CB?

Since we were not able to attend the awards ceremony I thought they would mail us something, but so far we haven't gotten anything. Any ideas?

Can't believe I forgot to mention this part, as it is a problem I am actually having now. Since having chldren my sense of smell has stayed stronger. And not only is it stronger, but smells can actually make me feel sick. Last night I was sitting beside someone at a table at my part-time job. She had on perfume of some kind. It smelled nice enough, but made my head swim. I ended up feeling so nautious and even had diareaha. My mother-in-law keeps a strong smelling soap in her guest bathroom (again not bad smelling) and that is the bathroom my kids use the most when they are over there. I have told her the smell of it gives me a headache, but she seems to think I am making that up. I walk into that bathroom and it smells so strong to me. When we leave her house if my kids have used that soap our van will reek of it. I have told my kids when they are at Gma's to not use the soap and if Gma insists they wash with soap then to use as little as possible. Not sure how many moms acutally push their young children to not use soap. My son has a very strong sense of smell and always has. I have often wondered if my is stronger since having him b/c some of his cells are still floating around in me. Thoughts on that?

oh wow, I can totally relate! My DS is SOOOOO competitive. For the longest time his sister (who is 21 months younger) couldn't care less. However, now she is starting to. DS is an amazing pianist and definitely my academic. He has DD beat for sure in those areas. DD is more artsy and a dancer. However, my DS asked to start taking dance b/c DD got a trophy for it at the end of the season and now has more trophies than he does. He doesn't get trophies in piano and I tried to explain that his superiors were like trophies but he wasn't hearing that. I told him if he only wanted to do dance for the trophy it would be a lot cheaper for me to go buy him a trophy. Also when it comes to academics he has such a hard time not answering her questions for her. We have worked on this and he has improved, but it was very annoying for a while. I would ask her math problems that were way lower than his ability and he would yell out the answer just to prove he knew it. I would then tell him I knew he knew these, but DD needed to learn them and she wouldn't learn them if he kept doing her work for her. There is also just basic life rivalry. LIke if we are out to dinner whoever my DS wants to sit by he expects to be able to sit by and it doesn't matter to him what DD wants. If he is in the mood to sit by me then he expects DD to sit by her dad. And if Grandma is with us (his favorite person b/c she never tells him no and he is her obvious favorite - whole other rant), then he seriously expects DD to not see by her. The other day she was going to sit between the 2 kids and DS didn't even want that. He wanted Gma to himself. We had to explain to him he could allow her to sit between the 2 of them or only DD would sit by her. He was NOT happy about it, but he finally gave in.

As I am reading everyone's responses, I am realizing that I had mild OE's as a child. I can remember my mom commenting on how I could not handle tags or anything itchy in my clothes. Also even as an adult putting my head under the water makes me extremely anxious. With time I have learned to swim on the top of water, but I can't seem to get my breathing calm enough to swim under the water. I am sure there were other things that if my mom had known about OE's at the time she would have realized described me.

Don't have any to suggest, but my kids really like the books like the one you linked!

I have come across this thread while trying to research DS6's language arts for next year. We have covered both FLL1 and FLL2. We used Spelling Power this year, but most likely won't next year. I have thought about using FLL3, Brave Writer (jot it down), some parts of MCT, AAS1 and also WWE. I know I don't need all of this, but wonder what the best combination is. Any thoughts?

I had planned to just take it easy this summer with only a slight little bit of unstructured school to finish up the couple things we didn't finish up in the official school year. After today with my children driving me CRAZY due to their boredom I am revamping that idea.

I was trying to find the best way to word this idea earlier. I worry that if the negatives are what are always discussed then that is all the child feels that there is to him/her.

Thanks! I was kind of thinking on those lines, but wasn't sure.

Other than Kangaroo Math what kinds of competitions are there for a 1st grader (next year) - math or otherwise?

DS6 placed 1st for state and 21st for national in grade 1/2 Kangaroo Math as a kindergartener. Also he made it to state piano competion that will be held the first weekend in June. He will be one of the youngest kiddos there. DD4 actually danced at her dance recital instead of just standing there as she did last year. She has also started reading chapter books this year.

DS6 sounds like your DS10. He has recently been doing baby talk (which drives me CRAZY) and never spoke like a baby when he was an actual baby.

Okay so I am highly distracted right now so maybe this is more obvious than I realize, but can someone help me with this? Level 1 Center State TN Score 63.0 PCT 65.63% Nation Place 21 Nation Percentile 95.76% State Place 1 State Percentile 77.78% My question is ifhe scored 1st in state how is his percentage 77.78% at the same time he placed 21 in nation and his percentage is 95.76%

I asked my DS(6) what he would like to study next year for Science and History. He said things that are alive for Science and so I am going to get a life science curriculum of some kind, that is part of a whole other thread so not asking about that here. For History he said he wants to study our family history. I thought about this and I would love to be able to do it. I have always been interested in genealogy myself. I just don't know how to actually teach it as a history class. Typically in a history class you start with the older info and move toward more current. I think with this it would be better to start with more current and work back. But most of the people in our family tree I don't know much more than basic dates and places for. I thought about talking about what kind of big things were going on while the particular people were alive, but with all the branches most everything that has happened would have happened while someone from our tree was live. If I could talk about only the big events that our ancestors actually took part in, but that would pretty much limit us to discussing wars. I am not opposed to discussing wars, but would like to talk about more than just that. Ideas?

Thanks! I just needed to hear that from someone with experience with it :)

Just mapped it and it would take 5 or more hours to get there. is this something I should try to make work? I had planned to head in a completely opposite direction this weekend and see my mom for Mother's Day and then go to my niece's graduation on Monday night (yes they have it on Monday night - stupid right?). I could still make the graduation, but would be a LOT of being in the car.

I just checked my email and I found this: You are cordially invited to Tennessee Awards Ceremony to celebrate Math Kangaroo 2015 National & State Winners, who participated in the State of Tennessee, and their families. I am sad that it is in Chattanooga which is a LONG ways from us. Also it is being held this weekend so we don't really have time to plan a trip there. Strangely we are planning a trip there for June when he gets to take part in the state piano competition. Seems Chattanooga is the place to be this year! Leslie

Thanks everyone for reminding me I am not alone. This weekend was better. We have pushed hard and plan to be done with his official school year this coming Friday so I am sure that will help. He has already gotten where he doesn't have near as much going and that is definitely appreciated!

Never thought about putting on headphones! That is definitely something to consider. For now I am just thrilled that the weather outside is beautiful! Both kiddos are outside playing.... acting like any other kiddo their age. I think the biggest problem is that Spring Fever has hit!

Let me preface this by saying I love my children beyond all understanding. Also I would not change them if I actually could. That being said there are days (much like today) when it seems like turning them into "normal" children would make my life so much easier. Both of my children are extreme children. They are good kids over all and for that I am glad. They just have this way of making the smallest thing into a huge thing and it wears me out. The things they do within themselves are not worth getting annoyed about at all. The problem is that all day they are doing these little things and some days I just want it all to stop. I don't want to have to answer the 10 millionth (slight exaggeration) question about some idea that they have latched onto. I don't want to hear them sing jiggly puff's song on repeat. I don't want to have to deal with a complete meltdown that my daughter can not have graham crackers, saltines, AND animal crackers all for lunch. I don't want to have to tell my son yet again that the dogs are just playing and it is okay that they play with each other rough because that is what dogs do. I don't want to have to tell my son to do the small amount of work that has been sitting in front of him for forever instead of staring into outer space. I REALLY don't want to have to deal with the extreme fit that comes from asking my son to practice piano. This one really drives me nuts. We have discussed him quitting piano because having him practice seems like some type of torture. When I have brought that up to him though he ends up in tears not wanting to quit. But when he doesn't want to practice he says he just wants to quit. I need all the emotions to just calm down. All this roller coaster business is stressing me out. I started to not actually post this, so if this seems like me just rambling then I am sorry. I felt I needed to get it off my chest before I lost my temper on my children (again). Thanks for "listening".

Thanks for all the replies! I asked him a couple days ago what type of thing would he like to study in science next year and he said things that are alive. So looks like Life Science.

Dmmetler, Gray and Clara actually started Mad Science this semester and LOVE it! I was just trying to find something more often than once every other week. I really appreciate all the suggestions and will start researching all of them

I haven't read all the previous posts, but I did read far enough to see that you want to be able to hang out and think some things out. I would suggest logic things. My DS and I worked through a logic links book and enjoyed it! They have different levels of workbooks, but they also have a puzzle box. We haven't tried it, but I am sure it is great! http://smile.amazon.com/MindWare-Logic-Links-Puzzle-Box/dp/B000NR4BLY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428809397&sr=8-1&keywords=logic+links

Okay so I am NOT a Science person! However, I don't want my children to be held back by that. I would love a Science curriculum or what have you that I can use next year with my will be 1st grader (age wise). He is an advanced reader and enjoys Science. I want it to be secular.