Anyone use WP's Children Around the World?

[amyrjoy]

or some other "mission" oriented study (besides MFW...I don't think that one is really what I'm looking for...for some reason, the WP one is the one that is calling to me. LOL). Anyways, I was looking for some thoughts on it. I also found lesson plans that were free, and all mission minded, that I have been debating using and then pulling some WP things into it. The cost of the WP program is really causing the hangup. Wishing it was more around the 200-250 dollar range. Thanks!

[ondreeuh]

There is no reason to feel you have to buy all the books in the program. If you really want to do the WP CAW program, buy the TM and any exclusives, and buy any necessary books that your library doesn't have in ILL. WP offers the books as a convenience but you are under no obligation to buy the whole set from them. They buy from Amazon (at least they used to) and if you order from Amazon yourself you will often get better prices AND the 4-for-3 deal. You can even buy the books as you need them instead of buying a year's worth at once.

[Samiam]

I'm planning on using that program this fall, and have been piecing it together, buying the books used from Amazon, or other HS'ers. I am keeping a spreadsheet of the books, their price from WP, and what I paid. So far for WP's price of $190, I have bought the same books for $80. :).

I have a few months so I am continuing to shop. I am hoping to even find the WP exclusives used, but if not, I will have to pony up and buy those directly from WP...but even then, I will have saved a TON by doing it this way. It's worth my time (plus the "hunt" is half of the fun).

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

I started off this year using it, we quit in November. I thought the topics were way too mature for my 4th grader, several of the books contained stories of children s*x workers. :ohmy: A few other books were just plain boring. By November I was just reading the story books, doing mapwork and the fun cooking and crafts. I could have done that for way cheaper than $375! I recommend Galloping the Globe if your child is K-4th or Trail Guide to Geo.

There is a thread on here from awhile ago talking about WP in general. They have the most awesome looking catalog and website, but the programs aren't quite there. Their customer service and shipping is a 1 on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the best. My own personal experience was: I ordered Feb. 3rd 2009, received my first box in April 2009, and didn't receive the last 2 items until January 2010. I ordered ACCK. I also ordered the LA4 too, and I was aware that it would not be available until April, but I didn't get the complete package until January! I didn't get phone calls explaining why either, I had to call and remind them of what I was missing every month.

[Guest Cindie2dds]

Just a heads up about CATW, there are some very sensitive topics discussed (child s** slave trade, for example). I don't know how much is in there, but a friend of mine was very surprised.

[Samiam]

I have heard that too, and if I remember right, the WP catalog does acknowledge which books should be "pre-read" by parents for those types of topics...or else I read that somewhere else. Anyhoo, I am using for a 7th grader, but I can't see using it for anyone much younger than 5th at the VERY youngest, just by the nature of the books I have already collected.

And yep, I have read that over and over about WP's shipping issues...which is another reason I intend to order ONLY what I have to from them..and get the rest elsewhere.

[ondreeuh]

That just completely shocks me. My impression was that they bought the books as their cash flow allowed, which is why orders are delayed and why the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Seems a lot of people who have to have books sent to them late just get a box shipped directly from Amazon. At that rate, WHY do they even bother offering the entire package? They could just sell their IGs and probably improve their CS reputation tenfold.

[sassenach]

There is a thread on here from awhile ago talking about WP in general. They have the most awesome looking catalog and website, but the programs aren't quite there. Their customer service and shipping is a 1 on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the best. .

 

:iagree:

I just said the same exact thing to a friend the other day. They have the BEST catalog. Sadly, the catalog is the peak of the Winter Promise experience. I totally regret moving over to WP and I will never, never, never be tempted by that beautiful catalog again.

[meet me in paris]

With the ages of your kids, I'd go with Galloping the Globe.

 

FWIW, the only year I used WP (Animals & Their Worlds) I only bought their exclusives through them, and bough everything else from Amazon or used the library. I had no issues, and it was a great year for my daughter.

 

I agree w/the previous poster - they should stick to lesson plans and let people buy their books elsewhere. ;)

[amyrjoy]

Okay, this info is totally helping me. Thanks ladies...thinking I'll forgo ordering from them just yet. I really need good customer service- doesn't everyone! LOL- so that makes me wonder.

[thowell]

I also found lesson plans that were free, and all mission minded, that I have been debating using

 

care to share???? is this available to all?

[SnowWhite]

Hopefully WP will eventually outgrow the growing pains and the service will be more reliable. As of now, they DO have a good reputation with a number of users (I'm one, but I'm not going to get into a big discussion, I agree that a business needs to be reliable for EVERYBODY all the time). They relocated away from their Grand Isle island this year so hopefully that will facilitate their communication and shipping abilities.

 

CATW is not one of the programs I have used, but (correct me if I'm wrong, previous posters) I do not believe the program *schedules* the mature topics... they are simply contained in the books alongside the topics WP felt were important (child labor, homelessness, etc).

[luvnlattes]

We used CATW for about 6 months. I was SO excited to start the program and we did get off to a good start. But as time went on, I felt that it became kind of monotonous.

 

You have the same basic schedule each week:

1. Read an intro to the country that describes its geographic features. I liked this at first but then I felt like my kids couldn't really picture what was being described. So I added in library books to supplement with pictures.

2. Read the history of the country. And I mean the entire history! I remember for some countries you would cover 3000 years in about a page and a half. You touch on the major events but my kids eyes would glaze over. Eventually I ended up skipping those sections.

3. I can't really remember this day in the Children from Many Lands book. In the Disney book you go over food and celebrations.

4. Read about what you might see or do if you went to that country today.

 

Each week is supposed to be completed with a celebration. Ideally you would make a meal from that country and then have some sort of a party like they might have there. In theory that sounded great....but for me the follow-through was another story! I struggled with having the desire to do all that. I know other people love that type of thing so it depends on what you like to do.

 

When we did make the meals, my kids loved it! But I would often get too busy and not be prepared for the end of the week. I think if you leave that part out you miss out on a lot of the "fun" in the program and then it becomes monotonous like I mentioned. By February one of mine was begging to do something else, one was indifferent, and one wanted to continue. Since I felt the way I did, we moved on to TOG.

 

As for the mature themes, you are warned in the parent pages when they will appear. We read A Cry from the Streets which had some of those mature themes but I edited things out as I went along. My kids loved that book but my dh questioned whether the 9 yo really needed to hear about kids in Brazil getting high on glue and such. It's a great book that really shows a couple's faith in God and how that looks being lived out in tough situations, so we finished it. I don't regret that but YMMV.

 

These are some of the things I wish I had known before I purchased. You know the types of things that your family likes so I hope this gives you some more information to make your decision.

[amyrjoy]

I also found lesson plans that were free, and all mission minded, that I have been debating using

 

care to share???? is this available to all?

 

definitely not a secret lol. :001_smile: i saw that someone mentioned it in a free curriculum thread awhile back too! here's the link:

http://harvestministry.org/twghw

[4wildberrys]

Hopefully WP will eventually outgrow the growing pains and the service will be more reliable. As of now, they DO have a good reputation with a number of users (I'm one, but I'm not going to get into a big discussion, I agree that a business needs to be reliable for EVERYBODY all the time). They relocated away from their Grand Isle island this year so hopefully that will facilitate their communication and shipping abilities.

 

CATW is not one of the programs I have used, but (correct me if I'm wrong, previous posters) I do not believe the program *schedules* the mature topics... they are simply contained in the books alongside the topics WP felt were important (child labor, homelessness, etc).

 

I used CATW with my 7th grade son---and I NEVER once saw any warnings about the stuff in the books!! The stuff was shocking to me----if I had read ahead in a book I could warn my son or have him skip it----but it was up to me. I cannot believe for the life of me that those books are scheduled into a program slated for younger kids.

 

I have ordered my 4th and last program I will ever order from WP---for the main reason that STILL after all these years their customer service/order fulfillment still is AWFUL! It's too bad, because the programs we have used have been richly fulfilling----although the complete LACK of any comprehension or thinking questions for any readers/history books is baffling---especially for the Royals and Revolutions program with some of the great books scheduled. The sample online shows Am Cult with more questions and/or information, so I went ahead and ordered that to complete my son's Am History study----but I no longer will be tempted by any programs or the wonderful catalog. It's just been too frustrating.

[FordFamily]

I LOVED their Christmas around the world.

I purchased the WP COTW,and it was really a

well laid out plan, I just can't seem to get it all done.

I LOVED the Christmas week, however, it was great!

So, I hope that helps.

The customer service, the man, was so kind to me, and

he really helped out with the pricing. They allow you to make

payments when it is over a certain amount, similar to Sonlight.

At not interest.

The stories were sad, at times, and I thought that since

my children have seen poverty first hand, in Poland and

beggers in Europe, I thought they would be ok with it.

I however was wrong. IT was sad...the stories of the slaves...

so sad. HOWEVER, my friend (who purchased it with me) LOVED IT!

She is a veteran homeschooler, 11 children...and she has used everything

out there, ad went with WP again this year.

I think the bottom line is it comes down to what you are looking for and what

God is calling your family to for the year.

There is a program called Red Card out there, very similar with videos.