Homeschooling for 3

Happy Friday! It's been a busy week at my house, but we're having lots of fun getting back into the groove of natural homeschooling. And Friendly's Free Scoop Saturday is right on time. They are giving away a free one scoop ice cream cone (or cup) of your choice. Up here in Pennsylvania the party starts at 12 p.m. and ends at 5 p.m. You can check out your local schedule by visiting Friendly's website. Speaking of free, my daughter is a beginning reader who likes her independence in learning. So, besides using programs found at Starfall (which are excellent by the way), and I Know That , we also use Click N Read Phonics . The program is developing quite a favorable reputation. They are now offering newcomers a free lesson to see what all the buzz is about. So, check it out and see if it might be right for your little ones. Oh yeah, don't forget to get your free chocolate coupons at the Mars website each and every Friday from now until September.

Teaching my first daughter how to read was a breeze. I just read to her on a regular basis, used the Scholastic Reading Program , Leap Frog videos and a bit of whimsy and she got it. My second daughter is having a more difficult time with reading. I think part of it is because she thinks that once she can read on her own she won't be read to anymore. Another reason probably has to do with her little brother. Although she's never been actively jealous of him, she may not be ready to fully transition to being a big girl. The cyberschool program that she's been in this past year has helped, but she's still not fluent yet. So, I've just been weighing options. Alaya is an "independent" learner. Independent in her case means she wants to tell me what she's learned, not have me ask her questions or apply any type of pressure. (I shudder to imagine her as a teenager - lol!) Where Jade would sit there and try to figure out the words as I read, Alaya is happie...