That's odd -- it showed up on my Safari! Computers... go figure... ;)

I joined recently, and so far, it's very slow over there, so I hope more people join soon. I still haven't heard anything from the OM Yahoo group, and I'm so disappointed about it, as I really wanted to participate. We're just getting started with OM, and since it's not that popular on most of the homeschooling forums, I was looking forward to finding a nice, busy group. I hope I hear something soon! Anyway, here's the info on the Live Oak group. I emailed my info to them, and was accepted within a few hours, but it took a day or two before I was able to log in to the group. Here are the instructions, copied from the Live Oak website: ----------------- To create your new Live Oak account, send an email to liveoak@oakmeadow.com with the following information: Full name State/Province Email address A brief note on why you would like to join Live Oak Oak Meadow will send to you, via email, your Live Oak account confirmation. Thank you for joining our community. -------------- Hope to see you there soon! Cat

Have you looked at the Calvert website? They use secular books. I know that when we used Calvert, we had to buy the complete grade level package, but perhaps things have changed. If not, you could probably pick up the recommended books elsewhere, and hopefully find some teacher's manuals for them, too. (I don't think the books would be too useful without the TM, as Calvert uses "regular" textbooks, and most of the teaching hints are in the TMs.) We've used BJU for the past few years, and if you're not using the DVD program, you could probably work around quite a bit of the Christian stuff. I would have preferred a secular curriculum when we started BJU, but Calvert was a little too "mom-intensive" for me at the time, and the BJU DVDs were just what we needed. I was concerned that it might be "too Christian," if that makes any sense, and I thought BJU's beliefs might differ from our own, but I haven't found many problems with it. Yes, there's talk of God and Jesus, but (in the early grades, at least,) the material seems to be presented more along the lines of being a good, honest, and decent person, and doing the right thing. There's definitely a religious aspect, but it hasn't been as all-consuming as I'd thought it might be. Another option would be to choose a bunch of good books for your child's reading level and get some study guides for them from a teaching supply store. It really depends on whether you prefer textbooks and workbooks, or want to be more creative about it. We've done it both ways, and have been happy with both approaches. Cat PS. What textbooks are used by your local school district? I know that, in some places, homeschoolers may borrow books from the school system. They don't do that sort of thing in our area, but I've known people who have gotten lots of their curriculum in that way.

Wow! How exciting!!! Cat

Thank goodness your dog is going to be ok, Kristina -- thanks so much for posting the update, as well as for the info on xylitol! You and your family must be so relieved! Cat

You can sign up for emails on the Michaels website, and sometimes they send coupons. Otherwise, you have to buy the Sunday newspapers, because we never get Michaels' flyers in the mail. (We don't have Hobby Lobby in our area.) At our local Michael's stores, though, if there's a coupon in the paper but you don't have one, you can say you left yours at home and they'll still give you the discount. They have a clipboard at each register and they have you sign the paper that says you got the discount. You could ask about it at your local store. Cat

I know exactly what you mean, and it's so unfair. Maybe you could tell your mom that you're going to try the new job for a year (or a semester, or whatever,) and if it doesn't work out, you'll be back. She is probably secretly proud of you for having the guts to do things she would never have had the nerve to do, but of course, she'll never admit that until she's about 90 years old! So... you need to be proud of yourself! I see the biggest problem being that your mom is 58. She's not 88. She sounds like she's in good shape and can do pretty much anything she wants to do. You've got a lot of years to be under her thumb, and at some point, you're going to want to do something that she doesn't want you to do... like... maybe... move to Malaysia. If you really want to move, just do it. Your mom will survive. And if she can't deal with it, tell her to pack up her stuff and move there, too. Serious Concern: She might actually pack up her stuff and go! Cat

Truthfully, Scarlett, I see the lack of conversation as a potentially good sign. If your dh really, really wanted your ds in ps, wouldn't he have said something by now? Is it possible that he was just upset and blowing off some steam when he sent you the email? If I recall correctly, he said something like, "We'll talk about it later," right? Well, if later hasn't come yet, maybe it won't. Maybe this isn't a good idea (and I'm sure others will let me know :tongue_smilie:,) but if it were me, I'd just continue with "business as usual," unless your dh is under the impression that you agree about ps. If you can't stand the idea of not talking about it, wait until your dh is in a good mood and there is some time for the two of you to talk privately. You could mention something about your curriculum choices for next year, and say you've been thinking a lot about how you can add more outside activities for your ds. (Have some specific ideas ready first!) Don't even mention the ps thing until your dh does, and then be ready with calm, rational reasons for continuing to homeschool. Don't waffle at all, and don't even remotely agree that ps might be a possibility. One thing you may want to do is research your local school district's ratings and test scores, to see if your bright son will be "dumbed down" in ps. You should also ask around to see what kinds of social problems exist in the local schools -- there's some scary stuff going on in a lot of schools, even in the best neighborhoods, and most of it usually goes unpublicized. I know there are tons of online articles about problems in the school systems, even in the elementary grades, and you may want to see if any of them apply to your area, so you can show your dh some solid evidence, if you think it will help get him in your corner on this. Ultimately, though, it sounds like your dh was making his decision based entirely on his own emotions, and that's simply not acceptable. Your ds is doing just fine as a hser, and if it were a discussion with my own dh, that's about all I'd have to say about it before I told him that regular school was not an option. You're the mom, the primary caregiver, and the teacher -- and whether or not to homeschool should ultimately be your decision. Your dh can make an argument against it, but realistically, you are the most qualified person to make this decision, and if I were you, I wouldn't back down. This isn't about some abstract issue; this is about your ds. And once you send him to ps, you won't have an easy time getting him back out if your dh doesn't agree to it, so if hs is what you really want, stand your ground and don't back down off that hill. I believe Aubrey has a pitchfork you can borrow... ;) Cat

You're not guilty and awful -- you're NORMAL!!! And for what it's worth, it sounds like you are a great daughter, too. Cat

So, basically, you're saying that she found out about your stripper job in Malaysia? ;) I honestly don't have any advice for you. At 58, your mom is young enough to travel to visit you in your new home, but it doesn't sound like she'd be comfortable doing that, so it looks like if you move, you won't see her again until you come back. I can see both sides of this. I know how happy you were about this opportunity and I'd hate to think of you missing out on a potentially once-in-a-lifetime thing. On the other hand, I can understand why your mom would be sad and worried about you and your family. BUT... you have to live your own life. Your mom is only 58, and God willing, she will be around for another 30 years or so. Are you willing to wait another 30 years to be able to make a decision on your own? I can't say whether or not you should take the job in Malaysia. (Honestly, I admire your nerve, as I would probably be too nervous to make that big a change in my life!) It sounds very exciting, but maybe you should sit down and research things like crime statistics, any potential dangers to your children, the Malaysian health care system (in case of a sudden illness or grave injury,) and other factors. Your mom may be paranoid and scared, but she may also have some valid points... and if not, you'll have statistical evidence to back up your decision to take the job. Have you eer traveled to Malaysia? (You may have mentioned this in prior threads, but I don't remember.) This is a huge move, and will uproot your entire family, so you may want to be sure you love it there before you make the move. Good luck with this. I wish I knew what advice to give you. :grouphug: Cat

Thanks, Becky -- I'm going to start clicking on all of your links right now! Cat

Praying for you, Amy! :grouphug: Cat

I was wondering the same thing. Maybe she's breaking your rules because she's rebellious, or maybe there's something happening on that bus that worries her. If she has a history of behavior problems, it's hard not to be a little paranoid, but even a liar tells the truth sometimes, so maybe you can talk to her about the bus thing to see what she says. (At least you didn't catch her at anything today, so you don't have to be confrontational.) Good luck. And get yourself the chocolate, anyway. Cat

You've already gotten lots of excellent ideas, but I was wondering if your 4 yo would like some of the "Comprehensive Curriculum"-type workbooks that you can buy at BJs, Costco, and Sam's Club for between 5.99 and 9.99 each. They come in all levels, from preschool up to around 6th grade, and they cover -- theoretically, at least -- a complete curriculum in each book. There are also specialized workbooks for things like handwriting, math, and reading, which might be a lot of fun for your little dd, because they are very colorful and user-friendly, and she sounds so smart that she could probably work with many of the books on her own. I was thinking she would probably feel like a "big kid" with her own textbooks. My only other suggestion would be to take it nice and slowly for a while, until your dh gets used to being Mr Homeschool Guy. It sounds like your 11yo may be able to work quite independently, but your youngers will need more attention, so how about paring things down to the very basics, like phonics/reading, handwriting, and simple math? You could include some read-alouds for fun, but I wouldn't stress about anything else -- including worrying about which WTM stage everyone should be in. You've simply got too much on your plate right now, and if you keep it very simple, your dc will probably end up learning more than if you and your dh try to spread yourselves too thin. I'm not just saying this for the kids' sake; it's also for your own happiness and sanity. If you keep the school days short, you and your dh will have more time to relax and do fun things with the kids, instead of stressing over keeping to a full schedule. Ok, now take a deep breath and try to remain calm... :tongue_smilie: Cat

:grouphug: I hope you are all feeling much better soon! Cat

I just wanted to add that I think it's wonderful, DramaQueen, that you and your dh are so committed to working together to achieve your goals, and that you're willing to go the extra mile to do what's best for your family. It's so nice to hear about a family like yours; you're an inspiration! Cat PS. And not to nag or anything, but we still want to know what curriculum you're using! ;)

Sorry to temporarily hijack the thread, but... Carrie -- how did you start your local Classical Conversations program? I've heard good things about it, but there are no groups in my area. Was it a ton of work to get started? Thanks! Cat

I was thinking the same thing. If I knew what you were using, I could probably give you some ideas. (They probably won't be great ideas; they might not even be good ideas, or even halfway decent ones, but they might be better than nothing! ;) ) Cat

In addition to the other suggestions you've gotten so far, you can add it to the mix when you make meatballs or meatloaf, or you can use it for breading chicken or pork chops. (Think of it as a substitute for some of the bread crumbs you use in your recipes.) Cat

Yes, I was joking around! I thought it was pretty funny that Scarlett's dh is worried that their ds isn't masculine enough, yet the two of them were sitting together playing a violent video game... now, if they were playing, "My Little Pony" or a Barbie game, I might have started to wonder about both of them... ;) But in a way, I wasn't kidding. If Scarlett's dh isn't spending enough time with his son, it's probably because he's afraid he won't know what to do with him, and that they'll sit there looking at each other with nothing to say, and they'll both be uncomfortable. If they both enjoy the same video games, it's actually a good start, because they can play together, and they also have something in common to talk about. They can also plan trips to the video store or spend time on eBay shopping for games. They can also go online together and read the reviews of games they might like. It may not be everyone's idea of perfect parenting, but I think it's a good beginning. I'm sure Scarlett's dh is a good guy; he just may not be great at relating to kids. Not everyone is a "natural" parent; some people seem to instinctively know just what to say and do, but many don't, even if they really wish they did. I suspect that Scarlett is more of a "natural," and her dh may feel a little threatened by that, and is probably also envious of the closeness between Scarlett and her ds. (I just think he needs to grow up and realize that punishing Scarlett and her son by trying to force the boy into ps is NOT the mature thing to do!) Cat

I truly hope things work out for you, Scarlett! :grouphug: Cat

Hey Aubrey, where did you get the pitchfork and torch? They look great with your outfit! I wonder if we're scaring poor Scarlett... Militant Moms on a Mission! ;) And I'll bet her ds is no sissy; he's probably just a nice kid! Cat

Me, too. I just hope your dh wasn't as serious as he seemed, and that he'll be more reasonable once he's had time to reconsider, so this won't turn into a huge problem for you, Scarlett. Cat

Wow, he chose to go see a comedian instead of spending time with your ds, and he still thinks he has the right to tell you to put your ds in school??? I would be livid. Cat

It looks like we were posting at the same time, Scarlett! So... your dh is concerned that your son will turn out to be girly, yet he's not providing enough of a male influence... and somehow this is all the fault of homeschooling and can be solved by enrolling ds in public school... Not so much!!! I really think your dh is jealous of your strong relationship with your ds, and wishes he had the same relationship with him... except that he doesn't know how to achieve it. Was your dh close to his own dad? Did his father set a good example of what a dad should be? Cat