Grrr. I read this post earlier today and just witnessed the same thing while shopping for a book required for one of my kid's classes. It's a paperback selling used from $20-$250. :glare:

I'm going to have to agree with most of the posters here. I went sans husband to back-to-school night this year, he was working. The last couple of years he went without me so I could take another kid to football practice. You can be plenty involved without attending every single event.

It's very small, but we enjoyed it. It's been several years since our visit.

I totally agree.

My girlfriend is pretty worked up about them no longer offering to reimburse for mileage. To me, that is a non-issue.

I just don't see how it will be possible to not have a set limit. How will they decide what make sense and what doesn't? I easily went way over my allotment just with PE...only claiming the amount allowed. Actually, my last reimbursement form was for about $150 over the $60 I had left in my allotment. I haven't received reimbursement yet (I sent it in July), but I assumed that they would send me a check for whatever was left. (Hopefully that's how it works and they don't just deny it because it's over the amount.) Anyway, when you are talking about private lessons/tutors/whatever it can get pretty expensive.

Part of me is feeling like the changes will end up being fine, but I am a little concerned. Mostly because my 7th grader is using a CBI for history and the class will not cover the content in the 7th grade WSLP. It does look like it will cover the content of the 8th grade WSLP. Sooo...hopefully it will be as easy as just switching to 8th grade history. We'll see.

Bleh. I don't have any advice. I'm not exactly in your situation, because my plan (right now) is to enroll my child in PS when he starts high school, but he's 12 right now and pretty upset that he can't go to school with his buddies. To further complicate things, his older brother went to public school in 7th grade. I've regretted it immensely. Anyway, I'm not budging and my pre-teen isn't happy. We're fortunate in that he has a very active social life and participates in lots of activities.

This is a great thread! I haven't been on this board in a while and was happy to see all this information. We are on our second year with CVA. :D

...and I'm learning too. :D

We've been using Getting Started with Latin for the last couple of weeks. It's quick and painless and my kids (8 and 11) love it.

This happens every year at this time. I think their system gets wonky or something.

Yeah, my son's school recycles uniforms from year to year. Anything that can't be used again (socks even), we have to purchase. Oh and they don't provide insurance for anybody. If you can't provide insurance (they do offer a inexpensive plan you can purchase), your kid can't play.

I have a friend whose daughter is Freya. :)

This thread is melting my brain.

I love my iPod Touch so much. The only thing better would be an iPhone...but it's not supported by my cell carrier.

My Costco doesn't have any variance in parking spot size...they are all over-sized compared to typical parking spots.

HA! This made me laugh out loud. I never realized it, but I have seen similar gift-giving trends in my family.

My boys did that...but they are heavily involved in sports. My daughter ALSO went through something similar. She was about 7 when she decided she had out-grown her Barbies...only to ask for only Barbies the following Christmas. :|

Just some sort of interesting information about my brother: He had long hair, tattoos and piercings all the way high school and college. He graduated from a well respected university and was hired as a bio-chemist by a large drug company. He's a published scientist and statistician. He also works as a computer programmer. He's quite successful. At some point he lost the piercing, long hair and messy facial hair (I can only assume he decided to change his style)...he also eventually had an "offensive" word that he had tattooed as a teenager on his arm covered. Anyway, I don't think any of that ever actually held him back. He's always been very bright and well-respected by his colleagues.

Absolutely. We have gazillions of them.

For a long time my three boys liked to have their hair long and shaggy...I don't LIKE it, but it's their heads. Luckily, JROTC and their select baseball teams require a neat, short style. :D

Don't call me Surely! /not helpful :P

My husband wanted to see it badly today, but I'm reallllly not ready to start Christmas until after Thanksgiving, so we didn't go. The animation seems a little...weird...to me, but we will likely see it anyway, cuz that's just what we do. Anyway, it's kind of a scary story, so it might be a bit much for a child who scares easily. My kids are pretty familiar with the story and probably won't be bothered by the movie. I'm hoping to get a reading of the book in before we view it...cuz that's what we do, too. :laugh:

I don't have any answers or advice. I've dealt with similar issues with my (now) 16 year old son and it's very frustrating. :( :hug: