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   Christianrealm.com

I wanted to share my experience with this company.

On 9/3, I placed an order for "Home Economics for Home Schoolers Level 1" by Pearables from Christianrealm.com  aka Christian Realm

Their website states "We process orders of in stock merchandise within 3 business days or sooner, even during the busy season months."  They offer free standard shipping on all items.  As I needed this item by the following week for school, I paid $5.95 for Priority Mail.

Friday (9/7) rolled around and I hadn't recieved notice of shipping or notice that the item was not in stock, so I phoned and e-mailed the company and got no response.

On 9/10, their website showed my order as having shipped that day (9/10.)  When I didn't recieve it by the following Friday (9/14), I phoned again and received no return call.

On 9/17, I e-mailed through their website and stated that I needed to receive tracking information on the item by 9/19  or I was going to contact my bank about issuing a chargeback.

On 9/22 the item arrived via Priority Mail - postmarked 9/18 - despite showing having been shipped on 9/10 on their website order tracking system.

I sent the following comment via their website.  I felt it was unfair to hold an item for 15 days without contacting a buyer that was paying for Priority delivery and that my shipping costs should be refunded.

I recieved my item today and see that it was shipped on 9/18, despite your site showing it was shipped on 9/10 and being charged for Priority shipping.

I find it highly unethical that the item showed as shipped when it had actually NOT been shipped and that I was charged for Priority on an order I placed on 9/3 that did not ship until 9/18.  I also just can't believe that you do not respond to e-mails or phone calls.

Please refund my card for $5.95 that I paid for Priority Shipping.  I will be contacting the BBB about this experience, as well as my credit card company. 

Again, I am just shocked at your silence despite three e-mails and two voicemails.  I will never do business with Christian Realm again - and I will share my experience here with other homeschoolers.  It's really a shame - because a single phone call to let me know the status and waiving the shipping fee because it took two full weeks for you to ship would have redeemed the situation and made me a permanent customer.  This is not how you do business - at least not if you intend to stay in business.  (I, too, am a business owner.)  It is also a horrible witness for a Christian company.

I just got this reply via e-mail today - the very first contact I've had from the company since the automated e-mail confirmation of my order.

Dear Christy,

Shipping charges are for shipping not ORDER PROCESSING.  2 totally different things.  Your order was shipped priorty as you requested. Please do take your business elsewhere as we will not do business with you again.  You should be ashamed to call yourself a christian speaking to us like that and trying to steal.

Britney M**********
Customer Service Rep

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   Considering Curriculum

It is that time again - almost school time.  Two years ago or so, I purchased a pre-K curriculum that I ended up not liking, so I did not use it.  Last fall, I purchased Pathway Readers and workbooks for Grade 1.  I did some work with Alyssa on sight reading and then ended up having my surgery, so I dropped it.  Alyssa will be five in November.  We have the option of beginning school this year or next year.  I really LIKE the Pathway stuff, so I am keeping it and I think we will use it more than likely.

That brings me to our current curriculum considerations.

First off, I ordered a Curriculum Fair-In-a-Box.  I've never had the priviledge of attending a curriculum fair to see materials in person, so this will be helpful now and in years to come.  (Hopefully in years to come, I'll be near Atlanta and curriculum fairs!)

After having numerous IM discussions with Chautona, I decided to give Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons a try.  She also recommends Modern Curriculum Press for math, so we may give that a shot, too.  It has gotten very good reviews online.

So that is reading and 'rithmatic.  We must not forget Writing!  We will be trying Handwriting Without Tears for that.  I'm not going to worry about all of the different pieces, just the workbook, slate, and I'm going to laminated cardstock pieces instead of spending a fortune on the wood pieces for capital letter shapes.  I do have the first book of The Italic Handwriting Series, which we may move into once she gets the basics down.  We'll just have to see.

Earl has some concern about Alyssa being "behind".  I found a check-list online of skills that children should have before starting kindergarten.  She can do everything on it except tie her shoe or neatly cut with scissors - but we haven't exactly let her use scissors much!  So in order to reassure him, we will be referring to What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know (books available for K - 6th grade.)

I've also downloaded StartWrite to create worksheets with and Homeschool Tracker to track attendance, assignments, etc.  (Georgia requires attendance records be kept.)

Now the big decision is whether to jump in with both feet this year or wait until next year.  A lot of it will depend upon our situation here and how ready Alyssa is.  The next question is what we'll use for science and history and bible and other subjects - but I have a lot of research to do before deciding on those, and I'd like to get the Curriculum Fair-In-A-Box in my hot little hands first! 

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   She's growing up...

I took Alyssa to the library on Wednesday and asked if she was old enough for her own card.  They said she had to be able to write her name on the little signature strip.  She surprised me!  (and I had her practice her "s" writing skills when we got home LOL)

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