Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You'll love this article OP - similar situation with houses that are extremely close together... lawsuits abound.
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/plano/headlines/20160115-side-yard-playhouse-at-center-of-plano-neighbors-dispute.ece

Who puts up that hideous playhouse in a close-in side yard and what HOA gives a variance for it? Amazing. Some people don't know how to live near other people.

Also who puts a swing over concrete. That's completely unsafe!

They were making sure every time one falls down they crack open their skull. I agree, that swing over concrete is something.

Anonymous wrote:DC is full of terrible people like op

How is OP terribke? She's not trying to get the family thrown out of the neighborhood or anything,.

Anonymous wrote:DC is full of terrible people like op

Yes, terrible employed people. Right.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You'll love this article OP - similar situation with houses that are extremely close together... lawsuits abound.
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/plano/headlines/20160115-side-yard-playhouse-at-center-of-plano-neighbors-dispute.ece

Who puts up that hideous playhouse in a close-in side yard and what HOA gives a variance for it? Amazing. Some people don't know how to live near other people.

Also who puts a swing over concrete. That's completely unsafe!

The thing with homeschooling is that you can follow a traditional schedule or not depending on how it suits your family/kid.

If the kid is a morning person, they can get up early and knock out pretty much all they need to do in a 2-3 hours. If evening is there focus time, then start then. It takes a LOT less time when there is not 'settle in time', passing out of papers, collecting of papers, multi kid bathroom breaks, multiple repetition of instructions, you can also move faster- if theres no need to review yesterday's work first, then keep going.

So yes, it is very possible that your neighbor is homeschooling. She also might be sending out kids on a rotating basis while she teaches one or two inside.

A big plus of homeschooling is that your kids do get to spend lots of time outside playing because the same learning doesn't take as long when it's practically one on one tutoring. They are not beholden to the 4 walls of their classroom and to the 20 minutes of recess.

My kids are in public school but I did homeschool my oldest for 2 years. It was not easy and involved a ton of prep and planning on my part, but my kid did have a great deal of time to explore and just be a kid while still learning. And he was ahead by 1-2 grade levels in some subjects when he started public.

I'd just politely ask the neighbor to be mindful of the property line because you get disturbed by the noise when you're working. But you can't make anyone keep their kids in the house all day to benefit you.

DC is full of terrible people like op

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by a homeschooler that they can teach the material in an hour or two a day without all the other regular school filler. Many of them apparently use online resources. I work with someone who has a FT job and "homeschools" her child. The child is older. As far as I can tell, the child self-directs for an hour or two a day to complete online work, does some reading, and then just hangs out all day. This is a middle school age child.

BUT

It's none of your business and I don't really think you have a right to ask them to quiet down in the middle of the day. Maybe move to another location in the house or go to a public library.

Total bullshit, and I can't imagine why the state doesn't crack down on it.

I'm the poster you are responding to. I can understand this reaction, but I know for a fact that this lady's kid is learning the grade level material. The kid has to take standardized tests at some sort of regular interval to prove she is progressing.

It's just a different choice. I wouldn't do it with my own kids, but I don't know enough about it to declare it total bullshit and I bet you don't either.

I do know that if that's all it took, every other kid wouldn't be in school for as long as they are.

NP here. That's laughably naive, and I'm not even all that pro-homeschool.

"It must be necessary, otherwise why would it be required?" Yikes.

Anonymous wrote:All you can do is go over and nicely tell the lady that you work from home and if she wouldnt mind keeping her kids off your driveway/lawn. It isn't up to you to determine if they are being home schooled properly or not.

+1

And assuming you're actually trying to do work during the day, you're not counting children every minute. She probably works with the children individually in the house and sends the other ones outside to play so as not to distract them while they're actually doing schoolwork. Before getting too grumpy, you should approach the mom. For all you know, she's very reasonable.

My niece is home schooled because of gymnastics and she knocks out her schoolwork in about 2-3 hours a day. She follows an online curriculum that also has video conferencing with teachers to check in/get help. She has tests weekly-ish to ensure that the work isn't put off until the last minute and crammed to meet the standards.

I'm not sure if it's the program she's in or what, but she does have the opportunity to take some standardized tests to see if she's on track. She loves learning so much more now that she can do it at her own pace and on her terms. I know my SIL loves it because there is almost no busy work disguised as "homework" involved. No more fighting to get her to write her 15 spelling words forwards, backwards, dictionary definition, and person definition... I do envy that part.

All you can do is go over and nicely tell the lady that you work from home and if she wouldnt mind keeping her kids off your driveway/lawn. It isn't up to you to determine if they are being home schooled properly or not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old are the kids? What do they appear to be doing while outside all day? Does it seem possible that the parents have an "outdoor classroom" approach to homeschooling or are the kids just running around playing & telling all day?

I think they are 6-14, can't remember. Right now they are riding scooters up and down in front of my house and bouncing basketballs in my driveway.

I really don't want to switch rooms around!

If it's in your driveway, then that's something you can ask them not to.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by a homeschooler that they can teach the material in an hour or two a day without all the other regular school filler. Many of them apparently use online resources. I work with someone who has a FT job and "homeschools" her child. The child is older. As far as I can tell, the child self-directs for an hour or two a day to complete online work, does some reading, and then just hangs out all day. This is a middle school age child.

BUT

It's none of your business and I don't really think you have a right to ask them to quiet down in the middle of the day. Maybe move to another location in the house or go to a public library.

Total bullshit, and I can't imagine why the state doesn't crack down on it.

I'm the poster you are responding to. I can understand this reaction, but I know for a fact that this lady's kid is learning the grade level material. The kid has to take standardized tests at some sort of regular interval to prove she is progressing.

It's just a different choice. I wouldn't do it with my own kids, but I don't know enough about it to declare it total bullshit and I bet you don't either.

I do know that if that's all it took, every other kid wouldn't be in school for as long as they are.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old are the kids? What do they appear to be doing while outside all day? Does it seem possible that the parents have an "outdoor classroom" approach to homeschooling or are the kids just running around playing & telling all day?

I think they are 6-14, can't remember. Right now they are riding scooters up and down in front of my house and bouncing basketballs in my driveway.

I really don't want to switch rooms around!

Talk to the mom. Tell her you work from home and can they stay on their lawn.

Anonymous wrote:You'll love this article OP - similar situation with houses that are extremely close together... lawsuits abound.
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/plano/headlines/20160115-side-yard-playhouse-at-center-of-plano-neighbors-dispute.ece

Who puts up that hideous playhouse in a close-in side yard and what HOA gives a variance for it? Amazing. Some people don't know how to live near other people.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been told by a homeschooler that they can teach the material in an hour or two a day without all the other regular school filler. Many of them apparently use online resources. I work with someone who has a FT job and "homeschools" her child. The child is older. As far as I can tell, the child self-directs for an hour or two a day to complete online work, does some reading, and then just hangs out all day. This is a middle school age child.

BUT

It's none of your business and I don't really think you have a right to ask them to quiet down in the middle of the day. Maybe move to another location in the house or go to a public library.

Total bullshit, and I can't imagine why the state doesn't crack down on it.

I'm the poster you are responding to. I can understand this reaction, but I know for a fact that this lady's kid is learning the grade level material. The kid has to take standardized tests at some sort of regular interval to prove she is progressing.

It's just a different choice. I wouldn't do it with my own kids, but I don't know enough about it to declare it total bullshit and I bet you don't either.