It helps me to know I'm not the only one ... DS was about 3 when he vanished. My mother was visiting and we were looking up something on the laptop in the living room with the french doors open, and ds was throwing a ball for the dog on the porch right outside the door (10 ft away?). We realized within a few minutes that he was no longer there and called him back to the door. We couldn't find him in my fenced yard, and did a quick check of the house in case he was hiding. I drove off to circle the neighborhood and ask every one I saw if they had seen him while my mom kept searching the house and then drove in her own car. After a few loops I made a 911 call and was giving his description when a neighbor flagged me down and told me he was back home. He had climbed our 4' chain-link fence (first time he'd done that!) and crossed the street, walked down the block, and had gone about a block on the very busy road towards the mall. A police officer had seen him walking and put him in his car. My mother had driven past the police car and was trying to flag him down when she realized he already had my son! She directed him back home, and I met them on the sidewalk. I remember collapsing on the sidewalk and blubbering like a baby. Thankfully the police officer only took down my information and it never went further than that. Maybe it helped that I'd had a witness (my mom)? There were two times that we had to do a Code Adam at a store because he slipped away - one time a fellow shopper listened to my description and found him for me! I ended up buying an expensive stroller that had a 5-pt harness and could hold a child over 40 lbs, and just took him everywhere in that. We began medication for his ADHD when he was 5 and it made a tremendous difference in his impulse control. Now my 20 month old almost got lost last month. We were at a water spray park right off a busy road, and I was tailing my toddler. My eyes must have glazed over while I was staring, because I was watching him climbing on his brother in a small pool and then I realized he was gone. I screamed at the top of my lungs "I can't find my baby!" and "I need HELP!" and NO ONE reacted! Granted, the water pump was kinda loud but I was screaming my heart out and it was unbelievable that it wasn't working. I was afraid he'd walked into the street or someone had carried him away so I kept pivoting and scanning the area, and he popped out from behind a large rock a few feet away, so everything was OK, but I won't forget that terror.

History: A History of Us by Joy Hakim, using Hewitt Homeschooling's syllabus and tests Science: Prentice Hall Science Explorer's Life Science series (with worksheets from the Student Assist CDs and tests from the Exam View test bank CD) Algebra: Jacobs' Elementary Algebra (with syllabus posted on Ask Dr. Callahan's website and tests from the test book) English: - Lightning Literature 7 & 8 (I combined the two levels into one year, leaving a few things out and compressing the reading schedule) - Vocabulary from Classical Roots A & B (one level each semester) - Easy Grammar Plus (two days a week) Italic Handwriting (a little each day) Logic: Critical Thinking Skills (two days a week) SmartMusic for saxophone practice each day She is taking band and a writing elective at the public school. She wants to do PE but they only allow homeschoolers to take 2 classes. >:(

We are finishing up Life Science 1 this fall and then doing Earth & Space. I like that it is activity centered, without a ton of scheduled reading. I just supplement with a good science encyclopedia to study each topic in more detail as it suits us. For Life Science I use the DK Nature Encyclopedia, which is a perfect fit, and for Earth & Space I'm using The Usborne Book of the Earth and Rocks and Minerals.

I would do: Phonics: ETC Handwriting: Getty-Dubay/Portland State Italic book A Writing: Write About Me/Write About My World Reading: Sonlight's I Can Read It and then readers galore (my favorites are "I Can Read!") Math: Horizons K or 1, depending on ability -OR- Singapore Science: REAL Science Odyssey Life Science History: SOTW 1 -OR- World Geography & Cultures (a la Galloping the Globe)

I thought about weaving SOTW 3 into Core 3 and SOTW 4 into Core 4, but as they don't easily line up, and those Cores are pretty full as it is, I thought it would be too much work for both of us. I figured that being exposed to some of the early American history this year would "set the stage" so next year would be easier anyway. I think I've decided to do SOTW with parts of Core 2 for the first 25 weeks, and then just do SOTW 3 for the last 15 weeks. If we run behind we will finish up in the summer.

We did SOTW 1 this year, and could have finished it in 4-5 months easily. I was going to do SOTW 2 this year, but I want to do US history next year, so I am wondering if it would be better to do SOTW 2 and 3 this year. He doesn't require or really care for hands-on activities and has excellent comprehension even when I read several chapters in a row, so I think if I do a chapter 3x a week with a few extras sprinkled in (Build Your Own Viking Settlement, Medieval Castle, and Plains Village, library books, etc.) we could do it with some wiggle-room built in. I'm not gunning for mastery as much as exposure and an interest in history. Has anyone doubled the pace like this? Did you burn out, or was it fine?

I would do italics (Getty-Dubay/Portland State) because once printing is learned, the student just joins the letters to form cursive. Italic is very pretty to read and I believe it is simpler to learn.

Are you using the TM for horizons? We are new to Horizons and are in level 2, book 2, but in the TM there are instructions for using manipulatives. I believe most of the conceptual work is done through discussion. I consider the workbooks to be practice of what we have discussed. I sit with my son and have him verbalize what he is doing/his thought process to make sure he really gets it.

I agree! I'm not going to soak my child any more than I have to. Our local Costco had one giant section of the parking lot with NO cart return. I tried to hand my cart off to someone going in, but otherwise left it up on the curb. I figured it was a message to the company that they needed to build a cart return in that section already. This year, they finally did!

The newest edition. To be honest, I didn't try that many links. Usborne needs to make an internet-link book of world cultures :) That way the links are funneled through a site that makes sure they are up-to-date. Or maybe they have one? Andrea

I love the way Singapore explains things. I have only used the US edition of 1B-2B, so most of the explanations have to do with mental math strategies and number sense. I think Singapore is excellent at getting kids to understand the concept of what they are doing. I just don't like the mastery method. I thought I would, and it *sounds* wonderful because who doesn't want their child to master a concept? But the way Singapore does it (and MUS, to my knowledge) is that they stay on a topic pretty much exclusively until it is mastered. In the case of Singapore, there isn't actually that much practice in some areas, so if your child hasn't "mastered" it by the end of the unit, you have to add in your own supplements. What I found is that the narrow focus on one type of problem meant my son got very bored, and very rusty with what he had supposedly mastered previously. You CAN shuffle in review of previously-learned concepts, but that involves flipping through the supplement books searching for the types of problems you want to review and it's just messy. I think the Standards edition is set up differently though. I bought Horizons 2, book 2 with the intention of just using the worksheets as review, but I like it so much I have switched over to it and just use Singapore as a supplement. This works particularly well for the place we are at right now - in Singapore 2B we were stuck in multiplication fact purgatory, and Horizons 2/2 covers mult. facts too as well as SO MUCH MORE. I use flash cards to review facts and then he does a 2-sided worksheet mostly independently. Past topics are continually reviewed so they stay fresh and the lessons are all achievable. It is just such a smoother program than Singapore. Again, my opinion, but I'm very happy we switched.

In my humble opinion, no. Loree Petit (author) uses several resources as the backbone of the program, but they are religious and I am not, so that part didn't do me any good. Many of the activity pages are more like PreK level so I don't find them useful for my 2nd-3rd grader. The rest of the guide is basically a list of books/websites to visit but many of the links are broken and books are hard to find. What *I* get out of the guide are prompts for things to google. I am really not using the guide at all as I design a one-year geography program. For a "spine" I will be using Disney Learning's Our World which has a few pages on 35 different countries (1 for each week). I bought a little passport and set of flag stickers that we will use. For each country I will either use a Highlights Top Secret book (I own 15 of them) or a library book to go more in depth. There is a great series of videos that are carried by my library plus many on Netflix, I will use a world cookbook (you can use the internet) for recipes, and will use some free lapbook templates from the internet. I found a great lapbook for penguins that I will use when we study Antarctica. Save yourself the money, join the GallopingtheGlobe yahoo group, and see what other people do for various countries. You will find more than enough suggestions!

We've just come home from a road trip and in the car listened to Matilda by Roald Dahl and Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo. We're now listening to the next book in the series, Charlie Bone and the Time Twister and are enjoying it very much! I'd always kind of thought of Charlie Bone as a HP knock-off but it's quite different and very captivating and I am SO glad we gave it a try! I just finished reading aloud Henry and Beezus by Beverly Cleary and Henry and the Paper Route will be next.

I supplement with Horizons. I like the way Singapore teaches new concepts, but the pace and sequence is just not what I want out of a math program. I think Horizons complements it very well. I use Horizons as my base but when new concepts come up I switch to Singapore to teach the concept and get the initial practice in. Horizons does provide instructions for the teacher, but IMO Singapore has a much better script/plan for teaching new ideas. I did Singapore alone for 1B, 2A and half of 2B, then switched to the second book of Horizons 2 and have been referring back to Singapore for multiplication, fractions, and time. I use Horizons for daily practice. This has worked very well and my son feels that Horizons is easy.

I own the Melissa and Doug play kitchen. I got it for $99 on Amazon with a prime trial so free shipping! I put it together in around an hour and everything lines up/fits perfectly. I really, really like it. The doors need to be tugged open, which I like. We got it in December and it looks the same as the day I bought it, and it gets daily use in our living room. I think it's perfectly detailed - not super busy or high-tech (nothing electronic), but also realistic looking. My kids would not have as much fun with a plain kitchen, I'm sure. The turntable in the "microwave" really moves and the knobs are realistic. We bought a bunch of the M&D wooden food/kitchen stuff, and ... eh. The paint chips immediately. I'd get some lightweight plastic stuff (I think Learning Resources sells some good stuff on Amazon) and wait until the littlest one is past the banging phase before you invest in wood. OOOh here's a really nice LR set http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Giant-Play-Food/dp/B000BZ6U0I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248986253&sr=8-1

No. I am sensitive and it really, really bothered me when I saw it in my 20s. My 13 y/o daughter is EXTREMELY sensitive, so there's no way I'd let her near that. She would take it seriously enough by reading about it, no need to give her images of the horrors. I don't remember "Life is Beautiful" being so graphic and I may be more likely to agree to that.

I have a colorful tree just like this one http://www.buyteachercreated.com/estore/product/4405. We write the name of each book on a leaf. My son is so proud when he finishes a book and looks forward to putting the leaf on the tree. You can also buy a package of apples to tape on the tree for more variety. I think it's a huge incentive for him without being a bribe, kwim.

It looks wonderful! I do wonder how much of a Christian slant is has - whether the content is different than would be included in a secular program. I mean I have no problem with lines such as "When you look at the leaf's amazing structure and responsibilities, you can then only look to the Creator and His amazing work" which I see in the sample, but I wonder if the science that is taught is fundamentally different. Does anyone have an idea?

Have you looked at the samples online? The sample includes the first 1/4 of the program including the supplies list. Chemistry is geared for 2nd-5th grades. My rising 3rd grader loves science (we did Life this past year) but after looking at the first portion of the Chemistry program, I think it would be over his head. We are going to do Earth this coming year and Chemistry the next so he can get more out of it.

This was my life for a few months. I would say "no screaming" and ignore him, but he wasn't *manipulating* me at that point (screaming to make me give in), he was screaming because he didn't have what he wanted (same reason as your son) and it made him frustrated and he let it out by screaming. Not giving him what he wanted didn't extinguish it, because it wasn't an issue of manipulation or a battle of wills ... Anyway, at around 15 months (???) I started putting him in a playpen and walking away after saying "no screaming" and then he finally connected that there was a negative consequence for screaming. It would have worked faster if I had been more consistent, but now five loooong months later, he hasn't shrieked in at least a week. Positive reinforcement has REALLY helped too, and now that he can express himself better with words & signs I have worked on "all done" and "more please" which gives him an acceptable way to express himself. When he gets ahold of something he shouldn't have, I ask him sweetly to give it back and when he does, I thank him very nicely and he just beams. He wants the praise more than he wants the forbidden object (this week, at least!). It was so embarrassing. He often did it in the grocery store and in any restaurant when he wanted down. Those aren't situations you can utilize a playpen, unfortunately! I got plenty of "bad parent" glares and it was hard to shrug off, because I KNEW I was doing my best and was being unfairly judged. I feel for you!

The author of The Children's Book of Virtues (William J. Bennett) has another book called The Children's Book of Heroes that seems great (I bought it at Goodwill but haven't read it all yet). For older kids he has another book called The Book of Virtues for Young People.

I think their vocabulary words are a bit lofty too, but it's not like you're quizzing the child, just introducing the concepts. And like any program, their book list isn't meant to be the only thing you read with your child. I adapt everything I buy, and I expect to adapt this as well. I love how each week focuses on a character trait, and how the activities are listed. That's exactly what I look for in a preschool program.

I don't have a magic answer, but I know with my 8 y/o, comes close to enjoying school when we're in a routine. When he knows that "school" comes at a certain time and knows which subjects to expect, he is very compliant and sometimes even eager :). When we start super late, or it's a Monday, it's always more of a struggle to get him on board. I also like to start with a board game or read-aloud, so that it sets the tone as "fun." I also let him pick the order he does his subjects. Oh, and when he doesn't require concentration, I play soft music, usually something from Putumayo.

Check out "Preschool Plus" by Hewitt Homeschooling. It is composed of a booklist, schedule of reading/discussion/activities by character trait (theme), activity book (Instant Curriculum) and phonics (using Lauri's Phonics Activity Center). IMO it is a great combination of literature (4 stories a week), academics (phonics, vocabulary, number sense) and hands-on activities. Very gentle and very flexible - you choose which activities you want to do from a list each day (or pick any other from the activity book), and you can easily substitute books. VERY nice sample on their website: http://www.hewitthomeschooling.com/book/bxpp.asp I took the booklist from Preschool Plus and put a copy in my purse. When I go to thrift stores (which is often ;) ) I look for the books on the list. I have easily come up with most of them and my big score was paying $3 for a giant Beatrix Potter treasury to cover 3 weeks in the program. It's more structured & includes a lot more literature than FIAR, and has hands-on and academics that Sonlight lacks. The IG/Schedule says that it's appropriate for 3 year olds, and I agree ... until the schedule gets into chapter books. Instead of reading my 3-4 y/o Charlotte's Web, Mr. Popper's Penguins, Little House in the Big Woods and Pippi Longstocking (the first two are in SL Core 1) I will just add more picture books by Robert McCloskey and Virginia Lee Burton, and other "classics" (using the Sonlight P3/4 list as inspiration).

My guess is it's an adenovirus. http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/lung/adenovirus.html Adenoviruses — a group of viruses that infect the membranes (tissue linings) of the respiratory tract, the eyes, the intestines, and the urinary tract — account for about 10% of acute respiratory infections in children and are a frequent cause of diarrhea. I had an adenovirus several years ago that not only gave me a raging strep-type pharyngitis (the worst the doctor's office had ever seen, they said), but also spread to my eyes and caused them to swell. I found this out when my contacts lacerated my corneas since my eyes were too big for them. It took a couple of weeks for my throat to get better, and I think around 3 months before my eyes returned to normal. I remember having stuffy ears and probably sinus symptoms too, but I don't remember having an intestinal or urinary symptoms so I think it can affect some, but not all of the membranes.