I am a laywer who doesn't much like being a lawyer - just so you know where I am coming from. First, it is NOT at all necessary to do pre-law in college in order to go to law school. As a matter of fact MOST students in law school did not do pre-law. I would recommend using college as a time to check out a wide variety of classes and see if something else is interesting. Even if she is 100% sure about law - a degree in political science, philosophy, government, etc would be a better preparation than a pre-law degree. If she is interested in science the field of intellectual property is very hot for people with tech or science backgrounds. Another great idea would be to try and get her an intership in a law office. The day to day life of a lawyer is NOTHING like what you see on TV - better she learn that before spending money on law school! If she is interested in social justice work (a great and noble field) she needs to understand the economics of that. Those types of law jobs pay very poorly. If you get out of college and law school with sizable school debts to pay off - you will not be able to afford to go into social justice type work for many, many years. This is a trap a lot of law students have fallen into. All that being said - there are a few pointers that can help. First, make sure that you limit debt as much as possible. Go to a state college, live at home, etc, etc. I was very lucky in having high SAT scores and LSAT scores. I then picked a (private) college and a (private) law school whose average SAT/LSAT scores were below my scores. Schools are always looking to move up their averages and they do that by attracting bright students. I had excellent scholarships to college and to law schools (and still managed to get quite a lot of debt!) Finally, there are law schools that specialize in social justice/environmental law. These schools may offer programs to help pay off loans after law school for those students who enter into low paying fields. I attended an excellent small law school that happens to be the number one environmental law school in the country. They do work hard to help their students afford to go into those types of jobs. Good luck to you and your daughter! - Cammie

From reading the boards for a little while it is clear that homeschooling/afterschooling parents have many, many different beliefs and backgrounds. It is always interesting to see what can bring people from widely divergent viewpoints together! I would love to hear what it is you think you all have in common? - Cammie

I think you are going to have to ask yourself - given what you know about the group does it jive with your personal beliefs. The fact that women CANNOT be officers simply would be a no-go for me. It would fly in the face of everything I believe in and everything I hope I teach my daughter to believe in. If it irritates you, even a little, you might want to look for a group that is more in line with your personal life philosophy - that way you avoid any big confrontations down the line. You have to give the group credit, at least they are upfront about their beliefs and how they intend to run the group. Better to know now. - Cammie

First, I am an ex-divorce lawyer so I have seen the good, the bad and the VERY ugly. Please don't let him bully you into anything. While most of the times it is best if the parties can reach a settlement on their own and keep the judge out of it - sometimes you really will need a neutral third party to make some orders. The actual structuring of the divorce and property settlement depends on the state you are in. In some states you could certainly continue to own joint property (not a good idea but it could be done.) If you can afford it, let him buy you out and you own the home. If you cannot afford it, better to move on now and get started in a new place. Please remember that these guys will OFTEN use custody as a tool to get what they really want - MONEY. I am not a man-hater but the reality is that most men understand that mom has been the primary caretaker and is the parent most likely to continue in that role. They also know that a good way to force a mom to do something is to threaten her relationship with the children. The judge won't like it and will see right through it. Stick to your guys. Sever as many financial ties as you can. Focus on how to maintain a healthy parenting relationship between him and your children - that should be your main goal. Good luck!

Hello, My dd is 8 years old in 4th grade. We are expats in India so we have not done any of the testing but she reads much above her grade level. She is a beautiful writer and writes poetry. I am planing to move to after-schooling her in some areas. Can you please recommend a reading/writing program that would be interesting and challenging? Thanks! - Cammie

We are an expat family currently living in India. We have tried dd (8 years old) in an "international" school for two years and now she is in a more "Indian" school. She loves her new school and is doing very well. She was just nominated junior prefect for her house and being a Harry Potter fan she couldn't be happier! The problem is that the education she is receiving simply is not adequate. She is very bright, writes poetry, reads years above her grade level, etc. None of this is supported, nurtured or developed by her school. They simply do the basics. There is no concept of a gifted and talented or accelerated program. As a result I started researching my options and stumbled upon "after schooling" as a concept. I think this is what I would like to try. However, after reading all the boards, I am totally confused about curriculum. I am looking for a secular program that would be relatively simple for us to start with! Are there any websites that compare the available curriculum options in a systematic fashion? Any leads would be greatly appreciated! - Cammie

A few thoughts...custody deal both with physical custody (where will the child live primarily) and legal custody (decision making authority.) You can have joint custody that allows dad to retain equal rights to see school records and influence major life decisions but still have primary physical custody with you. It is important to understand that there is a huge psychological impact on a parent who loses the legal right to even make decisions for the child. I would say sell the house - the fewer possible issues between the two of you the better! Good luck!

I was a HUGE Nancy Drew fan and still have all the old copies. I re-read them recently on a trip home and was surprised by some of the dated language and stereotypes. That being said, I got one of the new Nancy Drew books for my daughter and it was TERRIBLE. Not interesting, poorly written and simply pandering to what they think today's girls would be interested in. I would recommend reading the old versions but take the time to discuss those ideas or words that we no longer find appropriate.