Well, I'm just starting out, and my ds will be starting kindergarten in the fall. I just bought the book What Every Kindergartener Needs To Know. It's a series of books that details a "core curriculum" for each grade. I figured if I can hit most of the book durign teh school year, we will be good to go. It just puts a more complete feeling to any lists or curriculum I could buy.

I live in Milton, which is a very small town right next to Federal Way. My 8 year old is currently in our public school, the Fife school district, and it is a good one. He does NOT want the Federal Way public school district! Our school district serves Fife, Milton, and some of Edgewood, and they still have art and music in their grade schools. My dd will be in 3rd grade next year, too. I will very likely be homeschooling my oldest ds, who is due for Kindergarten in the fall. He has a sensory processing disorder and I can't see him doing well in any regular school environment. I don't know about a lot of the private schools around here. I do know that across from my dd's school, in Edgewood, there is a Montessori school, called The Sky's The Limit. My cousin says that is a good school, and they are pre-k through grade 6. If I could afford it, I would consider sending my kids to the Catholic school. In Fife, there is St Martin's, which goes through 1st grade, then they go to the Puyallup campus. Of course, the name escapes me at the moment.

We have never had allergy shots here, so I don't have any experiences I can add. I'm very interested in your post and all the responses, though. My ds, 5, has a ton of allergies, and I am seriously considering starting him on allergy shots. I intend to make an appt with his allergist soon to discuss it. How young is too young for allergy shots?

Have they looked into sleep apnea, and things like that? A person can have regular-sized tonsils, but huge andenoids. Huge andenoids would cause sleep apnea, making a person wake up several times during the night. I would never consider Ambien for myself, and would be very opposed to giving it to one of my children. The side effects of Ambien are frightening.

The Coca-Cola that is made in Mexico has real sugar in it, instead of HFCS. I have found it at Walmart, and Costco often sells it by the case. It's in the real old-fashioned glass bottles. My older ds is allergic to corn, so real pop that has no corn in it is a blessing to us!

Have you tried any of the books by Peggy Kaye? They are books of games for learning. She has learning games for math, reading, writing, etc. I just ordered 2 on Amazon.com, and will see if I can manage another 1 or 2 next payday. (We are on a tight budget, and I'm trying to make everything myself.) My ds is 5, and will be officially in Kindergarten, at home, next year. If I had known I was going to homeschool him, I would have started last fall on a Kindergarten curriculum. http://www.amazon.com/Games-Reading-Playful-Ways-Child/dp/0394721497/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b It's the reading book I ordered, as my ds is very kinesthetic, and if he can learn something without realizing he is learning, he is one happy kid. I found she has a website the other day, too, that has a few of her games listed. http://www.peggykaye.com/target.php?ct=welcome I am new to this site. I LOVE how active it is!! DawnL