Ok, so I'm mildly realizing I need to pull myself together. My 16 year old step-daughter is now half homeschooled. So, she'll have the last two years on a public school transcript, and now being homeschooled...I suppose that she'll still have a "3 course" transcript. I'm trying to use AcademicRecords.com so...it's a free transcript..basically. I really am freaking...I need to pull together the other half. Also, she's very smart and she is looking at a "Classical College" possibility. I really need her to get whatever money from sources besides us.... So, I'm hoping the fact that her PS high school hasn't required a language won't be a problem. She'll at least have Henle I done before she finishes. (from after/ homeschooling) She's also played band in school for years. (Which they let you do at her school instead of a foreign language.) We don't have any community service projects for her....Ugh...splitting a child in half between two families is really hard! (How about what takes the least time and still looks good?) Carrie :confused:

I don't know...But, I'm eating Dove Dark Chocolates to try to decide! Carrie:-)

Sounds great! Nothing's as good as a Mom who loves you. Carrie:-) Great news about stomping on the cancer!

I believe that to become more educated, you must be willing to ask, "Who is....?" I have a decent vocabulary and have read a bit...but when I don't know...I just ask. I really haven't read a ton of poetry, but usually recognize the name of famous Poets. (So, I would have asked what his poetry was like... scary is all I remember about him) Just like vocabulary. I don't have a total command of the English Language. Just the other day, I had to ask this lady that I know what Autocratic meant. I could have noted to look it up at home...or just be honest. The second time she said it, I just asked... Yes, I want my children to be more educated than me, but also remember that you can't know everything...You can just keep learning:-)

My girls did Latina Christiana with my mom and the dvd. Yes, you can do just LCI and LCII and then go into something like Henle (which LLC was designed to flow into...Henle) My mom had the girls write their words 3 times a week, I think. You can also keep the vocabulary on a ring so that you can go over it when you are somewhere waiting....(like in the grocery line, or whatever) BUT, I have to say that I wasn't overly diligent, much to my mom frowning at me....and the girls really are fine. They might be better...if I had caused them to be more diligent with studying. Of course, you need to study for any subject, right? Carrie:-)

Yup, You'll know you tried. If she's a really good friend, try. You'd be amazed at how long people can hang on when they're waiting. Can you still talk to her? I remember that I talked to my Aunt on one night...expecting to have the time to get there. Looking back at our conversations, I know that she knew it was over... I wish I had just dropped everything to go see her..... Carrie:-)

My husband thought it'd be fun to pose as someone else and pm with me. He sent me this email that I was suppose to "figure out" was from him. Oh well, I was clueless. I just thought..."Hmmm" Anyone have this happen? It was a good reminder to me about who could be reading my posts... Carrie :tongue_smilie:

My five year old doesn't understand the "Squares" and "Cubes" but they are his favorite to sing off of our Classical Conversations cd. You might have him memorize them this way:-) Carrie:-)

What about looking at something like the Adam Andrew's program http://www.centerforlit.com/ on how to teach the classics...and kinda do a book club with it. I'd love to take my kids to something like this. We've had book clubs at our library, but they've been marshmallow for the brain books...so it hasn't been worth going, for us. Carrie:-)

Can you do music at school and the rest at home? My step daughter still does band at school...and the sciences...(forensic and chemistry) and the rest at home. Or, perhaps call the local colleges including private Christian colleges, and see if there's something to participate in... Carrie:-)

I think Latina Christiana is perfect for working into Henle. Get it with the DVDs and stay up on the flashcards. (which you want, are they separately purchased? I think they're in the "set") You'll succeed with this program more if you find a friend that really wants to learn it and you treat it like a "class." You set up Mondays at 3, for instance, and you all agree that it's top priority to be there. My children were 3rd grade (8), 6th grade and 9th grade and they were all fine with Latina Christiana I and II and are now doing fine in Henle. Carrie:-)

Have you discerned what is at the heart of the issue? It would be good to know WHY she's crying. I know you said she's frustrated, and that could be. It also could be impatience, pride, etc... To deal with the topical outlet...you might need to deal with what's underneath. Also, she's still a baby. I thought my children were so grown up when they were in 2nd and now when I look back, I just realize that they were babies. Have you walked her through understanding how to deal with this? You know...saying something like, "When you start to not understand what I'm saying, just raise your hand...or say to 'please stop' " She has years to learn the material, but the habit of being frustrated is probably more important than the concept of math etc... Carrie:-)

Do you have the time between now and next year to study? If so, then you have a HUGE amount of time for him to mature. Those months can surprise you. Also, you could really beef up on his math by doing math with him and either you or someone who understands math...orally accessing where he is in his understanding. Then you can attack the holes and get him ready! Good Luck! Carrie:-)

I only know one and he's just finishing up his chemo treatments; I'm hoping for many healthy years for him! Of course, not counted are my favorite aunt who went through 2 separate bouts of bre*st cancer (one before age 30..one much after) and 2 or 3 others including ovarian cancer. She went for over 30 years of battling cancer. Then at least my dad's other 2 brothers. It's something I kinda worry about...since I have over 6 - 8 members of my family (aunts and uncles...blood relatives) who are died of cancer.

It took a while for me to figure this out. It doesn't take much for me to have to think.... :lol::lol::lol: I'm so happy for you and your whole family, that he's home. Carrie:-)

You know, as she has the baby and holds him or her, this is when she will most need your help. Spoken or Unspoken...she will likely go through some grief. When I had my daughter, I was single, it was the turning point in me living with purpose. I tried for good choices after this...and my life is good. I wish this for your sister, too. Carrie:-)

Finnegan and call him "Finn or Finney" or Finley... Carrie:-)

I know because I was finding out for someone else, that there are places you can actually have your children dropped off at, that they can not get away. They literally are in a boot camp atmosphere, until they submit to authority. The one that I was looking at was a place where they are dropped off on an island. I wouldn't have the $$$ for this right now, so it's a good think that my olders are good...but if it came down to it...I might try something like this. School of Hard Knocks is ok...but sometimes it leaves you unable to come back to where you are a productive member of society.... Hugs....

You can get a video camera and set it up so she knows that you have money. And then you make sure that the video is running, while you just run upstairs...or whatever. Kinda like a nannycam experience. I'd get ready to go somewhere really fun afterwards. When you get to the spot, get ready to take your money out...it's not there....hmmmm. (She shouldn't have an opportunity to stick it back after she finds out where you're going.) And just head home. Maybe get out the video camera when you get home and start to watch it with your DD. Then ask her what you think you can do to make sure she never does it again. Make her tell you how you should handle it. My daughter did take $$$ from her sisters for a while, but I think it's stopped now. Ten is getting better for us! Carrie:-)

Don't do the clean bathrooms or baseboards. Help him find some interests and expect some cooperation. My mom thought baseboards were the answer...and....they weren't and aren't:-( Carrie

I would not buy most organic foods for other people. I buy organic root vegetables for myself, and would for a group if they aren't too much extra. I can't afford organic butter and I buy raw milk, right now. I actually don't use the raw milk for many other people. (Just others that use the same source as me.) I don't think there's anything wrong with serving others what they purchase themselves. Especially if at some point, you will resent giving the "extra" to families that don't really care. That's my take, at least:-)

Wow, your opossums ran off? That's amazing. Our WILD opossoms just kinda use to look at us as though we were interrupting them and continue munching on whatever they were eating, before we were so unkind as to try to get them off of our porch! Carrie:-) Who doesn't ever want to see another one again!!

I'd treat it kinda the same way as writing. I'd teach copywork to write, and I'd teach memorizing poetry to teach learning to write poetry. I know that IEW has a system that has worked for some....Listening to Cds would be great.(I don't know if IEW provides cds...) :-)

Wine, it was wine...not juice. I'm sure that there were words for both. It may not be the same volume as wines now, since it was "newer" wines...but if it was just juice...would they have been surprised that the best wine was served last? Hmmmm Of course, if you want to think that all wine is bad...that's fine...but Jesus didn't. I wouldn't want anyone to be a drunk on my account, but that's in knowing if you can be moderate about things including drinks. :-)

What I got out of this is that they are teaching themselves what the leader/teacher was trying to teach them. By demonstrating to their neighbors, they were memorizing (in theory) the information. I do think that this would work with alot of students, if it wasn't quite so loud. For me, at least, I would go a bit crazy. BUT, if the class is loud anyway, they might as well be learning. My step-daughter's classes were loud...and they weren't concentrating on the subject matter. :-)