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Wildiris

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Posts posted by Wildiris

  1. I got SO angry when I first read your post.

     

    So I read it a couple times, and examined MYSELF to make sure I wasn't misunderstanding or doing something wrong. Sometimes when I feel the most emotion, the problem is ME, not what I read.

     

    I don't think the problem is ME, so I'm moving on to you and what you wrote.

     

    Maybe life has been so simple and easy and sheltered and small for you that you honestly don't know how it is outside of your little bubble. If so, I envy you and even if you say hurtful things, want you to have the opportunity to stay there safe and protected.

     

    If life has been so hard for you, that you have become hard, I hope someone that you like just gives you big hugs today and surrounds you with love. Maybe you are hurting more than Shiny. I wanted to attack you like a rabid frothing dog for saying what you did to my Shiny, but maybe you need my love and support more than she does.

     

    I wanted to be mean, but now I don't. I just feel sad, right now. I hope you are in a bubble. I want to be in a bubble, too. I want to be dumber and shallower and not know all the stuff I learned the hard way. I don't want to be helpful, if it hurt this much to get here. Good luck to you. Seriously. Be well. Life is so very short. Milk it for every drop of goodness, whether your drops are plentiful or few.

     

    Hunter,

    Wow, you make quite a few assumptions about who you think I am. And such rage and rabid frothing? Seriously? In a discussion? Online?

     

    The original poster was asking for opinions, "What now?" I also prefaced my response with "As harsh as this sound..." Your response to my comment reminds me of what I find so troubling with social media: Criticism of any kind is construe as wrong. 

     

    Perhaps I am old school, but I am of the opinion that if one takes on the responsibility of homeschooling their children, than that education is paramount to your emotional response to the task. 

  2. Harsh as it may sound--Buck-up baby! You do need to Woman-up and take responsibility for educating your kids. Yea..I know the excuses, I know the burnout, I know the thankless job and the hours of work that no one really cares about, but you need to move beyond your own inertia. If you don't take on the task of educating your kids, who will? 

     

    I am sorry you are feeling down, but I have no sympathy, yet I can empathize. No, there are no easy ways out for the daily grind of homeschooling, work outside the home, and work around the home. What were you expecting? Kids with learning issues take extra work one-on-one. Can you make your kids a priority in your life? If you want to be doing something else, then fess up, admit that you are done and find the best alternative you can for your kids. 

     

    Look at the end game. Do you want your kids to graduate from high school? If they do graduate from high school, will they have enough skills to qualify for a minimum wage job? Are you handicapping them in the future by neglecting even the basics of their education now? If you have three years to get your struggling learner up to speed, get moving. Don't wallow. Don't compare. Your kids will respect your effort. They are watching your actions. 

     

     

     

     

  3. No exchange of insurance info. Probably didn't have legit insurance anyway. They did not speak English well. They did not produce a driver's license of their own, instead they just bullied my DD.

     

    The last driver to hit one of our cars in a similar situation accused my DH of drinking, gave a bogus insurance card and driver's license. Our insurance would not cover that accident, even though we were hit, because proof of insurance was given. 

  4. DD was sideswiped today. The other driver, a male vineyard worker, accused her of being at fault. However, she had right of way going up hill.  If she pulled over anymore on the narrow two lane road, she would have gone down a ravine. He took down her driver's license number, date of birth, and the license expiration, then drove off. He didn't write down her name or address. DD got his auto license plate number and we will be talking with the CHP in the A.M. 

     

    Should I be concerned about DD's identity being stolen?

  5. I have a couple from Williams-Sonoma.  I wouldn't call them cute (they are plain and made out of cotton twill), but they are tough as nails and have a D-ring at the neck that stays put once you get it where you want it.

    This is what I have too, only I buy a basic blue apron from Sur la Table .  These aprons remind me of the apron I wore working in a Greek deli as a high school student. These aprons wash well and look better with wear. Link to all Sur la Table aprons.

  6. Rear Window is a better movie. We watched The Birds with DD because we wanted to see the landmarks and compare them to what we know. Birds in Bodega really do make that menacing sound you hear in the movie, so that makes the watching the movie all too familiar. Maybe it was the sound of the birds that was the inspiration for the movie.

  7. Without getting so overt about "WE NEED TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER," it's probably easier to see an opportunity and take it. Don't  just say "I love you!" to your significant other with a peck and a pat, but demonstrate it as well. Maybe it's a big, loving hug when you special someone (Kids, parents,etc.) walks in the door or leaves for the day. True affection, a warm smile, and giggles go a long way to keeping together time enjoyable. More often than not, sex is the glue that keeps relationships fresh and engaged.

     

    Kill the distraction of mindless, online BS. If being online, like now, is an important part of your life, pack it into the part of your day when your loved one is away. Do you really need to watch TV or movies when you could be together?

     

    Snatch time together no matter how brief. Spontaneous outings are great. Even if it just sitting on the cliff checking the surf-no swell-and enjoying the beauty of the place and the time together. Coffee in the morning before anyone else is up and moving can be an easy, quick time.

     

    Forced togetherness....I'd rebel if someone did it to me. So I'm not going to do that to the ones I cherish. Do I work at being someone I'd like to hang out with--YES! 

     

    Reading TAP's response is sad. I guess I'm lucky to spend a lot of time with my DH. We work together because we are self-employed. Don't take for granted that your significant other will always be there if you don't make it inviting for them to stay.

  8. My mother has Lewy Body Dementia. It's hard. Mom is in a home, and I'm glad she gets the care she needs. When I see her it takes some time before she recognizes me; she does not recognize her grandchildren. I stopped taking her out a few months ago because she just could not negotiate life outside the home. 

     

    One of the benefits of memory loss is Mom now lives in the moment. She doesn't dwell in the past, a past of pain and unhappiness that she held my brothers and I responsible for. So in my Mom's case, memory loss is a blessing. It's such a raw deal when one goes to visit a loved one and all they do is berate you for being the ungrateful child/children that put them in a home for their safety.

     

    Lewy Body and ALZ make cancer look like a better way to go. At least cancer is quicker. One wants to go fast, like a seedless olive into the mouth of a fool.

    • Like 1
  9. I've used Homeschool Tracker (The free version), but I like using OneNote. I plan the whole year, then make weekly assignments for my student. If we fall behind, or move faster, it is easier to adjust than Homeschool Tracker. I seldom use dates; instead I plan by the week.

     

    Search for OneNote on these forums. There are several threads where people have posted how they use OneNote with photos of what it looks like. 

  10. Social acceptability aside, one reason a parent might not put their kids into sports at very young ages is children's bodies are still growing, their coordination is still developing, and with improper coaching a kid could get seriously hurt doing a highly competitive sport at a very young age. 

     

    However, I've never experienced a conversation where playing a sport at a young age was considered "bad." Most parents start kids in both music and a sport simultaneously. Other parents get their Kids to hold a golf club and throw a ball at three. And still other parents work with their very young kids developing skills the kid would use playing a sport later in elementary school.

     

    For both music and sports: If a kids has not participated by high school age, the possible level of achievement is not as great if the kid started at age 5-7.

  11. Not to sound snotty, but the kids who get accepted to the Ivies and the elite public flagship universities are the ones who are more likely to be leaders in whatever field they choose. We don't have unlimited resources, so I'd prefer to invest in our country's best and brightest rather give a little bit of help to a whole lot of mediocre students.

     

     

    I so disagree. The best and brightest often get turned down from the Ivies and public, flagship universities. There are quotas to fill besides athletes and alumni. And there is good PR to had about the young man who got into 8 ivies. (What happened to Stanford's offer of free tuition?) And don't forget out of state and out of country money to chase (cash poor public universities). There are many, far too many well qualified students who apply to top tier schools and get turned down, and not all students applying for financial aid are mediocre.

     

    What kind of leaders are we getting? Opportunists of dubious character-- Zuckerberg? 

    • Like 4
  12. I took three main points away:

     

    - 70% is the goal. This hit home with me, being another who could get 100% until college. I liked his wording and how he called a math program "inefficient" if the child routinely gets more than 70-80%.

     

    - Writing is important for math, don't neglect it. I don't think I neglect writing, but it is something on my radar.

     

    - Free time is important for many reasons. I know this in my head, and I see the good results from people around us who do have free time. Sometimes, though, I end up thinking my kids need more scheduled "activities" like all of our neighbors. 

     

    I knew about coding being important and am having my 10-year-old learn how to type right now so that he can pursue that in the future. RR suggested age 11 or so to begin programming, so I don't need to rush him! It was also good to know that doing graphical "programming" earlier is likely of little value.

     

    Emily

     

    I am sorry I missed this discussion.

     

    " 70% is the goal. This hit home with me, being another who could get 100% until college. I liked his wording and how he called a math program "inefficient" if the child routinely gets more than 70-80%."

     

    Does this mean that a student who is getting 70%-80% on course work/tests is working at the right level?

     

     

     

    A collection of online coding sources. 

     

    https://www.pinterest.com/womanofsalt/tech-coding-programming-computers-homeschool/

     

    http://www.ck12.org/search/?q=computer%20prgramming&source=ck12&grade=7

     

    http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow/story/293079/10-excellent-free-online-education-resources/9

     

    http://www.w3schools.com/

     

    http://www.codecademy.com/learn

     

    http://csunplugged.org/

     

    http://nifty.stanford.edu/

     

    https://developers.google.com/edu/python/?csw=1

     

    http://fivejs.com/homeschool-computer-programming-curriculum/

     

    http://notes.kateva.org/2013/04/learning-programming-for-middle-school.html

    • Like 6
  13. In addition to the above, middle school kids should be using quotes from the story/novel to support their assertions. I recently bought Reading and Writing about Literature a Portable Guide. (Check out "Look Inside")This book is not intended for middle school, but it does cover writing about literature in a way that other sources do not. There are sample papers and good examples that can be pared down for a younger student. My take on literary analysis is there are no wrong responses to literature; one just needs to support their response by citing text.

    • Like 1
  14. I have a question about learning note-taking from lectures ideas.   I am wondering if using Great Courses is a good idea for this because they can be played over and over, (or a bad idea because they can be played over and over unlike a regular lecture so it gives an unrealistic experience), or is trying to find something to use that is at a level that is more similar to what a 9th grader would be likely to encounter in a brick and mortar school make more sense. Or?

     

    And these days would practice be with paper and pencil? Or realistically should it be with a computer or tablet or iPod type device?

     

    In my son's case, he has dysgraphia and I am not even sure that this is realistic at all, even typing notes.  Do students record lectures these days by any chance?

     

    As well, how does taking "notes from texts" fit in with 21st century electronic gizmos?

     

    We've been minimally working with pre-made paper notes organizers, and I wonder if similar things exist ready to go for computer or tablet use. We do not have a tablet in our lives, but it appears that those are common now for what I see brick and mortar high school students using.  Less noisy in a class than keyboard, for one thing, I imagine.

     

    Since we are talking about skills middle school students should be familiar with, but yet mastered, then I think Great Courses is a good option. Because Great Course lectures can be replayed, a student can review the lecture and notes taken to see if the notes taken accurately reflect the lecture. I think knowing how to take notes with pencil and paper is just as important as taking notes on an iPad. I take paper notes all the time when talking on the phone. It is a good skill to know. Look up the Cornell Note Taking format online. There are many pre-made PDFs available.

    • Like 2
  15. Here is an article about a young man who was accepted to all 8 Ivies and Stanford and turned them down due to finances and accepted a full-ride to UA.  He was accepted into the Fellows program which has a different focus than the research program our ds was accepted into, but what the university offers the students accepted into these programs is pretty darn amazing.  Even though they are not abundant, full-ride opportunities do exist and really high performing kids can find low cost opportunities.  

     

    http://www.businessinsider.com/ronald-nelson-turned-down-every-ivy-league-school-for-university-of-alabama-2015-5?utm_content=bufferce088&utm_medium=social&utm_source=****&utm_campaign=buffer

     

    I just read this article. What a refreshing perspective this young man brings to the college application process. He sets an incredible example and highlights what is wrong with the cost of higher education in America better than any parent bemoaning the cost of college today. Wow!

    • Like 4
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