Thank you!!! After a whole semester of trying it out ... and not working, it finally does. Semester 1 and 2. I downloaded the new version, erased the previous one, (the system does it for you) and!! very important the security features of most Windows Vista do not allow you to download everything at once. I had a high speed connection, but after downloading the Semster 1 or 2 all together, it would not import it into the Brillkids program. It would always say they were too many downloaded files that the safety features did not allow. I did it part by part and now it works!!!!

Thanks nhockaday,
I started LR with my older child, he is now 3. He is in a montessori preschool now, and although he is doing well with reading he has trouble with math, you know in montessori schools they teach that in first grade Kindergarten, (in Mexico we have three prek years) I was wondering if it would do him any good if I get LM since he is quite older for that now, or should I just let him continue with material. I used the dot cards 1-20 when he was younger, but I guess he did forget them and now he has trouble with numerals, which I never showed him.

I am just terribly dissappointed with Semester 1. It never worked well. I downloaded it three times, and most of the pictures were missing every single time... Haven't had much time to see what is going on or what IS the problem... but I really liked the more simple, user friendly, and economic.... Brillkids... Hope this time, this semester works!!!!

Hi, Thanks HH for all your answers. I have been following up on the thread and am saving too. Hope I can get it soon.. Please do let us know when we can get a discount with our points.

Hi, My younger siblings were in Kumon and I have three whole levels of woksheets...They are very slowly leveled. for example each page has 5-10 operations all with  + 1, then the next pages with +2 in all its combinations etc..they are little booklets, and part of the time is in turning the pages quickly and mentally starting to solve all the operations.

 I think the greatest hit of Kumon is the reward system, which I have seen works in kids up to about 12 years old. Then if they love math.. they will be just more self motivated.
Kids get somewhat self motivated because they find math easier than their peers.., since it is based on tons of repetition. they change of level once they can complete all the levels' operations in a certain time frame perfectly correct. So it does stress perfection in math... which I think is good. They do give you worksheets to do at home and the kids are supposed to work 7 /7 10-30 min a day.. depending on their speed. Their classrooms are often quiet.
This is a program that can be started once the kids know numerals and can write. since it starts in very basic levels and goes up to high school.
Some of the criticism it has received is that it only works for mental operation speed and correctness. It does not include word problems that require reasoning. SO it is only a Math... and only that, program. No creative thinking, logic,  or problem solving skills. Depends on what you want it for.. it works.

thanks for all your comments. I have a Bs in Education... and tagught several years at a school.... but just wanted to get the viewpoint of mothers that have had both boys and girls, or that have used this methods with kids, since books are not exactly based on observations with early learning programs.

Well. the swine flu... did keep us busy in Mexico. since all parks, schools, malls, restaurants, churches, and clubs were closed... it was hard to take the kids anywhere. We were "locked up" for two weeks...
Though I really wasn't. Being a nutritionist, with both my parents medical doctors... did not care much for that. My parents went to the beach.. haha... so hygienic.
My sister and I became creative with all the kids at home with nowhere to go, swimming pool, sandbox, watercoloring, playdoh, experiments, crafts, active games etc...

At least we had mandatory vacations

thank you,
I already added it to my favourites

Most of the videos I have watched are of girls reading... there are some of boys. Is it because it is easier to videotape girls, or is it because they really learn quicker? Has anyone followed the program with a boy and girl that could tell the difference. My kids (both boys) are quite active does that make any difference as to the speed at which they learn?

I once heard a phrase wich I think is too true. "Children learn, with, without, and in spite of"
they learn with our help, without our good qualities and in spite all our mistakes... and accents.
Don't worry about accents. My mother had an "old" english (she had learned it when she lived in the US from 5 yrs old to 10 yrs old) never practiced again she always lived in Mexico, and then... 30 years later she decided to homeschool us. There was no homeschooling material in spanish back then so she homeschooled us in English  (in a mexican environment with her poor english). And we all (6 kids) did pretty well when studying university in the US.

As I tell you, kids learn easy and in spite of all our lacks.

Wish there were libraries around in my city... but I guess the bookstore helps some. Anyway it is encouraging for those of us who did not start so early.

thanks nohayo
I guess that was just right for me
I work at my computer most of the day, off and on taking care of my two tots. I often sit them on my lap to watch LR, My oldest one 2 1/2 has seen tons of presentations, and there are some which are his favourite. But I neither show them 3 times a day, nor every day of the week. Yet... he is learning. The other day he suprised one of his aunts when he brought a scrap paper and asked me to write him words, I wrote about 20 different words and he read them all perfectly... everyone was surprised... besides I wrote them in English (which is his second language) no one knew that he can only recognize words in english. But it was fun... and he had fun. That's what I think is most important

I studied in a Montessori school and loved Math. however I was just trying to get enough points to get a doidcount for LM when I ran into this thread. My boy is about to turn 3. I have shown him the dot cards, but he does not pay much attention to them. when I "test" him he recognizes quantities from 1-10 almost always. I was hoping to get LM since he seemed to like it much more than the cards (I used the beta version). What do you suggest ....should I continue with this, or just hop in to Montessori? Anyone have experience on this?

Thanks Nikolett. I speak English at home, though I live in Mexico. My kids are learning English and spanish at the same time, my family speaks to ehm in english, and myhusbands family sepak to them in spanish as well as everyone else around them. I want them to start with a third language, but I don't know any language really well. I though about Chinese since it is the third language most studied on a professional level. There are some chinese people around, would it work getting a "babysitter" maybe three times a week just to play with them in chinese?
Anyone else have ideas.
I also have rosetta Stone and LR of course that could help a little more, but I have no clue on Chinese.

Hi all. Sheeberi. I have the Rosetta Stone demo which has the link to two units for free to all the languages. however I think it is kind of difficult for a little child to use. I have a 2 1/2 and a 1 1/2 year old. How is this other program Tell me More that you mention, is it easier to use for little children?