I prefer the original.

My daughter just finished reading a biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder, and we're just about done with the entire television series. She wanted to be Laura for Halloween. Rather than buying a cheap (but expensively priced) costume, I decided to make one. Now I have cut the fabric for the main dress, but I still have the overdress and bonnet fabric to cut. I haven't even sewn it. It is exhausting. I really wish I enjoyed sewing more! Hoping it turns out ok.

Yes! I think compared to the cost of the America Girl Dolls, these are well-made. My daughter is 8, though, and she still prefers baby dolls. I have purchased three of those from Paradise Galleries now. (Someone here recommended the company.) Target used to have some great sales on Our Generation. So watch out for those deals. Hopefully they still do them!

Our neighbors have one! He is a pretty neat-looking dog. But the shorter lifespan would concern me. As for size, we have a smooth collie, and though she is small, I worry about when she is older and might need our help being lifted. When my Keeshond was at the end of her life, my husband had to carry her into the vet because I couldn't life her myself (not to mention I was distraught).

I think your compromise is better than the idea of her driving three hours all be herself. I still feel 17 year olds are very inexperienced drivers, and while most accidents do happen closer to home, I feel that is a very long drive for someone with that level of experience. It would take me a long while before I'd be comfortable---maybe you two could try a similar trip together? You mentioned being weary of his past. That is definitely a red flag for me, even despite his nice-seeming family. Unless he is drastically different from that version of himself, I'd definitely keep a close eye on my daughter. People with addictive personalities can be manipulative. I was involved with someone like this, and it just wasn't good. I know people deserve second chances, but I guess I am not there when it comes to my daughter or my sons.

Well, we are putting things into the basement--bins, and I should probably just throw some of it away. But getting it out of our living area might help. Our house is just too small for six people.

Write at Home, a bit pricier, has a bee session coming up, too. I’d need to decide soon, but I am keeping both in mind!

Thank you so much for the recommendation!

@wendyroo Thank you so very much for taking the time to read both of his paragraphs and for offering g your thoughts and suggestions. It seems you do not feel I should panic just yet? lol my third grader understands these assignments better, but she is different from my son. I would like for him to learn to type, but maybe the talk to text would be great, too. We will try it! I will have him do more planning/outlining. And that’s an excellent suggestion for his Texas manufacturing plant paragraph. My hope is with practice, his writing will improve. It also feels so subjective, and I don’t always recognize what is age-appropriate. Thank you again!

I’m glad they are letting this thread stay open. I did read about the Plainfield, IL stabbing initially but didn’t see where the landlord has been charged with a hate crime. I read the property has a reputation of being weird and that the boy had autism. 😞 The Palestinian leader condemns Hamas. It is a terror group, but I still have a hard time understanding the situation there. I really hope we have no terrorism here and no more hate crimes. Most of us humans here and there have very little to do with what leaders do.

I just started using the free grammar and handwriting books from Pearson-Scott Forseman Grammar and Writing Handbooks -- Pearson Scott Foresman (neocities.org). The curriculum gives examples of "weak" and "strong" writing voices. I do not feel my 6th grader understands how to improve his writing, and he is very sensitive to criticism. He is also doing a few written narrations here and there, but I wondered what your thoughts were on these paragraphs, which I attached as PDFs. One is to describe a favorite vacation spot, and the other is to explain where he would like to travel and why. One of them I corrected, and the other I did not correct. Though he is sensitive to criticism, I don't think he internalizes and mulls over assignments, either. He thinks if he writes a great deal, it is pleasing to me. I have considered a writing service and outschool classes for feedback. Do you think this is typical of a 6th grade boy, below grade level, etc? I feel his writing is way below his level of intellect, vocabulary, etc. We used MCT language arts last year but abandoned the paragraph writing. I personally feel his writing is very dull, but I do not want to hurt his feelings. Yet I don't understand how to encourage him to do better. I also don't know what should be typical of a 6th grader, and I do not want to be too hard on him, either. Maybe I expect too much? I don't want to keep making suggestions and never see an improvement, and my husband thinks letter grades might be a way to remedy that. fave trip.pdf travel to because.pdf

Thank you so much! I haven’t heard of some of these resources, either. I’m okay with some religion, as long as there are no inaccuracies. TGTB didn’t seem ti have many, but I found it awkward to use in a small group.

Or a face full of fillers and botox. No judgment (I get a little dysport/similar to botox), but it's also not "real."

Oooh I have more! People who type "u" instead of "you," particularly when addressing someone seeking important information. And avatar/cartoons as profile pictures on Facebook or avatars included with posts. ha ha

Oooh thank you all! A few of these I have never heard of, and they didn't come up in my searches!

I feel like the whole tablet thing might still be a bit of an experiment. I haven't looked for any studies. I still prefer books!

This semester, we are reading a collection of nature stories by Arabella Buckley. We will finish the compilation this semester, I imagine. I know it is pretty light for 6th grade. I was thinking it might be good to introduce chemistry to my elementary and middle school students, but it cannot be a year-long course. I have found TGTB Chemistry, and though it says it is for 5-8th grade, I am sure my 3rd grader would be fine with it. However, I hate how the parent book gets cut apart and that I have to share it with the kids. Does anyone else know of anything else that might work for a single semester or trimester? Bonus if the kids get to know the periodic table and my oldest can get a wee bit of experience writing a lab report. I wrote lab reports in 7th grade science, and it was a great experience, but I also had the most fabulous science teacher (one of the few teachers who left a lasting impression on me). I know I could put together my own. I really like a CM/classical approach, but the kids might like something hands on, too.

I don't do Christmas cards, except to a couple of people. People we do not see or talk to send them to us--I think they are an old-fashioned way of doing social media, to make your life look perfect, lol.

Halloween. It's expensive--the costumes, candy, etc. And it happens right before a very expensive time of the year for us. I know many love it, but it is my least favorite day of the year.

I would not enjoy government oversight. Where has the government been while my local k-8 has been on the steady decline towards the bottom? I think the majority of parents will do what is necessary for the kids, especially when homeschool fails. I feel bad for the kids who slip through the cracks, and it happens in brick-and-mortar schools, too. Just my two cents.

I'm still so busy today. But the husband is home due to a rainout, and things are just so much better. Amazing, isn't it? lol I will come back to this. I do not feel judged at all. I reached out, and I appreciate feedback from people who have homeschooling experience!

I definitely agree we/(myself) are at fault. I think our family dynamic of living nextdoor to my in-laws affects things---things I could never have foreseen ten years ago. My two sister-in-laws on that side are public school teachers, and believe me, they (and my husband) feel it is very important for the kids to be around other kids. So much centered around a school that allows for ease of making those friendships, such as being on a team or in the band, so sometimes it is appealing. I get that doesn't happen for everyone. I also victimize myself by reading comments online how homeschooled kids are abused, isolated, socially-backwards. I know that isn't true, but I feel a need to cover my bases. I am sometimes told about more things my kids could do or receiving suggestions, and it would be nearly impossible. We've been having more heart-to-heart talks after Monday this week. Everyone loves the flexibility of homeschooling, except when it comes to doing school at more flexible times that are not traditional school hours---so we have to make choices. I think I have been extra stressed because every appointment requires travel, and today, I couldn't even get the orthodontist to do his next appointment at a decent hour. They have few afterschool hours, which I cannot get, and we have to go every two weeks---things like that just don't help. I am totally whining, and you all have been wonderful. I have to get back to school. 🙂

Thank you all so much for the advice. Here I am, ready to get ready for an orthodontist appointment at 9AM, and I already know I will be tired by the 6PM tae kwon do class, lol. I think I am killing myself because yes, DD's sport is time consuming, but I am trying to be equal to my others. So oldest DS's sport takes up as much time but is closer and is during the evenings. The single blessing we have is I have managed to cram it all into the week, and our weekends are completely free. The main reason my son started to do his sport is because during the pandemic, he appeared to be very depressed and started to make comments about his worthless life. I said, that's it--- He was the most social one in school, though those were early years. Yes, it is hard for me to give up extracurricular activities because my kids do not get socialization during the day with other kids. But I am trying to do it all. I thought it someone else does some of the teaching, maybe it would make me less stressed? As for exercise, we have fitness equipment in the basement, but the boys mostly ride their bikes outside and play. So I feel that is pretty adequate. But yes, the abuse of me must stop. I only have one set of Grandparents to help, and they are the ones nextdoor, lol. I rarely ask for babysitting since they do run nextdoor. Anyway, I want to address it all particularly, but I am reading.

I think after the pandemic, I learned it’s nice to have extras for short term emergencies. My husband was good about this. However, it’s expensive! And that’s nowhere near being like one of those doomsday prepper people they make shows about… I don’t want to spend my life preparing for the apocalypse. Maybe that’s my privilege as an American talking, at least for now.

Unfortunately, right now, it is almost all me when it comes to education and the extracurricular activities. My husband's work has to come first because he earns the money for the family, and I have learned to be okay with it. My daughter's sport is a bit more intense than the other kids' activities right now. What I am hoping is that as she gets older, she will have more ownership over it. She would also be able to handle fewer in-person lessons, do more online lessons, once she has the maturity for it. So yes, those are all important questions about the other kids vs. her. The other kids are not at the same level as she is in their activities, but they are working their way there. My son spends more hours actually taking lessons, but they are all closer to home. So that helps a lot, and they are at night. But education first. That is why I was considering school, at least for my oldest, if her schedule makes it hard for him to school. He still maintains friendships with kids from the class, so he would probably feel comfortable in that regard. On the other hand, he might miss some of the perks of homeschooling. When my husband is less busy (which isn't when main extracurriculars are happening, lol) he takes him fishing, on hikes, etc. I used to be a good multitasker, but not with four kids---yes, I want my family to thrive and not just one member! I actually have the Laying Down the Rails Guide and companion books. We started to use them earlier in the year and should be more religious about that... Thank you all! It is late, and I hope I haven't missed addressing anything you all wrote.