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[[deleted user]]

I don't know anything about K12. Sounds like it was developed for military stationed overseas, maybe?

My sister homeschooled (still is, actually) 11 kids (all her own). When it was my turn, with my one daughter, I decided to give it a try. She gets one-to-one student-teacher ratio; the freedom to study one subject intensely, without following a school curriculum, ability to travel during the school year, and other benefits. You might want to read The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home (and the other books by these authors). My husband was influenced by reading Growing Without Schooling: A Record of a Grassroots Movement.

My husband taught my daughter computer programming, German (his native language) and Geometry. We all discussed things as a family regarding what she was learning (that is, if she was into Egypt, we read books about Egypt, visited museums, etc). My daughter loves being homeschooled. She is 16 and starts her senior year in the Fall. She has been doing an online high school, as well as community college courses. We were involved with an HSAP, so she got time with other homeschooled kids. Her best friend is in the public schools. We volunteered together, took field trips, etc. She is anxious to start college so she can study abroad in Japan! They grow up so fast! :)

[Mona]

Jeannette wrote: "I don't know anything about K12. Sounds like it was developed for military stationed overseas, maybe?

My sister homeschooled (still is, actually) 11 kids (all her own). When it was my turn, with..."

Jeannette: I was just checking the links you mentioned. As far as Florida regulations are concerned, it's pretty straightforward. We just have to send a letter of intent to our school district superintendent.

WOW--your sister is a machine :). The reasons you gave are also our primary reasons for homeschooling:

1. student-teacher ratio
2. freedom to focus on a subject that interests her more intensely.
3. flexibility of travel
4. hubby wants to teach her about our culture/language/history/customs/religion
5. his ideas of education are like your Egypt example.

There is so much we can teach her that is not covered/emphasized in the traditional school system.

It is an ambitious endeavor and unfortunately my side of the family is not supportive. They are worried about the socialization aspect and that I may get burned out/overwhelmed. In India, homeschooling is unheard of.

So, being that your daughter was homeschooled, how will you and hubby adjust when she is in college?

It will be tough for my hubby. She is the apple of his eye and has him tightly wrapped :).

[[deleted user]]

I try not to think about her going away more than 7 or 8 times a day! lol Having her with me all day, most days, we are pretty close. Of course, we bumped heads more than once, but I could always threaten to send her to public school! She and her father are also very close. They take taekwondo together, and he has always been the one to get her active outdoors. She will be missed. On the other hand, she seems ready to go to college and master new skills. She's 16 and talking about living in Japan for a year! We wouldn't want to hold her back, even if she could go to the university in our town, instead of her pick, which is two hours away. :(

As for socialization, most homeschoolers are better socialized, because they are usually around many different-aged people. They don't spend all day with just kids their own age. And, we made sure to get my daughter involved in things: scouts, art class at the school, volunteering at the library (she assisted with the 1st - 3rd graders program, when she was 12). She has been doing state speech contest with the local high school's team. She took crocheting classes with me and 4 retirees. It's out there, you just have to find what you both enjoy.

Try to find a local homeschool support group, either through the schools, or the community. As I said, these people love to homeschool and are a great resource for each other.

[[deleted user]]

p.s. Homeschooling is illegal in Germany, so we made sure to have my daughter take standardized tests every year. When my in-laws saw her scores, and heard her speak German, they got to accept what we were doing! :)

[[deleted user]]

Mona wrote: Hi Christine: How are you liking so far? I'm not very far yet(p. 45) but I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Being of Punjabi origin, everything sounds so familiar. I do look at the glossary out of curiosity and sometimes even necessity. I've heard of FIR's but I never knew what the acronym stood for. If you have any questions, just ask :).

I did not have a good last couple days so have not posted much. After submitting my daughter's homeschooling enrollment application, I got an email from them saying she was not eligible for the program. They couldn't have told me that back in January when I inquired about the eligibility requirements?! Misinformation is very frustrating. Now we're back to square one and have to choose another program >:(. Out of curiosity, which program did you go with?
"

I'm on page 105. I love the glossary! What a great idea. I am enjoying the book a lot!

I used Calvert Homeschooling Curriculum with the interactive online classes for my daughter, and the advisory teacher for my son. It's a very structured program, and that was a good fit for us.

[[deleted user]]

Mona wrote: Out of curiosity, what made you guys decide to home school? How did your kids like it? Were your hubbies involved in the homeschooling too?
"

Sorry for posting the last message before I read through the other posts...you already knew about my using Calvert.

I started homeschooling Benjamin when he was in first grade because we had just moved to Maryland and the special education services for autistic children in our county were awful. They wanted to place him in a school for mentally handicapped children, which is not an appropriate placement for him. The homeschooling community is huge in Maryland and there was lots available for him for extra classes and socialization.

Emma homeschooled for grades 6-8. This also came about due to a move (back to Illinois, but it's a long story...), and she used the online classes.

Both of my kids are headed back to school in the fall for a variety of reasons, but they have done very well with homeschooling.

[[deleted user]]

Tomorrow I will be at my in-laws, and just in case I don't get to check in....HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEANNETTE!!!! You make sure to relax and eat cupcakes!

[Mona]

Jeannette wrote: "I try not to think about her going away more than 7 or 8 times a day! lol Having her with me all day, most days, we are pretty close. Of course, we bumped heads more than once, but I could always..."

Jeannette: Did you start homeschooling your daughter from the beginning? Did she ever attend any nursery school/pre-school?

You all must be very close and it must be the same for your sister and her kids. I think it's wonderful and I admire the commitment of both you and your husband. Of course if you're together all the time, you're bound to butt heads. It's only natural. You used the public school threat and we told our daughter she could always trade us in for a mama and dai that are more "fun." :) That always works.

I wonder how she will adjust away from both of you. Has she ever been away from you for an extended period of time? Summer camp?

I remember being accepted at UW-Madison(about 90 miles away) but my parents persuaded me to go to the local university and commute. In all honesty, I did think they were holding me back and subjecting me to a double-standard since my brother was allowed to go away to school. You know the saying, "if you love someone,set them free..."

About homeschoolers being better socialized, already my daughter will play with any kid,boy or girl,older or younger. We do plan to get her involved in activities she's interested in or that we can do together.

And, yes, we will try to find a support group. Thanks so much for the input :)

So your in-laws were against your homeschooling at first too?

Hubby's native language is Punjabi and he is fiercely loyal to it. But somehow his sister in India as well as my parents here think that Punjabi is a crude language and Hindi is much more sophisticated.

These days hubby is on a mission to reduce his accent because it's become somewhat of a stumbling block for him in his career advancement.

Having grown up here, my brother and I don't have an accent. According to hubby, I don't have much of one when I speak Hindi/Punjabi. Spanish was my minor in college.

[Mona]

Happy B-day tomorrow Jeannette:)

[Mona]

Christine wrote: "Mona wrote: Hi Christine: How are you liking so far? I'm not very far yet(p. 45) but I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Being of Punjabi origin, everything sounds so familiar. I do look at the glossary o..."

Hi Christine, you're further than I am. But it is quick reading and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Again, if you have any questions not covered in the glossary, don't hesitate to ask. If I don't know, I can ask hubby.

Thanks for the homeschooling info. I will look into Calvert.

Do you think you and your kids will miss homeschooling in the fall?

[Mona]

Good Night All :). Will check in tomorrow.

Jeannette, you made an apple cake w/whipped cream for hubby. What's on the menu for you?

[[deleted user]]

Thanks for the birthday wishes, Christine & Mona! I am hoping for a gooey, chocolate cake. We'll see if my daughter can manage something. We are going to the Des Moines' Farmer's Market in the morning and I will get a pastry at the German baker, followed shortly after with a hot samosa (vegetarian).

I have always homeschooled my daughter. I taught her to read, and she did the rest. She has been on weekend camps, and sleepovers. This month she will live for 3 weeks on the ISU campus, at their talented and gifted summer program. In the dorms, her bff as a roommate, and we get to see her on Sundays. She will go to taekwondo with her dad twice a week. She will also do an overnight to her college choice in the fall.

Have a great 4th, both of you! Give Dixie a hug when the fireworks start! :) (My dog is now blissfully hard of hearing!)

[Wendy]

I hope you have a wonderful birthday, Jeannette! A gooey, chocolate cake sounds so yummy! I'll be thinking of you while I'm working. Trying to remember why I volunteered to work this weekend . . .

[[deleted user]]

Good morning to the birthday girl and all the comfy chatters! I'm off to the in-laws soon for a birthday party for my nephew and niece. My nephew's was a few days ago, and I forgot to call so I'm going to be in trouble today. My niece's is actually tomorrow...this is a no-win situation because if I call her on her actual day then my sister-in-law will be like, "Why did you call her, but forget your nephew?" If I don't call then my sister-in-law will be like, "You forgot both of them?" Sometimes I do not have the needed skill set to survive in this weird family. (pass the wine, please)

[Manybooks]

Happy Birthday, Jeannette!! Hope you have a good day, sounds lovely. Sometimes I wish I still lived in Waterloo, so I could go to the local farmers' market on Saturday.

[[deleted user]]

Thanks for the birthday wishes! I had a chocolate cupcake for breakfast! *yum*

I'll have a glass tonight, and think of all of you here on the chat thread! I am so happy to have you all as friends! :)

I'm off to the Farmer's Market, with a happy husband: Germany scored in the first minute of play!

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

I know some local homeschooled teenagers who are taking knitting with my group - they are very nice girls.

Just looked up the different laws on homeschooling where Mona is in Florida, and what it is here in South Carolina - they really do vary state-to-state, don't they?

ETA: Your husband must be a very happy man after that match, Jeanette!

[Mona]

Jeannette wrote: "Thanks for the birthday wishes, Christine & Mona! I am hoping for a gooey, chocolate cake. We'll see if my daughter can manage something. We are going to the Des Moines' Farmer's Market in the m..."

You're welcome Jeannette :). Gooey chocolate cake sounds good and a chocolate cupcake for breakfast. So far so good.

My daughter knows the alphabet,letter sounds,shapes,animals, and a little math. She can recognize/write letters and knows the difference between upper/lower case. She has been learning through her computer games on PBSkids.org,DVD's from the library,and games/books we play/read together.

It looks like your daughter has some big plans. Good for her.

[Mona]

Christine wrote: "Good morning to the birthday girl and all the comfy chatters! I'm off to the in-laws soon for a birthday party for my nephew and niece. My nephew's was a few days ago, and I forgot to call so I'm..."

Good Afternoon Christine :) Special occasions can be tricky in some families. Ok, everyday life can be tricky. Luckily, my in-laws don't make a big deal of b-days. But I do have to be careful about not showing favoritism to either of my sis-in-laws(hubby's brother's wives). Hubby is the oldest and he has 2 brothers and a sister each with their own unique personality/quirks.

I am now on page 119 of The Case of the Missing Servant and loving it. I don't want it to end. I am eagerly looking forward to reading The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator. I hope he keeps writing these. They are so much fun. I just wish every word in the book that is defined in the glossary was marked with a *.

[Mona]

Susanna wrote: "I know some local homeschooled teenagers who are taking knitting with my group - they are very nice girls.

Just looked up the different laws on homeschooling where Mona is in Florida, and what it ..."

Susanna: yes, it looks like every state has their own regulations. I'm going to go ahead and write my letter to the district superintendent and get that out of the way. Do you homeschool?

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

I don't have kids.

[Mona]

Susanna wrote: "I don't have kids."

ok :).

[Kathy]

I think I will cry. I haven't had Internet access for several days, and when I looked at "Daily Chat," it said there were 101 new entries. I don't know how long I will have a connection now, but I am going to try and read through some of the posts. Hubby is in, spent the day with daughter, her husband, and our youngest granddaughter--had a wonderfully perfect day!

[Kathy]

Happy Birthday dear, wonderful Jeannette!!!!!

[[deleted user]]

Kathy wrote: "Happy Birthday dear, wonderful Jeannette!!!!!"

Thanks, Kathy! We baked your chocolate jam cake. I'm just going to have a piece! I'll report back! :)

[Kathy]

Jeannette wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Happy Birthday dear, wonderful Jeannette!!!!!"

Thanks, Kathy! We baked your chocolate jam cake. I'm just going to have a piece! I'll report back! :)"

Yay!!! Let me know how it turned out. I fixed a blueberry cheesecake for this weekend.

[[deleted user]]

Kathy wrote: "I think I will cry. I haven't had Internet access for several days, and when I looked at "Daily Chat," it said there were 101 new entries. I don't know how long I will have a connection now, but ..."

Don't cry! I love having gobs of unread messages...I just don't pressure myself to read them right away.

[Lee, Mod Mama]

Kathy, don't worry! We will all be here when you get your connection fixed.

Jeannette, I can't wait to hear how the jam cake turned out.

[[deleted user]]

Oh my, Kathy! I think that would be grounds for suicide.... what on earth would I do without my internet connection?

Read more, probably...

[[deleted user]]

Mona wrote: I am now on page 119 of The Case of the Missing Servant and loving it. I don't want it to end. I am eagerly looking forward to reading The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator. I hope he keeps writing these. They are so much fun. I just wish every word in the book that is defined in the glossary was marked with a *."

I finished mine last night in the wee hours. I really enjoyed it! I'm trying to decide if I should start
The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator or save it for when I need a comfort read in the future.

[[deleted user]]

Hayes wrote: "Oh my, Kathy! I think that would be grounds for suicide.... what on earth would I do without my internet connection?

Read more, probably..."

I hope we could all live without the 'Net, at least for a few days. I would miss all of you, in a big way! Imagine what it was like when people had to write letters and wait for a return letter.

[[deleted user]]

Kathy,

I like your jam cake. It was not as moist as I expected, but it made a lovely, firm cake. I halved the spices; I always jiggle recipes around. We used choc. frosting, too! I am thinking about tea time, later today. *yum*

[[deleted user]]

When instant gratification meant that the return letter reached you in two days, rather than two seconds!!

[[deleted user]]

Hayes wrote: "When instant gratification meant that the return letter reached you in two days, rather than two seconds!!"

And, that was for someone who lived near you. Even now it would take at least 4 days for us to exchange a letter, Hayes.

[Manybooks]

Hayes wrote: "When instant gratification meant that the return letter reached you in two days, rather than two seconds!!"

I know I sound like a traitor and a hypocrite, but I do sometimes think back with melancholy to the time with no internet, no answering machines, and, above all, no cell phone. It is at times a real pain in the you know what to be constantly reachable, as people often expect you to call back etc. right away, or to drop everything in order to answer the phone. I was in the car with my brother a few weeks ago, and he was conducting sensitive business conversations while driving (I thought that was not only gauche, but not exactly secure either, what if someone were monitoring his calls).

[Lee, Mod Mama]

I think life would definitely be a lot calmer without all the phones etc. And I love exchanging letters! It feels very special to receive something that someone took the time to sit down and write, then go and post to you.

[[deleted user]]

I couldn't live without the cell phone, but I never use it for chatting. Text messages with my son, husband, friends for appointments, etc. I hate talking on the phone. So I adore sms, email, forums (fora?), etc.

[[deleted user]]

I will be texting as soon as my daughter heads off to college. She loves to text, so she'll have to teach me.

[[deleted user]]

Hayes wrote: "When instant gratification meant that the return letter reached you in two days, rather than two seconds!!"

I still write letters to a few people. I enjoy it, although it makes it very obvious how much I need spell check sometimes.

[[deleted user]]

Hayes wrote: "I couldn't live without the cell phone, but I never use it for chatting. Text messages with my son, husband, friends for appointments, etc. I hate talking on the phone. So I adore sms, email, forum..."

I like texting, but it's something that I use more for quick communication and not conversations. My sister-in-laws and I use that as our main source of communication, and thank goodness because I dread phone calls with them.

[[deleted user]]

How was the birthday bash, Christine? Any gloppy cake? :)

[[deleted user]]

There was a cake assortment so I was quite happy. The kids got a sunny day which meant that they could use the pool. And I finally met the new puppy (the one who has gone through multiple name changes as you have seen on Dixie's page). He's the sweetest pup!

I thought of you as I ate birthday cake. :)

[Mona]

Christine wrote: "Mona wrote: I am now on page 119 of The Case of the Missing Servant and loving it. I don't want it to end. I am eagerly looking forward to reading The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Fi..."

I am now on page 203, I think(Chp. 20). I should be finished in the next couple days. Next on the list is We Need to Talk About Kevin because I've heard a lot about this one and it is due back at the library first. Did you buy The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator?

No mail tomorrow :(.

[Mona]

Gundula wrote: "Hayes wrote: "When instant gratification meant that the return letter reached you in two days, rather than two seconds!!"

I know I sound like a traitor and a hypocrite, but I do sometimes think ba..."

Gundula: yes, modern technology has its drawbacks. I don't always want to be reachable/available. My cellphone is a prepaid one and is on a need-to-use basis only. It's often off -- much to the chagrin of my family who leave theirs on 24/7.

[Mona]

Lee wrote: "I think life would definitely be a lot calmer without all the phones etc. And I love exchanging letters! It feels very special to receive something that someone took the time to sit down and writ..."

Lee, I agree. Mailing and receiving letters had its charm. It was so much more personal. I'm the sentimental type and still hold on to letters from years ago.

[Mona]

Hayes wrote: "I couldn't live without the cell phone, but I never use it for chatting. Text messages with my son, husband, friends for appointments, etc. I hate talking on the phone. So I adore sms, email, forum..."

Hayes, I'm not a big fan of the phone either. But email,texting,online chatting is fun.

[[deleted user]]

Christine wrote: "There was a cake assortment so I was quite happy. The kids got a sunny day which meant that they could use the pool. And I finally met the new puppy (the one who has gone through multiple name ch..."

Thanks for celebrating my birthday, long distance! Hope the dog doesn't get a complex from all his name changes! :)

[Lisa]

I love the phone. I've been kidded a lot. I have one friend who used to live across the hall from me, and we'd often be at each other's apartments, but we'd also sometimes get on the phone and talk for hours. I really enjoy long phone conversation, especially with long distance friends.

My handwriting is truly illegible so I think my friends are happy I stick to greeting cards because they don't have as much of my handwriting to try to decipher. So, I'm grateful for email, and word processing programs.

I admit I was never a huge letter writer, even before the age of computers. I never had a pen pal or anything. But, I love reading letters and books of letters. And, it's sad that letter writing has become somewhat obsolete for many. I mean, how many of us save our emails forever?

[[deleted user]]

Mona wrote: Did you buy The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator?"

Yep, I have it here. :)

[Mona]

Christine wrote: "Mona wrote: Did you buy The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator?"

Yep, I have it here. :)"