I haven't read ahead yet, but we had a similar problem and one thing that really made a difference was labeling some classes as graded. Not all of them, but the ones that required prep or out of class work. The teachers send an email each week also listing the requirements for the upcoming week and a general line about some kids receiving zeros or not being prepared, or that they all were. I think the thought of their kids getting a grade helped them teach their kids to take it more seriously and I darn sure made sure my kiddo knew it was his responsibility to write down any homework that needed to be done so he wouldn't forget.

Yes, we will be in Algebra in 9th grade. I plan on Alg, then Geometry, Alg 2, and then we will see.

Interesting. I know quite a few returning college students have to take remedial Math or English if it has been a few years since they were in school, even if they did graduate with an advanced High School Diploma. In some cases it us use it or forget it. If that was my thought process I would concentrate of economics, an internship in their area of interest, and continuing research skills, and editorial skills. I would drop foreign languages, and concentrate more on formal logic. Then follow the child's interests deeper instead of a wide base of knowledge. I would also require more volunteer work.

Divorce isn't fair for anyone. A family members wife cheated and divorced him. She got the kids, the house, half of his pension, and close to 75% of his income goes to pay the bills and child support. He now has to live in an RV on family property because he can't afford anything else and he can't have joint custody because he can't afford two homes for the kids. When the house is sold he will get part of it as an asset, but for now he is screwed and didn't get any choice in the matter. Maybe we should get rid of the idea of no fault divorce. I think it was instituted in the hopes it would keep things from getting ugly during divorce but no matter what it seems to be part of the process.

Is she comparing apples to apples. I hear people brag on their kids advancements but when I ask what curricula they are using it makes more sense. For example my son went from Teaching Textbooks 7 to CLE 5 (we didn't get past the first 10 lessons before I knew TT wasn't going to work for us) But most of it is the age too. All the sudden my kiddo who never paid attention to what other kids were doing, or have, has become a Stepford wife when it comes to being part of the crowd. It drives me nuts, but it doesn't last for too long.

We finished formal grammar last year in 5th grade. We still have some grammar in our writing program and expect that will continue.

The zoo is great because there isn't an entrance fee; you only pay for parking. The National Mall is a great walking/running and photo opportunities in front of iconic monuments. I would also call your congressional representatives and see if they will show you around congress. Most of them will help make arrangements and it is also free. I am not familiar with parks in the area, but if you have a car it is absolutely worth the 3 hour trip to Williamsburg/Jamestown. Jamestown has an excellent outdoor interactive program for kids that will teach the kids more US history in a fun way than any book possibly could. They have a native American side and a settler side with hands on exhibits for both. My kids loved it tremendously. Then Colonial Williamsburg...which is within minutes. And Yorktown is 15 minutes up the Colonial Parkway and the kids can run on battlefields overlooking the beach and river where Cornwallis surrendered. The visitor center offers a tape player and tape that you can play that allows you to listen to the sounds of battle and different characters tell what it was like from their vantage point. Bring a kite for the battlefields and beach.

Yes. I am absolutely comfortable with putting people in prison for rape if the victim made no effort to stop it. Too often rapist have used the oh it was consensual arguments because the victim wasn't beat up or beat up enough. Or the victim was passed out, sometimes by being drugged and then gang raped at a frat party. I teach my son's that no means no, maybe means no, and yes means are you absolutely sure.

Is Fox a political station or a news station? If it is a news station then it shouldn't be off limits. I think their motto is fair and balanced so I am not sure how bashing Fox news is any different than bashing any other form of information, literature, or entertainment.

Sorry, not true. Any drug that changes your dopamine receptors and how your body responds to neuron transmitters can make a person an addict. It isn't just a matter of willpower or an internal brake. Especially with opoids that were originally meant to be used for end of life pain relief or the very worst pain and are now prescribed for anything and everything. Once they are used, they are easily abused because the brain can not activate the pleasure response without them. Pain killers, especially Opoids are very dangerous and are responsible for the increase in heroin addiction and deaths which are now hitting middle class and upper class families. Even muscle relaxers can produce a physical addiction because the body can no longer send the signal to the muscle to relax without them. Perhaps you are correct when it comes to non chemical addictions like food, sex, or gambling but comparing chemical addictions to mental "addictions" are like apples to oranges.

I did get a bit of a laugh when one of my adult sons requested I not make youngest son a weirdo by homeschooling. The only kid he knew growing up that was home educated was a bit isolated and in his words weird, but I asked him if he knew any "weird" kids at public school and of course he knew a bunch. (Whatever weird means)

Yes, he was in Seattle working when he fell and was at Harborview. Fabulous hospital.

I would bring her home. The school system is still required to test her if you request testing. Or you can handle it through your pediatrician. But if my six year old hated school I wouldn't want that to turn in to hating learning.

We love Cosmos: a Spacetime Odyssey

Math---CLE 6 Spelling--Soaring with Spelling (he is a lucky natural speller) English-Killagon Grammar for Middle School Reading---assigned reading, fun reads and probably Figuratively speaking Science--Real Science 4 kids History--- not sure yet Writing--Jump In

Our oldest son, 31, suffered a traumatic Brain injury in March of last year, was in the ICU in Seattle (across the country from where we live in VA) for months and unexpectedly died in June. Our 12 year olds homeschooling came to a screeching halt, but thank goodness we homeschool because we were able to take him with us to Seattle. He did read some, but there wasn't any accountability or worry about education. We also didn't get it done over the summer because we were just surviving. My point is that we have to test yearly for the state and I was worried. He did fine. He didn't progress as much as he would have if it hadn't happened but we had a strong base and life experiences also do teach. I am not an unschooler, but I now know without a doubt that kids can and do learn even without curriculum and it will be okay if plans change. It absolutely wasn't my plan but he spent a lot of time on Minecraft, in hospitals, becoming independent, learning patience, empathy, compassion. He learned to occupy himself while left alone in the apartment we rented a 5 minute walk from the hospital. He did get some trips with family to the bay, museums, parks, seeing a dormant volcano out his window, learning about mass transportation, and rode a small private medical plane home where the crew let him sit in the cockpit and ask lots of questions. Life happens, death happens, and learning happens all the time.

Just literature and even that isn't classic heavy. I love books, but there are many classics that I don't find sacred, and there are some books I think every single child should read for a shared experience. These I have kept and always will for cuddles and read aloud time or for them to read.

I don't do crafts. If we have to cut, paste, color, or put it together we skip it. I don't do co-ops anymore and only do special group field trips preferring to set up our own trips that fit our interests. I don't buy everything that looks interesting for school anymore. I know what works and no longer chase the new and shiny. I couldn't tell you where our iron is or even if I still have one. I have a cell phone but rarely know where it is either.

We have always went with what works best for each child and our family. I am not driven to homeschool because of a calling but because it provides to best opportunities for us at the time. Our oldest at home child is a Junior at our local high school and has been since 8th grade. He is now taking technical classes because he wants to he a diesel mechanic and at the end of his senior year will be ASE certified and will decide to either enter the workforce or go in the military. He transitioned very well. He especially likes the social aspect of public school and we are lucky that he has a great group of friends and a good sense of himself. Our youngest is 12 and has been homeschooling since the beginning of 1st grade when the school decided he had a reading disability and ADHD. He reads on level now even though he doesn't and probably never will love it, and he hasn't been made to feel behind or stupid which happens too often in public schools when they need special help. We foresee him staying with homeschooling and possibly dual enrolling at our CC in the future, but we take it one year at a time. People sometimes ask me why we homeschool one and not the other and if I am going to homeschool forever (usually my in laws lol) and I tell them when I know they will know.

Interesting. I sometimes give grades since my kid loves seeing an A or 100% when he gets everything correct. But that is about it. I never have given grade inflation any thought at all. Same thing about " What grade is he in?" I just laugh and ask which subject and then say his age.

The kids have a crate that holds their current books and work that they can carry wherever we are schooling for the day. We have a main bookshelf in the living room that holds reference books,library books, and other books I pull for interest and then in a.closed bookshelf in the rarely used dining room I keep future materials and books we own but aren't currently working on or reading. The bottom cabinets hold manipulative, art materials, board games and stuff. That is about the extent of my organization. I have tried lists, charts, and what not, but I usually give it up from neglect.

Learning to read fluently is more than phonics. It depends on the child but based on what you have written it seems he should do both. Reading to you for fluency at a lower level so he can get used to stopping at punctuation, reading with expression, and comprehension all at the same time. Then 20 minutes of reading to himself from any book on level that he chooses just for fun. Then there are read aloud books that stretch his vocabulary, listening skills, and comprehension. I don't think there is a grade level where it is automatic, I have to take cues from each kiddo. My 12 year old isn't defiant, but I have to have some kind of accountability because he can stare at the same page for 15 minutes daydreaming, or get distracted and read the same sentence over and over while trying to ask me questions about anything and everything so I still don't just turn him loose. When he reads we either talk about it, have comprehension questions, he outlines the sections, or something, and I still have him read aloud to me most days from either science or history while I fold clothes or make lunch or dinner so I know he is still fluent. But he is my weakest reader and rarely devours books for fun.

This made me laugh because it wasn't on my list, but as soon as I read it I had an aha moment. I hate board games but I also feel they have value. So yep this is mine too.

I would suggest looking at CLE for math since you wrote he struggles with concepts. It is a Christian company but not much in their math. They are a spiral program so there is a lot of practice for the concepts learned. I also like that it is inexpensive and very thorough, but not overwhelming. I also rave about the Key to...series. I have key to fractions, decimals, and percents and used them extensively to firm up before I found CLE. I still use them as practice sheets of to look at a concept in a different way.

We are doing Astronomy Real Science 4-kid Astronomy Reading the Stephen Hawkins series "George and the secret key to the universe" and "Georges Cosmic Treasure hunt" and "George and the Big Bang" each of these books have comprehension and summary sheets as well as vocabulary words. We also have Jan Van Cleves Constellation experiments for projects but we haven't used it much.