My sister has four kids, one of whom is married. I have five kids, two of whom are on their own, plus four dogs and a cat.
My sister never goes to work with pet hair on her clothes. Her kids never have to scrub at an accident. They don't have to lug 40-lb. bags of dog food up a flight of stairs every couple of weeks. Her bathroom is never soaked from a 90-lb. dog shaking himself dry.
I feel so sorry for her.
Three of our dogs are rescue dogs. One of the dogs and the cat belong to my ex. I'm taking care of them until he can.
I hit Homer as a puppy when I was driving home on a dark night. He's now a 90-lb. lovable hunk of mutt who can wrestle my youngest to a standstill. Killer, a rat terrier, and Bowser, a fox terrier, were going to be taken to the pound by a co-worker who couldn't take care of them any more.
My kids are great with animals. Although one of the symptoms of ADHD is cruelty to animals, Hyper Boy is very loving and caring with them. In fact, when Homer is afraid to climb on my bed, because Libby, the 4-lb. queen of attitude, is growling at him, my son patiently coaxes him to jump up and curl up where it's safe.
The dogs have even attached themselves to certain people. I belong to Homer and Libby, and the two are constantly quarreling over my attention. Bowser is the 16-year-old's dog, probably because they're both laid back and friendly. Killer vacillates between the youngest two, mostly because he's too lazy to go downstairs to sleep with whoever has the basement bedroom.
And, after a surprise $240 electric bill caused me to turn my thermostat way down, I've truly learned the value of having a cuddly dog curled next to me. Libby crawls under the blankets and sleeps behind my knees. Killer goes under the blankets at my feet. And Homer curls up against my back. Since dogs have a higher body temperature than humans, it's like having three hot water bottles next to me. Now I know what a three-dog night is like.
Having animals has meant some sacrifices, like making sure someone's always there to care for them and paying for their food (four dogs eat a LOT). They've also chewed up two couches, two chairs and a stool. And I'm always stubbing my toes on the large rocks Homer brings in to play with. But I believe that they've helped make my kids caring and responsible.
The kids wash, feed and patch up the dogs. They train them. They even clean up after them although I usually have to remind them. When it's warm, we go to a local park and play "Keep Away".
Costs of Pet Ownership
But owning a pet is not all sunshine and sweetness. There are costs and dangers to owning a pet.
Families that adopt pets, whether they purchase them, find them or get them from a shelter, need to consider a number of factors.
1. Cost of food
2. Cost of health care (Killer was seriously injured last year, and it took over $100 [with my vet giving me a heck of a deal] and three vet visits to ensure he'd live.)
3. Cost of licensing
4. Potential cost of damage to property
5. Cost in time and lost opportunities
6. Potential danger
Some of these costs are explained in an Investopedia article by Jim McWhinney.
Food cost can range from a couple of dollars a week to $25 for a large dog on a special diet. For a while, my mother was feeding her picky little dog a special diet that included $3 a can food.
Cost of health care includes annual shots, flea treatments and heartworm treatments. I would also include other necessities, such as doggie shampoo, bedding, leashes and collars, brushes, nail trimmers, chew toys and dog toothpaste (dogs that eat soft food usually need to have their teeth brushed).
Health care also includes getting your pet fixed, which can range from $25 at a local humane society to $100.
If your county offers pet licenses, get one. It's invaluable if your dog gets lost.
I would also recommend getting your animal chipped or GPSed.
The GPS device hooks to the pet's collar. However, it costs close to $400 just for the device, not to mention the GPS service.
Putting a microchip under your pet's skin is cheaper, from $15 to $60. That price includes registration of the microchip number.
Another cost that potential pet owners often don't consider is damage to property. I don't care if you're the best doggie parent in the world, your dog is going to damage something. It's going to make a mess on the floor, it's going to chew your shoes, it's going to shed, and/or it's going to track in mud. If you can't handle it, you shouldn't own a pet (and you may want to think again about having kids, because they're much messier).
Although kids take a lot of time, most parents are somewhat prepared for those duties. Some people are surprised by how much time having pets takes. When Homer was a puppy, I had to wake up every three to four hours to let him out. Now that he's an adult, he can go from midnight to 6 a.m. Then, there's the time we take to make sure the dogs and cat have food and water. We give the dogs a bath every couple of weeks.
Dogs need exercise every day. We load three of the dogs (Bowser slips his leash) into the van when it's warm and take them to a nearby park. Since it's mostly deserted in the winter, we put them in a fenced-in baseball field and let them run and chase balls. It's a great way for us to get some exercise, too.
In addition, we have to make sure the trash is in sealed containers and clean it up if the dogs get into it. We have to clean up their messes if they vomit, urinate or defecate, which one of them does almost every day.
If we're going to be gone for a weekend, I have to pay the neighbor to come over, feed them and let them out. He's cheap, but the service I contacted was going to charge me $20 each time she came over.
And I don't like to leave the animals for more than a few days. This means that someone stays with the dogs or we take a couple with us.
If you rent, some building owners may refuse to rent to someone who has pets or charge a pet deposit. If you own your home, doors, screens and flooring will always take a beating.
Always remember that a child under 10 should never be left alone with an animal. No matter how friendly a dog, it will bite given the proper circumstances. And it's not fair to punish an animal for doing something that's within its nature.
When my now-22-year-old was just a year old, his father didn't watch him around a friendly pet at a family member's house. My son was just trying to be friendly, but he cornered the dog, the dog bit him in the face, and my son is scarred for life.
Even now, I see my kids doing stupid things around the dogs. They'll tease the dogs or blow in their ears and the dogs will snap. The kids have even been bitten, not because the dogs are violent, but because the kids were being stupid.
Although we have three to four dogs, I wouldn't recommend that any family have more than one pet of any species. It's just not fair to the animals. Just like kids, they get jealous.
For example, Homer and Bowser fight over attention and for dominance. Since Homer's so much bigger than Bowser, Bowser always gets hurt.
We took in Killer and Bowser, because they would have ended up dead at our local animal shelter, which has a phenomenally high kill rate. However, I'm trying to find a good home for Bowser, because he's the more adoptable animal.
Think ahead before you bring an animal into your home. Once they are there, they are your responsibility.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Job Hunt
I knew it was coming.
The small factory where I worked as systems administrator had always needed investor support. With the downturn in the economy, the investors had already seen the value of their holdings plummet. And even though most small factories don't show a profit for several years, they wanted results or else.
Or else is what they got, and they closed the facility in late January of this year. Approximately 15 people were out of a job in the worst job-seeking market in a quarter century.
Confident that, with my IT and writing skills, I would have no problem finding another job, I searched the local Help Wanted classifieds, as well as WaHM, iFreelance, Sologig and Craigslist. I started LinkedIn and Spoke entries. I asked my former boss to write a recommendation, and he did.
The local newspapers in the rural area where I live are biweekly at best. And there were entire issues without one single job listing. Snagajob, Yahoo Hot Jobs, Indeed, CareerBuilder, and even the state department of labor only offered low-level service jobs or jobs in the medical field.
On Craigslist, there were plenty of information technology jobs...if I wanted to move to Atlanta.
And although I've been a writer and editor for more than a quarter century, my portfolio isn't up to date. My last few writing jobs have been for local media about local activities.
Many of the freelance jobs seemed to request a lot of work for very little pay. I just can't get into spending an hour researching and writing an article for $5 to $10. I'm a perfectionist about my work, and although I can write about anything, research usually takes some time. And some of these jobs appeared to be posted by individuals, which usually means pay problems. Perhaps I'm being too picky, but online freelance may well be my last alternative.
So, while I update my skills and my portfolio, I decided to work with my mother, the sewing whiz, to make hats, purses and quilts to sell at local shows. The mountain hats are at left, and the fringed quilt is next to it. We have baby quilts and lap quilts and can even custom make a quilt in your chosen colors. Below are images of our work.
The small factory where I worked as systems administrator had always needed investor support. With the downturn in the economy, the investors had already seen the value of their holdings plummet. And even though most small factories don't show a profit for several years, they wanted results or else.
Or else is what they got, and they closed the facility in late January of this year. Approximately 15 people were out of a job in the worst job-seeking market in a quarter century.
Confident that, with my IT and writing skills, I would have no problem finding another job, I searched the local Help Wanted classifieds, as well as WaHM, iFreelance, Sologig and Craigslist. I started LinkedIn and Spoke entries. I asked my former boss to write a recommendation, and he did.
The local newspapers in the rural area where I live are biweekly at best. And there were entire issues without one single job listing. Snagajob, Yahoo Hot Jobs, Indeed, CareerBuilder, and even the state department of labor only offered low-level service jobs or jobs in the medical field.
On Craigslist, there were plenty of information technology jobs...if I wanted to move to Atlanta.
And although I've been a writer and editor for more than a quarter century, my portfolio isn't up to date. My last few writing jobs have been for local media about local activities.
Many of the freelance jobs seemed to request a lot of work for very little pay. I just can't get into spending an hour researching and writing an article for $5 to $10. I'm a perfectionist about my work, and although I can write about anything, research usually takes some time. And some of these jobs appeared to be posted by individuals, which usually means pay problems. Perhaps I'm being too picky, but online freelance may well be my last alternative.
So, while I update my skills and my portfolio, I decided to work with my mother, the sewing whiz, to make hats, purses and quilts to sell at local shows. The mountain hats are at left, and the fringed quilt is next to it. We have baby quilts and lap quilts and can even custom make a quilt in your chosen colors. Below are images of our work.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Single Working Parent Homeschooling Part V
Part V: Legal requirements
Requirements vary state by state
Most states require that homeschool families document attendance. Some require registration, documentation of work, accredited curricula, testing and approval by the local board of education. About.com and the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) have links to homeschool rules for each state.
Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Texas do not require notice or follow-up. Utah, New Mexico, California, Alabama and Arizona only require that the fact that the child is being homeschooled be reported to the state. However, California requires that a parent establish a private school in order to exempt a student from compulsory public school attendance.
Colorado, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Oregon, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia require notification and follow-up, as well as periodic testing and evaluation by the local school board. Rhode Island, Massachusetts, North Dakota, New York, Vermont and Pennsylvania monitor the student's progress closely, with some districts requiring curriculum approval, teacher qualification for parents, state-mandated school official visits, frequent tests and evaluations.
Many states mandate national achievement tests
Many states require homeschooled students to take nationally accredited tests, such as the California Achievement Test, on a regular basis. Here in Georgia, they must take them every three years. Many schools will push tests that require you to pay out about $100 and attend a special testing session, most of which are held in large metropolitan area.
My advice is to ask which tests are accepted by the school district. Even if a type of test is not listed, you may be able to persuade your local board of education to put it onto the accepted list if other school districts accept it.
My child was able to take the Iowa achievement test through Bob Jones University Press because I have a bachelor's degree. It was under $100 for the tester application and the test, and he was able to take the test at home.
This was much easier than taking off work and traveling two hours to the closest test site.
You will likely meet some resistance if you want to use an accredited test that is not the usual one used in the district. However, if you homeschool, you should be accustomed to that.
Divorce and custody issues
Legal issues with homeschooling don't always deal with education. If you are a divorced parent, your ex may attempt to use the fact that you're homeschooling in court.
This is one reason why it's important to have a written curriculum, documentation of attendance and records of work done. Most judges are fairly ignorant about homeschooling, but if you can show that you're organized, they'll accept it.
Another problem occurs if the homeschooled child spends part of the time with a parent who has agreed to homeschool him but doesn't.
When I moved, my ex and I agreed to do this. I wrote the curriculum, I assigned the work, and I even agreed to check all the work. All my ex had to do was make sure the kids did the work and sent it in. He flubbed it!
He told the kids the work was too hard for them, when, in reality, it was too difficult for him! He lied for the kids when they didn't turn their work in on time. He spent no time with them at all and just made excuses.
Now, of course, I have custody of all of them. They're not permitted to stay with their father during the school year unless they have managed to work ahead sufficiently (a minimum of five weeks) so that I don't have to turn around and travel eight hours to pick them up if they don't do their homework for a while.
There are other issues if the nonhomeschooling parent lives in another state. Even if you're handling the homeschooling, you may want to have the nonhomeschool parent check in with the local board of education. In some states, all children who are not in ground school must be documented.
Homeschooling student drivers
If you have a child near driving age, you may have to document your child's attendance so he can get his driving permit. Here in Georgia, the homeschool liaison at the local board of education will fill one out. I just have to present it at the state license bureau when he goes to take his test.
Requirements vary state by state
Most states require that homeschool families document attendance. Some require registration, documentation of work, accredited curricula, testing and approval by the local board of education. About.com and the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) have links to homeschool rules for each state.
Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Texas do not require notice or follow-up. Utah, New Mexico, California, Alabama and Arizona only require that the fact that the child is being homeschooled be reported to the state. However, California requires that a parent establish a private school in order to exempt a student from compulsory public school attendance.
Colorado, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Oregon, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia require notification and follow-up, as well as periodic testing and evaluation by the local school board. Rhode Island, Massachusetts, North Dakota, New York, Vermont and Pennsylvania monitor the student's progress closely, with some districts requiring curriculum approval, teacher qualification for parents, state-mandated school official visits, frequent tests and evaluations.
Many states mandate national achievement tests
Many states require homeschooled students to take nationally accredited tests, such as the California Achievement Test, on a regular basis. Here in Georgia, they must take them every three years. Many schools will push tests that require you to pay out about $100 and attend a special testing session, most of which are held in large metropolitan area.
My advice is to ask which tests are accepted by the school district. Even if a type of test is not listed, you may be able to persuade your local board of education to put it onto the accepted list if other school districts accept it.
My child was able to take the Iowa achievement test through Bob Jones University Press because I have a bachelor's degree. It was under $100 for the tester application and the test, and he was able to take the test at home.
This was much easier than taking off work and traveling two hours to the closest test site.
You will likely meet some resistance if you want to use an accredited test that is not the usual one used in the district. However, if you homeschool, you should be accustomed to that.
Divorce and custody issues
Legal issues with homeschooling don't always deal with education. If you are a divorced parent, your ex may attempt to use the fact that you're homeschooling in court.
This is one reason why it's important to have a written curriculum, documentation of attendance and records of work done. Most judges are fairly ignorant about homeschooling, but if you can show that you're organized, they'll accept it.
Another problem occurs if the homeschooled child spends part of the time with a parent who has agreed to homeschool him but doesn't.
When I moved, my ex and I agreed to do this. I wrote the curriculum, I assigned the work, and I even agreed to check all the work. All my ex had to do was make sure the kids did the work and sent it in. He flubbed it!
He told the kids the work was too hard for them, when, in reality, it was too difficult for him! He lied for the kids when they didn't turn their work in on time. He spent no time with them at all and just made excuses.
Now, of course, I have custody of all of them. They're not permitted to stay with their father during the school year unless they have managed to work ahead sufficiently (a minimum of five weeks) so that I don't have to turn around and travel eight hours to pick them up if they don't do their homework for a while.
There are other issues if the nonhomeschooling parent lives in another state. Even if you're handling the homeschooling, you may want to have the nonhomeschool parent check in with the local board of education. In some states, all children who are not in ground school must be documented.
Homeschooling student drivers
If you have a child near driving age, you may have to document your child's attendance so he can get his driving permit. Here in Georgia, the homeschool liaison at the local board of education will fill one out. I just have to present it at the state license bureau when he goes to take his test.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Single Working Parent Homeschooling Part IV
Part IV: Accredited versus nonaccredited curricula
I don't have a lot of money, but I do have time and some familiarity with the Web, so I develop my own curriculum. It does follow state recommendations for my child's grade level (check your state board of education for this information), but it utilizes online Websites and books left over from my college courses, purchased at garage sales and bought on eBay or Amazon.
Not only is it cheap, it's flexible. It permits me to add advanced math and remedial reading to my son's curriculum. And if my son has difficulty with some parts, I can find easier teachings until he can get caught up.
Accredited curricula are accredited by regional authorities. Ground schools are accredited by the state. All the virtual schools with which I'm familiar are accredited. Accredited curricula can also be purchased.
Of course, an accredited curriculum can be pretty expensive, what with supplies, Web components, books, etc. I've found that the more expensive the curriculum, the easier it is to tailor it to meet your child's specific needs.
State-sponsored e-schools can be flexible, but I've found it somewhat difficult and time-consuming to do so.
The chief advantage of an accredited curriculum is that it may make it easier if your child ever decides to transition to ground school or if your child wishes to go on to college.
For example, when my 16-year-old decided he wanted to go to ground school after two years of homeschool, the local high school attempted to put him back in the ninth grade because his curriculum was nonaccredited. I had to show them how they were not only flouting state law, but their own local guidelines and threaten a lawsuit before they let him go into eleventh grade. Even then, they forced him to take a whole battery of tests.
Another advantage of an accredited curriculum is that, in legal matters, it's more accepted. For example, if you're ever involved in a custody case or your child goes to court for a minor infraction of the law, an accredited curriculum is an advantage.
When my 15-year-old son was charged with indecent exposure for mooning the school bus (yes, the local barneys have nothing better to do), the judge demanded proof of what he was studying. Having a printed curriculum that followed state standards was very helpful, but the issue never would have come up if he'd followed an accredited curriculum.
I don't have a lot of money, but I do have time and some familiarity with the Web, so I develop my own curriculum. It does follow state recommendations for my child's grade level (check your state board of education for this information), but it utilizes online Websites and books left over from my college courses, purchased at garage sales and bought on eBay or Amazon.
Not only is it cheap, it's flexible. It permits me to add advanced math and remedial reading to my son's curriculum. And if my son has difficulty with some parts, I can find easier teachings until he can get caught up.
Accredited curricula are accredited by regional authorities. Ground schools are accredited by the state. All the virtual schools with which I'm familiar are accredited. Accredited curricula can also be purchased.
Of course, an accredited curriculum can be pretty expensive, what with supplies, Web components, books, etc. I've found that the more expensive the curriculum, the easier it is to tailor it to meet your child's specific needs.
State-sponsored e-schools can be flexible, but I've found it somewhat difficult and time-consuming to do so.
The chief advantage of an accredited curriculum is that it may make it easier if your child ever decides to transition to ground school or if your child wishes to go on to college.
For example, when my 16-year-old decided he wanted to go to ground school after two years of homeschool, the local high school attempted to put him back in the ninth grade because his curriculum was nonaccredited. I had to show them how they were not only flouting state law, but their own local guidelines and threaten a lawsuit before they let him go into eleventh grade. Even then, they forced him to take a whole battery of tests.
Another advantage of an accredited curriculum is that, in legal matters, it's more accepted. For example, if you're ever involved in a custody case or your child goes to court for a minor infraction of the law, an accredited curriculum is an advantage.
When my 15-year-old son was charged with indecent exposure for mooning the school bus (yes, the local barneys have nothing better to do), the judge demanded proof of what he was studying. Having a printed curriculum that followed state standards was very helpful, but the issue never would have come up if he'd followed an accredited curriculum.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Single Working Parent Homeschooling Part III
Part III: Homeschool options
There are several homeschool options a single parent may explore:
1. Homeschooling Group
2. Virtual School
3. Purchased Curriculum
4. Do-it-yourself Curriculum
5. Unschooling
No matter which curriculum option you choose, joining a homeschooling group is essential for any homeschool parent. They provide opportunities for extracurricular activities, as well as lots of advice. In addition, many homeschool groups offer group classes for subjects parents may not feel equipped to teach. While the majority of homeschool groups are Christian, it is possible to find secular homeschool groups in most large cities.
Several sites, such as Local Homeschool.com; and Homeschool World, offer a list of homeschool groups. Another option is to do a search for the area where you live with the words "homeschool" or "homeschool group".
Another option is virtual school. These schools are accredited and licensed by the states or regions where they're located.
Several states, such as Ohio, Georgia, Florida, and Oklahoma offer virtual academies as options to traditional brick-and-mortar public schools. In many cases, the state uses tax dollars to pay for all or most supplies, although in some states, students must purchase their own high-speed Internet connection and computer. All use textbooks which can be purchased separately, as can the curricula. Your state board of education can offer information about these accredited virtual schools.
Another type of virtual school falls into the purchased curriculum category. These are accredited, for-pay online schools. Different schools are targeted for children with special health or other concerns, for child performers, and for gifted students. Prices for these can vary widely.
K12 is one of the most popular. It claims to be flexible enough to use for gifted and learning disabled students. One of my kids temporarily used it, and we didn't find it that flexible.
Others include Allied National High School, Ashworth University High School and the Christa McAuliffe Academy Online. About.com has a list of other high schools.
Purchased curricula that use mostly hard copy textbooks are also available. You can purchase textbooks for individual subjects or for an entire grade level. One of the best sites to find this is at homeschoolbooks.com.
Unschooling is a philosophy that encourages students to follow their interests. Unschooling is generally not a method used for college-bound students, because while students may learn a lot about one subject, they may neglect others. Unschooling generally works with highly intelligent, highly motivated children and parents.
If you unschool, make sure you document everything - subjects studied, labs, tests, etc. - as much as possible. Many local boards of education don't view unschooling as acceptable, and the more evidence you have, the better you'll fare if a dispute arises.
Next, I'll write about accredited versus nonaccredited curricula.
There are several homeschool options a single parent may explore:
1. Homeschooling Group
2. Virtual School
3. Purchased Curriculum
4. Do-it-yourself Curriculum
5. Unschooling
No matter which curriculum option you choose, joining a homeschooling group is essential for any homeschool parent. They provide opportunities for extracurricular activities, as well as lots of advice. In addition, many homeschool groups offer group classes for subjects parents may not feel equipped to teach. While the majority of homeschool groups are Christian, it is possible to find secular homeschool groups in most large cities.
Several sites, such as Local Homeschool.com; and Homeschool World, offer a list of homeschool groups. Another option is to do a search for the area where you live with the words "homeschool" or "homeschool group".
Another option is virtual school. These schools are accredited and licensed by the states or regions where they're located.
Several states, such as Ohio, Georgia, Florida, and Oklahoma offer virtual academies as options to traditional brick-and-mortar public schools. In many cases, the state uses tax dollars to pay for all or most supplies, although in some states, students must purchase their own high-speed Internet connection and computer. All use textbooks which can be purchased separately, as can the curricula. Your state board of education can offer information about these accredited virtual schools.
Another type of virtual school falls into the purchased curriculum category. These are accredited, for-pay online schools. Different schools are targeted for children with special health or other concerns, for child performers, and for gifted students. Prices for these can vary widely.
K12 is one of the most popular. It claims to be flexible enough to use for gifted and learning disabled students. One of my kids temporarily used it, and we didn't find it that flexible.
Others include Allied National High School, Ashworth University High School and the Christa McAuliffe Academy Online. About.com has a list of other high schools.
Purchased curricula that use mostly hard copy textbooks are also available. You can purchase textbooks for individual subjects or for an entire grade level. One of the best sites to find this is at homeschoolbooks.com.
Unschooling is a philosophy that encourages students to follow their interests. Unschooling is generally not a method used for college-bound students, because while students may learn a lot about one subject, they may neglect others. Unschooling generally works with highly intelligent, highly motivated children and parents.
If you unschool, make sure you document everything - subjects studied, labs, tests, etc. - as much as possible. Many local boards of education don't view unschooling as acceptable, and the more evidence you have, the better you'll fare if a dispute arises.
Next, I'll write about accredited versus nonaccredited curricula.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Single Working Parent Homeschooling Part II
Part II: Is homeschooling right for you and your child(ren)?
Few single parents homeschool. Even fewer single parents who work outside the home do so.
There are a number of reasons working single parents face challenges homeschooling.
1. Lack of Supervision
2. Lack of Time
3. Unusual School Hours
4. Lack of Money
The primary issue is lack of supervision. Unless you have sufficient money to hire a nanny or governess for your child, homeschooling isn't an option unless your child is old enough and responsible enough to be left home alone.
Although most states set the age of 12 as being old enough to stay home alone, most 12-year-olds are not emotionally mature to do so for more than a few hours. In addition, most 12-year-olds are not mature enough to manage their time effectively.
Most likely, you'll come home from work to find your child engaged in a video game, World of Warcraft or fast asleep.
A responsible ninth-grader, or 14-year-old, is likely to be more responsible. Even then, it's important to be able to call once or twice each day to remind the child.
As a single parent, lack of time is always an issue. In the past, when a traditional 9-to-5 employee was at work, the kids were at school. When the parent is homeschooling, the formerly relaxed evenings and weekends will be opportunities for the parent to review the day's work, address any difficulties, work on projects and document work.
Initially, I spent more than 40 hours setting up a homeschool curriculum and finding good educational Web sites. It takes me about two hours to set up each child's weekly homework and another two hours correcting it. Working with a child to ensure he understands the work can take as little as one hour a week up to 20. Required documentation to the county board of education only takes about a half hour each month.
Your child, no matter how responsible, will spend many evenings and weekends that used to be free time working on difficult concepts or correcting work.
If you have some kids who are not homeschooled, they may feel resentful. In addition, you and your child may not be able to participate in certain evening activities, such as organized sports or charitable organizations.
Quite frankly, I've found that the flexibility of homeschooling actually works for us. If my son or his brothers have an evening activity, we work on the weekend.
We can also work during what was formerly wasted time. For example, when we were studying maps, I had him find the number of miles from one town to another as we were traveling to his grandmother's house. I also had him use the legend to discover historical sites, national highways, rivers and lakes.
Lack of money can be an issue if you use a purchased or online curriculum. Prices can range from $19.95 a month at Time 4 Learning to $500 a year at a virtual academy or upwards of $1000 to purchase books and accredited curricula.
Just Google "homeschool curriculum," and you'll find plenty of information on the options.
Many states now offer accredited virtual schools for free. These are excellent options if you want a structure curriculum.
I'll cover homeschool options in the next section.
Few single parents homeschool. Even fewer single parents who work outside the home do so.
There are a number of reasons working single parents face challenges homeschooling.
1. Lack of Supervision
2. Lack of Time
3. Unusual School Hours
4. Lack of Money
The primary issue is lack of supervision. Unless you have sufficient money to hire a nanny or governess for your child, homeschooling isn't an option unless your child is old enough and responsible enough to be left home alone.
Although most states set the age of 12 as being old enough to stay home alone, most 12-year-olds are not emotionally mature to do so for more than a few hours. In addition, most 12-year-olds are not mature enough to manage their time effectively.
Most likely, you'll come home from work to find your child engaged in a video game, World of Warcraft or fast asleep.
A responsible ninth-grader, or 14-year-old, is likely to be more responsible. Even then, it's important to be able to call once or twice each day to remind the child.
As a single parent, lack of time is always an issue. In the past, when a traditional 9-to-5 employee was at work, the kids were at school. When the parent is homeschooling, the formerly relaxed evenings and weekends will be opportunities for the parent to review the day's work, address any difficulties, work on projects and document work.
Initially, I spent more than 40 hours setting up a homeschool curriculum and finding good educational Web sites. It takes me about two hours to set up each child's weekly homework and another two hours correcting it. Working with a child to ensure he understands the work can take as little as one hour a week up to 20. Required documentation to the county board of education only takes about a half hour each month.
Your child, no matter how responsible, will spend many evenings and weekends that used to be free time working on difficult concepts or correcting work.
If you have some kids who are not homeschooled, they may feel resentful. In addition, you and your child may not be able to participate in certain evening activities, such as organized sports or charitable organizations.
Quite frankly, I've found that the flexibility of homeschooling actually works for us. If my son or his brothers have an evening activity, we work on the weekend.
We can also work during what was formerly wasted time. For example, when we were studying maps, I had him find the number of miles from one town to another as we were traveling to his grandmother's house. I also had him use the legend to discover historical sites, national highways, rivers and lakes.
Lack of money can be an issue if you use a purchased or online curriculum. Prices can range from $19.95 a month at Time 4 Learning to $500 a year at a virtual academy or upwards of $1000 to purchase books and accredited curricula.
Just Google "homeschool curriculum," and you'll find plenty of information on the options.
Many states now offer accredited virtual schools for free. These are excellent options if you want a structure curriculum.
I'll cover homeschool options in the next section.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Single Working Parent Homeschooling Part I
Part I: Advantages of Homeschooling
I didn't always homeschool. The first time I homeschooled was when my then-11-year-old was about to flunk out of school.
This child, although extremely bright, had some medical issues the school system couldn't or wouldn't work with. So far, he's been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, oppositional defiant disorder and ADHD.
Even after his father and I had met with the school to ask them to take certain measures to inform us, the school failed to do so.
So I pulled him out and homeschooled him for the rest of the year.
Instead of purchasing an expensive curriculum, I followed the school's regular curriculum. It wasn't difficult to find plenty of educational sites online to use instead of a standard textbook.
Although it was difficult and I sometimes believed I spent more time on creating and grading his homework than he spent on doing it, it was a success.
The one-on-one tutoring he received helped him learn. I was able to tailor the curriculum to make it more interesting. Instead of him reading "Little House on the Prairie," he read one of the Harry Potter books. When discussing economics, we used examples specific to our lives instead of abstract examples in textbooks. And, sometimes, the entire family would join in on his school activities.
We could be more flexible, too. For example, if he'd had a rough night and been unable to sleep, he could take a break in the middle of the day. If he felt like working on a Saturday, we did. And if he was sick, he could still learn.
Another advantage of homeschooling included exposure to my values, not those of his school mates. Now, three years of homeschooling later, the ability to keep my son away from drugs and violence in the schools is very important to me.
Studies also show that homeschooled students do as good as or better than traditionally schooled students.
I didn't always homeschool. The first time I homeschooled was when my then-11-year-old was about to flunk out of school.
This child, although extremely bright, had some medical issues the school system couldn't or wouldn't work with. So far, he's been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, oppositional defiant disorder and ADHD.
Even after his father and I had met with the school to ask them to take certain measures to inform us, the school failed to do so.
So I pulled him out and homeschooled him for the rest of the year.
Instead of purchasing an expensive curriculum, I followed the school's regular curriculum. It wasn't difficult to find plenty of educational sites online to use instead of a standard textbook.
Although it was difficult and I sometimes believed I spent more time on creating and grading his homework than he spent on doing it, it was a success.
The one-on-one tutoring he received helped him learn. I was able to tailor the curriculum to make it more interesting. Instead of him reading "Little House on the Prairie," he read one of the Harry Potter books. When discussing economics, we used examples specific to our lives instead of abstract examples in textbooks. And, sometimes, the entire family would join in on his school activities.
We could be more flexible, too. For example, if he'd had a rough night and been unable to sleep, he could take a break in the middle of the day. If he felt like working on a Saturday, we did. And if he was sick, he could still learn.
Another advantage of homeschooling included exposure to my values, not those of his school mates. Now, three years of homeschooling later, the ability to keep my son away from drugs and violence in the schools is very important to me.
Studies also show that homeschooled students do as good as or better than traditionally schooled students.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Runescape Scam
I just spent half the day on the phone, trying to resolve almost $200 in 900 number phone charges. Turns out some of the charges were from Runescape, a MMORPG. MMORPG stands for Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game.
Runescape is similar to World of Warcraft, and both have a lot of scams associated with them. My second youngest plays because it's ostensibly free, but the scams have cost us a lot of money. And since many of the scams work via offshore companies, there's no way to prosecute.
A couple of years ago, one of the scammers hijacked my son's account. In order to get his account back, my son was persuaded to give the scammer confidential information. The next thing I know, hundreds of dollars are being deducted from my checking account. Since the scammer was offshore and my son admitted to it, my bank refused to refund my money.
What I know now is that minors can't make contracts. A minor (usually, a person under 18 years of age) who makes a contract can rescind or void it, unless it's for a necessity, such as food, shelter or, in some states, a car. Wish I'd known that, but I'm sure my bank did!
Another Runescape scam charges money via 900-226-2324 and 900-787-3326 via MCI phone charges.
First, I called my phone provider, TDS, which was, from the very start, supposed to have a 900 block on my phone. After arguing for a half hour, I was told to call MCI.
An MCI representative then told me that they're just a billing service for these companies. However, the representative did give some phone numbers to call. Surprisingly, I was able to speak to a representative from the 900 number company, who told me all I have to do is contact my local phone company and tell a representative the following:
Just in case the link goes bad, because this site is actually helping scammers, here are a few of the most popular:
If you want to let your kids play these MMORPGs, tell them about how scams are perpetrated.
Runescape is similar to World of Warcraft, and both have a lot of scams associated with them. My second youngest plays because it's ostensibly free, but the scams have cost us a lot of money. And since many of the scams work via offshore companies, there's no way to prosecute.
A couple of years ago, one of the scammers hijacked my son's account. In order to get his account back, my son was persuaded to give the scammer confidential information. The next thing I know, hundreds of dollars are being deducted from my checking account. Since the scammer was offshore and my son admitted to it, my bank refused to refund my money.
What I know now is that minors can't make contracts. A minor (usually, a person under 18 years of age) who makes a contract can rescind or void it, unless it's for a necessity, such as food, shelter or, in some states, a car. Wish I'd known that, but I'm sure my bank did!
Another Runescape scam charges money via 900-226-2324 and 900-787-3326 via MCI phone charges.
First, I called my phone provider, TDS, which was, from the very start, supposed to have a 900 block on my phone. After arguing for a half hour, I was told to call MCI.
An MCI representative then told me that they're just a billing service for these companies. However, the representative did give some phone numbers to call. Surprisingly, I was able to speak to a representative from the 900 number company, who told me all I have to do is contact my local phone company and tell a representative the following:
- The charges are unauthorized
- I refuse to pay
- Do a chargeback
Just in case the link goes bad, because this site is actually helping scammers, here are a few of the most popular:
- Making people members for free, press 111!
- Trading scams, where higher priced items are put up for sale, then switched
- Item duplication scams, where someone offers to duplicate your items, but steals them instead
- Jagex staff impersonation scam asks for your password, then 'jacks your account
- Password changing to one given by the scammer, who then 'jacks you account
If you want to let your kids play these MMORPGs, tell them about how scams are perpetrated.
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