My Meredith, who is seven, was doing pretty well until all this hit her with lesson 50, too, and then she got a little jumbled, and even started reversing her 10s and 1s when she was writing 2-digit numbers (writing fourteen as 41, that kind of thing).

I settled her down again through the exercise with the abacus tile cards and she clicked, but I didn't harp, because I knew we'd run into it again and she'd get the hang of it.

Every time place value gets confusing at our house, either the abacus tiles come out, or I grab my counting sticks and elastics and start bundling physical tens....we have a very hands-on girl here, and that's what she gets.

Thanks for sharing that practical and helpful tip. Nancy