I would like to add that drugs are everywhere. My kids have been offered pot and alcohol from the HOMESCHOOLED CHRISTIAN kids AT our CHRISTIAN CO-OP....the co-op where we have to sign a statement of faith :glare:

My youngest just finished his class this past school year. Peter Moskaluk is hands down THE BEST science teacher ever and I feel sorry for every single student in this world who didn't have him for chemistry. My kids just used a binder. They did not use notecards, we have a app for that. And we didn't bother with the formal lab book since mine aren't going into science fields. Mr. Moskaluk also has his own study guides/notes that he gives to his students. Each of my kids printed them all out and saved them. Make sure your son does this in a timely manner because they are passcoded and only available for a limited time. I think a great deal of Mr. M's work has been plagiarized and stolen so he has to do this. And don't fall behind. Keep up with the work, do not put it off.

This is something that I have thinking about a great deal for a few years. Especially since when my kids were young, I swallowed the homeschooling propaganda hook line and sinker :) Then my kids became teens and I began to see that they are their own person! Their minds and voices began to develop! And it didn't matter they were homeschooled!! Then it begs the question, why does parenting well matter? I'm not talking about being kind to your kids. I'm talking about, if the kids will turn out however they're meant to turn out, why sacrifice so much for them? Send them to school...be a working mom....have your own hobbies away from kids... why does it matter?

For the same car, you will pay less to lease. Down payment and mileage is negotiable. I love leasing because I like new cars. So very reliable and freeing to not worry about maintenance. True, I don't own the car, but any car I've own, repairs and ownership costs start mounting at year 5 anyway. I would highly recommend without exception that you lease Japanese cars, not American. The Japanese cars have such a high resale value, they WANT to get the cars back. They tune it up, give it a dealer certification and charge a new buyer a ton of money! I've never had a problem returning my Hondas and Toyotas. Even if they are a bit dirtier and one had a ding and another I was over miles. No charge for any of it cause they wanted it back and wanted to get me in a new car. I've also leased a Dodge Caravan and a GMC suv. Both were horrible to deal with. Because those cars have poor resale value, they tried to milk me for every little thing. It was so bad, my dodge, I just sold it on my own and paid off the car instead of returning it.

I absolutely despise double sinks of any size and if I were to end up in a house (we move frequently), dh knows that is one of the first things I will change, and if finances couldn't take it, I wouldn't buy the house. I've already changed sinks in 6 homes. The thing people say about doubles, how you can work/prepare food in one while cleaning or whatever in the other, I personally always found gross!

I appreciate the responses, thank you! Although I am still so confused! It's all a foreign language to me! I think I need to talk to an advisor at the college!

I looked at the Cal 3 class description and he said he already covered all of it. He did say Linear Algebra would be interesting. Is this correct? What even is that?! Is there nothing called Calc 4?

My son just finished Calc BC and found it easy. He is definitely math bent! He wants to take the next math class. What would that be? He's more business oriented, not science. Any suggestions? I never went past Algebra so this all new to me!

Neither my husband nor I coach, but our kids have participated in various types of sports and from the brutality I've seen, I'd never be involved in that way! I am very sorry for what you must be going through. For whatever reason, sports brings out the very worst in people. We've had several friendships end because of it. It's scary to see how people change when they are chasing that all elusive sports scholarship!

The coverage seems good. As long as there is doctor documentation, it's covered. Yes, that is what I was thinking. I'm glad you were able to get some money back. This ins. will give me 80% back starting week 3 till the end of the semester. They are charging me $220 per semester. Considering that each semester is costing 30K, I started to think that it wasn't a bad deal!

I got a mailing from my dd's school about tuition reimbursement insurance. It is offered through another company, but her school mails out the letters. We are paying a significant amount of her tuition and I do think about if she were to get sick or hurt and couldn't finish the semester, we would lose a great deal of money. It will refund 80% of her tuition for any medical reason, including mental health. Does anyone here have any experience with something like this? Opinions? Thanks!

You'd have to compare your state's scores with other states. The Northeast sends a disproportionate amount of kids to highly selective schools. Also, you'd be shocked how many kids take IB and AP classes, getting As in the classes but can't pass the standardized tests

It's not the norm, that's why those who do stand out. When he is going through several people each day, day after day, each and every person is a blur.

:lol: :hurray:

You just verbalized what I'm feeling but couldn't figure out.

I appreciate all the replies. It really is eye-opening to understand the different views out there. I've also realized and now not afraid to say, yes, I give gifts and expect something in return. I expect appreciation shown in some way. When I give a gift, I am sacrificing something from myself whether time or money. Yes, I would rather give it to someone who appreciates it and benefits from it. I am going to adjust my gift giving accordingly.

Thank you for this. I too feel it is rude. Yes, this is how I am feeling. If it doesn't make a difference to them, I'd like to keep my money! I give gifts to let the person I am thinking of them. If it doesn't matter to them at all, I'd rather not give it. I literally get nothing from giving a kid from co-op a graduation gift. I can find more things to do with my money than that. This is an excellent point. My dh is a high level executive and not saying thank you would never fly. And he would never have gotten to where he is. He sends gifts and thank-yous constantly. AND he's involved in hiring dozens of people a month. Ungrateful or entitled people always get negative strikes whether anyone likes it or not, it may mean a job!

:confused1: :confused1: :confused1: What does that even mean? That's crazy! Were you ever able to understand what the social order is? I would love to know!

This is exactly how I'm feeling. And I can't stand it... Yes, I agree, a verbal thank you is enough I have to say, this statement shocked me. I have never even heard someone say Thank yous don't matter, perhaps I am taking it out of context? Gifts are only fun for me when I see the recipient smile or see the happiness in their eyes. Or receive a kind note. To just hand over money and hear or see nothing makes me feel taken advantage of. :) No it wasn't the wedding, with that I can wait. I know they are very busy in this time of life. It was the senior I gave $100. She wrote me a sweet little note, that I plan on donating to her mission trip too. :thumbup: Wow again. Of course I wouldn't write dh a card! But when he gives/buys me things (he knows my love language is gifts) I show him great appreciation for thinking of me. Because he wants to see me happy. And these are things as little as a card or a piece of candy he brings back from some place. My bro picks up free pens for me at conferences cause he knows how much I love them! He says it's hysterical to see someone so excited over a pen! The people I gave gifts to, are just friends we hang out with in group activities. That's it. And yes, I expect a thank you. Agreed. I can understand big life changes and busy jobs. The seniors? Yes, I expect a thank you of some sort. My dd received $1K over the course of her graduation from many relatives and friends. You bet she wrote thank you cards!!

I am thinking about this too. My nieces and nephews are all getting older now and as they get older and more independent and separated from parents, I expect a thank you (paper or verbal) from them. I really don't enjoy giving them gifts anymore. It feels too obligatory to me now

I would be totally fine with a call, text, email too. It's just that I have not heard one thing from all except one. I just see they cashed the check...some the next day!:)

I am uncertain about modern protocol because my kids are now asking why they have to write thank you notes. I've always made them write one even for thoughtful (small) gifts. My love language is gifts, so even when someone gives me a candy bar, the fact that they thought of me makes me feel special! But now, my kids are saying that no one else does it so it means no one expects it....

None of these gifts were opened in front of me or at the party. I would consider a verbal thank you enough for me from young people.

I like to think that I'm hip and young and can change with the times :) So I'd really like to know if thank-you notes are passe. I would like to list the presents not to boast, PLEASE do not take it like that. It's just perhaps the gifts were not significant enough to warrant a thank-you note? I truly do not know.... In May of this year, I've given 8 different people graduation/ baby/wedding gifts. All cash. I gave one young woman I volunteered with for 1 year $100 for a new baby. Another young woman for her baby's bday present (I was invited to the big party) $150. HIgh school graduation gifts in the amounts of $50, $75, $75, $100---- all my kids' hsing friends. Nobody we are super close with, just good co-op friends, I am only co-op friends with the moms. $120 for a wedding $100 for a person who was being ordained into ministry I have only received one thank-you note. The others, the only way I know they got the gift is when the check has been cashed :) I still like all these people and my feelings for them will not change at all, but I am wondering, are notes, whether paper or email, considered unnecessary?

My parents are 10 years apart. I didn't notice much when I was younger but now, I certainly notice issues not only with my parents but with many couples who have a large age difference. My dad is almost 80 and in overall good health, but he is definitely elderly. Losing hearing, falling asleep everywhere, wants to stay home all the time and can't drive anymore. My mom is 70 and is still full of energy. She still wants to work and do stuff but he cannot and she needs to stay home with him. She has to drive him everywhere. I know another couple and there are serious issues there. He refuses to take care of himself and once he hit 50, he has been in rapid decline. They have young kids so she is on her own concerning their care and everyday activities. Another couple, he's retiring next year at age 54. She is 45 and is not happy about the life he wants. He wants to curtail spending and such (as they should with retirement) but she is wanting to spend more than ever with home renovations and travel (she still works) There are lots of examples I'm sure that others could give, but it has been enough that I have encouraged my kids to try to find people close in age (they are still young so we just chat about these things, not lecture) My dh and I were college buddies and are the same age. Yeah, guys my age were immature, but so was I. My dh and I feel like we grew up together. Soon enough, our kids are all in college and we are so looking forward to the next stage of our life together. We still have so many dreams we want to accomplish together that I don't think would be possible if he was much older than me.