My dh was thinking of using poison to deal with our rat problem, but instead left the fully wrapped poison in our laundry room on a shelf he thought the dogs couldn't access. They accessed. They ate the poison and I had to pay $650 to make sure they weren't going to die. I also learned that if a rat eat the poison, hides and dies and a cat or dog finds the rat -- your pet could get a secondary poison. That's stuff's bad. The glue traps are incredibly inhumane. One idea I heard: use lots of light and music and the rats/mice take off fearing people are around. We also have a very realistic looking fake snake. I keep thinking how cool it would be to let the fake snake camp in the spot where the rats are sauntering into our garage. My dh doubts it would work, but I bet it might. Alicia

Thank you all for your support -- I think I'm going to hold onto this thread and read it when I get all squishy. I absolutely love home schooling and the more I read the more I know this is a fabulous option for educating. I wish I had the time to respond to all these posts individually. In a nutshell, my parents are creeps (therapists call it Narcissistic Personality Disorder) -- this isn't by far the first time they've done this sort of thing. Re: friends. Yes, that's hard too. One of my closest friends pulled her five year old out of a "great" school and put him in a Waldorf. So, I thought of everyone, she'd be supportive. But no, I can see it in her eyes that she just doesn't get it. (In fairness to her, her son is very difficult and she would have an uphill climb educating him at home.) I like to think that if you were to meet me, you wouldn't guess that I'm a marshmallow. I'm fairly successful in disguising it. Chris in VA ~ I just said the same thing to my dh last night!! I couldn't agree with you more. It really appears that people respond to my saying I home school with their own guilt, confusion, fear -- and then, not being able to deal with all those feelings, throw them back at the home schooler. Thank you all again. I'll be back, I'm sure! Alicia

Setting up my twin boy's college funds when they were in their first year was brutal. The group I was working with, Van Guard, required that I start each fund with $3,000. The boys are only 5 and we won't need the money for a long time to come -- so I'm sticking my head in the sand and not looking at what the amounts are now in this lovely economy. Clothes are definitely an expense because we don't have any hand-me-downs (these are our only kids). On that note, trying to outfit them for one or two trips to the snow in Tahoe is a pain. I end up spending a lot of money buying snow clothes for one or two trips. I try to buy used, but it's hard. If I'd like to put them in gymnastics it's times two, of course. Or swim lessons or a theater program. Always times two. Yes, usually there's a discount on the sibling, but it's still a lot to have to have to times every activity by two. Alicia

Annette ~ When I first read your post, I felt so much better. "MTV culture". Ha. I call it the "Hannah Montana culture". Thank you again. Only having five year olds, it's only a guessing game on my part how far all of this bad exposure goes in schools. I know I heard the F word when I was in 5th grade and I'm over 40! I assume it's much worse today. Alte ~ I can't thank you enough for your reply. Funny enough, I just finished the book Hold Onto Your Kids and then lent it to a friend. It's a great book, but at least the parts I read, didn't go far enough. I was hoping the author would advocate home schooling, but if he did, I didn't see it. But he definitely ID'd the overall problem. Again, thank you. With people like my parents in my ear acting like I'm making a big deal out of nothing, it's great to hear from people like you I need a home schooling coach!! I hope others will post on this issue. For those of us with young kids, it's great to hear from people who are in our future -- so to speak. Alicia

Thanks! So, a lapbook is a way to make the topic "come alive" in a way, right? Do you guys end up with tons of these things? How do you store them? They don't look small. I'm trying to envision my almost six year old boys making these. I think I'd end up doing the work, they'd glance at them and that would be the end of it. Are lapbooks better for older ages? Alicia

Hi Everyone, As I said earlier, I'm brand new. When I come across unit studies (I just purchased FIAR's manual), I wonder how I'll have time to plan even a few of the activities, pull on book on the topic from the library, make food from the topic etc. -- and still have time to work with my kid. How do you do this? Do you take time each week to plan? Or? Also, what is a lapbook? I know it should be obvious, but I can't tell. Is it just printed out pages on the particular unit study? Any planning info. very appreciated. Alicia

Thanks Everyone. I fully admit: I'm a total wimp. It's only been the love of my kids that's put me on this path that my family and friends look at me funny for. Well, friends look at me funny. My parents aren't speaking to me. It's not news that my parents are extremely controlling and difficult. Being a bona fide marshmallow, it's hard knowing that very few people in my life see hs as a good decision. I question my decision. Thankfully dh is totally on board. Still, I just can't see my boys going to ps until 3:00 next year. They'll only be six years old. That just seems crazy to me to be in school that long. It's certainly easy to do the popular thing. It's hard to do the right thing that isn't popular. Thanks again, Alicia

Hi Everyone, It seems like I ran into a site that offered a free unit study on the Little House on the Prairie series. Do you have any suggestions where I could find it? Thanks, Alicia

Hi Everyone, I'm trying to help my parents "get" that home schooling is a valid choice. I know they respect Dr. Laura. Do you happen to know of a link that I could refer them to with her thoughts on home schooling? Anything you did to help your nay sayers get the picture? Thanks, Alicia

So, I realize I'm going to the choir, but I need to hear what you think. Among several other things, I pulled my five year olds twins out of a "great" school because one of my boys came home after spending time with his 3rd grade buddy (school coordinated) saying, "Dick! Dick! Dick!" This probably sounds like small potatoes to parents with older kids, but it was so sad to hear this coming out of my little guy's mouth. He doesn't know what it means, but my thinking was along the lines of this is just the beginning. I get desensitized to dick, dick, dick and this kind of stuff increases every school year until we're talking truly gross stuff. Any thoughts? My dh has agreed with me, but my parents are saying that I've overreacted. (There were many, many other reasons I pulled them) Thanks, Alicia

Wow! Thank you all SO much!! You women are awesome. I feel so much lighter. Thanks, everyone, for all the phonics advice. My kids do know their sounds and how to decode. One boy is "already there" and decoding these words that I put up. But I totally see what you're saying: that decoding is better than sight. I agree. I need to get back on track. Does anyone like the BOB books? Trying to pick curriculum for somebody who is so new is like being lost on the ocean. There's so much! You've just been so helpful -- thank you!! Did anyone else read the Little House series and come to the conclusion that "Ma" is the saint of all saints? I can't do anything in the kitchen any more without thinking about what that poor woman went through just to make a meal! Colleen ~ thanks for the "have fun" comment. I couldn't agree more. I'm worried we're having too much fun and not doing the other!! :iagree: Alicia

Hi Everyone, I'm brand new to home schooling with two five year old boys (six in April). I pulled them out of a "great" school at Christmas. I've read Well Trained Mind and was both impressed and scared out of my you know what at the same time. I need your advice. Here's what we're doing: We're doing a lot of reading (I read to them). We're going through the Little House series, finished the Magic Tree House books and they listen to books on tape in the car. Roald Dahl books mostly. But. . . what else should I be doing?? I thought the charter school I signed up with would give me ideas, but not so much. They're fairly loose, not very directive. Don't laugh: I'm using curriculum books that I found in Costco that are basics for Kindergartners. I do "word of the day" (and, but, said, he, she, bat etc.) that I write huge and tape in the kitchen and bathroom. Remarkably they're learning the words this way. We're also watching the NEST DVD shows on Edison, Graham Bell, Lincoln, Helen Keller. Then read a book about each hero and then draw a picture of what stuck with them. We also cook three or more times a week: pancakes, smoothies mainly. I'm waiting for two fun math games to arrive that I ordered. Do you have curriculum advice? I'm open!! I bounce back and forth between thinking, "why do I think I can do this?" and "oh, mellow out: they're learning." Any curriculum or mental health advice totally welcome. (Also dh talked me into home schooling and is very supportive, but all of the grandparents are fuming which is a bummer.) Thank you!! Alicia