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I agree. Try to fix/find one problem/curriculum at time and then move onto the next one. As long as he is learning something new and is happy most of the time, you are doing a great job.

Not everything will be perfect on the 1st attempt, or even the 2nd or 3rd. It took us about a month to figure out how to homeschool. We still tweak things here and there.

Good luck

I think "Tweaking" is a mandatory requirement for kids like ours. We are using any extremely ecclectic mix. Aleks for math, Anatomy Academy for science, my college textbook for US History, Bravewriter, etc. It's ugly but it works!!

I feel like I'm still figuring it out, and we're approaching our 2-year mark.

I think the guideline of expecting 6-months to a year of a school arrangement to work for an HG+ child holds true for homeschooling, too. We just generally have an easier time with adapting our arrangements.

I think we've hit an adaptation time at our house. I'm doing a bit of struggling as a result. What part of it is my problem and what's his? We'll see...

Kriston, I think you hit the nail on the head. Could someone please write a book on how to figure that one out. Where is the give and take line?????

I tend to persist with what I think is reasonable for a few weeks. If he's still not toeing the line at that point, I rethink. Maybe I'm expecting too much.

I did up the level and amount of work I expect this year. It is possible I went too far. But I'm not going to back down yet.

How much independent "homework" time would you give to an 8yo HG+ boy who has been homeschooling for about 2 years? I wonder if I'm asking too much.

Maybe you all can help me find that give and take line!

So would *benadryl+school+boy=extreme frustration in mom* be my problem or his? LOL What do you do when they are sick or just don't want to do school? It's not like you can just send them anyways.

I call a sick day if the child wouldn't be going if s/he were in public school.

Even if we're not sick, some days I just let us both play hooky if we need it. Frankly, I used to need a day off once in a while when I was a kid and in public school. Some days you just need a mental health day. As long as it only happens once in a while, I think it's okay.

I usually still try to do something educational on those days off--a field trip or a day of educational games or something. But shifting gears can be a good thing.

To answer your question, *benadryl+school+boy=extreme frustration in mom* is both of your problems, I suspect.

Let me know when you find it, maybe I can adapt it for my DD9! My DD just loves my interaction and I am trying to keep in mind that she is a very verbal kid and loves to hear it as much as read it.

If I am the one who needs the mental health day, the DVD player goes on and a somewhat educational movie (i.e. Getting Ahead Science Series, Magic School Bus, etc.) occupies DC until I can calm myself down. Sometimes, I just need 20 minutes and sometimes I need a whole day.

If DS is wiggly/ansy from the moment he wakes up, we postpone our lessons and head to the park or children's museum. Often after some of the excess energy is burned off, looking a leaves with a microscope or catogorizing the flora and fauna will naturally happen. I keep a "kit" ready for this type of exploring. (I have a few pre-printed activities, notebook, pencil, crayons, binoculars, pocket microscope, disposable camera, etc.) On these days, we "unschool" until his focus is back enough to accomplish anything without fighting -sometimes he needs 20 minutes and sometimes he needs a whole day.


Finally in situations like the benadryl one, DS gets LOTS of quiet time in his room with a few cool books and music that I have stashed for these "special occasions." He has quiet time and so does Mom.

Fortunately, these help keep me from drinking during the day! J/K!!!!

Although our general schedule is HS four days per week 'til about 2pm but I allow for flexibility to accomodate attitudes, life, etc. (Day 5 is usually spent on playdates, museums, parks, classes, etc.) Since we work (more-or-less) year-round, I don't stress days off. We generally accomplish far more in a day than a regular school would. Often, we end up working one or two weekend days per month because of scheduling, child-desire or to involve DH in some lessons.

So you do drink during the day?