No, not really lol. My goal isn't to finish x book, but to learn/practice a skill/content to my standard. Clear as mud! Basically, sometimes we're finished with a skill or content before we're finished with the book. Sometimes we circle back around to it later, sometimes not. Sometimes the kids will have a maturity spurt and be ready to skip some of the book...

I agree with light and jokey - if you're going to bring it up. "Darn it, you got to x's dreamy eyes before me!"

Quoted for truth! It's a bit of a running joke in my in-law's family about my forgetfulness. One memorable Christmas I forgot the one item that I was asked to bring... My mother in law is mostly lovely and we have a good relationship. Eta - my inlaws are all super organised and motivated European stereotypes lol. I'm really not in their league in that sense!

Wow, QFT! As a scatter brained daughter in law - leave it. She knows about it, let her work it out. Love her anyway. Bringing it up in writing would be embarrassing and younger-me would feel pressure and unconscious resentment. If she brings it up again, then I would say something like - 'Dil, you know that you're more important to me than any money could be. If you really want to work on this, I'm happy to help you, but I will never let money come between us. What will be most helpful for you?' She might suggest something like texting her your PayPal details the morning she gets paid.

Babylon 5 or Lost in Space?

Love this thread! I am setting up a new one today. I love my bullet journal that doesn't look much like a bullet journal lol. I have used one for about 18 months. But I use it my way, some things are too much for my probably-ADD brain. A brain dump notebook is probably a more accurate description. It goes everywhere with me. I joke (not really a joke) that it is my paper brain. I don't use the index. That extra step of flipping the pages back got dropped after a few months. I just tend to remember where I wrote something, I am liking the coloured edges idea though. I keep a 4 colour pen with it and that's pretty much all I use, unless I can't find my pen so I use whatever is handy. I also don't do the dot/cross/arrow thing, for the same reason that I don't write daily task lists - too much wasted time writing out the same thing every day! I do like to put a calendar in the front so I can see dates at a glance. I can also highlight school terms and get a nice visual of the year. I love to use it for school. I like to plan out a subject into lessons and have tick boxes down the side. Very simple, literally 3 columns: Lesson #, Lesson info (read pages x-z), tick. I don't even rule the column lines, I just free hand it. This is the single best planning tool I've ever found to keep me on track. It doesn't matter what day we do the lesson, I just tick it when we're done. I would like to expand this idea to trackers but I am still thinking this through. I know from experience that if I make these lists too complex or detailed they don't get used. I also use it for taking random notes. Phone call details. House building details. Book lists. These are scattered randomly as needed. Again, no index, but I seem to be able to find what I need. I try to start a new page if it's a completely new topic. I also use it to copy scripture and quotes. I write these in cursive so they stand out and are easy to find. Oh, it also has to have a cover. Something with pockets to store bits of paper. Not too many though, or I end up using the pockets and scraps of paper again instead of the actual notebook.

Also with music performances. Dh says that Valerian herb/supplement helps too, calms your mind so you stop over thinking...

This is our approach too. We've had some big conversations about choosing wisely. I got married at 18, so I'd be a giant hypocrite if I had a problem with it. I do agree with premarital counselling, it was required by our minister and I found it valuable. My mother has no faith in marriage and she split up with her 4th husband the week before my wedding day. One of the issues that caused our estrangement was her hatred of my husband, her waiting for our relationship to fall apart, her trying to control my adult life. 15 years later I can see things from her perspective better but it's too late, she crashed and burned the relationship to ashes. I still madly love my husband and we have a good life.

My in laws all live just over 1.5 hours away. We moved to the country. My sister is about the same distance away, as is my estranged mother. My dad lives in another state, Google tells me it's about 450 miles away. He and my step mother are retired so they visit us, about once a year. Although they are getting older, I don't know how much longer they can do the trip...

I'm sorry! You really feel a big family when they all get sick. Hope you all feel better soon! Although... we're a month into summer here and we've been recovering from a cold for 2 weeks, it has just turned into ear infections for my oldest and youngest. So annoying!

Some of mine struggle with doing a big-in-their-eyes job alone. So sending them off by themselves to work doesn't work. I might try discussing with her how to break down the job into 'bite size' pieces. Then I'd put some of her favourite music on and encourage her to finish one bite per song. And I'd say she can stop after 3 songs or something, so she knows that this is a job with a finite end time. I don't know how I would handle crying for hours. We tend to encourage emotional self control, so carrying on like that would receive a consequence here - but I'm not dealing with anxiety or anything so maybe don't listen to me.

Merlin? Not aliens but magical... I don't know if you like anime but maybe Space Dandy? Although maybe too silly...

Yeah that's similar to how things went here too. It's been 5 years since I've seen my mother - apart from one brief ambush - and honestly, the separation has made things much more clear in my mind and given me strength to see and resist the programming.

Awww lovely! Congratulations! Daughters are (mostly) delightful! My youngest son loves pink and purple. He asked for a purple cake with a rainbow for his 4th birthday. He also loves cars - neither of my older sons were into cars. And he's rough, constantly covered in bruises and scratches. Personality is so much more interesting than gender stereotypes. 😊

Mine was around $2000. My mum paid for it - I didn't expect that. My mum and mother in law went a little nutty, first kids to get married... It all cost about $10,000 all up, I would've done it much cheaper.

Sliced lengthwise and quickly fried in a hot skillet with olive oil, salt and lemon juice. Serve immediately with shaved parmesan on top. Yum.

Indeed. I would've been tempted to dump a bag of oreos on the table and shrug that no notice + 2 days before Christmas = you're darn lucky you got anything!

I agree Quill. I hate the idea that hyper-productive = success. Life is about more than working and money. I want time to actually enjoy my kids. I'm sure that some people thrive on that kind of schedule but I would curl up and die...

See, the reason I would compromise is because young people need grace to learn these things. So call and give her a lesson in kindly but firmly compromising without drama. "Hi x, hope you're not too stressed during this Christmas season! Look, about woofy, you know we love him too and I'm sorry if I gave you the impression otherwise. Here's my Christmas related problem, when woofy is here you know how closely he needs to be supervised around my kittys and barky - which is normally totally fine - but I was looking forward to spending some relaxed time with you and ds where neither of us is having to be on high alert for every bark! I figured woofy would be happier to be in his calm home for a couple of hours, but I am happy to discuss options that you think will work." I wouldn't assume you can get a dog sitter for Christmas day! Also, if I read correctly, girlfriend is supposed to come to your place and then your parents'? And that last year was the same but a bit awkward? I'm finding it difficult to verbalise (and I wouldn't expect her to really recognise it yet) but could there be an element of feeling out of place and/or pressured by all the 'ds family' things? I could see hanging on to her dog as one remnant of her own 'family' at Christmas... Basically, navigating families at Christmas is really difficult and young couples don't have the experience or maturity to do it well.

With NPD, the less said the better. Anything you say will be used against you later.

You are right, I would be upset, but I would probably try my darndest to find a compromise for the sake of my son.

Yes, I often call my daughter by my sister's name after visiting with my sister.

My bold - Hi! I'm not 40 yet (I'm 33) and was one of many Lisa's - though I spell mine differently. I agree with your last paragraph, my grandparent/great grandparent's era names are becoming popular again and I love it!

Robyn or Robin Gail Sally Tyrone Most others have been mentioned! At my schools it was majority Lisa, Belinda, Jessica, Rebecca. The boys were mostly Matthews, Michaels and Dylans.

12 kids each in a sport and club of their choice? Yikes. I could not do that schedule. Nopeity nope.