If I call anything schoolwork, she hates it

My daughter is 9, I have found if I call anything schoolwork, she hates it. So I call it projects. We've been doing Native American type things this fall and I discovered the Indian in the Cupboard series on audio tape. The amount of history and factual detail, as well as an honest view of what happened in regards to the native people is amazing. She loves listening to them, but if I had put out a workbook on the same topic we would have been fighting to get it done. Most of what she's getting for Christmas is "really neat toys" – they are also, with one exception, things that fit into things we are, or will be studying. We do as many fieldtrips and watch as many videos on any given topic as we can, she hates writing and her spelling is absolutely horrible. Her reading skills are much better. Anything hands on works wonders. I also have two rules: no TV till after 5 pm (unless it's a relevant video) and no friends until her schoolwork is done. Since they get home from public school after 2:30, it helps to motivate.

Learn & Master Piano Homeschool Edition

I really like the look of the Learn & Master Piano Homeschool Edition

Contains 14 DVDs, 5 play-Along CDs, 100+ Page Lesson Book, 68 Page Teacher's Guide, 1 DVD Teacher's Resource and unlimited access to Student Support Site.

I don't think I can homeschool my son

I don't think I can homeschool my son. I just get too frustrated. I spent all this time coming up with cool stuff for him to do. Today we're supposed to be learning about the arctic. We read Magic Tree House, Polar Bears Past Bedtime, which was o.k., but he even complained about that at first. Then we were going to make an igloo out of marshmallows & royal icing, could there be anything more fun? And he's complaining the whole time. He wanted to play a computer game, he wants to do this, he wants to do that. He wants to do whatever as long as I didn't come up with it.

I’m sick of it. I’m frustrated. I need a morale boost.

I know that if my son were in a regular kindergarten class he would pay attention and enthusiastically participate - he always did when he was in pre-k and then the k- program. It’s simply an issue of not wanting to do stuff because I want him to. It’s making me crazy.

The ONLY thing he ever wants to do is play pretend. He's a cat, I’m the owner. He’s a cowboy, I’m the horse. Whatever. That's ALL he wants to do and I am NOT good at it.

What’s your definition of successful parenting?

Very interesting blog post

What’s your definition of successful parenting?

Learn & Master Painting Homeschool Edition

I've just discovered Learn & Master Painting Homeschool Edition

Contains 20 DVDs, 3 Music CDs, 100+ Page Lesson Book, 56 Page Teacher's Guide and unlimited access to
Student Support Site.

How much did your school experience decision to HS?

There's a really interesting thread going on at HomeSchool Spot, you can follow it here

How much did your school experience decision to HS?

Starting Out

We decided not to send my daughter to the Montessori school for kindergarten. Instead, she will be homeschooled here at home and attend a "farm school" one morning/week. It is a little school that will focus on animals and their care as well as nature and other outdoorsy things.
I have lots of good things planned, have created my "math lab" box with worksheets (mostly Miquon) and manipulatives. I ordered language lessons from Lost Classics Books as well as a history text. We are also using the Environmental Science curriculum from Oak Meadow, their Carpentry for Children and recorder. She has started soccer and my son will be continuing to go to the pool and the climbing gym. The only thing I haven't figured out is how to get both of them in a Spanish class or other language class.