Are you talking about psychiatric evals? Then no. Not to my understanding of what they've done with him. I feel like we're running out of time. Genetics are....interesting right now. I was hesitant to share last night because...well...I'm still trying to process. They've found a Parkinson's mutated gene and they've never seen it in a 15yr old before...they're hoping to rule that disease out, but they're not so sure they can. That said, the tremors started when he was 7, so I'm struggling to believe he possibly has Parkinson's. My husband and I have to be tested as well as further tests on our son. I would totally expect that he would/will qualify for disability....here's my hard part. He has NO clue that he's special needs or that he has any form of disability. I'm overwhelmed thinking how it would even be talked about in front of him - because he would say "no, I can do that" or "I don't have any disabilities".....I'm literally afraid of something being said in front of him that will make him feel less important, unintelligent, or that there's something wrong with him...because he's just amazing in every way! This world is cruel.....just trying to figure out the path to adulthood with help for him without destroying his confidence and how he sees himself, ya know? Anyways, I have no idea what's available out there for him now or as an adult. What services are/will be available.... He had drop in therapy through the school for several years....but we pulled based on an attorney's advice with things he knew was going on regarding special ed in the school. I hope that helps some....

I'm at a loss right now. My son is 15 and special needs. His diagnosis is "significantly cognitively impaired" but nothing specific beyond that. He's been a medical mystery most of his life. In reality, he seems to understand a lot but it's more of a getting it from his brain and out in any way. However, he'll watch videos on war planes and be able to tell you all about them, years, details....it's quite impressive. If he's interested he'll learn a TON about a subject....and then kill you with all the details. lol So, we're at a point where he's reading (still early readers - almost chapter books) but it takes a lot out of him. He's also completed 4th grade math. He's been doing Monarch the last couple of years and has been doing pretty well. We didn't anticipate him being able to make it this far, so it really is a testament to how far he's come. That said, I'm an easy going homeschooler and not as scheduled as I wish....so maybe he could be farther if I had sent him to school? Should I send him to school? Something else to know about him is that he has NO idea he's special needs. We've homeschooled from the beginning...and have treated him as "normal"....just going at a pace he can handle. My fear is sending him to a school where he'll be told by some other student that something is wrong with him when he is amazing! I don't want to shatter his bubble! Add on that we're currently going through dr visits again. He has tremors in his extremities - similar to Parkinson's - so I'm hoping to finally do some handwriting now that his tremors have lessened "some" with medicine. We're doing more testing, so who knows what is to come.....as of right now, it's not sounding good. :( That pretty much covers where we're at. How in the world do I homeschool high school? He's a freshman by age.....do I try to go faster through subjects, like math? How on earth do I write a transcript for him? Do the classes HAVE to be high school level? I thought I had this all figured out and now with his medical issues popping up to be more serious, I'm completely flustered. I'm hoping to do something else other than Monarch. That said, with work and our other kids it's hard for me to make sure to sit down with him every day and go over lessons....and I feel pretty guilty about that. Don't we all feel like we're not doing enough or screwing our kids up? Please help me out....

Thanks everyone! I should've added what we've been using for curriculum. Heart of Dakota for history, he'll have biology and chem done this year, MUS/TT for math, Easy Grammar Plus & Essentials in Writing for each grade, and I forget what else...it's 1:30am here. lol We've been holding off on foreign language but know he'll do 2 years of spanish. Anyways, I guess I was thinking if we dropped advanced classes that he'd have more time to focus on other things that would give him experience. I have no intention of stopping our course, but was thinking we could go easier? I guess I figured that by going with easier classes, it would then "not" be college prep. Looks like I was totally wrong. He's a typical 1st born, but a dreamer - he has several business ideas that he wants to try and I was thinking we could free up some of his time. I think that'll be possible now! All I know is owning a business - my dad has owned a machine shop since before I was born and I own a photography company. lol It's most definitely in the blood! Lori D. - those links were awesome! Thank you!! It led me to 2 local colleges that have electrical certificates! Bonus - that they count towards the hours required of an apprentice! Anyways, he's just a sophomore, so I think I may contact the colleges and talk with them to see what they want to see on his transcripts. That way, I won't worry about if I'm giving him enough. Again - THANK YOU - to everyone! You've put this mama's heart at ease!

Hi everyone, My oldest is almost 16 and for several years he's been saying he wants to be an electrician. I'm struggling with the possibility of not going college-prep (just in case) but would also like to give him the opportunity to get a head start in the career he wants. Has anyone here done this? Any advice? Tips? Regrets?

Hi there My youngest son is special needs and almost 11. He's finally able to remember most sounds of the alphabet and is interested in reading. Now that we're at lesson 34, he's really struggling. Has anyone found any specific apps that really help with OPGTR? I'm really trying not to panic, but I feel like I'm running out of time with him.

I voted definitely no. If I remarried, it'd have to be someone more wonderful than my husband, and that man just doesn't/won't exist. It wouldn't get any better than what I've got so, not interested.

I married my husband when I was 18 (he was 22)…celebrating 16 years this month. Best choice I ever made. It hasn't been all sunshine and butterflies, but boy do I love that man. He's my best friend, a wonderful head of our home, the softy when it comes to our boys (I'm the disciplinarian). He balances me and I balance him. I'm not just happily married, I'm content and secure in our marriage.

Lands End has great suits. Lifetime warranty - keep your receipt and you can return it at any time for any reason and get full credit back.

I've discussed this with my husband several times. He says there's no way he's marrying again…yeah….right. lol He's definitely going to remarry. He needs a help-mate. I've actually talked with him about what he needs to find in his next wife and he hates that kind of talk. Oh well!! haha! ;)

I wish. Michigan you have to be 18…. :( Even with a possible move to Georgia or Tennessee, they're both 18 as well.

lol Thanks for the tips!! I actually got the form idea from another mom online and it sends the results into an excel spreadsheet. I know it's not all going onto the transcript, but I panicked and felt it was safer to have more info as trying to gather more in the end would be just horrific. haha! I have NO idea what I'm doing. lol How do you all keep track of information and what info DO you keep? We're using Heart of Dakota so I think that's part of why I'm just not sure how to keep track since there's soooo many books. ;)

My oldest son is 14 and going into 9th grade next year. A local business (grandpa's) has a welder who is going on a 5 month mission trip and so they decided to train my son to be their welder. So, he's spending hours there being taught how to weld. How do I put that on his transcript? He's wanting to become an electrician so a 4 year college isn't where he's likely headed, but I know things can change. Regardless, we're preparing him for college just in case. I'm using this form to help put his transcript together but since there's no books, I'm not sure how to record the hours for credit. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1HM5-ByQk6C-hUXEVeTBf8TSAGKK60BngyV9ISG7pohE/viewform Thanks for your help!!!

Oh - and under HLA - do y'all have to do standardized testing?? any testing?

Thanks!!! Are there a decent amount of competitive homeschool sport groups down there? Up here in Michigan, basketball is insane…and I hear it's even more insane in Ohio and Indiana because the competition is just crazy. lol

We may be moving south because of laws that are being pushed up in Michigan. Waiting and watching. We've been homeschooling for 6 years and want to continue. Initially I was thinking TN would be very difficult but with HLA it seems to be really easy! My question, is for how sports go with homeschooling in TN. Do hsers have access to competitive sports? We're looking at baseball, basketball, football, wrestling, and possibly soccer. Thanks!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We may be moving south because of laws that are being pushed up in Michigan. Waiting and watching. We've been homeschooling for 6 years and want to continue. Initially I was thinking TN would be very difficult but with HLA it seems to be really easy! My question, is for how sports go with homeschooling in TN. Do hsers have access to competitive sports? We're looking at baseball, basketball, football, wrestling, and possibly soccer. Thanks!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We may be moving south because of laws that are being pushed up in Michigan. Waiting and watching. We've been homeschooling for 6 years and want to continue. Initially I was thinking TN would be very difficult but with HLA it seems to be really easy! My question, is for how sports go with homeschooling in TN. Do hsers have access to competitive sports? We're looking at baseball, basketball, football, wrestling, and possibly soccer. Thanks!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks so much!!! That's a lot easier than I was trying to make it! lol

Would you mind sharing what your form looks like? I'm gearing up for my oldest going into 9th grade next year and trying to get everything squared away. :) T

We've been using Reading Horizons for my middle son who's dyslexic and it's really helped. Struggling with my youngest though who is special needs. He's 10 years old and still struggles remembering letter sounds. Not sure what to do about that.

Anyone use this curriculum yet???

Thanks!!! I'm checking out both of those!! If any others come to mind, let me know! :)

Hi - crazy crazy week...youngest had oral surgery...sorry I'm just now posting back. We started with Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons. We finished that and he didn't really have it. So then I switched to Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading. That went okay.... He's rusty right now because we were so busy this summer....but he's one that won't read in front of anyone else. He says he can't read....and gets so flustered with anyone else that he really can't read. I've gone through the boys read site and got him magazine subscriptions and books that are right up his alley....but he still seems to just not be fully getting it. I've called my speech therapy friend at the school to see if they test for dyslexia there and I'm waiting to hear back. It just seems like I'm not getting through or something. I was thinking maybe there was a curriculum out there that someone on video is teaching the reading concepts. I struggled as a kid...late 1st grade I went from not being able to read at all to one morning reading for my teacher as if I had been all along. I just assumed that this would be the case for my son - but he's now 10....a bit older than 1st grade. Really trying not to put a limit and too much pressure (as he's extremely sensitive) but I don't know what else to do. At 10 he SHOULD know how to read....shouldn't he???? It'd be great if I could find a reading program like teaching textbooks for math. ;) I'm guessing there's not one out there like that..........

Is there a reading program like IEW where the teacher is on video explaining things and I just come behind and execute what they say?!? I am failing miserably at teaching my 10 year old struggling reader. I have a special needs child coming behind who I'm sure will be even more difficult. :( It just seems like I haven't been able to get through to my middle ds the last 3 years I've homeschooled....ugh. Please help!!! **i should mention that at times ds will read great....he just thinks reading is a waste of time and would rather be outside building or working than sitting down reading. :-/

I was 18 (4 months before I turned 19) when I married my 22 year old husband. We dated for 3 months before we were engaged and married 7 months later. We did sort of grow up together - my husband was good friends with my sister through church camp/district since they were 12. So, we really knew the family which made it a lot easier. We're in our 13th year and still very happy with 3 sons...our first born 4 months after I turned 21. My parents married 6 days after my mom turned 18....because her mother was unbearable toward my dad...they are still married at 54 years old...36 years. I remember my mom telling people that "no, she's not pregnant"...lol Also, that it was none of their business. She also reminded them that she was married at 18...that helped too. Although, my mom isn't one that has to respond to people....lol She's kinda frustrating that way! :) Anyways, with the country's divorce rates even with believers, there's still a chance of divorce regardless of age. Personally, in our family, we believe that divorce is not an option. I hope my kids will marry young. For one, hopefully they stay pure and won't deal with the hurt and pain from not waiting. Secondly, my husband and I have literally grown up together...and we're still having a ton of fun! There's something about being able to mess around and do stupid stuff with your spouse when you're younger that makes the later years that much more fun! ....we've done so much stupid stuff....haha! Anyways, I hope it all works out for the best! :)