We have a rule of no children in the living room after 8pm. Even the teen is in his bedroom. We also take turns going out, each of us one night a week to do something just for ourselves and help us recharge. Sometimes I'll just sit in the library for two hours. :) It's relaxing and quiet and I get to come home to a tidied home that's already ready for bedtime. It's very nice.

We do 10 minute lessons. I set the timer, when it's up, it's up, but I require concentration for 10 minutes, a perfectly acceptable amount of time for a lesson. Does that mean we stick to it? No. The more inviting I make the lesson, the longer he wants to work (and the others join in). But that is my threshold, and he picks any time after that to quit.

Print, totally print, unless she has access to something every day. The cheapest print curriculum I have found have been Creek Edge Press's task cards, where one a week suffices for that subject's study. http://www.creekedgepress.com/Gallery.php$20, and you don't need specific books or worksheets or anything of that sort. The student can teach themselves or be taught. We do use the computer in our homeschool, but much of what we do relies on library books. I like pdfs, but I don't like printing (only do it really for MEP and science labs), so we rely more on notebooking and other methods of retention.

We just had our 5yo do this about a month ago. I got fed up with the toys being on the floor and swept it all away in a fit, and then a few hours later (after I calmed down) I explained that it was just too much, so he offered to get rid of some to keep some. He went through his entire room and the bags I had taken, and with help, decided what he played with, what he didn't, and put a large stack to go to the thrift store. He got rid of some of *my* favorites, but everything he kept is well loved!

Not in a good curriculum. 'th' is taught, and 'the' is taught as the first word for it before introducing the soft 'th'. (as in 'tooth')

Mystery Science. It's free, the labs are easily done, and there are extension activities for each unit.

I was reminded of something that works well for the 7-11yo crowd: the grace rule of either, neither, both. Set both children to cool off on the same couch. They may get up when the other child gives them permission to. But there is a caveat - both must give permission in order for either child to receive it. One child cannot say yes and be left there while the other runs to play. It doesn't work like that. Johnny can say yes, but Suzy may not move until she gives Johnny permission, too. Only when both have cooled off enough to be able to yield to the other will they both be allowed to resume activities again.

This behavior is why my siblings and I don't talk to each other. Growing up with constant salt in the wound makes for poor relationships as adults. I give parents of 2nd children the book Siblings Without Rivalry for a new baby gift. It's by the authors of How To Talk So Kids Will Listen (and Listen So Kids Will Talk), and I find the common sense approach to be very welcome. In our house, we work a lot on communication and appreciating actions without labeling the child. "You are so generous" is different than "that was a generous thing to do. I can see how much you struggled with keeping it for yourself." The Generous Child will often hide their selfishness and wait until a parent isn't looking. The Child Who Acted Generously can afford to grow and make mistakes without feeling like they lose status or love. And yeah, we tomato stake here. When a child is having issues I'm right there 24/7. They aren't left alone but are corrected immediately. Love isn't withheld - there are still outings and one on one time with parents, but they know they are always watched until trust in that area is earned.

I hate that we have turned a celebration of a new union into extravaganzas that make everyone uncomfortable. Sending a bill is not enjoyment or celebration. Nor is cutting out parts of families or looking for something that is picture perfect, but devoid of real happiness.

It's party-trick schooling. The goal is to get them to be able to "read" to meet the required goal (usually a list of words) and then start remedial work in 1st grade...er, I mean phonics. My nephew's school does this. One of the best school districts, and his first book that he was sent home with was "I Can Use". I can use a pen. I can use a pencil. I can use a computer. No lie. They had the kids "reading" the words use and computer, without knowing what it was or how the word was formed. Here, they balance it out. They have two 1.5 hour reading sessions each day. Half of that time goes to sight words and readers, half of it goes to Saxon phonics. I look at the paltry 10 minutes a day /3 months that my kid did to get to their 3 year mark and wonder what on earth they're doing all day. I'm not exactly raising a genius here.

A long time ago I wrote an average day in our house. Why? Because TOS and all those other glossy magazines lie. LOL They suck in new parents who think if they just have this or buy that, they too will have children dressed impeccably reading Shakespeare to each other under the large oak tree. LOL No. An average day in our house is busy and messy. Sometimes tempers flare. Sometimes there is whining, and crying. Here is a comparison of the last two days to make you feel better. Monday: did an entire theme surrounding the Little Red Hen. We do Wee Folk Art, but have no problem changing it to suit us. Since I had wheat and the children didn't need cake on a Monday morning, we did it differently. We planted wheat (to go along with our living things study), we ground wheat (to go along with our seed study), we looked at all the things wheat makes in our kitchen and what the Hen might have eaten in different countries, we made pasta necklaces, we sequenced the story, and we did math. All in all, a pretty good day for a bunch of young'uns, right? Ok, Tuesday. Tuesday: Had a meeting in the morning, which I was late for because I forgot I had to put a seat back in my car, and reconfigure it to the biggest-little child. Got to the meeting late. Got to my next stop of the day late, and without all the material I needed. Took my kid to the park for his social hour, realized it was 12:30 and we still hadn't thought about lunch. Grabbed McDonalds. Figured while we were there, may as well hit up the thrift store nearby for halloween costume shopping. Scored a shirt (whoohoo!) Somehow, didn't make it home until 3pm. School consisted of park time (we'll call that P.E.) and listening to Percy Jackson in the car. I have a feeling today will be more akin to Tuesday than Monday, though who knows, Today dh is in and out of the house, I need to go take the rest of the material I forgot on Tuesday, and return library books that are very overdue. Oh, and go get McD's for the big child who saw the cup in the car and got all pouty that he didn't get any. Maybe inbetween there we'll finally make it to the fantastic display at the art museum and get some science and dictation done. I envy the people that have it all together.

I hate that we teach the alphabet to toddlers. Hate it. I hate how it screws with them, giving them all sorts of useless information and then two years later we're all "AHA! That doesn't help with reading one whit! NOW, you get to learn their sounds! And lowercase!" There, feel better? You not teaching that is going to make your son a better reader, since he won't have to do initial translation work in his head from name to sound. :) There are sooooooooooo many things a 3yo should learn, though: How to pour a cup (and how to drink from a real cup if they don't know how) How plants grow Basic timelines: seasons, story sequence, the order of the day Predicting what happens next in best loved stories How to use tweezers, color, paint, and use a glue stick How to hop, the game head/shoulders/knees/toes, hokey-pokey Nursery rhymes and finger play 1:1 object correspondence What different textures are and how to match them Building with blocks, playing cars, and pretend play of real life (cooking, firefighting, construction worker..) How to care for himself: brushing teeth, going potty, putting on shoes and jacket. Matching pairs and folding simple folds How to climb, slide, and hang Logically thinking through 1-3 steps/copying in various degrees of difficulty (for example, a picture of three stacked shapes, and a black outline of three stacked shapes). Academics are so very little, but a child who can have a good, healthy background will be ready for them later.

My Friend The Monster. I loved it when I was a kid, but it's one of those timeless tales that sticks with you. http://www.amazon.com/Weekly-Reader-presents-friend-monster/dp/0690040318/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1443556914&sr=8-2&keywords=my+friend+the+monster

TERC Investigations? Yeah, no. I'm going to say go with Math U See. It's so gentle, it's easy to stop exactly where they need and give them more practice. The simplicity of it is invaluable, IME. You build, you write, you move on to something just slightly harder... The blocks are a good investment, and I've yet to see anything that shows multiplying and dividing fractions any clearer. The pages aren't overwhelming, either.

An old one, but the Canterville Ghost is wonderful - it's much better than the Jodie Foster movie (though the Margaret O'Brien movie stayed truer to the book).

11-13 is like having a 3yo again sometimes. Sometimes you wonder if they took the bus to Stupidville and forgot to come home. 14 gets better, much better. Things start to even out again. 16yos are actually pleasant and able creatures. There were days I cried through my child's 12th year because I wondered if he was going to be a capable adult. It took a lot of patience and being able to see the turning point several other children made before I even thought about that small glimmer of hope. ETA: Funny story about the How To Talk...book mentioned above. My kid is now in a leadership position and was getting frustrated by it. I suggested he read the book. As he flipped through, a look of horror crossed his face. "You used all this on US!" Yes, dear, yes I did. And it worked. :D

No. My youngest doesn't give a hoot. He's not motivated by peer pressure or anything I can think of. Which is why we resort to simply removing him, letting him get it out of his system, and re-laying the expectations for going back in. Eventually I hope he gets it. But yeah, doesn't care in the least what others think. He's exactly the same child either at home or out and about. At least we've got consistency going for us! :P

Are you asking how to help him learn how to calm when frustrated or how to just accept that he will struggle? I'm not sure you can teach the second without giving the opportunities for experience. The first can most certainly be taught - or at least techniques that will assist him when he hits that point.

They have comparison charts like this one - http://www.rainbowresource.com/mathcurriculum.pdf ETA: A link to all of them - http://www.rainbowresource.com/searchspring.php?q=curriculum+charts&utm_source=EmailDirect.com&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=July28eNews+Campaign

It was just announced that many of the Adventureland attractions were closing, some for a long while during the building of Star Wars land, others permanently. If you don't want to do Disney, Knotts is a great place, too. It's been around a long time, and always does something special for the Christmas/New Years' crowd.

My first thought was a kit to go with the series - a drachma, a small owl statue, a book of Ancient Greece then and now with overlays to show how things changed, the American Girl's Handy Book to learn how to do different things.. But then when looking up drachma I found this pendant. I like this idea, too. :) http://www.amazon.com/Jackson-Athena-Pendant-Implanted-455-449/dp/B00ZMH7SYW/

It took 'til now? LOL The blog posts they wrote on the LDS were appalling. The idea that they could present something so skewed and with so little regard to facts made me seriously doubt their books had any worth. This quote here is just a few sprinkles on the icing.

Eliza, the answer has to be 'yes' to all four questions. Legal is 25%. I'm not going to turn this into a car seat crash course, but you're welcome to create that spin off thread if you like. :)

No, I don't think it is necessary. We have 4 questions we ask to govern our actions: Is it safe? Is it legal? Is it moral? Is it respectful? Obedience for the sake of obedience is not a necessary foundation. Respect for the world around us, and knowing personal boundaries (like, my rights end where yours begin) help us think through whether or not the law itself is just. Countless civil rights have been acknowledged because of the ones who know and understand that the arbitrary laws restricting them are not right or moral. I am a car seat tech. Parents who do not understand the implications are the first to give "freedom" when the bare minimum of legal justification is reached. They are the ones putting their 3yo's in backless boosters or turning their 12 month old forward facing. The parents who understand the reasoning, the justification, and the safety behind each guideline are the ones who are doing better, and making the call when they feel it is necessary. Obedience isn't in their minds - keeping their children safe, is. I would NEVER stress obedience for the sake of obedience. Aside from teaching a person to ignore their gut or how to think, it's just not a good idea to put it as the most important thing.

Oooh... Life of Fred Story of The World hardbound, plus the activity guides Full collection of You Wouldn't Want To Be...books Science of Imagineering dvds TMBG's Here Comes The ABCs, Here Come The 123s, and Here Comes Science Anno's Math Games, 1, 2, and 3. Oxford University Press' Ancient and Medieval World sets Hakim's Story of Science collection. Latin readers: Winnie Ille Pu, Harrius Potter, Catus Petasatus.. I'm sure I could think of more, but these are things that are expensive, or parents want to try, or are used for a very little time.