I told my kids about this, and my 11yo ds said, "Hiding? Why would they hide it? Everyone loves movies about aliens. I think we'd be ok with knowing if there were aliens." 😆

You might ask local libraries and campus student centers about self defense programs. I took DD15 to one called RAD which our library and a local church sponsored. It was a little antiquated but empowering and spurred some good discussions. It was a little bit... scared safe? Which I didn't love.

One of our most interesting slide projects was onion!

I'm really getting into the DK SuperSimple books for my middle school kid. We used the Biology version last year as a textbook, and just read it together. Older kid had a more extensive Biology going at the same time, so they did some microscope stuff and dissections together, but just reading that book on the couch together was very good learning. We read several pages, several times a week.

Wings of Fire series? My almost 12yo boy has read all fifteen books.

That's insane. The only circumstance I can think of would be if someone took my kid. Then all bets would be off. But over an insult? A prank? No way. I wouldn't hurt someone unless I absolutely had to stop them hurting someone. What a terrible thing.

I'm wondering about the limits of copyright law (which I know nothing about). But how will you keep people from posting more than is legal? I'm sure you've checked with legal types. It's an interesting idea. I like the dispassionate, detailed parent's guides that imdb hosts about movies, because I so often don't remember things and get surprises when showing my kids a movie from my youth. This idea seems similar. However, a book is a lot more complex than a movie. I wonder if people will discard amazing literature because of short extracts that flip their lid without context. That would be a loss.

You are carrying a LOT. I hope you feel loved and boosted, even though it's just by us internet friends. Hugs!

They are lovely!

Well, that's not fun! Wow, I'm sorry to hear that.

They make glittery lotion. It's probably microplastics, but it might add that Twilight touch. 😁

When we bought this house, the sellers didn't have house keys. At all. They had garage door openers and the front door deadbolt had a push button code. I couldn't deal with that. I'd definitely lock myself out somehow. Or what if the power went out and the door battery failed? Then what? We had to replace all the exterior knobs and deadbolts, because without at least one key they couldn't be opened to be re-keyed. I was able to do the replacements myself, which saved a ton of money. It was still expensive! You could do it, though.

I live 20 minutes from mine and only buy certain things there. I buy Pace taco sauce, the better soy sauce, stuff like that. The one area they are consistently better is in beef. The prices are 15-20% below Aldi on pot roast, flank steak, everything but ground beef.

I'm not sure what I'd do in your spot. I'd be afraid that I'd bring the kid too far outside or ahead to reintegrate smoothly. I've had that issue with my first kid, and now we're homeschooling high school (which I'm loving, but isn't easy). Will they be able to continue to accelerate his math when he's at the upper edge of middle school? Or will he get stuck because the higher math is only offered at the high school and he's too small/young to go there when he's ready?

No ideas, but responding to bump your question up the page. 🙂

After my second kid, I had a lot of joint pain and muscle weakness until my cycle returned. I was also suffering from some PPD, I think. It did taper off pretty quickly after my first cycle when that kid was about 14 months. That was a pretty miserable year. In retrospect, I should have complained to my Dr more. I hope your tests are helpful!

We used Singapore for a little while, and then switched to Beast in 3rd or 4th. I think a kid who enjoys Singapore might hate Saxon, but every kid differs. Anyway, they loved Beast! They wept when they outgrew it. I wouldn't hesitate to back up a tad if the placement test indicates that. Just mention that Beast covers things other curriculum doesn't so they won't be hung up on the grade label. We used the books only, and both kids transitioned to AOPS Pre-Algebra without trouble. I have used timers sometimes and required pages at others. I think with Beast I assigned two or three pages a day. My 6th grader still re-reads the Beast Guides for fun, if that tells you anything. 🙂

No way! That's a huge challenge, way to go!

Hurray!

Ah... this may not be a homeschool thing at all, huh? Just the universal human (erm, nerd) experience?

What rock stars you both are! Hurray!!

I've never used Stripe. Bump?

I think that a lack of cultural literacy nearly torpedoed two of my siblings' opportunities. This probably doesn't apply to the OP at ALL, but it's relevant to the discussion more broadly, I think. We were very sheltered (ATI Gothard) and didn't have a TV for most of our childhoods. We weren't exposed to a lot of variety in music. It wasn't all a locked tower and of course there's a lot more to our story. Anyway, two of my siblings were offered boarding-school dual enrollment college opportunities due to giftedness, very hard work, and good test scores at 16. They both went. The first almost failed out the first semester because they spent their time attempting to learn all the music they hadn't heard before and generally learning to fit in instead of studying. They pulled the nose up and the program was a huge asset to their objectives. The second, a decade later, did fail out because they were very overwhelmed and spent their time binge-watching tv. That first sibling will never homeschool. They consider it a disservice because of their isolation. The second is preparing to homeschool. Both are highly successful and have high levels of executive skills at this point, in maturity. Immaturity was a huge factor. But feeling like an outsider didn't help, and I'm trying to prevent that experience for my kids.

I made a list of culturally relevant movies and shows, and have been ticking them off, but I keep adding to the list. It really is impossible to be "literate" now that there's SO much being produced every day. Netflix blew any sort of canon out of the water, I think. I really went into the weeds with my list (Gilligan's Island, Mission Impossible, Star Trek, Jaws, Pinkie and the Brain...). And some things on it are in our family canon (Hogan's Heroes, The Hunt for Red October...). They don't need to watch every episode. It took about 4 episodes of The Jetsons to feel done. It's been fun, mostly.

I'm so sorry. What a sweet, well-loved doggo.