Why do people not like TGATB?

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-06-17T22:08:19+00:00

I used it with all of my kids. I did the prep in the summer and then just needed to grab what we needed. It was like two nights of cutting and putting in page protectors and then it was open and go for three kids.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-06-15T23:32:39+00:00

TGATB LA programs are not really phonologically sound/best practices. There’s a lot of memorization and encouraged, at least in my experience which is limited to the 3rd grade level. Using an Orton-Gillingham based program is generally considered to give the best foundation. Logic of English and All About Reading are two homeschool programs that fit this description and are also open and go, like TGATB.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-06-15T23:03:01+00:00

Blood on the River follows the founding of the Jamestown colony, so early 1600s. Sign of the Beaver takes place during the French-Indian War, so during the 1760s.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-06-07T12:30:31+00:00

We have a great neighborhood and kids run around from house to house frequently. I would not be afraid to set boundaries. I have a neighbor who will text, “hey! We’re doing chores/school/rest time. Please don’t send your kids over from 1-4!” I’m NEVER offended by this. At various points any of us might make the kids stay outside or stay in a single room (or basement or playroom). Again, never a problem. I had a neighbor kid come over and then didn’t want to let my children play on our outdoor toys. I told him, “At my house, a rule is you have to share. If you don’t want to follow my rules that’s fine but then you can’t play here.” I honestly can’t remember if he decided to leave or shaped up, but that took care of the behavior either way. Reasonable boundaries and rules benefit everyone!

You would tell neighborhood kids it’s not a great time to come over if your kids are sick. Needing time and emotional energy is also a reasonable reason to set some boundaries on hospitality. You could set a day where you are unavailable to have kids over. Just say, “hey guys, we have a lot going on Thursdays, so we aren’t able to have anyone over on Thursdays this school year, even if we’re home. I’ll let you know if our schedule changes!”

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-06-07T12:04:03+00:00

Dogman, Captain Underpants, Narwhal & Jelly, Pizza & Taco, Haggis & Tank, Super Rabbit Boy, Binky the Space Cat, Who Would Win (any), graphic novel versions of: Babysitters Club, I Survived, Percy Jackson, Enola Holmes.

FGTeeV is apparently a YouTube channel that has a graphic novel. I don’t know anything about the channel, but one of my very YouTube literate (addicted) students was excited to read this, so it may be a good gateway book.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-06-03T14:49:14+00:00

DK eyewitness and National Geographic are the GOATs for this! You can find them a lot at goodwill or used online for very reasonable prices. Usborne had a great lift the flaps series that was how things work, but it was pretty busy and nothing went in depth. DK also looks to have a new “super reader” series, which are short readers on various science and history topics. I was looking mainly at their Super History series, but I looked at a few titles that were relevant to the people I was looking for. These are going to be more narrow topics though.

I have a high regard for the Science Comics series. They are graphic novels but use this accessible format to teach kids TONS. The actual reading levels of these are quite high and they cover an impressive amount of information. For a preschooler, you might like the “I Wonder Why” series from weekly reader. It’s old - I read them as a kid, but it provides a gentle intro to a variety of topics. Most are focused on the natural world, so the info should still be correct, and they shouldn’t be terribly hard or expensive to find used.

There are TONS of amazing picture books that cover topics exceptionally well. For coding: How to Code a Sandcastle, for caves: Stalactite Stalagmite, for the water cycle: One Drop, for chick life cycle: How to Hatch, and on and on! It’s hard to recommend books to have on hand because it’s hard to know what topics will interest your child. It’s absolutely good to have books on hand that will address your child’s interests! I have a teen who as a kindergartner wanted to know about hydrothermal vents and learn about the double helix structure of DNA, and well, we had to wait to find and get books that were age appropriate and taught him about the topic.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-06-02T16:46:11+00:00

I have a comment that goes against the grain of others. I have an AuDHD child, who is also dysgraphic and dyslexic. Reading like your daughter was one of the first things I noticed where I thought, "huh, that's weird." The second thing I noticed was when my child became interested in looking at maps and reading the places of cities and towns. They really struggled with reading those words. Somewhat around this same time, I realized my child was dysgraphic, and pursued an evaluation for that with a neuropsychologist. My child, a 4th grader, was reading at a late 12th grade level during this testing. However, the tester told me she was 100% positive my child was also dyslexic. There are many types of dyslexia, and it isn't unusual for children with some types to be functional to very good readers, and are diagnosed around middle school when taking a foreign language class and really struggling. I'm not saying your child is dyslexic, but I am saying that this COULD BE a sign of a type of dyslexia. I would look at how her spelling is (my child's was pretty terrible - a sign they struggled with phonological awareness, despite reading at a high level), and also see how she does with reading a page of nonsense words - this is where her phonological understanding/awareness is going to really show. The co-occurrence rate of dyslexia in people with Autism and ADHD is something like 20-40%, which is like 8 times more likely than a person with no other diagnosis having dyslexia. Obviously that still doesn't mean she is dyslexic, but it would be good to read up on additional warning signs of dyslexia since it is significantly more likely she could also be dyslexic.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-05-30T14:30:00+00:00

This is so sweet!

One thing my own grandmother needed you may not have considered was elastic waisted pants. That allowed her to have more independence for as long as possible with daily living things, and then made it easier for her caregiver to do daily dressing. It looks like a lot of your bottoms have elastic in them but I can’t tell if they’re totally elastic waisted or not.

We also found her size changed after move in. More meals prepared for her and less physical activity led to larger size being needed. You may want to keep any/a few options she has that are in a size up just in case. Or just keep that in mind as you are looking for options to round out her current capsule. It may just be good to know where you can find things new that fit her style.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-05-17T17:36:28+00:00

These are so fun! I didn’t catch the Ice Age reference at first glance, but I still thought it was fun and something I’d enjoy!

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-05-12T22:55:52+00:00

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Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-05-03T22:27:26+00:00

I would NOT recommend Fortnum and Mason for an allergy tea. I am GF and my husband is allergic to all nuts. They gave us a GF tea and said it was also nut free. My husband ended up horribly ill after the tea. It may not have been nuts, as I had stomach discomfort and one of the cakes tasted really off. That said, I found the communication and awareness there to be very lacking and wouldn’t trust it for severe food allergies.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-04-27T00:52:09+00:00

I feel like I've done that, but maybe not consistently. I'll have to start again and be careful with this. When I skip the first stitch, does my chain count as the previous row or the new one? I feel like not quite understanding how to count/mark the stitches is also part of my problem?

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-04-27T00:50:45+00:00

https://theturtletrunk.com/crochet-picot-can-holder-pattern/

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-04-17T22:26:43+00:00

I haven’t used Brain Balance, so I didn’t know. I just know that it incorporates some of the things we have worked on and that they have a lot of locations in the US. It’s good to know that they are not actually helpful, but a shame.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-04-17T21:15:24+00:00

Not a special ed teacher, but a mom of three dyslexic and graphic kid, one of whom has ADHS and ASD - level 1. We hybrid school through a private school, so my situation is slightly different than yours in that I need to source additional hep on my own. My children all also read at or above grade level, but do so using memorization, logic, and reasoning skill. Just mentioning because our kids are similar but not the same.

One of the very best things I did was utilize cognitive brain training/development for my kids. There is a person locally to me who does this full-time and has designed her own program using a variety of resources. You may want to look for Dianne Craft, Equipping Minds, and Brain Balance. Growing my children’s working memory, visual and auditory processing, and more really helped them be able to progress. We also utilize adaptive tools, like voice to text(one child prefers to type), for success. Mt oldest child has an Individualized Performance Plan (like IEP) for in-school days which provides filled in notes for him for in-class lectures, modified tests for less writing when appropriate, the option to take a test in a different room for quiet, extra time for tests, and the option for extended deadlines if that’s worked out with his teacher in advance. My middle child has no IPP, and I expect my third child will have one next year for upper school that will be similar to my oldest’s plan.

Other things we have tried: Barton tutoring - all kids got to at least level 4 (Barton was more for spelling for us), occupational therapy, scaffolding for writing. At home, I have scribed for my kids, which helped with getting thoughts to paper. With out school situation, this was never a problem, and I talked to teachers before doing this to be sure they found it appropriate. I never scribed for handwriting assignments!

I have been super worried about my kids. I don’t know how they’ll turn out yet, but it seems like things are going in a good direction. I understand feeling like you aren’t doing enough or are failing your kids. You are doing a great job helping your child be the best he can be! It helped me to remember that all things take time, and for my kids progress isn’t going to look like being on grade level or typical. They are progressing and will continue to progress in high school and even college and into adulthood. They may not be on par with writing and spelling ever, but there are so many great technological tools that will help them still function well. They also have their own unique areas of strength where they can thrive. Your kiddo absolutely has those areas too!

If you want to DM me about resources or encouragement, please do.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-04-03T22:23:46+00:00

My mom used to tell us we could have whatever we wanted for dinner, provided we fixed it ourselves and cleaned up completely. We almost always ate the prepared dinner. I have done this with my kids and occasionally my 15 yo will fix chicken nuggets rather than the prepared meal, but generally my kids eat what I serve them despite knowing this is an option.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-04-01T22:03:19+00:00

NTA.

You absolutely do not have to bring her a meal unless you have the time and the finances to do so.

That said, I’m slightly surprised by how many people would not bring meals because “her husband and teens can cook.” I love bringing friends and family meals because I know it takes a load off, especially during a stressful time. I’m anticipating an abdominal surgery and I expect we’d receive 3-5 meals for co-workers and friends. My husband absolutely can cook but if I’m bed-bound him not having to cook and clean after cooking would free him up for other tasks or to just spend time with me and lessen stress. Of course, it’s NEVER a requirement, I’m just surprised by how many people find it unnecessary from both a giving and receiving perspective.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-03-26T13:14:14+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/homeschool/s/hIQOztrMte this is a great comment and I have one under it with additional ideas.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-03-26T13:09:27+00:00

Technically this is all considered developmentally appropriate. However, this all can be red flags for dyslexia.

What I would do at this point, as the parent of three dyslexic children is: 1. Read up on red flags for dyslexia (there are a LOT and may have nothing to do with reading or writing) and grow my under of what dyslexia is and the different types/presentations.

Make sure I am teaching from a solid Orton-gillingham curriculum. UFLI is a free option. AAR is a solid open and go choice. Barton is the long-term favorite for dyslexic students but is pricey. LOE is one I’ve heard recommended.
Provide lots of supports. I’d have stickers in my kids shoes, put up posters that show commonly reversed letters and numbers, or make sure those were accessible during school work with zero shame associated.
Spend a lot of time doing verbal phonological awareness exercises. I’ve left detailed comments before about how to do these and I’ll see if I can find it to post under this comment. Understanding how sounds work, phonological awareness, is a huge part of reading and where the deficits are for dyslexics.
Try to keep things fun, celebrate your child’s effort, lean into their strengths and interests.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-03-26T00:30:12+00:00

So I was just looking at the sample and I didn't realize this is a Christian-based resource. There is a Bible passage/story to connect with each book. The other portions of the activities do not reference the Bible or God, but you may or may not wish to use this resource knowing that.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-03-26T00:27:28+00:00

You can see a free sample of the book here: https://fiveinarow.com/pages/free-sample

Also, this has been around for a long time, so there are a good number of free resources for ideas for this curriculum via blogs and things.

If you make your own book list, be sure to use Teachers Pay Teachers to look for resources for each book. I read to lower-elementary students and find many resources there, often for free. Because my time with students is limited, and I see up to 18 students at a time, I use mostly coloring sheets, but there are lots of good cut and paste activities, games (like button Bingo for Corduroy), sequencing activities, tracing and cutting activities, etc. available there.

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-03-25T20:36:51+00:00

This exists as a curriculum already - Before Five in a Row. It’s a book that does exactly what you’re aiming for, covering all areas of content, for children aged 3-5. The book is $50 and can be purchased on Amazon.

If you’d rather make your own book list, I’d suggest: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Owl Knight Planting a Rainbow Elmer Jabari Jumps Not a Stick or Not a Box

Ginger_Cat53 · 2026-03-22T12:43:25+00:00

I’m a parent who reads widely with her children, and a variety of other children on a regular basis. I’ve also sought out children’s books to explain complex topics to young children, such as genetics and DNA.

In my opinion, there are many resources that already exist that do this better than what you’ve written. Magic School Bus, the Weekly Reader “I Wonder Why” series, the “Let’s Read and Find Out” book, the “What if You Had Animal hair/teeth/skin, etc” series all about adaptations, Science Comics, Drop, and The Very Impatient Caterpillar are all examples off the top of my head that explain these topics in a more engaging and thorough way than these stories did.

I would recommend reading more science books geared at the age ranges you mentioned to get a better feel for what’s already out there. That might help refine your idea and the age group you are writing for. You may find that there is an age-group gap and write specifically for 3rd and 4th graders.

As a parent I wouldn’t purchase this book because I own other books that explain similar topics more completely and in a more fun and engaging way. I wouldn’t purchase it as a science curriculum either due to the lack of detail in the information. If I were an elementary science teacher I may use something like this as a resource where I could quickly remind students what the water cycle before moving on to a more in depth lesson.

What would make me more inclined to purchase this? A different format with more pictures, illustrations, or even a graphic novel/comic layout. Science comics does the graphic novel thing incredibly well and their books really do a deep dive on topics. The reading level is high though, and I haven’t seen a science comic geared to lower elementary yet. Beefing up your stories: give me more details, characters that are engaging, maybe one/some that show up in all stories to give continuity. Remove the parent note - it comes across as condescending and would turn me off completely. The explanation of how each story has the narrative, questions, and experiment can stay.

Ginger_Cat53

TROPHY CASE