Pam Connell's comments

Should Homeschoolers Compete against Other Students? - Blog Entry

05 Jul 2007 01:36 PM

At least the argument that the homeschool kids are unfairly advantaged is a lot better than the old one that homeschoolers would be unfairly disadvantaged! It's hard to argue with success!

Breastfeeding and Jury Duty - Blog Entry

27 Jun 2007 11:26 PM

I was then seated for a much shorter trial, for which apparently it wasn't felt that having firm moral beliefs was a deterrent for service.

Breastfeeding and Jury Duty - Blog Entry

27 Jun 2007 11:22 PM

I was called when my son was a baby and I was breastfeeding. They gave me a dispensation without much trouble, but then called me again six weeks later! I felt like saying, "um, he hasn't grown up yet..." my husband was to be out of town that week as well, so I got a dispensation.

The next time I was called I was still nursing but ds was a toddler and dh was able to take off work His work actually had a nice policy that would have continued to pay him if he'd been on jury duty, but not if he was caring for the children while I served. But he could do it. Also each time I 'd been summoned it was to a courthouse farther and farther from home ,so I figured I'd better serve or I'd really be out in the boonies next time.

We were informed that we might be selected for an unusually long trial and asked if anyone wanted to request a hardship deferment. I said my husband could only take one week off. The judge said something else and I responded (lightly, I thought...maybe that was my mistake) that I'd be here next week but I might have a two year old with me. The judge said that I might be held in contempt of court. Luckily I was not selected for that trial (as Michelle hinted above, I shot off my mouth about my ethical beliefs when asked a question, and the lawyers didn't want me around).

My Face Is Killing Me - Blog Entry

27 Jun 2007 12:08 AM

I really do have TMJ (and migraines partly caused by a herniated cervical disk) and I do remember my face cramping up in a literal charley horse a couple of times. I managed to massage it out before it got too bad (or at least before it got worse than the headache).

Good luck.

Belly Button Infections - Blog Entry

26 Jun 2007 11:59 PM

Tristi--that's about how I'm feeling right now. Diet, exercise and medication recommendations for one condition are contraindicated by another condition and I can't seem to get off this hamster wheel.

Hang in there.

Schools in Malls - Blog Entry

26 Jun 2007 10:13 PM

We have library branches in two malls near our area. They have an inviting seating area with newspapers and magazines just off the main mall thoroughfare. They have computers the public can use and story hours in different languages. The selection of books stocked there is small, much of it in three or four of the languages most common in our area, but any item in the library system can be sent there for pickup. It's near the grocery store and food court of the mall. I think it attracts a lot of people who don't have cars or who might not previously have thought of going specifically to the library as a destination.

My Top 5 Math Curriculum Picks - Blog Entry

26 Jun 2007 11:24 AM

Thanks--I think I will try Math U See and possibly the Professor B program Andrea mentioned--I looked at some of the sample lessons. I have thought about Saxon because she has some memory issues and needs the constant review of past concepts. But right now I want to give her something as interesting and fun as possible since she is getting so many drills just in the auditory processing exercises with her speech therapist.

I am not a visual-spatial learner myself so it should be interesting.

I also found "Addition the Fun Way" from City Creek Press. We've just started some of the stories. My daughter seems to like it. It associates each math fact with a picture and story. To me it seems more complicated to memorize the story and charactesr than to just memorize the facts, but with this child I think I may need to look for things that are the exact opposite of my own learning style!

My Top 5 Math Curriculum Picks - Blog Entry

23 Jun 2007 09:40 PM

Is anyone familiar with Math U See? I have a daughter entering second grade who has not yet mastered the first grade concepts. She is bright but is a visual learner with auditory processing difficulties and probably dyslexia, so I thought a video-based problem might be good. I don't know much about Math U See other than one author recommends it.

Teaching Our Kids to Pray - Blog Entry

23 Jun 2007 08:50 PM

A very inspirational article. I think many adopted kids have abandonment issues and there is only one Parent who can totally heal them.

A Soul-Searching Question: What Special Needs Could We Handle? - Blog Entry

12 Jun 2007 11:09 AM

All adoptive parents (all parents, in fact) have to accept that they can never entirely know what needs children may have, but it does take some soul-searching to consciously take special needs on. People who adopt children with severe disabilities seem very happy with their choice. But I also encourage prospective adoptive parents to realize that many children need homes because of special needs that might be quite minor or correctable here (premature birth, droopy eyelid, correctable cleft palate, etc.) I hope the "special needs" or "waiting children" designations don't scare people off unnecessarily. Thanks for reading JannyElise.