And what curr. are you using?

I began reading about hsing when dd was in my womb! I knew that we would be hsers from before the time dd was conceived, but when she was three or four I felt a pressing need to really define for myself what our approach to education would be and to articulate some goals. We lived in a small university town with a large, diverse group of hsers, so the public library had a wide selection of books on the subject. I began reading any new book that I could find. I read about unschooling, unit studies, school at home, etc. And then, a friend recommended TWTM. I read it, and it resonated with me as none of the other books had. We tweaked it to meet our dd's needs, but we used TWTM as a starting point. This year, I had been feeling rather harried about all of the subjects we were attempting and how challenging it was to fit it all in. I happened to also buy The Latin Centered Curriculum, which I had heard about but never gotten around to reading. After reading it, I felt very strongly that truly classical education is the way for us. We plan to move to LCC in the fall. Or to mesh the two approaches in our own unique way. :001_smile:

I really want to transition our homeschooling efforts to a more Latin-Centered approach in the fall. I was initially very excited about this, not only because it would help us to become truly classical and because we would get to study Latin for the first time, but also largely because it would help me to streamline our curriculum and go more in depth with a few key subjects. I'm having trouble, as time progresses, reconciling in my mind how all of this is going to take place, however. The main obstacles I see are that I still want to do a formal English grammar program, most likely FLL3, and I want to purchase and use SWB's new writing program, and we will continue teaching science (as it is ds's main interest), and I can't imagine cutting out art and music. I do think that art and music will be more of extras, as we will be hiring a piano teacher to give the children lessons and we will be enrolling them in art lessons at a local art museum. But I know that we will also want to continue using Classical Magic for music and doing something with art history. If I don't schedule these, I know they won't happen, so whether we call them "school" or not, they will probably feel like "school", kwim? So, how is this streamlining at all? Am I just adding more to what we are doing? How does all of this really play out in your day-to-day schedules? Am I just being too uptight?

Not that I don't believe they exist.:001_smile: I just don't believe they are of any significant value for this age bracket. I do plan on preparing dc to take standardized tests in jr. high/high school so that they will be ready to take the SAT/ACT for college eligibility. But for younger students, I believe observing them daily is far more valuable than viewing test scores.

I was considering Henle, but just because that was the only name I knew! I'll look into the others, and then decide.

bump

I wish I could check out a book such as this from our library. They are all considered reference books and are not allowed to be taken outside the library.

In your opinion, which one is the best? I feel woefully ignorant in this area. I have had no Latin exposure, whatsoever. I don't know where to start selecting a text. I'm trying to find something for myself, so that I can be prepared to teach dd Latin next year (using a children's course for her, obviously.) I feel confident in my ability to learn the language. I was a Spanish major in college, with a minor in Linguistics. I just don't know where to begin when choosing materials. I am a fairly intelligent person, but I have large gaps in my education, so I've become an autodidact in my post-university years to try to give my children a better start than I had. Any help is greatly appreciated.

I don't drink alcohol. I grew up in a household where it was definitely taboo, forbidden, thought to be an evil substance. As an adult, I have changed my views. I have tried wine a few times, but I just can't stand the taste. It tastes like horrible cough medicine to me. I love the idea of drinking wine, though. I thought maybe I didn't like the taste because it just wasn't high quality wine, but one of dh's friends bought us a *very* expensive bottle of wine as a Christmas gift, and I thought it was awful, too. Dh does sometimes enjoy having a beer, or lager, or winter ale. So upon occasion there is a six-pack of Heineken's in our refrigerator. The kids' know that it is just for adults, and we try not to make a larger issue of it. We also have a few bottles of wine that have been given to us, which we keep either in the kitchen or the basement, and a bottle of cooking wine in the kitchen. I think that because of the way we have handled it so far, it won't be a problem for us as the kids get older, but we'll probably know better about that when they get a little older.

I have learned to do this too. He is so interested in the natural world. We have had all sorts of little animals and insects. And he loves to drag in sticks, rocks, fossils, pine cones, acorns, etc. And he often conducts his own little science "experiments" which usually involve a lot of water. It is very much a part of who he is, and we definitely accept it.

We paid for all the dresses for the attendants and flower girls in our wedding. We even paid for their shoes and accessories. I would graciously accept their offer.

I have never had any Latin instruction, but I would like to be able to teach dd Latin next year. Is it feasible for me to start studying now and be able to teach her effectively in the fall? What program should I use to teach myself?

had ladybugs taped to your kitchen cabinets because ds is trying to see if they will fossilize? had pine needles taped to your bedroom wall and acorns placed on your dresser because ds wants to help you decorate your room like the forest? Oh, he's such a sweet little guy. And he loves nature. I can't bring myself to take down the pine needles yet:), but the ladybugs kind of freaked me out.

For ds4, it is definitely science. He tells us he is a scientist. Last year he checked out every volume about volcanos in the non-fiction section of our library. I learned more about plate tectonics from reading to him than I ever did in school. He is constantly collecting rocks and fossils, which he keeps in a large plastic container in his room to get out and study whenever he likes. When we go to the library, he chooses books such as Rocks and Minerals, Magnificent Meteorites, and Everything You Need To Know to Be a Paleontologist. Dd finds these titles extremely dull, but ds loves them. When we started the last one he said, "Mom, I might want to be a Paleontologist, but I want to read the book first and find out more about it." I actually think it is meant to be a textbook for junior high or high school. For holidays, our relatives have started buying him gifts such as a microscope and experiment kits because that is what really floats his boat. Dd6.5 likes to read. And she loves to put together our U.S.A. puzzle and sing the U.S.A. songs from our Geography songs cd. She also delights in being able to recite something that she has memorized. She really enjoys getting to do special projects, such as science experiments.

Sunday night: Chicken manicotti with alfredo sauce, salad of mixed greens, rolls Last night: Turkey breast, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, rolls rest of the week: 1. chicken & noodles, salad, bread 2. ham steaks, scalloped potatoes, brocolli, & corn muffins 3. homemade chicken noodle soup?, crusty bread

Sorry. I know I've posted a lot today about insignificant things, but I feel that after my earlier report of my kids playing Wii instead of doing school, and my being a major slacker, I should report that we did actually accomplish something today! I managed to do some more laundry, help dd do all the basic subjects for school+ a science experiment, and tidy up and vacuum the living area. Oh, and there's something in the oven baking for dinner. Now I just have to get some sides and bread together to go with it! Aaaah, it feels good to be productive. :)

This is my husband, too. He is completely supportive of it, and it was definitely a mutual decision. He thinks it is what is best for our kids right now. He is quite adept at fielding hs questions from co-workers, and he is extremely generous in his praise of me. And he definitely funds it. The funding part keeps him pretty busy, so he doesn't get involved in the day-to-day apects too much, but he does love to hear dd read or have her show him her work. He does spend a lot of time with the kids, but it is mostly spent doing fun activities like playing games, reading I Spy books, doing puzzles, watching a movie, etc.:)

It really helped my dd's hair be easier to brush. She used it when she washed her hair and then also sprayed Johnson's detangler spray on it before brushing. HTH

I can't figure it out. :o Geesh, I meant to make this a whole other post, not a reply to my other post! How silly!

And we have done absolutely no schoolwork yet today. And the only housework I have done is putting in one load of laundry (still not moved to the dryer, though it's been done for hours), and washing and putting away dishes. What is wrong with me?

Dc got to bed late, slept late, ate breakfast late, showered and brushed teeth late, and still haven't started any schoolwork!!! But we were right on schedule for lunch. I'm not sure how that happened. :) I'm not too worried, though. We'll adjust.

whose children did not sleep through the night until ages 2 and 2.5 years, but here's what we did. With dd, we had a crib ready for her in her room when she was born, but she rarely ever used it. We also had a bassinet in our room, which she used a little bit. Most of the time, she slept with me. At first I was afraid to take her into our bed because of safety issues, so awhile I nursed her to sleep and then lay her down in her crib. She would sleep for a little while, and then I would end up on the couch with her for the rest of the night. I can't remember when exactly I started taking her into our bed when she woke up, but I do know that at one year old she started going to sleep in our bed. We moved to our own house when she was 12 months, and the air conditioner was broken. It was the hottest week of the summer and we had a ceiling fan in our room. So, she slept with us. It worked out so well that we kept her with us even after the new air conditioner was installed. She nursed on demand and wouldn't take a pacifier or a bottle of pumped milk. She was also a marathon nurser. So, we were attached to each other for the first year of life and we used our Boppy pillow so much that it split down the middle! I napped whenever she napped, holding her. She would not sleep in her crib, even for naps. When I became pregnant again, dd was 19 months and still was waking frequently throughout the night and nursing back to sleep. But, magically, without any work or prodding on my part she began sleeping through the night shortly before her 2nd birthday. I continued nursing her periodically during the day until her 3rd birthday. Ds slept was a lot better sleeper than dd, in ways. He slept in his cribs for naps as a newborn and for a few hours at nightime. He was addicted to a pacifier, though. He started sleeping in our bed when it was just easier to bring him in because he was waking so frequently and not staying asleep in his crib after nursing. He did not sleep through the night until he was almost 2.5 yos and I stopped nursing him. I became convinced that he wouldn't sleep through the night until we stopped nursing. And I was right. After he was weaned, he slept through the night. We continue to lie down with them to get them to sleep, even at ages 6 and 4. It's just our family style. And we still have a family bed where anyone is welcome to come in in the middle of the night. And we often just all go to sleep together in our big king-sized bed. It used to frustrate me for a while, but now I love it. I'm sure someday they will outgrow this and we will miss it!

My ideas are very similar regarding this issue. I definitely would not be sending my children into an institutional educational setting before 7th grade either, and my criteria for approving a private school would be very similar. The best private school in our area, while within our financial reach, does not meet our educational goals. I don't know of any private school in our area that follows a truly classical curriculum. Btw, Plaid Dad, I wish we lived closer. We would love to have a co-op for the social interaction it would provide for dd6.5, but it wouldn't be worth the time and energy expense to me if it weren't something extremely worthwhile academically. So far, we haven't encountered any other families in our area who follow a classical curriculum of any sort, even neo-classical. We were thinking of joining a local group's book club, until we found out that this year the mom's were selling candles to fund a reward program. Participation in the reward program was optional, but I couldn't imagine taking my kids to discuss the books they have been reading with other kids, only to witness the other kids rewarded for their reading with some junky plastic toy while my kids looked on. It just seemed a bit bizarre to me. Isn't reading it's own reward?

or PMS, but I have the biggest case of inertia. I just don't feel like doing anything. We were snowed in half the weekend and you would think I could have used that time to catch up on laundry or clean the place up, but I just sat around, checking the boards, eating chocolate, etc. Okay, so I did wash dh's dress clothes so that he would have something to wear to work today, and I did help deliver the last of the neighborhood Girls Scout cookie orders, and played with the kids a bit. But mostly, I avoided work. And today, the same mess is staring me in the face, and here I sit. At least I haven't had any major depression this winter, so I guess I can feel a little lazy for the last few weeks of it. Thankfully, I usually get lots of energy to clean in the spring! :)

We have a lot of story Bibles, but I'm looking for one that might be really good for a 4yo boy. He is really interested in Bible stories right now and I'd like to get him his own Bible for Easter. I prefer non-cartoonish illustrations. Thanks!