This was just the information I was looking for. Still useful nearly 4 years later. Thank you so much!

This doesn't seem to be available on Google Books anymore (or it might just be me) but I downloaded it from here instead: http://www.archive.org/details/kindergartenatho00hill

:grouphug: If you are sure God is calling you to do this then maybe you just need to spend more time with Him being fuelled for it! There's a great book that is free online which I've found really helpful - Christian Homeschooling Minus the Stress.

LOL! Fortunately I'd had a really great day, and had just been reading 'Young at Art' by Susan Striker, about the importance of not squashing artistic endeavours, so was perhaps better placed to deal with it calmly than usual. The carpet's not exactly new, but is in the spare room at my parent's house where we're staying at the moment due to moving :blush:. Thankfully I found it before my dad did! I made J help me clear it up before he went to bed, so that was another good thing having him scrub away with a sponge for half an hour or so (we used 1001 carpet shampoo which was actually pretty effective, don't know if you have it in the US). He was like "this is really hard work, isn't it mummy?". Err - YES! Don't do it again! :lol:

I posted a little while ago asking for help setting up a 'quiet play' time for my pre-schooler, in his room, while my toddler slept and I had a rest. It was working brilliantly (thanks to all the great advice)... but just one more tip - make sure that thick black marker pens are NOT within reach! :eek: Pic here: http://somethingrichandstrange.blogspot.com/2009/08/oh-my-quiet-play-disaster.html Clare

Take up a hobby like cross-stitch or tapestry - I do this while watching TV, and it takes away the temptation to snack because a) you mind is on something else and b) I would have to wash my hands to avoid getting my work dirty.

No advice (my DD is 16 months old!) but just wanted to wish you good luck, definitely take the phone away for a while, and agree with the poster who said try and sort it out with the boy first, rather than his mum as she might not back you up if they have different rules. Don't think my parents had this problem when I was a teenager - in our house we only had one phone in the hall that was attached to a cord, so not ideal for late night private phone calls, lol! That all changed when I got a mobile phone, but I was about 18 by that time.

Thank you so much for all your brilliant replies. I will definitely start implementing the ideas - starting small, having special toys just for that time, etc etc. And also, as one poster said, being consistant! Definitely a big issue for me as well. It's really encouraging to read all your stories and how well it is working for everyone. We're in the middle of moving at the moment and staying with my parents, but I really have to stop thinking that everything is going to start and my life will be completely solved "once we get the new house". That's a terrible frame of mind - life is right now, as we're living it, and so I need to start training my children right now! Thank you again - wish me luck :D Clare

PS - I did try and search, but if this has come up before then please feel free to point me in the direction of a relevant thread :)

I've read that it's a really good idea to get your children to have some time to themselves in the afternoon, doing quiet playing or reading or whatever, so you can have a break. This sounds brilliant. My 16 month old has an afternoon nap, but my 3 1/2 year old quit his about a year ago, and has had nothing of the kind since. Has anyone managed to teach / train their kids to do this, and how did you do it? Where do I begin with a very active little boy who is "entertained" by either me or my mum (bless her!) all day? Thanks, Clare :)

Uh huh, that's just because I didn't want to say that DH and I had oven pizza! :lol:

You're more than welcome! Gosh, this forum is dangerous... 2 hours and 10 posts later, it's 1am, and I'm definitely, definitely, going to bed...

There's not a mouth-watering smilie! Oh no, wait... :drool:

Thanks for the link Snickerdoodle - I keep on meaning to join. I'm on the MuddlePuddle Early Years list (HE for under 8s), but think I should be joining and supporting more home educating groups, especially with the Government Review going on :mad:

Did you recognise 'House' though? ;) The Blackadder series' are a fantastic supplement to British History - you should definitely investigate them for older children (high school?) if they're studying any of our periods in greater depth.