Wow - that's some perspective / reality check right there. Nothing to complain about!

Thanks. Neither of these parties know each other so I'm looking for the common thread that would cause them to be this way. I think you hit the nail on the head: both of these families have an air about them (have seen it in various situations in life) in which they don't think the rules apply to them. Or generally looking for ways around the rules...or exceptions...or ways to pay their way past barriers, etc. This isn't the first time I've considered "social distancing" 😆 from them due to this kind of attitude. Not saying they're evil; these adults have many redeeming qualities and are amazing in many ways. But this attitude makes my blood boil...I think covid19 is the last straw. 🤔 ETA: Thanks for letting me vent.

Just a vent / JAWM, please: Irritated because a friend who normally has issues with boundaries has texted and called to say her children are "out of school" for the next few weeks and would we like to get together? Family member at a distance called to say the same and ask if our children would like to travel 3 hours to hang out and spend the night with cousins because they're also "out of school". I'm like: 🤨😤😡💥 What do these people not GET?! (Our state has been in lockdown.) I want to say, "Your children are 'out of school' for a REASON. And it's not to get together, go sledding, have sleepovers, or otherwise fraternize." And, lest you'd think these folks are undereducated, somehow not connected to modern technology / news, or otherwise disadvantaged in some way that would make them clueless...nope. Both upper-middle-class to wealthy, constantly on FB, and well-educated. The one strand of similarity weaving its way through things is self-centeredness. In both cases, parents spend a lot of time on themselves (travel, gym classes, etc.) and don't have much control over the kids... So maybe these people are desperate to spend time on themselves and get away from their children? They're hoping my DC can be the solution, which irks me beyond...😤 I'm beyond irritated / annoyed... Hopefully this is a safe place to share because I'm flummoxed. I haven't even replied to the call / texting yet because I just CAN'T.

This is a very entertaining (and informative) thread! Thanks! 😆 Bill, you've got a calling as a sales rep for this Neato gadget! ...I'm still wondering if and how you're making a commission off of these WTM boards! ?! 😄 ETA: M'Kay...I've read this entire thread and...wow! That was both entertaining and convincing... I'm headed off to google the Neat! Thanks!

Well, not to beat a dead horse... I posted here too: https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/696808-disinfectant-experiments-old-thread-new-link/ But I spent an inordinate amount of time on this website last night (http://www.dranniesexperiments.com/steam-mop-testing) and thinking about all of the gunk I probably bring home on my shoes from the Library...the store...the gas station... ...and the solution of steam mopping! So I really appreciate your recommendation. 😄

Even after warning myself not to get sucked in, I did end up spending a significant amount of time reading about her various experiments and studies...especially the one on the steam mop!

Yeah, I found that homageco.com website... Looks intriguing, effective...cool idea...interesting entrepreneurship...but, honestly, I'm probably not going to splash out on $44/bottle cleaner... 🤣

I had been sanitizing phones, keyboards, etc., with cotton balls and Ispopropyl Alcohol 70%, thinking that would do the trick. Even read that 70% was better than 91%, due to cell membrane ruptures vs speed of evaporation or something of that nature... 😉 After reading through her website and looking at all of those petri dishes, I'm thinking hydrogen peroxide is the way to go. How did I miss that? Why was I thinking alcohol would work well? Her experiments seem to suggest it's not much more effective than water. ?

Searching my WTM "Content I Follow" threads tonight and found this old one: It's been archived, so I can't resurrect it... But it did lead me to find this updated website (same author)... Lots of interesting info and, if anyone can turn the current crisis into a homeschool lesson, it's the people on these boards. I've been tempted to do a science unit study on this for years... http://www.dranniesexperiments.com/cleaning-product-testing/cleaning-products-page-6 Anyway, interesting site. Seems apropos as many are self-isolating and disinfecting.

I have tried: a full-body sun protection suit (sort of like a thin wetsuit; not for heat but for SPF factor)...swim leggings, rash guards, etc. I do like them for swimming in direct sun, kayaking, etc., because the sun is an issue for me. If I were swimming in ocean, I'd use a wetsuit, but that's pretty restrictive for a pool. I've noticed some people using compression suits; not sure about those. This is just my experience: the leggings, rashguards, etc. don't necessarily keep you warmer (maybe a bit) and they create a lot of drag. Interestingly, I have noticed the rashguards really seem to lock in body heat on a hot day / direct sun - sometimes to the point of overheating. It seems like the best results (for me - everyone's different) have been to warm up for 10 minutes and then swim at a pretty good pace for an hour. The cold sets in when you: stop too long, have your shoulders out of the water while you rest on the wall, stop and have your head / shoulders out in the wind, get out for any reason. If I have to stop, I tread water, at least, to keep body temp up or I just swim at a slower pace to keep going. Once your body temp is up, you can swim a pretty long workout without getting cold. But getting out into cold temps, wind, etc. - your body temp drops pretty quickly. Take a hot shower afterwards! Some people like parkas. All of the above is for a heated pool in light snow, an unheated pool in a bit warmer temps... So YMMV depending on how cold it is where you live! Other times I've swum in really cold lakes and it's not the same story; those times I had to get out a lot sooner--

I've never seen the heating cables - cool idea. I think you have a lot more snow / ice than we do if you've got to think about "crush protection"! ❄️ When we use the heating mats in the garage, we try to place the seedlings near the window for natural light and then hang a shop light over them so they don't get too leggy (searching for the light).

Sounds like we live in a milder area, but I have a similar set-up to what you've described. The past few winters, I plug in a strand of old Christmas lights (large bulbs). Just one strand emits enough heat to keep everything alive and I feel like maybe (?) it doesn't pose as great a fire risk as heat lamps, so I'm not concerned about having it set up next to the house. The one thing to keep in mind is the bulbs *cannot* be the newer LED style, because those don't emit enough heat. Also, have you heard of a heat mat? We use one under our seedlings and it both gets them germinating faster and keeps them warm enough (in a garage without heat). Happy Gardening!

Just reviewed the thread and saw the 10 Commandments...Love those!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks!!!!! 👏❤️ I'm going to print those out for a quick glance and a good laugh when I'm planning each week! 😆

Would you be willing to elaborate? We've done school year-round a couple of different summers. I thought there was less review, better retention, more gain than the summer we took entirely off (don't think we'll try that again - just lost too much momentum; had to do more review than I'd like)... Mulling the idea of a light schedule this summer that would include math and some of the cool things we're not getting to before June. How did the calendar-school thing help for high school?

Not to sound harsh or flippant, but it seems like, for all / most? homeschoolers, at some point, one is either going to "sink or swim". The person in charge (usually but not always Mom) has to make the decision to just persevere and make it happen. Perhaps this looks different if a person has a ton of support (DH who is involved in academic details, MIL who takes on part of teaching, $$ to outsource subjects, etc.)? Not to get too far off the topic... Just musing about those who "make it" or continue to persevere in the face of all the insecurities and anxieties and initial process OP has described. I'm not entirely sure how I made it through the part OP is describing... I didn't have anyone like OP to bounce things off of. These boards were a ***humongous*** help (thank you!) and I think sheer doggedness and desire to provide some very specific things (academics, faith formation, homelife) to DC were keys. (My brain's not fully awake...not sure I'm writing this clearly--)

Another request: Any chance you'd be willing to post? I'm so intrigued! ******* FWIW, I've been homeschooling for 7 years and drove my DH nuts for the first 2-ish years. He's had to cut me off many times over the years. 😆 Actually, he had to stop me on a regular basis until about 2 years ago. What you said about the possibility of her DH not being "available" in that way and you filling in rings true. Very patient guy. Same scenario happened with a friend of mine...we discussed homeschooling for years...I wrote out, linked, emailed, discussed, listened to and provided a ton of ideas and suggestions...all the ins and outs...all the details and what ifs... Her DH was not interested on a detailed level. It all ramped up the summer before they pulled DC out of school... I was happy to help my friend and she has good boundaries, so I never felt inundated. She didn't know and homeschoolers and didn't have much support in the decision (same way I started out). They homeschooled for a few months and then returned to PS. I tried to detach myself emotionally from the whole process and tried to remain an objective / non-judgy supporter of what would be best for their family. But on some level, I'm a bit sad / miffed because I think they could have gotten so much out of the journey and repaired some of the social / behavioral issues that are cropping up with DC due to the PS environment. I have to let it all go and not regret the sheer number of hours spent "coaching"... The friendship is built on many things, so it will remain strong. It's probably natural to feel a bit disappointed when you pour out over time and the ideas / discussions don't come to fruition or aren't put to use / real life...

A little off the topic, but here is something I'm switching to, when possible--Mason jars with plastic caps (to freeze soup, broth, pasta sauce, etc.): https://www.amazon.com/Plastic-24-Pack-Bundle-Unlined-Ribbed/dp/B076VTY6XS/ref=sr_1_63?keywords=lids&qid=1581745515&sr=8-63 Obviously won't work for all things, but they'll fit on any large-mouth jar. I've been using them on these short jars for hummus and individual lunch servings that can be reheated: https://www.amazon.com/Jarden-Half-Pint-8-Ounces-12-Count-1-Case/dp/B0000BYD0F/ref=sr_1_22?keywords=mason+jar+short&qid=1581745672&s=home-garden&sr=1-22 You can also use 4-oz jars with narrow (regular) lids like the ones above for really small servings of things / dressing / etc.

Meh...I've had a set of silicone lids for about a year. They were fairly cheap on Amazon (<$8 / set). They work really well if they're the right size for a given bowl; some tight enough that you could transport them. But like Farrar said, there are some that don't seem to go with any of my bowls (?). Those are worthless; a plate is better--can't transport. I don't know if it's just our family, but when we all use a cooler bag, things get all jumbled by the end of our day / outing. I wouldn't trust the silicone lids to not leak, so we use Tupperware-type / Snapware-type stuff on the go. In the same predicament here...love Pyrex...lids always crack. I was just thinking the other day that some company will eventually make a fortune selling replacement Pyrex lids at an affordable price point. The Pyrex replacement lids are exorbitant...you could almost just buy an entire set (including the glass) at those prices--

I hope you don't mind, I PM'd you? Had a few questions but didn't want to derail this whole thread or start a new one, necessarily. I'm not online throughout the day, but I will check back in at some point during the week.

Just checking in to say that I read quite a few posts on this blog...and loved them! Well-written and thought-provoking. Best info / perspective I've seen or heard on the subject. {Humorously]: You sound like some kind of homeschooling superhero! 😄 Next time someone makes a comment that I'm ambitious for choosing to homeschool or remarks that we do rigorous schooling, I'm going to think of the lady who set out to do 50 labs in 8 weeks! 😄 That's just on some other level! Thanks for giving a glimpse... After reading those blog posts, it was just toooo tempting... I set out to...duhn, duhn, duhn...dare I say it? Make the perfect loop schedule! 😉 {Hopefully not another exercise in futility or madness!} This time, it will work, right?

OP, re-reading your original post and wondering how things are going? Just a few thoughts from the outside, not really knowing exactly what your household / homeschool looks like...just mulling: - You are working with a large swath of ages (even if you graduated your eldest and aren't working at that level right now, I would think mentally swapping back to Kinder would take some time and grace to to adjust)...that in itself (various ages) seems like it would take a lot of energy? - The chem thing sounds rigorous and like it would take a ton of energy? I find that when we dive in on something to that level, I don't bring the same quality or level of energy to other subjects. There is only so much to go around in a given day. Diving in can be a good thing; just pointing out that you might not be on your "A game" in all areas while you are devoting that much time + energy to that specific subject? Perhaps you'll feel differently if/when you complete your plans with the labs? - Our daily must-do is Math. It's our first year using Beast Academy and, while I think it is rich, good, interesting, and I'm happy overall with it...it is challenging for my DD11. It takes a lot of time and energy on my part to keep her going at a good pace. Some of this might be developmental. Part of it is related to her personality and habits that we're working on (perseverance; tackling the hard stuff first). But it just doesn't feel like a subject that is easily "checked off" this year. It's the opposite for my DD8 with BA; she's happily, easily progressing. Anyway, I guess I'm saying that, at certain points in time, certain subjects just take a lot of energy, regardless of the reasons. That = less energy, less time to put towards other subjects for all of us. Don't know if any of that resonates for your chem plans in relation to all the other subjects you have listed-- - Also wanted to add that I think I'm finding it easier to take a list of subjects like you have listed in your loop and just have a mental goal of completing them X times per week. So, for example, Grammar: 2-3x/week. Another example: I'm currently teaching a block of Art with our co-op, so we're diving in on that subject in a big way, even though it looks like 1x/week on paper. When the block is finished and we go on to a different subject with the group, I'll have to mentally make sure Art doesn't get lost in the mix. On a practical level, these goals of getting X done X times per week looks like me taking time every weekend to think / review / plan / look big-picture and write out everything on one piece of paper, then write out each student's individual assignment sheet per day. It takes less time than it sounds (<1 hour) and is easy/cheap with printer paper and spiral notebooks ( https://readaloudrevival.com/spiral-notebooks/). I've gone through rotations of making my own complex planning sheets in Excel, planning things with folders, making loop schedules, etc....what I'm doing seems to be the only thing that works consistently for me without being high-maintenance... I've thought / read about what others have done in OneNote or online apps...but I don't want to go digital. Though I keep refining and searching to see if I can find new ways to do things better--

I guess I've been on the forums over the last few weeks (many times) but didn't log in...Just saw this. Thank you! I'll check it out and dive in for a bit to see what I can learn! Every year (for 6-8 years or so--starting in the preschool years with "Year 0") I print off Ambleside Online's "Year X" for each student, pull read-aloud titles from it that go with what we're studying, and review it throughout the year, checking off what we do. Love that site! We never finish a year and I keep all of the years printed and even go forward or backward, seeing what we might pick up. Hope that makes sense? I learned early on, however, that I couldn't follow AO's "Years" exclusively because, well... we are eclectic in that I weave in a ton of varied "strands" into our homeschool: Classical (writing, grammar, penmanship, math), Waldorf-ish in a couple of targeted areas, always with delight-directed strands woven throughout, "tidal" in certain seasons in terms of intensity and pace, focusing on a couple of unit studies each year that culminate in field trips, some homemade/home-written assignments when I just can't find what I'm looking for...with a dash of taking advantage of awesome learning opportunities when they come along - usually science opportunities or fine arts due to the nature of our lives... In addition, we're part of an independent, private co-op that gets into really rich studies, so sometimes my best-laid plans (Ambleside, for example) take a backseat for a bit of time to capitalize on opportunities (usually science-or-history-based field trips / studies)...I circle back around to those AO titles at some point and our non-schooly parts of life look a lot like the CM approach, so we're not lacking in that part (nature study, etc.). Also part of a public charter so there are requirements and assignments with due dates... And outsourced a few "a la carte" classes to a private program with good results one year (may return to those at some point)...that year, the volume of work was more Classical / traditional in nature, so my AO titles and ideas had to take a backseat or play a minor role... I won't go into exactly what all this looks like; I don't want to bore you or get too far off the topic of loop scheduling. Overall, I'm really happy, 7 years in, with what this has accomplished. There are times I just want to throw up my hands and do the checkbox approach, in which I'd follow some -- one! simple! even containing a loop schedule! -- curriculum out there. The reality is, I know myself and my kiddos...there is no "one thing" out there that ties all of our *best learning strands* together. Looping back around to loop schedules 😉🙄 ...I think everything I've described here is probably why those neat little loop schedules I've typed up at the beginning of a new schoolyear are just destined to fail. Love the concept, but, with this many moving parts, I just have to keep returning to my standby, which is to write out assignment sheets each day, and keep mentally checking in with our various "loops". I'm not really satisfied with that - feels a bit like surfing, with constant balancing and adjusting, looking for good waves, reacting to what comes up - but it's what is working right now. If I want to keep this really-textured tapestry going, that's what it looks like scheduling-wise.

Listening in because this is exactly what I run into every time we try a loop schedule too. Love the theory; can't make it work in reality. It's possible I have too many items on my loop list. Hope you can update with more info as you try more tweaking--

While many "oldschoolers" (not even sure there's a precise definition here) dismiss the whole charter school / co-op, group learning concept, what-have-you-that's-not-kitchen-table... My experience - in my specific locale (rural, small town, limited job opportunities being created / dying industry) - is that there is a segment of highly-motivated, sacrificial parents who are doing whatever they can do to homeschool on a really limited budget. I guess, by many here in this thread, they'd be labeled as: "newbies" (starting now or within the last 5 years), "looking for free stuff", "doing little DIY", etc. But what I see beyond that (again, personal and up-close experience in that I worked with them / their children on a regular basis - not just anecdotal), is that there's a pretty big divide: either people "have" and can enroll their children in every cool sport and activity out there for social contact, pay for tutoring, world-school, order whatever expensive curriculum they want to hop to at the moment... And there are those who "have not", who are strapped to make ends meet, maybe work part-time, need the support of some charter school resources (basic curriculum, teacher experience, etc.), putting available $ into the basics of supporting a family. There are very few cheap / free options for these newbies to become established or to be "sheltered" as they try to get a foothold. And while, yes, it would be great if they could create those communities themselves (like the oldschoolers were forced to do), it seems they're already pushed to their limits just to provide and get school done. I'm describing a segment of new homeschoolers who are not looking for "free/cheap/easy" because they're lazy or entitled, but who are looking for free/cheap, because that's the only way they're going to be able to homeschool. They are also a segment of people who are crunched for time (like everyone else), so it's wise that they don't waste time reinventing the wheel and, instead, put that energy into working with LD issues or providing for their families. My hunch is that many of these "have nots" would just not have homeschooled in the past, period. Their kids might have been under-served in the local public school system (a percentage are proactively dealing with LDs) or they might have just muddled through. And I'm not suggesting that "oldschoolers" were all "haves"; I know many (most?) were not wealthy and sacrificed much to homeschool and create curriculum. Despite not being able to "pay-to-play" or to curriculum hop / buy the new-fangled stuff out there, these newbies are working hard to find a good fit academically for their children. It's not an easy spot. I am describing many families I can think of, off the top of my head, who are making an earnest attempt to do the best they can for their kids, though not bringing many material resources to the table. The pay-to-play way of today makes it very hard on them to take part socially. I fear many will not persevere. The charter school model, at least where I live, offers a way to work with others while being open to the public - for free. In those folks' defense (and I'm talking about dozens of families here locally, not just a handful), I'd like to say, "Throw them a bone!" They're using charters, co-ops, pre-made curriculum, etc., but I don't see them necessarily abusing the homeschooling foundations of yesteryear. I'm glad they're taking the options they have and making something of them vs. letting their kids flounder in a system that's not working for them. It may not be the Ideal, but it's better than the alternative. What would you prefer? I probably didn't get enough sleep last night and shouldn't even post this. It's kind of vent-y; I do apologize. I am a little sick of the entitled tone in some of these threads. Be thankful for what you have. Some of us have much; some of us have little. We all have the freedom and free will to make the most of what we have. Some (not all) of that freedom was secured by those oldschoolers of yesteryear, and, for them, I'm thankful. But to those of you who look down your nose at people who don't follow your exact path up the mountain...ugh. Reach down and help those newbies up--at least those who are open and searching. Don't just lump them together and dismiss them as a whole. Try not to become jaded by snippets of conversations and awkward responses you get from people who are starting out. There are plenty of people in the world who are users; just as many old as new, just as many users who are wealthy as those who are poor, so those types are always going to suck time / energy out of any community or willing body. I hope all of you "oldies" (and at year #7, I consider myself pretty "unseasoned"; doing a lot with an oldschool approach) will continue to open your hearts and share your passion and what you've gleaned with the new generations coming into homeschooling*. I have gotten so much from the people (especially veterans) on these boards and I'm thankful for all the wisdom that's been made available here. The uphill trudge would have been much harder without it; my family and I have benefited. If ya'll just close your doors because of a segment that's entitled, lazy, etc....what a loss for the world! *However "homeschooling" is being defined...🙄😏

Seconding the recommendation for Reflex Math by Explore Learning. The $35/year is steep enough to cause pause for me...But my kids have been wild about it! Like actually asking for / hoping / wishing Mom would spring for it. As in, completely self-motivated to jump on, first thing in the morning... I actually have to say, "OK, I think it's about time to wrap things up for today." (I should add that DC do not have access to screens or any other video-type game playing on a regular basis, so this could be part of the draw.) We don't do much (any other?) online learning, but I saw what it did for my older DD, now using for my younger DD and seeing rapid progress. I love that I can log in as the educator and get a ton of stats / feedback on which fact families she is fluent with. "Fluency" is defined in this program by answering any given fact in less than 3 seconds. Of course, my eventual goal is faster than that - rote memorization. I'm convinced that DD1 built a great fact foundation with this program that is carrying her more easily through higher math today. I will continue to use a variety of methods (Singapore mental math "strips", manipulatives, Ten Frame, rods, dice, playing card games, various board games, etc.), but, for the time I can allot to math facts each day, Reflex is well worth the cost...and it definitely *gets done* every day, which would, sadly, be more than I could say, if I were directing each math fact myself. ETA: Reflex offers a free 30-day trial, so one can see how it works and get a feel for it before making a decision. They also have good customer service. Geez, I sound like I'm paid to promote their service (I'm not).