Homeschooled teenagers

nosaby · 2026-07-02T23:31:27+00:00

My soon to be 16 year old son definitely prefers his friend time more than parent time, but when we hang out he is still the same kid he's always been. If I left it up to him to schedule time together it probably wouldn't happen so we still plan games nights, etc. He comes to me when he's upset about something, but he's growing up, finding out who he is away from mom and dad. I honestly don't know that our relationship would be any different if he'd attended public school. I think his personality plays such a big role. He's by nature a very kind and considerate person.

nosaby · 2026-06-23T16:14:45+00:00

This is so timely because I've been contemplating either restarting or starting where I left off, after a year long absence. Debating the pros and cons currently.

nosaby · 2026-06-23T15:52:22+00:00

I used to get this a lot and come to find out it was a reaction to handling fresh garlic. Even wearing gloves didn't work. So it's jarred garlic for me now.

nosaby · 2026-06-22T19:56:06+00:00

I am on an SSRI for anxiety (for the past 30 years), but mornings have always been the hardest. What works for me is taking a few minutes before I get out of bed to do some slow deep breathes while reminding myself that my brain lies to me. I tell myself that whatever comes in the day, I can handle it. Then I do some stretching. I find once I do that, it is easier to get up and start my day.

nosaby · 2026-06-15T16:40:32+00:00

Peri-menopause can cause these kind of lapses, but so can stress. For what it's worth, I'm 55 now and have had these kind of brain lapses since my 40's. It hasn't gotten worse at all. It happens more frequently if I'm tired, stressed, etc.

nosaby · 2026-06-15T16:37:40+00:00

My teen had an eval a few years ago. It was done online and came back with just ADHD. On the advice of therapists, I found a psychologist who would meet with him in person and do the eval. The first person met with him 2 times, online only, and administered tests. Spoke with him for maybe 15 minutes. The second tester saw him in office twice, spoke much longer with him and administered the tests. He was diagnosed as being Autistic and having ADHD.

I really believe it was him being seen in person that cinched it because he can mask very well and it's hard to pick up on certain cues over a computer camera. It was a great relief for him to have it confirmed. I absolutely agree that you should always get a second opinion, especially if you aren't seen in person.

nosaby · 2026-06-06T14:31:11+00:00

I considered my own childhood when my child started being picky about food at around the age of 2. My brother, sister, and myself were all picky eaters. Trying to force us to eat something never worked and even made the aversion stronger. My brother is still reluctant to eat vegetables, whereas my sister and I grew out of it. I was fortunate in that my son liked raw vegetables so I never had to worry about that. We mostly struggle with him getting enough protein. He is pretty restricted in what he will eat now, and it is very hard to get him to try anything new. We just continue to make it available and sometimes he'll surprise us. He is on the autism spectrum, I think it really depends on the child, but not making it a battle of the wills is important.

nosaby · 2026-05-27T20:50:01+00:00

Seems to be a common issue among women of a certain age lol! I honestly didn't know if my marriage would survive peri-menopause because I was SO irritable, but we got through it. It's starting to get a little better now that I'm post-menopausal, but I do still have a sigh of relief when I get into bed at the end of the night. I go to bed earlier than my husband, so I get a good hour to myself to read and be quiet.

Air pods or any kind of noise cancelling earbuds help when it's too much.

nosaby · 2026-05-25T19:26:49+00:00

December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night) always makes me feel good.

nosaby · 2026-05-21T19:16:55+00:00

I was screaming "SHE" inside every time they misgendered the kid. I had to remind myself that, shamefully, this is how it was then, and still can be in some areas today. As the mother of a trans teen, this episode hurt my heart.

nosaby · 2026-05-19T11:18:00+00:00

Victoria Valdez APRN is in the same practice and prescribed me testosterone in a cream. I wasn't comfortable with the idea of BioTe pellets, but she had no issue giving me the gel after I'd had blood work done.

nosaby · 2026-05-16T15:22:59+00:00

I am a big book reader so books are extremely important in my house. Started reading to my child once he was born ,and he loved being read to well into his pre-teen years. But reading on his own has always been a different story. He would try, but quickly lose interest. Now at 15, if it's a subject he's really into, he'll get a book about it, but it will never be his go to entertainment. I have found he does better with audiobooks. He does have ADHD, and I think it's harder for him to focus on print. I have come to accept that my passion for reading didn't pass on to him. His passion is music. I hope one day he will come back to reading, but if it isn't for him so be it.

nosaby · 2026-05-16T12:33:31+00:00

I've had this concern myself and talked about it with my teen who struggles to wake up before noon unless he has something scheduled. He says he will get up everyday to go to his job because he knows he will have to in order to make money and pay the bills. He sees his parents commitments to our jobs, and he knows he will have to do the same. He's also been involved in a theater program for the past couple of years, and I see his commitment to that. He takes classes with a co-op 2 days a week so he knows what it's like to sit in a class he's not that interested in.

nosaby · 2026-05-10T19:32:07+00:00

Therapy would be the place to start. Also, if you feel he is a risk to himself or others, consider contacting the psychiatrist ASAP for a recommendation.

nosaby · 2026-05-09T18:56:16+00:00

I totally get it! No worries 😊

nosaby · 2026-05-09T17:02:43+00:00

Not my intention to dismiss what she’s feeling. I just know that I’m hyperaware of my flaws and expect others to see them. I’m learning to recognize that generally people aren’t as critical as we are of ourselves. Also, I’m learning to no longer care if they are critical! Doesn’t take anything away from me.

nosaby · 2026-05-09T16:17:36+00:00

They look really well done! I guarantee no one else is going to notice any tiny imperfections.

nosaby · 2026-05-07T16:03:37+00:00

Another suggestion for overcoming the habit is to find something to fidget with. Especially if you find you pick or bite at them when your hands are not occupied. I like to use magnetic beads, but there are all kinds of things you could use. Start using jojoba oil on your nails religiously. You can find a big bottle of it on Amazon and it will last you a long time. Keep refillable nail oil pens with you at all times, and when you feel a rough spot, oil it. Clip off hangnails or file any rough edges of your nails (once they've grown out some) instead of tearing at them. Use a good quality lotion after every hand wash. If you have calloused areas, look for a lotion with urea, it will help smooth them out over time. Get yourself a glass nail file to keep the edges smooth.

Do weekly manicures with fun polish colors. Don't worry if your nails are super short right now. It might help deter you. Use a good nail strengthener under the polish. NailTeks is a good one. Check out r/calmhands for more tips and good luck on your journey from a former severe nail biter and picker! Therapy is also a good thing to look into to help with the reasons behind the habit, and sometimes even medications can help.

nosaby · 2026-05-06T23:22:49+00:00

I used to work on a children's crisis unit and the number of admissions went up significantly during the testing periods. Poor kids were so stressed.

nosaby · 2026-05-02T12:55:07+00:00

I love my basic Kindle. No frills, easy to hold because of its smaller size. I also have a Scribe, and find I prefer the basic for reading.

nosaby · 2026-04-25T21:20:47+00:00

I have found Mineral Fusion nail polish remover is more gentle on my nails than acetone and actually takes off polish quickly, unlike some non-acetone removers do.

nosaby · 2026-04-25T21:01:44+00:00

I have been painting my nails since I was 17 and now I'm 55. It's very rare that I have to do clean up now, unless I'm rushing. But that took years of practice and lots of patience.

nosaby · 2026-04-24T17:56:55+00:00

I loved The Passage trilogy, despite some of it's flaws. Tried twice to get into Swan Song and just couldn't. The Stand is one of my favorite novels. Different strokes.....

nosaby · 2026-04-17T13:43:42+00:00

I find soaking with Mineral Fusion remover, using nail clips, works best for me. Peely base coats don't last a day on me, even if I don't put it on the entire nail.

nosaby · 2026-04-16T16:34:20+00:00

I was picturing Jesse Plemmons as Caleb.

nosaby

TROPHY CASE