Thank you for asking this question. DD16 has been looking into the same fields, library science and information science. It fits her interests, personality, and skills. However, we do have concerns about the lack of job opportunities in these fields. Certainly, there are plenty of articles/blogs/discussion boards about the LACK of jobs in library science, even with excellent education and experience qualifications. That's why DD started investigating information science. It just seems like there is so much more data/information available these days that there would be lots of opportunities for careers in information science. However, I have yet to find evidence that these jobs are readily available.

:iagree: Yes. We have a couple subscriptions to magazines and pay very little ($10/year Time, free promotion for a year of Smithsonian). I do pay quite a bit for a few higher quality kid magazines (Muse, Cricket, Cicada) on subscription.

DD enjoyed "Discovering Music" by Professor Carol - http://www.professorcarol.com/

IMHO, you are fully responsible here, legally and morally, as you were the adult present and in supervision. I'd pay it and not say a word to the child's parents.

DD did both Kid Coder books and followed it up with several units (tracks) of the Code Academy. I had intended to use Teen Coder after Kid Coder but she was hitting some snags near the end of Kid Coder. DD says that if you get stuck with Code Academy, they offer enough help for you to figure it out. With Kid Coder, if you get stuck, there is no way to get unstuck.

You can buy boxes of them for a dollar or two at many government sales/auctions.

No, its a regular single family home in a suburb. Also, our fee is going to a private fire response company, not to the state.

If you live where you pay an annual fee to subscribe for fire response, would you share how much you pay? I realize that most cities/towns have it included in their taxes so you don't really know how much is going to pay for fire coverage. However, I'm outside the city and pay a separate annual fee to the fire response provider. It seems high to me at $350 per year.

I have 3 stories, two more puzzling than terrible and one just embarrassing: We traveled as a family a couple months after 9/11, so before TSA and when the rules seemed to change every time you flew. At this time, you had to show your photo ID every step of the way (counter, security, gate). Somehow, I lost my photo ID between our first flight and our second. The airline did not want to let me board the plane without my photo ID and directed me to their customer service desk. The woman at the desk had to call someone else and discussed the ID I did have with me: photo ID from work, credit cards, voter registration card, SS card, etc. It really looked like I wasn't going to get on the plane until I pulled out my airline frequent flyer card. Yeah, suddenly, all was well and I was allowed to board. Really?!? A frequent flyer card? Another time, I was randomly selected to test my luggage for explosives. The first test was positive so they re-ran it a couple times. It was still positive so they asked for my ID and wrote my information down. Then, I was allowed to continue on. The weird part is that they never opened my bag! Why bother testing for explosives if you aren't going to search a positive bag?!? My last story was when I had to travel with co-workers and haul along my breast pump. It was in a discrete boxy black bag. However, when it went through security, they pulled me aside and asked to look through my "camera bag." I had to explain what it was and open all the compartments for them to take a quick look. They were professional and polite but I was still embarrassed with my male co-workers standing just a few steps away.

:iagree: I think this is a serious issue that goes beyond understanding social boundaries. I would seek therapy with someone who understands attachment disorders, if they are not already.

I appreciate all the replies, especially the ones that cause me to challenge my assumptions. I certainly didn't realize that some folks actually prefer to keep slim supplies in the kitchen. My parents grew up very poor so when they were adults and had more income, they preferred to keep the larders well-stocked. I've accepted this as "normal" without ever thinking about it. I equate "little food" to not enough money, which is clearly not always correct. I will send a thank you card with a gift card. Great idea.

My family was traveling this weekend and stopped to stay overnight with some relatives. When I saw that the kitchen was almost bare, I announced the DH and I would like the chance to prepare dinner for them and asked about a conveniently located grocery store. I started making a list of the food we would need for dinner and breakfast, asking a few times if there was anything else I could pick up for them while we were there. Only one or two small items were mentioned. I later left the list on the table and asked them to add anything else that they thought of to the list. Nothing was added. While I wouldn't have minded shopping to fill their fridge and cupboards, I didn't want to buy food that would go to waste if they didn't use it. So, DH and I ended up only buying what our family would consume while we were there, along with the couple items they mentioned. We did cook a large dinner and everyone seemed to really enjoy it. Would you have done something differently? I felt a bit sad that we didn't leave them with very much extra food.

To stay somewhat on topic for the OP, I do think a 6-week session is a good length of time for students to give dance a try. The monthly tuition is less expensive per class when you take more classes. So the cost can vary from about $10 per hour to less than $5 per hour. I just copied the following from the studio website showing monthly tuition: 1 class per week $43 2 classes per week $56 3 classes per week $70 4 classes per week $83 5 classes per week $97 Unlimited class fee $110 There's also a $10 discount for additional siblings who take classes. Honestly, if it were $20 per hour, I'm pretty sure very few of the families could afford to attend.

Are the classes held once per week so a 6-week session would meet 6 times? Are the prices the going rate for your area? I ask because my DD takes 4 dance classes a week, so roughly 16 per month, for $80. Your prices would seem very high to me but I live in a low-cost area.

It is very common around here to use "Honey" or "Sweetie" as a generic term to refer to someone (man, woman, or child). It doesn't seem strange to me as no one is using it to be condescending or familiar. I even prefer it to "ma'am".

I don't mean to pile on but I have to agree with the other posters. We do use Rosetta Stone for language exposure but I assign no credit for it. Instead, we are planning on dual enrollment at the CC for foreign language.

We've registered through HomeLife Academy since we started homeschooling and if you are interested in using an umbrella school, I can highly recommend them. You only need to "interact" twice a year and everything can be done online. I notice that you will soon have some high schoolers. An umbrella school is nice for high school because they will provide transcripts for college applications. Keep in mind that when you are registered with an umbrella school, you are legally considered part of a private school and are not legally homeschoolers. You'll also want to get familiar with the Tennessee lottery scholarships available for college as well as dual enrollment during high school junior and senior years.

I would try an enzyme cleaner. I like Stainaway from Drs. Foster & Smith: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=578 You may have to do multiple treatments.

I can understand the annoyance at your SIL telling your DC that Potter is bad. However, I think I'm missing something with the popsicle incident. You were at your mom's house and your niece (who visits the house often and is allowed to snack at will) tries to help herself to a popsicle and you stop her? I'm on the side of mom and sil on this one. It wasn't up to you to place the snacking restriction on her. Your DC were getting ice cream, why in the world could the niece not have a popsicle. There was enough "treats" for all, even if it wasn't the exact same thing.

This is great information. DD is starting to take dual enrollment courses and the current price of new and used books at the college bookstore are outrageously high. However, for some courses, they sell customized texts or bundles that include an online code. Her first course had a textbook bundle with online code so we spent the extra money to buy it at the college bookstore (used, but still $$$). I could have saved a bundle buying the text online because the instructor never made use of the online content. I'd love to hear some experienced voices on how to save money when the required text listed is customized for that school or bundled with an online code. Do you still buy used online and then buy the online code only if it turns out to be needed (and do you lose all the savings when you buy the code separate)? Can a standard text often be utilized when the course uses a customized text? DD is taking two courses next Fall. I have already purchased her textbook and CDs for the music appreciation course (Half.com) but am scared to try anything but the college bookstore for the beginning Spanish course. It has a custom text AND an access code. Edited to add: She can't email the instructor because the college hasn't listed the instructors for each section yet. By the time they are listed, we'll be in crunch mode to get the books before class starts.

Thanks for the input, everyone. We were at Walmart today and asked about their return policy. As stated by the PP, it is 90 days. She suggested we pursue the 1-year warranty with Panasonic. Suspect we'd need the receipt for that too though but we'll at least contact them. Our next microwave will have a handle!

The applications themselves ask for ECs. The student can list them there. Some folks also put together a portfolio to go with the transcript and list ECs there.

Back in late December, our trusty microwave of close to 10 years stopped working. DH replaced it with an inexpensive microwave from Sears. Within a couple weeks, the door latch broke so that when we pushed the button, the door wouldn't open. We still had the receipt and took it back. We then bought the most expensive microwave at our local Walmart. It is a Panasonic, the same brand we were originally replacing. Now, 6 months later, the door latch is failing. We have to close the door several times to get the latch to catch and the microwave to sense that the door is closed so that it will run. We are looking for the receipt but I'm not sure if we will find it. I have questions: 1. Are we unusually harsh on door latches?!? It seems odd that two different microwaves of different brands and different price points failed in the same mechanism. But then why did our other microwave last so long? 2. I'm thinking we need a microwave that you just pull the door open, rather than a button to open the door. Would that be less likely to break? Do they still sell such a model? 3. Given the time span (several months) and the potentially lost receipt, is there any hope in taking the microwave back to Walmart for a refund or exchange? I appreciate any feedback, advice, or even commiseration. Pegasus

I'm not really sure how to phrase this so please forgive any awkwardness in the following. Can anyone explain to me why it would be important to someone to have a grave of a loved one to visit? My father-in-law has let everyone know that he wants to be cremated and scattered. His daughter is objecting on the grounds that she wants a grave site to visit. I THINK she is ok with the cremation, but wants the ashes buried with a marker. Both of my parents are deceased and I've never felt inclined to visit their graves. I can think of them and share memories anywhere. I don't feel closer to them at the cemetery. Appreciate any insight you may have.

4 years English (includes literature, composition, and grammar) 4 years math (algebra I and up) 4 years science (at least 3 lab sciences) 4 years of social studies: American history, world history, world geography, economics, u.s. government 1 year P.E. 1/2 year health 1/2 year personal finance 2-4 years foreign language 1 year visual/performing/fine arts 1 year computer science (intro to computers or computer programming) Electives