PARENTING FREEDOM

carol | August 26, 2010

Shocking School Drug And Gang Survey
http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/education/shocking-school-drug-and-gang-survey-20100819-lgf

“Nearly 50 percent of all public school students report drug use or sales on school grounds.”

One in five seven-year-olds unable to write properly while thousands more struggle with basic maths
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1306316/Thousands-pupils-unable-write-properly-struggle-basic-maths.html#ixzz0xideMSnp

The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America ~ Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt
http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com/

The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America ~ Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt [FREE BOOK]
http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com/MomsPDFs/DDDoA.sml.pdf

JMP Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt 30 January 2009

“He could take a pro-life child and turn him pro-abortion in one hour.”

“They would use the economy to get the women out of the house.”

“Then the state would get the kids. Train them. Brainwash them.”

Charlotte Iserbyt – Deliberate Dumbing Down of the World [linked this video before]

Time Out Productions Interviews Charlotte Iserbyt

Category: Homeschooling Academics, Homeschooling Controversy, Politics, Politics Barack Obama, Public School | No Comments »
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carol | August 5, 2010

‘Hard Truth’ on Education
New, Higher Standards for Proficiency Alter View of Years of Perceived Gains
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703940904575395713088598850.html

“Hundreds of thousands of children had been misled into believing they were proficient in English and math, when in fact they were not…”

Category: Homeschooling Academics, Public School | No Comments »
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carol | July 5, 2010

More than half of Grade 12 students failed 2009 math exam
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1189774.html

“More than half of Nova Scotia’s Grade 12 students are struggling with mathematics… Only 45 per cent of pupils passed the provincial examination last year…”

The Kids Can’t Read
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/06/21/the-kids-cant-read

“Forty percent of Atlanta eight-grade students tested Below Basic proficiency in reading… Far too few children, no matter their socioeconomic background, can read well enough to function in an economy in which literacy is more-important than ever… Few university schools of education (which educate most of our teachers) do a proper job of teaching aspiring students how to address reading… During the 1970s and 1980s, states embraced Whole Language and ignored phonics, forgetting that kids need to know how to also sound words. Only after states saw reading scores decline did they reverse course.”

Florida school district bans Bibles on Religious Freedom Day
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features-the-religion-world/2010/07/01/florida-school-district-bans-bibles-on-religious-freedom-day/

“School officials claim that Bibles do not provide any educational benefit to the students…”

Consider all the historical figures who began their education with the only book their families owned – the Bible.

Home Computers Have Led To Lower Test Scores In Younger Children – Study
http://www.scientificblogging.com/news_articles/home_computers_have_led_lower_test_scores_younger_children_study#comments

“Students in grades five through eight, particularly those from disadvantaged families, tend to post lower scores once these technologies arrive in their home.”

Category: Homeschooling Academics, Homeschooling Controversy, Public School | No Comments »
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carol | June 22, 2010

N16’s Book Rating System

***** Epic
**** Excellent
*** Worth Reading
** Limited Value
* Meh

Books Son N16 read this year homeschooling in Grade Eleven at ages fifteen and sixteen:

A Brief History of Time ~ Stephen Hawking ****
Brideshead Revisited ~ Evelyn Waugh **
Labyrinths ~ Jorge Luis Borges *
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight ****
The Club of Queer Trades ~ G.K. Chesterson***
The Ilidad of Homer *****
Paradise Lost ~ John Milton *****
Phantastes A Faerie Romance ~ George MacDonald ***
Beowulf *****
Meditations ~ Marcus Aurelius ***
Death on the Nile ~ Agatha Christie ***
The Prose Edda ~ Snorri Sturlson ****
The Nibelungenlied ***
The Song of Roland ****
Clouds **
Metamorphoses ~ Ovid ***
Lord Jim ~ Joseph Conrad ***
Les Miserables ~ Victor Hugo ***
Saga of the Volsungs *****
Eclogues and Georgics ~ Virgil
The Bacchae ~ Euripides **
On the Nature of Things ~ Lucretius **
Twelve Caesars ~ Suetonius ***
Do Androids Dream of Electic Sheep? ~ Philip K. Dick **
The Prince ~ Niccolo Machiavelli ***
Augustus Caesar’s World 44BC to AD14 ~ Genevieve Foster **
Hunt For Red October ~ Tom Clancy ***
Aesop’s Fables ***
Euclid The Thirteen Books of the Elements Vol. 1 (Books 1 and II) **
The New Oxford Annotated Apocrypha **
Mythology ~ Edith Hamilton ***
The House of Seven Gables ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne ***
The Landmark Thucydides ****
Never Give In: The Extraordinary Character of Winston Churchill ~ Stephen Mansfield **
Hard Times ~ Charles Dickens **
Rob Roy ~ Sir Walter Scott **
The Lost World ~ Arthur Conan Doyle **
Le Morte Darthur Part 2 ~ Sir Thomas Malory ****
The Overton Window ~ Glenn Beck ***
The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki ***
Lysistrata And Other Plays ~ Aristophanes **
Chronicles of the Crusades ~ Joinville and Villehardouin
The Saga of Grettir the Strong

Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo, Phaedrus ~ Plato ****
The Republic ~ Plato ****

A Midsummer’s Nights Dream ~ William Shakespeare ***
Antony and Cleopatra ~ William Shakespeare ***
Troilus and Cressida ~ William Shakespeare ****

Anthem ~ Ayn Rand ***
Atlas Shrugged ~ Ayn Rand ****

Tales from the Perilous Realm ~ J.R.R. Tolkien *****
The Silmarillion ~ J.R.R. Tolkien ****
Roverandom ~ J.R.R. Tolkien ****
The Children of Hurin ~ J.R.R. Tolkien *****
The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun ~ J.R.R. Tolkien *****
The Hobbit ~ J.R.R. Tolkien *****
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight ~ Translated by Tolkien ****
Pearl ~ Translated by Tolkien ***
Sir Orfeo ~ Translated by Tolkien ***

Confessions ~ Saint Augustine ***
A Christian Manifesto ~ Francis Schaeffer ***
Art and the Bible ~ Francis A. Schaeffer ***
Institutes of Christian Religion Book 2 of 2 (Non-abridged) ~ John Calvin ****
Safely Home ~ Randy Alcorn **
The Apostolic Father **
Future Grace ~ John Piper ***

A Patriot’s History of the United States ~ Larry Schweikart, Michael Patrick Allen ****
The Real Benjamin Franklin ~ Allison, Skousen, Maxfield ****
The Real George Washington ****
Liberty and Tyranny A Conservative Manifesto ~ Mark R. Levin ***
Going Rogue ~ Sarah Palin ***
As I See It ~ Michael Coren ***
Jean Chretien: A Legacy of Scandal ~ Paul Tuns

A History of Philosophy (Volumes 1-9) ~ Frederick Copleston ****
(Volume I: Greece and Rome: From the Pre-Socratics to Plotinus)
(Volume II: Medieval Philosophy: From Augustine to Duns Scotus)
(Volume III: Late Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy: Ockham, Francis Bacon, and the Beginning of the Modern World)
(Volume IV: Modern Philosophy: From Descartes to Leibniz)
(Volume V: Modern Philosophy: The British Philosophers from Hobbes to Hume)
(Volume VI: Modern Philosophy: From the French Enlightenment to Kant)
(Volume VII: Modern Philosophy: From the Post-Kantian Idealist to Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche)
(Volume VIII: Modern Philosophy: Empiricism, Idealism, and Pragmatism in Britain and America)
(Volume IX: Modern Philosophy: From the French Revolution to Sartre, Camus, and Levi-Strauss)

The Mechanical Universe (Olenick, Apos)
Beyond the Mechanical Universe (Olenick, Apos)

(Click here for Grade Eleven schedule and curriculum.)

Past two years:

Books N14 Read in Grade Nine
http://parentingfreedom.com/2008/06/19/books-n14-read-in-grade-nine/

Books N15 Read in Grade Ten
http://parentingfreedom.com/2009/06/08/books-n15-read-in-grade-ten/

Category: Books, Movies, Television, Homeschooling Academics | 1 Comment »
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carol | June 22, 2010

B11’s Book Rating System

***** Epic
**** Very Good
*** Worth Reading
** Limited Value
* Meh

Books Son B11 read this year homeschooling in Grade Six at ages ten and eleven:

God’s Smuggler ~ Brother Andrew *****
Children of the Storm ~ Natasha Vins ****
The Story of David Livingstone ***
With Lee in Virginia ~ G.A. Henty ****
The Broken Blade ~ William Durbin *****
Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry ~ Mildred D. Taylor ***
The Winged Watchman ~ Hilda Van Stockum ***
A Christmas Carol ~ Charles Dickens ****
Fahrenheit 451 ~ Ray Bradbury ***
Around the World in Eighty Days ~ Jules Verne ****
The Boy in the Alamo ~ Margaret Cousins ***
King of the Wind ~ Marguerite Henry ****
Penrod ~ Booth Tarkington ***
Fallen Angels ~ Walter Dean Myers ****
Beowulf *****
Peril and Peace Volume 1 Chronicles of the Ancient Church ~ Mindy and Brandon Withrow ****
The Egypt Game ~ Zilpha Keatley Snyder ****
A Coming Evil ~ Vivian Vande Velde ****
The Witch of Blackbird Pond ~ Elizabeth George Speare ***
Children of the Covered Wagon ~ Mary Jane Carr ****
The Red Badge of Courage ~ Stephen Crane ****
Miracles on Maple Hill ~ Virginia Sorensen ****
The Endless Steppe ~ Ester Hautzig ****
The Wright Brothers ~ Quentin Reynolds *****
Wanted… Mud Blossom ~ Betsy Byars ***
An Oxford Book of Christmas Stories **
Going Rogue ~ Sarah Palin ****
Diary of Wimpy Kid Dog Days ~ Jeff Kinney ****
No Coins, Please ~ Gordon Korman ***
Strider ~ Beverly Cleary ***
The Once and Future King ~ T.H. White ***
How Harry Cast His Spell ~ John Granger ***
The Magician’s Nephew ~ C. S. Lewis ***
The Bronze Bow ~ Elizabeth George Speare ***
Squalls Before War: His Majesty’s Schooner Sultana ~ Ned Bustard ***
In Search of Honor ~ Donnalynn Hess ****
The Thief Lord ~ Cornelia Funke ***
Gettysburg ~ MacKinlay Kantor ***
The Diary of a Young Girl ~ Anne Frank ***
Blue Willow ~ Doris Gates **
Lives of Poor Boys Who Became Famous ~ Sarah Knowles Bolton

The Children of Hurin ~ J.R.R. Tolkien ****
Roverandom ~ J.R.R. Tolkien *****
The Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring ~ J.R.R. Tolkien (again) *****
The Lord of the Rings Two Towers ~ J.R.R. Tolkien (again) *****
The Lord of the Rings The Return of the King ~ J.R.R. Tolkien (again) *****

Nick of Time ~ Ted Bell ****
The Time Pirate ~ Ted Bell ***

Pillage ~ Obert Skye ***
Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo ~ Obert Skye ****
Leven Thumps and the Whispered Secret ~ Obert Skye ***
Leven Thumps and the Eyes of The Want ~ Obert Skye ****
Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra ~ Obert Skye ****
Leven Thumps and the Ruins of Alder ~ Obert Skye ****

The Bartimaeus Trilogy:
The Amulet of Samarkand ~ Jonathan Stroud ****
The Golem’s Eye ~ Jonathan Stroud ****
Ptolemy’s Gate ~ Jonathan Stroud ****

The Binding of the Blade: Beyond the Summerland ~ L.B. Graham ***
The Binding of the Blade: Bringer of Storms ~ L.B. Graham ****
The Binding of the Blade: Shadow in the Deep ~ L.B. Graham ***
The Binding of the Blade: Father of the Dragons ~ L.B. Graham **
The Binding of the Blade: All My Holy Mountain ~ L.B. Graham **

The Mysterious Benedict Society ~ Trenton Lee Stewart ****
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey ~ Trenton Lee Stewart ****
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma ~ Trenton Lee Stewart ****

Tom Swift and His Sonic Boom Trap ~ Victor Appleton II ***
Tom Swift and His Flying Lab ~ Victor Appleton II ***
Tom Swift and His Air Scout ~ Victor Appleton ***
Tom Swift and His Air Ship ~ Victor Appleton ***
Tom Swift: Terror on the Moons of Jupiter ~ Victor Appleton **

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ~ J.K. Rowling (again) *****
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ J.K. Rowling (again) *****
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ~ J.K. Rowling (again) *****
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ~ J.K. Rowling (again) *****
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ~ J.K. Rowling (again) *****
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ~ J.K. Rowling (again) *****
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ~ J.K. Rowling (again) *****

The World’s Best Fairy Tales ***

Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? ~ Richard J. Maybury ****
Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? Canadian Supplement ~ Rudiger Krause ****
The Librarian who Measured the Earth ~ Kathryn Lasky ***

Marco Polo ~ Charles P. Graves ****
The American Revolution ~ Alden R. Carter ***
Peter the Great ~ Diane Stanley ***
They’re Off! The Story of the Pony Express ~ Cheryl Harness ****
Viking Life ~ John Guy ***
Viking World ~ Usborne ***
The Real Benjamin Franklin ****

Archimedes and the Door of Science ~ Jeanne Bendick ***
The Boy Scientist: A Popular Mechanics Book ****

ABeka Choosing Good Health 6 *

Show Me Thy Ways Grade 6 ~ Gertrude Hoeksema ****

ABeka Spelling 6

Saxon Algebra 1/2 ****
Saxon Algebra 1 *****

Read Aloud
The Indian in the Cupboard ~ Lynne Reid Banks
The Return of the Indian ~ Lynne Reid Banks
The Secret of the Indian ~ Lynne Reid Banks
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ~ J.K. Rowling

He read aloud these books to his little brother:
Pippi Longstocking
Stuart Little
Bobbsey Twins Cherry Corners

(Click here for Grade Six schedule and curriculum.)
 
Past two years:

Books B9 Read in Grade Four
http://parentingfreedom.com/2008/06/18/books-b9-read-in-grade-four/

Books B10 Read in Grade Five
http://parentingfreedom.com/2009/06/08/books-b10-read-in-grade-five/

Category: Books, Movies, Television, Homeschooling Academics | 1 Comment »
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carol | June 22, 2010

C8’s Book Rating System

***** I LOVE IT! AWESOME!
**** Really, really good.
*** Cool. Worth reading.
** Not bad.
* Bad.

Books Daughter C8 read this year homeschooling in Grade Three at age eight:

Red Sails to Capri ~ Ann Weil ***
The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew ~ Margaret Sidney *****
Louis Braille ~ Margaret Davidson **
Pippi in the South Seas *****
The House on Walenska Street ~ Charlotte Herman
Owls in the Family ~ Farley Mowat **
The Sword in the Tree ~ Clyde Robert Bulla ***
Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill ~ Maud Hart Lovelace ****
The Year of Miss Agnes ~ Kirkpatrick Hill ****
Understood Betsy ~ Dorothy Canfield Fisher *****
Pollyanna ~ Elanor H. Porter *****
Strawberry Girl ~ Lois Lenski *****
The Long Secret ~ Louise Fitzhurgh ****
The School Story ~ Andrew Clements *****
Cheaper by the Dozen ~ Gilbreth ****
All-of-a-Kind Family ~ Sydney Taylor *****
Winnie-the-Pooh A.A. Milne **
Five Children and It ~ E. Nesbit *****
A Basket of Flowers ~ Christophe Von Schmid ****
The Hidden Jewel ~ Amy Carmichael *****

Anne of Green Gables ~ L.M. Montgomery *****
The Story Girl ~ L.M. Montgomery *****
The Golden Road ~ L.M. Montgomery *****

The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe ~ C.S. Lewis ****
The Magician’s Nephew ~ C.S. Lewis ****

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ~ J.K. Rowling *****
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ J.K. Rowling *****
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ~ J.K. Rowling *****
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ~ J.K. Rowling *****

Little House in the Big Woods ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder *****
Farmer Boy ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder *****
Little House on the Prairie ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder *****
On the Banks of Plum Creek ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder *****
By the Shores of Silver Lake ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder *****
Little Town on the Prairie ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder *****
These Happy Golden Years ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder *****

What Katy Did ~ Susan Coolidge *****
What Katy Did at School ~ Susan Coolidge ****

Stuart Little ~ E.B. White ***
Charlotte’s Web ~ E.B. White ****
The Trumpet of the Swan ~ E.B. White *****

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ~ Roald Dahl ****
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator ~ Roald Dahl **
Matilda ~ Roald Dahl ****

The Saturdays ~ Elizabeth Enright ****
Then There Were Five ~ Elizabeth Enright ****
The Four-Story Mistake ~ Elizabeth Enright ****

Ramona the Pest ~ Beverly Cleary **
Ramona and Her Mother ~ Beverly Cleary ***
Henry and Beezus ~ Beverly Cleary ****
Ramona Quimby Age 8 ~ Beverly Cleary ***
Henry and the Clubhouse ~ Beverly Cleary ****
Henry and Ribsy ~ Beverly Cleary ****
Ramona’s World ~ Beverly Cleary ***
Henry and the Paper Route ~ Beverly Cleary **
Henry Huggins ~ Beverly Cleary ****
Ramona Forever ~ Beverly Cleary **

The Indian in the Cupboard ~ Lynne Reid Banks *****
The Secret of the Indian ~ Lynne Reid Banks *****
The Return of the Indian ~ Lynne Reid Banks *****

Nancy Drew The Moonstone Castle Mystery ~ Carolyn Keane *****
Nancy Drew The Twin Dilemma ~ Carolyn Keane #63 ****
Nancy Drew The Kachina Doll Mystery ~ Carolyn Keane #62 ****
The Nancy Drew Files Very Deadly Yours ~ Carolyn Keane #20 ****
The Nancy Drew Files Fatal Attraction ~ Carolyn Keane #22 ****
Nancy Drew Without a Trace ~ Carolyn Keene #1 ****
Nancy Drew A Race Against Time ~ Carolyn Keene #2 ****

Mandie and the Fiery Rescue ~ Lois Gladys Leppard #21 ***
Mandie and the Angel’s Secret ~ Lois Gladys Leppard #22 ***
Mandie and the Dangerous Imposters ~ Lois Gladys Leppard #23 ****
Mandie and Jonathan’s Predicament ~ Lois Gladys Leppard #28 *****
Mandie and the Long Good-Bye ~ Lois Gladys Leppard #30 *****

In Grandma’s Attic ~ Arleta Richardson ****
More Stories from Grandma’s Attic ~ Arleta Richardson ****
Treasures from Grandma ~ Arleta Richardson ****
Still More Stories from Grandma’s Attic ~ Arleta Richardson ****

The Toothpaste Millionaire ~ Jean Merrill ***
McBroom’s Wonderful One-Acre Farm ~ Sid Fleischman **
Ducktails ~ Janette Oke *****
Katie Goes to New York ~ Karen Mezek ***
Katie’s Swiss Adventure ~ Karen Mezek ***
Clarence Goes to Town ~ Patricia Lauber ***
The Middle Sister ~ Miriam E. Mason ***
A Question of Yams ~ Gloria Repp ***

The Boxcar Children: The Mystery at Peacock Hall ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner ***
The Boxcar Children: Mystery in the Sand #16 ~ Gertrude Chandler Warner *****

Magic Tree House High Tide in Hawaii ~ Mary Pope Osborne #28 ****
Magic Tree House Twister on Tuesday ~ Mary Pope Osborne #23 ***
Magic Tree House Eve of the Emperor Penguin ~ Mary Pope Osborne #40 ****
Magic Tree House Viking Ships at Sunrise ~ Mary Pope Osborne #15 ***

The Baby Sitters Club Mallory and the Trouble With Twins ~ Ann M. Martin #21 *****
The Baby Sitters Club Jessi and the Awful Secret ~ Ann M. Martin #61 *****
The Baby Sitters Club Stacey and the Mystery of Stoneybrook ~ Ann M. Martin #35 *****
The Baby Sitters Club Mary Anne and Miss Priss ~ Ann M. Martin #73 *****
The Baby Sitters Club Mary Anne Saves the Day ~ Ann M. Martin #4 *****
The Baby Sitters Club Kristy’s Big Day ~ Ann M. Martin #6 *****
The Baby Sitters Club Mary Anne’s Bad-Luck Mystery ~ Ann M. Martin #17 *****
The Baby Sitters Club Keep Out, Claudia! ~ Ann M. Martin #56 *****
Baby Sitters Sister Karen’s Little Sister ~ Ann M. Martin #6 *****
The Baby Sitters Club Hello, Mallory ~ Ann M. Martin #14 *****

Rani in the Mermaid Lagoon ~ Lisa Papademetriou ****
Fira and the Full Moon ~ Gail Herman ****
Prilla and the Butterly Lie ~ Kitty Richards ****
A Masterpiece for Bess ~ Lara Bergen ****

Disney Fairies: Rosetta’s Daring Day ****
Disney Fairies: Beck Beyond the Sea ****
Disney Fairies: Beck and the Great Berry Battle ****
Disney Fairies: The Trouble with Tink ****
Disney Fairies: Lilly and the Pesky Plant ****
Disney Fairies: Iridessa, Lost at Sea ****
Disney Fairies: Queen Clarion’s Secret ****
Disney Fairies: Tink, North of Never Land ****
Disney Fairies: Fawn and the Mysterious Trickster ****

Fairy Dust and the Quest for The Egg ~ Gail Carson Levine ****
Disney Girls: The Gum Race ~ Gabrielle Charbonnet *****
Disney Girls: Princess of Power ~ Gabrielle Charbonnet *****
Disney Girls: Beauty’s Revenge ~ Gabrielle Charbonnet *****
Disney Girls: Cinderella’s Castle ~ Gabrielle Charbonnet *****

My Secret Unicorn: Starlight Surprise ~ Linda Chapman ****
My Secret Unicorn: Dreams Come True ~ Linda Chapman ****

ABeka Cross Roads
ABeka Treat Shop
ABeka Secret in the Maple Tree
ABeka Foot Prints
ABeka Magic Carpet

A Pioneer Story ~ Barbara Greenwood *****

Early Civilizations Greek Life **
Usborne The Greeks
D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths ~ Ingri and Edgar D’Aulaires ****
Pompeii… Buried Alive ~ Edith Kunhardt
The Buried City of Pompeii ~ Shelley Tanaka
Roman Life

50 Famous Stories Retold

Usborne Encyclopedia of World Geography

ABeka Exploring God’s World Science 3 **
Usborne Living World Encyclopedia

ABeka Health Safety & Manners 3 **

The Librarian who Measured the Earth ~ Kathryn Lasky **

Parables for Kids ~ Dobson ***
The Child’s Story Bible ~ Catherine F. Vos
Young Folks’ Bible Old Testament
Young Folks’ Bible New Testament
Exodus ~ Brian Wildsmith
The Lightlings ~ R.C. Sproul
The Priest with Dirty Clothes ~ R.C. Sproul
The King Without a Shadow ~ R.C. Sproul

Saxon Math 5/4

Audio Books Listened to in Grade 3:
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) ****
The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904) ****
Ozma of Oz (1907) *****
The Road to Oz (1909) ****
Tik-Tok of Oz (1914) *****
The Scarecrow of Oz (1915) *****
Rinkitink in Oz (1916) ****
The Lost Princess of Oz (1917) *****
The Tin Woodman of Oz (1918) *****
Glinda of Oz *****
Tom Sawyer *****
The Hobbit *****
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm *****
Little Men *****
Jo’s Boys *****
The Tale of Daddy-Long-Legs *****
The Little Lame Prince ****
Grimm’s Fairy Tales *****

Read Aloud
The Indian in the Cupboard ~ Lynne Reid Banks
The Return of the Indian ~ Lynne Reid Banks
The Secret of the Indian ~ Lynne Reid Banks
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ~ J.K. Rowling

(Click here for Grade Three schedule and curriculum.)

Past two years:

Books C6 Read in Grade One
http://parentingfreedom.com/2008/06/18/books-c6-read-in-grade-one/

Books C7 Read in Grade Two
http://parentingfreedom.com/2009/06/08/books-c7-read-in-grade-two/

Category: Books, Movies, Television, Homeschooling Academics | 4 Comments »
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carol | June 18, 2010

I was sitting in a movie theatre last weekend, and all of a sudden among the previews, the following trailer was played. I could hardly believe it and questioned where I was. Were parents in N.B. actually seeing this???

Waiting for “Superman” Trailer [HD] 2010

http://www.waitingforsuperman.com/

Category: Homeschooling Academics, Parenting General, Public School | 2 Comments »
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carol | June 3, 2010

Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) on teacher unions:

Children ‘more likely to own a mobile phone than a book’
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/7763811/Children-more-likely-to-own-a-mobile-phone-than-a-book.html

Win a soccer game by more than five points and you lose, Ottawa league says
http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/06/01/win-a-soccer-game-by-more-than-five-points-and-you-lose-ottawa-league-says/?preview=true&preview_id=7652&preview_nonce=e6fa056a34

Pregnant? Forget housework, it could harm your new baby
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1282979/Housework-pregnant-lead-premature-birth.html#ixzz0pnHv3HXv

If your house is as clean as a whistle, you’ll be fit as a fiddle
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1283437/A-tidy-home-means-tidy-body-study-reveals-cleanest-healthiest.html#ixzz0pnHpNifO

Probiotic Found in Breast Milk Helps Alleviate Symptoms of Digestive Disorders
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100602193326.htm

Cry It Out: The Potential Dangers of Leaving Your Baby to Cry
http://drbenkim.com/articles-attachment-parenting.html

“The child stops crying because she learns that she can no longer hope for the caregiver to provide comfort, not because her distress has been alleviated.”

Category: Homemaking, Homeschooling Academics, Parenting Attachment, Parenting Breastfeeding, Parenting Cry it Out, Parenting Pregnancy, Parenting Stay-at-Home, Politics, Public School | No Comments »
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carol | June 2, 2010

More Homeschool Books Ordered for 2010/2011 School Year:
(For school year beginning Summer/Fall 2010) (Earlier order listed HERE)

Grade 12 (Complete list coming this summer HERE)
(NOTE: Having a difficult time coming up with books. Any suggestions welcome.)
Summa Theologica
William of Malmesbury’s Chronicle of the Kings of England
Fierce Wars and Faithful Loves ~ Edmund Spenser
Omnibus V: The Medieval World
Calvin’s Teaching on Job: Proclaiming the Incomprehensible God
Roverandom Pb ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
The Children of Húrin ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lives of Thomas Becket
The Decameron ~ Giovanni Boccaccio
A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century ~ Barbara W. Tuchman
Conquering Gotham ~ Jill Jonnes
St. Matthew’s Passion CD ~ Johann Sebastian Bach
The Pilgrim’s Regress: An Allegorical Apology for Christianity Reason and Romanticism ~ C. S. Lewis

Maiden’s Bequest, Minister’s Restoration, Laird’s Inheritance ~ George MacDonald
St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Francis of Assisi ~ G. K. Chesterton
Freedom of the Will ~ Jonathan Edwards
Idylls Of The Kings ~ Lord Tennyson, J Gray
Travels Of Marco Polo ~ Marco Polo, Ronald Latham
Complete English Poems ~ George Herbert, John Tobin
Childhood’s End ~ Arthur C. Clarke
Tartuffe And Other Plays ~ Jean Moliere
Martin Luther: Selections From His Writing ~ Martin Luther, John Dillenberger
Romeo and Juliet ~ William Shakespeare
Economic Facts and Fallacies ~ Thomas Sowell
The Worm Ouroboros ~ E. R. Eddison, Keith Henderson
Name of the Rose ~ Umberto Eco
Ender’s Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant ~ Orson Scott Card
The Alchemist ~ Paulo Coelho

America’s Prophet: Moses And The American Story ~ Bruce Feiler
The Great Awakening: The Roots of Evangelical Christianity in Colonial America ~ Professor Thomas S. Kidd
The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life ~ Ben Sherwood
Giants: The Parallel Lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln ~ John Stauffer
Tragedy & Hope: A History of the World in Our Time ~ Carroll Quigley
The Overton Window ~ Glenn Beck
7 Events That Made America America ~ Larry Schweikart
Samuel Adams: A Life ~ Ira Stoll
The Real Thomas Jefferson ~ Andrew M. Allison
The Making of America: The Substance and Meaning of the Constitution ~ W. Cleon Skousen
George Washington’s Sacred Fire ~ Peter A. Lillback

http://www.daveramsey.com/store/kids-teens/-i-foundations-in-personal-finance-i-homeschool-pack-with-1-student-workbook/prodFOUNDHOMEPKCUR.html

ABeka Handbook of Grammar and Composition (Grade 11, 12)
Workbook VI for Handbook of Grammar and Composition
Workbook VI for Handbook of Grammar and Composition Key
Workbook VI Test and Quiz Book
Workbook VI Test and Quiz Key
Workbook VI Supplementary Exercises
Workbook VI Supplementary Exercises Key

Grade 7 (Complete list coming this summer HERE)

NKJV The Reformation Study Bible
The Time Pirate: A Nick McIver Time Adventure ~ Ted Bell (read in grade six)
Exploring Creation with General Science Textbook
The Lost Prince ~ Frances Hodgson Burnett
A Cup of Cold Water: The Compassion of Nurse Edith Cavell ~ Christine Farenhorst
Real Life Math Mysteries: A Kids’ Answer to the Question, “What Will We Ever Use This For?” ~ Marya Washington Tyler (read in grade six)
Science Detectives: How Scientists Solved Six Real-Life Mysteries ~ Editors of YES Mag (read in grade six)
Ender’s Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant ~ Orson Scott Card
The Alchemist ~ Paulo Coelho

America’s Prophet: Moses And The American Story ~ Bruce Feiler
The Great Awakening: The Roots of Evangelical Christianity in Colonial America ~ Professor Thomas S. Kidd
The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life ~ Ben Sherwood
Giants: The Parallel Lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln ~ John Stauffer
Tragedy & Hope: A History of the World in Our Time ~ Carroll Quigley
The Overton Window ~ Glenn Beck
7 Events That Made America America ~ Larry Schweikart
Samuel Adams: A Life ~ Ira Stoll
The Real Thomas Jefferson ~ Andrew M. Allison
The Making of America: The Substance and Meaning of the Constitution ~ W. Cleon Skousen
George Washington’s Sacred Fire ~ Peter A. Lillback

Grade 4 (Complete list coming this summer HERE)
Old Fashioned Girl ~ Louisa Alcott
Rose In Bloom ~ Louisa Alcott
The Lost Prince ~ Frances Hodgson Burnett

Grade 1 (Complete list coming this summer HERE)
Veritas Press Individual Kindergarten Student Kit and Primers

Family
Beginning Watercolor Journaling DVD ~ Christina Lopp
3 Yarka Student Watercolor Set 10
3 NIJI Waterbrush Medium 12mm

Left to order:
Basic Economics 4th Ed: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy ~ Thomas Sowell
Applied Economics: Thinking Beyond Stage One ~ Thomas Sowell
After America: The Death of the American Idea ~ Mark Steyn

NOTE:
Looking for book suggestions on Capitalism, Economics, etc.

Category: Books, Movies, Television, Homeschooling Academics, Media Glenn Beck | 1 Comment »
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carol | May 28, 2010

Son sues mother for ‘failing to protect him from father’s beatings’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1281380/Son-sues-mother-failing-protect-fathers-beatings.html

Take responsibility, submissive wives.

‘Working mothers are to blame if their children misbehave’ says a leading psychologist
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1280400/Working-mothers-blame-children-misbehave-says-leading-psychologist.html

“‘As a parent of a child of this age, you need to realise that if things go pear-shaped it is actually always your fault, in the sense that if you keep a close enough eye on them you can prevent atrocities.’”

“The author claims that young children ‘need to be in the presence of a responsive, loving adult at all times’, warning working mothers that daycare is associated with more boastful, disobedient and aggressive children.”

How 20 books at home can help your child to soar
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1280398/How-20-books-home-help-child-soar.html

“Even parents who own just 20 books can significantly increase their children’s success… Researchers found those who grew up in a ‘bookish home’ –with around 500 books –remained in education for three years longer than those born to families with empty bookshelves.”

Books in Home as Important as Parents’ Education in Determining Children’s Education Level
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100520213116.htm

“In some countries, such as China, having 500 or more books in the home propels children 6.6 years further in their education. In the United States, the effect is less, 2.4 years, than the 3.2-year average advantage experienced across all 27 countries in the study.”

Home Libraries Provide Huge Educational Advantage
http://www.miller-mccune.com/culture-society/home-libraries-provide-huge-educational-advantage-14212/

Germs in Soil Might Give Learning a Boost
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/639398.html

“The mice who ate the bacteria ‘navigated the maze twice as fast and with less demonstrated anxiety behaviors as control mice.’”

Copycat Behavior in Children Is Universal and May Help Promote Human Culture
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100503135705.htm

Watch out for children copying teachers and peers!

Video: Chris Christie vs. the teachers union — director’s cut
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/05/27/video-chris-christie-vs-the-teachers-union-directors-cut/

Parents’ Physical Inactivity Influences Children
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100525094910.htm

Refusing kids’ vaccine more common among parents
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-05-04-vaccines04_ST_N.htm

Tylenol recall: Serious side effects investigated
http://money.cnn.com/2010/05/25/news/companies/tylenol_recall_adverse_consumer_complaints/index.htm

Study: Many Sunscreens May Be Accelerating Cancer
http://www.aolnews.com/health/article/study-many-sunscreens-may-be-accelerating-cancer/19488158?ncid=webmaildl1

Category: Books, Movies, Television, Health, Homeschooling Academics, Parenting Discipline, Parenting General, Public School, Science Technology, Vaccination | No Comments »
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carol | May 11, 2010

I used to post more of my own material for my website, but for the past long while, it seems I only link to other articles with the occasional personal comment here and there. I am sorry that I haven’t had the strength nor the inspiration for creative writing during the past six months. I haven’t been able to blog the story of this pregnancy either because it’s been just too emotional and difficult.

I apologize for either not responding at all or only half-heartedly to the encouraging comments and emails I have received during the past several months. I used to reply every time, but lately it has been exhausting, and sometimes I just don’t know what to say. I do appreciate when you take the time to write to me, and I will try to do better in replying. Thank you!

I am doing better healthwise. I still get extremely fatigued, but unlike the first 20 weeks of this pregnancy, I have been improving instead of getting worse. That was so scary. I can finally cope and even do things which makes me very encouraged and hopeful. I am also beginning to stop worrying about miscarrying.

I went to my first (and only so far) prenatal appointment and heard the baby’s heartbeat. I get Braxton Hicks contractions. I feel the baby kicking some. The hiccups seem to indicate that baby’s head is down. If that is the case, I pray it stays that way.

Me – Almost 25 weeks pregnant
(I can’t get Derek to stop taking worm’s eye view pictures.)

I stuck to the vegan diet for about six weeks, but since I kept getting more sick, I made some changes. I still make vegetable smoothies, almond/grape milk, take all my supplements, and continue to make better choices and avoid most unhealthy foods. I have continued to make Sunday night fruit smoothies for the family, and I bought quite a few containers to make homemade smoothie popsicles, both of which the children love.

Vegetable smoothie that turns into a bubbling crude

Vegetable smoothie and fruit salad

Fruit smoothie ingredients

Homemade smoothie popsicles in the freezer

I haven’t scrapbooked for 3 1/2 years, so I felt bad that I was so far behind with a little baby on the way. Just because this baby is the fifth child shouldn’t mean he or she doesn’t get pictures in an album. Inspired by the very talented Kelle of Enjoying the Small Things, I have discovered the wonderful world of photobooking. Kelle does digital scrapbooking and then has her beautiful pages collected in photobooks. I would love to do digital scrapbooking, yet I can’t figure out how to get started at all. Photobooking has been wonderfully easy with delightful results (not magnificent like Kelle’s, but satisfactory to me right now). I finally feel productive after many months of getting nothing done. That has been very hard on my head since my mind wants me to go, go, go. Just during the past few weeks, I completed three albums (January – June 2009, July – December 2009, January – June 2008), and I almost have July – December 2008 finished. Hopefully all of 2007 will fit in one album. I will then have only January – June 2010 to finish before the baby!  Lovely. I look forward to taking family pictures this fall.

We thought we had our baby names, but it seems there are too many people with the same names. I would welcome any baby names suggestions (in the comments below). I can’t find a good baby names website, so I would appreciate any tips in that area as well.

It has been a sad week in our community with the tragic death of a fourteen-year-old girl who lived up the road from us. She died in a car accident. Her mother is one of the sweetest, friendliest people I know. She is the kind of person who would get voted Miss Congeniality in the real world. What a devastating loss to their little family. Unbearable. http://nethymnal.org/htm/b/e/bestill.htm

The children are continuing to do their school work. Usually they have most subjects finished by mid-May, but this year, most subjects will likely go until the end of June. The 3 R’s will continue throughout the summer because of the baby and Derek’s job situation. The older boys have been dipping into their next year’s book stash. They just can’t help it – especially those Glenn Beck recommendations. They also received a new box of books with Canadian content yesterday. http://www.freedompress.ca/

Jean Chretien: A Legacy of Scandal ~ Paul Tuns
As I See It ~ Michael Coren
Standing on Guard for Thee ~ Michael Wagner
Loyal to the Core: Stephen Harper, Me and the NCC ~ Gerry Nicholls
The Great Canadian Comedy: From Laughter To Tears ~ Joe Campbell
Stop the Presses! ~ Joseph Farah

I bought another Willow Tree ornament because of the new baby. This will be our family in August.

I would love to hear from you. Certain blogging decisions I have made over the past couple years has resulted in less reader feedback, so it is encouraging to hear from those of you who still visit my website.

Now, back to politics as usual…

Category: Baby #6, Books, Movies, Television, Canadian, Food, Health, Homeschooling Academics, Journal 2010, Parenting Pregnancy, Politics Canadian | 16 Comments »
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carol | May 8, 2010

One teenager in five leaving school unable to read or do maths
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1274947/One-teenager-leaving-school-unable-read.html#ixzz0nKxBZqfH

“One in five teenagers leaves school illiterate and innumerate despite two decades of education reform, research shows…”

“About 17 per cent of 16 to 19-year-olds are functionally illiterate…”

Category: Books, Movies, Television, Homeschooling Academics, Public School | 1 Comment »
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carol | April 28, 2010

Poor Quality Teachers May Prevent Children from Reaching Reading Potential, Study Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100422153804.htm

Category: Homeschooling Academics, Public School | No Comments »
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carol | April 5, 2010

Homeschool Books Ordered for January – June 2010:
(Since Christmas and for the rest of this term and school year)

Grade 11 (Complete list HERE)
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them ~ J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter’s Bookshelf ~ John Granger
Harry Potter Books 1-7 Box Set Adult Edition [Hardcover] ~ J. K. Rowling (N’s Christmas present)
Touched by a Vampire: Discovering the Hidden Messages in the Twilight Saga ~ Beth Felker Jones
Going Rogue: An American Life ~ Sarah Palin
The Ultimate French Verb Review and Practice ~ David Stillman, Ronni Gordon (blah)
The Ultimate French Review and Practice ~ David Stillman, Ronni Gordon (blah)
Harry Potter: Ã L’a Cole Des Sorciers ~ J.K. Rowling
The Real Benjamin Franklin (American Classic Series) ~ Andrew M. Allison
Le Morte Darthur, Vol. 2 ~ Thomas Malory
Tales From The Perilous Realm Mm ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, Sir Orfeo

Grade 6 (Complete list HERE)
Once And Future King ~ T .H. White
Leven Thumps and the Ruins of Alder ~ Obert Skye
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma ~ Trenton Lee Stewart, Diana Sudyka
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: #4 Dog Days ~ Jeff Kinney
Going Rogue: An American Life ~ Sarah Palin
The Christmas List: A Novel ~ Richard Paul Evans
Lives of Poor Boys Who Became Famous ~ Sarah Knowles Bolton
Songs Of A Sourdough ~ Robert Service
Two Little Savages ~ Ernest Thompson Seton
Words By Heart ~ Ouida Sebestyen
Nick of Time: An Adventure Through Time ~ Ted Bell
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court ~ Mark Twain
The Song of Hiawatha ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Patriots History Of The United States ~ Larry Schweikart

Grade 3 (Complete list HERE)
The Year of Miss Agnes ~ Kirkpatrick Hill
Understood Betsy ~ Dorothy Canfield Fisher
Nancy Drew set
Basket of Flowers ~ Von Schmid
Christie’s Old Organ ~ F. Walton O. F. Walton
Hinds’ Feet on High Places ~ Hannah Hurnard

Kindergarten
Tiger-Tiger, Is It True? Four Questions to Make You Smile Again ~ Byron Katie, Hans Wilhelm
Curious George Goes to the Beach ~ H. A. Rey
Hinds’ Feet on High Places ~ Hannah Hurnard
ABeka Arithmetic 1

Family
Our 24 Family Ways: Family Devotional Guide ~ Clay Clarkson

Homeschool Books Ordered for 2010/2011 School Year:
(For school year beginning Summer/Fall 2010)

Grade 12 (Complete list coming this summer HERE)
(NOTE: Having a difficult time coming up with books. Any suggestions welcome.)
Two Lives Of Charlemagne ~ Lewis Thorpe
History Of The Franks ~ Lewis Thorpe
Alfred The Great ~ Simon Keynes
Praise Of Folly ~ Desiderius Erasmus
Consolation Of Philosophy ~ Ancius Boethius
The Koran
Chronicles Of The Crusades ~ Joinville
Candide Or Optimism ~ Michael Wood
Shakespeare Comedy Of Errors ~ Randall Martin
Anselm of Canterbury: The Major Works ~ St. Anselm
Othello ~ William Shakespeare
The Tempest ~ William Shakespeare
The City of God ~ St. Augustine
Introduction To Saint Thomas Aquinas
On the Medieval Origins of the Modern State ~ Charles Tilly
A Modest Proposal And Other Writings ~ Carole Fabricant
Mabinogion ~ Jeffrey Gantz
Gammage Cup ~ Carol Kendall
Evangelism and the Sovereignity of God ~ J. I. Packer
The Call: Finding And Fulfilling The Central Purpose Of Your Life ~ Os Guinness

Christian Life ~ Sinclair B. Ferguson
The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World ~ W. Cleon Skousen

The Real George Washington (American Classic Series) ~ Jay A. Parry
Patriots History Of The United States ~ Larry Schweikart

Grade 7 (Complete list coming this summer HERE)
Canadian History to 1867
The Real Benjamin Franklin (American Classic Series) ~ Andrew M. Allison
The Real George Washington (American Classic Series) ~ Jay A. Parry
The White Mountains ~ John Christopher
Challenging Logic Puzzles ~ Barry R. Clarke
Calligraphy Kit: Learn the Art of Beautiful Writing ~ Arthur Newhall
The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World ~ W. Cleon Skousen
ABeka Vocabulary, Spelling, and Poetry I
ABeka Grammar and Composition I

Grade 4 (Complete list coming this summer HERE)
Easy Grammar Grade 4
Easy Grammar Workbook Grade 4
Gone-Away Lake ~ Elizabeth Enright
Thimble Summer ~ Elizabeth Enright
Return To Gone-Away ~ Elizabeth Enright
The Princess Adelina: An Ancient Christian Tale of Beauty & Bravery ~ Julie Sutter
Calico Captive ~ Elizabeth George Speare
The Tiger Rising ~ Kate DiCamillo
The Magician’s Elephant ~ Kate DiCamillo
Sterling Point Books: Joan of Arc: Warrior Saint ~ Jay Williams
The Lightlings ~ R. C. Sr. Sproul
Switched-On Schoolhouse 2010 Grade 4 History & Geography
Switched-On Schoolhouse 2009 Grade 4 Science
ABeka Penmanship Mastery I
ABeka Language A

Grade 1 (Complete list coming this summer HERE)
Jonathan: The Faithful Friend ~ Carine Mackenzie
Barnabas: The Encourager ~ Carine Mackenzie
Moses: Man of God ~ Carine MacKenzie
Jesus The Storyteller ~ Carine Mackenzie
Jesus The Healer ~ Carine Mackenzie
Peter: The Apostle ~ Carine Mackenzie
Paul: The Wise Preacher ~ Carine Mackenzie
ABeka Writing with Phonics 1 Cursive
ABeka Cursive Writing Tablet
ABeka Language 1
ABeka Letters and Sounds 1
ABeka Arithmetic 2
Saxon Math 2, Student Work Kit & Fact Cards

Family
Love Takes Wing DVD
Love Finds a Home DVD
Pilgrim’s Progress: Journey to Heaven DVD

Need to order:
Veritas Press Omnibus V
Summa Theologica
William of Malmesbury
Defense of Poesie
The Conquest of Constantinople
Richelieu and the French Monarchy
Fierce Wars and Faithful Loves
Rose In Bloom ~ Louisa May Alcott
Under the Lilacs ~ Louisa May Alcott

Category: Books, Movies, Television, Homeschooling Academics | No Comments »
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carol | March 29, 2010

The Boys Have Fallen Behind
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/opinion/28kristof.html

Category: Books, Movies, Television, Homeschooling Academics, Public School | 1 Comment »
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carol | March 13, 2010

With my hands cupping my womb, I could feel the baby moving around last night! The date would be just past 16 weeks pregnancy/14 weeks after conception. So far, I can only feel movement with my hands. I can’t feel it in my body yet. When I wake up each morning, a big bump sticks up when I lie on my back, but during the rest of the day, it sort of hides. (To clarify, my stomach doesn’t hide - just the womb. LOL)

I have my maternity clothes ready to go. I ordered some new things online. I hope they won’t make me look too hideous this time around. Fortunately, this was the first time I could buy tall maternity pants. What a relief!  I still wear my regular shirts, and I can comfortably button at least three pairs of my non-maternity pants, but that won’t last much longer. I recently got out my box of stored maternity clothes and made a ‘keep’ pile and a ‘give-away’ pile. It is funny how the pants style has changed so much in just six years – not only the legs, but the back pockets of jeans. I had a great laugh at myself when I tried on some of my old maternity mom-jeans. If you think regular mom-jeans are bad, you should have seen these! The scariest thing is that they are in the ‘keep’ pile until I have the energy to go shopping for a  couple more pairs in a nearby city. To my knowledge, there are ZERO places to buy maternity clothes locally. Sad, really. What do pregnant women do?

We stopped at a furniture store last night to look at their rocker/recliners. The one I used for my last baby was a very old chair that came from my grandparents. Years ago, we dragged the matching one to the end of the road on Big Garbage Day after one of the kids threw up on it. Both chairs were worn out anyway. I didn’t find a new one that I liked, but we only went to one place. There is lots of time. Then again, it’s hard to believe that in only a few short weeks, I will be half-way through this pregnancy. Yikes!

I have a new extra-tall bed rail ready for our king-size bed, and I bought new foam wedges for nursing in bed. These are two of my most needed baby items. My wish list also includes new slings, a wrap-around nursing pillow, a dresser for baby clothes, etc.

My eight-year-old daughter is knitting a blanket for the new baby. At first, she chose pink yarn, but she was encouraged to get white in case it’s not a girl! I’ll take a boy and/or a girl, but she would LOVE to have a sister. After all, when we thought she was getting a girl kitten, it turned out to be a boy when we took her to get spayed. LOL

This has been by far my most difficult pregnancy – both physically and emotionally.

Emotionally: Pregnancy following miscarriage is extremely stressful. I never expected it to be so hard. I also have worries of my husband’s job insecurity and the threat of moving hanging over my head.

Physically: I  am thankful that the 24-hour morning sickness began to slowly ease at 11 weeks, and the last couple weeks have been much better. It was a rough first trimester. In the fall, I was feeling quite well most of the time, but within just a couple weeks of the pregnancy, the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that I have battled since I was sixteen years old kicked in big time. I didn’t expect to have such debilitating fatigue with this pregnancy. I am particularly grateful for two things in this regard:

#1 I had the house renovations and house cleaning completely ready just days before I became pregnant. That makes me feel sooooooo much better, because even though I can’t keep up, and I am getting behind with the housekeeping, it is not as overwhelming as it would have been. I pray for strength to be able to cope if we have to move, and also for the basic nesting that I need to do.

#2 As always, I am very thankful for our homeschooling method. It has been so flexible over the many years of ups and downs with my health. The three oldest children are capable of doing their schoolwork with minimum or even no help from me if necessary. I do not fret over my five-year-old because I know there is lots of time, and as long as he continues to learn a little phonics and math facts here and there, he will do just as well as his brothers and sister. There were many times I was physically unable to put much into homeschooling over the years, yet the children are doing great.

I haven’t been very chatty on my blog lately because I am just too tired. I have mostly been posting links and quotes with the occasional commentary.

One interesting change in my lifestyle has occurred after an appointment with another naturopath. I have searched for health answers since I was a teenager. I have tried many, many things – sometimes with good results, but most of the time, nothing helped. During the past few months, I have been desperate to find answers. I don’t know if this time will make the difference, but I am giving it my full effort, even if it kills me. So, with the goal of achieving better health, I have gone vegan! In the past, I was familiar with the vegetable juicing and vegetable smoothies and nut milk and all, but I have never completely eliminated meat/fish/eggs/dairy at the same time before (still using butter). I am also doing no-sugar again. It has been eighteen days, and I have seen no improvement, and unfortunately some negative effects. I will stick with it religiously for a while yet, and I hope to keep at least some of the new habits for the rest of my life. The children have been doing great as well. They are not eating vegan or even vegetarian, but their diets have improved greatly with a salad almost every day and no junk – yet. Over the years, we have gone through many times of eating healthy and eating poorly. I have always found it very discouraging when a strict healthy diet did nothing for my health. Hopefully, this time will be different.

I haven’t been doing too much during the past few months except trying to cope. One helpful thing has been our amazing winter! I have never seen a winter with such little snow and such great weather. We are having another sunny day, and the forecast is amazing! I haven’t had the strength to enjoy being outside, but in many ways, the weather has been very encouraging.

Hmmm… what else would you like to know?

Category: Baby #6, Facebook, Food, Homeschooling Academics, Journal 2010, Miscarriage, Parenting Attachment, Parenting Breastfeeding, Parenting Pregnancy, Parenting Sleep Sharing | 6 Comments »
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carol | March 5, 2010

Reading to Kids a Crucial Tool in English Language Development
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100216142334.htm

“Children learning English ‘need someone to show them the letters, teach them the letter sounds, play with letter magnets on the fridge.’”

“‘We have found that in English, you need a rich home literacy environment. It’s absolutely necessary…’”

“‘In English, having someone read to you frequently as a child-explaining what the meaning of words are and playing around with the letters-makes a big difference as to whether you will become a good reader…’”

“‘Without that learning support and because of the inconsistencies of English orthography, English-speaking children run the risk of falling behind at least two years in terms of their reading skill when compared to children learning to read in languages with a direct relationship between letters and sounds…’”

“‘Reading to your children is vital, as is specific exercises and games to teach them letter names and sounds…’”

Category: Homeschooling Academics, Public School | No Comments »
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carol | February 17, 2010

Fewer than half of children read fiction as books are abandoned for the internet
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1251610/Less-half-children.html#ixzz0flgJFrJs

“Less than half of children aged between nine and 14 read fiction more than once a month…”

“The findings showed that daily reading sessions boosted children’s scores in all areas, including knowledge and understanding of the world, as well as literacy and maths.”

“Children who were read to daily also outscored their classmates, on average, in assessments of their social, emotional, physical and creative development.”

Category: Books, Movies, Television, Homeschooling Academics, Public School | No Comments »
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