u/MaterialFly807

I’m considering starting a small home-based business focused primarily on hands-on supplemental STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) education for homeschool and other school-age children, and I’d love some feedback on whether you think the business model is viable.

I’m a female electrical engineering graduate with 5+ years of professional experience creating, managing, and running Engineering and Science summer camps, clubs, school workshops, and large-scale events for thousands of youth through a local university. I also have 10+ years of experience volunteering and working with children and youth, primarily ages 5–12, including specific experience supporting children with ADHD, Autism, and other neurodevelopmental disabilities and know how to make content inclusive for various ages and abilities.

I’m considering starting in my home, with recurring workshops and programs with a capacity of 6 kids per session. Some of the ideas for sessions I have (and can easily come up with the curriculum and materials for) are:

3D Design & Printing - children design their own creations and print them with my 3D Printer

Coding & Programming - including screen-free coding fundamentals for younger children

Video & Board Game Development for teens

Nature & Biomimicry Walks and Talks

Robotics & Engineering Design

Parent & Preschooler Science/Engineering Exploration for ages 3–5

Science & Engineering Clubs — recurring daytime sessions where kids can socialize while participating in hands-on projects

Science and Engineering ‘Coffee Chats’ - where kiddos are entertained with science activities while their parents would be set up in a separate adjoining room with coffee and tea so they can chat with other parents while their kids are busy.

Full-Day STEM “Pod” Programs — small groups spending a full weekday doing a variety of STEM activities

I might also do some occasional Home Alone and Babysitting courses, drawing on previous Red Cross educational experience

One thing I think could differentiate the business is offering weekday daytime programming specifically for homeschool families, rather than competing directly with the many after-school programs already available.

I’m currently thinking of pricing $20-$25 for 1 hour sessions where parents stay with their kids, around $30 per child for 1.5–2 hour workshops and approximately $80 for a full-day program with a maximum of 6 children per group (the limit of ‘day home’ licenses in my city).

For those with experience starting or running small businesses:

Does this sound like a viable business model?
Does the pricing seem reasonable?
Do you think there is enough potential demand for this type of business in a city of about 1 million?
Would you focus on recurring weekly classes, one-off workshops, full-day programs, or a combination?
What do you think would be the biggest challenges or risks?
Is there anything about the concept that you would change before launching?

I’m still very much in the research/planning stage, so I’d appreciate any honest feedback, especially from people with experience running education, childcare, enrichment, or other home-based businesses.

I’m considering starting a small home based program offering hands on supplemental STEAM activities for homeschool kids of various ages.
I have a background in electrical engineering, 5+ years of experience running engineering and science programs for youth, and 10+ years of experience working with children.
I’m considering things like coding, 3D design and printing, robotics, engineering projects, science activities, nature and biomimicry walks, and game development, kids and parents science times, etc. all offered in small groups during weekday daytime hours.
For homeschool parents, would a resource like this be helpful or something you’d be interested in?

I’m considering starting a small home based program offering hands on supplemental STEAM activities for homeschool kids of various ages.
I have a background in electrical engineering, 5+ years of experience running engineering and science programs for youth, and 10+ years of experience working with children.
I’m considering things like coding, 3D design and printing, robotics, engineering projects, science activities, nature and biomimicry, and game development, offered in small groups during weekday daytime hours.
For homeschool parents, would a resource like this be helpful or something you’d be interested in?

Just finished {Illusions of Grandeur by Kathryn Ann Kingsley} and {King of Flames by Kathryn Ann Kingsley}!

I’ve also already devoured Harrow Faire, Maze of Shadows, and most of the rest of her books lol. I’m now looking for more books with psycho/villainous MMCs who are completely obsessed with the FMC but don’t suddenly become cinnamon rolls or “good guys” a few chapters later 😅!

The FMC may or may not actually want/like the attention of the MMC, but I do want her to have an actual fear response or at least some hesitation before jumping in - unlike in a lot of books where the FMC just kind of shrugs off the MMC being an absolute psychopath or thinks she can change him. No, I want her to be actually scared of him!

I’d also love to have the book itself actually be scary (so feel free to recommend a scary book too even if the MMC/FMC dynamic doesn’t match above)!
Horror elements, creepy or unnerving atmospheres, genuinely disturbing villains, etc. are all huge bonuses.

I’m happy with/looking for:

- Preferably a fantasy romance book but I’m open to other genres!

- MF or RH

- Any spice level (the spicier the better, IMO)

- Any setting, though preferably not high school - even if the characters are technically adults, I just don’t vibe with it. University/academy settings are totally fine, though! Fae realms, magic circuses, gods, demons, monsters, omegaverses, shifter-verses, etc. are all great with me!

- Non-human/monster/fae MMCs are my kryptonite

- Dark content - I don’t really have any triggers (and I’ve read a ton of dark romance, so I like it DARK)

- I generally prefer no OW unless it makes sense to the plot or contributes to establishing just how scary the MMC is (e.g. {Heat by R. Lee Smith}). A genuinely morally grey (or outright villainous) MMC who stays that way is what I want!

Please give me your obsessive psychopaths, terrifying villains, morally questionable monsters, and books that might actually make me sleep with the lights on 😂.

Authors I’ve read with similar vibes to what I’m looking for:
- Kathryn Ann Kingsley
- Laura Thalassa
- R Lee Smith
- Holly Black
- Liv Zander
- Eris Belmont
-Zoey Ellis
Thanks so much!

Just finished {Illusions of Grandeur by Kathryn Ann Kingsley} and {King of Flames by Kathryn Ann Kingsley}! I’ve also already devoured Harrow Faire, Maze of Shadows, and most of the rest of her books lol.

I’m now looking for more books with psycho/villainous MMCs who are completely obsessed with the FMC but don’t suddenly become cinnamon rolls or “good guys” a few chapters later 😅!

The FMC may or may not actually want/like the attention of the MMC, but I do want her to have an actual fear response or at least some hesitation before jumping in - unlike in a lot of books where the FMC just kind of shrugs off the MMC being an absolute psychopath or thinks she can change him. No, I want her to be actually scared of him!

I’d also love to have the book itself actually be scary (so feel free to recommend a scary book too even if the MMC/FMC dynamic doesn’t match above)! Horror elements, creepy or unnerving atmospheres, genuinely disturbing villains, etc. are all huge bonuses.

I’m happy with / looking for:
- RH or MF

- Any spice level (the spicier the better, IMO)

- Any setting, though preferably not high school—even if the characters are technically adults, I just don’t vibe with it. University/academy settings are totally fine, though! Fae realms, magic circuses, gods, demons, monsters, omegaverses, shifter-verses, etc. are all great with me!

- Non-human/monster/fae MMCs are my kryptonite

- Dark content - I don’t really have any triggers (and I’ve read a ton of dark romance, so I like it DARK). I generally prefer no OW unless it makes sense to the plot or contributes to establishing just how scary the MMC is (e.g. Heat by R. Lee Smith). A genuinely morally grey (or outright villainous) MMC who stays that way is what I want!

Please give me your obsessive psychopaths, terrifying villains, morally questionable monsters, and books that might actually make me sleep with the lights on 😂.

Authors I’ve read with similar vibes to what I’m looking for:

- Kathryn Ann Kingsley

- Laura Thalassa

- R Lee Smith

- Holly Black

- Liv Zander

- Eris Belmont

- Zoey Ellis

Thanks so much!

I’m looking for a historical or historical-inspired omegaverse with a preferably a darker vibe.

What that means is basically I’m looking for anything that isn’t set in the modern world and has similar customs/societal norms of a certain point in the past (e.g. the social dynamics between men and women, arranged or politically motivated marriages, inheritance and titles, ruling monarchies, aristocracy, feudal systems, tribes, barbarians, alphas being expected to be protectors, knights, heads of households, etc.).

Some additional preferences:

- I prefer it when alphas and omegas have very distinct dynamics rather than just slight differences, and I generally prefer the omega to actually act omega-like (i.e. submissive) though I’m open to other dynamics too as long as the historical aspect is intriguing enough

- I’m open to suggestions of books with reverse harem, MF, MM, and others relationship types. I do prefer only one omega in the dynamic though.

- Shifter or non-shifter doesn’t matter either way and I’m also open to more fantasy-esque setting as well as post-apocalyptic settings as long as it still seems like it’s set in a different time period and there’s no modern tech.

- I’m pretty flexible on the exact time setting as long as it has that historical feel (e.g. Vikings up to Victorian era settings are all fine with me!)

- Dark omegaverse is strongly preferred, but I’m definitely open to less-dark recommendations too.

Some examples of historical/historical adjacent books I’ve already read and enjoyed:

{The Alpha of Rickett Hall by Merel Pierce}

{Stolen by the Wolves by Lyx Robinson}

{Omega’s Gambit by Flora Quincy}

{The Duke’s unwilling bride by Vivian Murdoch}

{The Archer by Alexandra Rey}

{Crave to Conquer by Zoey Ellis} along with most of her books

{The King’s omega by Merri Bright}

{My Alpha, Mr. Darcy by Caitlin Marie Carrington}

I’d love to hear any recommendations that fit this vibe - thanks so much for the help!

Below is a very random list of names — most are names I’ve come across over the last couple years. Some of these names I find interesting but likely wouldn’t use myself, some are on my own name list, and others I included just for fun because I’m curious what people think.

For each name, comment with the first word or short phrase (three words or fewer) that comes to mind. Think of it as a word association game - whether it’s a vibe, personality, famous person association, or feeling the name gives you.

Boys:
Alistair
Atticus
Percy
Jack
Rowan
Alfie
Emerys
Iomhair
Felix
Fenris
Arthur
Faolan
Kit
Caspian
Silas
Hugo
Evander
Stefan
Damien
Leander
Soren

Girls:
Arwen
Emery
Eris
Isla
Lucia
Olivia
Rowan
Eva
Darcy
Elara
Lyra
Cassandra
Selene
Freya
Kinsley
Charlotte
Effy
Ophelia
Avalon
Amanda
Penelope

Hello! Just wondering if anyone might be able to let me know if these fossils are genuine/what they say they are before I look at purchasing something from their site. They said they received several of these glyptodon fossils from an old collection, but cannot specifically state the location, just believe it's from south america so I'm a bit hesitant to purchase.

Thanks for the help!!

To the man who left his Savannah cat overheating in his car for an hour today at Glenmore Spray Park - and then acted like the multiple people telling you that you were in the wrong all were “overreacting” while it was panting, screaming, and clawing at the windows to try and get out - shame on you.
Calling its panting, shaking, and obvious signs of stress a sign of it being “happy”, insisting these cats are “made for the heat” when it’s in a bloody oven of tinted windows, and refusing to give it water (because apparently Savannah cats are magical desert creatures who don’t need hydration at all??) is not responsible pet ownership. It’s neglect.
Excellent lesson for your young kids on how not to care for animals.
Huge thank you to the family who called and reported it - hopefully that poor cat finds a safer home before something worse happens.