I feel the same. I get up early in case they get up early and I need to cook. Even if I showed them Where to get everything for cereal, toast, bagels, etc. I sit and smile and run through my need to do list in my head. It definitely stresses me out. However, I do enjoy having company and wish we had more to visit. I do enjoy hosting. But yes, I get anxious about everything.

Can you share the name?

It's a basic lesson with examples. Feedback is a very detailed rubric point system and then comments about what was good and what needs improvement. For my writing hater it's perfect. Simple and feedback helps them make improvements one area at a time. My ds has done essay 1 and 2 and has made huge strides in his writing abilities. My dd is a strong writer and did essay 1 this fall. She received much less feedback, but still learned some basics. I think this is a great price for basic writing instructions and feedback. It would be best for students who haven't had a solid background or who hate writing and need gentle steps. For me not being the one who grades, it was worth the money. My ds has improved greatly with So Verbose.

Will be praying. Results and finals.

I find it weird. I have 2 teens. We love to travel. (we travel cheap by the way) I don't want a friend along for them. I want it to be OUR family. I want them to have great memories of the family time we spent together doing fun adventures. It sounds like the parents don't want to hang out with their own kids. I remember at some point our family started allowing friends to come to the beach with us. But I realize now it was so dad could go golfing and we would be occupied all day. I think it's fine for these people to do their extravagant life. It's fine they want their kids to bring a friend. They don't seem to be expecting you to reciprocate. Don't be jealous, it's how they prioritize their money/time. It might all be on credit! But say no if you don't want your kid to go. personally I would be torn about saying no. If I couldn't afford that opportunity but someone is offering it to my child...I don't want to be the one to say no. But if it's affecting your own family's time/travel schedule then just say no and go do your own thing. ETA: I have had the opportunity to do things for kids whose families would never do it for them in the last few years. First, the kids were super excited about these new opportunities for the most part. Second, I was never trying to make the mom feel bad. In some cases it was just easier to bring along than try to change plans and not bring them. I agree with another poster that they offer something different than you do when their kid hangs with your family. It doesn't have to equal $$ signs.

I just bought a nice candle and dark chocolates for a gift exchange...things I would enjoy

I can't think of a lot of people I know in that age range they speak of, but the one I do know... very hard working/responsible, but very liberal and will rant and whine about a lot of politics. I don't remember being so angry/vocal about my opinions regarding politics at that age. I didn't have the social media outlet either, so perhaps I was just as angry/vocal but only dumped on family? This person did complain about lack of jobs after college...but had a unique degree that I couldn't name one job that would naturally fit with it. LOL Anyway, I haven't seen the whiny people the news portrays. I see a lot of people in that age group in my area forging a different life than my generation chose to seek out. They work multiple jobs to have more personal freedom, but it gives lack of stability. The multiple sources of income helps when one job goes away unlike our family where the 1 income is vitally important. They go do the things they want to do in their spare time. They seem happy. I just don't hear complaining from that group in particular. I'm sure these people exist for studies to show x or y results, but you can manipulate studies and results.

I'm in the same boat. I have a 10th grade boy who hates any kind of formal learning, and a 9th grade girl who's emotionally like me. And I'm definitely going through some hormonal changes right now. It's awful. I want to run away and live in the woods alone. Some days I spend a lot of time in my room crying. They don't want to go to school, I don't want them to go to school, but gosh, the emotions in this house right now are so up and down it's like swimming in a poison river and you never know when the water will slam you up side someone's emotional paddle in your face! Anyway, I would love to hear advice...

I tried a new peppermint cookie recipe last week that was easier than my other one, but not as tasty. So I'll do the harder one for better taste LOL This year DS is no longer allergic to nuts. I'm going all out and we will be doing all new recipes. peanut butter balls, cookies with nuts in/on them. Cheesecakes with nut crusts. I have recipes I've been keeping forever in hopes this allergy would go away. Now to enjoy them all again.

I haven't heard of any, but you know it will come up eventually. I'm sure they wouldn't want their name to be trashed in the public eye about rejecting someone, so maybe some groups have encountered this already and kept it quiet? Since the groups can vote yay or nay about anyone joining I think it would be easy to just go through rush and not offer a bid. Done.

well, after college my sister went to NYC and rented a studio for $2000 a month. She couldn't find a job even with a degree from UNC and job experience. Nothing. She ended up leaving after 2 months. She's prone to depression and then alcoholism and struggled meeting anyone in the city. She went out alone to places hoping to connect with people but didn't make 1 friend in those 2 months. So I would highly consider having a well paid job lined up first and be sure the kid will connect with some good people immediately who could introduce them to others...even if later on they make other friends. It was a hard time for my sister and didn't end well for her. Depression led to a bad drinking spell and she was home in a few days afterward. I'm not sure if she was arrested or not...She also went to Boston for a few months and again, ended up depressed, drunk, mom had to go up and deal with the aftermath.... ended up back home again. If you have concerns, just try to anticipate and meet those needs before he goes

I get what you are saying. My dd has a penpal and when asked what 'program' we do my dd said I teach using a variety of curriculum. The response was again asking but what program. DD listed out the curriculum but the child again asked DD what program we went to. Ugh. I live in a high co-op area. I'm finding no one teaches at home. So when we meet homeschoolers they ask what co-ops we do. Yes, plural. You are just doing something different. I like to say we are eclectic. Mostly at home, some online. Kids do outside fun classes(piano/violin, theater, PE) in different settings.

I think it's getting worse, but I think it's always been like this among homeschoolers. I learned my lesson a few times about paying for a group field trip upfront. Eventually I required checks to be mailed to me. If you didn't show you lost your money. You could find a replacement. It helped me plan larger field trip events by collecting money up front. People show up when they have money involved. Otherwise I plan to do something I would want to do and if no one shows up oh well. No big deal. I noticed that people want to do things, but many have anxiety and others just can't get it together to get out the door on time. Even asking people to send you $1 per person for the event helps. They mail in a few bucks and if they show up, they get it back. If not, you get it. Seriously, people are tied to their money. Keep going, keep planning, but just realize if there is nothing tied to this event they might all flake out. I reserved tickets for broadway shows this year not understanding when I did so I was committing to paying the money. It had been worded that IF we got the tickets. Well I can't afford Broadway shows monthly for my family, so when I was being emailed how much money I owed I had to rethink committing. I wasn't the only one. Several emails have gone out about this was a commitment. I ended up asking to be removed from all shows but one next summer. I felt bad but I was not understanding that committing was set in stone even though the tickets wouldn't be reserved/purchased until later. So be clear if there is a cost and collect beforehand. You can always return if it things change.

I also have astigmatism and prism in my progressives and am not happy with them. Tell me more about Chemisterie. Online shows a lot of sunglass clips, but you mentioned it in a way that makes me think you can do other things with it? Like normal glasses and then a clip for reading?

I have had them for almost 2 years and hate them. My eye Dr even said for watching movies at the theater, just wear my old glasses b/c the spot I need won't be in the right area leaning back in a chair. Frustrating! I also have a prism for double vision and the progressives either didn't do it or it's not in the right spot. When driving I can't look at the time, radio, map b/c it's blurry/double. I tend to take them off when reading b/c I can't get the right spot on them. I'm eligible for new glasses come january and I hope to change up the progressives into something else. I like the idea of multiple glasses for different things. I would rather change glasses than deal with the constant moving of my head or shifting glasses. My dh has progressives for most of the day, but does have specialized glasses just for computer time since he's a programmer. I found adjusting to them difficult, and I honestly don't like them 2 year later, so for me it's a big dud.

Don't want to share, but yes, been through hell and are 8 years past it. It takes 2, working hard to make it work. I think mentally it's different than before the drama, so it just takes more effort overall.

I feel like I get a lot done and then I crash in the evenings. It feels like I'm being lazy. I'm not, but I obviously tend to do everything in the day time and my evenings are empty. School with kids organize AHG stuff for meeting Troop Hike Troop Meeting Pick up chocolate fountain dinner out Kohl's to buy dd tennis shoes home before bed.... maybe As for dinner ideas...I'm with you about making the same old stuff. I have made more new things this month than in the last year! Today I printed out a new recipe. Nothing NEW to my family, but a different recipe in the way it's made. I'm hoping the flavors are same enough but different enough to enjoy. I'm also going to try Lentil soup. I made a new tomato parmesan soup last week and even my meat boys like it! For me it's about the motivation to cook something new. I want new, just not the work of learning new LOL But tonight I'm just grabbing a salad while out and about. I'll cook at home the rest of the week

Ahhh Monday finish laundry from yesterday prep for being gone all day school at home(literature, writing, Biology labs, remind kids to read) theater(dd)/history(ds) classes DD volunteer time with theater PE class both kids drive in traffic Pick up my car from tire place be stuck in traffic but riding on new tires :-) dinner: going easy with chicken or veggie sandwich and tots with beans prep for AHG tomorrow. need to do the work I asked my girls to do. make announcement list. organize paper monsters. get in a walk. or tai chi.

I'm with most of you in that if a situation occurred I would just require class B outfits next time. I always email before an outdoor event listing appropriate clothing for the weather and exercise we will be doing. If the outfit was about sizing and not modesty then a group announcement of what to wear to the event would be enough. I personally wouldn't sit down with a mom about it unless it was a continuous issue of being dressed out of alignment with AHG's foundations.

this is how I get over the loss of what I had hoped would be lovely family relationships: Whenever I think about moving closer, calling more, planning a trip to visit them...I remember the last trip. I focus on the confusion and awkwardness of the visit. I remember my own kids asking point blank out loud why the heck were we there if no one was going to speak? I tally up how many times they have thrown me under the bus for trying to create visits and good times together. I then pray for them and smile that I am 3k miles away. If I didn't remember the past I would end up allowing their hurtful behavior to hurt my kids. Thankfully they are old enough to recognize these people don't call us or reach out in any way. And when we do call they don't ask how we are but tell us all about their time with the other grandchildren. My kids want no relationship b/c of how they have been treated in person, so I just have to let it go. Sometimes that is hard. Sometimes I think people have changed. But then I remind myself if these people wanted a relationship with us/our kids then they would make some effort. Until they do I'm done, my kids are done, dh is done. So I'm open to something better in the future, but they have to make the first step. Since every first step I've ever made was stomped on. I'm adult enough to know better.

hmm, I'm a TC and our troop policies don't address this. I think this is why troop's end up with policy books forever long. In this case I would bring in another adult, mom, girl and explain that we need to live out the AHG creed/oath and that includes dressing for how God would approve, and in this situation dressing for the event. Mud and dresses don't usually work well together. Explain there may be a place for her dress but it won't be at AHG in the future. Do you have any idea if mom knew/approved of her clothes? you might end up with a mean mom going off on you. In that case, just explain in the future to wear class B outfits. Require it in the troop policy and situation resolved.

I've seen how nasty my mom's mom was...and she's going to be just.like.her. I expect her to be argumentative and combative in the end. We have talked about her taking care of her mother and how awful the situation was. I told her I didn't want to have the same experience. I'm hoping she's heard my concerns. Honestly, I have offered for many years when the time comes mom can live with us and I'll take her to the Dr, etc. She has said no. My dad has made sure he has enough money to deal with his own life. okay dad. I think a lot of people have been just nasty mean and kids don't want to deal with it. I know in my own family there isn't a lot of love being passed around...so it's hard to go into a situation thinking the best will occur b/c history hasn't shown that to be case. How many time do you take being cussed out for trying to be nice?

I don't know why high schools do homecoming. I get colleges doing it. They want alumni to come back, enjoy some time on campus, and donate more money. Maybe in the past people did that for high school as well. They usually add people into school sports hall of fame(this is where people no one knows stand on the field for some award but no one is paying any attention). They usually do a dance and name a queen/king. I know when I did student council we put on a dance. I had to go and work it. But again, I don't think homecoming in high school is anything more than a fall activity. I've seen so many kids dressed up going to the dance. it looked like prom for some of these kids!??!!? And all in 9th grade. So it's just gotten more glorified over the years I suppose. It makes no sense. Glad my kids don't have to deal with that.

some of your Done lists are impressive. I should add to my list so I don't look like I do nothing LOL AHG: email people about upcoming fundraiser dance, create agenda for board meeting tomorrow, email units about homework for next meeting, plan unit time for next meeting Done: helped DH with paperwork to fix his wrong paychecks, grocery run for creamer, agenda for board meeting

I had to halt school to go get creamer for coffee. It's that kind of morning. We are doing school. Kid1 has violin later. Otherwise it's just school, chores, and meals here.