I have never joined a charter, but I have a lot of friends who are with charters, and lately they've been pressuring me a little to join one, mostly for the "free money." It all sounds nice, but the same friends are the ones complaining about testing, managing visits/calls with their overseers, and being forced to keep their supplies separate because they have to give them all back at the end of the year or at the end of their time with the charter school. Having ballet and taekwondo paid for would be great, and the connections with local university classes, free zoo memberships, music lessons, and everything else. It sounds wonderful. But I am way too much of a do-it-yourself type to agree to it. And with a special needs son, I really can't commit to weekly classes without adding a lot of extra stress, so the charters that do classes one or two days a week and require volunteering just sound nightmarish to me. I'm not sure if that's helpful or not. Mainly, I wanted to commiserate, because I'm struggling with this, too.

I'd also HIGHLY recommend reading The War of Art. I love this book. It turns the entire thing into a battle that you want to win.

Don't read the stuff you wrote an hour ago. ;) More seriously, I started spending time with a lot of other writers, and everyone feels this way. Several of the authors I'm friends with are making a good living with their novels, and they still have to fight every day to get through the weird feelings surrounding their work. Even with fans and great reviews, they sometimes break down and wonder if they're actually writing crap and no one notices. Learning your own process and the process of others can help too. No one I know writes perfectly the first time. First drafts are GARBAGE. Let them be garbage! I was on the third draft of my last book before I even really knew what it was about. My most recent book is a garbage first draft that I've set aside until I can rewrite it. I know what the story is now, so the 2nd draft should be pretty good. It takes a lot of time and can be very frustrating, but when it comes together, it comes together. My 4th draft of Blueprint Homeschooling is the one that went to an editor and readers, and the 5th version got published. Write first. You can fix it on the edit.

I have been in groups where I didn't fit in very well, but managed it for the sake of the kids and the classes. Where I used to live, there wasn't a lot available, so if you wanted to do things, you joined and volunteered for the one big group. I got tired of that and created my own smaller group. Basically, I started offering music lessons and art classes for homeschoolers, and advertised with the bigger groups. I was able to make good friends with some of the families that were interested in that, and then we grew into the kind of group we wanted. Honestly, I'm of the opinion that you should make your own homeschool community. There's gotta be someone else in your neighborhood feeling the same way you are and looking for something similar to what you're looking for. Finding them can be tricky, that's the only thing. I moved and am in more of a support group now. We meet for a weekly park day so the moms can socialize. We'll do co-op lessons if a few of us discover we're teaching similar things and one of us decides to plan a lesson. Otherwise, we're pretty casual. I have never had a desire to join the bigger, more expensive and more active groups that are around here.

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. There was crying in this house over that book, and it wasn't just mine. Everyone raves about it, but I despised it.

You could base at least part of it on the History Channel series America: The Story of Us (free to stream on Netflix) and use their study guides: http://www.history.com/shows/america-the-story-of-us/articles/america-the-story-of-us-study-guides

I have facilitated three different Artist Way groups, and it's always amazing to see how people change through the process! I'm glad you're finding some time and energy. I own a 27,000 member community on Google+ for writers, and there are a lot of people juggling full-time jobs and struggling to find the time to write, and succeeding. I've managed by making it a priority the same way I used to make my piano teaching a priority. Before moving across the country, I ran a small piano studio in my home. It was roughly 12 hours a week of preparation and teaching, and my kids could manage themselves when I was teaching. When we moved and I lost all my students, I decided to devote the same time and professionalism to writing. My kids can still manage themselves during that time (they're 11 and 9, so this is easier). I think of it is a way of teaching my kids a few skills. They get to see what it looks like to pursue a creative dream. They've seen me go through the harder parts of writing and they've watched me work on draft after draft, but they've also seen my books and see what a fantastic reward it is at the end to have an awesome thing you've completed. They're some of my biggest encouragers these days. It also helps them see how you make and reinforce boundaries. "I'm working for one hour" is not a surprising statement to them anymore. I still mom them when they need it, but they also respect that "Mom is working" and I think they feel proud of what I do so that makes a difference. I do struggle with envy because I know full-time writers who are pumping out a novel or two every year. And I'm a snail compared to that. It took me a full 18 months of work to write and publish my book, and I still worked on it almost every day -- but I couldn't do a lot. I'm working on another, and the work is painfully slow. Baby steps. Trust the process. All of that.

We're starting tomorrow, even though it's 2 weeks earlier than the local schools. I've been printing and filing and finalizing, and I have all the library books for the first two weeks. The kids are chomping at the bit to get started. I'm really looking forward to having a decent routine again. This summer was really crazy for some reason.

Super creepy. My husband is a youth pastor, and we do nothing with the kids unless both of us are there or another set of adults are helping. We do text the kids sometimes about events, but we know and are in contact with every single one of their parents (or grandparents/guardians, as the case may be). This gives me the shivers. :glare:

:iagree: This is what I was voting for when I voted Other. :) I didn't use a curriculum for K either - just kept a ton of great manipulatives on hand like C-rods, a math balance, LEGOs, geoboards, foam numbers, dice, dominos, and cards. Edited to Add: I use Math Mammoth starting in 1st grade.

You're doing enough. You're making another child, and that is very hard work, whether you feel like it or not. Bookmark this post and come back in two or three years and see if you feel the same way. I'm not going to say that life will get harder, because perhaps parenthood will always go swimmingly for you. But I also had a time when my oldest was my only. I owned an online business and still had extra time for all sorts of creative projects. I haven't been able to do that for a few years now. My life is still quite easy compared to many, as I keep our schedule low-key as well, but there were a few years in there where I believe I earned the peace and quiet I'm getting now that the kids are bigger and more independent.

I originally started homeschooling because I knew public school would eat my Aspie son alive, and I didn't want him to fail. I knew he was smart, but in a particular way, and I knew that he wouldn't last half an hour in a noisy classroom without a lot of help. I kept him home instead. I continue to homeschool, even my neurotypical daughter, because I have discovered I absolutely adore teaching them. I love finding all the great resources to help them learn more, I love being available to find answers to their constant questions, and I love the extra incentive for me to keep reading and to keep my mind fresh. I could put my son in school now and I know he would do just fine, but I believe I can offer both of my kids a better education than they could get anywhere locally, except perhaps one of the private schools that does a good job (but gives as much homework each night as we do of schoolwork each day).

Our absolute biggest triggers (beyond gluten) are Red 40, Yellow 5, and BHT. We also watch out for MSG, TBHQ, sodium nitrate and any other artificial coloring. If you can at least double-check for those things, it might make the rest of your vacation more tolerable. :grouphug:

We just finished our VBS, and all four of us in the family are exhausted. I don't volunteer as a group leader anymore, but I spent hours making nametags, entering registrations, getting photos, making snacks, helping with crafts, and any other place where they needed a little more help. My husband ran sound and helped with the 1st-3rd grade boys. He's sound asleep in the middle of the afternoon right now. :lol: There are times when I wonder if all that energy is worth it, especially when I consider how all the other local churches are doing the same thing. Some of these kids have been to 3 or 4 VBS weeks in the last month. Some of the kids we ONLY see during VBS week. However, this year changed my mind and I think VBS is worth it. Our VBS director was diagnosed with cancer, and went to chemo yesterday after surgery on Wednesday, and still showed up every day. The kids got to know her, care about her, pray for her, and see how God has continued to give her strength through all of that. The kids raised money to buy a wheelchair for a woman in the Cameroon, and they really felt like they were a part of something bigger. My kids look forward to VBS all year long, and they love it. If we could do it a little more low-key, I would be happier, but I think it's worth doing well.

Are you planning on collecting and displaying dead insects, or do you want to keep some alive? We have done roly-poly (potato bugs) terrariums for the last several years, and they have always been awesome. Just take a little jar, fill with dirt, a little moss, and some tiny plants and rocks, and then add about half a dozen roly-polies. Keep the dirt slightly moist, and make sure there are living and dying plants in there, as they eat decomposing materials. They'll go through several life cycles, and the babies are tiny and cute. We've also collected and cared for caterpillars out of the garden, especially cabbage whites. If you're talking about just keeping collected ones for identification, then I'd suggest a little shopping at HomeScienceTools.com. They have tons of great materials for things like that. :)

If the sun is shining, drop everything and go play. Considering the sun only shines a few days here every year, it's important. :) If you don't have the sunshine issues like we do, then that advice roughly translates to: Feel free to take time off whenever you feel like you need it. We school on the 36-week file folder schedule so it's completely flexible. Sometimes we need a week or two off in between to play video games and unwind before we can really focus on learning again. I am the type that will work until I'm dead in the goal of being "productive" and have found that real learning happens when I relax and stop trying to force it.

:grouphug: and :iagree: My first thought in reading this article was sympathy for the mother. I know that sounds backwards and might get me flamed, but as a parent of a child on the spectrum, I have an idea what that might look like. The article mentioned this daughter only had a vocabulary of 30-40 words. That is severely disabled. If the woman's other child is the same level of disability, I can only imagine what the last 19 years of her life have been like. I'm not saying I would make the same decision, but if she knew the State would cover her disabled adult daughter 100% (as SKL said), and she was no longer able to care for her, then is this really the saddest thing ever or was this lady actually doing the best with what options she had? I think it's easy for those of us with high-functioning kids to judge this woman, but having seen those with children requiring herculean amounts of care, I think I understand her motivations.

I love to read aloud, but I am very picky about only reading entertaining books. I can't read chapter books, as most of them are written at a lower level and I find them utterly boring. Get me a well-written, well-illustrated picture book or a quality novel, and I'm happy to read with the kids.

Jesus Storybook Bible, with the CDs. We've had it for two years, and the kids still listen to it quite often. It's a wonderful version (and I love the illustration style, although I can see how it can be a matter of taste whether you like it or not).

If he's not nervous about tetanus, which would be highly unpleasant, tell him there's a whooping cough epidemic (which there is in Washington) and that he ought to get his Tdap for the safety of everyone.

:iagree: This is how I do it. I also ask myself, "Have I used/worn/enjoyed this in the past year?" If not, it goes. I am a chronic crafter who changes hobbies every year or two, and so I go through the same thing. I've often found others who enjoy the hobby who will gladly take the supplies off my hands -- I've gotten rid of hordes of beads, huge stacks of scrapbook papers, cross stitch patterns, crochet supplies, you name it! I usually keep just enough (like one container of beads, or one folder of my favorite papers) "just in case," but I rarely dig into them again. One other idea: Move EVERYTHING out of the room you want to clean, and I mean everything. Then ONLY put things back that you love. When you see how clean the room is, you'll be reluctant to let the other clutter back in. I recently did this with my kids' room, and they willingly parted with three huge bags of stuff. It was miraculous.

Carrots, kale, broccoli, green onions, mushrooms, red and green bell peppers, spinach (when I'm not growing it), cucumbers, crookneck squash, zucchini squash, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and red cabbage. Off the top of my head. :)

They sent an email a few weeks ago saying you could opt out of the catalog and/or receive it on .pdf if you'd rather. It costs them a lot of money to send it too, so if you don't want it, let them know so they can keep making them for the rest of us! As for me, I just ran out to the mailbox to look for it, but it hasn't come yet. :glare: I love that catalog. I usually spend several days reading and highlighting and getting more ideas for the coming year.

I'm the one like the OP who gets in trouble for not texting back immediately. I've tried. But I don't carry my phone around in my pocket, and if it's not in the room I'm in, I don't hear it. If I have a dishwasher running, or a kid asking questions, or I'm cooking, or pretty much any other reason, I won't hear it. I've changed my notification sounds, turned my ringer full blast, etc etc. I don't text all day. My DH has had to get used to this concept. He sleeps with his phone. I'm lucky to remember I have one. So, yeah. If someone didn't respond immediately, I'd figure they were like me, and not glued to their phone. :D

Read Alouds - one hour a day, usually at bedtime. The kids each choose one book and I choose another - usually a longer book. Handwriting - 15-30 minutes, 3x/week Story of the World 1 - 30 minutes, 2x/week Singapore Math - 15-30 minutes, daily Spanish (what program?) - 1 hour a week. We watch Salsa Spanish together online, and then use the vocabulary throughout the week as we can. Those are the only ones I've used. For the read-alouds, they are almost always really fun stories mixed with great nonfiction like the DK or Usborne books.