and car trips can be long..... Their cousins are the same way. DS was a late talker and everyone told me not to worry b/c once he started he would never stop. I can hear him chatting away w/dh right now. Laura

Mine started easy phonics books at 3. She's pretty fluent at 5. There really wasn't much teaching involved. Laura

Wow, that sounds great for a 7 year old. Thanks, Laura

How long is your history or science narration for your dc's ages? Laura

I second starting slowly and building into it. I've also found that using dvds works very well w/my ds. He retains what he learns, but he also doesn't feel like it's school. Remind him that he'll have lots more time for his friends (and make sure to keep in touch) now that he doesn'thave homework. Best of luck, Laura

I thought I saw it on sale here on the boards a few days ago, but it could have been another used curriculum site (Cathswap). Laura

We'll be using SOTW again, but adding in more like Memoria Press' Famous Men Series and D'Aulaires. We'll also add in G. Foster's books and other longer texts and start outlining Kingfisher's spine. I thought SOTW was a bit old for my youngers--even the first one. Laura

Wow, it's amazing how many of us there are. For me, it is the mental clutter/stress inducing aspect of it all. I feel like my not yet used curricula aka "what was I thinking mistakes" is staring at me from the bookshelves and taunting me. I would love to follow the 'much, but not many' philosophy, but just can't make the leap. Laura

Nope. Sometimes sadness when their loss leaves a hole in the universe, but that's rare. Laura

Weekly housekeeping and cooking service.

Yikes, you have me worried. Every time I make a purchase, I tell myself it's ok b/c 3 kids will use it. Like AG. Or CW. Ugh. Thanks for the heads up. Laura

I think if I had 11 more kids, I'd be fine. Or was willing to hs every day for the next 20 years. I am so glad to hear that I'm not alone--and that the reasons are so similar. Most of my friends buy one packaged curriculum and they're done. Or, even more disconcerting, they use an online curriculum and even get their computers for free. Laura

We just listened to The Phantom Tollbooth and Odds Bodkin's The Odyssey. Both very good. We love all of Roald Dahl's as well. Laura

I, too, spend way more time here than I'd like. I'm a relative newbie and I can't remember what I did b4 I found this board. Sleep? Read? Goodness knows I still eat. I was never a TV watcher, and I feel it's a much better use of my time than something like Facebook. I have learned so much from everyone here and finally feel like I have found like-minded home schooling moms. I will have to find a way to cut back when school starts. Laura

We're up to H and have never used it or seen it. Laura

I tried to skip the goodie bag phenom one year and it was a disaster. I had a cooking party where all the girls made individual pizzas, decorated their own cupcakes and we made homemade twinkies. I had little chef hats and really cute kid aprons that my mom had lovingly made. The hat and the aprons were supposed to be their 'favor.' Of course all the little brats, er I mean kids, wanted were goodie bags. One girl refused to leave w/her mom b/c she hadn't gotten her bag yet. I quickly succumbed and threw together some goodie bags. Now, these were 4 or 5 year olds so their behavior could probably be forgiven, but it was scary how ingrained the whole concept is. I love some of the ideas here-esp. the big candy bar. I had one friend who used pencil boxes as the 'bag' and stuffed it w/ cheap school supplies. Not exactly a hit w/the kids, but the parents were happy. I know my kids like the candy part best. They're beyond the cheap plastic toys, aka landfill fillers, at this age, but thought they were the bomb when they were younger. Gift cards are too much of a slippery slope for me. It's like exchanging gift cards w/family members at Christmas. Count me in on the ban! Laura

Yes, but that's one advantage of getting married older. I was pretty sure of what I wanted at that point--in a mature, not gaga over someone who wasn't appropriate for me sort of way. However, I'm the sort of person who could easily live alone too. But, I could never imagine not having my kids. Laura

That's the year I started homeschooling. Ds was in 4th, dd in 2d and my youngest was only 3. And it gets better every year. Laura

Meal planning is non-existent here. Breakfast is cereal (whole grain), yogurt, banana and OJ or frozen waffles w/milk and fruit, or cinnamon toast. Snack is typically a smoothie or pb w/apples or popcorn. Lunch is usually sandwiches on ww bread or bagels. Sometimes soup w/fruit and milk. Yogurt. The kids are responsible for their breakfasts and lunch most days. Dinner is something w/green salad, fruit salad and whole grain. The fruits and the veggies always vary so they get some variety in their nutrients. I loathe cooking. I just don't have the patience for it--esp. since it leads to the task I hate even more than cooking--cleaning. Laura

My dd9 recently recited a poem that she had written for her Sunday school class that included a line about her being gay (happy). A mother of another child told me about it and how the whole class snickered. DD9 didn't mention it, so I didn't either. I only hope she was oblivious to the snickering. BTW, she still believes in Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy and gets lots of grief for that. Laura

A little....

Thanks. We might just wait on the text too, but I'm grateful that it's there just in case. Laura

Scallops sauteed in wine, butter and garlic, green salad, fruit salad, and sweet potatoes. But, now you guys have me craving sloppy joes. And fresh sweet corn! Laura

Mine take about 45 mins. to an hour, but I only make them do all the practice than either the odds or even problems. My first year, if ds missed more than 2 problems, he had to do all the problems the following day. Now, I just make their missed problems their homework. Laura

If it looks like something fun, or my kids ask to do it, we do, but normally not.