Keep in mind, Optional Essays are NEVER really optional! We went to a parent meeting and the Guidance Counselor for the local high school told us this. We visited a college (large State university) this past weekend for their Open House, and the Director of Admissions did a presentation. She said the SAME thing. If a college offers an Optional Essay....they expect you to write SOMETHING. Those who don't better have PERFECT scores and amazing community service to counteract the lack of doing the essay...and if they have all that...why didn't they do the essay? Those were her words.

We are taking a trip to visit Virginia Tech, and would like to eat dinner in town. We want a local place, not a chain...a place we could only eat at in Blacksburg. Burgers, pizza....anything yummy, and family friendly. Recommendations?

Same issue here...they actually worked well on my nails....and looked great...but when I took them off, after two weeks...my nails were ruined. I've worn the acrylic nails in the past, and my nails were ruined afterwards. Jamberrys had the exact same effect. Nails were paper thin, ripped easily, just basically shredded. It's almost 6 weeks since I've taken them off, and my nails are just now recovering.

It's not new...it's Homeschool Tracker + online, instead of a download. There were a few changes, but overall...it's the same Homeschool Tracker + it's always been. The online version has been out for about 4 years or so.

I've only had a few minutes to glance at all the responses...will have to come back and read through it all again more in depth after dinner. But I did just want to clarify...it seems alot took my initial statement that we choose to ignore his negative actions. I think perhaps I didn't word that quite right...cuz I knew I was getting long in my story to begin with. What I meant is when he was younger...I read that often parents see a child quietly playing and they don't want to bother them for fear of interupting that the peace and quiet....yet when the child is being loud, obnoxious, disobedient type of stuff...that is when the parent will acknowledge the child...so that child learns to get the parents attention they have to be loud, obxnoxious, disobedient. So realizing he was an attention seeking kind of personality, even as a toddler, we made sure to praise him when he was doing the good things..."Oh look how nicely you are playing with your toys" "I like how how you are sharing with your brother" "Can I play with you for a few minutes?" etc etc...and when he'd do things that were negative, we'd not give it the attention, but specifically give the attention to the person he'd be bothering or hurting...for example...hit his older brother (and we are talking a 2-3 year old hitting his older brother...toddler issues....quietly tell him he should not hit his brother, but lavish the attention on the victim, asking if he was okay etc etc...the victim got the attention. So the point was that the attention seeking child did not get the attention when he'd done something wrong, but he certainly was told he'd done something wrong. We didn't blow up, starting yelling, get angry, etc etc. Now keep in mind, this was our philosophy around the ages of 2-8ish. In no way did we ever ignore the fact that he'd done something wrong, nor was it the case that he wasn't taught not to do those things. In the case of hitting...cuz he was kind of a hitter in those toddler years....he eventually learned that was wrong and he stopped being a hitter by age 4 or so. Oh, and they all have their own rooms, another thing I saw mentioned a few times. Again, I need to come back and read all the responses more in depth, as I just skimmed quickly. Thanks for all the responses.

Thank you, that is good advice, and actually kinda what I told DH this evening. I remembered that DH and oldest DS used to go out and have that "boy time", during this pre-teen stage of DS's life, mostly it was sports...cuz that DS and DH are way into sports. So it was often DH that took him to practices, or even did practice just the two of them. Even now the two of them are all in for NFL football on Sundays/Mon nights. So that DS had alot of Dad time during that rough age of pre-teen. But DS12 doesn't really have that in common with DH...actually DS12 is anti-any-sport lol. But I was thinking, and told DH, that maybe the two of them can just go do other things together...like just go to Starbucks and sit outside and chat, or go to the store and look at Legos (DH and DS12 are both into Legos). Just simple things, for an hour or two, but just the two of them. Thing is, I didn't think to include myself in that equation...honestly I was thinking that it would be give me a break from DS12 so I could breath without the stress for an hour or two. Maybe I need to rethink that and put myself back into the equation. Maybe a rotation...just the two of them...then next time, all three of us. Maybe him getting that one-on-one attention will also help him feel less competative to his younger brother and therefore less of a bully.

Well, I'm kinda glad my son will take the SAT for the last time, God willing, this October as a senior. I was disappointed for him that they were rolling out a new version in Spring 2016, cuz it will be too late for him by that point. I hated the writing portion of the current SAT as it's his weak link so the idea that they were going to remove that was nice. But after reading this, I guess I should be happy that he will be done before they make all the changes. I mean, he's a math guy, actually attending a Math Magnet public school, and will have 7 math credits when he graduates....but only taking AP Statistics as a senior as a CHOICE....he could have taken a few other math options. So for a student on a "regular" path....Statistics might not even be a math they take in high school....so to include those on the SAT....just not fair, really.

Public schools have had sophmores take the PSAT as practice for years. That's nothing new having to do with the new tests.

I'm at the end of my rope with DS12. The fact that he's TWELVE, and going through THAT stage....combined with HIS personality......one of us just isn't going to make it. He's the middle child. He's always been that child who made us work hard at being a parent...that child who proved us wrong on when we thought we were the best parents, that child who just was "that child". When he was younger, like a toddler, he was always kinda the pest to older DS. We always just chalked it up to him wanting his older brother's attention. Older DS kinda always disliked him...there's 5 years difference between the two, and a HUGE difference in personality. Hit older DS, bit older DS...just kinda of the pain-in-the-butt little brother. Also kind of a pain of a toddler. The kind where if you told him not to do something...he'd look at you and purposefully do exactly what you told him not to do. Like he KNEW he'd get in trouble and not care. On the flip side, he's always been my most loving child. The boy who always wanted to cuddle, wanted to sit on your lap, wanted to play with you, wanted to sleep in our bed, so snuggly. It dawned on me at some point in this journey it was about the attention...and I read a book at some point, that said to focus on giving the positive attention, because otherwise the child will do whatever they need to do to get the attention, even it if means the negative attention. And to not do the negative attention...to not make a big deal about the negative actions, within reason, of course. So we've parented with that philosophy since he was a toddler. Then add in third DS...so now this attention seeking DS is a middle child. As third DS grows up, he idolizes his older brothers. He at one point said that middle DS was "his best friend". But middle DS uses that to his advantage ,to manipulate his little brother, to verbally bully him (not alot of physical violence, that just doesn't happen around here), to put him down all the time. To just hammer him all the time...like if there's any weakness or mistake that third DS has made in life, DS12 is sure to bring it up and hammer it over and over. So here we are...DS17...he's kinda outgrown his whole dislike of middle DS....though they just don't really spend alot of time together unless we are all together as a family. Middle DS is twelve. Youngest DS is 9. The relationship between DS12 and DS9 is as bad as it's ever been. It's like DS12 feels like he has to compete with DS9, and his way to win is to verbally bash DS9 constantly. DS9 no longer calls DS12 his best friend, but says he's a "jerk". We are careful that we try to be fair and not take sides...but honestly when they are fighting....yeah, 9 times out of 10...it's because DS12 IS A JERK! I mean, he's just so rude to his brother, to mean, and hurtful. He'll do just things for no reason...like take something that is DS9's and hide it. Go into DS9's room and turn the light switch off while DS9 is reading. Turn off the TV as DS9 is watching it. Of course he doesn't do that while I am in the room....waits till it's just those two. I almost still feel like it's still about the attention though. Cuz what happens is that DS9 makes a huge deal about whatever DS12 does or says to him....it's a big drama. We've told DS9 that if he didn't make such a big deal about it, it wouldn't be half as fun for DS12...to ignore him, to act like it doesn't bother him. He's not successful at that much. So DS12 gets that attention he's seeking. I just don't know how we can fix this. I mean, we've talked with DS12...we've praised him, we know he can be a kind and loving person....he's Mr. Popular when he's out with friends. But gosh, I somehow feel like this is a huge personality glitch...to need such attention that you are willing to be a bully to get it...I mean, it's kinda really horrible how he treats his brother...and now he's just so mouthy and rude to me and DH, everything is a constant argument and it's all OUR fault...I think that is the pre-teen hormone thing kicking in. Sure, we've done the whole grounding thing...take away all electronics, not going outside with friends (that's his big thing...he loves to go outside with friends)...and that fixes it for the grounding period, but then it's right back to the same old thing. At this point, I feel like I'm always ON him about this...and it's just a constant conversation...and then I realize that I'm just giving him negative attention...but gosh, how can I give positive attention when he's just constantly...well...a jerk!! (And no, we don't call him that to his face...we don't even allow our children to call each other those names.....though they still try to). As I said to him "No one in your family says those mean things to you (you are dumb, you are fat, you are ugly), etc...why do you think you need to say them to your brother???" I mean, we just are NOT verbally abusive around here....I've always thought that your home should be your safety zone...that we can't control what happens in the rest of the world, but you can always come home and know that you will be treated right, and with love. Will this ever get better? Did you successfully raise a child who was always desperate for attention? Of course we went through a pre-teen thing with our oldest DS...but he's just a different personality, and his issues never were about his brothers, nor as constantly BAD. Did the sibling relationships ever get better? I'm kinda sad to see how these relationships between my boys is going. DS17 basically ignores or avoids DS12.....though he's a pretty good big brother to DS9. DS12 and DS9 have moments when they get along...must 90% of the time it's constant bickering. And then gosh, poor DS9...to have to grown up being constantly bashed by his brother, constantly put down. It's horrible. I dunno, maybe this is normal? Having such drastically different personalities in the same house...maybe it's going to be like this?

Funny, cuz I bought Bookshark 4th grade history, got it last week, and returned it this week. While I loved the book choices, there just wasn't enough meat to bring the books together to cement the historical info. In the past, we've done a similiar pattern as OP mentioned: Used a spine to present the history, then added in readers to bring it to life. But then I also wasn't getting Sonlights schedule....why were we reading William Wilberforce while we read the Moccasin Trail, and still reading Moccasin Trail as the child starts reading Freedom Train...I prefer to stick to one main topic...even if all,we do for history one week is read a book like Moccasin Trail to finish before we move on to the next topic. After looking at Booksharks whole history schedule for 4th, I realized I didn't need to pay for that....I'm comfortable planning my own year, using the free resources of others who have planned similiar years and shared online as my starting point....and I can go at a speed that works for us. As far as the original question, no we don't notebook all the readers or read alouds. Instead we notebook main people or main events. I don't need my child to do a whole notebooking on Moccasin Trail....rather I want them to get the main point and feel of life in that time.

Could,try Edmodo. Not sure if it's free, but my sons school uses it, and so does my employer for online classes.

Homeschool Tracker. Online, so computer type doesnt matter.

I have attended the Great Homeschool Convention each year, but I'm sorry I don't remember the exact price. What I do remember is it's too expensive for my budget, lol. I'm a tightwad...so I hate to drop $30+++ just to walk in the door...in my mind...that's money I could have spent on curriculum. Instead I volunteered in exchange for free admission. They usually put a email out asking for volunteers. You work four hours, doing easy jobs...I normally work the check in booth.....and get free admission to the speakers and the vendor hall for the whole weekend. Easy enough since I am right here in town. They also gave us tickets to the shows each night...one night was a family-friendly Christian comedian. That was fun! The next night was a Ben Franklin impersonator.....suprisingly, dead boring...we left early. But ticket holders paid extra for these. So volunteering really was a nice deal! I also did that one year for the Teach Them Diligently convention....my job was to sit in a big hall, and make sure none of the attendees tried to go up on stage to the speakers. Easy enough...except I had to sit and listen to Ken Ham speak for an hour....egads...not my cuppa!! A few things to note: Great Homeschool Convention usually has discounted rates the earlier you sign up. I suggest signing up on their website to get notified...they will send you emails letting you know the cut off dates for discounted rates. This past year, they offered FREE admission to the Vendor Hall ONLY, the first night. In the past, if one wanted to visit only the Vendor Hall, one could pay $10 a day to do that. You couldn't go to the seminars or speakers, just the Vendor Hall. So if that is your priority, you may want to wait to see if they are going to offer the Vendor hall free for the first night this coming year. Overall, I do feel that the Vendor Hall for the Great Homeschool Convention has declined over the years, especially after the big "kerfluffle". I used to go to a small convention in FL...it was in a bigger city than Greenville...but it really was just a "local" type convention....not a "national" convention, or even state convention, by any means, and the vendor hall was just as big. I'd expect bigger for a National event, IMHO. I don't follow much about Teach Them Diligently anymore since they moved to Atlanta, but I do know they offer discounted rates for early ticket purchase too.

I'd never sign up for it...and from similiar offerings that I've seen posted locally...not many others do either. I've seen various people,using other homeschooling Mom's offer this, and later cancel cuz not enough signed up. Here's why: 1. We have several co-ops around here...both the kind where the whole family is involved, and mom stays and helps...and the kind where you pay higher fees but you basically just drop off and pick up. So if I'm looking for a drop off/pick up scenario, I'd must prefer it in an organized group setting where there is a whole organization/board/several people accountable for it all. The one I signed up my 7th grader for this coming fall is a drop off/pick up type of "Academy" that offers several midde school/high school level classes...but it's run like a business almost...so there's a whole accountability, someone in "charge" other than the teacher. 2. I don't like to pay someone, a parent, that will do a class in their own home, with their children present. If something happens in your house, to your children, of course, that will instantly become your priority, regardless of who else is sitting there. As it should be....EXCEPT I paid a chunk of change for my child's science to be your priority...so yeah. What happens if you become sick, your child is sick, etc etc...class canceled? Class reschedule...which means I have to reschedule my life most likely. 3. There's no accountability for you, on my end. And I am not saying this about OP specifically...but it has been my experience in the past, that a teacher can either be AMAZING or totally incompentent...but I won't know until I paid you, and once I've done that, I have no repurcussions if it's bad. We once paid for a co-op style class for high school Spanish. The teacher never provided a syllabus....didn't require the curriculum workbook (I kinda feel that one needs to be doing that type of work along with verbal exercises to consider it a high school class), very little homework, and my son said alot of class was spent with students just talking amongst themselves, or teacher talking about herself...and he knew alot about her life..so I had to assume he was being truthful. Basically it was a waste and not worthy of a credit. I discussed it with the leader of the co-op, who had already had similiar complaints. The leader talked to the teacher (who was paid, not a volunteer, but also a homeschool mom as it where), and we all tried to salvage the class for the year by adding in things at home on our own....but I chose to PAY for this class so I wouldn't have to deal with it at home..fail. That teacher was not invited back the next year. BTW, after talking to a few others...that same teacher/mom had in the past tried to offer the class at home, to a group of students...and those families had pretty much the exact experience..so this was her way of doing it, and it was bad. Personally, I feel that just because one is a good homeschool mom, and maybe even has a degree in a certain field, it doesn't mean they can teach a group of students, and teach it well. 4. I'd never do this for elementary level...I don't want to have to leave the house for a science class......elementary science is too easy for me to pay someone else to do that. Math....I NEED to be involved with that EVERY DAY to see where my child struggles and where he doesn't. I cant farm that out in elementary. And to do that in a group...where every child walks into the room with different abilities in math......NOPE! I mean, we are homeschoolers....take 5 third-graders, and get five kids that are all using different curriculum, at different points, and even different grade levels. Who gets the extra attention? The child with the lowest math abilities....the child with the highest math abilities..???? Just can not even imagine how that would be worth my money. 5. I wouldn't want to leave my child in someone else's home, with just one parent/teacher. In a co-op setting, there is usually two seperate adults in the classroom, and various people around the halls, etc. Very rare for any adult to be alone with any child that is not their own. And I don't think that you are any sort of weirdo...but unless I know someone and their family very well, I 'm not keen on my child being in their home without me present. Cuz sometimes it's not the person in charge that ends up being the weirdo, but someone else that was on the premises at the same time. I'm not trying to be negative, but just honest in how I feel about it. Honestly, if you are really interested in teaching these types of classes, you may be better off joining a co-op, and volunteering to teach there. THey are usually eager for parent teachers, and your own children would be able to participate in other classes....usually co-ops even have nurserys and preschool classes for younger siblings.

Well, keep in mind, this is NOT a SOUTH CAROLINA book fair. Instead, it's a National Homeschool Convention that just happens to be in Greenville SC. The Great Homeschool Convention has 3-4 locations around the United States each year, spread around the U.S. The organizers are not from SC, and it really has nothing to do with SC, other that it is IN SC, lol. It's in March of each year. And they have a website. The other BIG convention we had here was in Spartanburg. Teach Them Diligently. That was actually started by a local homeschool family in South Carolina as an alternative to the Great Homeschool convention (long story...old timers know it). But alas, that has grown so big, that it will actually be in Atlanta next year. Also, neither are "book fairs". They are homeschool conventions, with two main points: Speakers speaking on homeschool theories, philosophies, and curriculum, and Vendors selling their curriculum.

Being late drives me batty as well. I do think that a five minute grace period is best...as some stated, not all clocks are set to the exact same minute. And usually the first five minutes of class everyone is getting situationed, teacher is taking roll, handing out papers, etc. Everyone has a reason why they are late....slow driver in front of them, bad traffic, etc etc....the end result is the same. That is why one should leave early to account for unexpected delays. The one thing I would say it that you will need someone who feels comfortable be the enforcer there in the mornings. Likely some families will be upset, argue about it, say it wasn't their fault, etc. But if it's going to the rule, it needs to be the rule everytime, no matter WHY someone is late. And that is going to take someone who isn't afraid to take the heat if it goes that way.

I've been using Homeschool Tracker Plus for years...first the download and now the online version. It's perfect for what I need, except that it is cumbersome, and not pretty. It's aways been cumbersome...I've used it long enough I know how to do it...but it's still cumbersome. Plus I'd love something cheaper. But here is the number one thing I want, and I can't find any other lesson planning site that offers this: The ability to plan lessons without assigning an actual date at this point. What I mean is I will plan the whole year for history...usually 160-180 days worth of lessons. But I don't assign the plan to an actual date until each week. Sunday night, I quickly go in and schedule history lessons for the days we will do work that week. I do the same for each subject. Takes a few clicks and all of 10 minutes on a Sunday evening. This allows fluidity in that I can schedule for the week based on what we have going on that week. Everything else I've looked at requires a date to be assigned as you make the plans. So day 1 of History assigned to Aug 1st, lets say. And yes, that can be rearranged come August 1st and we don't get it done...but I don't want to rearrange after the fact. I just prefer not to assign a date until I know what life has in store. I know alot of these online planning sites are alway making changes and updates so perhaps one has updated to include this option. What online planner allow one to create lesson plans without assigning a date at that time?

They look cute on the models...who have no thighs. But a girl like me, with rather thick thigh...to add in pants that are extra wide on the bottom....it's like making a big girl even BIGGER....just one wide width from top to bottom. No thanks.

Call and ask them...tell them you are a Homeschooler...they will,give you one.

I agree with that it's just a stage, and a normal one at that. Is he normally an introvert? Cuz being an introvert AND a teenage boy means life looks exactly as OP described. It's not bad or wrong, or even depressed...but having this same child, I Get wanting the child to go do things, to go experience life. We are seeing the end of this same tunnel with DS16....not out of the tunnel yet, but I can see we are getting there....he seems more willing to get out and be a human.

Public school teachers ARE full-time. During an 8-9 month school year, they work 40plus hours IN the school, not to mention the hours they out in after school, at home, on the weekends for grading, planning etc. So most do way more than 40 hours a week. While they may not be in the school building during the summer, most use that time to do required continueing education classes. Some school districts will also have required training sessions for various new programs that will be implemented for the new school year. Then around here, teachers are back in schools in early August prepping rooms, planning, etc. So they don't really get all of summers off...and even if they did, it balances out with all the extra hours they invest during the school year.

I am going to do a low-carb diet. Not any specific one like South Beach or Atkins...just in general eat low-carb...starting out with 20grams a day. I want a tracker to use on the iPhone and iPad to track what I eat. I want to be able to search/find most normal foods, but also input a recipe and have it break down per serving what the calories/carbs are. And of course, be able to track weight loss. Free, or cheap is preferred :). Any suggestions?

I can see both sides. I agree that it depends on how the friendships were formed...meaning the two brothers met your son in a way that had nothing to do with the third brother.....so your son didn't really know him...no reason to invite him. But a situation where they are all in the neighborhood together....perhaps the third brother THOUGHT your son was his friend too....and it shocked him to find out your son didn't think the same way. That is hurtful for that child...and I can understand why the mom felt like standing up and protecting her son. In her eyes, your son hurt her son...and in kind of a direct slap in the face too, since the other brothers were invited. Now I also see your son's side...of course he's at the age where he wants to just really invite the people he considers real friends...not just people he knows. And he probably had no intention of hurting the brother...probably assumed they were on the same page that they "were not friends". That being said...some adult logic needed to go into this. I think YOU should have had this forethought, and discussed it with your son. "If we invite Brother A and B, do you think Brother C would feel bad or left out?" And if you and he decided to go that route, you should have called the mother and explained. Frankly, getting that invite leaving one child out is hurtful. Now Mom has a choice...send the two brothers, and spend some special time with third brother to help him have a good day. OR teach the brothers a nice life lesson that family sticks together first and foremost, and we all skip the party as a show of support for our brother. I doubt there's any thought of "punishing" your son. More likely, it's about supporting her own son. (And I say all of this for THIS situation...with all the brothers being the same age. Obviously when we are talking MUCH younger siblings, that is a whole different situation).

Funny, I'm in a similiar position. I just feel burnt out. I feel like I'm a much better Mom, than I am a homeschooling Mom (judging by our non-school hours,when life is actually pretty good compared to our school hours where I feel stressed and annoyed by my children's behaviors!). I too have that fear of I'm a failure cuz I gave up, what other homeschoolers will think of me, what public school friends/family will think of me, etc. DS12 is well, 12... which means he's just not that likeable half the time. Having been through this before, I know he will grow out of it, and I just have to maintain my composure through these years and we will both come out the other side. I can't consider public school, especially not middle school for DS12. We can't afford private school. I put their names on the wait list for a small charter school...knowing it's unlikely they will get a spot this fall....maybe why I felt comfortable,doing it. I've signed them up for three classes at a drop-off co-op thing. I don't think I have a choice for this coming year , we will have to homeschool....but I'm seriously getting my ducks in a row to prep for alternatives for Fall 2016.

Lots of MLM's allow you to order from the corporate site without a rep involved. Pampered Chef, Jamberry, and Thirty-One all come to mind.