We started learning Latin this year. We like it. When I first discovered The Well Trained Mind, I liked most everything about it, but it was History that intrigued me the most. And, as far as Latin, I wasn't going to do that. It's a dead language, it's boring, what's the point?

As the years went by, it seemed like the more closely I followed The Well Trained Mind, the more smoothly things went. I was also reading the WTM boards and there were a lot of people talking about Latin. I started thinking about it. But, I knew I wanted to study Spanish and Sign Language with the girls and I was having a hard enough time getting that done, so I just couldn't see trying to heap Latin on top of everything else.

Then, last year we bought La Clase Divertida (a Spanish curriculum on videotape) and really loved it. I found as I scheduled more carefully, and found programs that worked for us, we were finding the time to get everything done.

I did a lot of reading, and I decided that learning Latin would reinforce English vocabulary (because over 50% of English words have Latin roots) and English grammar, it would be helpful (I hoped) in learning Spanish because of the commonalities there, and it would be a good intellectual exercise. That, and I think Susan Wise Bauer is like, sooo super smart, and she thinks it's a good idea.

Then, I had the task of choosing a curriculum. On the WTM boards there are a lot of discussions and comparisons, but it's really hard to know what would work for you because one person will love a program and another will hate it. I knew I wanted something with video instruction, because I was pretty intimidated about teaching something that I would be learning myself.

After reading several people who were happy with Latin for Children and looking at their website, I bought it. We have really enjoyed it. I didn't expect my 6 year old to study Latin, but she has wanted to do it (I wouldn't buy this for a 6 year old, though. I'd wait until at least 8 or 9). Lillie does the maxims and the chants, and has learned quite a bit of vocabulary, but she is not old enough for learning the noun jobs or working on translations.

The Latin for Children curriculum follows the 4-year history cycle, uses the classical pronunciation (although it explains ecclesiastical) and has DVD lessons. Each week, we watch a father teach his daughters the lesson. The lesson includes a chapter maxim ("In principio erat verbum. In the beginning was the word. John 1:1" is the first chapter maxim), noun declensions or verb conjugations, and then a list of vocab words. There is usually a grammar page as well. We review each day (and sometimes create Latin flash cards, but lately we haven't been). On the second or third day, Grace completes a worksheet and on the third or fourth day, she completes the last worksheet.

The curriculum reviews the previous lessons every five chapters. The program is secular except for the first chapter maxim, and the Apostle's Creed listed in English and Latin at the end of the text. The program has lots of fun chants and songs and we've been very happy with it.

We have kept up with Spanish, too, and it hasn't been confusing. The approaches are very different. With Latin, there is a lot of chanting and vocab memorization and with Spanish (we're waiting for Level 3 to come out with La Clase, so we are using Symtalk now, which is a great program) is geared toward conversation.

If I had to choose between Spanish and Latin, I'd choose Spanish. But, I like doing both. We are learning different things, in different ways, and they compliment each other. Neither the girls or I want to do an hour of Spanish every day, but we like doing 20-30 minutes of Latin and then 20-30 minutes of Spanish.

And, while I was intimidated by it, Latin has turned out to be FUN. Latin is less stressful than Spanish (for me, I don't think the kids care one way or the other) because anything we learn feels like something accomplished. Whereas with Spanish, we have a goal of actually being able to converse. It's a good goal, I like that goal, but Latin is more fun than I thought it'd be.