timberdoodle?

I feel like we must be doing this wrong on our end. Or, maybe I didn't have realistic expectations going into an online writing course? DS12 is doing WWS2 through WTMA, and he likes the class itself. And he's getting excellent grades. BUT... I signed him up for the course because last year we spent a lot of time each day working through the text, and I didn't feel competent to assess his final writing assignment each week. I was hoping that having an actual writing instructor would help. He has class M & W, and on Tuesdays I have him pre-read the assignment for the week and start setting it up - formatting the file, setting up the endnotes and citations pages, starting any reading, etc - so he will be ahead of the game after the second class each week. Inevitably, though, I end up spending HOURS with him Th/Fr/Sat/Sun doing the actual writing assignment, writing and rewriting and going back to reread assignments earlier in the book, which requires that *I* go back and read all the steps that were discussed (or not) in the classes (that I do not listen to). I feel like I am doing the same amount of work, in fewer days, and now I'm also paying for it. Does that make sense? It is nice that someone else reads his work and gives him good grades (and the tiniest of corrections) each week. I guess I'm doing a good job teaching him and helping him edit his work? Is it supposed to still be this much work? *sigh*

They didn't say anything about the tendons. They said it's not fractured and to use the crutches until it doesn't hurt anymore, then he can just use the boot without the crutches. I didn't realize how little information we got until we got home. It was a long day, from pediatrician to x-ray clinic to children's hospital orthopedics. I'll send emails and make phone calls tomorrow to try and get more information.

He doesn't have one. They gave him a boot and crutches and said see you in a month. They didn't even show him how to use the crutches. I'll email his pedi and the ortho clinic tomorrow, but I usually get better info here!

DS12 was diagnosed today with an inflamed accessory navicular bone in his foot. (Radiology thought it might be fractured, but orthopedics said otherwise.) He's in an air cast boot with crutches, and has a follow-up to orthopedics in four weeks. Does anyone have any experience with this type of injury? He's really disappointed that he can't play soccer or run cross country. He's a kid who does better with regular physical activity, so I'm hoping to find exercises that he can do without putting weight on his foot. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Oh, nope! They changed it recently and it's just terrible now. I switched back to diet coke (and continue to try to give it up completely....)

I really enjoyed it! I look forward to more of him in the MCU.

In my state, you can't have two last names on your license without a hyphen. My name IS NOT HYPHENATED, but the RMV gave me one anyway. When I went back to renew my license 5 years later, they *still* could not include both last names with a space, so the clerk just stuck them together as one word. Grumble, grumble, grumble...

DS12 still pauses before writing a b/d to make sure he's writing the correct one. (But, only when printing - he does not have this issue when I make him write in cursive.) DS9 is a lefty and, when writing for himself, will sometimes still write completely mirrored (backwards letters written from right-to-left -- hold it up to a mirror and it reads perfectly!) He still sometimes reverses other letters & numerals as well.

Our bedrooms are on the second floor, laundry is in the basement. Four boys share two bedrooms, and each has their own tall & skinny laundry basket. Each one (except the smallest) carries his own basket down to the machines and washes/dries/brings back up/folds/puts away their own laundry. The 7yr old needs some help only with folding, the youngest helps with all steps and will move to doing it himself by the time he's 6. They fold laundry on my bed (the boys have bunks). They don't have room for bureaus in their rooms, so everything is either hung on a rod or shelved in their own hanging shelves in the closet. We don't sort little boy laundry, but they don't have many whites to sort out anyway.

Oh, if only I had the room! The person who built this house included several closets that are 5ft deep and 18 INCHES across. 🤬

Considering that, with a new trumpet and a new box of origami paper in the house, I spent most of the day today *redirecting* this child, take the following with a grain of salt... My DS9 4th grader is doing the following *assigned work* this year: Greek, 15 min Grammar, 15 min Math, 45 min Spelling, 10-20 min Cursive, 10 min Typing, 10-15 min Logic, 10-20 min Writing, 20-60 min (this one is often a slog) Science (3 days) or History (2 days) 30 min (reading only) Literature, 30 min (reading only) He reads voraciously on his own time, anything he can get his hands on: nonfiction, DH's old college textbooks, instruction manuals, graphic novels, poetry. He has a fondness for calculus books. 🤷‍♀️ He's likely gifted, and probably on the spectrum. He's also teaching himself fairly sophisticated origami, is knitting a scarf, and plunks on the piano. He had a serious bicycle accident with a head injury last spring and has become very sedentary, preferring to work inside, though he loves to swim. He and I have started walking laps while DS12 practices with the cross country team. I spend a significant amount of time each day redirecting. He is who he is.

I might need to clear a space in the basement for practicing, so they aren't right in the middle of everything (at least, until the get better?). It's a small house. I could put them in the garage, but I think the neighbors might complain. 🤣

DS9 was so excited today I could barely get him to eat or do his school work. I'm going to have to hide the trumpet in my room until he's done his work each day! DS12 eats, sleeps, and breaths piano, so I'm interested how he'll manage two instruments.

We have the same time constraints *theoretically*, but the younger boys all want to play/bang on the piano as well. The poor thing is in rough shape, even though it gets tuned regularly. We are going to have to start thinking about replacing it ...

DS9 started trumpet lessons today. DS12, who plays the piano every free waking moment, starts saxophone lessons in the next few weeks. I am sensitive to sound and frequently overwhelmed by the level and duration of the NOISE in my home all.day.long. 🤦 I just ordered stronger ear plugs. Say a prayer for my mental health... I'm going to need it! 🤪

Unfortunately, at this point I think it's a long-term emergency....

We don't 'grade' math work; we work until mastery. (We also don't have homework, and DS12 has only taken one 'test' so far, after chapter 6 of AoPS Into to Algebra book, which we used as a midterm. I corrected it, he made corrections, and then we put it away and moved on.) Have you thought of using Alcumus for their homework, instead of grading their written work? They won't be able to move ahead until they get enough problems correct in a section, and that could motivate them to make fewer mistakes. (If they aren't being made to make corrections to their work, they might not have the motivation to do it correctly the first time. Grades don't always mean anything to kids.)

It looks like you're homeschooling in Missouri? A quick Google search shows that school isn't compulsory in MO until age seven. https://fhe-mo.org/missourilaw (I'm not in MO. Find a local homeschool group and ask for help!) ETA: find a LOCAL group, and don't just take what hslda says for truth without looking into it. They aren't always correct.

Oh. That was a first pregnancy sign for me, for sure. I would be scared if I were you! I'm not having (any more than usual) trouble with smells in perimenopause. I would gladly trade smelling troubles for the 25 pounds I put on in the last year. 😩

This is a good point. DS12 is accelerated in several subjects, but I am not sure I would say that he he is 'gifted". He is able to move at his own pace because of being homeschooled. He would likely do very well in public school, I have no doubt about that, but he wouldn't likely be so far ahead. DS9, on the other hand, is more than likely gifted. (He is probably more than likely on the spectrum as well.) This kid just sees things differently - his brain is just wired that way. However, he has spent the last nine years surrounded by books and learning toys and materials. He has been privileged to be born into a family with two parents with advanced degrees who have the ability to support and nourish his interests and abilities. Where would he be if he had born into a different situation?

Had the J&J - had symptoms like reported above that lasted for less than 24hrs. I am hoping that they approve the one-shot for children, because my 9 year old is extremely needle-phobic.

Finished my 30 day challenge today! (It actually took me 31 days - I skipped one day due to a bad attitude and nerve pain in my left leg.) I really enjoyed the first three weeks of the challenge, but the last 7-10 days of workouts were just frustrating. I am planning on restarting the challenge tomorrow. I kept track of how I felt about/after each workout, so I am going to substitute other videos for the handful that I did not like/had the most trouble with. She also has an intermediate 30-day challenge, and I'm hoping to be able to work my way up to that in the next few months.

It is a 30 day challenge, made up of 30 workouts (all beginner-level except for two or three) taken from her large library of workouts. They are listed in a regular order each week (strength, cardio, mobility, strength, core, cardio, mobility). I'm not sure if they've been getting harder as they go? I watch each video the night before (in double speed) just to have an idea of what moves it includes, and how much space and/or equipment (shoes? dumbells? etc) it needs. I have previously swapped out two workouts that were 'hip hop dance cardio' for something else - I don't 'hip hop'. I watched this morning's workout last night and thought I would be able to modify a few of the moves but it started out bad and then went downhill. I do plan on restarting the same 30 day program on the first of September and going through it again. Maybe the second time through there will be less profanity. 😉

Today is day 27/30 in my challenge, and my workout this morning was *awful*. It wasn't a beginner workout (it is listed as intermediate) and I couldn't manage any of the moves. I'm now icing my knees and trying to fix my bad mood before my kids all wake up...