I think that children would be safer if there were more children out there-- right now so few are outside that there isn't anyone to watch out for each other

My children go to an enrichment program through the county. It is in my dead end (no through street) neighborhood. They aren't allowed to walk home without me (or their older sisters)-- the public school busstop is across the street from the enrichment site-- when they were in PS the bus dropped them off there!! so the rules are different - even in the same school district!

I have a U shaped workspace-- my desk in front, my work space in back, my shelves of TM's within arms reach. It is still a mess most of the time, but at least I can have several projects going at once (planning Am History for HS, grading current stuff, research for next weeks science lessons etc....) My back table doubles as my sewing table-- I never get to the sewing, but there is hope!!

This. I remember playing outside and having neighbors watching what I was doing-- I had to behave myself because they would tell my mom if I did something bad. I live in a neighborhood similar to my neighborhood growing up. In fact the people we gossip about are the ones that inherited a house-- they didn't choose to buy here -- they are more like the other neighborhoods-- we never see them, they don't let their children play in the front yard or at the park, they don't talk to the other neighbors. My children on the other hand know more of the neighbors than I do-- when they went trick or treating they were introducing me to people!! Also-- part of being a free range parent is living in an area that is like minded. I moved here when my children were young-- I knew someone who lived nearby and saw how they raised their children and wanted the same for mine-- and I saw how they were treated by their neighbors and knew it was the right place for my type of parenting

I agree-- I know that when I am sick I can use more sugar with fewer bad results. Wait

I agree with having free range parenting-- I think we allow the media to make us afraid of shadows. However, my husband recently pointed out that the more we "demand/rely" on the state to take care of us-- the more the state has the right to demand of us to be cautious. If we want state wide Amber Alerts and immediate response to a missing child (that requires man hours and public funds to make happen) then the state has the right to say-- "hey, YOU watch your kids better". It is a double edged sword-- I want less state control but I also want a child to be found quickly when something bad happens-- when you demand something from your state-- they get to demand something back. This actually started as a discussion about making people wear motorcycle helmets-- I took the stand that people have the right to kill themselves and DH pointed out that the state would be taking care of the vegetable if he/she lived.

I am using Joy Hakim's series with the K-12 curriculum (you can find it cheap used) there are student pages and a TM-- sometimes the curriculum wants you to go places the K12 people get to go-- you can't so you either skip that or google it.

big bird is creepy too--- years ago we had a toy BB that played peek a boo when you covered it's eyes-- it said "peek a boo , heh heh heh" In the middle of thunder storm that thing sounded satanic-- a flash of light, boom!! boom!! ***then**** "PEEK A BOO-- HEH, HEH, HEH" It went into the trash that night-- still gives me the shivers to think about it.

My children think he sounds creepy

Have you looked at TRISMS-- history makers? You could the same purchase for both children-- the younger would just take 2 years instead of one-- it is research based, (more independent) uses IEW writing integrated into the lessons, also integrates history of art, music, science and other things into the curriculum-- critical thinking as well-- I will be doing HM for my 6th grader in two years and I currently have my 9th grader doing the 1st high school program.. You can get it used fairly easily and buy you can do quite a bit at the library (or you might have a lot of the books at home) You can always add more literature if you want it

DH is like about is Rx meds-- really-- you couldn't have called that in YESTERDAY?? --when we were there-- you know, to stock up on food because of the SNOW STORM ???? The snow storm that hit today??? The children used to do that with dog food-- I buy that at Sam's club-- I need at least a weeks notice for that -- you must tell me when there is 3 inches of food left!!-- I know to ask about that stuff now (and have three days worth stored somewhere) I do have them trained with the milk-- it is almost annoying now to have them tell me four times (because everything comes in multiples of four here) that there are Four gallons left, then THREE gallons , then TWO..... sigh I get it--

I have gotten my best advice from those mom and pop sew/vac repair stores

I mom used to be a couple of hours late picking me up-- but she knew it and was just busy-- she would show up late with a DQ shake and not even be apologetic to the teacher that had to wait-- she didn't bring ME anything from DQ either!!! Then there was the time she went to Mexico with my step father-- no note, no call-- nothing-- we called every hospital and sheriff's office for three counties-- they finally called the next day-- they had decided to go on a mini- holiday at the spur of the moment -- didn't even pack stuff- just bought it there.

I don't like it when the things I own are smarter than me.

Impressions-- updates, experiences I see stuff from a couple of years ago , but no new updates Lara

I heard this as well-- that they are (were) using some form of peanut oil to make the vaccines

Shingles is painful but doesn't come with fatigue-- it does however frequently come as a result of a lowered immune system. You could have another issue that needs to be addressed (like Epstein-barr) or Mono. When my 9yo daughter got it--- they drew blood to check her white blood cell count to rule out something else wrong you should go to the Dr

I do a read aloud -- so far this year I have read Anne of Green Gables, the first two Little House books and I am currently reading All Creatures Great and Small. The children do what ever activities they like during that time (as long as it is quiet and they stay still-- One child draws, one paints, one makes paper waterbombs/airplanes etc--- (perhaps I should get him an origami kit) , one knits hats. Usually on Fridays I make scones or muffins for this time as well.

I just saw the Foster also has a book How to Read Literature Like a Professor--- I put both on my wish list

I can read the books, but I don't have the know how to analyze them Is there a book that will help me to analyze literature? High school level. Either as a full course or just book by book so I can add the literature into the history cycle

my biggest challenge comes from outside forces-- people that expect us to be done by 4pm (but we didn't start until noon) and come over to play or want to do outside activities. This is always a challenge-- people assume that you can stop all the time and do what they want you to do (I recently had one woman want my daughter to drop everything to babysit her child in the middle of the day)--but I do find the frequency is more when my schedule is "off" from the rest of the world.

My problem is when I am tired of it the FIRST time through!

you crack me up!!

My children don't really like pie (at least not mine) so--- ideas for pies-- for pi day.

I think it is important to find your "core' reason for home schooling. This is the "real" reason- that when it is removed, then you might want to quit. Example-- bad public school options-- if there was a new school with good reviews would you enroll them? working around a semi professional career-- if the child quit skating would you go back to ps? I recently had to refer back to my "core" when a new early college high school program was put into place here. It is a good thing and a lot of my child's friends are doing it-- if my core reason was to get my child as many college credits as possible to make college more affordable-- I might have switched-- and I really looked into the school and was tempted-- my child might have a degree from the local cc at the end of high school-- am I holding her back????? I looked at my "core" and really thought about the reasons I keep her home (and it wasn't just academics) and this new option didn't fit into the core and I felt relieved that I could say no and not feel guilty, I was just "staying the course" I have found many reasons to refer to my core--- choosing curriculum, choosing enrichment programs, how hard to push certain things-- right now I am making her repeat a lesson in Algebra-- one of my core reasons is to have her KNOW the material before moving on-- that sometimes wrestles with the "she must know calculus before college" My "core" has evolved and changed over the years- but mostly it has stayed the same-- perhaps that is why I am still going..... I think knowing why you school is very important-- it will help you to stay the course when you are tired and poor and wondering WHY AM I DOING THIS?????? It will also give you "permission" to quit and move on................