I just saw this and am coming in late, but my eldest son acquired his second word at 18 months. By 20 months we had "bye bye", "doggie" and "papa" (My dad. At three he was still using a handful of single words. Two things helped. One was sign language. He gained a few good concept words that way. The other was Kindermusik. He blossomed in Kindermusik. It turns out that he's highly visual and when I taught him to read (at four) he became a fluent (though for a while awkward) speaker. The experience got him in touch with his learning style in a big way. He was also very late to acquire mathematics skills in the elementary years. Fast forward. He's a mathematics major at a local college, no interventions, has a girlfriend and a tribe of gaming friends. He's smart. More importantly, he's happy. And he's considering teaching math for visual learners. He is probably borderline hyperlexic/autistic but has never crossed the line into a diagnosis. I need to update my profile picture.... he's the top kid on the picture stack, but that photo is very old. He has a beard now. :)

If you have filed the correct paperwork and been denied for a homebirth, just call your state rep ASAP. I had trouble with my youngest's passport because he is adopted from South Korea. We submitted the technically correct paperwork but it wasn't what they wanted. Turns out what they wanted was the sealed adoption decree from his US adoption (Korean adoptions at the time were finalized in the US, the decree was sealed as if it were a domestic adoption.... no point in that, but they did it anyway). I called my state rep and had a passport in the mail by the end of the week. :) Good luck to you! Tara

Knossos is amazing! So, really, was Athens. Since your kids, are still young, I think it would be a good idea to keep the ruins to Athens and Knossos. Spend a day on the islands, just for the sake of island relaxation. Santorini is beautiful, smallish, friendly and on the top of an awesome volcano! You can stand in town and look over the caldera. I think if I were traveling with little kids, I'd shoot for two days (or so, travel between being a factor) in each of Athens, Crete/Knossos, and Santorini. If I had time for one more, I'd add Rhodes. Its a spectacular medieval walled city. Not all history in Greece is ancient. I traveled in 2012 with my then 15 year old son on an organized academic tour. Best trip ever. Enjoy!

My eldest considered both and I have taught students who are alumni of both. Both are small, conservative, rather Reformed Presbyterian schools. Both are overwhelming homogeneous in their demographics. Very small town conservative and (well for lack of a better word) white. Grove City is academically more rigorous. For the money, its a better education. I would be thrilled to send one of my children there, although my eldest (very rightly) discerned that it was not the place for him. They are building a robotics program that I hope my second son will investigate. They have fascinating lecturers on campus and a history of community involvement. Grove City, you have already seen, does not accept federal funding. They keep tuition reasonably affordable, so the middle class families are set, those who would qualify for serious aid will avoid them, and those who could afford tuition outright see them as a bargain. Grove City's admissions process is highly selective. Seriously. I also find that Grove City alumni can be a little big arrogant. They are not always the most teachable seminarians, but always very capable. Their work is good but its like talking to a wall. Limited sample size, admittedly. Geneva is a little more diverse (a little) than Grove City but still requires mandatory chapel, so the student body is overwhelmingly Protestant of the conservative stripe. Geneva is set in a more grungy little town (think Pittsburgh mill town that hasn't quite recovered, but don't think slum.... Beaver Falls has a lot going for it) with a tiny but awesome Korean restaurant across the street (this was a factor in my son's consideration of colleges). Its telling though that the Korean restaurant gets very little student business. Again, pretty homogenous place. Geneva has merit scholarships that bring tuitiion into the range of Grove City. Admissions are a lot easier at Geneva, but be aware that Geneva is really struggling to stay afloat right now. No imminent danger, but they cut five majors last year. As a parent, I considered that a concern. Geneva's atmosphere is a little more relaxed than Grove City's. Both are extremely homeschool friendly. My son decided not to apply to Grove City and did apply to Geneva (and was admitted with scholarship). He would have been happy to attend Geneva and he has friends at both schools (and all their parents seem really happy with their decisions). (My son opted for a catholic college.) Hope that helps! Tara

Isaac is thriviing socially, spiritually, and academically! He's keeping his A in math (his major) and a handy B in Spanish (his highest anxiety course) and the rest seems to be chugging along. Great roommate, too, who is also a homeschool grad and whose family lives on the other side of the city. Congrats to all the other thriving freshmen I'm seeing on the list. Here's to a great four years!

We were asked by almost every college Isaac considered to provide state approved or third party transcript. When I gently replied that those serves were optional and fee-paid services and we had chosen not to subscribe to them, every single college replied with "okay then, send us what you've got." We had no problems with admissions and he is currently attending his first choice school. Some schools will be a pain in the butt about this, but the smaller schools generally seem pretty open to whatever you want to send. If ACT/SAT confirms the transcript, no problem at all. In fact both schools Isaac applied to admitted him and offered him GPA based scholarship money based on his transcripts alone. Do, however, make sure your transcripts look professional. It helps if they are looking at what they expect to see. Tara

My son has to work on "The Science Project of DOOM" this summer. Seventh grade is all about TSPoDOOM! And just when parents breathe a sigh of relief, the "continuation plan" comes out and it turns out they have to carry it over into eight grade with deliverables over the summer too. *beats head on keyboard* Other than that, our school assigns summer reading (two books for each grade and projects due the first day of school) and some science thing or another (project o'Doom, for seventh and eighth graders) over the summer. They assign too much homework there, but my middle child does best with less free time on his hands, which is why he's the one I no longer homeschool.

Our oldest was a very late talker and a very early reader. Some of our friends were homeschooling (and I thought they were crazy) but I didn't see how he could make things work in a kindergarten classroom, so we gave it a whirl. Every year was "do what works." He was very unbalanced in his learning early on, took me three years to teach him to add, but he read at a second grade level by his fifth birthday. What worked was homeschooling, and somehow, year by year, we seem to have moved on from a kindergartener who can't add to a young man planning to major in mathematics. He graduates homeschool next weekend. His next brother had a bumpier ride with homeschooling and I felt he fell through the cracks. He began school (private) in sixth grade and will remain there for now. Its what works. Brother three has thus far been homeschooled.

I have always been absolutely committed to my kids starting Algebra I in 8th grade so that they are not held back in sciences that have math requirements and so that they have time to take Calculus in high school. Until this year. My eldest is a senior, taking Calculus, and despite years of struggles in math through 8th grade, he loves it and wants to major in math in college. And guess what, the college suggests that they start in Calculus I even if they have AP credit to excuse them from it. So after all these years of getting ahead in Calculus, he starts in Calculus I next year. Now of course he'll have an advantage in Calc I. But he's no more ready for it or ahead of the class than he'd be if he took Pre-Calc this year. And the extra year doesn't matter in the sciences, though two would. So if your kid isn't ready for 8th grade Algebra I... DO NOT SWEAT IT! Disclaimer, I'm a total hypocrite, because I am still pushing kid #2 into 8th Grade Algebra I. But that's because he is my serious STEM kid and because if he is allowed to slip into "review" mode he will totally stop learning anything. And kid #3 is math advanced. See, hypocrite. But really, if your kid isn't ready, it isn't worth the fuss.

Our dog is not keen on the rabbits at all. But since the dog is elderly (or as we say "past his expiration date"... he just keeps ticking and no one knows how or why) and arthritic and the rabbits are based upstairs, it works. I have seen a lot of families do rabbits and dogs or cats together with no problem. Our dog, sweet though he is, won't play along on the rabbit thing. Oh well. Rabbits are great pets, though, and don't have to free range all the time, so they can be kept apart if all does not go well in mixing them with other pets. Rabbits do like a lot of attention and/or a second rabbit to keep company with. We have two rabbits so all is well. Still, one of the rabbits has sore hocks right now and since they aren't sore enough to hurt her, she's loving the extra attention she gets out of the deal. Oy!

I would not bother coaching your son for specific questions. I would encourage him in how he presents himself generally. Is he comfortable in his own skin? Creative? A vibrant addition to the community? Obviously he should be able to talk about his schooling and his hobbies and volunteer work. But other than that, he should relax, be himself. The very best advice I can give (as a mother of one already admitted to college and having formerly worked in a college admissions office) is to let him take the lead, parents stay out of the way. AND tied with that for best advice is to ASK questions in the interview. It shows the interviewer that he's done his homework on the school and is genuinely interested.

A lot of schools will let you visit, take a month free (or a lesson), etc. That might help him get an idea of what art he wants to study. I would be wary of any school where the head instructor did not seem accessible. My family has taken Taekwondo for years. My husband is a master instructor, and my eldest son and I are both second degree black belts (though I no longer practice as my hips are aging badly). Things I would look for: 1. A school which encourages all students, not just the athletic ones. Fifty year old out of shape women, kids with disabilities, really little guys. All of these are good signs that the school is healthy. One of my favorite people at my son's school is an adult black belt with Downs Syndrome. Sweet guy, but he's also very fully integrated into the class, which says a lot. 2. The head instructor teaches the white belts. Look for a school where even the low belts have great teachers and you can be sure of the same with the high belts. That's a school that cares about teaching. 3. Junior black belts assist with the classes. Schools that care about raising up leaders will be a place you want to be. 4. Schools that will tell you where to get a good deal on equipment. Most schools sell pads, boards, etc. But some schools offer those things as a convenience (yay) and others will nickel and dime you to death! Our master instructor knew we got our breaking boards half price online, no secrets there. He also didn't mind when not everyone's gear matched the school logo gear. We did all have school uniforms, that's expected, but not everything had to come through the school. Every school will tell you about their champions, but look carefully for the environment they are building. If there is a lot of teaching about respect, the culture behind the art, family, etc. you'll be a lot happier with the overall instruction. And don't overlook your local YMCA. A lot of good instructors go there to teach when they are just starting out on their own.

Probably more and more in all homes with teenage boys, though I understand the concern about race. Quick question, does he have a driver's license or other photo ID? Even if a cop does stop on patrol and inquire, a respectful tone and the ability to produce an ID when requested will likely deflect a lot of tensions. Even if he doesn't drive, it might be good for him to have a state issued ID if he is going to be walking around after dark. Might make you feel better, too. Other than that, he definitely needs to call you to say he's on the way so you can watch for him and so he can get in if you had chained that door. Silly boy, he should realize sleeping outside isn't fun. And that would arouse suspicions!

I'm not in Springfield, but I am friends with some folks at All Saints Anglican Church in Springfield... they have a lovely program for homeschoolers there to have a classroom experience for part of their day. I forget what ages they teach, but I think they are small kids. Very worth checking out. The director of the school is a wonderful lady who really cares about creative teaching and supporting homeschoolers. :) Your PSA of the day. If I lived in Springfield, I'd be involved with their work. Great stuff.

Sounds like a fun trip! We did this last summer and loved it! A camper would ride fine, its mostly big flat open spaces out there. We flew into Las Vegas and rented a van. It is a lot of road between any two points so plan on lots of riding time. There are some neat things though between points, if you explore. We went from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam. LV and the Dam were hotter than an inferno, 107 degrees that day with a hot wind blowing across the dam. But really it was a delight! Mostly because it was unusual for us easterners! Then we made as much road time in the evening as we could and stopped in Williams AZ (hotel... I don't camp!) which is a cute town about 45 minutes from the Grand Canyon and on Route 66. Gotta love Route 66 at Williams! Any closer to the canyon and you will need to plan on camping. Also on Route 66 further east is a big ol' crater made by a meteor impact. We saw a sign and went on a whim. I swear the kids liked it better than the Grand Canyon. Yeesh! We also went to Four Corners National Monument, which is pricey now that the Reservation charges admission. Not worth doing unless it is a lifelong dream to stand in four states at once. Cortez Colorado is a stopping place for Mesa Verde. I would say Mesa Verde is a don't miss.... a bit further east than is on your itinerary, but stunning and counts for a school day! I would rather die a million deaths than take a camper up there, though, that is very twisty turny. Even in our rented van, my husband was sure we were going to die! Also not a place if you get altitude sickness at all. ever. The cliff dwellings are astonishing, though and very worth the days adventure. Arches is amazing! Its a few hours north west of Mesa Verde and a lovely drive most of the way. Not as many gas stations as you'd like (a constant problem out west) but quaint and you get a feel for the land. Once you're at Arches the Canyonlands by Night River Cruise is incredible fun for the whole family just outside the park in Moab UT, includes dinner and cowboy games and they're really lovely with the kids. Also they have a ton of hummingbirds that hang out there, so if the only Hummer you've ever seen is a Ruby Throat, you're in for a treat. I think theirs are Black Chinned Hummingbirds. Maybe some Rufous hummingbirds, too. Take a jacket as the canyon gets cool at night, but don't miss that tour! Moab is a cute town, too... great place to stay. Our final national park was supposed to be Black Canyon of the Gunnison, but by the time we got to Montrose CO, we were parked out and skipped it. We have friends in Montrose so we just took an extended stay there before driving across the Rockies into Denver to visit our godchildren. Anyway, I think you'll have a splendid vacation. I would limit to 3 parks, though, and budget time for road travel and side trips. Keep your schedule loose and explore a lot. Have fun!