Ria's studies

We have an interesting situation going on with Ria this year. She skipped 8th grade and started 9th grade a year early. We (she and John and I) talked from the beginning of the idea of having her still stay home that extra year rather than leave for college when she's younger than the "normal" age. This year she's taking quite intensive art and drafting classes away from home (the drafting class is college credit). It is causing a certain amount of slack in some other subjects, but we believe may be very helpful in her future management of the financial side of a college education some day. The slack isn't a cause of much concern since, naturally, she can make up some classes, as needed, at a community college in that year after she technically finishes high school. So, we're proceeding as is, even though some of her year looks like 9th grade and some a little more like 8th grade. Part of it, though, is that she has time to absorb her studies (such as what we're doing for Catechism/Apologetics) rather thoroughly and she seems to be enjoying and appreciating these things more than she did in the past.

The extension of our co-op (from essentially a Latin coop) into monthly lit discussions, weekly catechism discussions and some science and writing has been a great blessing. I certainly never got to do all the dissections and such when I was in high school!