Katydid Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 OK, I'm (mostly) kidding.... we do have fun together with Math and Sciency stuff, but trying to do History and Greek Myths has him bawling many days. :glare: Yesterday we started D'auliare's Greek Myths and he lost it when Cronus swallowed his children, even when I told him they were not dead and would come back out later. :chillpill: He cried during a Shakespeare story recently, too. And during Our Island Story. He seems to do OK with Fairy Tales (even violent stuff like Ali Baba and the 40 Theives). Actually, now that I think about it, he's mostly gets upset about bad things happening to innocents (babies, children and martyrs) which is understandable. He's just very literal and black and white in his thinking. He'll be 9 next week, though. I can't avoid unpleasent topics with him forever. But I also want to protect his innocence and I don't want to force him to read stories he hates. What's funny is that his younger sister was listening in and she was loving the stories! She's only in first grade, though, and I don't want to do greek myths with her formally yet. Can anyone familiar with D'aulaire's tell me if lots of bad things happen to innocents throughout, or if it's more rare (I admit that I am not familiar with Greek myths at all) I'm just trying to decide if we should press on with it, or go in a different direction. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Well, like most myths, religious use of that word or not, because they are used to explain human experience, and human experience certainly has its share of unpleasantries, there are going to be stories that are difficult for those who are sensitive, like your son. I'd pre-read (it's not that big a book) and determine for yourself if you want to continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I think you can protect him by avoiding those things for which he isn't ready. Some of us sensitive types need a certain level of protection and still function fine in society, adult conversation, and literature. Eventually he will be ready to hear those stories. I think God has a special plan for every kind of child and it's ok. Perhaps your son will be a very kind compassionate man, or a doctor to children in starving coubtries or an advocate for the unborn, or .... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicMom Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I think you can protect him by avoiding those things for which he isn't ready. Some of us sensitive types need a certain level of protection and still function fine in society, adult conversation, and literature. I agree. He isn't ready. My boys (8 and 9) are sensitive, too, and I think that's a good thing. For one, it means they are really dealing with the morality of the issues at hand and not just saying, "oh, Hitler tried to take over the world, gassed millions of jews. Got it." Instead, they are horrified, like they should be... but we need to be careful not to assault them when they are young with things they can handle better when they are more mature and secure in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydid Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 I agree that he hasn't been ready and that's why I've been putting off History studies (we tried SOTW in second grade and he was not a fan). But what should I do in the meantime? I was really hoping to continue our history cycle. I wonder if the Greek Myths guide from MP would help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicMom Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 We just started SOTW. Have you found it to be a problem with the sensitivities issue? Wondering what we'll encounter... They did already hear about somebody getting put in a coffin and thrown into the river to drown (and my son is leery about water - oy). I emphasized that the story was not true, so I think that helped. Now I wonder if this type of thing is recurring with SOTW? Please tell me it's not... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicMom Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 You could study America and "modern world cultures" for a few years before you go back to the classical cycling? That might be what I do if I have to because I'm in the same boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydid Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 The only story I remember him really freaking out about was the Minotaur story (where they sacrifice 7 boys and 7 girls every year to the minotaur). Mostly he just thought it was boring and complained everytime I brought it out. I was going to try CHOW instead.... it seems a bit more mild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peso Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 CHOW is a great option for sensitive kids. I read it with my ultra sensitive daughter when she was 9 and 10. We really enjoyed it. FYI, Calvert also sells a workbook, which is pretty dry. It did encourage looking through the chapter after for important points, but really, talking about it, summarizing, the occasional drawing/short written narration was pretty nice. I used Sonlight's timeline and timeline figures with it. That worked really well. (SL had corresponding figures for CHOW, not sure which core that's from, as we didn't use a core) Have fun with whatever you do - and good luck! Penny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 CHOW is excellent for sensitive kiddos. The Companion guide has tons of extra ideas for hands on things and supplements. I think that's a great idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 CHOW is a great option for sensitive kids. I read it with my ultra sensitive daughter when she was 9 and 10. We really enjoyed it. CHOW is excellent for sensitive kiddos. The Companion guide has tons of extra ideas for hands on things and supplements. I think that's a great idea! Interesting! I have a super-sensitive 13 year old. Do you think CHOW would work for her, or is it too young? We probably wouldn't use it as a formal curriculum, but more like summer reading. Could it work that way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicMom Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Interesting! I have a super-sensitive 13 year old. Do you think CHOW would work for her, or is it too young? We probably wouldn't use it as a formal curriculum, but more like summer reading. Could it work that way? CHOW was written for 10 yr olds, so I think 13 is not too old. I think it's one of those books that, if they are a few yrs older, they have the potential to get more out of it. It would also be fairly easy to flesh out with activities, visuals, documentaries, or written assignments to beef it up a bit. I say go for it. Definitely would work for summer reading for a 13 yo, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 We just started SOTW. Have you found it to be a problem with the sensitivities issue? Wondering what we'll encounter... They did already hear about somebody getting put in a coffin and thrown into the river to drown (and my son is leery about water - oy). I emphasized that the story was not true, so I think that helped. Now I wonder if this type of thing is recurring with SOTW? Please tell me it's not... My dd was really, really upset about the Black Death (SOTW 2) - this was in late 3rd or early 4th grade. She sure as heck didn't appreciate my "extra reading" on the topic! Including highly recommended novels like A Door in the Wall, so I just let all that stuff go and moved on. It was really upsetting to her to think about parents dying and leaving kids alone, as well as all the rest of it. We studied microbiology this year, and while we definitely studied viruses and bacteria that caused disease, we didn't dwell on it - we read the supplemental lit about the benfits of microbes (fermentation, cheese & chocolate, etc.) rather than their horrors. That's all that I can think of from SOTW 2 . . . SWB does leave out the Spanish Inquisition, so you don't have to worry about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 CHOW was written for 10 yr olds, so I think 13 is not too old. I think it's one of those books that, if they are a few yrs older, they have the potential to get more out of it. It would also be fairly easy to flesh out with activities, visuals, documentaries, or written assignments to beef it up a bit. I say go for it. Definitely would work for summer reading for a 13 yo, IMO. Thank you very much! It sounds great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 My dd was really, really upset about the Black Death (SOTW 2) It was really upsetting to her to think about parents dying and leaving kids alone, as well as all the rest of it. Same for my dd. She liked SOTW1, but when we got to that part in vol 2, she was DONE. Well, she had nightmares for weeks, but she was done with the book. Wouldn't touch it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Now you guys have me wondering. We get to that part today. (Assuming school gets done. And right now that doesn't look possible since my boys are busy playing Plants vs. Zombies. -- Note they aren't playing on the ipad. They are zombies and have cones, ... and have set up various things for the game) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peso Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I think CHOW would make great summer reading. I've reread it myself just for fun, and I'm waaaaaay older than 13 :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Chronological history/literature is not developmentally appropriate for all children. Some PS social studies and literature scope and sequences that people sneer at, are better suited for some children. Used textbooks that can be used as spines are available for pennies at Amazon. TWTM notebooking ideas can be tweaked to work with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBoogie Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Yeah, I thought it would be fun to read "A Street Through Time" with my 7 year old a few months ago. Well, the "plague" street gave her nightmares for a week. "Mom, I don't want the rats to give me disease! I don't want them to throw my body in a pit!" Oops. Mommy fail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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