of her skills yet...so nothing writing intensive or maybe something I can have her do her letter magnets with. Any suggestions?! Thanks Janelle

Ok...all of this sounds exactly like my dd (6 in April). Her imagination knows no limits. Her storytelling keeps us all in stitches. If we aren't laughing we're trying to figure out if it's "real life" or in her head life. Which gets way tricky sometimes. I've tried languages, but she doesn't get them...she has to see pictures". Sign would be perfect for her. Her spelling amazes my dh and I mainly because well we're NOT working on spelling yet! She "sees" the words in her mind. Last year she wouldn't ride her bike for the longest time, then one day asked to get it out again, hopped on and rode. Now mind you she's had her little bike since she was 3 with training wheels on it. Couldn't get the pedaling motion at all. When she'd ridden her bike complete with braking, she looked at me and said "I practiced in my head". I will ask if she sees colors with numbers. Janelle

My friend is doing Saxon 2 with her 2 boys and we went over with my bright monkey to do it with them. She absolutely loved it, is begging to do Saxon. Understood it, kept right up. Amazed the big boys:tongue_smilie:. However we can't afford especially before Christmas to purchase a Saxon manual! Any suggestions on what I can do with her in the meantime? I've been working you I Love Math timelife books with her, but something about Saxon inspired her. So looking for any ideas! Thanks Janelle

Haven't tried that one. Will give it a shot.

I'm trying to work on short narrations with my five year old. I'm only reading a paragraph at a sitting. She is oh so clearly capable. She can recite and relate and replay at will whatever SHE wants to, but if it's something I'm reading and would like her to "draw" a picture or tell me anything she remembers then it's no go. I KNOW she can do this and it's her stubbornness playing a large part here. Suggestions on how to go about this? She's reading and comprehending at a 4th-5th grade level and this is one little book about Thanksgiving. So it's not the material at all. She's doing other work at a 2-3rd grade level. Lately I get the feeling from her that since she gets to stay home then she figures she gets freedom galore and doesn't have to answer to Mommy or do any work of any type. Apparently I seem to be running a room and board for a five year old:confused:

What is ITBS?? So new, don't know all the abbreviations and all that. Thanks, Janelle

My FIL recently demanded we put our dd in public school so she could have social interaction with other children. After rolling around hysterically laughing...I emailed back and invited him down to follow us around for a week. If after that week he had any concerns we would address them then. But that ultimately DD's education wasn't up for discussion with anyone but my dh and myself. (Also knowing full well he wouldn't come down as he can't seem to be in the same state as I am...so following this hated person around for a week would be akin to torture for him.) Then shared this with my own mother (who is our biggest and loudest supporter) who also rolled around laughing hysterically. Janelle

I'm doing several things with my dd. Numbers that I've written on cut down index cards. Montessori beads that she'll lay the beads out for answers or I'll write for her. We're working through HWOT, but I'm not pushing it with her. She'll get it and cruise before long. Janelle

DDs favorite phrase is "how do you know?" Constant, continual questions. LOVE the idea of a question notebook...will be doing one in our house.

Thanks, I'm quickly realizing that myself about reading comprehension. I've tried to do short narrations with her, but she freezes and throws a fit :) (age showing though!). Anyway I can ease her into it because I KNOW she can do it and do it well! This morning she was telling me the similarities between TRex and Cheetahs...gotta admit I never thought too much about them in the same context! She's got the ability. I like the idea of a notebook...I've thought of making a word book with her and think I will. She's fascinated by words. Thanks Janelle

Is there something I can be doing to work with reading comprehension with her? Or just enjoy good books and not worry right now? How about narration? Wait on that also? Also should I order like Writing With Ease, or All About Spelling or hold off? I don't think spelling's going to be an issue for us...the other day I mentioned the series Flatfoot Fox to my dh and she wrote out it and brought it to me:). Math is good, history is good, it's the language arts I'm wondering about. I know a lot of questions, but this board is great and I'm finally starting to feel my way. Thanks again Janelle