Our Son Was Almost Left Home Alone!

[bouncy54]

I was browsing Alaska Airlines website (lucky for our son) and came upon the TSA rules. One of them concerned ID for passengers. It stated that anyone who looked the age of 18 needed to have some kind of ID.

I am so used to just taking the kids on the plane without ID, I hadn't thought that maybe our youngest son might need some this time.

I took a good look at him tonight and...Oh my gosh...my baby has a moustache!

I homeschooled this one so he has no ASB card, and he doesn't drive yet, so he has no Driver's license either. TSA says they will accept a Birth Certificate and Social Security card, though. Thank goodness I have both for him.

Funny...it doesn't seem weird for my daughter to be 37, or my other sons to be 33 and 27...but somehow Corey, who is 17, just can't be nearly a man yet.

Where did the years go?

 

[bumbershoot]

Glad you found out now!

Just as an aside...37 to 17, wow! And you homeschooled him all the way through, wow!!!!!

And totally off topic, do you belong to any homeschool groups around here? I'm in Tacoma. DS is too young for formal schooling, but I'm always thinking ahead to when it's time!

 

[bouncy54]

Glad you found out now!

Just as an aside...37 to 17, wow! And you homeschooled him all the way through, wow!!!!!

And totally off topic, do you belong to any homeschool groups around here? I'm in Tacoma. DS is too young for formal schooling, but I'm always thinking ahead to when it's time!

I didn't belong to any homeschool groups, but I kept up on the politics of homeschooling in our state and the churches where my son would be tested every year on the WHO website (Washington Homeschool Organization) It was also through WHO where I learned what I had to do to become eligible to Homeschool.

I think I gave the wrong impression.... Corey went to public school from K-8th grade. I pulled him out when I found that he couldn't divide a simple math problem, yet he had been on the honor roll for 2 years straight. They were just sliding him through because he was a good kid.

I blame the way, and what, they teach...not the teachers. This country really needs to get back to the basic 3 Rs. That's why our kids are struggling so much. There's no substitution for memorizing the multiplication tables and teaching phonics...none. If you can't multiply then you may as well hang it up when it comes to higher math.

Corey hated school...not the teachers..the kids. He hated the disrespect and chaos in the classroom coming from so many of them. He also hated the whole "everyone gets punished for the bad behaviour of the few" rule.

So, I've spent the last few years working with him, but to be honest...I wouldn't have even tried if he hadn't been such a good reader. He gets that from me, I think. I don't have to help him very much with History, Science and Literature since those subjects mostly involve remembering what you read, and he's proficient in that area.

Anyway...this year he studies for his GED. He doesn't want to go to college, so he will be learning key-boarding and 10-key at home. He types faster than I do already...just doesn't use much puntuation. But he'll learn.

The plan is to start at a temp agency like Kelly's as a Data-Entry clerk, then work his way into a Banking position. He has no desire to be a Forklift Driver like his closest brother or a Mechanic at Boeing like his Dad and older brother. He's more into

He won't be rich by any means, but like I've told him....there is no shame in doing any job as long as he does the best he can.

By the way...my daughter and I were pregnant at the same time. Corey' neice is 7 months younger than him. She's always been taller, though, and she already has a driver's license to boot. She graduates next year from public school. I'm so proud of both of them.

 

[actionvaughn]

I'm not sure of the specifics in Washington, but could he get a state ID? In CA, all you need is your social security number, and a copy of your birth certificate. Considering he's almost 18, he'll need a form of ID more often pretty soon anyway.

 

[bumbershoot]

Thanks for the answer, bouncy! I still think it's awesome that you went through the teen years homeschooling him...that's when many people seem to stop! I too hated school (though I included a severe dislike of the teachers), disliked being in trouble b/c others were acting up (my 5th grade teacher was always screaming at all of us b/c of 3 kids in the class, she ended her year by having a nervous breakdown in front of us...then over the summer the 6th grade teacher retired and the nervous breakdown teacher was called on to teach our class that year, too, ugh), etc etc etc. I wish homeschooling had been an option, but my mom was always worried about my dad and custody, and didn't feel smart enough to do it (not sure what the regs were in CA at the time, so maybe she wouldn't have been able to)...we talked once I started chiro school and found out about h'school, and she was sad she coudln't do that for me.


Anyway, the state ID idea is a good one, but I know it took ages for DH to get his new driver's license, and I bet the state ID has to come through the mail, too.



That's so great that he has a plan! And wow at you and your daughter. My dad was SO glad that I hadn't found a serious someone and therefore didn't have a kid until I was 34, b/c he had a 5th kiddo when I was 25...he was terrified I would have a kid in my 20s and it would be embarrassing for him. As it was she was a junior bridesmaid in my wedding, and it was really fun!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

The years do go by quickly don't they? I realized this last week when my 9 year old baby no longer was small enough for the kid size Halloween costumes (he's really tall for his age). *sniff*

I'm homeschooling him for the first time this year, well were going through a "cyber" school. I must say, I'm enjoying it, and he's just doing SO much better. Not for everyone, but it's working well for us.

Anyway, glad you saw that now instead of finding out at the airport. That would have been a nightmare!

 

[bouncy54]

I'm not sure of the specifics in Washington, but could he get a state ID? In CA, all you need is your social security number, and a copy of your birth certificate. Considering he's almost 18, he'll need a form of ID more often pretty soon anyway.

Hmmm....When my grand-daughter got her driver's permit, it was a temporary one that had a picture on it and they gave it to her the very day she passed the test. Maybe a state ID is the same. I'll have to check into it.

The plan is to teach him to drive when he's 18. He has no burning desire to learn, though. I know...strange that a young man can't wait to get behind the wheel. That's my boy.

 

[stacielee]

Here in Arizona, I took my 18 YO DD in and got her a state ID, she isn't ready for a DL yet. They took the picture and gave her the card right away.

 

[KimD]

By the way...my daughter and I were pregnant at the same time. Corey' neice is 7 months younger than him. She's always been taller, though, and she already has a driver's license to boot. She graduates next year from public school. I'm so proud of both of them.

My MIL and I were pregnant at the same time....my DH was 22 and she was 40. So my son is older than his aunt by 4 months & my DH is 22 years older than his littest sister. They ended up going to the same preschool when they were 4 and would get SO upset when they would tell people they were aunt & nephew and then they would get 'talked' to about lying and that they were really cousins. So needless to say we had to have several talks with teachers and kids to let them know that they were in fact telling the truth.

I was going to suggest you bring a school ID (which obviously wouldn't work in your case), but we brought that on their advise and of course they never asked for anything. My DS does look like he could easily be 18 so that kind of surprised me.
BTW....my DS16 has a moustache too

 

[Tink-n-Pink]

That's funny! Kudos to you for checking! Have fun with your kids Bouncy!

 

[scanmom]

I have a sister that is 7 mos younger than my oldest DS. The teachers would argue with them about the relationship...insisting that the kids were confused, and that they were really cousins instead of aunt/nephew!!!! My sis and DS went to school together from preschool to Sr (not always in the same classroom), and I was really proud when they both walked across the stage and graduated the same year!!!

 

[DizMe]

I'm another one with kids in 2 generations, LOL. My oldest is 27, then I have a 25-year-old, 7-year-old, and 4-year-old twins. The 7-year-old was quite a surprise and the twins were...well, Mother Nature has a quirky sense of humor, eh?!

 

[hlbtimes2]

My MIL and SIL (dh's oldest sister/ 20 years older then dh) had children the same day. My husband is 10 hours younger then his neice. They had the same doc and shared a hospital room. It was in all the news papers when it happened

 

[todaysprayer]

The TSA doesn't actually require any ID to fly, you are just subjected to a bit more of an inspection. In reality, most airlines are happy to issue a boarding pass without without ID or with some minimal alternative form of ID (e.g. a library card). I have recorded experiences of people who choose to fly without ID or who have forgotten their ID at my website, flywithoutid.blogspot.com
So, your son may have made it there anyway. Glad everything worked out.

 

[Brendella]

My DS/15 has had a California ID since the age of 3. Our Police Department had a "Kids Day" one year and they brought out the DMV to make ID's. It was GREAT!! Now it's time to renew (he turns 16 next month) and he has NO PLANS to get his DL. Crazy kid! I can't imagine being 16 and not wanting to drive!!!

 

[dalepool]

You must show a form of goverment isssued ID. I am not sure a web ID would work. As you are from the state of washington you can get an ID only card from the department of Licensing. It will look just like a drivers license, but will have ID only on it.

Hope this helps.

 

[Sienna]

When we've flown with our kids, we've always just used their birth certificates. We've never needed a social security card.

 

[bouncy54]

Security didn't ask for his ID. They just asked for ID from anyone 18 or older and since 3 of us had the same last name, they just took our word that he was a minor. Oh well...better to be prepared than not.