This sounds like my kids and Minecraft. . . they have picked up quite a bit about the properties of different woods and metals from it. . .

Agreeing with documentaries. We had a subscription to Curiosity Stream one year, and my kids enjoyed it a lot. If you just want something science and aren't particular about the subdivision, you could also have them work through the SnapCircuit set using the teaching book. The teaching book actually does a really good job of explaining principles of electricity and electronics in a clear way, more than just doing the projects in the regular books. And Thames & Kosmos, among others, make some really good kits that kids can do on their own. I also agree with the suggestion to get funschooling journals. We've had a lot of fun with those this year, and it's helped the kids develop some research skills. I also like Our Journey Westward's, well, everything. She's got notebooks you can print and run through yourself, guided nature study books, recorded videos with a subscription, book lists, and so on. Oh, Ellen J McHenry also has several inexpensive products that kids could do on their own. Loads of book suggestions here: https://www.nsta.org/outstanding-science-trade-books-students-k-12 Also, we have really liked the Gizmos from Explore Learning. They were quite happy to deal with homeschooling and have a lot of virtual labs of different types. My 12yo who likes science loves to play with them or the SnapCircuits for fun.

Some kids will not learn time management the hard way. Some kids will struggle to learn it at all. They may do just fine in college because they thrive under the pressure of the last minute. Not that I know from personal experience or anything. . . I graduated with honors and high distinction, and still, the only paper I managed to write before last minute was my senior honors thesis and only because my advisor had me send him parts periodically. 26 years later, and I am still unable to do things ahead of time very well, but I can crank them out once the time crunch hits and I can hyperfocus. I've never been evaluated for ADHD, but it seems pretty likely. Sometimes what we think means they will learn from failing or feeling miserable from staying up all night or whatever does not in fact mean they will, and they may need more scaffolding with their executive function.

Khan Academy (free)? Or Study.com (not free)?

Is cyber school an option? We have some good cyber options here that friends have liked, and given the choice between that and public school, I'd probably try cyber first. In our state, cyber is considered public school, so the oversight is different from a traditional homeschooler. That could take pressure off of you to make sure work happens when they're with Dad.

My young adults have chosen not to go to college right away, but I would say these are things that they have needed to know or that helped us when we transitioned to college back in the stone age. 1) Knowing any medical diagnoses, how to get more meds, how to reach a doctor. They may need you to assist in scouting out doctor and pharmacy at college. 2) Laundry 3) How to ask for help, and how to be a student that professors want to help -- be proactive, check for office hours, let the professor know if you are struggling, etc. I was far better prepared for this than my husband was, and it was harder for him than it needed to be. 4) I am not a partier, and neither are my kids, so I am not an expert at all, but especially if they're at a school known for partying, I'd discuss that with them, don't accept drinks you didn't see opened, etc. I'm sure someone else will have more useful info. 5) Stress that they can always call you, any time, day or night. If they're worried or struggling or overwhelmed, call home. They don't have to be alone. One kid lives on their own, near enough that I can be there quickly if needed but far enough away that they handle daily life on their own. But they text or call if they're unwell or overwhelmed, and they know that if nothing else, I will help them prioritize and figure out where to start. 6) Go join a club or activity. Go to the new student open house type stuff. Then you're not the only newbie. A part time job can also be a good option for an introverted kid-- it helped my one kiddo talk to people and make some friends without a lot of pressure. (Of course, balancing studies can be a lot for some kids.) And for you, know when to hover and when to back off. Reach out to let them know you're thinking of them and that they aren't forgotten but don't bug and be okay if they don't respond immediately. Help but let them handle (and stumble!) too. Understand that their schedule may be different when they come home, and be understanding. My kid has also asked that if we make big changes to the house (their home for almost two decades), we let them know, and I remember that from my own college years, that it could be very jarring if my parents made big changes, even things like painting a room, without telling me.

Praying for you

Can you find out what they have access to -- oven, stove, instant pot, freezer, fridge, etc.? Would you or a church or some friends be able to cook up a few things like shredded chicken with taco seasoning or ground beef to package in small quantities and freeze for her? Precooked meat makes meals so fast.

First off, all of them beat option 0 by a mile: you didn't feed your kid at all. You were able to put food in your kid's belly, and that trumps everything IMO. Aside from that, I would rank them in order of preference, 3 then 2 (probably), then 1. Given the complete option, McD's would probably rank behind the other two for me. And if any of these were happening every day, I'd say it's time to look into some changes if at all possible. ETA, after reading more: keeping the frozen/convenience foods on hand as a hedge against eating out is a legit strategy that I wholeheartedly support. Again, if it's happening often, what can we do to make the meals more nutritious?

DD22 and I love Mona Lisa Smile.

My doctor recommended vitamin E capsules for overall inflammation.

I just finished Once Upon A Prime, which was funny and interesting for anyone who likes both a good story and math patterns. One of the books mentioned in it was A Gentleman in Moscow, which I have read a couple of chapters of, and so far I really like it. I hope it continues as well has it has begun, because it's full of little asides that make it so entertaining. (I have not watched the series yet.) My goal is to read more this year, via audiobook while doing housework.

Right? Same. Oh, that sounds like a lovely shower and a beautiful gift! The guest book idea is so sweet.

I'd look at Killgallon. They take sentences from literature apart to look at their construction, and then they teach by imitation. So one exercise might have an example sentence from The Hobbit, then a sentence they made up using the same structure, then encouragement for the student to write their own sentence following the same structure.

Multiple times a week, I hear Sean Astin in my head, saying, "And look! More laundry. . ." (Well, I know the original is lembas, but I can relate more to neverending laundry.)

Oh, lines from Monty Python, Star Wars, and Princess Bride are quoted often around here. "It comes in pints?" "My friends, you bow to no one." "You should have stayed dead." "It is not this day." "One plus one plus two plus one." "Flames. . . Flames on the side of my face." "Have a biscuit" and pick any random Molly Weasley quote. "What, like it's hard?" from Legally Blonde, between DD and me.

If they're still perfectly useful and serviceable, can you get some coordinating bottom sheets to go with them?

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is always my favorite. When I asked for some new classics for my younger guys (17 year gap between oldest and youngest here), people suggested Touch the Magic Tree, and it and its sequels have been big favorites. If your friends like Halloween, Goodnight Goon would be hilarious. My husband sent it to his college friend who became a dad for the first time in his 40s, and it was a hit. Dragons Love Tacos and anything by that author -- my Mr. Five requests them all the time (after eighty gazillion readings of Goodnight Goon). We have lovely, big hardback volumes of Winnie the Pooh, House at Pooh Corner, and the poetry books, and they would make nice gifts. We've always enjoyed Come Look With Me, Gladys Blizzard, and Lucy Mickelthwaite's art books too. For nonfiction, the books by the Cat and the Hat's Learning Library are pretty great. And the Sir Cumference series makes math fun and gentle. Also, Our Journey Westward has some great booklist for picture books for nonfiction: https://ourjourneywestward.com/living-literature-booklists/ I could be here all day. I'm sure I'm not the only one whose worse in the library than a kid in a candy shop, hahaha.

This thread has me worried. DH's job involves being in old buildings a lot, and they are full of animal and bird droppings. What can he do to stay safe if this spreads even more, other than wearing respirator and glasses and gloves/washing hands (not that he can always do much of that on the job sites)? I don't think he normally wears a respirator unless it's a known hazard or super dusty. Here's hoping that a vaccine will be available for him. (Person to person worries me less than the birds -- the birds have me really scared for him because he cannot avoid old buildings at all.)

I have a 12yo probable dyslexic, and at least at this point, I have decided that I am okay with audiobooks, read alouds, and videos. He can and does read with his eyes, but he can absorb SO much more when it's audio form. Reading is enjoyable and interesting to him, and he knows a LOT based on what he's listened to. He's been through LOTR multiple times, for instance, picking out plot points that I wouldn't have expected. Remember also that there are some advantages to reading with your ears, in that it forces you to slow down and listen to the dialogue. (I read very fast myself and struggle with glossing over things, but listening to books makes me slow down.) We will cross high school and beyond bridges when we come to them. It's harder to find audio information, but The Great Courses, for instance, exist.

23, married two years, no baby at the time. DH had finished school, and we had moved to start his first job. We thought we would rent for a while before buying, but we stumbled upon a little place that needed cosmetic work (which DH is able to do himself), and it was a better deal than renting.

Not a book, but you might check out the units from icivics. They have some really good units that are really very easy to implement, just print out a couple of things and otherwise click the link and follow the slideshow. They get kids looking at what you can learn from primary sources. My 10 and 12 year old boys really enjoyed several of them earlier this school year. We did one that looked at what you could learn from the contents of someone's pockets, and some others about various parts of the bill of rights and how they applied to certain court cases. Another year, I printed out some of their general US-based infographics, and we talked about things like peaceful transfer of power when a new president takes office. My kids also enjoyed a book about Lewis and Clark, told from the dog's perspective. I think it was Seaman's Journal.

I think seeing them would not hurt. This issue may need both surgical and medical management, and ped (or adolescent) gyn seems like they'd be a good person to have on her team. Also, it may be time to see a rheumatologist as well. Some of these issues can be difficult to diagnose, but a rheumatologist is often good at looking at the big picture and putting it all together. Especially if you have a children's hospital, you likely have people who are good at the big picture stuff. Poor girl -- I am sorry she's going through this.

I love them! I think they will be fantastic!

We have a few hand-made blankets that were gifts. They did not get used for snuggling or wrapping as much as fleece or flannel ones for a few reasons, one of which is the ease of washing. We did have one very lovely white crocheted one that I used for special occasions and each child's birth announcement photo. An easily washable knitted blanket, with a tight weave, sturdy enough for a floor blanket would get used (and I have used some for that purpose). So if I were making one for a gift (and I am a knitter, so I get the work involved), I would plan for it to be a playtime blanket, maybe something that a toddler or small child would continue to use, rather than an infant swaddling sort of blanket. ETA: Caron Simply Soft has a nice feel to it and says it is machine washable and dryable. I like knitting with it (I'm working on a sweater for one of my boys), but I can't say for sure how it will do in the laundry.