My answer has always depended on the questioners attitude and motive (if I know it). Some people are truly seeking info, so I give a complete answer. Others are using the question, "How long are you going to homeschool?" as a veiled criticism. To them I will give a less informative answer. I have used, "Until we are done" several times, or "Until there is a better option for my child" other times, and "Why do you ask?" in other situations. That last answer tends to throw people off guard because they have to search their motives. One person told me that hsers should be forced to put their dc into the public schools if they don't test high on standardized tests. I told her I would consider that option as long as public schools forced parents to hs their dc if they don't test high on the same standardized test. She had no answer to that one. She had been complaining that her dc were not learning and it was the teacher's fault, etc. so my comment made her change the subject.

Our state requires: 2 math courses, must include Algebra 1. 2 science courses, including 1 life science and one physical science Each school district can add to these requirements, but our district uses the state requirements. Obviously there is a tremendous difference between the high school graduation requirements and college entrance requirements.

My dc have had to do different types of writing in college. In English courses they have done literature analysis and persuasive writing. They have not had to do any research papers yet, but have had to do projects that included a writing component based on their research and presentation. One ds has had to write a fictional story based on a Greek myth, mostly taking a myth and changing the characters and setting to modern day, mirroring the basic story in modern terms. History papers have been primarily comparative or persuasive. One thing my dc found invaluable was our focus on writing timed essays in high school. Most of their college English, history, Sociology and Psychology tests have had an in class essay component, so being able to write an organized, content-heavy essay in one hour is important.

I like french doors and freezer on the bottom as long as there is not a door ice/water dispenser because it takes up too much space. The other thing I don't like, which probably varies by model, is that both french doors have to be open to open the produce drawer because it spans the width of the refrigerator. I would prefer two produce drawers that can each be opened with only one french door opened. Other than that, I really like the extra space it provides.

Very creative. And nicer than having something fall out and hit you on the foot.

I forgot to add something else my dc found very helpful: 3M removable hangers. They attach to walls to hang posters, hooks (for wet towels or jackets), picture frames or white boards, but remove without damaging the wall. Dorm walls are bare without some personal touches. Get the 3M hangers in different sizes to hand different weights of items. My ds loved using one that was a bar with 3 or 4 hooks on it for his wet towels. There was no place in the dorm room to hang towels. A container with medical supplies: Bandaids, Neosporin, Tylenol, Advil, cough drops or syrup, vitamins, chapstick, antacids, Sudafed, Benadryl, and whatever you use at home for colds or flu. My ds laughed when I gave it to him to pack, but a few months later thanked me because he was sick and was glad to have what he needed in his room so he didn't need to go to the store to buy it. He said it was awful being sick away from home, but at least he had what he needed. A small combo white board/cork board message center for the hall side of the dorm door for people to leave messages on. I know they all use cell phones, but it is still used a lot for communicating. Attach with 3M hangers so it can be removed when your dc moves out. A portable fan. My ds's dorm room got hot, so the fan was useful.

I dread summer. It's too hot during the day to do anything outside, and at night it is too hot to sleep. Okay, we sometimes get a breeze for an hour or two in the evening and if I can get the windows opened up it can cool things a bit, but it is still hot. We have air conditioning, but try not to run it much because it costs so much. I endure summer, looking forward to fall.

There is a difference between making a decision based on information you have, and being overprotective, which is usually based on irrational fears. You have information about that location and concerts from a reputable source (law enforcement) and are basing your decision on that information. That is not being overprotective, despite what your disappointed ds may say. So if you don't have objections to the band and concert in general, then allowing them to go to the concert with you or your dh supervising could be an answer.

laptop dorm sized refrigerator with freezer small microwave coffee pot (my ds doesn't make coffee in it, but uses one to heat water for tea, hot chocolate mix, cup a soups, instant oatmeal, instant Cappuccino mix, etc.) long ethernet cable (many dorms have wireless internet, but it is slower than plugging in, and the length is so student can plug in but still sit anywhere in the dorm room) mattress topper - the egg crate foam kind or something similar because dorm mattresses are usually hard desk light Target gift card - Target carries just about anything a student needs Flash drive, external hard drive, thumb drives large, collapsible laundry bag Not a need, but a Netflix subscription is handy. Most students don't have much money for entertainment, so they tend to sit around and watch movies. Netflix gives them the DVDs, but also the instant play movies and tv shows. It is very inexpensive entertainment.

I'm a bit late into the discussion, but many universities offer transfer scholarships to students transferring into the university after completing 2 years of undergrad work at a cc. They are often lower dollar amounts than incoming freshman scholarships, but once you factor in the cost of 2 years at a cc compared to 2 years at a university, even with a higher scholarship, it is often less expensive to complete two years at a cc then take a lower transfer scholarship. Hope that makes sense. My dc started taking cc classes in 10th grade. We didn't do anything specific to prepare my dc for cc classes. I focused their academics on what they need to learn and figured that if that didn't prepare them for cc classes, then they shouldn't be taking them yet. The classes my dc took at cc transferred to state and private universities in the state because of articulation agreements. My dc made sure to take courses on the guaranteed transfer lists. One dc is going to an out of state, state university. Because that university has different requirements for undergrads, he transferred in as a junior, but he still has to take a few undergrad classes there that are not offered in our cc. He still saved a lot of money going the cc route. One reason my dc took cc classes during high school was because they don't want to take the course in high school, then waste time retaking essentially the same course again in college. The primary reason, though, is economic. We need them to complete undergrad courses at the cc price because it would cost too much to do all four years at a university. This doesn't work for all students because some majors are best when all four years are taken at the university, but for two of my dc, the cc choice is the best option financially.

They are worth the money. Cutco are the best knives I have used and I wish I owned more of them. I use what I have. One warning - they are incredibly sharp, and my thumb has the scar to prove it.

Solumbra Sun Precautions has great clothing for all ages and the clothing is sun protection. I have very sun sensitive skin and I can be in the sun all day in these clothes and not have any problem. Actually, because of how the clothing blocks the sun's rays, I am cooler wearing these long sleeved shirts than I am in short sleeved shirts. http://www.solumbra.com/shop_catalog.asp

Has he tried cycling? You don't need to be athletic to ride a bike. Walking? You can do that with him. Do you have anyplace nice to walk?

Interesting question. My youngest is graduating from high school next week, and all my dc have always been hsed. I just wanted to give you context. I have discussed hsing with each of my dc because I want to know what they think of their experience and preparation for life and college. All my dc are in college and started college courses while they were in high school, and all have said they are glad they were hsed and they recognized the benefits they had by hsing. They have not compared their curriculum with other hser's curriculum, or the amount of work they do compared with other hsers. They have compared it to their ps friends' school work, though. They have lots of hsed friends who they have known for most their lives. There have only been two things they have commented on that they have observed about hsers in general (and have not named specific hsers because they just wouldn't do that, but I am pretty sure I know who they referred to). 1. There are some hsed young men who are not "all boy", in their terms. They carry themselves more feminine, won't play games where they may get dirty or sweaty, etc. Their take is that these young men have spent so much time around sisters and their mother that they haven't been able to do guy things and they are not comfortable doing 'boy things'. In a couple cases, I think this is just how they were raised. They were dressed too nicely to go play ball in the dirt and they were supposed to behave properly, which meant 'don't get your clothes dirty' and 'don't wrestle', etc., things that most boys just do. So they just never did those things. I think it has more to do with a way of life than anything intentional. Anyway, that has been one observation. 2. The other thing my dc have all mentioned (individually, so I doubt they have discussed it among themselves) is that some hsing families have kept their dc so separate from the real world that the kids don't know how to handle situations that come up in real life. Their examples are how some of the hsed students they know go to the community college and don't seem to know when to speak up and when to be quiet. They "take the bait" for every argument and usually end up getting pretty verbally beat up time and time again. My dc say they seem to lack judgment on when to let comments slide. My dc are willing to speak up when that is the right thing to do, but also determine when speaking up is pointless because the person is only trying to set up an argument, usually Christianity related. There is no point to arguing with someone whose goal is simply to argue. I hope that makes sense. These students usually leave the college after one semester, saying it is too secular for them. My dc's observation is that they have been so sheltered in a Christian environment, not watching much tv, etc. that they just don't know how to handle the world and are not comfortable there. Please understand, I am not saying that students need to participate in all that goes on on a college campus, and my dc certainly choose not to, but they are able to function there and learn without being offended and speaking up about most everything they see there. My thought is that this is a very small percentage of the hsers we know. Most don't fall into this category at all. I hope I explained this well and didn't offend anyone. I certainly didn't mean to.

If you were feeling snarky (and it's probably good you weren't), you could have used her own words and replied, "Well, I feel ps is wrong because my dc are getting so much out of hsing". Really, that statement makes as much sense as her's. I hope her dc's ps experience continued to be beneficial. And you know your hsing experience is beneficial to your dc. And that's key. You are doing what is best for your dc, and you don't need anyone else to affirm it in order for it to be true!

One person quoted in the article supports this bill because of the high percentage of prisoners who are high school dropouts. But this bill won't stop high school students from dropping out, and the bill doesn't even apply to parents of high school students. I suspect the driving force behind this bill is financial - schools will be able to collect more ADA money.

Because I don't like to use my debit card when ordering online (way too easy for fraud to occur), I started getting Visa gift cards. They work like a credit card and are accepted where credit cards are accepted. I keep track of how much money is available on them and they work great. You can't reload them, so you need to figure out how much money you want the card for before you buy it. The ones I get cost $3.50, but most credit cards now will charge interest or if you pay it monthly many are starting to charge a yearly fee to have the card. The $3.50 is worth it for me. They do charge a monthly fee if I don't use the entire amount within 6 months, but that has not been a problem because I use the card. I got the idea from someone who figures out how much her hotel, etc. will cost, then she buys a Visa gift card for a bit over that amount and uses it when booking hotels. She has never had a problem doing that. It is a convenient option to a credit card or debit card. I have found that the credit union is the best place for me to buy one, but banks also sell them. I think the Visa gift cards the grocery store sells cost the most.

No break for my ds, either. He finished finals last week, arrived home Saturday and begins working tomorrow. He will work until it is time to move back to the dorm. He worked during Christmas break and the week of spring break, too. He couldn't find a job while at school, so he wasn't working much there, except for some long distance work his job sent him. When he is home he needs to work - and wants to work. He is hoping he can get a job in the fall when he is back at school.

I'm a bit late to enter the discussion, but please don't rely on a book you purchased a couple years ago that contains MLA info. MLA changes every year, so what your book says to do may no longer be accurate. For your course at home it may not matter, but for college courses, your dc need to use the current MLA procedures. Online resources are good to use because you can verify that they are current MLA rules.

I know parents with the "look away and smile" philosophy. I listened patiently while a mother complains that her child has not learned history, science or read any good books all year because most the classroom instruction time is in Spanish and her child only speaks Engilsh. She then repeats the mantra that being is the bilingual classroom is so beneficial because all the Spanish speaking children will learn English and the English speaking children will learn Spanish. Somehow. I am not sure how, and she is not sure, either. But it must be true because the Principal and teacher say so. Then the mother says that 90% of the instruction time is done in Spanish and when there is time the teacher repeats the instructions in English. This is so the Spanish speaking children won't fall behind academically while learning English, which they rarely use in school. But her child is falling behind academically because so little instruction is done in English and her child has learned little to no Spanish this year. But isn't the bilingual classroom a wonderful opportunity for her child? Except that her child's academic skills are decreasing. And yet, the mother does nothing to remedy the situation - just smiles and looks away, confidently repeating the rhetoric that her child will benefit from this wonderful opportunity, even though she doesn't understand how. She is, after all, just a mom. The school knows best. She just isn't able to see the benefit because she is not trained like school officials are. Then she tells me that she has signed her child up, at great expense, at an intensive tutoring center so her child will hopefully be working at grade level for next fall. Yes, smile and look away. Apparently blind trust is satisfactory to her.

The title of the degree varies by college, and within the field there are several options. One can get a degree in: Kinesiology Athletic Training (often includes an AT certification) Exercise Fitness Coaching/PE Teacher Recreational Therapy (a side degree, but related) Sports Medicine Recreation Management Often Kinesiology majors move on to Physical Therapy degrees. All these degrees are related, but are different. They can enable you to work as a Personal Trainer at a gym or rehab clinic, or coach at a school or private program. Many middle and high schools hire Athletic Trainers to train their athletes off season in preparation for their sport. One can teach classes at a gym, and many with one of these degrees go on to manage gyms or fitness centers. PE teachers can have one of these degrees prior to getting the teaching credential. Some work for a city or county and run the Park and Rec programs, or work at Senior Centers as exercise teachers or rehab trainers. Really, the field is broad. One thing to make sure of is that the Athletic Training certification is from a reputable association. An AT certification is not necessarily obtained from a college and one does not need a degree in order to get it, but many gyms require at least a BA or BS degree plus the AT certificate to be a personal trainer. Many private people hire trainers to come to their homes a few times each week. Some teach children's exercise classes. Some work specifically helping athletes recovering from an injury, rehab with a goal of re-entering the sport. Nutrition is usually included as a required class or two for the major, but athletic trainers usually are not allowed to offer nutritional guidance because the degree does not train them for that. Nutrition is a different degree entirely. It is a valid degree with career possibilities. It is not necessarily an easy course of study as it requires many anatomy and physiology courses as well as the medical side, with injury prevention, basic diagnosis and rehab and treatment for many different athletic injuries. It requires fairly extensive knowledge of the human body and muscles.

Colleges shouldn't think you are lying as long as your total credits that year are reasonable (6 or 7 would be considered normal). Many students have 4 history credits, and some have more. It just sounds like you will be doing them in the same year. That may not be common, but I doubt a college would question it unless it has some policy against accepting more than one course in the same subject area each year. I have not encountered that, though. The Government credit may be required in your state, so you may not be able to drop it completely. You could do it another year, if you have another year of school before graduating. Before you drop it you should determine if you need to have the .5 credit in government.

I've been considering doing this, too. I have a set of china my grandma gave me when I got married 24 years ago. I never liked it, but had to take it because her feelings would have been hurt if I told her that. I wanted to register and pick out my own. In hindsight, maybe it was good I didn't pick out my own china because I have never used it. I also wonder if I never used it because I don't like it. Anyway, I grew up eating off it on holidays, but I am not attached to it at all. My grandma was not was attached to it (bought it because my uncle worked someplace that was clearing that pattern out and it was really cheap, so she bought it). I also have her silver flatware (never have used that, either) and her stemware, which is not crystal, but is extremely thin glass with etched pattern - which I have never used. It was packed up till I moved into our current home because I never had a hutch or anything to put it in and this one has a built in cabinet for it. But I still have never used it. Is it really worth keeping it if I haven't used it in 24 years and have no plans to use it in the future? My grandma passed away several years ago, so she won't know. My mother will know, though, and would be upset if I sell it, even though she knows I have never used it. I once offered it to her, but she didn't want it because she has her wedding set and my great-grandma's set. She doesn't want any more. What to do? I would like to get rid of it all. I am in a de-cluttering mood. I was planning to pack it all up and at least put it into the garage and get it out of the way, since I don't use it. I don't anticipate using it in the future. I suppose I could just pack it up and save it in case my dd wants it someday. She is not the china type of person, though, so I doubt it, and she never has seen it except for seeing it sitting on the shelf, so she has no memories of it or personal attachment to it, either. I am tired of having stuff around that we don't need. I could use that cabinet space for something else more practical to our daily lives.

We will be in this position in the fall. My youngest thought it would be really strange to be the only child still at home during her 12th grade year. Her solution was to take cc courses and took enough that she is graduating early. For some reason graduating and being at the cc full time while being the only child at home sounds better to her than hsing one more year being the only child at home. It works for her. I think it may not help your ds to be at the high school for only one year. You have probably already thought through all the reasons. I think I would look for something else he can do and enjoy, whether it be cc classes, or some club or sports activity or whatever he would enjoy, and let him go for that. Being the only child still at home has to be a strange feeling for a child used to having siblings around.

It depends on what you are looking for and the league itself. Stoa and NCFCA allow students to compete in all events starting at age 12 and there are many middle school students competing. Here is the National Junior Forensic League site. Maybe it will help. http://www.juniorforensicleague.org/