The 'nurture pod" moniker is an actual app, I hadn't seen that before either.

It's an app, I won't link it here but you'll find it if you search. It signs people up to form a pod with others in your area who have similar covid precaution levels, and then hooks you up with a teacher or one of the parents to either make your own curriculum or pay the teacher to help your pod follow your school's remote curriculum.

Disclaimer: I'm not on social media so maybe these aren't new to you. I got a promotional email for this app (must be based on my digital trail leading here) and so looked at their site. I'm curious if anyone thinks these will outlast the pandemic - I heard on the radio how as many as a third of pandemic homeschoolers like having their kids home and will consider continuing after the pandemic. Two things come to mind about this app and concept: one, it will create even more school segregation by class and race than currently exists and two, it will hurt rural schools' funding, possibly catastrophically. My guess is it will continue.

For me it's gratitude. Not spiritual or woo-y, more like bootcamp. When I'm really rock bottom I make myself say out loud what I'm grateful for and keep thinking about it until the mood wanes, or else I fall asleep, whichever comes first.

Dd's PAH teacher Bonnie Gonzalez sent a long email to her class at the beginning of the year, laying out the different scenarios that might happen come May. She told families to register at the local school as usual for the test but be prepared for the possibility of at-home digital testing. A week ago she sent another email with a super detailed explanation, a 100 page pdf from College Board about digital testing and the reminder to check back in with our school to see if they will let homeschoolers test on-site. Our on-site contact said it was not likely, and she would feel better about ordering the digital exam. So the decision is made for dd, the two dates are May 20 or June 3rd. Kuddos and thanks to PAH and Ms. Gonzalez for keeping us in the loop. Here is the pdf: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-digital-testing-guide.pdf?SFMC_cid=EM454893-&rid=47258080

In answer to the OP's question: I hold the opinion that women have autonomy. Period. End of discussion for me.

One of ours goes like this: my Grandfather was doing research for his PhD on the transition of European map-making from medieval edge-of-the-world-there-be-dragons style to Enlightenment this-puppy-is-actually-round type maps. He needed some info that was at either a) the Vatican or b) an abbey in Austria (the family takes sides on this part.) He went to meet the monk who had the necessary knowledge, but the monk was gone for the week. Frustrated, Grandfather stopped on his way out to use the restroom. The monks at that time would cut up ancient manuscripts to use as toilet paper, and there in stacks of Latin-inscribed rectangles, was the exact manuscript that he needed. He scooped up all the "tp" and headed home to finish his thesis. In his bibliography are photographs of these manuscript strips along with all the other citations.

I love the recorder, specifically baroque recorder music, and it's another that's fairly affordable and quick-ish to learn. You already know how to breathe and read music, it might be different enough from flute to catch your interest but similar enough to dive right in.

@PenYou showed considerable courage to post your original thoughts because from your words you knew you would receive backlash in this forum filled with opinionated parents. Homeschooling also takes a decent amount of bravery to buck the status quo. From these two elements I can tell you are a courageous person. It will take true grit to even consider stepping away from the internet and into real life to give time and money to organizations that work against trafficking, but I'm pretty sure you have that.

I'm so sorry, Melissa.

Every human is vulnerable - to conspiracy theories. Our magnificent brains love to find patterns, and our deep reserves of compassion and worry latch onto seeing evil with morbid delight. Our capacity for faith sets us up to believe. Real life child trafficking is beyond horrible, but know that someone is literally making money from your clicks, likes, and digital exhaust when you pursue this agenda online.

As the days begin to lengthen / The cold begins to strengthen...

We have a small house but a large wooden kitchen/homeschool table. We bought it at a used restaurant supply place, it's what they call a baker's bench - a sturdy frame with one long shelf below a six foot butcher block. It's easy to clean but when it gets really gross - beeswax and egg dye at Easter are the worst - we lightly sand and oil it. It's slightly industrial but we used to have a bakery and it works for our aesthetic. We use stools around it. We also use it for ping-pong when it's empty. Bomb-proof.

So sorry @HSmomof2! How hard it must be to see Ds' friend group doing so well, both socially and pandemically (new word we're using) compared to your Dd's. Agree with easypeasy that this too shall pass, but it sure doesn't make it easier in the moment. My teen is a true extrovert and is very lonely, but she doesn't have social media to see it all in her face. She does play online games and use discord to chat with her group, and that is the most helpful to her.

Whew, that is intense.

Thank you for these responses. My musician sort of "had" to do summer programs, but my other kids have always had great summer projects and jobs, plus time outside. I've been looking for summer research options as dd16 has so enjoyed her psychology class this year and wants to continue, and came across these programs - not what she is looking for, I think. If anyone has suggestions for homeschool-friendly psychology research spots, please let me know!

What I'm looking at are courses, though maybe in years past they functioned like camps? For instance: https://sce.cornell.edu/youth/program/precollege I don't know anyone who has done them which is why I'm curious. Older dd did loads of pre-college music programs, but these are academic, not music.

Does anyone have experience with summer college courses? I see ones that are usually offered on campus will have online components this year. The pricing tells me they might be targeted enrichment and resume building for privileged kids, but I'm curious if the Hive has experience. Thank you for any insight.

My DS had to work with an IDOC for one school where he was accepted and one where he was waitlisted. The school he attends did not require it.

They're doing drive-through at the airport.

Yes, for sure a term of endearment (pun intended) more often than the mild put-down. I don't think of it as especially mean, just a gentle reminder of who's who, if the situation warrants.

I'd like to dip my toe in the politics board, but I literally can't find it!

W