Could we do a "confessions" here....

[jillian]

for parents of gifted kiddos?

 

Mine: half the time we don't actually do school. I surround her with good information and let her have at it. She seems to learn more that way.

[Crimson Wife]

The other day we watched Monty Python's "Lumberjack" song and clips from the "Gong Show" on YouTube during seatwork time and chalked it up to "cultural literacy". I made references in passing to both and the kids were all confused. So naturally I had to enlighten them.

[jillian]

Right now she's quacking at ducks out the window. Eh be weird I don't care

[quark]

I think we will be unschooling writing again. ;)

Watching and quacking at ducks is wonderful. There's so much to be observed from their behavior isn't there? Neuroscience of animals 101 perhaps? :)

We enjoy discussing songs too although I haven't thought about chalking it up as anything formal yet. There are a few ethnic songs that we listen to in the car that combines several languages in the lyrics and DS is always curious to check out the music video on YouTube.

Life and especially homeschooling life should be hard work but fun too ya?

[jillian]

Lol it's been interesting. We don't know if she will be homeschooled next year just because we don't know what is going to happen once husband gets out of the navy but I've been looking at curriculum again and honestly I sometimes wish I could buy something boxed. Instead I have to piece together and I hate it some days. Other days I love it.

[SKL]

My confession:  I sure am glad that my stubborn, too-independent kid is also my smart kid.  (And my challenged kid is my compliant, loves-to-work-with-mom kid.)  Otherwise I'd be tearing my hair out and theirs on a daily basis.  :P

 

Basically my advanced kid does what she wants, when she wants, if she wants.  :P

Disclaimer:  I don't homeschool.  So I don't have to be responsible for covering anything in particular.

[acurtis75]

I have several...

 

I've almost gone to the dark side and become an un-schooler :lol:

 

We've done very little formal curriculum over the last year and a half and it is getting to the point where I don't even feel guilty about it anymore. I'm not sure I could even say half the time we do school. She's reading and learning all the time and is already doing pre-alebra at 8. 

 

I've let dd stay up until midnight for almost a month since we've had relatives in town off an on so she is waking up around noon. Today she woke up at 11 and played with the baby for an hour or so and is now taking another nap. 

 

For the last 2 weeks I've let her play geography games and listen to geography songs to prepare for a Geo bee this weekend and called it school. She's also done sewing, crafting and baking with grandma the last few weeks. Yep, that was school too. Life skills 

 

I do not read out loud to my 8 year old. I stopped when she was about 4 and could read fluently on her own. She doesn't like me to read to her and I decided to just let it go. I have her read aloud to me occasionally to make sure her pronunciation is reasonable good.

 

After 3 years of never getting science finished I stopped trying. I decided reading books about science and going to science classes at the museum is all the science school we need for now.

 

I can never really go all the way to the dark side because I like the idea of classical learning and methods too much. This means I will continue to buy too many curriculum books and schedule all kinds of work and subjects we probably won't complete.

 

I don't like Singapore math and just couldn't wrap my mind around using MCT materials as our main curriculum. This means that we have CWP because I feel compelled to use it since it is so good but we don't get around to it often and dd read the MCT read the island series and it is on our shelf but we never really did the exercises.

[Dmmetler]

DD does almost everything but AOPS independently. I actually spend more time preparing for the groups and clubs I teach than for homeschooling her-and she does her projects and presentations for the groups as well. Most of the time, I don't even know what she has planned beyond the "Mommy, can we check Amazon for a hat with horns?" level.

 

And the other confession-I wish I'd gotten to teach a cute little kid for longer. Instead, I have a highly motivated, focused, old for her age middle schooler-who has set a goal of beating 95% of 8th graders on the EXPLORE so she can take the ACT and start college classes (she figures that if you have to be at the 95% on a grade level test to take the EXPLORE, being 95% on the EXPLORE should qualify you to take the ACT early, right?) and is spending her fun time on the local public library's test prep database. I get the feeling that she's humoring me a lot of the time .

[jillian]

I'm so glad we aren't the only ones. Dd is newly 6 and just blows me away. She does multiplication, discusses science topics in depth and complexly and reads at a late elementary level if not more

[quark]

I have several...

 

I've almost gone to the dark side and become an un-schooler :lol:

 

We've done very little formal curriculum over the last year and a half and it is getting to the point where I don't even feel guilty about it anymore. I'm not sure I could even say half the time we do school. She's reading and learning all the time and is already doing pre-alebra at 8. 

 

I've let dd stay up until midnight for almost a month since we've had relatives in town off an on so she is waking up around noon. Today she woke up at 11 and played with the baby for an hour or so and is now taking another nap. 

 

For the last 2 weeks I've let her play geography games and listen to geography songs to prepare for a Geo bee this weekend and called it school. She's also done sewing, crafting and baking with grandma the last few weeks. Yep, that was school too. Life skills 

 

I do not read out loud to my 8 year old. I stopped when she was about 4 and could read fluently on her own. She doesn't like me to read to her and I decided to just let it go. I have her read aloud to me occasionally to make sure her pronunciation is reasonable good.

 

After 3 years of never getting science finished I stopped trying. I decided reading books about science and going to science classes at the museum is all the science school we need for now.

 

I can never really go all the way to the dark side because I like the idea of classical learning and methods too much. This means I will continue to buy too many curriculum books and schedule all kinds of work and subjects we probably won't complete.

 

I don't like Singapore math and just couldn't wrap my mind around using MCT materials as our main curriculum. This means that we have CWP because I feel compelled to use it since it is so good but we don't get around to it often and dd read the MCT read the island series and it is on our shelf but we never really did the exercises.

 

This is how it started looking for us at that age too. We have never really completely gone to the "other" side either because with the acceleration, DS has had to also work consistently or else it's hard to keep up with the organization side of following the material (keeping up conceptually never seems to be hard) but otherwise we like the relaxed nature of doing fewer meaningful things at a consistent instead of daily pace.

 

 

[8filltheheart]

I really don't get the whole "parenting/educating gifted kiddo" thing.   I never think that way.   I simply parent and teach.   But what some of you are describing as unusual doesn't seem at all unusual to me.  I have completely normal avg kids that thrive with the educational approaches that I use with my advanced kids.  Seriously, with the exception of AoPS, I really just don't get it.

[quark]

I really don't get the whole "parenting/educating gifted kiddo" thing.   I never think that way.   I simply parent and teach.   But what some of you are describing as unusual doesn't seem at all unusual to me.  I have completely normal avg kids that thrive with the educational approaches that I use with my advanced kids.  Seriously, with the exception of AoPS, I really just don't get it.

 

I went back and read the OP...totally missed where she says "gifted kiddos". Mine are just confessions of a sometimes slacker mom :). I wasn't responding so much as a parent of a gifted kiddo but just as a homeschooling parent who likes doing relaxed things and/ or accelerates based on need. 

[acurtis75]

I don't feel labels are very important but I do like to come here to this board because I know others have kids who are older but similar to my dd in learning style.  It doesn't matter to me if you call it educating a gifted kid, an accelerated kid or whatever term feels right. The main difference I see is that those of us with similar kids seem to spend little or no time teaching. Most of my time is spent researching, planning & then re-evaluating the plan we've blown through. My friends who have kids who are thriving and excited about learning but who work more on grade level spend more time teaching.

 

I'm not sure one or the other is easier...just different. 

[8filltheheart]

I deleted my post.   My other post was in the spirit of "confessions."   This one wasn't.

[Uff Da!]

NM

[jillian]

Keep in mind this is in the accelerated section :)

[acurtis75]

I really don't get the whole "parenting/educating gifted kiddo" thing.   I never think that way.   I simply parent and teach.   But what some of you are describing as unusual doesn't seem at all unusual to me.  I have completely normal avg kids that thrive with the educational approaches that I use with my advanced kids.  Seriously, with the exception of AoPS, I really just don't get it.

I didn't see the post you deleted but I didn't realize that you were making a confession. That should have been obvious since it was the purpose of this thread and therefore I don't really think you were looking for or needed a reply. Sorry if I seemed to be confrontational because that wasn't my intent. My original reading of your post included my own interpretation that you were questioning the need for the thread. 

[8filltheheart]

Keep in mind this is in the accelerated section :)

 

Jillian, just in case this was directed toward me, I posted in the spirit of "confessions," and, yes, I am the parent of very accelerated children.  Doesn't change my response.  :)

[Crimson Wife]

The main difference I see is that those of us with similar kids seem to spend little or no time teaching.

I think this definitely depends on the parent's educational philosophy, the materials chosen, the child's learning preferences, etc., etc.

 

I'm a big believer in Socratic discussions as a teaching tool and look for materials that help stimulate these discussions like MCT so a lot of my time is spent on teaching.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

I think this definitely depends on the parent's educational philosophy, the materials chosen, the child's learning preferences, etc., etc.

 

I'm a big believer in Socratic discussions as a teaching tool and look for materials that help stimulate these discussions like MCT so a lot of my time is spent on teaching.

 

I completely agree.  My oldest does a few things by herself but everything else is with me, read aloud by me interspersed with discussions, me sitting by her to talk through problems, etc.  She thrives on interaction with others.  My younger kids still need me for all subjects.  It makes for a long, busy day but it is enjoyable for me.

[8filltheheart]

I think this definitely depends on the parent's educational philosophy, the materials chosen, the child's learning preferences, etc., etc.I'm a big believer in Socratic discussions as a teaching tool and look for materials that help stimulate these discussions like MCT so a lot of my time is spent on teaching.

I completely agree. My oldest does a few things by herself but everything else is with me, read aloud by me interspersed with discussions, me sitting by her to talk through problems, etc. She thrives on interaction with others. My younger kids still need me for all subjects. It makes for a long, busy day but it is enjoyable for me.

This is essentially the content of my deleted post. My favorite part of the day is my time discussing short stories with my 2 advanced high schoolers. The discussions are interesting and often quite heated as they defend their POV. (We are a very opinionated bunch in this house, so this is our version of fun!). Yesterday's was great as they discussed the similarities and differences of The Lottery with Hunger Games. Ds backed himself into a corner and little sister trounced. ;)

 

I would never opt to not spend time discussing/teaching/learning alongside with my kids. They have so many interesting things to ask and discuss. It is why I love homeschooling.

[quark]

Hmm...sometimes I wonder if I am phrasing things differently from others. I guess to me the discussing and learning that I do with my guy = co-learning. I don't think of it as teaching. I think of it as a two-way street, often relaxing and casual (maybe because it's just the two of us and he's quite a mature kid and it feels weird to be "teaching" him). Not how I imagine teaching to be, i.e. homeschooling parent at desk or blackboard presenting information to kids. One or two of kiddo's outsourced classes are "taught" in that way but most are mentored, in a Socratic fashion, and that's basically what I aspire to at home for the subjects I do with him.

 

I guess I am allowing my experience "being taught" in school to color my perception of the word "teaching". I don't think of those of you who call it teaching as standing at a blackboard...not at all. It's just that what I think of when I see the word teaching is probably nothing like what you guys refer to as teaching. 

 

Anyway, I thought this thread was about confessing how we sometimes allow ourselves to slack off in the name of fun. :)

[La Texican]

I thought it was about confessing our bacon and/or chocolate habits and why the wine keeps evaporating.

 

confession: I try to be efficient in my teaching so the work part doesn't take long, but I don't know anything about learning styles.

 

confession: I usually eat the chocolate and don't share with the kids because I don't want to deal with the meltdowns when thesugar wears off. (For me or them).

[acurtis75]

Hmm...sometimes I wonder if I am phrasing things differently from others. I guess to me the discussing and learning that I do with my guy = co-learning. I don't think of it as teaching. I think of it as a two-way street, often relaxing and casual (maybe because it's just the two of us and he's quite a mature kid and it feels weird to be "teaching" him). Not how I imagine teaching to be, i.e. homeschooling parent at desk or blackboard presenting information to kids. One or two of kiddo's outsourced classes are "taught" in that way but most are mentored, in a Socratic fashion, and that's basically what I aspire to at home for the subjects I do with him.

 

I guess I am allowing my experience "being taught" in school to color my perception of the word "teaching". I don't think of those of you who call it teaching as standing at a blackboard...not at all. It's just that what I think of when I see the word teaching is probably nothing like what you guys refer to as teaching. 

 

Anyway, I thought this thread was about confessing how we sometimes allow ourselves to slack off in the name of fun. :)

 

I think we are using the term teaching in the same way and coming from a similar perspective. I spend lots of time in socratic discussions with dd and in conversation with her. We are in conversation most of the day every day. I do see myself more as mentor than teacher. 

 

When I said less time "teaching" I was envisioning spending time explicitly covering what could be considered grammar stage material in various subjects. For example, I know that many 3rd graders spend a lot of time learning what nouns and verbs are and how to multiply and divide. There's also a lot of memorizing of facts. I have a friend who spent a lot of time remediating math with her kids after pulling them out of public school and I remember her detailing multiple ways she researched to help them "get" the concept of multiplication and division. Another friend is working on double digit subtraction and using multiple resources to reinforce concepts. This is not something we've had to do at this point in our homeschool. Again, not easier or harder, just different. 

 

Socratic discussion and conversations about life and things we are learning are what I consider to be most enjoyable about homeschooling as well. We're not there yet but I would imagine there is less difference in teaching/homeschooling/mentoring older students of various skill levels than there is in the elementary years.  

[acurtis75]

I thought it was about confessing our bacon and/or chocolate habits and why the wine keeps evaporating.

 

confession: I try to be efficient in my teaching so the work part doesn't take long, but I don't know anything about learning styles.

 

confession: I usually eat the chocolate and don't share with the kids because I don't want to deal with the meltdowns when thesugar wears off. (For me or them).

 

I have been known to sneak chocolate in my room so I don't have to share with dd  who seems to be able to smell it from upstairs as soon as I unwrap it in the kitchen.

[8filltheheart]

Hmm...sometimes I wonder if I am phrasing things differently from others. I guess to me the discussing and learning that I do with my guy = co-learning. I don't think of it as teaching. I think of it as a two-way street, often relaxing and casual (maybe because it's just the two of us and he's quite a mature kid and it feels weird to be "teaching" him). Not how I imagine teaching to be, i.e. homeschooling parent at desk or blackboard presenting information to kids. One or two of kiddo's outsourced classes are "taught" in that way but most are mentored, in a Socratic fashion, and that's basically what I aspire to at home for the subjects I do with him.

 

I guess I am allowing my experience "being taught" in school to color my perception of the word "teaching". I don't think of those of you who call it teaching as standing at a blackboard...not at all. It's just that what I think of when I see the word teaching is probably nothing like what you guys refer to as teaching.

 

Anyway, I thought this thread was about confessing how we sometimes allow ourselves to slack off in the name of fun. :)

Effective Socratic questions are the best way of teaching, IMO. For example, Kathy is an expert in sitting alongside a student working through a problem at the same time as them, chatting with them while working and then interjecting a question every once and a while. Listening to,her and watching how those questions impact their thinking and understanding is master teaching in action. Far superior to direct instruction but most definitely teaching.

 

But, what you describe as teaching has never occurred in a single day in our homeschool except through TC lectures. ;)

 

But ditto to your last comment which is why I had originally deleted my other post.

[quark]

Effective Socratic questions are the best way of teaching, IMO. For example, Kathy is an expert in sitting alongside a student working through a problem at the same time as them, talking with them while working and then interjecting a question every once and a while. Listening to,her and watching how those questions impact their thinking and understanding is master teaching in action. Far superior to direct instruction but most definitely teaching.

 

But, what you describe as teaching has never occurred in a single day in our homeschool except through TC lectures. ;)

 

But ditto to your last comment which is why I had originally deleted my other post.

 

That's kiddo's math tutor too. I wish we could have an opportunity to work directly with Kathy. :001_wub:  A response she provided me recently to one of my son's proofs was much more detailed and helpful than his own tutor's response. She rocks!

 

[Donna]

My dd does her schoolwork completely independently two days a week while I work.

She spends more time practicing violin than she does doing school most days.

Fridays we don't do school at all.

She goes to bed later than I do almost every night.

 

I think those are all my homeschool confessions. I feel better.

[Dana]

confession: I usually eat the chocolate and don't share with the kids because I don't want to deal with the meltdowns when thesugar wears off. (For me or them).

 

That is about the only advantage I see to my son's food allergies. He can't steal my chocolate stash.

 

I do have to worry about my husband though....

[Dmmetler]

I guess I don't see discussion as teaching so much. Rather, it's that DD works on her own, and then ends up talking about it for the next couple of weeks. Part of that is because she seems to prefer to have someone else teach. She loves her online classes, and we have a lot of great discussions because of them, but I'm not "Teaching". There really isn't much I can teach her in Latin at this point, because while I theoretically have had more study, she's pretty much closed that gap (so that will probably be outsourced in another year or so-I figure I'll let her finish working through Cambridge first).  And honestly, I learn more about herpetology, ecology, and similar topics from her than the other way around now, and if she has questions, she's going to e-mail them to her mentor.

 

When she was little (and most of my friends with kids her age), I spent a lot of time coming up with cute activities and fun things to do, and I actually got to teach. Now, it's more like we're both members of the same college study group-and that while she wants someone to talk with, she'd just as soon have it NOT be mom. I miss getting to teach. I don't know if this is an AL thing, or a "self-motivated child" thing, or a "kids getting older" thing. But I miss that. And none of my friends who have non AL 3rd graders, who complain about having to walk them through their math homework every night or how they wish their child would be able to do a workbook page without them sitting right there understand that I kind of wish my child needed ME more. Not some random person to talk to about fossorial species or the Crimean War, but ME.

 

 

 

 

[wapiti]

I guess I don't see discussion as teaching so much. Rather, it's that DD works on her own, and then ends up talking about it for the next couple of weeks. Part of that is because she seems to prefer to have someone else teach. She loves her online classes, and we have a lot of great discussions because of them, but I'm not "Teaching".

 

I think y'all are talking about two different types of discussions.  From what you've written here, it does not sound like your discussions are usually Socratic in nature.  However, that doesn't mean your discussion isn't teaching - it depends - if her line of thinking goes deeper as a result of your discussion, kind of like she's thinking out loud and your responses, even "mm-hmm" and nodding, encourage her to continue, then IMO that may still be a sort of teaching.

 

FWIW, as an example, AoPS is Socratic in nature and lends itself perfectly to Socratic teaching, IMO.

 

***

Eta, on the chocolate, I keep my stash in the vitamin and medicine cabinet in the kitchen, conveniently located right above my computer.  After all, it's both a vitamin and a medicine, is it not?  Dh often brings fancy chocolate presents for me... unfortunately now all my Christmas bacon chocolate is gone  :tongue_smilie:

[jillian]

We discuss stuff all the time but school takes maybe 45 minutes to an hour even with breaks. Husband wants me to spend more time because he thinks she needs to practice that but it's not like we don't talk about stuff we learn across the board and in so many different contexts that's it's not just books or materials. She got a microscope for Christmas and spent hours looking through it on Christmas Day. She plays with Legos and learns how to read the plans in the books and then adapts them. She plays with her snap circuits and does the same thing as she does with the Legos. We utilize life skills daily and all of that but our book learning is not very long. She likes me to read psychology case studies to her. She likes looking through different college textbooks in our house. She watches ted talks and we discuss. It isn't just here is the stuff and we never elaborate.

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

Confession: I wish I could just talk about my adorable early learner more. :( I hate being so self conscious about it and worrying about making other parents feel bad. I was looking at old family video clips and came across a video of ds#2 correctly identifying letter names and sounds at 2 years, 2 months old. It's so CUTE hearing him make the sounds with his little baby voice. :001_wub: 10 months later, on his 3rd brithday, he finished HOP kindergarten and was moving on to 1st grade. Another confession: I have no memory of what my oldest was like at my middle child's age, and I have no clue what's normal and what to expect. I feel like a new parent sometimes with baby #3.

[acurtis75]

Confession: I wish I could just talk about my adorable early learner more. :( I hate being so self conscious about it and worrying about making other parents feel bad. I was looking at old family video clips and came across a video of ds#2 correctly identifying letter names and sounds at 2 years, 2 months old. It's so CUTE hearing him make the sounds with his little baby voice. :001_wub: 10 months later, on his 3rd brithday, he finished HOP kindergarten and was moving on to 1st grade. Another confession: I have no memory of what my oldest was like at my middle child's age, and I have no clue what's normal and what to expect. I feel like a new parent sometimes with baby #3.

At least you have one in the middle. I have an almost 9 year old and a 10 month old. I actually pulled out videos the other day so I could have some idea of when dd did what because people keep asking. It was 8 years ago...I have no idea :)

[quark]

Another confession: I have no memory of what my oldest was like at my middle child's age, and I have no clue what's normal and what to expect. I feel like a new parent sometimes with baby #3.

 

I have an only child but have no recollection of the many things he did as a baby...only that he was a very loud, colicky, sleepless child. I have forgotten so many milestones. I was recently speaking to my sis, a new mom, and each time she asked when did A do this and when did A do that so that she could have some idea for her own child, I could only shake my head and remember very few things. I can only fully remember the years after I stopped working full time and when he started to sleep better and finally sleep through the night. And then, of course, he promptly stopped napping in the afternoons lol.

 

Please confess away...I am glad it's safe here and so glad for threads like these!

 

[dharmacat]

Sometimes I purposely wander each and every grocery store aisle, even though I only need a few things. I detest grocery shopping, but sometimes its preferable to being home with the kiddos & hubby after a long day of HSing.

 

After 8 p.m., I am officially a "bad mommy". I'm a morning person, so you'd better get all of your small talk, questions about "Life, the universe and everything", and particularly those mind-numbing Minecraft recitations off your chest by late afternoon.

 

I consciously thank the heavens more often for red wine than I do for my children. (Doesn't mean I love it more; I'm just more aware of the grace it bestows upon my frazzled mind. Did I really have to explain that?)

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

I do that in a store, too!

[MotherOfBoys]

Wow so nice to read these. I hide my son's accomplishments now because people think he can't possibly be learning as quick as he is. I must be skipping problems or whole lessons. They love to say he's just memorizing not learning the concepts... he's going to hit a huge wall and not do anything for a year. I'm so sick of these judgements from other homeschooling moms in my community. It makes me so insecure, like I must be missing something or doing it wrong. Emotionally he's five but mentally not. 

 

I love to use the excuse "he's my first born, he gets unlimited attention. Right now" but it's a lie. He plays with his brother more than me lately.

One "friend" stopped inviting us over for play dates when she found my son passed her son in math and reading, hers is three years older.

[jillian]

Like others I don't remember the baby stage much. DD started talking around 6 months and was talking in complex sentences around a year or so. I don't even remember all the highlights of those ages. I remember at 18 months she asked me to teach her to read. She is my only too and she is homeschooled so folks are like "oh that's why she's smart". I hate it too, letting people just think that her being an only is the only reason why. I try not to talk about what she is doing except to grandparents and having that "must stop talking" feeling when I do bring up with others what she is doing. I literally will have my brain say "stop talking don't brag" and then I say it anyway. And then when I inevitably get the "look" I say something like "it is what it is" or something inane.

 

 

[crazyforlatin]

That is about the only advantage I see to my son's food allergies. He can't steal my chocolate stash.

 

I do have to worry about my husband though....

Same here, the husband is the problem, not the food allergy child. Costco has a large container of chocolate-covered caramel macadamia clusters (yeah, you read that right, almost everything I love in one candy) and I don't have to worry that DD will take one. I've warned DH about possible bodily harm if he touches them.

[....]

Wow so nice to read these. I hide my son's accomplishments now because people think he can't possibly be learning as quick as he is. I must be skipping problems or whole lessons. They love to say he's just memorizing not learning the concepts... he's going to hit a huge wall and not do anything for a year. I'm so sick of these judgements from other homeschooling moms in my community. It makes me so insecure, like I must be missing something or doing it wrong. Emotionally he's five but mentally not. 

 

I love to use the excuse "he's my first born, he gets unlimited attention. Right now" but it's a lie. He plays with his brother more than me lately.

One "friend" stopped inviting us over for play dates when she found my son passed her son in math and reading, hers is three years older.

 

:grouphug:

 

 

I do have one confession.  We have FIVE read-alouds going right now.  Yes, that's right.  FIVE.  It's ridiculous.  Our family needs an intervention.  

[Korrale]

I feel sometimes that the WTM forums are the only place I fit... But not really. My son has been reading and doing math since he was 2. He is not like many of his peers. I just can't relate with the things that other 4 years olds just started doing. (Learning colors, shapes, letters etc.) I relate more to stuff that 8 year olds on here are doing.

 

I don't know why people think that teaching a young under school age child to read, do math, science, history et al is monstrous. Yup I have been called a monster. Gentle, let the kid be a kid learning, seems to be the most popular way even on these forums. I find that coming onto the accelerated board it is a little more forgiving.

 

My son and I both think academics are fun. When I was little all I wanted to do was read and play with cards and learn math. I turned our okay. Why is it an adult can read for fun, but for a 2 year old it is cruel?

 

I don't think my son is gifted or any smarter than any other kid. I just think that there re sweet spots for learning foundations. And I taught my son in those sweet spots. Because my son can read I no longer teach him. He self teaches most math, but come to me when he is stuck, and he learns about everything else by reading and watching documentaries.

Very little of our day is really schooling. But he is learning in everyday life.

[bakpak]

I hit the 100 book limit at the library last month. It's truly an addiction. The librarian was all flustered and stuttering about it, trying to figure out why on earth the computer wouldn't let me check out any more. I said, "Oh, I asked awhile ago if there was an upper limit on the number of books I could check out, and they said No". She said, "Well, they never really expect anyone to reach that level!!" I have always had a book addiction, but it's a bit ridiculous these days. I suspect I'm overcompensating a bit since I'm working full time these days and can't spend as much time with my DD. At least the library books are free; I could be spending tons of $$!

 

 

[Uff Da!]

I confess that I get worried about DS getting lost behind Dd's whirl wind. At the same time, I wonder how much more he is being exposed to (than Dd) just because he's the second child. I didn't dream of doing math, Latin and so forth with Dd at this age but he's getting that. He's getting a very different preschool experience than she did.

[Dmmetler]

I confess that I sometimes envy people who can just buy one grade level of everything from one curriculum provider (or maybe 2) and be done. Or, for that matter, can send their child to the local PS and be confident that things will be close to the right level. I'm starting to try to figure out what I need for next year, and it's a little dizzying-especially since I am getting to the point where I have to decide if it's going to be a high school class on the transcript I'm likely to be using to justify taking college classes early or not. If I could just order a big box with "5" (or even 6 or 7) on the side, it would be SO much easier!

 

 

[scbusf]

...

[sunnyday]

I confess that I still hold out hope that my children are not gifted. They're young yet, and though DS is quick and WAY ahead of the coursework in his school, I don't think he'd stick out much, say, in a Bay Area PS for example. And while DD might be reading at an advanced level and clamoring to pick up the pace in first grade math, she is only four. She might slow down in the next few years? Neither of my kids was a verbal infant or a literate toddler, so I can grasp that thread of hope tightly.

[Halcyon]

Here's mine: I am concerned as my younger seems to be catching up with my older. I don't like this. Older doesn't like this. It causes tension. 

 

There.

[Mommy2BeautifulGirls]

Sometimes I purposely wander each and every grocery store aisle, even though I only need a few things. I detest grocery shopping, but sometimes its preferable to being home with the kiddos & hubby after a long day of HSing.

 

After 8 p.m., I am officially a "bad mommy". I'm a morning person, so you'd better get all of your small talk, questions about "Life, the universe and everything", and particularly those mind-numbing Minecraft recitations off your chest by late afternoon.

 

I consciously thank the heavens more often for red wine than I do for my children. (Doesn't mean I love it more; I'm just more aware of the grace it bestows upon my frazzled mind. Did I really have to explain that?)

[Mommy2BeautifulGirls]

This is me... My brain just shuts down. And I get so sick of the Minecraft talk!