I, too, would have been thrilled to discuss their math program. I've spent a lot of time researching programs and have 3 different ones on my shelves. Jenelle

I read aloud all the books I want my children exposed to. My oldest is only 9 and so someday she may pick up some on my list on her own, but until then, I read. They, of course, love it and will probably insist on being read to until they leave home. Which is fine with me. :001_smile: Maybe someday I'll require a book by saying, "We'll read this at the same time and then discuss it." Jenelle

The View is a circus act. Problem is, those ladies think they're having an intelligent, educated, and rational discourse. Poor dears. Jenelle

We haven't tried some of the brands mentioned, but Arizona slims, found at JCPenney, are the slimmest slims I've found. We still pull in the waist a bit with the tabs, but they're long enough. Jenelle

Thank goodness we have people like Marcy Kaptur in congress. Jenelle

I agree with this. My children were just a year older than yours are now when we disconnected the cable. There was some whining and not knowing what to do at first, but they did adapt and now, over two years later, they require much less from me for entertainment. They are able to play for hours with their toys; there is a lot of imaginative play. It really isn't that hard to be without TV, it only seems like it at first. After you've disconnected the cable, read Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman. I've come to regard the television as an anti-learning device. The passive nature of TV viewing is formative. That is, it trains the mind to take in information without thinking about it, without grappling with it, if you will. Then, when we're required to actually spend some time thinking about a problem from beginning to end, we find we cannot. I have embraced classical education mainly for its formative value. Like many here, I did not receive a classical education, but I hope to give one to my children. This is a difficult task. I'm so glad I no longer have the TV there to dismantle my daily efforts. Jenelle

I've been reliving my high school years with the help of this board and YouTube. Here's one of my favs added to the mix: Jenelle

I finally introduced my children to The Holy Grail and they came away with: "I fart in your general direction". - French accent included.

Banning is a harsh word and should be treated as such. If a book is bannned, none of us would be able to read it. The US has specific laws in place to keep that from happening. No wonder people get riled up at the word. Some of these library situations, however, while disturbing in terms of what is available to the public to read without requiring them to purchase the book, cannot be called banning. We must use a different term. But perhaps that wouldn't cause such a loud cry of "foul'. Jenelle

Do not accidently punch 10:00 minutes on the microwave when you are intending to zap your sponge for only 1:00 minute. Jenelle

I see nothing wrong with holding off until your dd is a little older. I started teaching my dd piano when she was 5 and when practicing became a struggle I dropped it temporarily. We picked it up again right before she turned 9 and practice time is no longer an issue. My ds is 5 and loves to practice (just to remind you that every child is different.) Jenelle

Something smeared on the wall that resembles a .... booger? :001_huh: Jenelle

As mothers, we should realize we're a little out of our element. This is a father's domain. We should allow the father's of our boys, whenever possible to handle this issue. However, the original post was regarding courage, not necessarily fighting. Regarding courage, I believe we can and should set up opportunities for our children, boys and girls, to be couragous. How do they know they can be brave? Because they remember being brave in the past; they know what it is. I highly recommend The Lakota Way by Joseph Marshall III. There is a chapter on courage and how a young brave was taught courage by being given an oppurtunity to guard the fresh meat against a "bear". The trick is to come up with plausible ideas. Suggestions for the modern world? Jenelle

What about s*x?