Yup. We use paper plates for every meal. We also, gasp, use red plastic disposable cups. And drink bottled water. And own paper towels and paper napkins. We do recycle quite a bit, both with recyclable "trash" items into the recycle bin plus taking things to and buying things from thrift stores. Ooh, and the fossil fuels things someone mentioned above. I rarely drive us anywhere except doctor and ortho appointments. Judge me if you will. :)

Aimee, My right brained, vsl dd is in 10th grade. We use highlighters. A lot. I have every color they make (which sadly is not many), plus we have sharpies in every color of the rainbow. We have ended up doubling up on math, which works well for us. So far, that has looked like this: 9th grade: Algebra 1 (get partway through) (the result of switching textbooks at the semester and starting over with the new book) 10th grade: Algebra 1 (finish the rest of Algebra. Take the whole year to do it.) Also do Geometry concurrently. Plan on Geometry taking two years. 11th grade will include Geometry (last half, taking all year to do it) and Algebra 2 (first half, taking all year to do it). 12th grade will include Algebra 2 and PreCalculus (may only get halfway through PreCal) I highlight every problem on her Mathusee worksheet before handing it to her to complete. (Mathusee is the only math that doesn't make her cry, by the way.) I also have bought some cool manipulatives from Lakeshore Learning to bring a hands on component to stuff like area, perimeter, volume, angles, unit conversions, etc. For history, she really like it when I read to her and she colors in one of the Dover books. I'm a bit tired of that this year, so we've been taking turns reading aloud, every other paragraph. I own the Horrible Histories DVDs, and she watches all the ones associated with our readings. I make up tests occasionally (multiple choice, true/false, fill in the blank). For the tests, she gets a study sheet which contains everything I want her to know for the test. She memorizes that. I typically allow two days of study before giving any test. More if the test will be long. For spelling/vocab, we use Abeka, heavily highlighted. For the vocab, she has to do an index card for every word where she draws a picture for it, and also writes the word and definition on there. Literature is lots of reading together. Sometimes she reads to herself if I'm not really interested. Sometimes I read and she colors. I usually get the children's version of the tough stories by the way. I'm of the opinion that understanding the plot is more important than reading the really hard words. Sometimes we read together, every other paragraph. As a for instance, I got the Real Reads version of Scarlet Letter, and we took turns. (I had actually started having us read the "original" but the first were pages were so hard and boring, I couldn't stand it. I know the plot is really interesting, so I bought the kids version.) I also use a Globe Fearon Literature Book (Silver level) to cover some stuff and hit some literary terms. Plus remind me of stuff I like. We did a semester of American Lit, and I had forgotten how I adore Washington Irving. So we read Rip Van Winkle and Sleepy Hollow in picture book versions illustrated by Will Moses. We also watched the Disney Sleepy Hollow movie (the cartoon one). I always watch movies first if we're going to do that, before reading the books, by the way. It gives my dd a library of visual images in her head to associate with the books. Last year during Ancients, we watched Troy with Brad Pitt before reading The Trojan War. It was really helpful. And, see, again, I used a younger version. We did not read the adult translated version of the Iliad. Plus she has to read 30 minutes from a book out of a tub of books. I select books for the tub based on reading level or history association or just books I like. She read the entire Laura Ingalls Wilder series this year, which I LOVE. Now she loves it, too. She didn't love it when she read it in 4th grade. Science is highly visual. Labs every week or two. With her dad. Biology was Hoagland's Science of Biology. Paleontology (one semester) used Usborne Book of Prehistoric World. Now she's doing chemistry with Singapore's Chemistry Matters. Her dad gives her a test after every chapter, but gives her a study sheet beforehand. HTH! Best of Luck! Kim

It is not hoarding if you might need them some day. I hate it when I need a spice I don't already own. Yes, I have only used Savory once in my lifetime of cooking, but I might use it again some day for some recipe. That's not hoarding. That's... saving. And I refuse to acknowledge that spices lose their spiciness. Fingers in ears. La la la la la la

How has no one mentioned Project Runway? And the Great British Baking Show? I could watch them over and over. And 30 Rock.

MUS has a wonderful explanation on place value. Also, get a bulletin board set about place value to put up in your classroom for your visual learner. Amazon has several. I didn't use MUS past Beta, so no tips, but we're back to it for high school for my visual learner. For carrying, MUS's explanation works well. For borrowing, we had to use a story. My dd loves to borrow, because the story is so ridiculous. Basically, it's "oh we don't have enough so we need to go next door and borrow." Then she "goes next door" and in a weird, cartoony way, says "kick" or "punch" and takes one from the next door place. (You'd have to know my sweet non-violent dd to understand that this is funny and not horrible). For long division, we do it like the opposite of multiplication. So what normal people write down for long division, she does in her head. What people do in their head, she writes down. Something like this: 140 divided by 2: 2 x ? = 140 so 2 x _ = 1 2 x _ =4 2 x _ = 0 She does each step and the "remainder" gets carried down in front of the number on the next line. For multiplying multiple digit numbers, I had to use the distribution property to teach my visual spatial learner: 23 x 42 = (20 + 3) x (40 + 2) = (20 x 40) + (20 x 2) + (3 x 40) + (3 x 2) = 800 + 40 + 120 + 6 = 840 + 120 + 6 = 960 + 6 = 966 Believe it or not, that's how she had to learn it. It made sense, whereas the typical way (which I guess technically is a shortcut) made no sense to her. After a year or so, she was able to learn the more typical way. But she needed the long way first. Good luck!

I have an only, so no advice, but I read your schedule, and you honestly sound like you are doing amazing. I mean, it's February, so there's the Februaries, and then there's your screaming two year old, so your sanity probably feels like it's hanging on by a thread, but to me, it sounds like the kids are doing great, educationally. You are covering all the major stuff for all the kids. You are able to spend some focused time on needed subjects. It sounds fine to me. Be kind to yourself. Give grace to yourself. And maybe get your two year old checked out. :) For your sanity, if nothing else. Which is very important.

I don't know what frame your dd has, but I had to get my dd cotton pajamas due to eczema, and they were never super tight at all. But she does have a bit smaller frame. Here are the places I bought cotton pajamas: cwdkids.com hannaandersson disney store (online. look at both the girls and women section) (girls pjs tend to be called pj pals there) target (women's section. xs really does work sometimes) Hanna Andersson has cotton sweatpants, too, by the way. You also might google flannel pants for girls. Those are often cotton and have different patterns.

My dd needs explicit vocab instruction. I use Abeka, helping with the insanely hard fill-in-the-blank exercises (buy the teacher key!), plus adding in a "kim chart" where she draws a picture for each word and writes down its definition on the picture. I also buy the test/quiz book so I don't have to design my own.

Could it be that in the fall, he was already starting to feel the symptoms of mono coming on, which can include difficulty concentrating and whatnot? That caused him to not to do well in school, which would be depressing and additionally stressful, on top of the normal stress of the school. And I'm surprised he's so much better already after his mono. Maybe he's still got some lingering effects, which again are affecting his abilities to do well in an-already stressful situation. That would be angering and depressing.

Amazon. They're called Intermediate World History B, if I recall correctly.

While I agree that the teacher was out of line with her "suggestions," I also think it's a bit rude to throw the crafts away right where she'll see them. I mean, she does volunteer her time and effort, and it would seem to at least be polite to toss them in a trashcan where she won't see them. It's a bit like a slap in the face. And your kids enjoy doing them. I'm not sure it's a kind message to send to your kids: "Oh, what a nice job. I'm glad you enjoyed it. It's garbage." I am the resident Crafts lady at my church, though, and I will admit I am biased. And yes, I did keep my kid's crafts for a while. I strung up a line against the wall and hung them with clothespins. Not forever, but for a few days or weeks.

What's everyone doing for 11th grade, 2017-2018? Here's my current plan: Mathusee Geometry (last half) Mathusee Algebra 2 (first half) English: Abeka Grammar & Composition, Abeka Vocab, WTM 11th grade lit recommendations Economics and Personal Finance: Dave Ramsey's Personal Finance, plus a few extra economics supplements (fall semester) Modern World History using Human Odyssey (spring semester) Chemistry (last half): Chemistry Matters (fall semester) Physics (first half): Physics Matters (spring semester) French 3: So You Really Want to Learn French 3 Electives TBD

Sometimes you have to do survival school. From your other post, it looks like your dd is 10 or 11. If you need to go to the 3R's right now for a season, know that's okay. It can't be forever, obviously, but it can be for a time. If you are fighting about writing, I would require perhaps some handwriting practice every day (copywork or a Reason for Handwriting) and let that be that. When she feels okay about that, after several weeks or months, then you can add in more writing, bit by bit. My dd didn't mature into writing without fighting until 7th grade, by the way. For reading, I have required (for years) 30 minutes of reading every day from a book tub filled with selections (either grade-level books or history or science related books). If you're in survival mode, and that's all that can get done for now in the reading department, then that's okay. Math should be consistently done every day, in my opinion. Try to make sure that happens. During survival school, if that's all you get to, it really is okay. A few months of it won't hurt. You said she's happy and curious. Feed that as you can. Be kind to yourself.

My 10th grader is doing the following for the spring semester: Geometry and Algebra Medieval World History Paleontology French 2 English - Abeka Grammar & Comp, Abeka Vocab, misc. medieval literature Art History

I think the phrase you are looking for is "universal salvation" or "universal reconciliation." Might be a good term to google for additional info.

((hugs)) That would totally happen to me, if I dared to move her stuff. You are not alone.

Suburban because they're awesome. I have a friend with a 94 Suburban and it just keeps going.

We have milk, egg, and peanut allergies here. Things not mentioned already: Tomato sauce Rice Pasta Chocolate chips Nesquik powder Canned corn Fruit cups Applesauce cups Bottled water Paper towels Raisins Pickles

Chips and salsa and guacamole fritos and bean dip tgifriday frozen food: spinach artichoke dip, honey bbq chicken wings, loaded potato skins Little smokies Nothing that requires effort.

I am planning on using it next fall, in conjunction with Cartoon Guide to Economics (macro or micro I haven't decided) plus Chester Comix Comix Economix, plus a couple of other comic books I have lying around (free from the Fed): http://commonsenseeconomics.com/comics/ By itself, Crash Course economics is only 35 videos, so I do feel like it needs at least a little supplementing.

cbd has The Story of Western Civilization in four workbooks: Book 1 How Civilization Began: https://www.christianbook.com/story-western-civilization-book-how-began/alan-riese/9780838814956/pd/371495?event=ESRCG Book 2 Greece and Rome Build Great Civilizations: https://www.christianbook.com/western-civilization-greece-build-great-civilizations/alan-riese/9780838814963/pd/371496?event=CBCER1 Book 3 The Middle Ages: https://www.christianbook.com/story-western-civilization-book-middle-ages/alan-riese/9780838814970/pd/371497?event=CBCER1 Book 4 The Renaissance: https://www.christianbook.com/the-story-western-civilization-book-renaissance/alan-riese/9780838814994/pd/371499?event=CBCER1 cbd also has The Story of the USA in four workbooks.

To me, it looks like you have a solid semester of Literature. Now you need a solid semester of writing (and grammar if you wish). In my opinion, at least one long paper needs to happen every year, something which requires library research and citing sources and whatnot, plus several small writing assignments. (However, I have a writing hater. She's decent at it, just hates it.) What I did for 9th grade was use Seton's Composition book, which gave me a good spine and ideas for the papers. This year, for 10th grade, I am using Abeka's Grammar and Composition, picking and choosing what we do, but using it for writing assignment ideas especially. Best of luck!

If you don't mind Catholic materials, setonbooks.com has very good, fairly inexpensive workbooks for many subjects. I particularly like their English workbooks. They are very straightforward and fairly self-teaching, but you don't get bogged down. I like Human Odyssey for history, and all three volumes are very inexpensive used on Amazon. We mostly just read our history and watch associated videos (Horrible Histories mainly). Not much output. Although quizlet has some free quizzes.

If I were you, I wouldn't go. Your mom has your dad. 600 miles is really far. You were there just before she died. That's better than being at the funeral, imo. And it's a logistical and expensive headache for bittersweet social awkwardness. Nope. I wouldn't go.

Aquaponics sounds like Biology to me. :) Ditto for the rats and their habitats. Maybe track the hours and call it good when you get to 120-180?