My kids go to a Japanese school, and I’m really happy with the quality of education. But, of course, they don’t teach English, and there isn’t a big concentration on American history and geography. So, I’m trying to teach those things to my kids, after school.

I’m always on the look-out for a good homeschool history/geography book, and a good spelling text, so if anyone has any ideas . . . I’d love to hear them.

I think four is a pretty good age to start. Just remember, little kids are pretty good at recognizing forms and attaching names to them. But they may not “get” the connection between the form and a sound. They might be able to parrot “B is b(uh)” at you, but they may find it hard to connect the “th” sound to “this.” It’s a different skill, and sometimes it’s not a matter of being lazy or “stupid,” just that their brain hasn’t developed enough to make a connection. If the parent or the kid feels like crying, it’s a good idea to put the book away for awhile, and try it in a few months.

BTW, one thing I did in addition to the book: I bought one of those big-ruled notebooks for beginning writers (you know, two lines and a dotted line in the middle), and had the kids use those for writing practice. Once they had a few letters, I had them try some easy words (often from the text), and of course, I had them practice writing their names. The date would be a good idea, too.

This had two advantages: extra practice in writing, and also I could keep track of when we last did a lesson. “Oh boy, didn’t touch this for a week? Better review the last lesson before starting on today’s.”

Also, I gave the kids stickers in their writing tablets. I think the writing part was their favorite part of the lesson.

Forgiven, I’m glad to hear the tip may be useful. (-: No use crying over spilt milk. Staying away from the dessert table is a big accomplishment, too! Good luck!