kindergarten because that is required in this state and we have to notify them of our intention to homeschool. I homeschooled for 5 years.

with my state requirements. We have 7 subjects we have to teach so once I figured those out I was set.

but I think I started in 2002 sometime although I mostly lurked until I figured out the old format (it confused me).

Excel first if they can do a basic research paper. I was also going to suggest Power Point also because the public school systems and private schools around here start teaching that pretty early and I'm seeing that they are using it in college also.

Rod E. is a dude. According to my 12 year old I'm a dude! :tongue_smilie: when he gets in the mode of calling everyone all around him "dude"

did this until they were between 10/11 years old. They have both stopped. I use to worry about it because it seemed to go on forever no matter what we did to stop it. The trick was time and it worked really well here. The one thing I learned later that I wished i could have tried on them was honey (google for more info) before bedtime. My younger children so far haven't had the problem although I haven't ruled out my youngest. I do remember telling dh that as soon as they were done we were getting new mattresses for them.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/studentnews/03/26/cnnce.autism/ have a lesson plan for high schoolers regarding one of the programs.

checked your local Home Depot or Lowe's to see if they offer classes on installing the kind of floor you want to install? They are a great way to learn basic home improvement. A couple of years ago my mom started installing her laminate floor and did a good bit of it by herself. When I heard about it we drove down so my dh could help her finish it and it was done pretty quickly. Later dh did our current floor although he's very handy so it wasn't too hard or scary for him to contemplate. Also, ask around and maybe you have a friend or that will help you get it done for the cost of beer and pizza (and maybe a little cash). Good luck.

games as a kid. We always played them on road trips. Next time we go anywhere I'm definitely buying some. I can't wait.

>>>Janice, I want to apologize for asking so personal a question here about your husband! I misread your post as a dx for your dS. I suspect my dh of being ADHD, he also has many strengths and I understand where you are coming from! >>>> That's okay. I wondered if that happened :) but I don't mind talking about it as I see what happened with him not getting the help he needed as a child and hoping that others can learn from what we're learning from. Good luck in getting your issues figured out.

The library science one. I tried an accounting course about 20 years ago and it is the only class I ever dropped out of because I just plain didn't get it. :001_huh: It might be interesting to see what 20 years of life will do for helping me understand it. I was looking through the community college offerings for certificates and AA programs and I'm not really impressed. I think I have more to look into. Thanks soo much for your input. It is greatly appreciated.

OK, I used to help people like you for a living, but I need more info.>>>> That might be a fun and interesting direction to go. :001_smile: HOw did you do that? What is your liberal arts degree?>>>> I have a Paralegal Studies B.S. degree from 1994 and a B.S. in Criminal Justice from 1997. >>>>Tell me more about what you have done and what you like to do.>>> I like administering and coordinating things. I consider myself a person good with paperwork, explaining things to people so some customer/client interaction, coordinating. Learning and gathering information and presenting it to others. I'm not into sales or anything like that. I'm not great at technical things but depending on the field it might be interesting to learn it and then use it somehow to help others (I'm thinking of my aunt's field -- computer forensics). I was a paralegal at an immigration law firm where basically I coordinated case files and interacted with clients for updating and explaining their case. I did a similar job at a university and enjoyed it. I was looking at some of the homeland security master's programs and some of them were kind of interesting. Here in the Balto. area I'm sure there's a need for people in that field. Maybe planning and implementing a program or procedures. >>>Have you done a resume that adequately presents your skills and downplays the fact you have been out of the workforce for a while?>>>> Actually my gaps aren't too big due to the work I did in starting a now huge homeschool support organization. I've had people look at my resume and I get compliments on it. But since I"m mostly looking at entry level positions I'm competing against a lot of people. Although I use a computer regularly for example, I don't use the advanced features on any program so I need more training on that for the jobs that require that. >>>>>I am trying to think of an MS/MA degree where you go in knowing nothing, but I am coming up blank. Tell me more about your situation and I will keep thinking.>>>> I appreciate that. I know for example my mom got her M.S. in Reading about 10 years ago after being out of the work force for a really long time. Her B.S. was in Physical Therapy from 30 years before. I'm pretty sure it can be done and I don't mind starting at the bottom I'm just not sure where to start. >>>>Have you considered going to a cc and getting an associates in a heatlh field or are you just wanting an MS/MA?>>>> I'm open to either. I was thinking graduate just because I already have 2 B.S. degrees but getting an associates may actually get better if it can lead me to something interesting and then maybe looking at grad school later. >>>>Have you looked at the admission requirements for MS/MA programs that you think you might want to attend?>>>>> I guess I should start doing that, too. I'll be busy over the next couple of months, I guess. I really appreciate you taking the time to get through these posts. I just know that furthering my education and skills is something I have to do sooner than later and maybe now is the time.

I have been applying for jobs for about 2 years and can't even seem to get beyond an interview. I have been out of the job market for 7 years and my work experience although sort of related to my liberal arts degrees but I suspect that I'm essentially competing against a bunch of recent college graduates with more recent skills than I have. So, my next thought is over the next couple years start and finish my Master's Degree so that I can get a job and work until retirement. The only problem is that I have no idea what I want to do. Some of the ones I looked at were designed for "working professionals" in the field and the assumption was that these professionals had knowledge about the field and I'm not sure I want to go into something like that. Maybe I was looking in the wrong place though. I want something that I can basically start from knowing nothing about the field and use it after graduation. I think I want something like a hands -on field (sorta like computer science over literature) but not teaching, nursing, engineering or math related. My aunt earned her M.S. in computer forensics and that is a possibility but otherwise I'm not sure. I might also consider something in an allied health field (occupational therapy, nutrition, etc.). I want something that is in a somewhat undercrowded major as opposed to having to compete against a whole bunch of other people and I don't want to be in school for years and years and I don't have a lot of money to spend on this degree. I think after reading all of this I'm looking for the impossible and that you'll think I'm a really picky person. I'm a very laid back person and usually I'm quick to make up my own mind. I think I'm looking for someone to tell me what my passion is because apparently I don't have one. Maybe I just need to get a 1 year certification in something and then get a job doing that and then look at graduate degrees then. Does this even exist? I think I need a nap.

for one because it certainly explains a lot. I have suspected for several years before he was diagnosed that he had it but it wasn't until he met with a counselor for a while that he mentioned it as a possibility also. For dh, it explains to him that a lot of what he thought were just quirks were caused by his brain. Dh hasn't tried medications yet but it might be worth looking into in our case as soon as our health insurance issues get straightened out. As a spouse of someone with ADHD I certainly see the weaknesses of not giving children with ADHD the full coping skills (organization, time management, etc.)that he needs as an adult to succeed. He is a good man and works hard but sometimes I get very frustrated with some of the behavior. For example, he woke up today letting me know he'd do the dishes that he left last night and ended up doing about 3/4 before getting involved in another project -- that is very typical of him. Having him do a project around the house means I generally have to go behind him to clean up after him as he usually has parts all over the place that he doesn't keep track of very well. One of the criteria of adult diagnosis is indications that he had problems with it as a child. I suspect that if he had more help when he were younger he would have done much better in school (he ended up getting his GED even though he qualifies or qualified for MENSA). So, even if you don't go after a diagnosis, I think it is important to make sure that the skills are in place for success as an adult. In reading a message board for adults with ADHD for adults some of them lead very difficult lives with an inability to manage money (dh has this issue), problems keeping a job either to negligence or frustration from within and poor choices with addiction and alcohol. Of my children, I have concerns of 2 of them for possible ADHD Inattentive and even though I'm not going for a diagnosis currently I'm working closely on building routines and skills for them so that they can have success in furthering themselves in school and as an adult. They get frustrated with me now but I'm hopeful that it will pay off for them later. Sorry this got so long in an unrelated thread. I do need to make it clear that I do love my dh and he does have many strengths as loving husband, great dad and a hard worker but he definitely does have ADHD, no doubt about it :)

My guy is very ADD without the H. Again, no official dx. ADD is extremely hard to research on the net. These two terms are interchangable and one just does NOT apply to my ds.>>>> The new diagnostic terminology is that ADD is now known as ADHD- Inattentive rather than the old terminology of ADD. So, in order to find out about ADD you have to research ADHD for more information. My dh is ADHD Inattentive type (diagnosed last year)

Click on Quick Links. click on My Profile and then find where it mentions your posts. I think that should work.

at two different times with two different B.S. degrees. I had zero in student loans, zero grants and zero in assistance. My degrees are in liberal arts rather than engineering or math so I know that made it easier. Anyway, my parents saved up a good bit of money for each of us three children by living a debt free life, living in a house where the mortgage payment was only about 15% of their monthly income and the mortgage was paid off in about 12 years or so. All of their cars were paid in cash and they basically lived a frugal lifestyle. (I didn't find out until much later that we really weren't poorer than my friends' family we just lived well below our means) They then cash flowed my first few years of college at which point I stopped going to college for unrelated reasons and started working. I got a cash lump sum (about 25K) from them which I used to supplement me cash flowing the rest with the lump sum and my employment pay combined to cover my college costs. With that I ended up with a totally paid for B.S. degree which I went on to do again a few years later. I'm not in a position to do the same for my kids now but I'm planning on making some major changes in my life to try and get them as good a start as I can. It won't be easy but I'm committed to it. One of the things I'm seriously considering is getting my M.S. degree and a good job to help that with. Problem is I don't have the money to do it and given my life situation ironically I might have to go with some student loans to make it happen. Not at all what I want to do but I'm struggling to see how I can make it happen otherwise. My dad went to college in the 1960's, took 10 years to do because he went to work while in school, went into the army to help with college costs, and finally graduated 10 years later with a degree in Math. He was able to get into the early field of computers with that degree at the time he was in school. So, those are ways we went to college without college loans.

Use the DAve style without listening to him and modifying it to fit your own needs. It is free. 1. Set and maintain a budget and stop using debt at the very least until you get your current debt paid off. Some people use envelopes some don't. Some feel comfortable using a debit card and others don't have the ability to use the card without going over budget. 2. Save a certain amount of cash ($800-2000) so that you don't have to use credit cards and can pay off bills as they come in if you can't fit it in your budget (i.e. a larger doctor bill) anymore. this becomes your emergency fund. 3. Pay off your current and active debt and focus on at a time. You can do smallest to largest like Ramsey or you can do highest interest rate or whatever method you want to do. But pay it off. 4. Pull your credit report and make sure there is nothing on there that needs to be addressed. Pay off past debt. 5. Now, your consumer debt should be gone and if you start saving some more money you can prevent yourself from getting into more debt. This is Dave's Fully funded emergency fund usually 3-6 months worth. 6. Determine your priorities and figure out whether you are going to keep out of debt or use debt responsibly. If you do choose to use debt, pay it off before getting into more debt. I use pen and paper for my finances. Occasionally when I get motivated I set up a simple spread sheet in Excel (actually openoffice's spreadsheet) but mostly just pen and paper. Good luck.

and then deleted it after I got going on other entries.

I struggled with this concept for my struggling dss15 (then struggling, not now) also and watched my mom, diagnosed with dyslexia as a college student at 18 years old and currently an educator at a school for students with learning disabilities, and realized that yes, it is okay to "excuse" some errors it is also of prime importance for your child to realize that they have a problem and need to learn to compensate for it. So, one of things I did was to require my son to review every paper he turned in to me. At first I sat beside him while he did it and after a while (a long while) he started seeing more of his own transposition mistakes. He started slowing down on his assignments which also made a difference because he didn't want to spend as much time working with me to review the paper. I think in Mel Levine's book "A Mind At A Time" he talks about having the student take responsibility for their learning issues and that they need to learn skills so that they can cope in adulthood with their learning differences. If your daughter can learn some coping mechanisms now (realizing that it will take time and effort for both of you) she'll benefit as an adult -- even if she doesn't thank you now.

periodically the entire time I homeschooled all the way through 8th grade. I found that although dss could read well above reading level he had some odd pronunciations of words because he wasn't a great decoder. Occasionally he would ask me what a word was (what's an azzlum?) and after I figured out what he meant (asylum) I decided that reading about 2 pages per week while I was sitting with him would be enough to make sure we caught those words that weren't typically covered in a vocabulary program. Usually, I would read a page and he would read a paragraph or two until I got tired of reading and then we were done. I would do this several times per week. But since I don't much care for reading out loud, I wasn't going to make him do it for too long. It just exhausts me to read out loud.

as mine was always an advanced reader. I think for the first couple of reading assignments I gave him a week. If he finished it before then great, if not, I was willing to modify the assignment. A lot of times I gave him the book on Friday and told him that he could read it if he wanted but he had to read the first three chapters by Monday night and we would discuss it on Friday. Most of the time when I tried that he would be done before Wednesday. I also had to keep in mind the rest of our schedule. I know for some books I would assign maybe 3 days or so just because we had nothing else to do and the work load for school wasn't too intense so he could spend more time reading.

just like some kids like to read and others don't. My 7 year old daughter didn't like to draw or color until she was six years old. she wanted nothing to do with it before that. My 5 year old dd and 15 year old dss are the opposite and I can't keep a writing implement out of their hands as they are constantly drawing, coloring, etc. My 12 year old dss wants nothing to do with drawing/coloring and he never has been interested in it. My 2 year old so far only likes to color on the walls and floor :glare: so I'll give him a few more years and see where he stands on the topic.

what wasn't covered because I was comfortable with the quality of the math education my dss was getting when using Singapore. Only, when it became a possibility that he might go to public school did I make sure he at least had exposure to a U.S. textbook. And the couple of things I thought he was missing he really wasn't because he knew it when I gave him some exercises using the other math programs. So, my answer is, if you are going to be sending your children to school or something like that you might want to pick up a workbook like Spectrum or Flashkids (I love this one) to see if there are any skills missing otherwise don't worry too much about it. Those are my couple of pennies.

lived in Baltimore and Baltimore County up until 2000 and had never heard of dueling eggs. I grew up in Harford and hadn't heard of it either.