Lego Mindstorms, but it is $300+. But I see it offered in week-long summer camps and that sort of thing. That would be a good way to get her to try it out. My son was actually on a team a few years ago. They met 1-2 times/week for about 6 months to get ready for the robotics competition. He really enjoyed it. So I laid out the cash to buy Lego Mindstorms (that's what they used in the robotics club), and he has hardly ever used it! So I think you've got to have a kid that is really into it or they won't use it. He LOVES legos, but I guess the computer programming part of it was less appealing to him.

The app is new, but the game (which I think is listed in the back of McHenry's Elements? or at least a couple other similar ones are) is just in its second version with a lot more cards, etc. It looks like the app is free! Woohoo!

My kids LOVE Sid Meier's Civilization, and I think they've actually learned a lot from it. I've been looking for something that focuses on Colonial America that is not TEEN rated. So many of the ones with good ratings seem to be Teen. I see that Sid Meier's has one called "Colonization", but it doesn't have the greatest reviews. These are games where the player controls a certain army, etc. Thanks!

This looks like a great card game - kind of similar to Pokemon, but chemical elements and compounds and characters that go with them. The author (who is in high school!!!) just came out with a new edition, and a free (I think) app! http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/elementeo/id516575515?mt=8 http://www.elementeo.com/index.html

My biggest and best tip is to EAT IN THE CAR! Don't waste your time at a rest area (or restaurant) eating. Eating a meal in the car will kill 20+ minutes. Then they will need to go to the bathroom 40 minutes or so later, so that is the perfect time to find a rest area. Then run them around (or find jungle gym), chase, etc. for 10-15 minutes. Your time at a rest area is much better spent this way than sitting around eating. Also, even if you do stop and get out to eat...they will still need to stop again to potty after a bit. So you're stuck with stopping twice within an hour. I liked to bring little manipulatives for little ones to hold/play with. When my kids were older 3s, they liked to listen to audiobooks on CD or playaway (from library). That would also work with the CD player in your car. I found the earlier in the day we left, the better it was for the kids. Just like at home, the later in the day it got, the more cranky they got. With 3yos, I assume they'll take a nice nap, too. Good luck!

Thank you! I think I'll wait. I was just surprised to see it on the 7th grade list and wanted to double-check with you all for your thoughts. As always, very helpful!

I don't know how the topics in R&S 5 line up with Saxon 6/5, but 6/5 is generally considered (or used as) a 5th grade book. 7/6 is generally a 6th grade book. So I would probably put him in 7/6 since he just completed 5th grade math (understands it well) and is ready for 6th grade math. I also have a son who is very good at math and often makes careless mistakes. That isn't going to change by making him do an easier math. I could put him in 4th grade math (he's in 7th grade) and he'll still rush and make careless mistakes. Interestingly, he did not make any mistakes when he was in school...because he wanted to please the teacher (who cares about mom?!), and he felt positive pressure to be top of the class. So he's still top of the class here at home no matter how many problems he misses! UGH! I guess he's careful when he takes standardized tests, because he scores at the top there. Thank goodness!

The Maze Runner trilogy is for young adults and is very good. Reminds a lot of Hunger Games, but I think it's probably better. I've read the first two. Only thing that bugs me is that each books leaves you hanging, so you have to read the next!

I don't know if it's considered a classic, but it is a Newberry winner: "My Side of the Mountain"! It is pretty interesting to read about what he did to survive, but so much of it is crazy how his dad just let him live up there and it's kind of unclear why he's there. Then the end is just unbelieveable! My ds11 and I just looked at each other (me with jaw hanging open) and couldn't believe it. Then just laughed because it was so dumb, especially after we plodded along through the book hoping we'd have some insight into the whole reason he was there, his family, etc.

TWTM book has this poem listed under 7th grade reading. I think this seems pretty hard for 7th grade, and studied it myself in 9th grade. Wondering what others think and/or what grade you've had your student study it and what seems to be the best grade for it. Thanks!

An excellent all boys Catholic high school uses it here, so I'm assuming it is most appropriate for high school.

We've been there and love it! GREAT place! Only thing...WAY too hot for summertime. We are looking for cooler weather like you might find on Lake Michigan, Door County, Colorado. I do highly recommend Mahoney State Park. We went there once for a few days of Spring Break. Thanks!

Well, what do you know? They have cabins!

Thank you - that looks nice. Yes, my sister lives in Illinois and I know they love Starved Rock - not sure if they've stayed in the lodge or not. I guess what I meant was not a hotel, was not a conference center, etc. where we have individual rooms and no way to cook. I don't think my parents want to eat dinner in a restaurant every night, and it would be hard anyway with a bunch of kids. But I know we might have to consider something like this since the cabin thing is seeming hard to find. Thanks again, will look at details!

My parents are having their 50th wedding anniversary next summer. There are 4 of us kids, married with kids. We are having a hard time thinking of someplace good. We have a backup place in Colorado, but for various reasons we're trying to come up with something else. So I'm asking for the name of a particular resort, YMCA, etc. rather than just a general area such as "Door County". What exact place in Door County that works for groups this size? - It needs to be not too hot (but somewhere on a Great Lake might be ok). Not the Ozarks for sure. This is probably one of the most important things. Something like Lake Michigan, Door County, northern Minnesota kind of weather. - We'd prefer to be in individual cabins, probably not a conference center/hotel-situation. We'd also be open to my parents staying in a cabin, the rest of us piled into one big house or possibly bunkhouse type of place. - Doesn't need to be super-fancy, but probably not TOO shabby. - Someplace that has lots for the kids to do, preferably besides lake/beach. We're concerned that if we go to a place where the lake is about the only thing, it could stink if we had bad weather. Also, my mom isn't a big lake person. So a lake is ok, but there'd need to be some kind of other activities. - Would like to find someplace generally close to midwest, or within 10 hours of Missouri probably. The hard thing about individual cabins is that it's hard to eat together. So if there was some way to figure that out - is there a place we could all eat together? Or a big area outside cabin? Thanks for any ideas! This is hard!

I don't have any advice, but here is a :grouphug: He does seem like a great kid, and I am very impressed that he turned in the iPod, confessed to all that stuff! and sounds like he has a good heart. Sounds like he struggles with being "good", just like many of us do. I can relate! I do think maybe some outside help for helping him deal with controlling his emotions would be a good idea. I'm guessing it will really help since he wants to be good!

omigosh, this breaks my heart and I'm in tears for you. I'm so sorry. I can't imagine the shock. Will pray for you and your family.

I try to have about half of my meals super-cheap. I mean things like beans/rice (which is very tasty). Even adding summer sausage to a package of red beans and rice is very cheap. I like to see how little I can spend per person, and still have something healthy and tasty. Then a couple of times a week I'll have something like pork chops or salmon patty - more expensive. Stuffed baked potatoes can be very inexpensive. I love it when I can make meals that are just over $1/person! Can be done with rice/bean dish and side veggies. Same with meatless pasta dishes.

My oldest will be 13 next month, and we've just been discussing this around here. He does not like my ideas! I need him up by 7:15ish to get going on schoolwork by 8:00. He needs a lot of sleep, so I've told him he needs to be in bed with lights out by 8:30 on TR and 9:00 MW (the difference due to activities we have). If he does seem to have a hard time falling asleep, I might let him listen to an audiobook or read. For 30 minutes. During the summer when he doesn't need to get up, it's usually 10:00 or 10:30.

Yep! Custer State Park, Bluebell campground cabins. Although I'm pretty sure they're booked up for this year. You have to reserve in advance. But there are lots of campgrounds in the State Park. That was one of our kids' favorite vacations. So much to see and do in the area. Be sure to check out the Mammoth site (forgot the correct name), but I think it is near Hot Springs (or some similar hot springs name!). You can watch them excavating woolly mammoth bones which is very cool. The hot springs town itself is ok, but they have a great WARM creek running through that's fun to splash in. And some big indoor pool that is from the hot spring. Rather old-fashioned, so kinda cool that way. It's huge. There is also an old steam train "1885 Train" that we didn't get a chance to ride, but looked fun. Of course fun touristy stuff like the alpine slide. And my kids even were begging to go to the President's Wax Museum, but we didn't have time. Mt. Rushmore is apparently very cool to see at night, all lit up. So if you have time, go twice: once in the day, once at night. The Badlands are close and worth checking out. But I think that's something you can just do in a half-day. Very windy, can be hot. Rattlesnake warning signs had me freaked! The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is south of that area, and we were lucky enough to be there for a huge Pow-Wow where tribal members from other reservations came - I think it's a thing once every 5 years or something. Although surely they have regular pow-wows yearly. You can see the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre. I wouldn't say it's worth driving WAY out of your way (unless you're super-into that history). I had my kids watch the movie, as well as some other documentaries about that time period ahead of time. You can also get some great DVDs at the library about the Black Hills and Mt. Rushmore to prepare the kids. HAVE FUN! JEALOUS!

Yes, I think you all are right! And I also expected a nice, sweet mild-mannered nerd. I want to keep that image in my head!

Wow. He seems...really different. I watched episode 26, which includes this segment - "Under my toga: a 45 semi-automatic" http://www.stanleyschmidt.com/TV_producer.htm

I think I'd be more concerned about the amount of time the teachers spent talking in the hallway (ignoring the kids) than I would be about any topic of conversation in the classroom. Because none of those conversations would be happening if the teachers were in the classrooms doing their jobs. Also, I'd DEFINITELY give details to the person that called you from church. They are trying to make sure potential new members are happy, and you aren't doing them any favors by not telling them what happened. Again, please tell them the teachers weren't in the classrooms but in the hallways chatting. I don't think I'd worry too much about what those girls were saying. But I'm not sure what it is exactly that they were saying - they saw adults' privates parts???? Another thing I'd mention to the church phone call person. I don't think it was so odd that they were discussing it, but that they potentially saw something somewhere? This is rather concerning, I'd say. No advice about whether to stay or go, but it sounds like it is going to be hard for your daughter to feel good about it!

Hotmail no longer has the contact management feature! So disappointing! That's what got me started here. I had a hotmail account set up and was going to do set up certain contacts and wondered why I couldn't find the Contact Management link. After about 30 minutes of googling around, I found a Windows Live or Family Safety forum where the moderator confirmed it is no longer available. He suggested leaving feedback, so I am hopeful a lot of people will do that!

It isn't the level of control he is worried about. He doesn't want to sound like a little kid with a .kol address! It may not be just for little kids, but that's how kids his age (or at least a lot of kids!) perceive it. But thank you!