-
Posts
615 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Classifieds
Store
Posts posted by WarriorMama
-
-
Twice in the last few weeks, I went into a bookstore and left with NOTHING.
Okay, not true. I left with stuff for my kids, and a mental list of non-fiction I'm interested in getting from the library, and a heaping dose of depression at not finding a new novel to knock my socks off.
I've been reading almost exclusively non-fiction for a few years (homeschool-mom research-mode, I think? :tongue_smilie: ). And I really want to read something FUN and ENTERTAINING. But time is so scarce these days, I'm scared of picking up a bad book and wasting the little free time I have.
Yes. I have paralyzing book-choosing fear.
Please save me. :lol:
I would love to hear your very best, most-favourite, couldn't-put-it-down fiction titles. Any genre! The best of literary escapism. Lay it on me! :D
I'm sure the wise and mighty Hive won't let me down! :bigear:
-
Thanks so much for all your kind words, ladies. Life has never been so hard.
-
...and are willing to talk to me via email or pm, I would really appreciate it. I lack a real-life confidante and am having a really rough time. :crying:
I have a lot going on but will check back in after my kids go to bed in a few hours.
-
Yes, I have a child like this and am currently trying the 'run him ragged' approach. He's 3 and a half. He does an hour of gymnastics several days per week, and we've been taking one or more hour-long bike rides every day, along with all his usual general perpetual motion. ;)
I've seen improvement in his ability to focus and general behaviour. Our worst day this week was the one where I couldn't get him to eat breakfast. He was off all day.
We've also completely removed screen time of all sorts this week, so I'm not sure if that's contributed to the improvement as well.
-
Thanks again for the advice! We took them back in this morning, and afte having the nose and ear pieces adjusted he's doing MUCH better!
I could not find one of those straps ANYWHERE at the mall, though. I think he's going to need it for gymnastics and such. Any ideas where to look?
-
Thank you all! I'll take him back and see if they can adjust them better (I actually said while I was there that he hates things sliding and to make sure they were tight, but the lady wanted to err on the side of not too tight...).
Where does one buy a strap to hold them on? He's a tiny acrobat and half of his life is spent upside down or flipping around, so that sounds like a great idea...
-
I just picked up glasses for my 3yo boy, and I need you guys to tell me how the heck to get a preschooler to keep them on (preferably with as little drama as possible!).
He's very, very active, and very very intense. The adjustment is not likely to be easy. ;)
It seems like they're sliding down his nose a bit and it's driving him crazy. Is this a fit issue? Should I go back and get them adjusted? I have no idea what I'm doing here (and don't even wear glasses myself, so I have no fame of reference).
Any tips would be massively appreciated!
-
Thanks, Karen! I just found it free in the kindle store!
I'd not heard of this play. Alas, the plight of an aspiring novelist...discovering that somebody else already wrote down my bright idea...:lol:
Ah, but sharing a bright idea with George Bernard Shaw is nothing to sniff at! Just means you're thinking like one of the greats. :D
-
This has been a fascinating thread for me. SO MANY interesting ideas and food for thought. I feel like this is the direction I've been WANTING to go, but haven't had the confidence for.
Justamouse, I often read your posts and reflect that I want to be you when I grow up. :lol: And 8FillstheHeart has consistently caused me to think and rethink my educational philosophy. Any chance you two ladies feel like making a booklist for your adoring fans on this thread? I would LOVE to see your fantastic, don't-miss-it children's literature suggestions...
:)
-
It's all so silly, isn't it? I mean, people are just people. For a long time I had no idea that I was championing the "Cause." I oppose pushing academics, extended tandem breastfeed, birth unassisted, eat organic, sew organic diapers, even better, elimination communicate (we were on TV for this!), and Non-Violent Communicate. Several times people told me they were relieved to be able to confess to me their "shameful" behaviors (like using disposable diapers and drinking soda) 'cause I'm so "attachment parent." It's so silly 'cause we're all just people. Does it make any kind of sense for me to show love and compassion to my kids and then have nothing but judgement and disdain for another mother who does the same for her kids in her own way?
I spent too much of my life trying to do things right. My current New Year's resolution is "to not try." Sorry for the split infinitive, but it really is "to not-try" as in actively not-trying. It's been wonderful. I am literally not allowed to try to teach my kids. Nor am I allowed to try to clean, or to sleep or to improve myself. It forces a focus on just being present and aware of where my gaze is. Apparently, when I'm this accepting of myself, I naturally gravitate toward all the things I'd been trying to do my whole life (the latest are doing science and art!). It's just not from a place of judgement (like being pulled by one's passions instead being pushed to one's goals). This is the feeling of being so glad to be alive that I hope my kids feel and hold within them their whole lives. I know they won't (at least not all the time), but I wish they would.
Pei
I really, really love this post. I spend way too much of my life trying to 'do things right' and obsessing over how they're turning out. I've been super-conflicted lately because I'm essentially walking away from my very academic school plans for my eldest. We were so stressed and unhappy trying to 'get stuff done' while my two toddlers wreaked havoc around us. I want to switch to something more easygoing and flexible while we're in this stage, and get back to a place where we're excited and happy about what we're doing.
Anyway, sorry for the ramble/threadjack! You sound like an awesome mama, and this thread in general has been fascinating and thought-provoking.
-
I've been sitting here typing and retyping, trying to figure out a way to say this that won't hurt anyone's feelings or get me in trouble. I'm just going to say it.
Unless you understand Irish politics, please don't wear orange on St. Patrick's day. It's not a symbol of being Protestant, it's a symbol of hate and discrimination against Catholics. I'm not saying that's what anyone here is doing on purpose, but you need to understand the history to get how hurtful and offensive that is to an Irish Catholic.
Nobody needs to wear green or celebrate the holiday or any such thing, but deliberately wearing orange is historically a partisan action.
Just sayin'.
-
Am I the only person who HATES a word/phrase, and then will start using it as a joke with people who know how much I loathe it (like my husband or close friends). And then over time, it slowly slips into my regular vocabulary and escapes my lips even with folks who have no idea it's a word I detest and supposedly only use jokingly...
And then after a while, I don't really remember what I hated so much about it in any case.
The number of things I now say regularly that I once mocked others for saying is kind of astounding. :lol:
-
Yes. Me too. We're having such a hard time. :(
We're about to get a decent sized tax refund, and for the first time ever, we can't use it for anything but catching up.
My winter boots just fell apart, all my kids just had a major growth spurt and need clothes, my van needs new tires, and my debit card weeps every time I buy groceries.
I'm so tired of feeling like we'll never get ahead.
:grouphug:
-
:grouphug::grouphug:
I also have three kids whose needs are all very, very intense right now. It feels like we're constantly in crisis mode, trying to find solutions to all the issues...
It's so hard to feel like there are more needs than you can meet at once. I always feel like I'm falling short and letting someone down.
Hang in there. You're an awesome mom, and the very hard time WILL PASS. :grouphug:
-
I had a friend who kept telling me that it would get better when dd was 5 yo, and one day when she was 5, I realized that she really was much easier. It's helpful that dd wants to please her dad and me; she doesn't have ODD as many ADD kids do. So once she was able to reason, it was easier to reign in her behavior. She's still our loudest, most intense child, but she's a dream compared to the early years.
One thing that helps is lots of physical activity. Dd plays piano and does Irish dancing; those activities help channel her energy.
Thank you! I truly hope it does get a bit easier!
I'm starting to brainstorm ways to help him channel all that energy. He's so much easier to be with after you really run him ragged!
-
Thanks so much for all the replies so far! A lot of your descriptions sound awfully familiar...
My 3.5yo has been a non-stop challenge since birth. I've been wavering back and forth between 'he's just an intense kid' and 'okay, there's SOMETHING WRONG here' a lot.
Would love to hear more from anyone with an ADHD kid!
-
What were they like as a baby/toddler/preschooler? When did you start to wonder if there was something going on besides little-kid craziness?
:bigear:
-
Thanks so much again, everybody! Even knowing I'm not the only one dealing with the CRAZINESS is really kind of reassuring. :)
-
Trust me...as one who has BTDT, let the guilt go and enjoy it. Please :001_smile:.
Well, I can try! ;)
It's sunny and warm here today after a bout of nasty weather, so I think after quiet time we're going to go to the park and play...and NOT feel bad about the work we didn't manage to get to today! We could all use some sunshine, I think. :)
-
Thanks for all the replies so far! I don't have time to individually reply to them all (crazy toddlers and all, lol), but I REALLY APPRECIATE all the advice!
t
I'd recommend aiming for survival and then the basics only (reading, writing, math) for your oldest. At age 7 this should take well under 2 hours, more like an hour, probably. It's hard with preschoolers/toddlers, and even harder with an especially busy one (my 4th was one of those :willy_nilly:). In the long run it won't matter if your oldest has formal history or science or anything else at age 7 or age 8 (I found that around 4-4.5 my boys became a bit more reasonable). Just survive, and try to enjoy the ride.That's pretty much what we're doing now, because we can't seem to get through more than the essentials. The guilt is KILLING ME, though. My eldest is relatively advanced and she LOVES school and learning and activities and projects and all that stuff I just can't get done. I feel like I'm doing a crappy job and letting her down educationally. :(
-
Good thoughts coming your way!!! :grouphug:
-
No real advice, only sympathy and :grouphug:. We're about to be starting that phase as Chuck gets more and more mobile and more and more curious. If it were just Digby, it would be easy enough to bring him into the school fold so to speak, but I've got to keep my eye on her now. I'm not sure what I'll do either. More :grouphug:
Thanks!! It's certainly an intense stage...
-
...I need help!!
I know I've posted before about my very active son (now 3.5). Now my baby, who is 13 months, has fully morphed into a toddler, and her sole ambition in life is to keep up with big brother.
I'm having a really, really hard time getting any work done with my 7yo. It's like trying to get school done in a house full of human tornados. They are JUST NUTS. They come up with new stuff to destroy faster than I can keep up. They climb like baby mountain goats. 3yo can open gates, undo buckles and child locks...you name it. If they are not working together to destroy the universe, they are annoying the crap out of each other, knocking one another down, or screaming because they both want the same toy. I am :willy_nilly::willy_nilly: ALL THE TIME. Oh, the chaos. The CHAOTIC CHAOS. :lol:
The usual suggestions for toddler activities don't work so well. A container with rice or beans to scoop means the whole room takes a rice shower, then they kick it around. They don't want to color, or play with toys, or do ANYTHING that involves staying still or being remotely quiet. And that's fine. If they were my only two I would take them all over the place and let them run off steam. I can't figure out how to balance them with homeschooling.
Help? Ideas? Thoughts? :bigear:
For the record, we do have quiet time every day (1yo naps, 3yo watches a movie), but I'd really rather not use it for school...it's the only break I get all day and it kind of saves my sanity!
-
The OP's child is 5. How old is the child in the post above?
With children like this, you often have to stop them well in advance of the actual boundary. And it sounds like some organic issues might be at play (sensory, food allergy).
He's 3 and a half, and has ALWAYS been this way. I've wondered if he's somewhat sensory-seeking, and try to accommodate that. He also definitely has food issues! We're now gluten-free (actually because of my husband), which didn't help my 3yo as much as I hoped. I finally realized dairy was a problem and cut it, and that's helped a LOT - and I definitely see a correlation between really bad days and him doing something like take a sip of the baby's milk or licking someone's empty popcorn bowl. :001_rolleyes: Drinking apple juice, even though I cut it with water, seemed to be a trigger as well.
We have a pretty natural, healthy diet thanks to the collective family food allergies, and I don't know what else to look for. I also can't figure out where the line is between issues he can't control, and behaviour that he can...
I thought I was such an awesome parent until this little guy and along to educate me.:tongue_smilie:
I BADLY need book suggestions!!
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
Wow, you guys ROCK!! :party:
I'm making a list on my phone to take on my next trip to the bookstore and/or library. Entertainment SHALL BE MINE!!! :D