They are absolutely adorable. The mama cat looks just like the cat that belonged to my sister when we were growing up, who looked just like the cat that my mom had when SHE was growing up. I rescued a pregnant cat when I was in college, and she had two very adorable kittens, that my mom ended up keeping even when I moved away. I think stray mama cats make some of the sweetest pets! I've had a bunch of cats in my life, and don't think I can remember having to actually teach a cat or kitten how to use a litter box. We had at least one growing up who strongly preferred to do her business outside and only used a litter box if it was raining or she was inside for longer periods of time, but it's strangely instinctual. MUCH easier than housebreaking a puppy.

Look at the supply lists before you buy a kit. I taught General at a co-op last year, and there were only a handful of items (like corks and alum, for example) that I didn't already have at home. It really depends on your goals and how your family works. I have friends who buy the kit each year because it includes EVERYTHING needed. The kit stays in a box, in a designated area in their house, and the child knows to go to that box for any experiments. No one takes anything out of the box unless they are doing a science lab. Mom doesn't need to run to the grocery store to buy a 2-liter bottle of soda, when the family doesn't drink soda, just because one child needs the 2-liter bottle for a lab. I'm more of the type to look ahead and see that in the next chapter, I'll need a 2-littler bottle, so I start asking if I can take empty bottles home when we're at a church social.

Mr. D. Math has a curriculum-only option (no live online class, no co-op class) with recorded video instruction, online curriculum, online grading, and help sessions each week (3x per week during the typical academic year, but 1x per week during the summer). If you chose the curriculum-only option, he could work at his own pace. The live online class and co-op classes run during the academic year (August-May) and the teacher assigns work each week.

The one of the three curricula we've actually used is Mr. D., and we've used pre-Algebra through Geometry. Next year DS will take Algebra II and DD will take Algebra I. Mr. D. can be done in one of three ways: (1) At a local co-op with a live teacher once a week, then online coursework; (2) Through an online class once a week, then online coursework; or (3) Standalone online coursework. Regardless of which option you use, there are recorded videos online for each section where the student can watch the lesson as many times as necessary, as well as 3 times per week live online help sessions with a teacher. The student prints the written coursework, works through the coursework (which they are encouraged to do WHILE watching the online video or during the co-op class), checks their work, then takes an online quiz for each section. There are spiral reviews after every 3rd section, chapter tests, and semester exams. I would describe the material as thorough without being too advanced, and it uses a mastery approach with some deliberate spiral review built in. I don't know if this helps you compare Mr. D. to the other programs you are looking at, but I'd be happy to answer questions if you have any more about Mr. D. specifically.

When we cleaned out my IL's house after they moved to assisted living, we donated as much of her pantry stock as we could, but anything past the "best by" date (or any kind of date) wasn't accepted.

It sounds like your gut is telling you to register him as a kindergartner. Some questions I would ask myself in your situation: Does your state require that you declare a grade? If so, will he then be required to do standardized testing at "grade" level? Socially, for clubs/activities/church, does he fit better with other kindergartners or 1st graders? Do you want him to be the oldest in his peer group or the youngest? Our experience (purely anecdotal): Everyone I know IRL who "grade skipped" their child later regretted it in the middle & high school years when their child's peers were starting puberty, learning to drive, and leaving for college. Everyone I know IRL who "redshirted" their child, especially boys, had no regrets. My DS has a May birthday so he is one of (but not the absolute youngest) in his peer group, and I can definitely tell the difference in maturity between him and his peers who are a full year older but in the same grade.

Just sent you a PM. If what I asked for isn't available, I might be interested in a different book.

Here's what I've used as a course description for Mr. D. Math (I copied the topics covered straight from his course description on his website). All of my course descriptions follow a similar pattern: Subject - Provider/Curriculum name - Taken at ______, taught by _____. List of curriculum used or reading list. List of topics covered or narrative description of class. Grading criteria (by % when possible). # credits in which subject area. Geometry – Mr. D. Math (www.mrdmath.com) – Taken at ___________ co-op, taught by __________. Online curriculum. Covered Points, Lines, Planes and Angles; Reasoning and Proof; Parallel and Perpendicular Lines; Triangles; Quadrilaterals; Similarity; Right Triangles and Trigonometry; Area and Perimeter; Surface Area and Volume; Circles; Transformations; Geometric Probability. Online quizzes 30%, Course Work 20%, Chapter Tests 30%, Semester Exams 20%. 1 high school Math credit.

These shorts from Justice are my almost-13 year old DD's favorite shorts (and others have linked to the same shorts already upthread). They are soft and super comfortable. The only thing she doesn't like about them is that they don't have pockets, but we actually saw something similar this week at Walmart with pockets. We have also found denim bermuda shorts at Kohl's.

I grew up in Orlando and we went to Disney occasionally. I have visited for the day, done park hoppers, stayed on the property, and was at the opening day for EPCOT, but I don't think I've ever *myself* paid for tickets. I have a family member who just retired from working at WDW for 20+ years, so she supplied us tickets to take my kids once every couple of years, and that was enough. I live about an hour away from WDW now, and have friends who are annual passholders, but I've never really been that fascinated with Disney to pay for passes. My kids have loved it when we've gone, but it's not my favorite place in the world. As homeschoolers who live locally, we do have the luxury of choosing low-crowd days to visit. If I had to go to WDW in the summer when crowd levels are at their highest and temperatures are at their hottest, I would hate it. But the first week of December and the 2nd week of January are wonderful.

Mr. D. Math has online summer programs that prep students for the upcoming year. Are you looking for a full-year course to do over the summer, or just a review of pre-algebra to prep for Algebra I?

Definitely, with your kids' ages, go to Williamsburg! We visited Washington and Williamsburg when my kids were 6th & 4th grades, then went again last month (just finished 9th & 7th grades), and Williamsburg was one of my kids' favorite places over both trips. Also kid friendly: Mount Vernon Bureau of Engraving and Printing Spy Museum American History museum I highly recommend you visit museums around September, when crowds are at their lowest. Our first trip was at the end of September, and it was very easy to get around. Our 2nd trip was mid-May, and the entire city was PACKED with school groups. Avoid the summer months when schools are out as well. The monuments were very interesting and fun to visit. We walked a huge loop and saw all of them in one day (on this last trip), which I wouldn't recommend with younger kids. But if you have the time to learn about one particular monument or memorial, then go visit *just that one* site, it would mean more to your kids. Study the life and presidency of Franklin Roosevelt, then go visit the FDR memorial (which was very kid friendly), or visit just the FDR memorial and WWII memorials in one trip. National Gallery of Art would be fun for your kids *if* you take it in small bites and have studied particular styles or periods of art. You could study impressionism, study the artists of that movement, try some impressionist painting techniques, then go visit and see just that portion of the museum. I think it would be overwhelming for elementary-aged kids to try to see the entire museum. Blow off steam by letting your kids run around the National Mall or chase pigeons.

My DS is a cross country & track runner and is currently about 5'9" and weighs 125. He also struggles to gain and keep weight on. We sat down together recently and figured out that he needs about 3500-4000 calories per day. He is also pretty lazy about eating, and doesn't like to eat if it takes more than a couple of steps, but recently he's gotten to be pretty good about making a very calorie-dense smoothie for himself for breakfast, and when he does, I try really hard not to nag him about eating for the rest of the day. Here's his smoothie recipe, which we calculated has about 900-1000 calories: 1 cup whole milk 1/2 cup whole milk greek yogurt 1 scoop protein powder 1/2 banana 1 heaping spoonful (probably a few tbsp) peanut butter 1 spoonful (probably about 1-2 tsp) coconut oil as much Hershey's syrup as he wants I also found that he'll eat hard boiled eggs *as long as they are already peeled.* So I try to boil at least half a dozen eggs on the weekend, then peel them while they're still warm, then put in the fridge so he can grab one with his lunch. Nuts are also one of his go-to snacks. If he couldn't eat nuts, I would push both peanut butter and other nut butters like Nutella with crackers or apple slices. If we had issues with binge-eating the entire family's food, I'd start limiting access or making that child purchase his own snacks. I'm also not afraid to go to his coaches if necessary to set some expectations and consequences. Not eating enough is pretty serious and can set him up for some serious injuries later.

I would look at the PSAT test info on the College Board website before he takes the PSAT for the first time, just so he knows what to expect and how the questions are scored. Then once you receive his score, he can link to Khan Academy for targeted practice on the areas he needs to improve. The content of the PSAT is virtually the same as the SAT, so SAT practice after taking the PSAT in 10th grade will help his improve 11th grade PSAT score. Edited to fix link

Has he read any books by G.A. Henty? Some people don't care for them because they contain some stereotypes from the age they were written, but my DS enjoyed them at this age. Lots of military and history. I'd also recommend: The Phantom Tollbooth The Westing Game A Wrinkle in Time series Freddy the Pig series (they are not as juvenile as they sound....the first in the series is Freddy Goes to Florida) Mr. Midshipman Hornblower series Around the World in Eighty Days and others by Jules Verne

We spent our honeymoon in Sanibel too, and have been back a couple of times. We absolutely love it there. I will second the recommendation for St. Pete, near Ft. DeSoto. Honeymoon Island in north Pinellas is also pretty nice. Schools in the Tampa/St. Pete area start August 10, so the beaches will be very crowded until then. If you could possibly wait until after schools start, crowds and prices will be much lower. If you could wait until after Labor Day, prices and crowds will drop again and the weather will still be hot. Another place to look in the Florida panhandle that is probably less expensive than Panama City or Destin is St. George Island. Keep in mind that hurricane season runs through November 30, so hurricanes will be a threat until then. I wouldn't change any plans, but be aware of it and possibly purchase trip insurance. August and September are the most active months for hurricanes.

My grandfather fell and broke his hip *while living in an assisted living facility* because he took off his medical alert necklace, complaining that it got in his way while he slept. He got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, fell, and had to stay there until someone came to check on him when he didn't show up for breakfast the next morning. Compliance is going to be a huge issue with many seniors, unless you can find a monitor that fits like a bracelet, isn't bulky enough to interfere with sleep, is waterproof so it can be worn while showering, and the individual who needs it will actually wear it.

I live in a very hot and humid climate, but I haven't seen those yet. Yuck.

I know one high school aged girl at my church who is a rower. I'm not sure if she participates through her high school or through an independent team, but it's not a huge sport here. If you have a college in your area that has a rowing club/team, you could probably contact them and ask for a recommendation for a local club.

I'm sure others can offer more specifics. I have not taught co-op classes for profit, but I have taught middle school science classes at a parent-led co-op (no pay for teachers, only charges a flat registration fee and supply fee, no tuition). My kids have also taken classes at a "class provider" type of co-op, where tuition is paid and many/most teachers are certified in their subject area, or at least have many years of experience teaching their subject matter. Here are my thoughts: Once a week works reasonably well for science classes. Students are responsible for reading, answering questions, and doing study guides. Class time is used mostly for labs, and reviewing material done at home. Tests are taken at home but graded by the teacher. We've done math classes with a once-a-week live co-op class, then online coursework, with a teacher available for online help 3 x per week at specific times. Recorded video instruction is available online for each math section. (This is Mr. D. math, by the way, www.mrdmath.com.) This model works very well for math. I have found that the motto "you get what you pay for" is applicable to co-op classes. At the parent-led co-op, I see a large number of absences and people who drop out or miss co-op days for (my opinion) very stupid reasons (like, "We got up this morning and felt like going to the beach instead of coming to class, so that's why my kid is turning in their assignment late.") I see much fewer absences where parents have paid tuition for a class. I also see fewer absences where grades are issued by a teacher. Around here (FL), most classes with tuition are in the neighborhood of $400 plus the cost of books and/or supplies. At the parent-led co-op where there is no tuition, registration fees are $50-100 per family, and supplies can run $10-40 per class, depending upon the class. I have had some conversations with the director of the co-op that provides classes for tuition, and they run into a LOT of situations where students have learning disabilities or special needs, so you will need to think through how to handle that when it comes up. Many parents are dissatisfied with the public schools and withdraw their children from PS with the intent to homeschool, then enroll them in co-op classes. Co-op teachers who haven't been formally trained in how to handle IEPs or learning disabilities may not be equipped to handle them, and you will encounter situations where (1) the parent doesn't disclose the child's previous struggles, learning disability, etc., or (2) parents ask for (or even demand) accommodations that you may not be able to handle in a small co-op setting. FWIW, I think your idea is a good one, and have had thoughts of doing the same thing myself (teaching homeschool science classes for a fee at co-ops) once my kids no longer need me to chauffeur them so much.

Definitely look into the teacher certification process for your area, not just the demand. Where I live (FL), there is a pretty high demand for certain teacher specialties, but the certification process isn't very easy. Teacher certification is only granted WHEN you have been employed as a teacher, so you almost have to work in a classroom for a short period of time just to get the certification. Certified teachers in FL can do portfolio reviews and standardized testing for homeschooled students, but the catch 22 is that you can't get a teaching certificate without a job in a classroom first.

I copied this from the "SAT Test Day Checklist" email we received from the College Board before DS's (one) subject test in May. From what I remember, the ending times were fairly accurate.

This is absolutely true. If you go into the formation of a co-op with your eyes wide open, you will be less likely to be disappointed, but I would caution you to protect yourself from pouring so much of yourself into a co-op that you burn out. I helped start a co-op when my kids were in 2nd & K with 3 other families. We all tried to join an existing group, but they didn't have room, so we started our own group and modeled it after the first group. Having that structure was EXTREMELY helpful as we planned what our group would look like and how it would function. We were all like-minded families, and our kids at the time ranged from 3rd grade down to babies. Each year, as our own kids grew, we added one more "grade" to the group. I agree with others who suggest that you start very informally, then invite families that are like-minded to join your family for something more structured. In addition to moms leading activities with a particular age group, make sure you have one person designated as the "administrator" type leader. This person would be the communicator of plans & dates, (possibly) the treasurer to pay for activities or supplies as a group, and the person to contact when one family has an illness and can't attend the co-op. Designate someone else to be the "director" or leader of the group, who has the final decision in group activities, discipline issues, etc. As you grow, the leadership should look more like a "board of directors" with a group of moms making decisions. Do NOT take all of the leadership responsibility on yourself, no matter how small the group, because you WILL burn out. Our group met for one school year where we rotated homes (4 families), then started our 2nd year by meeting only in my home. By mid-way through the 2nd year, our church allowed us to start meeting there, and then as we grew, allowed us to increase the number of rooms we used. Meeting in homes will always have challenges. My home, for instance, was not fully baby-proofed (and I didn't have a changing table or supplies) because my kids were 7 & 5 at the time. I also have a pool, which created an element of danger for the babies and toddlers in the group. It was a good move for us to start meeting at a church. The co-op we created was a wonderful group that grew to have about 27 families a few years ago, when my family had changed to the point where we left to join a more academically-focused co-op. I think in the few years that we've been gone that they have almost doubled. It definitely meets a huge need, but has remained primarily focused on elementary-aged kids. It was a LOT of work to start, but was well worth it.

A good rule of thumb is that 1 high school credit = 150 hours of work on average. For a school year of 180 days, that equals 50 minutes of work, 5 days a week, per class. Some subjects, like math, may take longer. We don't keep track of exact hours, but last year in 9th grade my DS typically spent at least 6 hours doing school. Some days were much longer.

When my kids have done Apologia sciences at home, we've used the notebook. When we've taken those courses through a co-op, we haven't used the notebook. I like the notebooks because they have all of the OYO questions, templates for labs, and study guide questions written out for the student, as well as a schedule.