Give them audio books/music on a tablet with headphones (it's hard to talk and listen at the same time) Find a friend who talks as much as your child does and encourage them to spend time on long walks together. :) Encourage them to write a daily diary/ ongoing story or produce a magazine. If they're not keen on writing, get them to go digital - create a weekly podcast and upload it, or type a blog, or make their own movies. I.e. use the skill they have for talking and channel it productively... They might make a brilliant radio or TV presenter in 10 years time :) (BTW I had one like this, drove me crazy at times. Personally, I think it's a sign of a bright mind and an aural/oral-style learner. As mine has got older he's become brilliant at giving presentations and doing demos for audiences because he can think on his feet, is never short of interesting anecdotes...and there is never ever an awkward silence ;) ! )

Run and hide and hope nobody realises you're supposed to be in charge..?

Homeschooling is all about fitting the education to the child. If it doesn't fit the child, then, yes I change things and I certainly wouldn't wait til the end of the year to do so. My kids' happiness is the main priority. And I need to be happy, too, even if that means I waste a bit of time researching new shiny curricula and waste a bit of money on curricula that doesn't get well-used :)

I suspect there's a little grain of truth in the article, in terms of the Brit's mythological heritage and culture (I'm thinking Knights of the round table for starters). However, as a Brit, even though I've not been as exposed to US children's literature as much as British, there are plenty of US children's novels and stories that I've loved. The Little House on the Prairie series, for example, has a great narrative as a read aloud. I probably like it more *because* I'm not from the US and haven't had it thrust at me from early childhood! I agree with one of the above comments, that the best children's stories are usually those where adults aren't present and children can get up to pretty much what they want. It's a classic basic plot for most children's authors: put the main (child) character in a situation where there are no/few adults (boarding school/summer holidays/child orphan) and give them obstacles to overcome. What child doesn't dream of the things they might get up to in a world without adult supervision? ;) I think Harry Potter is quite an exceptional series, so I'm not sure it's fair to hold up all children's novels to the HP gold standard. The early books certainly have some faults in terms of writing (which I realised when I read them aloud), but the narrative and characters are so compelling, it really is a one-of-a-kind series. I think we should probably cut children's authors some slack. They can't all be the next J.K.Rowling :hat:

"He also mentioned that she should read Call of the Wild, which still seems to be a bit above her level" I read Call of the Wild as a pre-teen. I tried it as a read-aloud to my kids a few years ago and was quite shocked to find it really quite brutal...and detailed in that brutality. My kids aren't particularly sensitive, but I found it uncomfortable reading as an adult, so it might not be age-appropriate for an 8 year-old.

Carbon chemistry is harder, IMO, or at least, it's less games-based than The Elements, so I consider it to be less accessible to younger children. I used The Elements for my kids when they were 10-12 and my 9 year old sat in for some of the games and got something from the sessions. I probably wouldn't use Carbon Chemistry with a 10 year old, unless they were quite advanced, or unless they were joining in practical tasks with older siblings. I wasn't so keen on the botany. We've used little bits of it, but it just didn't have the same vibe as The Elements and my kids never quite seemed to be the 'right age' for it. The elements is definitely our favourite.

Because, I think, at age 12 home educating starts to feel so much more "serious". Before then you can keep it light and fun and child-centred, with projects and park days and museum visits, and all of that feels worthy and educational. At 12-13 there is a - real or imagined - increase in external pressure: if your child was in school they'd be taking GCSE exams in 3 or 4 years. That's quite scary! // I also think there is a definite change in the child at this age, and their needs change, too. Mine definitely needed to be in a more adult environment, they needed real practical tasks with real-world purpose. They also became far more picky about friends and friendship groups, and that equated to more travelling and greater expense. I understand why, under these conditions, a lot of parents struggle and lose confidence, especially if they have younger children that have different needs. //We didn't put ours in school. We kept on home educating, travelling large distances to cater for their pre-teen needs. They also joined volunteer groups, which gave them the adult interaction and responsibility they needed and prevented a lot of frustration and parent-child conflict. //My kids have always had the option to go to school if they want. It's not always been a smooth ride, but I consider myself to be very lucky. Not everyone has the confidence, money, time, energy or support to get through those final years :)

Agreed. Doing science like this as a child would have totally killed the joy for me. Also, coming from the UK, I've never really understood the US obsession with learning lists of vocab and definitions. Isn't that what conversation is for? Chatting together about a subject seems, to me, a much better measure of finding out what a child understands about a subject than testing him/her :)

"A significant part is that even in things that I have some natural ability in, I tend to underachieve as far as the work that needs to be put in to become really good at it. I almost always sabotaged myself with these things as a young person." Yes, self-sabotage is a biggie. Fear of success, or near-success, can be just as crippling as fear of failure. Achievement attracts attention, praise and increased expectations from others, so success can heighten that feeling of being a fraud/imposter.

"... but here is my biggest reason for sending them- I feel like they will miss out on so much of the British experience if they are just home with me all day and not actually out in their community." Forgive me for asking, but if they are in school, surely they won't be out in the community? They'll be tied to a desk from 9am-3pm, (yes, worksheets and printouts standard practice here), and then they'll most likely have homework, or after school activities. They will meet a lot of children, but in a fairly artificial environment, and after a day at school might have little time or energy for other things. Also, I'm curious to know why homeschooling them would mean you're at home all day. When my kids were the age of yours, we were rarely home...even with a newborn :) There are lots of homeschoolers in and around London, and I'm sure there would be lots of activities and day trips available if you made contact. My kids have definitely had far more involvement with community than if they'd been in school. Btw, Don't necessarily be taken in by the shiny exterior on school visits. Even the best British schools are still. just. schools. The focus of education here is primarily on curriculum and meeting targets. Good teachers do can best they can within the limits imposed. There's a reason why homeschooling is on the increase in the UK :) By all means send them to school, but don't do it just because you think it's the only way to integrate into the British way of life. There are many opportunities outside of school and you are in an ideal location to meet others who have chosen an alternative to school education :)

Normal. Even now, I wouldn't show my writing to my parents or friends, but would be happy to share them with a bunch of complete strangers. Go figure :) Maybe it was on an embarrassing subject, or one she felt unconfident about...or maybe it wasn't. Writing can be personal, even when it's not about a personal subject. IME, it's often easier to share with people who have a purely 'business-like' approach and minimal investment, than to share with a relative or friend who might take a bit *too* much interest in a piece or try to be helpful with un-asked-for comment/criticism. I'd say be open to listening/reading her work, without criticism or too much intense interest, but if she doesn't want to share, then let it go, hard as that might seem. :)

nerf guns are fine - mine used to love them. Water pistols are fine, too. The public and police, here, are generally hyper-vigilant about guns and weapons. Just leaving a realistic-looking toy on the back seat of a car could cause a major incident, so if it doesn't obviously look like a toy keep it in the house! You'll find a lot of parents (particularly those with young kids) are sensitive about their kids playing with toy guns, so if you're doing playdates with other people's kids and plan to have toy guns/nerf guns available, ask beforehand if that's ok with the other parent. It makes for better parent relations! Once parents have been parenting for a few more years, they usually get over the toy gun ban, cos they realise their kids are gonna make guns out of everything anyway - at least that's was what happened to me. Then we got to designing near-lethal knex crossbows... :lol:

We outsourced some subjects because I discovered we needed to have external deadlines to keep us going. It has been especially important in subjects like physics, where I'd rather poke fingers in my eyes than read the textbook. ...Also because I'm tired, and when it stops being fun for me it stops being fun for everyone. Languages, too. Little hope of getting a child fluent and exam-ready in a language I've never studied. I figure I've done it DIY for many years, with considerable time and energy costs to me; I'm able to shake off any feelings of guilt I might feel about outsourcing this year.

"(diplomas have a bad rep, BTECs even more)" Not sure I'd agree that's true anymore. Poor reputation in the past has been mostly due to institutional and societal snobbery about academic vs. vocational qualifications There were also a few rogue, undemanding diploma courses, that weren't of any value. A couple of years ago vocational qualifications were standardised, and those that weren't rigorous were discontinued or downgraded to lower levels, so this is no longer an issue. I don't think the snobbery about vocational qualifications will ever go away, until the academics of the world realise they can't fix their plumbing with a history textbook ;) BTECs (vocational and industry specific) and A levels (purely academic) are such different qualifications, they're not easy things to compare. Level 3 BTECs have equivalent points to A levels, (the total UCAS points depend on whether BTEC students gain distinctions or merits) and fulfil the entry requirements for many universities. They seem to be very popular with employers, too, because students with BTECs have proven practical experience, not just the ability to pass exams. The trouble I find with A levels is that for a student to study a subject they enjoy, they have to study another 3 that they (often) don't enjoy. If you know what area you want to work in, BTECs are ideal :) UTC's (University Technical Colleges) are pretty new, aren't they? We've got a few springing up not far from us and I've been looking at some of the prospectuses. I wonder how many Uni's waiver or lower the entry requirements for international students. They always seem very keen to recruit them because of the fees they can charge for international students.

Yes, it can be a risk. Funding constraints mean that UK institutions often have no choice but to be strict about entry requirements, so it can be harder now to enter with less conventional qualifications than it used to be a few years ago (unless entering as a mature student).

If you want info specifically about taking exams outside of the school system in the UK, this will be your best source of information. It's compiled and maintained by UK home educators. http://he-exams.wikia.com/wiki/HE_Exams_Wiki Yes, children do GCSEs before A levels. Typically, in school, children take gcses at 16 and study A level courses (or equivalent qualification, such as BTEC) between the ages of 16 and 19. It is possible to access higher education at a later age,if a child doesn't follow the usual age/qualification route, but is often more complicated in terms of funding. Home educated children usually take IGCSEs as these are exam-only. It is difficult to take exams in practical subjects. We have to pay for all our resources and the exams, and in some areas it is very difficult to find somewhere that will accept home ed children for exams. Because of this, HE children generally take fewer subjects (5-7 compared with 9-13 subjects at school). Some HE children don't do (I)GCSEs, some take a few then move straight on to A levels, some take other routes. Only a few A level subjects are do-able at home, some require huge expense or require the specific exam knowledge from an experienced tutor, so for these reasons many HE children return to sixth form or Further Education college at age 16(ish) to study further. HE children can, technically, take (I)GCSEs at any age. Some start as young as 12 if they can find an exam willing to take them, some much later. Two of mine took their first exams at age 14. Financially and sanity-wise it has been better to take 2 subjects a year. Added: afaik GCSEs are now only available for sitting in May/June, unless they are re-takes (e.g. due to poor grade at first sitting). IGCSEs, depending on the exam board and the subject, are either offered in May/June or additionally in January/November. There are a lot of changes happening in GCSEs at the moment, with some (lesser) impact on IGCSEs. It's difficult to anticipate how the system will look in 2 or 3 years!

You'll probably want to look into Oyster cards when you get to the UK, for free/cheap London travel for the kids. I think (?) you can get them, whatever your passport nationality. London is amazing. I'm too much of a country girl to enjoy living there (too busy/dirty/noisy/frantic for me), but there are so many amazing things for kids to do and see. For e.g. 2 for 1 offers on places of interest, here, if you use the train http://www.daysoutguide.co.ukand, of course, some fab free museums. London is an expensive place to live, but there is plenty of kids' entertainment for cheap/free. I've heard great things about this park, though we've never got there as my kids are a little old for it now https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/kensington-gardens/things-to-see-and-do/sports-and-leisure/diana-memorial-playgroundA walk along Southbank to see all the performers/artists can make a nice cheap day out, too :) We used to visit London before Christmas to see the lights and some of the famous shop displays (Harrods, Hamleys toy shop etc) and to visit the open markets. It's tiring on the feet, but nicer than using the underground. Oxford isn't too far away (1.5 hr coach journey/30-45 mins on train): very do-able on public transport: loads of history there :)

Btw, truancy patrols are few and far between (there's so little funding nowadays). It's unlikely you'd get any hassle from being out-and-about during the day, though you might get question by shopkeepers, etc, as home ed isn't well known. Local authorities vary in their approach towards home edders. If you search for London Home Education yahoo groups and join up, you'll be able to ask locals about the LA in the area you're moving to. Facebook groups tend to be frequented by the newer home edders; if you want to glean info from experienced home edders, Yahoo groups, is a good place :)

Yes, in the UK the term 'homeschooling' is usually reserved for families who 'do school at home', i.e. have a very structured day and/or home educate for strict religious reasons. It doesn't always have positive connotations :) However, if you're obviously American most homeedders will understand whatever term you use :) You probably won't need a car in London for most things, as long as you're near a tube station or bus stop. Groceries: there's online shopping/delivery for the main supermarkets, even in rural areas, and I assume London is no different. In fact, you can get pretty much anything online :) But...You'll find it harder to get homeschool resources in the UK because there are far fewer home edders here and many are what you'd call unschoolers, at least until age 9 or 10. Most academic books available will be geared towards supplementing what is taught in school. You can get some items from Amazon, and there are a few UK suppliers of US currucula, but if there's a curriculum you really want, bring it with you. Are you looking at using a state or private (fee-paying) school? Fwiw, the UK school system isn't anywhere as good as most people seem to expect. Apparently it has a good international reputation, but most US folk I've known move here have been disappointed with the schools. There's a lot of pressure on schools to perform better and better. It means schools tend be very target-driven, to the detriment of the well-being of students; in state schools, in particular, there's often low teacher morale, poor funding and inadequate support for special educational needs. Hopefully, you'll have access to some good schools (if there are places), but be prepared to look beyond the glossy surface, because good rankings in the league tables and excellent Ofsted reports can sometimes be a result of teaching-to-the-test and manipulating the system to offload kids who are struggling. Obviously I'm biased, so take it with a grain of salt, but there's a good reason why home education is on the increase in the UK ;)

Agreed, it's more complex than simple theft. As I recall, the gist of the story is this: Danny's family are poor, as are most of the village. Every year the obnoxious unscrupulous wealthy landowner raises pheasants and then invites other wealthy landowners to a grand event where they shoot them for 'sport'. Danny's father comes up with a plan to poach (steal) the pheasants before the shoot, so that the event is a failure. The plan is to share any excess pheasants among the villagers. Without giving away the entire plot, let's just say that Danny takes on a heroic role, and, true-to-form, the unpleasant landowner gets his comeuppance :) Lots of moral issues to discuss around theft, class, poverty, freedom (of people and pheasants!) distribution of wealth, revenge, etc, but then it would be boring if the protagonists were perfect :) Oh, and although some get cooked, some of the pheasants fly to freedom, so that's a nice finishing touch for animal lovers ;) [We grew up in the British countryside, so pheasant rearing by 'gamekeepers' was the norm on large land estates. Pheasant, pigeon and rabbit were a good supplement to rural folk, most of whom were pretty poor. Fresh meat had some currency: we'd often be given a 'brace' (pair) of pheasants in return for favours done.]

His books can be a bit fat-ist (usual stereotypes about those who are fat/ugly/lazy etc) and I believe there were changes made to the original version of charlie and the chocolate factory because the umpa-loompas were decribed in terms that, by modern day, might be seen as racist, (personally, I think Willy Wonka is pretty weird and creepy!) but I'm not sure what else would be an issue. Yes, some have slightly dark or hard undertones, I suppose. They sometimes have a main character who is being treated in a brutal or unfair way or is suffering (e.g. through poverty), but the message in most is that good overcomes evil, the underdog wins in the end and that bad people get their comeuppances. Not unusual themes for kids' books, but without the sickly-sweet coating that modern books feel obliged to slap on. Some people just don't like his kids' books, not their taste, but I've loved reading the books to my kids. They make great read-alouds and find them a refreshing change to some kids' novels that try so hard to be age-appropriate and politically correct that they have lost the soul of telling a fun story. Why don't you read some for yourself? Most would be a quick-read for an adult. "Danny Champion of the World" is a beautiful book, very heartwarming, focusing on father and son relationships. It's also very pro home education/anti school brutality. The Giraffe, The Pelly and Me, is quite tame (probably why I don't like it as much as the others :) ) Esio Trot is also quite heartwarming, if you don't object to people telling white lies about the size of a tortoise to find love... ;) His adult literature is dark and twisted...probably an acquired taste :) Has your son read the Glass Elevator sequel to Charlie & the Chocolate Factory?

I'll second the 'Amulet' series. Dd, who was a late reader, adored them. I just wish there'd been more of them. It's been a couple of years now, but she still checks the library every time we go, just in case there's been an addition to the series.

We used mustard and cress (land cress) seeds and whatever other random seeds I had in my gardening cupboard. A small pack was enough and they grow really quick. Tbh, any small, quick-germinating seed will do, although if you're a stickler for realism I guess grass probably looks a bit more like reeds. Here in the UK, dried lentils for kitchen use are usually heat treated so won't germinate. Some store cupboard seeds might be a bit patchy on the germination, but any seeds designed for sprouting would work.

Nope. I couldn't repeat it back, either. I'm a great speller and a competent writer, but have never been able to memorise definitions for spelling rules: I simply know when something doesn't 'look right' or 'sound right' and fix it. I tried to do AAS with my dd. She was fine, but I found it impossible. Ditto learning all those little fiddly unnecessary bits for grammar: 'predicate nominative'? Ugh. My inner teen just wants to roll my eyes, fold my arms and say 'But that's soooo stupid'. <_<

Personally, if my gut was saying 'no', then I'd trust it and work through the issue further. This doesn't necessarily mean changing your plans to leave your dd at home, but perhaps instigating some extra measures. For example, perhaps a nearby neighbour/friend would be willing to drop in on her, or a study-buddy could come over to keep her company, or perhaps you could drop her off at a friend's house or the library instead. There's obviously more issues (dodgy neighbours etc) here than simply whether to leave a 13-year-old home alone. How does your dd feel about it?