We're doing science with my preschooler. We're using let's read and find out books. I bought a ton, scheduled them, and planned a simple craft/activity, and linked it with a netflix video/magic school bus/sid the science kid. When we do science, I read the book, we do the experiment (very simple) together that is in the book and then and activity and a video. Voila! Preschool time is done! Actually, I include my Kindergartener and 2nd grader, too--we have to be efficient with our time, don't we! It would be just fine for a preschooler, though, by himself.

We haven't done a lot of grammar. I have half-heartedly tried to do Winston Grammar a couple of times in the past year or so and we've done mad libs and sang grammar songs. So all together, not a lot. This year I decided to get more serious. 8th and 6th grader started in Analytical Grammar together. 8th grader is doing well. 6th grader not so much. The program is kind of fast and there is not a lot of review if you don't get it right away. I had the kids re-do worksheets in order for there to be more opportunity for review, as well as re-take tests after we went over them together. The 6th grader made it through unit 3 before I gave up. I just put him into Easy Grammar/Daily Grams--we'll see how that goes. He just needs more exposure to the parts of speech before we tackle Analytical Grammar again. I'll probably try it with him again next year. The 8th grader is doing well so far--he's on unit and is making As on his tests.

We have used lots of other math programs as I have switched from Singapore, but I always returned. My best advice, in case you are wanting to stay with Singapore is to get some kind of additional practice math workbook (Costco) that is at and a little below the level where you child is struggling and work in that for a while. When you are well and truly tired of that book, come back to Singapore and things will go a lot more smoothly. Singapore's weakness is that it moves too fast sometimes for some kids and that it lacks review. But every math program has a weakness--you can't get around that. I have felt the need to supplement or change with every math program I've used. My second best advice is to try Right Start math. I loved their teaching style but couldn't stand the scriptedness of the program. Also, it was way too teacher intensive for me to teach all my kiddos. But I learned a lot about being a math teacher from that program and I still use their manipulatives/methods in my teaching of Singapore.

All right, I looked at the book (Strong-Willed Child or Dreamer?) on Amazon, too. And it fits him to a T! I guess I'm off to buy another book. . .

I have not read that book. Perhaps it wasn't out when my son was younger? I did read How do get your child off the refrigerator and onto learning and Upside Down Brilliance. Both of these were helpful for me. He evidenced lack of attention when he was young and is definitely a global thinker, so learning/teaching was a challenge. His behavior is nothing like it was when he was young. He is almost "normal" now. I have met parents who when they have their first, perfectly behaved child, think they are wonderful parents and parenting is easy, but then they are challenged by a second or third child out of the blue--shaking their foundations. It was the opposite way for me. It was hard from the start with me and him, but my next five kids are a piece of cake in comparison! Read, read, read. Become a professional parent. Kids like these need parents who are actively trying every day to parent well. I'd say take some parenting classes or read a lot of books and see if you can learn some new techniques to help you deal with this behavior. Sending her to school might solve your problem from 8-3, but it will probably only increase the challenge from 3-9 and on the weekends. It might not be the best solution. Struggling through teaching her how to learn from you might be worth it . . .

I just wanted to give you a cyber hug! My first son is very strong willed and I managed to homeschool him all the way up until 8th grade! Kindergarten was a bust. The first year we started, I gave up in about October. He refused to LEARN anything from me. He acted like he already knew it or like he should have already known it, and why was I damaging his ego by teaching it to him? He spent a lot of time hiding from me under the table. He learned his ABCs because I posted them on the wall across the table from where he sat for meals--not because he let me teach him. I learned to be sneaky those first few years-- Learning by computer programs, Read Alouds on CD in the car, no art projects because he didn't tolerate them, and to pick my battles. Some days we'd get reading and math done and that was it. Luckily it wasn't a big challenge to teach him to read--he's got a good visual memory and he learned a few basic phonics rules and then started memorizing. I think we made it up to Explode the code 4 and then quit. My main rule I developed for him was: no crying. There is no learning happening when he's crying. So, we would take a break when the tears turned on. BUT, we'd try again in an hour or so with the same material. I have grown a lot as a parent by teaching him. I can state the rules and enforce them without getting myself emotionally wrapped up in it. He is very motivated by computer games, so while the threat of losing his computer games never actually MADE him do his school work, he still lost the games A LOT and was appropriately devastated. He has never been motivated by either consequences or rewards. Neither seemed to produce change in his behavior when he was young. I used them anyway, but he would evidence the same behavior (for months) until suddenly--he wouldn't. He needed to grow out of his immaturity (his dad and I think) and when he was ready, the lessons we had painfully taught him would sink in. It got better for him at about age 11. Now he is largely over his childish stage and is growing up nicely (he's 14). He's loving part time 8th grade (straight As!) and is still fighting homeschooling with me (as usual). He still loses his IPOD about every other week because he gets lazy with his schoolwork and when I check it on Saturdays and it's not done, he loses it for the next week. You'd think he'd learn, but no. I expect more responsibility in the next year or so when he pushes into his next maturity/growth stage. Good luck working with your daughter. I had a dream/vision a month ago about what my son would have been like if I had never walked this road and made him learn from me, had never homeschooled him. I am very, very glad I made this choice, but BOY, has it been HARD!

I just thought I'd chime in here and say I get it. I have a negative attitude, math hating kid here, too. I switched math too many times when he was younger trying to see if it was the curriculum or just the kid. I finally decided that it was him! We went back to Singapore because it was what I loved and that was it. He worked through it. He did workbooks twice sometimes (or the extra practice books). I printed worksheets from the internet to supplement. It is hard to teach a math hater, I agree. Good luck!

My struggling 4th grader (reads on a mid second grade level) is reading: 15 minutes a day with me (every other paragraph), 20 minutes a day to himself (anything he wants--it's usually VERY below his challenge level) and one history/science reader a week. I would like it to increase, but he's pretty resistant--he's been struggling with learning to read for so long that he's killed his love of reading (boo, hoo!)

Two of my boys have preferred non-fiction. I think this is because the don't like the feeling at the beginning of a book--that I don't know what's going on and who these characters are feeling. Neither of them have had the patience for waiting for the story to unfold. For this reason, I think they preferred non-fiction. Non-fiction books are written starting at the beginning of the story. Characters are introduced simply, details appear when they are pertinent to the story, etc. There's no jumping in in the middle like you do with a fiction story. I got them hooked on fiction by reading the beginnings of easy stories to them. I would answer (practically all) of their questions with, "just wait, we'll find out in a little bit." Once they're hooked and know who the characters are, they find it easier to read the fiction.

We had a hard time with 1A this time around, too. This is my 4th time through singapore 1A. I have switched so many times and I have learned that although this math program isn't perfect (none are), I know it is the best one for ME. My best advice is when it gets hard and the child doesn't understand or it's moving too quickly, to stop and do something else for a while, Review something, do some practice problems from another curriculum (miquon, math mammoth, internet worksheets, I make up problems sometimes), drop math workbook for a while and play games, but just don't keep pushing on. It has taken my daughter about 1 year to make it through Singapore 1A and now her math understanding is such that she is taking off! She should be able to finish 1B this year and move into 2A (she's a second grader). Hopefully we won't have to take long breaks again, but I am willing if she gets "stuck" again. You may want to switch and you may find something you like better. But you may want to stick it out, too and figure out a way to diverge and wait for the understanding to come. Good Luck! Becky

I had it for about 2 years when it came out on its own. It was fine. I still had long periods, but no pregnancies. I now have the mirena (which I thought I wouldn't tolerate because I can't do birth control pills) but I love it! Lighter, shorter periods. And no pregnancy, either! I don't seem to emotionally cycle as much either. That's a plus for my husband and kids.

I've got one. He's challenging. He's somewhere between Should-be-able-to-handle-it and Needs-mom-for-everything-because-he's-rolling-on-the-floor. It's a frustrating/distracted age here.

All of my kids prefer subtracting from 10, then adding back. I actually missed the directions in Singapore math on how to teach this type of subtraction the first time around, but my oldest was so comfortable with the tens number bonds, this is how he figured out how to subtract on his own! I would say teach the one you like (or both) then let your child pick what he is most comfortable with.

I would say yes, no problem. As long as you are sitting next to her when she is writing and correcting malformed letters. You must hold her to a high standard of writing if you expect her writing to be good. But that is the same with her handwriting books, too.

We're trying it out now, too! Our first tests were 79 and 81 and they just took the second today. Hopefully our scores will go up as we learn more grammar terms and how to apply them! I'm liking it so far, but we'll see. ..

I count only what I order from Amazon, Rainbow, and various and sundry other homeschool suppliers. It adds up to A LOT! Thank goodness I don't count field trips, karate, or school supplies. My husband would kick me out!

History Pockets do not move quickly through history. My daughter is still studying American Indians while her older brothers have moved on to explorers. I decided it was better this way for her. She participates with the group for our history together (explorers) then returns to American Indians for her history "extension." I'm not sure I would like something to move more quickly. She loves History Pockets and she is getting a lot out of its slow pace. I have her planned to get through 2.5 books this year.

My oldest was very much NOT an auditory learner at 7. In fact, he couldn't listen to a chapter book read aloud (with any comprehension) until he was close to 10. For him we focused on picture book history for a long time. When my kids were 2nd, 4th and 6th, we finally made it to SOTW vol 1 and it was great! Not everyone can listen and understand. That's what learning styles are. I'm revisiting that learning style challenge again with child #4 who doesn't seem to be much of an auditory learner either. We read history, she colors. I ask questions and we go over the answers together (she has no idea). She's not getting a lot, but she's 7, too. I'm not really worried this time around! What she gets, she gets. She is really liking history pockets to go along with our history studies, though. She gets a lot more out of that because it includes coloring, cutting, gluing, and information in small doses. Maybe your child would like that?

I use the al-Abacus to teach this (rightstart math). It makes it effortless. Usually. My daughter is challenging me, though. She wants to count and I won't let her! So she counts on her fingers under the table. I can see it in her eyes, the little sneaky thing! After my first child, I've never taught any of the rest of my kids to count to add--you just make a ten and then the addition part is obvious. That is to say, it was obvious for children 1, 2, and 3. #4 is her own creature. . . .

I put together my own History and Science programs. Those end up being expensive--maybe $200 each after I buy books and supplements, etc. I like having the main books in my personal library or we get off track with our studies.

I also wanted to add that this drawn out blending thing is normal for beginning readers. It can be very painful to read with them because every time they come across "in" for example, they have to sound it out. Again and again. Patience is a virtue. Reread what they just read to help with comprehension. There is no brain space left for comprehension when they are still struggling to decode. Don't worry! Play games, take a break, go slow--what ever helps!

My 8th grader is still doing spelling. He is still working on the basic spelling patterns, though. We are using Sequential Spelling for Adults. I gave him the pre-test and we are focusing on those words. The program seems easy for him, but we did it last year and he improved by leaps and bounds. When he is done with these few months of review, I'm looking for a book covering the most commonly misspelled words--I thought about Spelling Plus: 1000 words toward spelling success. I thought I'd just dictate the words to him one at a time and when we came across one he couldn't spell, he'd study it (copy it three times)--repeated every day with a test every 5 or so days.

The HIG for the US edition is awful, I agree. It's wordy and miserable to follow on the fly. I always felt like I needed to read it in advance, take notes or highlight or something. Like I have time for that. I have used Singapore for 10 years now and I have never used the "optional" books--more practice, intensive practice, challenging word problems. I only used the text book and the work book. We open the text book. I go over the assignment from the text book and we do some of the examples together. I assign the workbook and my child does the exercise. I never skip exercises, although I sometimes skip reviews in the textbook if I feel that my child is "getting it." I love Singapore Math for its teaching style, for the lack of crazy amounts of repetition, and for the thinking it gets my kids to do. I can understand why some people don't like it, though. I have a math phobic friend who is terrified of it. I left and came back to it several times and I still do it when the going gets tough in Singapore. But we come back to it after the break and keep learning things the singapore way!

I feel this, too. It is a big relief for public school moms to send their kids to school after a long summer, and it is hard to know that I am keeping mine home (again). It does get better over the year. In March, April, and May, when the school year is winding down and things are getting lighter at my house, I really love the freedom homeschooling brings. I agree. Read some inspiring books and write down your mission statement again. It changes for me every year. This is a hard time of the year for me, too.