This might be a good support text for a study of WWII. It includes Theodor Geisel's editorial cartoons as well as discussions of the occurrences which prompted the cartoons. Dr. Seuss Goes to War: The World War II Editorial Cartoons of Theodor Seuss Geisel. by Richard H. Minear Art Spiegelman (author of Maus I and Maus II--comicbook-style stories about the author's dad, his relationship with his dad, and his dad's story, a survivor of the concentration camps, and probably NOT a book suitable for a 10-year-old) wrote the introduction. Dr. Seuss' editorial cartoons are mostly okay--some are graphic, but then, it is about war and bloodshed. http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Seuss-Goes-War-Editorial/dp/156584565X

My uber-LEGO geek brother uses a few bins for blocks by color and larger blocks (like boat parts) and a tool/screw organizer for the smaller parts. When we were kids we just dumped the Rubbermaids or went pawing through them. Dumping them made a lovely noise I fondly remember to this day... :)

Reminds me of the Full Monty quote: "She's out there...spending!" My dh teases me with that line. :) The 3rd edition has been tempting me, too. So glad to see a comparison review!

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle I echo The Princess Bride! I can't remember (it's been too long)--is The Once and Future King by T.H. White clean? Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451 are excellent. The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien The White Dragon might be okay from the Pern series--don't remember any s*x scenes. I agree--Dragonsong and Dragonsinger should be fine.

what materials do you use? flannel do you have a recipe for the wipey solution or do you just use water? water, sometimes with a few drops of tea tree oil how do you store the wipes/wipey solution? 1 small squirt bottle for the diaper changing area, 1 for the diaper bag is it worth it, financially and environmentally? :001_smile: or did you find it an exhausting, inefficient pursuit?:confused: Definitely worth it. We have 3 dc and all have been (or are) cloth diapered. I primarily use prefolds in the beginning and then primarily use pocket diapers (Fuzzi Bunz, Happy Heinys) when they're older and more wiggly. did it only work when you had nice, mustard-seed breastfed poops, or were you able to use homemade wipes after introduction of solid food/formula? I think homemade flannel wipes do a better job on solid food BMs than store bought. Most store bought wipes just seems to polish the BM whereas the flannel wipes actually get it off. My dh actually prefers using my homemade flannel wipes even when the child has on a disposable. It's also easier just to stuff a dirty cloth wipe into the dirty cloth diaper and then toss the whole thing into the diaper pail. One thing that can help is using a fleece liner in the diaper. If you catch that the kiddo has a BM right away there is very little mess and the BM just falls off into the toilet. Even if there is a mess it comes off pretty easily because most of the mess is on the fleece; no having to swish the whole diaper, just the fleece liner. Good luck!

There is a professional organization for certified doulas: http://www.dona.org Both of my doulas (2 different states) were on this list and both were outstanding. Sometimes you can google doula and your area (city, state) and local doula organizations will come up. I think they are absolutely invaluable. Even though my husband could be there with me, the doula was his third arm--and boy did he need it! :)

This website has good information about violins: http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/instruments/violin/ The website describes what to look for in a quality instrument, sizing, rental programs, etc. Rentals can be a wise choice. If you want to purchase, go with a private seller. I at least have gotten better quality instruments from private sellers--both from eBay and from Craigslist. I have heard many bad things about instruments from China in terms of quality of workmanship. Slightly OT: Do you have a program in mind? My daughter takes Suzuki violin lessons. I have been very happy with her teachers and the program overall. The method emphasizes immersion in music and a high degree of parental involvement during lessons and for practice at home. I really like the method; it really seems to nurture a love of music in children. http://www.suzuki-violin.com/suzuki_violin_vstraditionalviolin.htm http://suzukiassociation.org/

Yes. I have purchased 3 violins off eBay. I am very happy with 2 of them. These two were purchased from private sellers--a 1/10 violin from a music program that had to downsize its program and a 4/4 violin from an owner who didn't have time to play anymore. Both were reasonably priced (~$125 for the 1/10 and ~$400 for the 4/4). I am not as happy with the 1/8 violin I got from a large eBay company that imports its instruments from China. The violin was supposed to have inlaid purfling and an ebony fingerboard--don't think so. It may still sound okay (I accidentally bought one size too large for my dd4 so we haven't used this violin yet). I am irritated that the description doesn't actually match the product. It cost about the same as the 1/10 violin and seems to be lower quality. Definitely do your homework before you buy off eBay--know what quality workmenship and materials means, get to know good brands, try to research the company, look for reviews. Renting is more expensive, but many businesses have rent-to-own programs where a portion of your rental fee goes toward eventually purchasing an instrument. And, if you purchase an instrument (especially one of lower quality) do you think you'll be able to recoup your costs if you end up needing to sell it? Will several children (friends/family or younger siblings) possibly make use of the instrument, thus sorta lowering its overall cost? Will the child have to go through several sizes of instruments before s/he gets to full size? Consider looking on Craigslist. I found an excellent 4/4 cello for sale; the owner just didn't have time to play anymore and wanted his cello to go to a good home. :) If you go to eBay, I'd recommend looking for private sellers like music programs or families. Local music stores may sell used instruments, too.

You could create your own planner template in Excel or Word and print them off to use hard copy. I prefer to make my own since I don't like trying to shoe-horn myself into premade templates that always seem to need tweaking.

You'd also have to pull out his teeth. Some declawed cats react more quickly to anything with their teeth because they feel more vulnerable since they lack claws. We had a cat like this when I was a kid. I love cats, had them all my life. I, too, have never heard of an attack as vicious as that described in the OP. We had a mean cat once (a grouchy declawed bugger that bit for any minor annoyance--like he was tired of being petted). Sadly, I think this cat should probably be euthanized (after a quarantine, of course). Neutered or not, he viciously attacked a person. If he was my cat I don't think I could trust him again. You could try having him neutered and see if any area farms are in need of a cat (though, being an indoor cat he may not be a very good mouser). Do you think your son would be able to look at this objectively, like the future vet he wants to be? I hesitate to lie, even white lies, to kids. They often notice and figure out far more than we give them credit for. I wonder if reading the children's story The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward would be of any help in this difficult situation. The protagonist also had to make this kind of difficult, last resort decision about an animal he loved (and he almost followed through on the decision himself but the bear was saved by a lucky chance). The most important difference between this story and your situation is that the bear did not ever harm a person, he only damaged crops and got into food stores yet was still going to be put down--what the cat did was far more serious. Perhaps this story could help your son come to terms with the decision to put the cat down if that is what you ultimately decide. http://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Bear-Lynd-Ward/dp/0395148065 Best wishes to you at this difficult time! And, what a blessing your son's eyes are okay! He and your family are in our thoughts.

We moved in September from Arizona to Pennsylvania and drove. I was able to get my mom to come with us so I'd have some help in the car since my husband drove the other car. Things for my almost 1 1/2-year-old son: --a 6" bolt with several washers, several kinds of nuts, and a locknut on the end to keep everything on (my son had fun spinning and moving the washers and nuts) --1 small wooden train engine --board books --bead maze thingy Things for my 3 almost 4-year-old daughter: --magnetic dry erase board with magnetic dry erase markers and 3 magnetic puzzles --magnetic "paper" dolls and magnetic dinosaurs --ViewMaster with lots of slides --"Treasure Pop": a clear 2-liter bottle filled with sand that had about 20 small items in it that she had to find (dimes, paper clips, an earring, small toys, etc.) What they both liked: --bubbles (my mom blew them back toward the kids) --tons of kid CDs (Wee Sing mostly) --singing tons of songs ourselves --magna-doodles --my ds sometimes used the dry erase board and markers but he kept dropping them and I got tired of replacing dried out markers I also found a soft, collapsible tray that straps around the kids. We used that a lot for snacks (and we ate LOTS of snacks) and eating in the car and playing with toys--an indispensable find!

My family used a Sunshine Dryer when I was a kid. It has 4 sides big enough to hang at least a queen sized sheet. It is very easy to fold up and store. The base can be sledged into the ground and then pulled out if you need to move (we moved 6 times when I was a kid, so I know it works). :) I just bought one (FINALLY!) for myself. Hooray! http://www.sunshine-dryer.com/

Bestefar's Bread (Bestefar means 'grandfather' in Norwegian) This was given to me by a former teaching colleague. 1 cup 110F water 2 Tbsp granulated yeast (~2 pkgs) 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 cups milk 1/2 cup melted shortening (or Canola oil) 1/4 cup sorghum 1 Tbsp salt 2-3 cups unbleached flour 5 cups whole wheat flour. Stir yeast and brown sugar in 1 cup 110F water. Heat milk almost to boiling. Add shortening, sorghum and salt in large mixing bowl. Cool to about 110F and stir in yeast mixture. Gradually add 2 cups flour and 5 cups whole wheat flour (I also sometimes add about 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds or wheat bran at this point). Mix in additional flour as needed until dough is of kneading consistency. Turn onto board dusted with flour. Knead about 10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. Place in large greased bowl, turn and coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let rise until double in bulk. Punch down and shape into 3 loaves (I sometimes sprinkle one of these loaves with a cinnamon-sugar mixtures to make cinnamon-swirl bread). Place in greased bread pans and let rise again until double. Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes. Take from oven and remove bread from pans. Tap lightly on bottom of loaves. When done, bread has a hollow sound. Enjoy! :)

My eldest is 4 so we do not do anything particularly formal. We have birdfeeders in our backyard and go on nature walks. I have craft/activity books with science activities in them; the other day we made a little book about the life cycle of butterflies. I also have a bunch of National Audubon Society identification books and Kenn Kaufmann's field guide for birds. I loved looking at the Childcraft Encyclopedia when I was a kid, especially the volumes "The Green Kingdom", "World and Space", "Dinosaurs", and "Feathered Friends". They have short articles about natural phenomena, animals, plants, etc, as well as activities (growing crystals, making homemade parachutes, etc.). These books further pique children's interest in the world by engaging kids in fun, easy activities just like a previous poster mentioned--measuring, observing, classifying, recognizing things around them. I have a book that I picked up long before I had kids called 101 Cool Science Experiments. It looks like a fun book--make your own thermometer, see how an egg can bounce, learn about high pressure and low pressure using a ping pong ball and a blow dryer, etc etc. My dd4 might be old enough to do some of these activities, but I bet a slightly older child would "get it" more. I also want to start the Handbook of Nature Study Outdoor Hour Challenge with Harmony Art. I have one started but have not yet directly engaged my daughter in her own nature journal.

I'm with you Michele B! Thanks for alerting me to the book Crunchy Cons--I'd never heard of it. I'll have to check it out!

These have been outstanding posts. I have not truly begun to homeschool since my eldest is only 4. I need to make home preschool more consistent and more structured. She is learning quite a bit the way it is now, but I think she could be learning so much more (and I would feel better about my teaching) if we were more organized. Keeping the computer off until schooling is over needs to occur for MY sake. As a ps teacher my only opportunity to be on the computer was during my prep period, which happened to be the end of the day anyway. I need to revert to this schedule. I love reading all these suggestions. As a newbie I want to absorb everyone's wisdom! What a super thread!

I think Jill, OK's pure definition is a good one: "...is "tending to preserve what's established". I think that kind of describes the various types of "conservatism", whether religious or political, as far as the basis of their beginnings." I also have to agree with Heather, in NC--I have struggled with how to "define" myself (though I hate being boxed). I enjoy reading the more liberal-leaning Mothering Magazine as well as conservative writers like Walter Williams and Thomas Sowell. I haven't decided my views on global warming yet, but I do think sustainable agriculture and the research into and utilization of alternative energy is important. I don't smoke but I also don't think the government should impose smoking bans on private businesses. So, I've started to "define" myself as a Classical Liberal. Contemporary political conservatism doesn't really define my beliefs, though I have recently started voting Republican anyway (they're at least a little closer to my beliefs than Democrats). It seems to me that contemporary "conservatism" is a rather befuddled ideology (politically) because elected Republicans--the political face of conservatism--don't really reflect the views of the people very well. Among other things, elected Republicans have been guilty of expanding the Federal government (in education, for instance)--which, to me, is against the conservative viewpoint of limited government. I think a general description of a conservative could be someone --who believes that government should play as limited a role in people's lives as possible and prudent, and that government (the federal government in particular) is currently too involved and overbearing --who believes lower taxes encourage expansion of the economy --who believes in the invisible hand of capitalism and that the economy will have its occasional downs but it will reset itself and rebound eventually without government interference --who believes in the founding documents as they are written and in the beliefs that inspired the framers of our nation (including Cicero, Locke, etc.) --who aims to uphold and live the ideals of our Founding Fathers --who believes, by and large, individuals are responsible for their own lives and should be allowed to enjoy the consequences of their own choices for good or ill (e.g., private citizens should not be forced by the government to assist other private citizens who have made poor choices in business) --who believes charity begins at home and that this does not include through taxation --who believes a person should be judged on his or her merit alone --who believes in individual liberty, independence, and in the importance of character --who needs a solid argument for an idea before making a decision (consequently, conservatives tend to be very slow about changing their minds) --who believes the second amendment refers to the right of the people to bear arms not just the military --who believes human life is of exceptional value, therefore ending a human life should be no light matter These are just a few things that came to mind. I think it funny, though, that many of the bullets describe the personal values of many of my liberal friends and family. JMO

Gotta add--we love finding excerpts from Old School stuff on YouTube. My husband downloaded a huge string of vignettes from Sesame Street and The Muppet Show that the kids watch on the computer sometimes. Excerpts like "Ladybugs' Picnic", "The Alligator King", Johnny Cash singing with Oscar the Grouch, and R.E.M. singing about "Furry Happy Monsters" on Sesame Street. YouTube lets us pick the best of the best for the kids to enjoy. I agree that so much goes by so fast on TV. Two books that I've really enjoyed discuss research on how TV affects the brain and learning: Endangered Minds by Jane Healy and Einstein Never Used Flashcards by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek.

I don't remember such atrocious language being on TV when I was a kid either--and I'm 31. I also don't remember commercials or previews during the day being quite so violent or vulgar, either. When we did have TV the kids watched some PBS, but even some of those shows had behavior I didn't like. We effectively do not have TV; we have bunny ears but those will die (have died?) with the change to all digital broadcasting. We have lots of movies for the kids--from things like Old School Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and Grammar Rock to Pixar to Disney to various musicals. My MIL DVRs Mister Rogers' Neighborhood for the kids to watch at her house. When I need a break (like during supper preparation), I plug them in to a movie like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang or Singin' in the Rain or Lady and the Tramp. I don't even let my kids watch all the Pixar or Disney movies we have yet--some are just too scary and confusing for 4-year-olds, in my opinion. My 4-year-old gets very upset when Trusty gets hurt in Lady in the Tramp, so I don't think she's ready for Malificient (sp?) in Sleeping Beauty. Why has coarseness and vulgarity and bad language on TV become so acceptable?! Ack!

There are some excellent suggestions here--whisper meals, playing spy, etc. My middle child (ds almonst 2) is extremely loud. When he'd cry as a baby we wore earplugs it hurt so much. When he'd wake up from a nap we could hear him across the house just fine (no need for a baby monitor!). He screams when he's angry or frustrated. He yells when he's excited or happy. He'll scream with joy in ear-piercing pitches, "DA-dee, DA-dee!" when my husband appears. Maybe he'll be an opera singer someday...he certainly has good projection! Now that he's getting to a point that he understands directions better, we'll start trying some of these suggestions. I've tried modeling a quiet voice but the volume doesn't really go down yet at all. Sigh.

What gorgeous schoolrooms! :) We are in a rather small rented house for now (just moved from another state); I hope when we buy a house we'll have more room. Currently, we have a playroom/schoolroom/office. There are bookcases all over the house and a cupboard for all the craft supplies in a closet. My dd4 does have her own small desk where she practices her letters and writing. We also do a lot of projects and "school" at the kitchen table. I am not that creative when it comes to decorating; I'll have to come back to this thread when I get to decorate my own schoolroom someday!

I like learning what I don't know--keeps life fascinating! :) My sister roomed once on a trip with some girls from a prestigious college (my sis was at a state school). One night they were watching The Patriot. One of these gals asked, "Is this the Civil War or the Revolutionary War?" My sister was momentarily dumbstruck by the girl's ignorance, but was able to gently answer, "The Revolutionary War." Even if a person had never watched the movie before or knew the plot, wouldn't you think the costumes and wigs would have given it away?

A silly, fun, and short read: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Obviously, it is only peripherally related to weather. :)

Montessori kids do cursive early, too. I think that might even be the way they learn writing first since the fluidity of the writing is easier than starting and stopping. I may be wrong; I have only read about Montessori education and have, unfortunately, not actually had my kids enrolled in a Montessori classroom. My SIL started learning cursive in kindergarten or first grade--she was in a Montessori school in preschool and kindergarten.

Let my dd4 into your backyard. ;) LOL She LOVES picking dandelions right now. She brings me huge bouquets from our yard and our neighbor lets her pick them out of his yard, too. You could pay your kids a dollar or something per ice cream bucket they fill. There's a special forked tool for digging up dandelions they could use. Maybe they could make a summer business out of it by soliciting work from the neighbors, too? Good luck!