I had extreme stress, which caused anxiety, which caused depression. Those seem to be the steps for me: stress, overwhelm, retreat completely, further overwhelm, anxiety, depression. I can catch it now, but it took a long time. Depression meds flattened me out completely, but when combined with therapy and direct life steps I actually got somewhere with my brain. It took about 8 months to a year and they began weaning me off of the meds. The flat feeling was necessary to break the cycle and let me have enough time as a functioning person to develop habits. Once I was weaned off, it helped me go "whoa, self! This is feeling negative. Get out the list of what to do and start forcing yourself to follow it." I cannot say I was never depressed again and have overcome my anxiety, but I am a much healthier person. Now I get depressed for a week - not suicidal. Now I am a hermit slacker for ten days - not just stopping payment of all bills or normal life functioning. Now I can notice and get out of it.

Could it become a giant roadtrip? If we had to fly here and there it would fry me, but driving across the country can be fun. It seems like the other conferences are standing timeframes each year. Would she be able to go next year or is it just as packed?

We have tried this, over and over. I am actively looking for a full time job. As an abuser, dh does not seem to understand how his behavior is not okay. He just does not get what it looks like to treat me as a person. There is something fundamentally missing which means he does not see me, my opinions, my feelings, my thoughts, or my actions as valid. Whenever he is uncomfortable, he becomes a very different person. I honestly thought we had made significant progress, until he came to a point of wanting a job change. Then blow ups, all my fault, completely not okay language, and a very strong ownership belief over Ds and I. The paradigm does not go away for the abuser and it takes the abused quite a while to not live in fear. Ds is shifting into online, outsourced coursework so we can continue homeschooling. Once I find a job, I am looking for housing immediately. It is not healthy for your children to normalize this behavior. They can have access to both parents, but boundaries and firm designations of acceptible behavior need to be shown.

My humanities sponge might tweek these a bit over the next few years, but probably not by much. He is a planner like his mommy. 7th Grade (Next Year) History of the Greeks & History of the Romans with Lukeion Roman Roads Media Year 2: Romans Finish AP Art History (homegrown) 8th Grade (Medieval History) Full Middle Ages Run with Dialeader's Great Courses Roman Roads Media Year 3: Christiandom AP Micro & Macro Economics (not sure on provider yet) 9th Grade (U.S. History) APUSH with PA Homeschoolers Great Course: Skeptics Guide to U.S. History Howard Zinn; People's History of the United States David Lowen; Lies My Teacher Told Me 10-12 Grades Ds is shooting for high level boarding school. If that does not happen (it is serious long shot and a reach for the stars dream) 10th Grade Age of Exploration and Renaissance Great Courses: Histories Greatest Voyages, Italian High Renaissance AP Comparative Government & AP U.S. Government with PA Homeschoolers 11th Grade Industrial Revolution and Modernism Roman Roads Year 4: Moderns AP European History (don't know the provider yet) 12th Grade Finish any holes required for Associates Degree, probably a Western Civ run and a Poli Sci course

After looking it over, we have a plan. Thank you so much for the suggestions. It turned into one of the most fruitful conversations we have ever had regarding science! Apparently, science was "meh" because there wasn't enough applied chemistry. Well okay then. How silly of me for not getting the applied chemistry version of the elementary science texts..... Using Tarbuck, we can break the year up into five main subjects: Big Bang/Geologic Time, Geology, Oceanography, Meterology, Astronomy Texts: Earth Science by Tarbuck (hopefully 13th edition, but there seem to be piles of resources for the 11th) & selections from Biogeochemistry: A Global Analysis by Schlesinger Great Courses for each of the sections in Earth Science: Orgin & Evolution of Earth, Nature of the Earth: Intro to Geology, Oceanography: Exploring the World's Final Wilderness, Meteorology: Introduction to the Wonders of Weather, any of the astronomy courses (they all look so good!) Some of these are a bit long, so we may have to pick and choose lectures. In general, he really enjoys watching mutliples a week so it might work out. Based on wanting to go to boarding school and no early graduation, this is a rough scope of the next few years: Earth Science with Tarbuck; Biogeochem for applied chemistry (7th Grade) Human Physiology with Stanfield; on the look out for a biochem book (8th Grade) AP Bio with Campbell & Reece; depending on what was covered in 8th, possibly AP Chem too. Essentially, this would be a testing year to validate the chem and bio of the previous years (9th Grade) If he feels confident enough for AP's by 8th, then AP Bio test then. 9th would be physics and a refresher for the AP Chem test. He cannot decide at this point if he cares about physics. ETA: Boarding would be 10-12 grades.

She might get a lot out of some MOOC's. They would be free at least.

As someone who has used both the Greek and the Latin, I will say that it goes extremely fast and provides very little practice. Obviously, you can just watch the episodes over and over without issue, and that slows it down, but be aware that is provably going to be necesary. Supplimental exercises are a must. It a complete and thorough one year Latin course. Essentially 1 credit, Latin 1, with no support. For the money, I would just outsource. I had Latin in Catholic school way back when, and it was a very nice refresher. It is part of the Great Courses Plus, so it cost me nothing since we subscribe. I would not use it straight out if the gate with a high school student unless they had a person who they could ask questions and get feedback from.

I am trying to think if there is something someone could have told me to get me to understand that no one cared how I felt like everyone was full of crap. The following might not be of any help at all, but it is what saved me even if it happend too late. I found independent study in high school and took off. Essentially, unschooling only with a rough framework. It allowed me to check boxes and become reinterested in learning. No authority figures, really, just letting me be. Could you propose something like this? Something where it was not about grades or adults or even giving her feedback. More like just having her begin quantifying her output into some catagories to cover your butt? Something like, pick a song or painting or artist and write up a paragraph about why you like it. If she does not want personal, then why it should be taught or considered school. Yo don't even correct it. Just thank her for it, put it in a folder, and have it if you need it. A week or two later, ask for another one. Four books to give her: Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School & Get a Real Life and a Real Education; Lies My Teacher Told Me; Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli; My Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. Feel free to proof read them. All of them are essentially angsty teen and preteen books about how stupid school is and how awesome learning is. They do not sugar coat or talk down. They are designed to motivate youth to care about learning and being themselves regardless of society. If she likes any of them, I have a stack more. My Ishmael is about an 11 or 12 year old girl hating the game that is public education and going on a wild adventure. Ishmael by Daniel Quinn is about recognizing cultural mythology and deciding to live your own life. It blew my mind at 17. If she does not like My Ishmael, you can try Ishmael. It is just designed for a slightly older audience. Stargirl is about a free spirited, homeschooled girl who decides she wants to go to public school where she really does not fit. She decides to change for a boy and become what everyone wants her to be, only to realize that it makes her extremely unhappy. She decides to leave boy and return to homeschooling and being herself. I have Stargirl tattooed on my arm. Lies My Teacher Told Me is about how U.S. History is white washed patriarchy. The author uses a stack of sources to take apart all of the "stories" we are told about history in school and shows them to be complete lies that make us feel better. It is history wrapped up in feeling like a complete rebel detective. It reignited my desire to learn and "stick it to The Man." Teenage Liberation Handbook is written to teens as a way to essentially convince their parents they can unschool and teach themselves. The author addresses teens as people, and discusses how to respectfully request ownership over their education. It is then filled with a giant pile of resources so that teens can explain how they are learning to their parents. It would give her the tools to acutally design her courses herself and you could look like she is being educated (because she is). It also has a whole lot of talk about asking for help, not being a total butthead to adults, and being reasonable with your parent's concerns.

Can she explain why she does not want to do it? She honestly might not want to or might not know. If she is doing things for outside providers, swim/art/music, could this be an instance where Mom is just not okay anymore? We definitely went through that. Next year is almost completely outsourced. It just works better right now. When I was between 11-15, I essentially shut down with school. I realized that public school was a giant game and I was not going to play. Nothing could make me. I was not learning. It was ridiculous. It was not about motivating me. I felt that the adults in my life were lying to me. More than likely she can get a lot out of art, reading, and music. It looks like she is 10 (from signature). I think backing of and allowing her to choose another outsourced class might go quite a ways.

Medical working dogs retire between 7&8, unless the handler chooses to keep them longer (and many do). However, the handler has to give the dog away so a new dog can imprint. That would be so hard. Our neighbor worked in AIDS hospice and their two dogs were retired from helping patients who were in permanent care. It is hard for a family to often adopt the dogs. They have been trained not to play or be very "dog-like." Compass put our family's dog to shame constantly! He was so good! He was practically the nanny for the toddlers!

Portland State is no longer accepting independent study students. Enrolled students can do distance learning from their degree program only.

Relish the silence! Mine was a late talker because he had everyone wrapped around his finger. He never needed to talk! When he did, it was sentences almost right away. Now he will.not.stop! Long summaries of YouTube Let's Play videos. Extensive information about Minecraft mini games. Lots of Adele and Ariana Grande songs. Some days I think wistfully, "Remember when you couldn't talk....I was so worried....now I am thinking of losing it if you tell me about one more Adventure Time episode...."

He must be thrilled! Good job, Mom. May the next few years be ones of joy and discovery for both of you.

The geology here is crazy. You go down the highway and literally look at the vaulting right out the window. He reallylikes rocks and minerals as well.....hmmmm.....We could split the year covering the various disciplines of Earth Science.

Off to Google! I have not looked into much. Someone recommended BJU. I can get around Young Earth - it is not biology and we can fill in Pre-Cambrian up through Cretacious - but it seems very young. Supposedly it is detailed, but I have yet to find a sample of text.

Have you asked why she doesn't like it? That would help on limiting curriculums. In example, if it is because she has to puzzle out what they are asking, Saxon is perfect. It is very straight forward. If it is that she does not want repetition, the AoPS would be good. If it is that she just wants it done with, no explanation, just tell what to do, Math Mammoth would work if you eliminated extra problems when she could show she understood.

After having attended CalTech, I think these prompts so encapsulate the experience there! The student body is unique and so quirky, that it can be difficult for some to fit. If you fit, you are a lifer.

Alright all, hit me with your science curriculums. He has math up through Algebra II pretty darn solid. Ds took one look at the AP Enviromental Science we were going to do next year and essentially said no. He was thinking more Earth Science I think. The child has done most of the human-impact-on-science stuff in the trenches. He analyzes Environmental Impact Statements on his off time. He did not want to spend a year studying it. Ok, fine. We have done Chemistry up one side and down the other. He is currently waiting a year or two and then going to take the AP test. We have covered the content extensively, but the short answer portion freaks him out. His writing still looks like he is 12, even if it doesn't sound like it. Anyone know of high school or early college level Earth Science (he loves my bio geo chem book)? Anyone have strong (honors or AP ish) high school level science? Bonus points if it is a curriculum with multiple subjects so we can keep going year after year. He is not STEM. He could care less, actually. He really like large systems science.

This a very similar to how we use the literature and history courses.

I would just have simple, required usernames and passwords for them. No one is going to hack a Duolingo account.

We take notes on the GC, but Ds pauses a lot. I require him to take notes so that he practices and it is much easier for him to write up essays that way. However, in a group setting, that might be very difficult. It is also much longer than a half hour. Double it and you might get close. I can think of three ways you might be able to tweek it. 1) You could facilitate by giving a spaced outline so that they would already have a scaffolding to then fill in more details. As the course went on, the scaffold could begin to shift more and more to the student. 2) You could have a discussion section where they have to create an outline after the lecture is over, then kids can fill in what they remember. 3) You could have them take notes and create an outline from the chapters they read, then fill those in during the lecture. The discussion afterword would be about what worked and did not work for the different students so they could learn how each takes notes, hopefully improving their personal style. I think you have a very good idea, but it might be like taking notes from a crash course.

Kid failed a $2500 grant proposal for his non profit a few years ago, in front of a room full of major donors. It was painful. I was so mad at him. He hasn't quite gotten that cocky since, but it was enough cash it could have really launched him. It was too bad. His non profit, his grant proposal. I can't in good conscience do it for him. I feel that way about college essays, most all testing, and his online classes. He needs to succeed because he wants it, not because I hold his hand along the way.

Davidson Young Scholars. Davidson is a public school on the campus of the University of Reno which only serves profoundly gifted youth. Your son's scores, more than likely, place him in the profoundly gifted range. Essentailly, it might be impossible for the school to really push him academically while preserving his social needs. I am very glad they are willing to work with you. Hopefully, you can find a solution which meets everyone's needs. Looking into what it means to be profoundly gifted will probably help you the most. How old is your child?

Achievement testing took care of the Dh parenting, educational anxiety, ect. However, Dh just completely backed off from Ds. It did not give him a way to join. Hopefully you can find resources where your Dh can be involved. The Dad issue is a real one. For some reason the whole gifted thing seems to be harder for many dads.

DP