Hi there,

This is great having the upgrade of little reader v2.0.  I have so enjoyed the Beta version.  I am struggling though to open the download.  My computer say that it can not read .php files.  What to do?  I thought it was because I had the older version so I uninstalled LR and now I don't have anything...      please could you suggest what I could do. 

Many thanks
Tabs

Hi there thanks for that, I don't suppose in your search you saw a font for print with the arows or dotted? 

Thanks Tabs

Hello Dreamwater,

I wanted to thank you for this link to Head of the Class.  We have been using it for about two months now and I can see that there were some things I had not included in our teaching program.

My son loves Happy and Max and is progressing well.  I started him on three levels all at once. Kindergarten and Preschool to recap some things he has already done and other things that are new.  (It sounds like a lot but it honestly is no fuss, it's quick little lessons that are easily incorporated into the school day.) And as he has just finished Grade One, we are covering that one too.  I saw that we are behind in Math and ahead in English.  The Science is simple and easy to do.  We liked the musical instrument discriptions it gives a breif overview as to what it does and sounds like - up to now I haven't done much with music so it was a good start I guess.  He loves the Art videos and we have learned a few different methods of painting.  They also do Spanish so we are going to attempt to learn it.  I like the flash cards - small but fine for my sons age - he is 5 1/2.  The worksheets are clear and we like the handwriting ones - and you can reprint easily.  And in some cases I let him work alone on the computer as you can tell if he is doing it wrong.
 
I have seen though that you do need a fastish link for the presentations.  When our link is a little slow we find it a bit frustrating waiting for it to get going.
 
I had been looking for something like this and so am delighted to have a basis that can easily be added on to and expanded.

Many thanks Tabs

Hi Mother of faith,  this looks like fun!!

Would this include insects or birds?

Thanks Tabs

Hi there koukla,

How fun to start lapbooks now!  I wish we had started earlier.  My son is five and we have only just finished his second one.  I had heard of them from Mother of Faith, but they just looked very bitty and time consuming...  However, having done two it's amazing how inspiring they can be.  My boy loves looking at them during quiet time and often wants me to sit and go through the reading packets and dictionary words we included.  I added a game too to one of them and that was a great hit!  I haven't got into all the different pockets and shape book things - I have just kept it very basic and hardy.  See through bags with a picture or drawing underneath so when the dictionary words are removed you see it.  Also I used accordian folds alot.  And I put a pocket half way across the back of them for the game and fact sheet to go in - he is older so can read some of it. I thought we would keep adding to it if we learned something new.  He loves decorating the front.  I found googling the topic you want eg. teeth lapbook etc. and look at the images, you get a few ideas and there are those wonderful sites already mentioned.  I saw too on you tube they had a few tutorials on phonic lapbooks, nice and simple to start with.  I can't remember where right now, but there was a website that had a download form for organising your lapbook - basicly a guide that you fill in and it kind of keeps you on track.  That helps alot.  Anyway, look forward to hearing about your first lapbook!!   

TABS

Hi there,

I just wanted to say thank you so much for sharing the code for up until August.  How we miss reading eggs!!!  I registered and added a child.  On the one we did the reading test and he started at map 4 and the other one we started from the begining - I thought it couldn't harm. My son  who is five now, did all the lessons up until map 10 and got a certificate for each map and many of them were repeated.  I did have to watch him though as he got really good at guessing.  Especially the stories that you have to fill in the words.  Once I noticed he just sat and pushed  all the words until he got the right word!!  Little rascal.  We then made it a rule that if he was too lazy to read the words he couldn't do reading eggs.  And after that we could see a great improvement, although at times a little bit of frustration when it wasn't so clear.  But overall I was quite pleased with how he progressed. 
I think with Little Reader I need to move him a long quicker as he likes different things all the time.  What I have found grips his attention - probably all wrong!!! - but I work within in fifteen days and do a lesson from the top, then the bottom and then the middle until they are all done.  Sometimes they are similar but enough different to hold his attention.

Thanks again
TABS

Hi Waterdreamer,

I can't give too much advice as I battle with the same thing...

I have found recently that if I ask his opinion on something to do with my sons school work and try to get him involved he understands a little better.

I have seen though - looking back - that I have put a lot of work in to my sons school work that wasn't so important and didn't spend enough time on basics.  So a lot of things got lamanated and printed beautifully etc, and yet he learnt it in a week and I was left exhausted and dreading having to start all over again.  So now I print and teach - no longer do I laminate unless it's for a game that I know will be played alot.  Printing is another issue in our home...  I have seen that a lot of things I have printed were for the future - trying to get ahead, but two years down the line the printed paper is still not being used, it will, there is no doubt - just latter.  So some sites I book mark and it goes into "the future" file.  Or I download but leave the printing for when I need it.  You do have to be really good with the filing though, else it could be lost.

And then I try to have a deadline like 5 o'clock pm is the time to stop all school activities. And then just prepare for tomorrows work.  Then the evening is free to be with your hubby and you aren't thinking about your sons next day. 

You sound like you are going to be busy though...  keep it simple (that's what I tell myself every day).  Make sure your hubby isn't jealous of your time, include him and share everything.  You'll be surprised, my hubby has such great ideas and suggestions to make.  It's because men are more practical.


TABS

Healthy snacks...

Well the other day we learnt the saying 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away' on one of the sites we looked at it suggested sliced apple on toast sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.  It was delicious!   Just the apple with the cinnamon was good, if you're not keen on the bread part.

My great grand mother used to mash bananas and pour a little milk and sugar on top.  When she visited us that was her little treat that she made up - she was over eighty.  We loved it as kids and often had it for a snack.

I also saw a guide to drying your own bananas.  You just peel and slice them in half and bake them for 3hrs on a low temperature.  I haven't tried it, but it looks good.

TABS

Shame... some of your experiences sound awful...  I guess we should be glad it's only for nine months then!

Just for interest sake when did your sickness start? 

Mine was at about 2 and 1/2 months - 7 months and after that just nausea.

TABS

Hi there,

You know when your pregnant and all the wives tales get told to you?  Well, often I was told that morning sickness was a good sign as it meant that the baby was growing well.  I never did any research on the matter.  However, with myself I noticed that the morning sickness lessened when I changed my vitamin supplement which had a lot of iron in it.  I only discovered this toward the end of my pregnancy.    

TABS

Hi PY

Shame it sounds like you really had it rough!!!

I just remembered after reading about your experience, that we had just had the most gorgeous teak kitchen cupboards installed when I fell pregnant.  The smell of them nearly finished me!!!  I'd walk in the room and literally run to the bathroom to throw up.  It was awful.  We moved when I was six months pregnant - thankfully!!!  I also had the nausea and vomitting till seven months.  Someone then recommended I change my supplement tablet and it made a huge difference.

TABS

Hi nhockaday,

Thanks for that, wasn't sure what to do when I saw that it was all out.

TABS

Hi,

Not too sure what happened with the question!!! 

Sorry about that!

TABS

Another standby which is always a hit with my family is Custard.  I serve it with tinned fruit, baked apples, sliced bananas, even cookies or cake on occasion.  You can keep a box or two in the cupboard, or the custard powder which you cook with milk or what I like most is to make my own. 

Custard recipe
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
1 tablespoon Vanilla essence
3 cups of milk

Mix the yolk, sugar, cornflour and vanilla altogether in a bowl.
Heat the milk in a pot.  When it is warm add the yolk mix. 
Stir continuously until it thickens.  Let it bubble for a few seconds.
Remove from the heat.  Let it cool slightly and either refridgerate or serve straight away.
Do not leave it out of the fridge for too long if not being eaten straight away put it in the fridge.

TABS
 

Hi krb

My favourite is a rice dish.  I grab a few different veg like carrots, sweetcorn, green beans (usually what ever is on hand) - mixed frozen veg will be fine in an emergency - I chop them up smallish and lightly fry in a tablespoon of oil or marg, it gives a nice flavour, then I add a cup of rice and continue stiring for a minute or so.  Then I mix a stock cube (or a packet of soup powder) with two cups of water and pour it over the rice mix.  Turn your heat to low and put the lid on.  Set your timer for 20 mins and go and shower.  It should all be ready to eat on your return, sometimes with the different grains of rice this could take a little longer so just see.  The rice should be a little wet not dry add a little more liquid if needed.  Serve with emergency rolls (we keep a supply in the freezer for this purpose).  It will be as healthy as you want it to be with the veg and is a whole lot better than take outs.  The above estimates will serve 4.

TABS