I am so sorry that your daughter and you are dealing with this too. The dark thoughts and self loathing that come with PMDD are absolutely terrifying. DD's doctor increased her ssri 6 weeks ago and there has been no improvement. I'm hoping to get her back in next week to discuss birth control. Has the improvement for you dd with the bc lasted? Thank you for sharing. It means a lot.

I can't remember the acronym for when you post a rant and don't want advice, but this is that. Dd14 has always been extremely intense and difficult. She has been anxious and explosive from the beginning. She was our first so I didn't realize for a long time that our day to day struggles were so different from other people's. She was put on medication 2 1/2 years ago, usually is seeing a therapist, etc. We now think she has anxiety, depression, and PMDD which takes things from difficult to terrible 10 days a month. It is so freaking exhausting. Daily panic attacks, constant meltdowns, and an intense neediness with me. I try so freaking hard all the time and it feels like things will never get better. I am so worn out but I feel like I can't even talk to my friends about it because it is old news, repetitive, and makes me a drag. I avoid talking to friends sometimes because I have nothing good to say but don't want to pretend things are ok. It feels so freaking unfair that things are so hard. I know the world doesn't work that way, but I feel it anyway. I give her all I have all the time and it is never enough. I don't know how she will ever function on her own and that adds heavily to my guilt and grief. The sort of funny thing is that she is incredibly charming, funny, and extroverted so most people have no idea that she struggles at all or what a hell our life is sometimes. I don't know what I want from this post. I think I just needed to tell some other moms how I am struggling. Thank you for listening and please do not quote.

Holding her and baby in my thoughts.

How do you find these things Terabith?!? And how can this be so bizarre and so sweet at the same time?!?

Thank you so much for taking the time to process. I am hoping to do the equivalent of two credits-one history and one literature. Ideally I would use something like beautiful feet, but their religious perspective doesn't work for us so I'm trying to find another option. I will check these out! The History of the Medieval World is another option I'm considering, but I think my 14 year old might be a little resistant to such an large volume. I'm going to order a copy though and give it a closer look. Maybe a textbook with illustrations and maps would be another option? Making history interesting has been one of my favorite parts of homeschooling and I want to keep that going.

I would be very curious to see your list anyway if it is convenient!

This is AMAZING! Thank you!

Have you done a year of Medieval History for High School? What did you use? I'd ideally like to do something literature/living book based with a spine, but am open to textbooks too. We prefer non religious materials but are willing to adapt some materials. Thanks!

The History of the Medieval World looks amazing but like too much for my 9th grader. I think she would find it very intimidating.

The challenge is that I want a a literature based study of Medieval History and that just doesn't seem to exist unless it is religious. I find that super annoying.

Do you know of any other Medieval History curriculums for High School? I refuse to read the D'Aulaires bio books, but we do love their mythology books.

We are considering doing Beautiful Feet Medieval history this year. One of the books is The World of Columbus and Sons by Foster. I have no experience with this book but the title makes me think it is going to take a Columbus is a hero perspective. Has anyone read it and have any feedback to share? Or a suggestion for an alternative book to cover the same topic/time frame? We are looking for materials for a 10 year old and an 11 year old. Thanks!

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and musings. I am going to have dh read the responses too so we can discuss. I am thinking this may not be worth the battle. The goal would be just go get her used to a classroom setting, but it seems like that may be less necessary than I've been viewing it. She is definitely asserting her independence and we have enough other issues to butt heads on. Lol I am going to look around a bit at online classes and explore that idea.

Yes to this! That is where I am getting hung up! I don't want to reinforce this anxiety. A classroom will be in her future eventually.

Yes, I've been thinking about this. If she doesn't do a public school class than I will probably sign her up for another virtual class to work on those skills and accountability. We are also working on the anxiety part but that is an ongoing (possibly life long) project. I struggle because I worry that by not making her take the class I am not making her face/manage her anxiety and that could make it harder down the road.

Yes, I agree that her stereotype is off based. She has mostly hung out with homeschoolers and then had a bad expert in a youth group of public school kids and is generalizing that to all public school children which is problematic.

Hello! My dd14 is going into 9th grade. She has been homeschooled her whole life and struggles with intense anxiety. We have just moved to a state where homeschoolers can take 1 or 2 classes a semester at the public schools. My dh and I thought in 10th we would like her to take chemistry at the public school and so this year we would have dd take a fine arts class to get her feet wet. DD is extremely resistant and doesn't want to take any public school classes. She says she doesn't want anything to do with public school social dynamics and prefers homeschoolers who she sees as kinder and more mature. So what do I do with that? Do we make her do it which will create a lot of drama and anxiety (at least for the first few months) or drop it? What would you do? My siblings and I were all homeschooled but did take a few community college courses in high school. I feel like some classrooms experience is helpful. Can I have her be prepared for college without that? Are there any good online chemistry classes that are comparable to being in person? Thank you for your thoughts.

I'm not sure about your direct question, but will say that my grandparents wanted to write my aunt out of their will. They were informed by their lawyer that if they did that my aunt could contest the will. They ended up leaving her $500 and then she couldn't contest it. That is something to look into to be on the safe side.

Thank you all so much for your ideas! I knew the hive would come to my rescue! A tongue piercing is a hard no from me, but a lot of the other ideas are super intriguing! I especially love the ear cuff, funky jewelry, and doc martens ideas. I'm going to wait until she brings it up again, but now I feel like I have something to offer to the discussion. Thank you all so much!!

This is a great idea! I will suggest that for sure!!

It is hard for me to tell. I can't seem to find a good source, only vague directions not to swim until the wound is healed which in cartilage could take up to a year. That seems crazy to me.

Why didn't I think of an ear cuff?!?

That is too crazy for me! LOL

Edgy is her word. That is something her peer group is interested in I guess. I'll take other ideas too! lol

My dd14 had her ears pierced a few years ago and it didn't go well. She lost an earing early on and couldn't get it back in. She had them repierced and it wasn't done right and created a lot of scar tissue. This is a BIG deal to her. She wants to get a cartilage piercing. I am not necessarily opposed, but she desperately wants it AND is anxious that as a swimmer, she won't be able to swim for half a year or so while it heals. This is a ongoing obsession/debate and wearing us all out. So...is there anything she could do that would be edgy but not a piercing that I can suggest? She has a side of her head shaved already. Thank you for brainstorming with me.