We did the most slapdash way of keeping records and it all turned out just fine.  If I, the most ADD home manager in the world, can handle it, anybody can! EASY WAY TO KEEP RECORDS You know how you have a file folder somewhere with your kid's birth certificate and immunizations records in it or what have you?  Simply use that file and every time you get one of the following, put it in to this file: The ok from your county to homeschool for the upcoming academic year (we do this in Virginia) Any score you get back from the end of year testing (We always did the CAT but occasionally the PSAT) Your kid writes a good essay, story or paper that would work well as a writing sample. Any grade or evaluation from any on line class, co-op class, community college class, workshop, camp, etc. If you are like me, you only actually file that kind of stuff a few times a year at most.  EASY ORGANIZATION TRICK I am a piler not a filer. Usually during the year, a Dr. Seussian sizeD

We tried to let our kids into our decision making process as much as possible when it came to planning high school.  It might be helpful for your student to go and tour an actual brick and mortar high school.  If your child has been homeschooled all along, the idea of high school might be fuzzy to her/him.  To see an actual high school and what is required of the kids and the whole elaborate set up, might help your student see how significant the whole endeavor is.  It will give them a wider framework.  High school diplomas are a real thing!  You need it to pretty much get anywhere in adult life, whether you see this as a good thing or not, it is there, something that needs to be addressed. Since my husband wanted to ensure that our kids felt on an even playing field with kids who went to brick and mortar schools, we actually looked up what our county required and showed that to the kids.  Probably somewhere on your county school website, it shows what the expectations are to grad

I would say generally that we pretty much unschooled up until about 7th grade. By unschooling I mean: We read aloud tons - a couple hours a day on average at various points during the day.  These read alouds usually led us on rabbit trails where we read more about a particular aspect of a topic, we watched videos, educational TV, we went on fieldtrips, we did projects-all very loosely and casually pursued.  We also listened to lots of audio books and things like Schoolhouse Rock and other edutainment type media, including computer/video games. We were involved in all sort of outside activities such as co-ops (usually not academic), scouts, 4H, American Heritage Girls, all kinds of lessons like piano, swimming, tennis, art, etc, as well as group field trips and family organized field trips, and various week long camps. Strewing - we had a math station where the kids could measure and do various mathy things when the spirit moved them, I strewed lots of books and activity s

I'm actually contemplating subscribing to this preschool program this coming year.  I feel it is a slightly crazy idea, but here's my thinking.  I'm 59 and not the spring chicken I used to be in terms of energy level (which was never particularly high to begin with!).  If all goes as planned I am going to be nanny to my grandson who is due August 8th.  I'm looking forward to it.  But on top of that I'm going to be watching Dylan, the three year old son of a homeless woman we took in three years ago (when the baby was 6 months old).  We love her, and it's been wonderful to have her here.  We have a finished basement that was not getting used much so she lives there.  Little Dylan is like our proto-grandson!  We've helped raise him and he's the apple of our eye.  But til now, while we watch him a lot, his mom has not had a full time job.  She is looking for one now.  She's trying to get into IT and get certified and such so she can really earn a good i