We are in a state with expanded Medicaid. We all qualified when my husband lost his job. Then, he got a job in another state. So, his employee sponsored health care doesn't start right away, and once we leave this state, we lose the state health care. So, we found ourselves in a medical insurance black hole. Couldn't take state sponsored health care with us, couldn't get health care in a new state right away. We wound up getting a Christian share program for the black hole time. I found it ironic that here we are trying to follow all the rules and due to moving out of state, can't take it with us and can't get it there right away. So, without these Christian share programs, we would have also been out of health insurance not due to cost or desire, but just due to a system that is totally inflexible.

I didn't make up the pioneer vs. refugee thing. If you want the original article look here. It really does fit what's happening in my opinion. People who homeschool intentionally vs. people who homeschool because there was no better choice and they needed to "escape" the public school. I'm seeing the surge of people being of the second category.

I am seeing the 3rd option as a way to help people who are overwhelmed with homeschooling and don't want to send their kids to public school as a viable trend. I have a friend who uses classical conversations. She gets easily overwhelmed and without CC doesn't always get school "done". She was one of the never getting around to school people in the past. CC has given her accountability and now she has to remain consistent. You have to admit, in the past, homeschooling moms where very much the type A, driven, organized, take charge kind of people. Pioneers who chose to forge ahead and claim new territories. The refugees who are escaping the public school system need supports and these quasi-school type situations can help. I even started a CC group to try to give people the 3rd option. It wasn't so much that I wanted it for my kids, I really wanted to give people who wanted to leave the public school system an easier way to go about doing that. I think it's a good trend because it just gives more options.

You eat a lot of chocolate and try not to pull your hair out. You dream about sending them to school and then realize they would never do anything at school and you would be helping them with all their homework every night that they should have done in school. You then realize you may as well bite the bullet and just homeschool them because at least you know what they're doing in school and you know how to help them. You think maybe coffee will help and then think it's not a good idea to give a 7 year old a coffee addiction. You know you're not one to run to prescribed medication but start to wonder, "What harm could there be?" You then think, "Maybe I need medication to calm me down from the severe frustration I feel and the need to say, Oh for Pete's sake! Just do your work!" Oh wait - you want solutions? I've got nothing.

I had one for 15 years and when it broke, I didn't replace it. The only thing besides toast that I used it for was reheating pizza every other week. It took up too much counter top space for me to want to get a new one. I don't miss it.

I think my 70 year old mom has a pair just like that. She's a grandma type of person, not a woman who just happens to be a grandma like my very hip mother-in-law.

Internally or externally?

We're moving this month to Colorado Springs. It's warmer in general and there seems to be a large homeschool community. There's tons of hiking everywhere and the mountains are really close. ANYTHING is cheaper than living in the Chicago area (I grew up there and my family still lives there).

I have two teen boys with some pretty significant back acne (pimples). Their faces are mostly clear apart from their hairlines and the occasional random breakout other places. Aside from antibiotics, what else can be done? Would antibiotics for acne really mess up their bacterial mix in their gut? I only ask because I have had to deal with severe gut issues due to antibiotics in the past and don't want to inflict that nightmare on my kids.

I have a Voice over internet phone plan. I have found that if I dial my husband's cell phone number too quickly, I get the same wrong number (thankfully for an after hours answering machine for a company). Maybe you have that happening.

Science in the beginning or the other sciences by Jay Wile - $35. Story of the world with activity book - $45 (?), library books on level for the two olders. Would $400 cover the rest of the subjects with Abeka (I'm assuming you already have the textbooks for the youngers).

Just do dictation. She'll get spelling review and also learn sentence structure. It's also good to learn how to keep sentences in your head while you're writing for note taking skills later.

Nuts?

Years ago my new neighbor in Texas the very first time I met him said I would make a good addition to his harem. I told my husband and he was ready to come home from work and take this guy out. My new neighbor was easily 80 years old and walked with a cane. Still weird though.

Yup- I admire people like you Bluegoat. I have tried to do the "make my own plan". I always fail. Somehow, having someone else figure it out for me keeps me accountable to do it. I start out fairly well, but have no follow through. I'm flakey like that.

I am a very random science person. I haven't followed any sequence or book set with my kids. Usually, the science I've gotten just doesn't make me want to do it again. This year, we did Apologia Chemistry and Physics only because there was a class ds could take. So, I am looking for a science - can be textbooks even (no public school texts - I just find them difficult to work with). He likes non-fiction books and learning about different subjects. I would like to stay away from physical science if I can. He hasn't had much life science. I really don't like Apologia for the elementary age. I feel like I should know everything that's out there. Science has just been very hit or miss around here. We do it every year, but YAWN... I don't really want to have to be super involved (think BJU press). I don't mind discussing science with him, but I would like it to be semi-independent.

Not April Fools, but my ds has convinced my dd (who is 7) that his best friend has a twin brother. You never see them together because one of them is very academic and always studying. She will even ask the friend how his brother is doing. I can't convince her otherwise.

I know!!! As I think about joining any co-op, I just want to make sure that I don't actually have to sit through the classes my children take. Put me in a study hall helping with algebra, papers, anything! Just don't make me sit through my kid's classes. When we were in CC, the whole day was draining - just sitting there - doing the same thing week after week...sitting...pretending to be enthusiastic...sitting...trying to keep kids behaving so the teacher could teach (sorry---tutor---model for the parents---whatever)...sitting...YAWN.

I jumped out of me doing it all together. My ds has taken potters school classes and will be doing their classical track next year. He has done very well and I love not having to keep a teenage boy accountable to doing quality work. I even wound up doing something different for my next two kids.

You just have to know who has the best price. I live in a small town with two grocery stores that don't compete with each other, so we tend to pay a little more than a more metro area. I buy grains (oatmeal, rice, wheat berries) from a natural food co-op (clnf.org) and figure out what Costco has cheaper than the grocery store (cheese, big bags of white flour, some meats, frozen strawberries, etc.). I buy produce from Aldi's. They sometimes didn't have what we wanted produce wise, but overall, it was pretty good and the savings were significant. I make my own bread (honey whole wheat) for around 75 cents a loaf and make my own yogurt for a little more than the cost of a gallon of milk. I tend to make all our baked goods also. I'm not sure if I save money, but I know they are healthier. I have also made bone broth. That too is a super healthy food and a lot cheaper than store bought.

For that age group, Nancy Larson was a hit around here. They retained information and the science "experiments" were very doable. It's a hefty price, but worth it. I wish they had a 5th grade program.

I'm sure we have the pencil dropping alternating with falling off the chair group of kids also? When my ds was 5, we had super short lessons because he could not sit still. He would fall off the chair twice and drop a pencil at least 2-3 times in a half hour desk time.

This is my daughter also - not to the extent of mayors and reporters, but every animal has a personality - to the point where certain stuffed animals are not allowed in the car because they are so naughty. My daughter has these three dogs who's names are Chi-wawa doggie, Mr. Pebbles, and Bill. Where did Bill come from?!? It just doesn't seem to fit.

As a mom of a kid in a wheelchair full time, I say you need the parking sticker. It's not distance, it's having the extra space next to the car that's a big deal. If they won't give it to you, you may have to do the annoying parking job and park between two spaces a little further away. I do that if I can't find a handicapped parking space. That's the no paperwork strain on you option. Even if you get the forms signed, you still have to go to the dmv and most likely get it mailed to you which takes "government" time (a lot more time than you think it should).

Eta--Oops! Posted about the wrong subject!