Ignore this thread!

[KrissiK]

I don't know that I could get behind a gap year,

Are you talking in general principles or just because it wouldn’t work for your family??

[prairiewindmomma]

I am kind of over winter.

[Slache]

10.5 hours de seep. I'm hungover. Need coffee. Bathrobe day, me thinks. Small paycheck. :crying: Rainbow package. :D

[prairiewindmomma]

I need to be productive today, but I'm just not feeling it.  I suspect I'm going to be setting 15 minute timers all day.  I must go to the bank and buy groceries, though, unless I want to serve cold cereal for supper.

[Junie]

Good Morning!

 

The day is going faster than I am.

 

I need to catch up or it needs to slow down.

[Susan in TN]

Focus dd11, FOCUS!!!

[lanalouwho]

I think I stole all of your motivation. I woke up unusually perky, got dressed and even put on some makeup. The kids' hair even got fixed before we had to leave for speech. That never happens.

[Susan in TN]

10.5 hours de seep.

I'm hungover.

Need coffee.

Bathrobe day, me thinks.

Small paycheck. :crying:

Rainbow package. :D

:hurray:

:ack2:

ðŸ‘

ðŸ‘ðŸ‘

:(

:hurray:

[Critterfixer]

Are you talking in general principles or just because it wouldn’t work for your family??

Generally it is hard for me to wrap my head around the idea of a gap year. It's difficult for me to see the benefits. DH will be easier to convince should it be something we want to talk about. He had a hard first year in college, lost a scholarship and had to work to put himself through college after that. I believe he would support working a year or more prior to college.

 

It's probably just one of those things that I'll have to think about for a while before I can get through the idea of a year of lost academics--what will that do to my child?--kind of things.

[Critterfixer]

I'm not sure I'm alive, but I'm less dead than I was. I got about three hours of second sleep. The turtles were told to start school without me and proceed at their own pace. I suppose I ought to go see what the damage is, get some tea and then go curl up in bed again.

[AMJ]

I don't know that I could get behind a gap year, but I've been entertaining ideas of some long nature excursions/adventures that I think we could afford to do. The other night we were watching something on the Yosemite Valley, and turtle one was impressed with John Muir taking the time to just live and work in the valley as he studied it. We have some wonderful (and lightly used) trails that crisscross the state, and long days out exploring the mountains, kayaking the rivers and appreciating nature might be something that both of them could enjoy. So maybe not a gap year, but several gap months spread out over the high school years might work better for us.

 

 

I could very well go for such a gap week or two right now.  I'd love for it to be a month or more, but current responsibilities here won't allow my absence that long anymore.  But a week or two is manageable.  

[AMJ]

I'm starting the day outta likes.  And with a twitching eye.  Hopefully these are not signs of how the day will go.  

 

 

My eye has been twitching off and on ever since December or January.  I am working on eliminating certain possible causes before I try talking to a doctor about it.  It's basically just an annoyance right now, though a persistent one.

 

I am taking my vitamins (most days).

I am working to get certain things sussed out and a plan of action in place for the short, mid, and long terms (in hopes of reducing stress levels).

I am trying to get rested up (reduce fatigue).

I am going to have to wade through allergy season, too.

 

If it's still a recurring problem in oh, say June or July I might mention it to a doctor.  But first stress, fatigue, allergies, and vitamins must all be addressed.

 

 

And it could also be the lack of good fresh veggies.  I'll really attack that possibility.   :drool5:

[AMJ]

Aaaannnndd that's exactly why I sleep in the living room or a kid room as often as I do, or allow kid in our room. Sleepwalking. When we built, we didn't find a floor plan that had master not in a separate area. I have always wanted all the bedrooms together, and have never wanted them on separate floors, especially.

 

 

One DD has only walked in her sleep twice in her life (both times high stress, and it has been years since the last time), but that is why we STILL have the baby gate at the top of the stairs -- to keep her or anyone else from falling down the stairs should they think they were still in a hallway.

[AMJ]

I'm awake.

 

Dd3's fever finally came down for the first time since Sunday.

 

She's my fever kid--everybody else gets a mild cold, she runs a high fever.

 

 

:grouphug:  :grouphug:   

 

Hooray!  She's almost done burning it out of her system!

[AMJ]

Baby doesn't seem sick today!  :hurray:

 

 

Hooray!

[Critterfixer]

<Turtles> Giving me the eye. "We are behind, Mother."

<Me> Where are you at?

<Turtles> Almost done with grammar.

 

That's right on pace. But I stayed up to start a lunch/dinner to eat, and will plant my seeds before retiring to rest again.

[prairiewindmomma]

My eye has been twitching off and on ever since December or January.  I am working on eliminating certain possible causes before I try talking to a doctor about it.  It's basically just an annoyance right now, though a persistent one.

 

I am taking my vitamins (most days).

I am working to get certain things sussed out and a plan of action in place for the short, mid, and long terms (in hopes of reducing stress levels).

I am trying to get rested up (reduce fatigue).

I am going to have to wade through allergy season, too.

 

If it's still a recurring problem in oh, say June or July I might mention it to a doctor.  But first stress, fatigue, allergies, and vitamins must all be addressed.

 

 

And it could also be the lack of good fresh veggies.  I'll really attack that possibility.   :drool5:

 

I twitch when I'm low on magnesium or potassium.

SaveSave

[Critterfixer]

The boys are done with school for the day. So much for, "We're behind, mother."

[KrissiK]

Generally it is hard for me to wrap my head around the idea of a gap year. It's difficult for me to see the benefits. DH will be easier to convince should it be something we want to talk about. He had a hard first year in college, lost a scholarship and had to work to put himself through college after that. I believe he would support working a year or more prior to college.

 

It's probably just one of those things that I'll have to think about for a while before I can get through the idea of a year of lost academics--what will that do to my child?--kind of things.

I asked the question because my DS2 is in no way ready for High School and I'm really freaking out. I don't know what to do. Technically he's an 8th grader. He's in the 8th grade SS class at church, everyone knows him as an 8th grader. But academically - he's doing 5th grade math, 7th grade LA, he dropped Latin, in Science he is still doing Apologia Young Explorers series with the rest of us and for History, he's in Nottgrass American the Beautiful, which, while it says it is for 5th-8th grade, I would say it is closer to 5th grade level. So, I'm looking at a Gap year in terms of.... let's catch this kid up. Not no academics, just not "officially high school" where transcripts and all that are involved. I think an extra year to catch him up would be very helpful, but socially it could be devastating.... or maybe not. I just don't know. And this is where I am just.... I don't know what to do.  He's making progress in what he's doing, he's just slow.

[Slache]

Cycle started.

[Critterfixer]

Seeds started:

Tomatoes: 

Cherry-Blue Berry, Blue-Gold Berry (Wild Boar Farms-Baker Creek)

Slicer-Cherokee Purple, Marion (Baker Creek, Cherokee)

Beefsteak-Patano Romansco, Kellogg's Breakfast (Baker Creek)

Paste/Other-San Marzano, Green Vernissage (Seeds of Change, Baker Creek)

 

Peppers: 

Hot-Lemon Drop (Burpee)

Mild-Hungarian Wax (Cherokee)

 

Experimental

Fruit-Huckleberry (a nightshade)

 

That's all my early stuff other than the sweet peas. I'll plant them in outside in late March if I can get away with it.

 

[Critterfixer]

I need more peppers. Will probably order this week. Also, the boy wants some snow peas and pod peas for soil amendment.

[Critterfixer]

And I've still got to plant the cotton and the tobacco--I can't forget those.

[Critterfixer]

And the basil. Lots and lots of basil.

[prairiewindmomma]

I asked the question because my DS2 is in no way ready for High School and I'm really freaking out. I don't know what to do. Technically he's an 8th grader. He's in the 8th grade SS class at church, everyone knows him as an 8th grader. But academically - he's doing 5th grade math, 7th grade LA, he dropped Latin, in Science he is still doing Apologia Young Explorers series with the rest of us and for History, he's in Nottgrass American the Beautiful, which, while it says it is for 5th-8th grade, I would say it is closer to 5th grade level. So, I'm looking at a Gap year in terms of.... let's catch this kid up. Not no academics, just not "officially high school" where transcripts and all that are involved. I think an extra year to catch him up would be very helpful, but socially it could be devastating.... or maybe not. I just don't know. And this is where I am just.... I don't know what to do.  He's making progress in what he's doing, he's just slow.

 

Krissi, I have a kid that will be in a similar boat.  Just keep on keeping on, and worry about the labels later.  It will be clearer in a couple of years whether he will be having a second 8th grader year, a 5 year high school experience, or if he is just on a different track altogether.  Not every kid fits neatly into a box, and that's ok. Just document.  I know it's a PITA, but document so that you have the flexibility to cast stuff as you like when you figure out where you're headed.

 

I would agree, based on what you describe, that he is not ready for high school work. I understand the panic. I truly do.  But meet him where he's at, and see where you can go together.  Keep him in the same church class. A friend of mine did that with her son, and he quietly took another 9 months after everyone else "graduated" to finish up his credits. It has all been completely fine. Really.

[Junie]

Krissi, I have a kid that will be in a similar boat.  Just keep on keeping on, and worry about the labels later.  It will be clearer in a couple of years whether he will be having a second 8th grader year, a 5 year high school experience, or if he is just on a different track altogether.  Not every kid fits neatly into a box, and that's ok. Just document.  I know it's a PITA, but document so that you have the flexibility to cast stuff as you like when you figure out where you're headed.

 

I would agree, based on what you describe, that he is not ready for high school work. I understand the panic. I truly do.  But meet him where he's at, and see where you can go together.  Keep him in the same church class. A friend of mine did that with her son, and he quietly took another 9 months after everyone else "graduated" to finish up his credits. It has all been completely fine. Really.

 

:iagree:

[maize]

Generally it is hard for me to wrap my head around the idea of a gap year. It's difficult for me to see the benefits. DH will be easier to convince should it be something we want to talk about. He had a hard first year in college, lost a scholarship and had to work to put himself through college after that. I believe he would support working a year or more prior to college.

 

It's probably just one of those things that I'll have to think about for a while before I can get through the idea of a year of lost academics--what will that do to my child?--kind of things.

It's not a year of lost academics, it's a year of gained experiences :)

 

My own education was so interrupted and non linear that it is the idea of linear education that seems weird to me.

 

This was my path:

 

K-2 homeschool, mostly unschool in a rich home environment.

 

3rd public school in state A

 

4th public school in state B but we moved away in March

 

5th bilingual school in country C

6th a few months at a tiny home based private school

 

Second 6th-first half of 7th public school in country D

 

Second half of 7th-8th different public school in country D

 

9-10 private school in country E (non rigorous)

 

11-12 IB school in country F

 

College years 1-3

 

18 month gap in country G for LDS mission

 

College year 4

 

8 year gap

 

Evening Masters degree program 1 semester

 

Gap

 

Online Masters program--completed!

 

Gap

 

Online teacher certification in progress.

Edited February 28, 2018 by maize

[Critterfixer]

I asked the question because my DS2 is in no way ready for High School and I'm really freaking out. I don't know what to do. Technically he's an 8th grader. He's in the 8th grade SS class at church, everyone knows him as an 8th grader. But academically - he's doing 5th grade math, 7th grade LA, he dropped Latin, in Science he is still doing Apologia Young Explorers series with the rest of us and for History, he's in Nottgrass American the Beautiful, which, while it says it is for 5th-8th grade, I would say it is closer to 5th grade level. So, I'm looking at a Gap year in terms of.... let's catch this kid up. Not no academics, just not "officially high school" where transcripts and all that are involved. I think an extra year to catch him up would be very helpful, but socially it could be devastating.... or maybe not. I just don't know. And this is where I am just.... I don't know what to do.  He's making progress in what he's doing, he's just slow.

I will say that between last year and this year both of the boys have matured, and it had nothing to do with academics and everything to do with, as SWB says, another trip of the earth around the sun. 

I think part of me is still stuck in the time when academics had to be everything. It was work, work, work, and I didn't care to stop and reflect. That was as much my personality as a student as anything else. 

I've about done a 180 on that kind of thinking. It might be time for me to re-evaluate some of my attitudes toward days, months and years taken off to pursue a more hands-on, less academic kind of learning. It's just hard to wrap my head around it.

[maize]

Seeds started:

Tomatoes:

Cherry-Blue Berry, Blue-Gold Berry (Wild Boar Farms-Baker Creek)

Slicer-Cherokee Purple, Marion (Baker Creek, Cherokee)

Beefsteak-Patano Romansco, Kellogg's Breakfast (Baker Creek)

Paste/Other-San Marzano, Green Vernissage (Seeds of Change, Baker Creek)

 

Peppers:

Hot-Lemon Drop (Burpee)

Mild-Hungarian Wax (Cherokee)

 

Experimental

Fruit-Huckleberry (a nightshade)

 

That's all my early stuff other than the sweet peas. I'll plant them in outside in late March if I can get away with it.

:001_wub: :001_wub: :001_wub:

[Critterfixer]

My boys won't be starting high-school everything. They aren't getting algebra until probably around the middle of ninth grade. I'm still calling it high-school. They just might be taking their time in certain subjects.

[Critterfixer]

FWIW, I wasn't ready for algebra in ninth grade. I hated it. I was marginally ready in tenth. I hated it. I went on to take college calculus above and beyond what was required because--get this--I liked it. 

So just because a student isn't ready to tackle algebra in eighth or ninth grade, it doesn't mean he might not be ready later, and even be able to enjoy the experience. And given that my mantra is "Don't make the student hate it if you can at all help it", I could get on board with delaying some subjects or walking through them slowly until you've got a better chance of not making the entire subject completely odious.

Of course, some things may always be odious...

[Critterfixer]

A couple more seed experiments--Blackberry Lilies (collected locally) and an unknown wild clematis (collected on a waterfalling trip).

[Slache]

I loved algebra, hated writing. John's the opposite, Mary's like me and Alex is loud. Alex will definitely be into sports or something physical. As long I don't have a genius I'll be happy.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Ds - took two years for 12th grade.  The first of those two years was spent primarily getting established with a job.  I thought that for an Aspie, this took higher priority.  And I do not regret it one single bit.

 

Dd - basically took two 8th grade years.  She wasn't ready for 9th grade yet.  We did some school - still plugging away on things but we also took the time to do more hands on stuff.  Don't regret that either. 

[Critterfixer]

And now my oven will be stuffed with seed trays. No cooking for me for a while. :tongue_smilie:

 

ETA: I'd better post a sign on the oven door, just to be on the safe side.

Edited February 28, 2018 by Critterfixer

[Jean in Newcastle]

Juliet had her first vet visit this morning.  Doc thinks that she's beautiful and healthy.  :001_wub:   (I knew that.)  He thinks that she is definitely rotti and definitely shepherd but we both agree that what kind of shepherd is up in the air.  He thinks due to her size at this time that she will be more in the medium size dog range (50 pound ish) but of course time will tell.  She can now play with other puppies.  She had her shots.  They said that she might be sleepy afterwards.  Someone tell her that.  She is tearing around the house with her squeaky hedgehog toy.  She's also learning to go down steps much to the cat's intense dismay. 

[maize]

"Don't make the student hate it if you can at all help it"

I like this mantra!

[Critterfixer]

I'm so tired I burned some of tonight's dinner. Not all of it, but perhaps I need another nap this afternoon.

[Slache]

My package is here but I don't want to go get it. I feel like poop.

[prairiewindmomma]

Ds has completed an academic year's worth of math.  I just ordered the next two levels of CLE, which hopefully we'll get through in the next 18 months.

 

I'm celebrating our mutual survival through his learning math (thus far) by ordering a book for myself (used).  

[prairiewindmomma]

I'm so tired I burned some of tonight's dinner. Not all of it, but perhaps I need another nap this afternoon.

 

I've always rather thought that our bodies follow an annual cycle as well. February is meant for resting and rejuvenating and for eating rich, warm foods as we prepare for a spring full of activity and new adventures.

 

Take a nap!

[Slache]

I got the package in my PJs. But it's okay because I'm a millennial.

 

[Renai]

Aaaannnndd that's exactly why I sleep in the living room or a kid room as often as I do, or allow kid in our room. Sleepwalking. When we built, we didn't find a floor plan that had master not in a separate area. I have always wanted all the bedrooms together, and have never wanted them on separate floors, especially.

 

Are you telling me they don't exist in Texas?  :svengo:

[lanalouwho]

Are you telling me they don't exist in Texas?  :svengo:

 

They exist. Both of my brother's live in houses where the bedrooms are all close together. My house has the master bedroom separated from the other rooms. 

[lots of little ducklings]

iTired.

 

But it's too gorgeous outside to call the kids to come in, so no nap for me. 

 

 

I read Rethinking School a few weeks ago and really found it helpful.   The idea of a gap year has always been appealing to me, though I also would love to take a year off and just do lots of traveling with the whole family before everyone graduates, so that could be the gap year all around.  Which really isn't the idea of a gap year.  But from afar it sounds like fun.  :laugh:

 

 

 

Booyah!

 

 

Edited February 28, 2018 by Lotsoflittleducklings

[KrissiK]

Krissi, I have a kid that will be in a similar boat.  Just keep on keeping on, and worry about the labels later.  It will be clearer in a couple of years whether he will be having a second 8th grader year, a 5 year high school experience, or if he is just on a different track altogether.  Not every kid fits neatly into a box, and that's ok. Just document.  I know it's a PITA, but document so that you have the flexibility to cast stuff as you like when you figure out where you're headed.

 

I would agree, based on what you describe, that he is not ready for high school work. I understand the panic. I truly do.  But meet him where he's at, and see where you can go together.  Keep him in the same church class. A friend of mine did that with her son, and he quietly took another 9 months after everyone else "graduated" to finish up his credits. It has all been completely fine. Really.

I'm kind of thinking this will be it. The problem is that if I consider this charter, I may have to start him in 2 years as a freshman, not next  year as a freshman. I know it's not good to do the whole "I should have... started him later, etc" and when I really think about it, he's slow. He started out fine, he learned to read at 4 years old, but he's just slow. And now here we are.... kind of like if we didn't do leap year. All those bits of a year finally catch up with you and you have an extra day. 

[AMJ]

All I want is a place somewhere

for a break from the frantic air

of chasing everywhere

oh, wouldn't it be lovely!

 

Lots of chocolate for me to eat

and someone who will rub my feet

and fetch a drink that's sweet

oh, wouldn't it be lovely!

 

Oh, how lov-e-ly to sit abso-bloomin'-lutely still

I would never budge through spring, list'ning to a whip-or-will.

 

A comfy chair 'neath a shady tree

peace and quiet surrounding me

and wondrous skies to see!

Oh, wouldn't it be lovely!

 

 

Many thanks and apologies to Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe!

Edited February 28, 2018 by AMJ

[AMJ]

I twitch when I'm low on magnesium or potassium.

SaveSave

 

 

I will have to look into that, thank you!

[AMJ]

I asked the question because my DS2 is in no way ready for High School and I'm really freaking out. I don't know what to do. Technically he's an 8th grader. He's in the 8th grade SS class at church, everyone knows him as an 8th grader. But academically - he's doing 5th grade math, 7th grade LA, he dropped Latin, in Science he is still doing Apologia Young Explorers series with the rest of us and for History, he's in Nottgrass American the Beautiful, which, while it says it is for 5th-8th grade, I would say it is closer to 5th grade level. So, I'm looking at a Gap year in terms of.... let's catch this kid up. Not no academics, just not "officially high school" where transcripts and all that are involved. I think an extra year to catch him up would be very helpful, but socially it could be devastating.... or maybe not. I just don't know. And this is where I am just.... I don't know what to do.  He's making progress in what he's doing, he's just slow.

 

 

:grouphug:  :grouphug:

[AMJ]

Seeds started:

Tomatoes: 

Cherry-Blue Berry, Blue-Gold Berry (Wild Boar Farms-Baker Creek)

Slicer-Cherokee Purple, Marion (Baker Creek, Cherokee)

Beefsteak-Patano Romansco, Kellogg's Breakfast (Baker Creek)

Paste/Other-San Marzano, Green Vernissage (Seeds of Change, Baker Creek)

 

Peppers: 

Hot-Lemon Drop (Burpee)

Mild-Hungarian Wax (Cherokee)

 

Experimental

Fruit-Huckleberry (a nightshade)

 

That's all my early stuff other than the sweet peas. I'll plant them in outside in late March if I can get away with it.

 

 

Don't be concerned about the wild woman you will see in your garden.  She's just desperate for some good tomatoes.  Let her eat her fill, and I she will bless you and your garden for the bounty.