Sonlight

Let's just say, we've got several strikes going against us in the schooling area. 
1) We're the first family Del's had that actually valued school for education's sake. 
2) We're the first people that taught Del to actually enjoy reading.
3) We're the first people that refuse to read FOR her.
4) We're still working on the whole trust issue.
5) We have attachment problems.
6) We have special needs.

This is why I LOVE LOVE LOVE Sonlight.  You get to choose which core you want based on your child's interest and reading level.  We chose the Core 3/4 which is a little bit young for her, but good for the reading part and she loves American History.  Our box came and we opened it and started sorting out dozens of books. 

My child who hated to read, will be one of the best read kids I know.  Without being forced to do it.  Not only that, she's being opened up to the world around her.  One thing kids from foster care struggle with is throwing off that "victim" mentality.  When you start reading true stories about people who settled our land- starving, homeless, enslaved, it puts your life into perspective.  (The whole- "your life DID suck, it DOES NOT suck NOW" concept...)  Not only that, it came with the Oxford Book of American Children's Poems that she reads aloud everyday.  And a Scripture passage she has to memorize and recite.  (It takes about 6 weeks.)  She read her first poem for everyone last night and got a round of applause.

I love that this curriculum comes with an Instructor's Guide that puts it all together for me.  I don't have to teach her during the day and spend my nights coming up with lesson plans.  Although, I could if I wanted to.  The idea did occur to me though- I'm not married to it.  I could skip a book or have her push ahead a bit. 

But the best part comes at night.  You know, Sparrow still goes to Catholic school while Del does homeschool.  Of course, FarmerGeek still goes to work everyday- although he does teach Math after school.  But part of our curriculum includes reading out-loud parent and child.  Well, we upped it a bit.  We all pile on the couch and read together.  This is so good for our bonding as a family and working through the reactive attachment disorder.  We chose holding therapy at the get go and this is fabulous for promoting it.  Even if we didn't have these issues, we would still HAVE to spend time together.  We'd have to MAKE the time to spend together!

So here's the deal.  Maybe you want to check out Sonlight, maybe you want to order a book or the entire curriculum.  Just click on the button to the right of the screen and they'll give you $5 off your order.  It doesn't matter how big your order is.  (Her one book, "Om-kas-toe" came signed by the way...) 

In the matter of disclosure and honesty, yes I do get rewards points toward future purchases is you buy through my blog.  But honestly- if I wasn't telling the absolute truth about how much I love Sonlight and weren't committed to the program- those reward points wouldn't do me a dang bit of good!  And you still get $5 off-no matter what! 

Just take a look, homeschooler or not...