EFMP goes mobile

The Exceptional Family Member Program is a military program that is supposed to help those in the service with special needs children.  In our 11 years of having special needs children in the military, they tried to help a few times but were way out of their league with our particular issues (extreme food allergies).  The dietician never knew what to tell us although two of them tried REALLY hard.  I don't blame them, they really don't have the right information to help someone with our challenges... they have a certain RX of thinking and that's it.  They also refused to help us with autism recovery so overall our experience with them was negative.  This has been an almost across the board response with autism in the military, whether the member is aiming at recovery or life skills. (I'm sure there are some exceptions to the norm)   However, I have friends in the military who have had positive experiences with EFMP.  They do not deal with autism and it has been a life saver for them in many ways.

The military has recently been asking questions of members regarding EFMP and has learned of the large gaping holes in the system, and are working to rectify the situation.  Here is a link to the newest ways they are trying to make things more parent-friendly.  So if you have a military friend with a special needs child, pass the link along so they can access their help a little easier.  :)

The tides of "boxed thinking" are turning and even the military is beginning to think some alternative therapies are worth investigating.  Yay for forward thinking!!  

Curricula for 2011-2012 School year

Whew! I am really bad at this whole blogging thing!!  We've been in school for 2 months now and just realized I hadn't written this post yet.  :D

So as promised, here are the goodies we're using this year.  (Click on the links if you're interested in seeing what the books look like)

Tony:

Teaching Textbooks
Story of the World 3 
Sequential Spelling 
Fallacy Detective 
God's Design for Life: Machines 
LOF
typing 
guitar
He's being taught IEW, Art and Grammar by other fabulous homeschooling mommies at a Learning Partnership


Grace:
MUS 
SOTW3 
Easy Grammar
Sequential Spelling 
Fallacy Detective 
typing 
piano
She is taking IEW & Apologia from our Learning Partnership


Kate:
MUS 
Teach your child to read in 100 Easy Lessons  
(Yes she did use that last year but was not quite ready to really learn... this year she's all over it!)
Sequential Spelling
SOTW3
Art appreciation at Learning Partnership

And of course tons of read alouds... not even going to attempt to list all of those.

Aha, someone called to my attention the fact that I do not have science.... must find a science program.  :)

What happens with big brother joins the Littlest Pet Shop game

 

  

 

He did teach Kate how to play chess though so it all evens out.  :)

Can we call it shop class...

...if all they're doing is tearing it apart?  LOL   I called is shop, DH said kids learn how to put things back together in shop.  Regardless, I thought it was adorable that they didn't even take time to change out of their swimsuits before digging into the guts of these broken radios.  :)

Scallions!

I am so grateful for veggies that take care of themselves!  It has been TOO HOT to work in the garden much this summer so it's been pretty neglected.  I went out a week or so ago and prepped the soil, put in some fertilizer and chopped up the hard dirt.  Grace and I went out today to plant seedlings and there were some beautiful scallions mixed in with the marigolds.  :)

 Silly girl.  :D 

 

As soon as I washed them off, the kids were squeaking to eat them so they now all have onion breath.  No pictures of that.  lol

We planted all the wonderful green leafy veggies that thrive in the fall.  Kale, cabbage, lettuce, spinach...I cannot WAIT to see things growing again.  :) 

Random pictures from the month of August

We started school, made a trip to visit family, had nerf gun wars and made monster pants.  :)  It's been busy!

First day of school is always more play than work.  They get to fill out a paper listing their age, weight, height, favorite color, book, movie, song and what they want to be when they grow up.  Then we take this picture in the same place so we can see the growth.  ;)

 nerf gun war destruction

Daddy helping Grace with school work

Tony showing the girls some cool stuff.  (I hope our chiropractor doesn't see the way Grace is sitting!)

Tony's monster pants

Daddy getting some good smoochies

Tarzan(ette) or is that Jane?

Tony making faces at the camera

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And there's that.  I'll try to be better about posting this month.  At least I need to get our curriculum posted!  I need a clone.  :D  Anyone know where I can get one?