I agree so much with this. I have a very tightly wound high achiever. It’s not all roses. There is more to a life well lived than a test score. One of his best friends is homeschooled in a manner that looks NOTHING like my homeschool. On paper, he is not academically at the top of the pyramid. In person, he is nothing short of amazing. This kid, too, will lead a successful life. He has skills and talents that my child does not. The beauty of homeschool is that we get to educate people, not widgets. When home education changes to the point that we can’t educate the whole child, it’s game over.

I hear you, but you can’t get blood from a turnip! This kid had actually done 0% of his work. I didn’t have magic numbers to make 50%. Anyways, that was years and several states ago for me. I’m obviously still just dumbfounded 🤨.

Okay. I broke down and read it. That’s five minutes of my life I’ll never get back. I especially liked the idea of this swath of Homeschoolers out in the world who can’t read or write. Laughable. When dinosaurs roamed the earth, I taught junior English. Texas policy at the time was that a child must not be given (note the use of the verb ‘given’) a grade lower than 50. I had a student in my class who REFUSED to even write his name on top of a paper, much less do any work the entire semester. It was his third time through eleventh grade English (semester system). I was called into the principal’s office where I was more or less begged to give this child credit for my class so that he could graduate. He had been in the school system for eleven years, just sitting in his desk this way for years! I dare anyone who has taught in a public school to tell me that it has the ability to educate every child. I saw things such as this way too often. I at least appreciate the fact that the author of the article is clear that indoctrination is her desired aim of education. I appreciate her honesty. I cannot get my phone to not capitalize Homeschoolers!!! Ugh!

I didn’t read the article you linked because I know it would make my blood boil, but I have listened to several podcasts and read several articles about this conference. The long and short is that it’s a handful of people who seem to misunderstand the whole concept of parental rights. They are less opposed to homeschooling than they are to the “evils” of evangelical Christian homeschooling. The group doesn’t even pretend to be fair in their presentation of the issue if you look at the list of speakers. I’m trying to get comfortable with the fact that people will always disapprove of something I’m doing. Always. I’m good with that, as long as their opinion remains just that, and doesn’t try to shape the law.

Thank you for this! I didn’t know that Virginia had a blanket policy for their community colleges. This gives me something to go back with. Honestly though, we may just stick with the four year because the professors have been so amazing and are generally excited to have my son in class. That’s not the feeling that we have gotten at all from our community college administration.

Absolutely not. I get it. I’ve been helping my natural blond hair along for quite a while now. Cut and highlights, faithfully, every eight weeks. Until quarantine, I had no idea that I had any gray hair! However, I do think depression is a very real problem during quarantine for many people. A trip to the stylist is like a happy pill for me. I would not even consider going to a stylist now ( or have one come to me) because I don’t think it essential or anywhere worth the risk, but I am finding it extremely hard to look in the mirror. Perhaps that exposes me as a shallow person, but we all have our weaknesses.

I can’t vote because I can’t imaging doing one without the other! I am a bit of a neat freak, so the thought just sends me into shakes...However, I recently bought a pack of eight microfiber washrags. I have stashed one in each room, or inside a large piece of furniture within the room, and it has become so easy to pull out the rag and run it quickly over the furniture and then return it to a drawer. I only have to wash them every week or so. It’s amazing how much easier dusting has become...less steps, I guess!

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer this. I’ll have him look into it!

I am so glad you came back to tell us! That is wonderful news!! God is indeed good. Prayers for a healthy pregnancy!!

I’ve been all over the road and unclear. He took AP Calc BC through Pennsylvania Homeschoolers. He’s taking Stats through our local CC. My son has had great responses from professors at the local four year university this morning. I’m greatly encouraged by their quick replies to his email. Things are working out! Again, thanks for everyone’s help in figuring this out.

I’m coming back one time to muse...I have decided that the greatest homeschool mistake that I made with this kid was not letting him progress as he was ready with math. I am so impressed with so many of you and envy your wisdom in allowing your children to walk their own paths. I made my son repeat Algebra I with different texts from fifth through seventh grade, convinced that he shouldn’t move past Algebra I in junior high. I caved and allowed him to take a geometry course in eighth grade. This year, he has been taking Calc BC and Stats at the CC, and never spends more than thirty minutes a day tops on class work. He spends hours working through online courses and released practice math tests from universities. He happily sniffs math out, and fills him time productively. He has learned a ton this way, but I still wish that I had not insisted on such a traditional math sequence. I wish I had sought out university courses earlier... All that to say good job to those of you who trusted your kids and trusted your gut! Live and learn,I guess. With my next pretend kid, all the rails will be removed!

Thanks all for your ideas. I think we shall just run with the 4 year university and go with what they recommend next. I do appreciate all of the experience that is on this board!

Funny you mentioned that. He discovered these holes in AP Calc at the beginning of the year and has filled them on his own. That’s why I wish they would just let him test. I can’t figure out why they left so many topics out of the AP sequence. He has found great online higher level math courses that he has worked through, but he is trying to figure out a way that he can actually earn credit for his work. Thanks for your reply!

Thank you so much for these ideas. I hear you on the SAT Math II not covering calculus. We have just been throwing everything at this problem that we can! Discrete math is on his radar, and he will probably go that route in the fall. I have a question about Counting and Probability. He has played with the AoPS text, but it’s been several years ago. He actually does have a university that is working with him to take an upper level computer science course and he also has two professional certifications (Java and C+? ). Would Counting and Probability be a step backwards in math? I know nothing about math after calculus 😬. There is a good chance that the uni where he has taken comp courses will work with us on multivariable. Frankly, it is just SO MUCH more expensive than the community college that I was hoping we wouldn’t have to go that route yet. So it goes. Thanks again for all your help!

I think that’s the next plan. Thanks! Way to go to your son by the way! I love what kids can do when we let them try.

I love it when they find their purpose! My son likes stats, but is not in love. He feels that lovin’ feelin’ for calculus. 😊

They have given us a solid no🙁. He also has a near-perfect SAT in addition to the SAT Math II. Beyond frustrating...can’t understand why they won’t let the kid take the class? We do have a four year university semi-close that we will pivot to next. I just wanted to make sure there weren’t any more fun ideas out there that I was missing! Thanks for your feedback. I’m so going to miss the days of homeschool. It’s so much harder to get access to an education in schools 🤣

I’m hoping someone here will have a fresh idea. My son is a junior who is finishing up AP Calculus BC this semester. He is also enrolled in a Statistics dual enrollment class at our local community college. He has a high A in each class, and will take the Calc AP exam this year. So, for next year’s math (senior year), he wants to take multi variable calculus ( I think that’s what it’s called...I was an English major!). The problem is, even if he makes a 5 on the AP exam, our community college wants him to repeat calculus. He even has a perfect SAT Math II score that they won’t consider. He has met with several people and tried begging, but it seems to be a sticking point for them. It’s odd, because many four-year colleges would place him in multi variable ... So, this kid loves math, and we can’t do a math-free senior year. He’s also maxing out on physics and computer science classes just to get in more math! Any ideas? I know that there are many parents of mathy kids out there who took classes above and beyond this when they were in high school. Any ideas for courses? Colleges that might be open to online dual enrollment? Thanks in advance! Edited to change name of class! I’m in unfamiliar territory!

I am so very sorry for your very real loss. Every baby is a precious soul. I lost a baby at 12 weeks and had to have a D&C. My baby had died weeks before, but I couldn’t get anyone to listen to me. I felt like I had been poisoned. Absolutely miserable. Its hard to tell if your symptoms are from grief, hormones, or may require medical attention. I encourage you to see a doctor if you don’t physically feel better soon. Trust your gut. Hugs

I have added a paragraph to my school profile that states that we did NOT stop schooling during the pandemic. I am in a county where the public schools are still doing nothing, a month in to the shut-down (that’s for a whole ‘nuther thread). I want to be sure that colleges see the work my son continued to do.

This thread makes me so sad. I have a different political affiliation than many on this board, I am quite certain. However, I don’t think that makes me stupid, misogynistic, or evil. I assure you. Our party didn’t send out chips for everyone’s brain so that we would think in lockstep about every issue. Again, I can see nuances. No solution is perfect. I just can’t wrap my mind around the fact that some of you think the answer is so easy on either side of this! And whatever happened to the no politics rule????

BlsdMama, I am so very sorry that that offended you. I in no way meant that to be rude. My husband spent years separated from his family overseas serving his country. In my circle, we joke about Army retirement jobs as “what are you going to do when you grow up” because it really is like starting over again at 45 years old. I didn’t think about how that would read in my post. Trust me, I am an Army wife through and through and miss living that life (well, maybe not the deployments). I apologize again that that was not clear in my post.

I second the beagle! Best dogs ever. No. I’m not biased at all.

I am very glad to see the checks get out. I wish more had been done. We did not qualify for the stimulus, nor should we have received any money. Someone upthread was joking about what one must do to not qualify. In our case, my husband served 23 years in the military and then retired and got a grown-up job. I think one thing we all need to keep in mind is that different incomes means different things in different parts of the country. I learned first-hand just how varied cost of living is from state to state through my 20 years of moves. The house we just bought here cost three times more than the comparable house we had in Texas. I think this disparity made this a really tricky game for the government to figure out how to distribute the stimulus, but I do think that they came to the best decision that they could. Editing for clarity: I didn’t mean that grown-up jobs are the only real jobs. It is was a joke in our house that my husband was going to have to figure out what he wanted to be when he started over at age 45. I’m so very sorry that I offended so many of you. My sense of humor didn’t come through.

As I said, I haven’t been past my own yard in a month. I take this very seriously. I seriously value my freedom. I have raised a son who has an anaphylactic reaction to peanuts. He has had an anaphylactic reaction from someone eating peanut butter crackers in their own car, and then getting out and touching my son on the shoulder. I understand fear. I also know that I have to let my son walk out of my front door every morning (at least in better times). I don’t think it’s wrong that people are trying to find a the right balance of precaution with living. I don’t want to argue further with you, I just hope that you might see the other side of this issue as well as your own.