We have a queen size mattress & box spring on the floor, no frame. Been like that for 13 years. Before that we had a water bed, but this old house could never support that. We have 2 dressers (matching) from my parents' home -- one was mine when I was young and one was my brother's. I think they were my grandparent's before we kids had use of them. For a "night stand" we have an old end table that used to be my grandmother's. It holds a lamp, a phone, my alarm clock, and my dc's nebulizer.

Your ds sounds a LOT like my oldest, who's 21 now. He was (and is) very bright, but he SO struggled with organization, time management, and getting school done. For example, one day I asked him "What did you get done today?" And he showed me the list. We agreed together about how much time each item took. Out of six hours, he could account for half. "What did you do the other three hours?" "I don't know." Finally one day I realized, he REALLY DIDN'T KNOW! I had been perusing the old boards, reading a post that described my son nearly to a T. One of the replies was along the lines of "I used to think disorganization, laziness, and poor time management were his problems" until a doctor recommended testing for ADD. I've tried to go back and find this answer, because there were also a lot of web links which were really helpful for me. My ds, then 17, was away for that summer, but I spoke to his doctor a bit, and did some reading. It explained A LOT of the past 17 years, let me tell you! I talked to ds when he got home... he laughed. Why? Because the teens he'd been with all summer kept telling him he must be ADD! Ds wasn't a climb-the-curtains kind of kid, so I never would have guessed it when he was young. But we had him evaluated and the conclusion was "off the charts" (my term) inattentive ADD. He took meds for awhile, and the difference was huge. This whole thing was such an encouragement to him. I'm not saying your son DOES HAVE ADD, but that it's something worth considering. One of the books that was really helpful for us was Driven to Distraction, by Edward Hallowell. There are a number of books on amazon.com now that look quite helpful. HTH

and apologize if there's nothing new here. My dc are now 21, 17, 16, 13, 10, and 8, so we've homeschooled with babies and toddlers repeatedly over the years. I found it helped during those years if I stayed home more. The subjects requiring more attention from me were done during the little ones' nap time(s). I had a schedule, still do, though it's more of our routine. We know what's next, but sometimes things have to get skipped or flipped around. When I had toddlers & preschoolers, the FIRST thing on my schedule was time with them. I read them a book, and played a game with them. They were happy for awhile after some "mommy time"!! The baby learned to sit in the playpen and play alone for about a half hour. It wasn't perfect, but it worked most days. The older ones also had turns playing with a younger one for a half hour or so. From age 2 1/2 or so, the younger ones also get 30 minutes on the computer to play a game. The Reader Rabbit series were a favorite around here! HTH!

I'm in Volume 3. So far, so good. I'm finding that my vocabulary isn't the greatest -- I have to look up many of the words from this one. But I think I'm doing well with the concepts. The time it's taken has varied by how much time I've had. Dd, however, is finishing Volume 2 this year, so I'd better get cracking on volume 3 -- I'm only in Chapter 7!! The author is very helpful in answering my questions.

We have the second edition Jacob's Geometry. It was the current edition when I was buying for my oldest (now graduated). I do not have money to reinvest in new curriculum for the rest of our homeschool years (youngest is in 3rd grade). IMO, the differences between editions are not that significant that the 3rd edition becomes a "must have" and a child is "missing out" by not using it. I'm much better at algebra than geometry, and I am going through the geometry for the second time with my oldest dd. I'm not finding it terribly difficult to work through. Sure, I have to read the book and look at the answer key, but I've managed to figure it out. If we really get stuck, we figure it out together (had to do this more often with oldest and Alg2/Trig). If that didn't work, I'd ask for help here. HTH!

For one of my children, the Month/day/year of their birth are consecutive digits. Three of my children were born on the 16th of an even month. But my favorite one is this: My husband is the 8th of 9 children. He (dh) was born when his oldest brother was 12. When my dh was 12, that brother had a son (first and only child). When that son was 12, our oldest, a boy, was born. When our oldest was 12, our youngest son (and youngest, period) was born. He's 8 now. I wonder who's gonna have a baby when he's 12! :D

I have six dc. We have eaten out as a family maybe half a dozen times in the last 21 years. I can't spend half my grocery budget on one meal! More recently, dh & I eat out about once a month, as our "date night". Of course, to me, cooking for just 3 people (which I haven't done in 17 yrs!) would be a breeze! Maybe you can double a recipe and freeze it for a couple weeks later? Just a thought.

I've got some materials from Art of Eloquence, but I have to admit I haven't had much chance to look seriously at them (meaning enough to give you an overview). These are written by a homeschool mom.

This was me (and still can be) ME! I've come to the conclusion that getting one's thoughts out via one's mouth and out via one's had are two VERY different things. Some kids are better at it than others. It was very, very hard to make my thoughts slow down enough to keep pace with my writing speed. I much prefer to type, as that goes much faster. But I still have trouble sometimes. You know, I don't think it has much to do with being "behind" (grade level) or not; I believe it's a matter of abilities and natural giftings. Some things just take longer to develop. For some kids, it's reading or math, for others is composition. I noticed this same propensity with my oldest. Sometime during his high school years, my mother gave us her old computer, which ds used for his schoolwork. It made a HUGE difference for him.

ME TOO!!!! FWIW, the year my oldest was 8yo and my 4th was an infant, the kids played outside often, but we only went to church on Sunday and Wednesday, shopping when needed (probably once every week or two), and dr appts. Now it's a RARE occasion if I go nowhere for even one day!

The Churchill titles look great, but I'm not certain he could take FOUR books back with him or if he had room in his home in Kenya. However, it sounds like something right up my oldest ds's alley (he LOVES history), so I may get these as a gift for him. I didn't see the Oxford Univ Press book online, so had to skip that one. I was thankful for the double recommendation for Rebecca Fraser's book, so I bought that. I found one on half.com for a great price and paid for expedited shipping so hopefully it'll be here soon. I was notified that it was shipped TODAY! I appreciate the time you all took to respond and link titles, etc.

How about Cliff Notes? Or Sparknotes? Or pinkmonkey.com? It's better than nothing! I have to admit that I have not pre-read a single one of my dc's high school literature books. I got started on the Year 1 books last.... spring? summer?... ? and got about halfway through the year. Maybe I can finish Year 1 this summer (and think, just three years left after that!).

I'm looking for a good overview of British History. We have a Kenyan pastor staying with our church's pastor this month. He spent some time with our family today, and in the course of our conversation over lunch, he mentioned that he'd like a good book to read/learn British history. I'd like to get him a book he can take with him when he leaves next Thursday. I tried searching the boards, but too many extraneous posts come up (anyone know how to limit that?), and.... well, you know how many hours I could spend at bn.com or amazon.com and still not really have a clue. Thanks for your suggestions; I appreciate them very much!

Another way to look at it would be "Preparing" = present participle and "To Soar" = infinitive. In Latin, Parans subvolare. (going back to my kiddos since they're done with lunch...)

I'm going to our state hs convention this year to volunteer!

I'm wondering why this doc didn't prescribe an antihistamine along with the nasal spray. Nasal sprays are inhaled steriods (as opposed to something like predisone, taken orally, which is systemic). Systemic steriods are known to delay (not stunt!) growth in children; localized steriods like the nasal spray could, I suppose, do the same, but it is my understanding that the potential for that is quite minimal. You have to weight the risks with the benefit. As an allergy sufferer myself, I would not make my children suffer such severe allergy symptoms when the liklihood of this side effect is practially nil. I received shots when I was young, and they helped immensely. I still have some problems in the spring and when the ragweed pollen hits in August, but not nearly like when I was a child. Three of my dc have allergies and asthma. They take nasal sprays for their allergies as well as inhaled steriods for their asthma. These are well worth the risk of delayed growth, imho; under controlled or uncontrolled asthma leads to permanent lung damage which is a far worse consequence. My oldest allergic child is off the inhaled steriods, as he began allergy shots when he was 11 or 12. I intend to begin the same with the other two when they're about the same age. HTH

I did budgets for a telecommunications company here in NY, before that I worked in the accounting dept of a natural gas pipeline company out west. I worked full time until my oldest was 2 1/2. Homeschooling six kids is WAY harder, and I love it!!

For the cost of attending a homeschool convention/curriculum fair, you can order the materials you want to look at yourself, and sell the ones you don't want to keep. The pluses are that you can evaluate in the comfort of your home according to your own schedule, and you can take as long as you need to. The only negative that I can see is losing money on the sale of the materials, but that's bound to be about the same or even less than attending a convention, gas, parking, food while you're there. I did this many years ago when looking for high school English. I spent HOURS online reading reviews and opinions, but still couldn't make up my mind between two authors/publishers. Back then, I doubt these would even have been available at our convention to see, anyway. I am SO glad I did this because I ended up not caring for the program that I was leaning towards using after reading all the reviews/opinions. I sold the one I didn't keep for about $15-20 less than I paid for it, which to me was well worth being able to really evaluate the two side by side. FWIW, to attend our convention would have been $30 in registration, gas for 60 or so miles each way, and parking for the day. HTH!

A few asked why no caffeine. I don't know... it's written on the back of the slip I have to take in when I go in May. If I remember, I'll ask the tech and let you all know what she says. I HATE coffee :eek:, but have developed a taste for chocolate raspberry cappucino mix from the not-so-nearby Mennonite store. Cup of tea every morning, and usually in the evening, too (keeps me going correcting school work). Diet cola in the afternoon.... Your suggestions got me thinking. I'm planning to stock some decaf iced tea, decaf tea bags, and flavored lemonade. Hmmm.... better look for some Crystal Light or something; I definitely don't need the calories! Thanks again!

I have my mammo coming up on May 5 and, as you all (or some) probably know, am to avoid caffeine for two weeks, which means beginning this Monday. I count on my daily caffeine intake to keep me awake and going. I have WAY too much to do to just go to bed 2 hours earlier every day, but what else can I do? Help and bother (said is a Pooh-like voice)...

I didn't change my paperwork very much at all for high school. If you look at the NY regs, you'll see which subjects are required; you definitely have to make sure those are covered. You can either limit yourself to those required credits, or, if you'll be asking your superintendent for a letter that states your student has completed an equivalent high school eduction (for college acceptance/entrance -- especially to a cc or a state school), you can include the other subjects you're covering that will be included on the transcript. Otherwise, I used the same format for my IHIPs and quarterlies, the same general descriptions of work covered (usually so many chapters or lessons), and a grade for each subject. Does this help? FWIW, this is our 17th homeschool year. My first ds graduated in '06, and I have a senior and a junior this year, plus three younger ones. ;)

Dc have been expected to do sets I and III; I also require them to attempt the set IV problem. I deduct a couple points if they don't even try, and give bonus points for being correct (all or in part).

In addition to the items most-mentioned already, I love the vegetable peeler (I have 2) and the pastry blender. Someone mentioned that these things are cheaper in the stores, and they are, but the ones in the stores just do not hold up!! I was buying new veggies peelers every year. I bought one from PC, bought a second a year or so later (dd's like to help me cook -- for 8 people), and both are still going strong. :)

Michele, I've been using LiCT for probably 5 years. My oldest two only did Volume 1, but my 3rd is in Volume 2, and I'm trying to find the time to get through Volume 3. I think reviewing and practicing over the summer is a great idea; to do the whole course over again would very likely be boring. Do you have the Study Sheets and Drill Sheets? They provide lots of practice. HTH

And the Bride Wore White by Dannah Gresh Lies Young Women Believe and the Truth that Sets Them Free by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Dannah Gresh Books by Leslie Ludy (or by both she and her dh, Eric) Hope these help!