How exciting! Still pondering goats here...

We're required to produce an assessment by a certified teacher, or results of a nationally-normed test. I've done ITBS since dd's started homeschooling to meet this requirement, and so that I could have feedback, and be able to track progress. A local hs group administers the test in a group setting every year, so dd's gain that experience, as well.

Wow - that almost as cruel as dd dousing me w/the kitchen sprayer. Mean, mean, mean!:lol:

Thanks for all these comments - your dc are inspiring! And there's quite a bit of food for thought. Owning your own decisions - yes, yes, yes!

Dd taped the lever on the kitchen sink sprayer so that it was stuck open, then "aimed" it properly to douse me when I came down first thing in the morning to make coffee. I was not amused. For quite some time.

Hi - what kind of file is it now? I'm going into work tomorrow and could possibly do it. I pm'd you my e-mail.

We would check yesterday's work at the start of today's lesson. That would show us together (not just me pointing out mistakes) what needed more explanation or practice to master. (This worked especially well with grammar and math.) As for getting work done day by day - here's what it looks like here: "Mom, can I (go to Sarah's) (watch TV) (make some cookies) (ride my bike)?" "Are you finshed with X, Y, Z, and W?" "Yes" "Show me." This is followed by a heavy sigh and bringing all the requested assignments. I don't usually check at this point, just make sure that honest effort was made. If not, "You can go/do when your work is completed."

:lol: and do I have several of the same kind? Why yes I do. 3 ranch style, actually.

I was going to say laundry - maybe he could be responsible for his laundry - that way he's not messing up your good stuff if something bleeds. :D (I mentioned elsewhere that my kids took over their own laundry around that age - maybe more like 8 - because they didn't like my rules;)) Dishes? Do you have a dishwasher - even at my kids' ages (11 & 15), they only unload - I still like to load because I can do it more efficiently (and spend less on soap & water!) My kids have always been responsible for recyclables - keep them sorted, and assist us loading the car and taking them to the collection bins. Correspondence w/relatives? Younger dd has an ongoing mail relationship w/MIL (even though we see her on a regular basis - several times a month.) Hopefully someone else has more meaningful ideas. I know what you mean - there's no wood to split, no bears to guard against, no fences need painting, the grocery supplies our food, what is there to do?

I think it could be appropriate, or it could be annoying & heavy-handed... many of the examples given were in the context of the teens' Christian beliefs. (A few were not.) I think their "worldview" shows through pretty clearly, but maybe not obnoxiously? (It's hard for me to judge since I have many of the same beliefs as them.) Maybe someone else who's read it and doesn't share their beliefs could speak better to it. The core message that teenage years are a great time to accomplish much is useful for anyone, though.

Subtitle: Or how to prevent a 26yo couch-dweller when you want to have an empty nest? :D The recent threads on maturity, along with a recent reading of "Do Hard Things" really have me thinking about how to allow my (now)15yo dd to find her wings and get ready to fly! (Despite the groan-inducing analogy.:lol:) Compared with the IRL status-quo around here, I feel that she's doing okay, but then I hear of some the things going on in your families, and feel that she could be doing more than (a) she's naturally inclined to and (b) that we're permitting her. (Does that make sense? Does my internal conflict show?) Anyway, here are some things going on in our family, and I'm wondering what's going on in yours? -4-H - junior leaders - opportunities for leadership and mentoring younger members -4-H projects & National History Day competitions -She has responsibility for meeting application deadlines on her own (NHD, 4-H, PSEO participation, state fair choir, to mention a few) -She's working on her resume to help procure her first job, and looking for contacts for that first job. Will be submitting applications soon. -Allowing her to take responsibility for her own schooling. She's managed her own studies this year through an online charter. Looking into options for next year (online charter again; PS; homeschooling; other charter opportunities). We as parents look for behaviors and accomplishments showing her maturity and reward them. What about you all? ETA: I didn't even mention some things that have been going on since she was very young: -packing her own bags for overnights and extended trips -travelling w/o parents - 4-H camp, school trip to DC, overnight trips w/choir -expected to complete daily & weekly chores -allowed (but not required) to fix dinner (she does this about 2-3 times/month) -has been responsible for her own laundry for 3-4 years now (we didn't require it; both girls preferred this to the rule "if it isn't in the dirty clothes basket, I won't come looking for it!") -responsible for pet care

:iagree: Participate in a way that is meaningful to you. We're lucky to have low-key and meaningful observances that don't stress anyone out (except possibly the Pastor - with extra services!:D) I find myself eager to attend all the observances, because I feel it's my choice to do so. If I were compelled, well, let's just say my human nature gets the best of me sometimes...

In our area, the service unit definitely has similar ideas as me, but I'm not so sure about the council. It's located "up in the big city" and most of the women I've met working there are more of the social change mind set than the "activity" mind set. But what you're describing is working well for our troop - there's no shortage of old and new programming material through GS's - as long as you're happy running your own troop, and not hung up on comparing with others (who has the latest and greatest awards, etc.), you can successfully run it pretty much however you please. (And by successful - I mean the girls learn to become self-sufficient leaders, and HAVE FUN!) Ha - we have some unpleasant names for the ladies who are forever harping on our paperwork. We're not completely in compliance, but we've found a way to meet the spirit of what they're trying to do... Just do your best! As a GS leader - I totally agree with this! My kids have gotten so much more out of 4-H with so many fewer "girl issues"! They made friends through the entire county - boys and girls, of all ages. If we were going back to do it again, we'd skip GS and just do 4-H. (I was already troop leader when we "discovered" 4-H.) Where in GS we have to push leadership, in 4-H it's a foundational program goal.

I agree, most people would appreciate being lovingly corrected, in private, by someone who they are well-acquainted with. By a "friend" on Facebook, for all to see? Not so much.

:lol:

I think it's a great thing to do - it you want to be permanently set to "hide" on all your friends' lists! (Or dropped!) I can't imagine correcting someone else's grammar, because I make so many errors myself. I'm grateful for the grace shown to me, so the least I can do is assume what the person meant to say and move on.

As a girl scout leader, this is absolutely my opinion. A girl's experience in GS will depend almost entirely on the attitude and standards of her local leader. Our troop is run like the co-leader and I remember GS - earning badges (we stick to the "doing" badges rather than the "issues" badges - they're more fun;)), doing service projects, taking trips, learning about leadership, and becoming a well-rounded person. However, we have seen that the national leadership has different goals than us. Another leader in our area attended the nat'l convention a couple summers ago, and came back with stories that girls as young as 10 who visited one of GS's South America sites that year (some do on "Wider Op" trips) were treated to workshops to practice putting condoms on a banana. :001_huh: (The "World Thinking Day" theme that year was "Help stop the spread of malaria, HIV, and other diseases.") Your local leader is the filter. However much she buys into the GSUSA ideas will determine your daughter's GS experience.

Go Bucks! (They're playing right now!) O-H! (And yes - being invisible does have advantages - you learn a lot when you're not noticed.) So I'm from central OH - what area are you in?

:lol::lol::lol: Yes. Yes, I would. And you are much nicer than I would have been. I probably would have said, "Oh, gee, it's too bad that I did not know that ahead of time, or I would have fixed <misc. fish dish> instead of the lovely <other meal> that I've already prepared! See you tonight; bah-bye."

Huh? I'm sorry. Did you say something? (7 pages and no one's said that yet? We must be sluggish today.) Me too - IRL & here. But it's okay, since I prefer invisible. I have trouble keeping you all straight anyway. I have enough trouble w/real people, let alone a bunch of avatars. :D And for the record, I don't have anyone on ignore. I just manually ignore you by staying away from the treads where I know otherwise sensible & likeable people are going to say doltish things. :lol:

The J.J. Abrams talk is pretty fascinating.

What did everyone think about the words that MIB uses to send Ricardo to kill Jacob being identical to Dogen sending Sayid to kill MIB/Locke? Was it just a cute symmetry by the writers or meant to show us something? Do both of them have some special ability to manipulate with their words?

:iagree: If she signed consent for unspecified "treatment" by the clinic - maybe no grounds to complain there, but our school district doesn't allow students to leave school grounds during the school day. If they turn up missing, parents are immediately notified. They also must have signed consent to leave w/staff supervision for field trips, etc.

Thanks for the advice - I doubt if dh talking to his brother would lead anywhere, but it couldn't hurt just to mention it. I have no problem staying out of it; I just hate to see their relationship going south. :sad:

Wow - thanks for this advice. And about the pens! The property where we would keep them is near a golf course - that could get interesting! :)