That is a neat interest! Just looking around I found this.

I think Liquidtex is nice and good for beginners. The upside is that you can get it at JoAnn's or Michael's. I would not spend a lot on acrylics at first. In the beginning there is going to be a lot of waste as she experiments with colors and techniques.

:grouphug: Sorry, it happened to me as well. It is still a bit of a shock. My son is 13 1/2 he is 5'9 125 pounds, with a mustache and a deep voice. It scares me silly because people are constantly mistaking him for 15 or 16. :glare: Do you think I could get away with covering him from head to toe and hiding him away for a few more years? :lol: If we plot together, maybe we could hide them away together and keep them cute, sweet smelling little boys a bit longer.

I like the "Stick" for my calves. You can see one here http://www.thestick.com/products/sticksbyfirmness.cfm you could probably use a rolling pin as well.

Well they did respond. They do Mandarin with the Simplified writing. They also mentioned that over 40% of their students did not have a Chinese speaker at home. So, if I can work out the scheduling. I think we will give this a shot. Thanks so much Laura for the extra questions to ask.

Thanks for the responses. I will ask a few more questions. They have a "Conversation Basic" class level for teens/adults. I will ask about dialect and reading/writing.

Does anyone here have any experience with Chinese School? My son is interested in learning Chinese and there is a school that runs from 2-4p.m. on Sundays. Anyone BTDT or advise or things to ask/look for?

I vote for gerbils. The idea of rats give me the creepy crawlies.

Here is what we are trying with our 13 year old son. We are desperate to teach him the value of money because both sets of grandparents are very fiscally irresponsible and my dh and I have had to learn about money the very hard way (and we still struggle). He gets $100 per month on a debit card. He is responsible for purchasing/maintaining his clothes, toiletries, activities dues and social activity expenses. I do pay for meals out, if we are planning to eat out, but if we are out running errands and he just "wants some food", he has to pay for that as well. I pay for classes that I deem necessary, however if he wants to continue his voice lessons, I am requiring that he pay 1/2 the costs (due to his lack of practicing when we were doing lessons previously). We also live in a very large community and he has started a lawn mowing business for extra cash. He learned early in the season he could make a lot of money very quickly and he blew through it like water(no savings). The heat has came and now he is having a hard time getting out there and he dropped the deck on the mower to the lowest point to avoid mowing so often and killed a lot of grass. He is now learning to deal with mad customers and working when he doesn't "feel like it" and fixing his mistakes and his source of income is drying up with the grass. Will this work long term? I do not know. He is more frugal than his friends, he will shop around when he wants/needs something.

I like this one.

:lol:

:lol: I am glad mine lives in another state for this reason. Drive fast but safe OP!!

:iagree:

I can relate. My MIL is flying into town for a visit. She did not call/email, etc before purchasing her tickets and her only grandson is going to be away at the Civil Air Patrol encampment for her entire visit. She wanted him to change it....like he could. Planning is not just a city in China....yeesh.

:iagree:

Contact your local Parks and Recreation service. They typically need volunteers in the warmer months for things like trash pickup or even extra hands at activities. The local Red Cross usually takes teen volunteers to work at blood drives (serving cookies/juice, doing registration). If you have a local food pantry they always need help, sorting and stacking. Hope this helps. Good Luck!

:iagree: My son was a very early/fast reader. I searched the internet looking at reviews, asked friends/relatives/etc. for suggestions. Did I pre-read every book? No. But ultimately if he had read something I had a problem with it would have been my fault and my responsiblity to catch. There are plenty of resources out there, if you are willing to step up and take responsiblity you can be aware of what your child is reading no matter how fast they go through books. I do not think someone else should be making the decision on what my child should *not* be allowed read/view, anymore than they should be telling him what he should read.

Yes, whose responsibility should it be? :confused:

You a definitely a runner. Go get some cool tech gear, it helps A LOT in this heat. If you or someone you know is handy. I highly recommend building one of these, great way to bribe yourself to finish a run this summer. I love mine!! http://www.instructables.com/id/KidWash-2-PVC-Sprinkler-Water-Toy/

You can just track them on your whiteboard. It is just for your reference.

I administered that test to my niece, yes you are supposed to mark the answers directly in the book. There is no test sheet for 3rd grade.

Welcome lovemyblessings :grouphug: Making the decision to homeschool is yet another parenting decision that people feel the need to challenge. I think when it comes to children people are heavily invested in their opinions and take it as an insult when other choose to do it a "different way". I agree with the posters, just stop announcing it. If you are directly asked then answer with it is the best for us right now. Relax, pretty soon you will be defending your curriculum choices and schedule. :lol: Hang on it is a great ride!!

The ACLU protects free speech in people they may not even agree with. I support the organization not because of individual cases but because of its overall job as a much need government watchdog. Although it is from a movie, one of my favorite quotes on this issue. "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours." President Andrew Shepherd, movie American President. This is what I support. I may not agree with what you say, but I am willing to defend your right to say it.

Don't forget Electronic Privacy Information Center.

Nope, not alone. We are living in very scary times. Americans have forgotten what it means to be an American.