Hi (: Sending big hugs from here, too! I am so sorry that you are having a tough time this year. Feeling overwhelmed and anxious is a normal thing for me, too, especially at this time of year. Some years discouragement and lack of joy have accompanied that, and it has been a real challenge. It is a ...

Hi (: I am working with three right now, and it is fun and it is busy! My eldest dd is doing RtR, son is doing 1st, and youngest dd is doing pre4 (my own design including MFWpre). We have staggered the beginning of school, and it has been such a blessing! I heartily agree with those who have recomme...

Hi (: What fun to always want to learn! I have an idea for you. You can test yourself this way to find a level, too. Each time you start working with a new list in SP, read the words into a recording device. Play them back and listen carefully --and then type them in Word (or other program) with spe...

Hi (: Loved GWN when we used it previously and plan to do so again this year. I give it to my sweetlings and let them read it on their own. They usually begin a discussion or ask a question on their own, and the whole gang joins in. If I don't hear anything from them within a couple of days of a new...

Another fun idea would be a theme tea - like a "red and white" tea for the colors of Canada's flag, or a "maple leaf" tea for the symbol... Let us know how it goes

Hi Betsy :) I am chiming in a little late here but wanted to share with you anyway. I've done both - sometimes using lots and lots of additional ideas and sometimes working strictly with the TM - and both ways are super! I am an "additional ideas" reader, however, and there seems to be no cure for i...

We have found homeschooling to be one of the greatest joys and privileges of our lives. So, so much I could say here - lol! Our years have been fun and full with MFW - just so thankful that the Father led us to it. May the Father bless you as you continue in Him.

Posted Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:47 pm by Mom2MnS We did the same with fiction books that were filled with good info, and my dd loved them. For the nonfiction, we looked through them together and when something caught her eye we stopped to discuss it / look for an answer to her question. We both really e...

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 3:33 pm Also, take a trip to the library when you have plenty of time. While your sweetie looks around, sit down with all of the early readers you can find and go through them one by one to find some that #1 would interest him and #2 are beginners level. They are out there!...

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 6:53 pm Hi Laura :) Sometimes we take nature walks on purpose... like the day we did a mushroom expedition, or dandelion day, or when we go out to specifically discover something. Other times, nature happens to us :) like the others have written about... a hummingbird visit...

Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:02 pm Hi Annette :) Welcome! We did K last year and loved it. It is just an excellent program - lots of learning and lots of fun. I thought the deluxe items added a lot to our year. If you have the budget, I highly recommend it. Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 2:27 pm The art bo...

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 5:28 pm Hi Robyn :) It works wonderfully well! We have enjoyed our light days so much - using them for nature days, celebration days, catch up days, break days, etc - lol! Also, we have done light Fridays some and other times light Weds. Both have worked well at diff times :)

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 3:11 pm Hi :) We have LOVED this part of our weekly learning adventures! Last year in K, we made nature pictures and added them to our K notebook (one that we made with all of M's work in it). We drew whatever she found outside during our walks or any other time, we made ba...

Hi Christa :) Do you journal? I read a WONDERFUL idea they other day (but I don't remember where, so please forgive me for not providing a source)... The mom and daughter sat down together and made a list of questions and topics together (and they continually add to it). When the child is to write, ...

Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:42 pm We are just finishing the 6th book in the "Animal Friends" series by Janette Oke. They are such good books and would make good read alouds for you to read or for your dd to read. They are chapter books, and the chapters are three pages (full of words) or so each. We...

Hi & welcome :) I worked hard at gathering the recommended book for each K lesson (the only one I could not purchase was the penguin one - it's out of print, and the cost was too much on the copies I found). We are thrilled to have them in our book collection. They are all wonderful! One that I woul...

Hi :) I laminated almost everything - except the 100 chart - lol! I went ahead and colored the timeline pieces and the reading chart myself and had them laminated by the sheet. (We'll be doing timelines again, and there was PLENTY of drawing and coloring of other things for dd to do.) I was so glad ...

I have what may be a silly question...How do you make a salt tray for beginning letter formation for a pre-k'er? I'm wondering how deep the salt should be. Is it just a little on the bottom of a pan, so your finger touches the bottom when you write? Or is it suppose to be deeper so your finger is a...

Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:46 pm I think waiting is a good idea. Maybe you could gather some things you like for fall, reinforcing what you've learned in K, and do lots and lots of read aloud time. See how he is doing by Christmas and begin MFW 1 in January. I think it is wisdom to wait and practic...

Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:53 pm I would take the break and do some summer bridge work - and lots and lots of read alouds. We did that and it was fun and different, while we were practicing our K skills. We LOVED the K program so much! First is wonderful, too, just different - so I would advise get...

Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:49 pm Popping in to add a little info from our perspective - you have lots of good answers here already! We did K last year and it took from 15 min to 45 min most days. If we had a "gotta get it done day", we could do the work we needed to in 15 good minutes :) Most days,...

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 2:20 pm

Finding a balance and having the courage to try something new are two wonderful ways to bless our sweeties. I am so glad it was a good day - Thanks for sharing!

Here are the things we did for 100 day this year... :> graphed 100 beads, and then made a string for our art board with divisions by ten :> decorated the number 100 (printed in bubble letters) with stamp art and pompoms :> made a list of 100 things we are thankful for :> played "roll 100" dice game ...

For those doing ADV or preparing for it next year, Millie Miller has written a similar book on the US. Perfect for book basket! :) Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:49 pm Just adding a note to Paige's recommendation... I bought the states one for Adventures next year, and it looks wonderful! It's one page...

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:43 pm We graphed 100 M&M's. We also made trail mix with ten pieces of ten different things (goldfish, pretzels, Kix, tiny chocolate morsels, coconut flakes (lol), nuts, cheerios, raisins, banana chips, dried apricot pieces). My daughter loved decorating a hollow "100" tha...