This looks amazing! I’ve done things like Kiwi Crates with limited success, but I’ll look at this some more.

Ok thanks. Maybe someday I’ll decide to use all of OM... Now to search for a stand alone art/craft program that will appeal to a 10yo. She wants to bake cupcakes and cookies every day. I need to find a different (lower calorie) outlet for her creative urges. 😂

What are your recommendations for craft kits? DD adores crafts (I don't), and wants more variety to our days. I'm looking at using parts of Oak Meadow 5 for my dd10 (at least science), and I'm wondering about the craft kit. Is it just supplies? Or does it include the instructions? It would be nice to get the OM kit, but if the instructions are integrated in the language/history manual, it won't do me much good.

I've thought about doing this too. But it feels like a cave down there. We bought our house for all the windows in the main areas, and I can't make myself spend any time in the basement, unless we're watching a movie during a tornado watch.

I'm curious to know how deschooling looks for different people and how (or if) it helped your child, and what it looked like to transition into homeschooling. How did you know your kids were ready to transition into full-time homeschooling? Did you ease into subjects slowly? Or did you have an "official" start date to jump right in with a full schedule? I'm also curious how summer vacation might have factored into your deschooling time.

Does anyone have resources for VA Studies? I've had my kids back in school for the last 2 years, and it's just not working for my youngest. So I'm exploring options for homeschooling 4th grade and keeping the topics close to what they are doing in school here.

Here's a link I saved on Pinterest. https://pin.it/xf3nqqx2hr4ing I wouldn't do all the colors, just pick a couple that you like. My house is currently painted in Behr Antique White (it looks kinda like the baby fawn on this link). The previous owner painted all the walls and ceilings with it in a flat sheen. It's boring, but nice enough. I just wish they'd used eggshell so I could wipe the walls clean. I need to repaint everything, so I'll put some of these colors in some rooms and keep the antique white in the hallways and main living areas.

I'm turning 40 in a couple weeks, and it's a little surreal. I'm applying to grad school at the same time my oldest is applying to college, and I feel too middle-aged to be starting a new thing. But then, I take a long view and see that I have years and years left. I might as well do things I enjoy (which means learning new things for me).

I’ll tease out degree this afternoon. But basically what she said was that this girl tells her to go away all the time. She wants to play with friend A, but girl B is playing with her and won’t let dd join in. Or dd is playing with girl A, and girl B comes up and tells dd to go away so that A and B can play. If that makes any sense... She had about 2 min to tell me about it, but it sounds like dd is being treated as a third wheel, and she just goes away when she’s told to go.

Like your DS behaves more like a typical child or he’s just more sedate? I’ll go read the article now. I’m just curious, because life is always easier when dd has a fever, but I assume it’s because she’s to tired to do much besides nap and watch tv.

Another thing I realized this morning. When she was in 2nd grade we were living in a rental—it was a furnished townhome and dd8 had to share a queen-sized bed with a sibling. She slept so much better with a warm body next to her. Her quality of sleep is awful—she has been visiting me in the night since she was old enough to get out of a crib. Last year, when she shared a bed is the only stretch of time I’ve slept through the night since I started having kids. I know that lack of sleep makes her more difficult to live with on school days. Ideally, she would go to a school at 10am. I just bought a kit to make a weighted blanket. I’m hoping that will help her stay asleep at night.

I’ve talked with her in the past about whether or not anyone is being mean to her and she says no. Today, I was driving her to school late, and asking more specific questions. Is your teacher mean? Is the lunch lady man? Is the school secretary mean?... she laughed at some of these. Then.. are any of the boys in your class mean to you? No. They just don’t interact with her. Are any of the girls in your class mean to you?... she refused to answer. Then when we got to the school she told me all about this one girl who is so mean to her, except when the teacher is around—then this girl is super nice and dd hates people like that more than anything (I have to agree). Then she begged and begged me not to make her go. Sigh... So I have something to work with, knowing the name of one girl who goes out of her way to be nasty. For school options, I have no desire to drive her to a different public school, and private is not an option. She has friends here and it’s a good school. She just hates going right now.

Fascinating. Thanks!

I wish I knew!! She really can’t verbalize any problems other than, “I hate school and I never want to go again!!â€

She filled out rating scales too, but she really doesn’t see anything. This is her second year teaching. Every other teacher at that school I’ve talked to says she’s a solid teacher, but I just see this young girl fresh out of college. Also, dd8 is 2e, so the giftedness probably masks symptoms at school. Dd has said that she hates sitting in her chair all day. She says she has a hard time paying attention and fidget toys help. She really wants a yoga ballot sit on, but the teacher doesn’t see a need for that (“she doesn’t have a problem staying in her seat.â€). I was so tempted to tell dd she needs to start popping out of her chair every time she feels like moving. Last year, dd’s teacher was a veteran teacher and she allowed kids to bring yoga balls in for chairs. I think the combination of flexible seating and a somewhat rigid teacher helped her be calmer.

Discussing what to do in the mornings sounds like a great idea. We have today and tomorrow off school for snow, so now would be a perfect time to talk with her without any pressure. Also, the timing of her medication isn't an issue right now. It's a non-stimulant with continuous coverage. Right now she takes in at night, because that's when it's easiest for me to remember. I tried morning, but there's already too much to stay on top of with her, and it has to be taken with food, so if she's eating a bagel as she walks out the door, I forget to give her the medication.

For everyone that is suggesting I look into ASD, what about sociability or fixations? She's my only extravert, and she's happiest when she's got friends around (one more reason she's always been in school). I don't see asd, because she's so peer-oriented and because I don't see her talking non-stop about one topic of interest. But there are some other things that definitely fit--like being really rigid when things change.

Yes. Her stomach hurts all the time. I'm sure it really hurts. I'm also sure that 90% of the time it's psychosomatic. That's such simple, but good advice. I think she does better for dh because there's never any question in his mind about whether or not she's going. In talking to the therapist, we've noticed that transitions are always hard. If it's not exactly the way she planned or wants or what I said it would be, the rage monster comes out.

In the summer, all the older kids will be home. I already know what that looks like... She's very social, and there are a lot of little girls her age in the neighborhood, so summertime they are outside playing as much as possible.

Thanks everyone for the input. I'm feeling overwhelmed today, so I won't take the time to respond individually, but two things: 1) She's big for her age (about the same size as my 12yo), I think she's moving into puberty early, and that may be a part of why her behavior has deteriorated. She's always been a tough kid to parent, but the last 4-5 months have been much worse. 2)It would be ideal if DH could get her ready for school. She's not as comfortable acting out around him. But he needs to go into work at 6am through May. So he won't be able to help this school year. She rides the bus if she gets ready on time, but getting out the door by 7:30 is tough when she's tired and I'm having to drag this child through her morning routine.

She is currently in therapy, and she started seeing a psychiatrist and taking Strattera (ADHD and anxiety) a couple months ago. The medication has been slowly ramping up to the therapeutic dose and I'm not seeing a difference in behavior yet. So, I don't know what constitutes an eval. The psych had me fill out an unbelievably long form detailing all sorts of behavior. She said the screening came back that she was showing signs of ADHD, ODD, and anxiety, with some OCD. I don't know where to start with the other things PeterPan mentioned or who else I should be seeking help from.

Also, all the kids are in ps at this point. So it would just be the two of us if I brought her home. I tried to homeschool her two years ago, but she resented all the time I spent working with older kids.

My youngest was recently diagnosed with mixed type ADHD. She is also incredibly defiant with me. Only with me. To a lesser extent with other family members and occasionally she refuses to cooperate with her therapist. She's in school right now. Her teacher can't believe that dd8 has any problems at all. She doesn't see any hyperactivity, dd is perfectly cooperative and obedient at school. There are mornings when dd screams at me that she won't go to school she hates school, etc. I have literally dragged her through the doors, and as soon as a leave she dries her tears and goes to class without any trouble. Evenings are also full of screaming and defiance toward me. Apparently I'm the source of all her problems. Whatever. My feelings aren't hurt by her tantrums, but it's exhausting to fight and it's upsetting for the older kids. I'm wondering what has been others' experience in homeschool vs public school for a child like this. I'd love to get rid of the morning wrestling matches. She wants to be homeschooled. I'm not totally convinced that she will cooperate any better with me just because she didn't have to go to school, but on days I've let her stay home she is usually a little more cooperative. DH thinks I'm crazy. Let her spend all day with the one person she can't bring herself to obey? I have the sense that if I can just reduce the number of conflicts, we can somehow break the cycle of rage. I'm totally willing to try homeschooling for the rest of the year, just to see if it helps her calm down overall. DH feels like it will just teach her that I'll give in if she gets angry enough.

FLVS doesn't generally have live classes either. Each semester has a collaboration requirement, which can be met by a live class. One of the teachers logs onto Blackboard (or something similar) and all the students who need a live class log on and "collaborate". I wasn't impressed, but it satisfies the state requirements, I suppose. The content wasn't any different than the same lesson already posted online, but you have a real teacher talking and real people typing on the screen at the same time as you.

When we first tried the high school FLVS classes, some of the pacing requirements really irritated me. In retrospect, it's not so bad. Module 1 must be completed in the first 2 weeks, but the teachers we worked with all pushed the official start date back a week, so dd had almost an extra week to get that first module done. Also, you have to submit assignments regularly, or they start bugging you. You have to notify teachers if you are taking a break week or going on vacation. One summer, DD was at camp for 2 weeks, and either she didn't tell her teacher, or the teacher forgot, and she was dropped from the class. I made a big fuss and dd was reinstated as soon as she came back from camp. We are no longer in FL, and dd is enrolled in high school full time. She needs to take 2 virtual classes from the school district to fit in all her preferred electives (pesky high school math and PE requirements). This semester, she wishes she could take the class from FLVS instead. Now she realizes it was really well laid out, expectations were clear, and there's a lot more flexibility in pacing than what she has now. Since our district won't pay for summer virtual classes, she's gotten me to agree to let her take the 2nd class through FLVS. It will give her the option of starting the class as soon as her spring drama production is done, instead of waiting until the summer term, and she won't fall hopeless behind when we take a 10-day trip in July.