:lol:

Hi, In most Orthodox Churches over here, there is no dress code. Churches often have a picture indicating one should not wear shorts or have bare arms, but services are always full of women in mini-skirts :001_smile:. Applying common sense is just fine. Some go to Church in long skirts and with head coverings, but that's rare around here. Venerating icons is fine. You can ask the priest to teach you to cross yourself the Orthodox way. Obviously, taking communion is out of bounds if you are not baptized.

Homeschooled ten-year olds? :D

The thread sounded a little suspicious to me, not because she said she read to her twins, but because they were adopted, and twins, and it all sounded a lot like "trolls" on other message boards. So, I am sorry to say I poked fun at her and mentioned she should be reading to her newly adopted twins in Latin. She appears to be genuine though. I am too cynical. And new here too - weird story included. So I must eat humble pie.

So, was this (perceived or actual) decline in the quality of education in the US something that happened gradually and organically, or is it specifically due to a change in the system that happened at a certain point? I am quite interested in the education system in the US, because even though we don't live there, my DD is enrolled in a private umbrella school in the US, and that school will hold us to the standards of the state it is located in. The standards are less rigorous than in some other countries, like the UK, but my first-grader would not even be in school yet in our country of residence, because it starts so late. As for here, in an Eastern European country that is going through many changes, the post-communist government is playing games with the public schools - seemingly without considering how it will affect outcomes, simply to please the European Union. Students get their diploma with a skill set that would probably scare those people some of you are saying scare you! Public schools have been in transition, just like the rest of society, for the last 20 years. But the real decline in quality seems to be happening right now. Public schools are probably paint an accurate picture of processes going on in the rest of society. Some are positive, others not.

I realize most of the statements in this thread are specifically US-focused. Would anyone define "younger generation"?

Thanks. I do have those reservations, but I am sure they will go away with time, and the right approach (including constant self-study). Homeschooling is one of the most serious parenting choices anyone can make, and because it meets with so much resistance and contempt from society at large, it is easy to feel the need to paint a rosy picture. That can even lead to denial of doubts. Having said that, public school deserves the same scrutiny that homeschools get. I have reservations about the quality of education I can provide for the upper grades, but in the country we are living in, I don't question my ability to provide a better education than a public school would.

Let's not forget that this is not exclusive to homeschoolers. I attended public school and never did well in a classroom environment. A lot of these things depend on the individual. Perhaps, homeschooling is the better choice for these students who don't cope well with classroom situations. And, in my experience, not doing well with classroom situations does not necessarily translate to other areas of life, like social situations or work.

I want to say that for me, as a new homeschooler, this thread has been extremely interesting. It should not be too difficult for any homeschooler to entertain the thought that homeschooling - just like public schooling - can be of poor quality. But, unlike with a public school situation, homeschooling always brings the advantage that we, the parents, can positively change things that need changing. Hearing about possible pitfalls is extremely useful. Denying the possibility of negative consequences is a bad idea. We are currently homeschooling through first grade, so I am very much at the beginning of my journey as a homeschool mom. While I am convinced that homeschooling is the best choice for my family, some aspects of it daunt me. I prefer hearing about specific issues that might apply to my children now, right at the beginning, so I can make changes if required. Parenting is a huge responsibility, and that includes education (regardless of how parents choose to educate their children). Homeschooling obviously adds a specific kind of responsibility that parents of public school children don't have. I want to do the best job I possibly can, and these discussions are very useful. Sometimes, homeschoolers must lack accountability (depending on regulations where you live). I assume everyone also has gaps in their own education and knowledge. I've already found myself wondering whether I am making the right choice numerous times. Though I concluded that I am, every time, I think the quality of education and other aspects of a child's life need constant self-scrutiny. Ha! That was a long ramble that really means "thanks for the great discussion", from a newbie!

Ordered 10 items - all got there with no problems checking out! Thank you very much, WTM forum, for spreading awareness about this offer :D.

Hoping that it's still not too late to order and that the (slow!) site won't spit my order out. I'm sorry I didn't see this thread before!

Really? How do you feel about homeschooling in places where there are no co-ops?

You should make sure to read aloud to your twins for at least an hour a day. Of course, it would be better if you did it in Latin for optimal brain development and creating a high IQ. :D

Ehm... eclectic? If you successfully combine these two philosophies, which can probably be as simple as realizing that learning does not stop when formal instruction does, and that "days off" can also offer intellectual stimulation, you probably don't need to feel "torn" at all :D. (That sentence is far too long!)

I really wish I could be frugal with homeschooling materials, and I do try to be. But living in a country where nobody homeschools means there are no homeschool curriculum options either, and if there would be, they would not be in English. So, I order online like everyone else, but with much higher shipping costs plus import tax. I try to avoid curriculum-hopping and research the books I buy to death before ordering. We have not had any disappointments so far. :001_smile:

That is amazing! I had no idea that was possible, or that they would even be interested in things like nails. We had a mouse in our very urban home (yep, only one mouse!) last winter for about three months. It was hard to get rid of, despite traps. Every time I found its nest, it moved onto another place and it never did go into a trap. It had nests in an unused pile of kitchen towels, under the bed, and it even tried to make a nest of paper INSIDE the printer. Eventually, I caught it. I saw something moving underneath the throw on the couch, and placed my hand over it. I briefly thought about putting it in a box and taking it outside, but thought it would escape and terrorize the apartment again, so I threw the mouse off the balcony, by shaking out the throw. Still feel guilty about that!

It sounds like you are a wonderful team!

You are not babbling at all. What you say makes perfect sense. And my view that something may not be possible no matter how creative you are or no matter how much you want something does not come from a personal lack of creativity or will. At the same time, you are of course right that will power can move mountains. If one truly believes in something, it is easier to realize that thing than if they don't. But will power does not equal magic. I am admittedly a little surprised when I see things like "If only they would give up one of their cars and downsize their house" (not from you, elsewhere on the tread). Poverty is a real problem - here where I live, in Eastern Europe, it is a big problem. In Africa, it is even worse. But I am very certain it also exists in the US, and I think the American Dream is a bit of a myth. Not everyone can "pull themselves up by the bootstraps" and have enough resources left to also homeschool. Not everyone can homeschool, and I think we can recognize that as a fact. I don't think everyone should homeschool either. "Everyone should" statements may have come out of my mouth when I was a politically active teenager :D. These days, I tend to think that "everyone should" live their own lives the best they can, and leave others alone.

Also, does this discussion apply exclusively to the US, where people may have access to state virtual schools, etc, or to the rest of the world too?

Here, you are addressing actual education. But how about financial issues? I don't believe for one minute that everyone can homeschool, if only they make it an absolute priority.

Yep, in Eastern Europe. I don't think they give much importance to evidence-based care. More on topic, I think most younger women also shave their lady parts here. Almost everyone shaves legs and armpits, and eyebrow and lip waxes are also very common.

Where I live, pubic shaving before giving birth is COMPULSORY (obviously only for hospital births)! Most women do it themselves these days, to avoid being shaved with the same razor as every other women going into labor that day. The idea is that hair could cause trouble for episiotomies or c-sections, never mind that those areas are usually not really covered in hair? :001_huh:

This is excellent!

I have one of those. She perceives any slight criticism as a terrible personal attack. I am trying to solve it in two ways - by pointing out my own mistakes and laughing about them, and by tickling her when she is upset about a mistake. She's the same age as your child. The tickling worked amazingly well. Now, when she realizes she made a mistake and starts to get upset about it, she knows what is coming and will burst out laughing in advance. Then, she's ready to either accept her mistake, or try again.

PM-ed you.