mom of 2 boys
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Posts posted by mom of 2 boys
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I love the If You Were Me and Lived In (fill in the blank). I also use the Give Your Child the World book as mentioned above, and then Amazon and our library (which isn't too awesome).
Get a good kids' atlas too. I like the National Geographic one, but there are a slew of others. There are even free ones for your kindle. I've done something similar to what you're planning with my 4&5 year old this year and they've really enjoyed it.
Thank you!! I am having a lot of trouble choosing an atlas. They're all starting to look the same to me :huh:
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School days around the world by Margaret Ruiirs is a good one. It has an American homeschooling family.
This is exactly what I am looking for, thank you!!
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I'm starting to feel a little disorganized. Kindergarten has mostly been just "do the next page" so I haven't felt the need to really write very much down, but now that I'm starting to figure out curriculum choices for first grade, I'm just making these random lists of ideas and library books and what not. This is not going to cut it. Umm...help?
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A good book for resources of books for multiple age levels is "Give Your Child the World; Raising Globally Minded Children One Book at a Time" by Jamie Martin
I have enjoyed the selection of books from her lists.
Oh, thank you!! This is exactly what I need. Here I am searching high and low for resources while someone has already done all of the work for me - perfect!
Looks like my library has this one too!
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Well, there's Jonathan Bean's great picture book This is My Home, This is My School, although I don't know of any books featuring non-American homeschoolers.
You may already be referring to one of the books in this series (A School Like Mine), but our hands-down favorite books about the lives of kids in a variety of different cultures are the DK series: A Life Like Mine, Children Just Like Me, and the other books in the series that focus on holidays and such. (And lest he walk away from A School Like Mine feeling that every child in the world except him goes to school, you could remind him that in many of the countries covered, school is not universal, even where it is mandatory on paper. Then again, if he's only six or so, maybe you don't want to go there.)
Thank you!!! I have never heard of "This is My Home, This is My School" before. Turns out our local library has not one, but TEN copies of this book! I honestly didn't expect them to have it at all. So, I went ahead and put that on hold to read now just for fun :)
I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed those DK books, they are on my list! I'm not sure how much he would understand as far as schools go. I really like the idea of showing him that there are all different kinds of schools out there (especially since homeschooling isn't exactly typical), but I also feel like it could easily backfire if it's not the exact right book.
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Hello! I am planning to start a very light introduction to different cultures around the world to my son next year, when he starts first grade. Can anyone recommend any books or resources that would be appropriate for a young child? Also, I am coming across some different books on the different ways that children go to school around the world, and I think that something like that would be great, but I don't want my son to walk away from it feeling like EVERY single child on this planet goes to some sort of school except for him. Does anyone happen to know of a book like this that includes some form of homeschooling? I think that it would be wonderful for him to see ALL of the different ways in which children are educated, including him.
Thank you!
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Thank you so much, everyone!! After much agonizing, I think I finally decided to go with SOTW, but I will most likely also order the Usborne book of world history to go along with it as a reference. It sounds like something I want to own, but maybe not use as a spine. While I do like a lot of the books from sonlight, I dont really want to spend that much money, and after reading so many great reviews of SOTW I feel like it's something I don't want to deprive my son of. I am definitely planning on using some of the Sonlight books with it though, especially the ones that I can borrow from my local library.
Thanks again for all of the help! Im feeling much better about this!
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Hi there, still agonizing over history options over here. SOTW is supposed to be a chronological approach, but when you add a younger sibling in the middle of the cycle, that is not chronological for that sibling. My kids are 3 years apart in age, so I'm just not really sure how this would work for my younger son. He would jump in in the middle of the cycle? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the chronological approach? How has this worked in your family? I'm trying to figure out what is going to make the most sense in the long run. Thanks!
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I'm struggling with how I want to approach history for my son who will be in first grade next year. Im starting to feel like I may just want to present a very broad overview of world history in one year, saving the US for last and spending a little bit of extra time on it. I almost feel like I may want to repeat this for 2nd grade using different materials, and then go into a detailed 4 year history cycle after he has some general idea of what has happened and what the globe looks like, probably also what different cultures are like. Again, this would be just a very broad overview of what our planet looks like and what has happened on it. Is this a method that people use?
Anyway, I'm considering using the Usborne Book of World History as a spine (not the encyclopedia), and I'm not sure how well this would suit a 6 year old. In other words, I do not want him to be bored by details that go over his head. Can anyone tell me a little bit about this book? Does anyone know of a similar book that I could look into?
Also, if anyone knows of any very basic kid friendly books about major history topics, or an introduction to cultures or even a world geography book, please feel free to recommend! I am trying to approach this very gently and in a way that stirs up interest.
Thank you!
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You might like this article on planning language arts for help with deciding what topics to make priorities. Little ones don't need a lot. Make sure to read aloud lots (which most homeschoolers do!).
Thank you! That is very helpful!
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I would just focus on learning to read well and lots of enjoying read aloud books together. What you have sounds fine. I don't even think you need AAS if reading isn't solid yet.
Thank you! He is reading fairly well. I am not sure what "level" he is technically at, but he's finishing up "Frog and Toad are Friends" right now and he needed help with a word or two on maybe about half the pages. We will be finishing up Progressive Phonics by the end of this school year.
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Hi there, I was feeling pretty comfortable with my language arts choices for next year (1st grade), until I took a look at that "Good and the Beautiful" Language Arts Curriculum. There's a lot going on in there, and it kind of made me second guess my choices. I'm planning on using AAS 1, explode the code and then just using readers from the library for practice. Is there something else that I should be considering?
Thanks!
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Privately even? Like nobody nowhere?? Through EI??? A children's hospital?? Sigh. This doesn't make sense to me. If they have an IEP (which they can starting at 3 or 4, yes?) and the disabling condition is listed as autism, what do the kids do? Doesn't the school have an autism program or somewhere they bus the kids??
The kids are placed in inclusion classrooms, and if they cannot handle that, they are given aide support, and if that is not enough, they are then sent to a BOCES classroom that is located in a public school and uses the TEACCH model.
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WOW! These are amazing accomplishments, worth celebrating! I'm so glad for you and your son. It's hard in the trenches (and harder when others don't notice--and then harder still when they bulldoze what you are doing with opposite recommendations without seeing the good progress). ((((Hugs)))) to you. Sometimes we don't get to see real progress for years, but you are giving your son an amazing gift by homeschooling, and your sacrifices are worth it. Maybe keep a journal of both little and big successes that you can read in times of doubt and discouragement.
Thank you!! I think that is a great idea, it is so easy to lose sight of the accomplishments in the midst of discouragement.
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Then dump respite and get ABA.
We don't have ABA here. I can bring him up to the local elementary school for 6 half hour sessions of PT/OT/Speech per week, and that's about it. Last time he was in "school therapy" he refused to participate and they didn't know what to do with him.
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Mom of 2 boys, I just looked a bit back at your older posts and realized you have had similar issues with a respite worker in the past. I'm so sorry :grouphug: To need the help and have to deal with constant comments undermining what you are trying to do and your authority as a parent, must be very challenging!
Know, that people criticize what they don't understand. You will never agree with everyone and not everyone will always agree with you. Parenting is a *hot* topic when it comes to debates. Just because someone makes a choice for their child (or would make a certain choice in your shoes) that suits their child and family, it does not make it right for your child or family.
There are numerous people that have successfully homeschooled their special needs kids. There are others that have chosen to put their kids in school and it was the best decision for them. We the parents choose our life's path and what is best for our children and family. There's no right or wrong. Just decisions based on our own family values and needs. They are the right decisions for *us*, regardless of what others may think.
Thank you for your support, and thank you for taking the time to dig deeper into my other stuff! Yes, our last respite provider was a lot worse. Honestly, I'm still trying to recover from having her around.
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Oh, OP, I'm SO EXCITED that your son moved up in swimming!!!
My son was incredibly slow to progress in swimming (and all physical activity), so I know how monumental that graduation is!
And a birthday party! Because he was wanted!!!! How wonderful!
When the (in training) woman who diagnosed my oldest with autism and adhd gave me her report, she harped on how important it was to put him in school so "he would have a chance." She wrote in her report that he would need services that "only the public schools can provide."
A chance at what? I was so angry I could have spit. In my district, the schools don't do a thing for the autism level 1 kids. And he was, by her own admission, well ahead of grade level in the areas in which he does not have disabilities. Our previous doctor also constantly bugged me to put him in school.
Every teacher who has ever met him has told me to keep him at home (and do as much therapy as we can, but they acknowledge that he would get no services at school, so we'd still be doing it privately), but the psychs and the doctors aren't the teachers. They don't know anything about what actually happens in school; they just need to have an opinion.
Thank you so much!!! I think that most of these professionals are living in a dream world. I would love to see just one of them balance their idealistic ideas of socialization in school with the reality of bullying.
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Heck Kinsa, I "am" a certified special Ed teacher & doubt myself hourly about the decisions I'm making for my challenged kiddo.
I can't believe they used to pay me for this job, I've realized how clueless I actually am. I should go back in time & smack my 20 something self who used to give educational advice to parents. Really.
This makes me feel a lot better! I wish everyone in these fields would be as humble as you. I wish these people we're dealing with would just admit that this is hard. It's hard for everyone, and they don't have all the answers.
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The day the neuropsych have us the report (which ultimately led to the diagnosis we were NOT expecting), I got a good reeming about homeschooling him, and about how I was going to handicap him for life, that I was doing him a complete disservice, that I couldn't POSSIBLY do what good special ed teachers could do, ad nauseum.
I cried. I doubted myself for a week or so.
Then I got really angry. How dare this lady who had spent a whopping three hours with my son assert that she knew best how to accommodate his educational needs? She didn't know me from Eve, and she didn't know what I was capable of.
So screw her. It's been... five?... years, and I'm still pissed about it. LoL
Lol I hear you! I had a similar experience last year when my son had some kind of "transition" meeting where we were supposed to sit down and talk about moving up to Kindergarten. I naively thought that these people were going to be able to give me some useful advice about the level of support he would need while doing homeschool classes. LOL that was eye opening. Long story short, they were so disrespectful that they sent home an apology letter the next day. At least they did that much, but it certainly didn't erase their "concerns" from my mind. That was my lovely send off to the homeschooling world!
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I actually read a study where it said the less someone knows about a situation the more confident they are. My life experience tells me the study was probably correct. The more you know the more complicated things become.
I'm sorry. People are annoying.
Yeah, that definitely seems to be the case in my experience as well. I don't think I know one person who has a child with a disability, yet everyone I meet seems to think they're an expert.
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Wow, I'm sorry I missed this yesterday. You've got a lot going on! And congratulations on moving up in the swim lessons!! :party: :party:
I agree, it's a BIG DEAL!! :thumbup: My ds was very slow to move through levels, so I had to sit there watching class after class as all the other kids passed and he didn't, session after session. Now he's on swim team and kicks butt, but there was a long time there where it was really kinda need the kleenex just to go to class, sigh. Btdt, very hard. No one wants your kid to struggle.
Can we back up? What is his current diagnosis, how was that gotten, and how old are we talking? If you would fill in your sig, that would help. I know we've read your posts before and chatted, but I just cannot remember. Anyways, I'm assuming your darling is young. That's really over the top for a respite aide to be giving you a long-term prognosis. That's really something a psych should do. That's their job, not the job of an entry-level respite worker. That's a mildly trained babysitter. Or this person is an RBT? Like woo, big whoop, REALLY QUALIFIED there. :smilielol5:
I've had SLPs offer their opinion on my ds' diagnoses. Actually I had a reading tutor tell me she wasn't sure his labels were correct. I had another SLP give me medical advice and tell me what prescriptions I should be on. :scared: Seriously, I've concluded the lower trained these people are, the more entitled they think they are to an opinion. :smash:
And to think I have to see some of these idiots again! :ohmy: Gets really interesting and wearisome dealing with fools and people who take a class or two and feel free to work outside their qualifications. :svengo:
Ok, that said, sure your ds might need a 1:1 aide in school. So what? Like really, does that mean he has horns and isn't a lovely person? Or does it mean that everyone on the team would be committed to getting all the intervention he needs to get where he's going? ALL that matters is that he is surrounded by people, people working together as a team (with apparently you, but maybe a behaviorist as the team leader) who are committed to making happen what is best for him.
Timetable doesn't matter, level of intervention doesn't matter. It's not like it's something to be ashamed of. What you should be ashamed of is ps settings where they WON'T provide the needed level of services for a dc to succeed. That's something for the ps to be ashamed of! But to have a dc need them? Big whoop, move on.
My kid has an IEP. It's ugly and thick and it says things you don't want a file to say. Oh well, move on. The point is to surround him with a team of people all working together and making happen what needs to happen. THAT is where you put your energy.
Does this worker have a boss/supervisor? If she does, I would tell the boss your worker was out of line so the boss can give her a friendly reminder. I know how hard aides are to find, so it's not like you can just willy nilly fire. But the supervisor could give her a little bit of instruction there.
What do you want to change? What do you want to make happen?
And did he get invited to a b-day party? That's awesome! Did he go yet? :)
Thank you!! Yeah, I should fill in my signature, that would probably be helpful! I'm the one who has a 2 and a 5 year old who both have autism, my toddler also has speech apraxia.
She's not from an agency, I hired her privately and I get reimbursed. Honestly, I can't even imagine going through this whole stupid respite process again, I don't even know if it's helping me. I'm setting up snacks and cleaning the house (to a non-embarrassing level) and making sure there's clean pants in my kids drawers, and then coming home to fix whatever problems came up while I was out. It's a lot of effort just to run a few errands in peace. I guess the change of pace helps to an extent.
And yes, I am the one that is trying to move. Of course after we started getting really serious about the idea my husband tells me that he's up for a promotion where we live now. He says it's really important for his career and he just needs a couple more years here. I have a suspicion that in a couple of years, he will just need a couple more years, and I'm just going to lose my mind in the process.
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Awe I am so sorry! Huge, enormous hugs. So many people think they know better and if you had just done x and such you wouldn't have these issues. It's bunk but trying to convince someone who hasn't been in your shoes can be a real uphill battle. In the meantime no one is really appreciating the hard work you and your child are putting into this process. And it stinks. It wears you down. It feels like an anvil on your chest and it is all on your shoulders. I wish I could give you a hug and some help in real life. You are doing whatever you can for your child. You are shouldering a huge burden and working hard. Whatever anyone else says, they can't take that away. Let them know you don't need criticism you need support. If they can't provide support their opinions are no longer needed. Again huge hugs.
Thank you! Today has not been much better, it's helpful to read your supportive comments!
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I have a new respite provider, and this one is honestly much, much better than the last one. But, of course, she's not perfect, and last week she was just going on and on about how if (when?) I put my son in school (this is not even on the table), he would need a 1:1 aide. She said that he's so intelligent, but that he will need to learn to function without said 1:1 aide if he ever wants to get a job in his chosen field. I need this like a hole in the head. Of course, I felt the need to educate her about why a 1:1 aide is not the answer to all of life's problems. She was pretty good about it, but still! I'm sick of people treating me like I make the decisions I make because I'm uninformed.
So then today, my son started a new gym & swim class. This class had more kids than he was used to, but otherwise everything was the same as his last one (just a different day.) He has a 1:1 aide for this class, and he did poorly because there were too many kids and he just couldn't function. He was laying on the gym floor and grabbing people's things by the bleachers. He's been having behaviors since we left.
I'm just feeling so discouraged and like I can't possibly do the right things for him given the options we have. Would it kill someone to just say something encouraging to me! "Hey, I noticed your son got invited to a birthday party because a kid actually wanted him there!" "Hey, your kid just explained density to me, good thing you have him in an environment where he can pay attention and learn!" "Hey, your kid was the only one in his group to move up to the next level in swimming!" NOPE. It's always "you suck, your kids going to fall on his face in 15 years because of your bad decisions." That's what it sounds like to me at least.
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Eventually I realized that my floors look the same whether I mop them or not, so now I wait until they're sticky or more obviously dirty. Hasn't made much of a difference for the floors, but it sure saves me a lot of time! (I do vacuum almost daily though)
Cultural books for a 1st grader? Also, any that include homeschooling?
in General Education Discussion Board
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Thank you! That "Wright on time" series looks great! It's going to make us all want an RV though lol