Ball-Stick-Bird!

Austyn is the type of child who loves science and math but doesn't want to read. He loves to have books read to him, but he doesn't want to pick one up himself. He is 8 years old and during our time of stress over the past year we started to get a bit frantic. I know it's silly! Why can't kids develop on their own?! Don't I know that children learn to read in other more literate countries at a much later age. After all... my blog IS called "Our Pace"!!! But, every once and a while, parents have melt-downs. Do you know the kind?... Where stress takes over and the mind doesn't work logically anymore?... Societal pressure creeps in and worries linger... One thought we had was, what if we need to put him in school?! How will they treat him, due to his reading?! This was during a time that the kids were making us lose hair and we all had the stress of living with relatives and not in our own home. It happens! Parents sometimes just can't keep it together! I'm sad to admit it but THAT was us. 

What I'm getting at, is that I think we didn't need to worry so much. He now is reading hockey cards and websites on hockey cards! It just took a strong interest to take over and away he went!!

Anyway... I'll get to this curriculum... I promise! LOL!! I posted a worried post on a local homeschool support group about his reading and one of the ladies there posted back stating that she tutors kids on reading. She said that she would see Austyn, for a short time, for free, to assess him, and give me a plan to go home with and use. So, after much thought, and a bit of calming down, I decided to take her up on her offer, even though I wasn't so sure about it all. We went and she was so kind! She showed us this program and how it works and can't fail! Austyn enjoyed it so much and I decided that I was going to get it no matter what happened. I had heard of it before and what is funny is, it's likely the only program we never actually looked at or used before. Here it is! 

It's called Ball-Stick-Bird. It's an older publication, but it looks like so much fun! I've showed it to a few parents already. After a few chuckles between some of us parents, due to the old names used (more specifically, DICK), and some pictures that look like condoms, we could look at it more seriously. It's such a different approach than any of us are use to. I've been reading through the teacher guide and am finding the method so interesting. It seems fun, and fast flowing, and forgiving for those kids who are perfectionists, like Austyn. It also has fun characters and the story is a space theme. Austyn will love this! I think... LOL!

The website doesn't have direct payment because they are keeping the price of the books down. I had the books shipped to a drop-off parcel location in the United States and we took a drive to go and pick it up. This prevented the extra cost that is placed on us when it comes over the border, through the mail.

I can't wait to try this program. I hope he enjoys it. It seems right for him, so far, even if it means we take many steps backwards to start it. I am hopeful!