So that I'm not washing as many towels this is what I do per person: 1 bath towel for hair; 1 bath towel for body; 1 HAND towel for private parts. This way, the 2 bath towels can be used for a good week without needing to be washed. I throw the hand towel in the laundry every day. It really cuts down on towel laundry. Sheets: 4 pair per bed: 2 cotton, 2 flannel.

Unless they're lying, most of the people in my church don't trick or treat, but the church does put on a festival that's not scary. I do take the kids trick or treating because they don't like the festival and I personally LOVE trick or treating. But I don't tell anyone, because I don't want to have to explain myself. It's my secret. I guess the kids (6 and 3) might start telling the other church kids about it and my secret will be out soon... J

Sorry guys, but these numbers can't be right. You hit the certified genius (and we're talking Stephen Hawkins, mensa members) level in the high 130's. According to the chart of classifications of IQs 130 + is very superior; 120-129 is superior; 110-119 is high average; 90-109 is average 80-89; is low average and it goes down from there. Only 2.2% of the population is in the 130+ category. And only 6.7% is in the 120-129 category.

You are a brave woman! I'm very proud of you. That had to be a tough conversation.

Thank you, everyone, for all your responses! Here's my plan: For the next year, I'm going to relax a bit more about the reading. I think I will not entirely stop teaching him, but we'll just do the teensiest bit each day without a lot of pressure from me. He hates sitting still long enough to sound things out, so maybe he just needs to mature a bit more. I'm going to research the various resources everyone has named, to see if one of them seems to jump out at me as a good match for us. We might switch to a new program and try it slowly over the next year. I already do read a lot to him, and he's insatiable with it. (insatiable!!! Which is why it'd be GREAT if he could read on his own!) My ds3 gets bored listening to the more advanced books I read to the ds6, so I read what I can without frustrating ds3. I do use books on tape for the ds6 when ds needs my attention. Again, THANK YOU SO MUCH for responding. You know how it is when this is all new. It's nice to hear from others who have been there/done that!

Honey is the only food in the world that does not spoil. They found pots of honey in ancient Egyptian tombs, and it was still good. Thousands of years later. Heat it up if it needs to be smoothed out.

He is 6 years old. When he was 4 or 5 we did the Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. His friend learned to read that way. But it didn't work for my DS. He hated it. So, now we're using Hooked on Phonics, and he barely tolerates it. He sort of is learning from it, but sort of not. He detests sounding out words, yet he can't read unless he sounds them out. So, we go round and round with me saying, "Sound it out," and him looking around the room randomly yelling out words that begin with whatever the word we're on begins with. It drives both of us nuts. What have other people used to teach their kids to read? Thanks!

The Great Brain (that's the first one. There are about 6 in the series.)

Certain types of clothing are outward symbols of your inward beliefs. For example, the policeman's uniform is a symbol that he has the authority to enforce the law. A CEO's suit is a symbol that she is taking her role as decision maker seriously. If she showed up at an important meeting in flip flops, her employees could feel unnerved, as if she wasn't taking her leadership seriously and wouldn't lead the company correctly. Just because she wears flip flops doesn't change her intelligence or abilities, but a flip flop is a symbol of relaxing on the beach. People want their leader to look ready to work hard to guide a company. Clothes are all just symbols that we've all subtly agreed upon. Wearing the ultra-conservative clothing is a symbol of your ultra-conservative beliefs. Wearing the Goth or Emo clothing indicates a certain lifestyle. The clothing is a symbol of a set of beliefs. Wearing those clothes aligns you with that set of beliefs. You might secretly be different, but when you wear the Goth uniform, you are telling everyone that you embrace a certain lifestyle. My husband disagrees with me on this one. He says that people shouldn't look at clothes and make judgments. I totally agree with that statement. However, I firmly believe that even if people SHOULDn't make judgments, they DO. I prefer to face up to what people actually DO and not just what I wish they did. He wishes people wouldn't judge based on clothing, but the fact is that they DO. And I believe they do it because certain types of clothing are outward symbols of your inward beliefs. So, you end up being judged for the beliefs that those clothes symbolize.

Very true about people being too scared to be the "real" leaders. There's a lady who is a helper for the teacher of the Children's Church every couple of weeks and I asked her if she would ever want to take over the class for herself. She looked terrified and said she could never possibly lead the class. I didn't push her, but I do believe she could do it fine. Most people seem to think that the leaders have some sort of special ability or calling or something. Usually they're just normal people muddling through like everyone else! I was a corporate trainer before I became a homeschooler, and there are a lot of people out there who think that teachers or leaders have some magical ability. Most of the coworkers I trained never seemed to understand that I was only one step ahead of them in everything I taught them. I usually just learned the material the week before and then shared with them what I learned. (Sounds a lot like some aspects of homeschooling, huh?) So, a lot of people don't volunteer because they really think they can't do it. I like how someone posted that giving people specific little jobs can get them going. Let them get their feet wet! And on top of their fear, everyone is exhausted. There are so many responsibilities and (frankly) fun things to do. Like being on this site! I was supposed to get off an hour ago, and I'm still here! If I had signed off an hour ago, I would have had a clean living room and all my HS materials ready for tomorrow by now! UGH!:tongue_smilie:

By the way, I'm 35, but someone the other day told me I look like I'm 27! That's the best thing anyone has said to me in a long time! I feel 30. That's the age I gained some wisdom and confidence.

Age is definitely a state of mind. My parents are in their 50's now and constantly say how old they are. They have completely written themselves off and won't try new things or learn new things. They believe their opinions don't count because they're too "old." I do worry about them. My grandparents all lived into their 80's and 90's. I'm appalled that my parents seem to be content to be "old" for the next 30-40 years of their lives, if they follow the family tradition of living to be very old. Every single time I talk to them, they make comments about how old they are and can't do this and that. So sad.

Ok, honestly, is anyone else a little nervous about not having a date set yet? What does Bill think? Why can't he come on Monday or Tuesday if he's not going to be gone until Wednesday? It's been a full week since you invited him!!! I haven't been on a date since I got married at 19 years old. Is this how it works? All this waiting?!? I can't stand it!!!! :tongue_smilie:

If I were you, I'd keep your comments centered on yourself. For example, if she says your house isn't big enough to accommodate her, just say, "This house is very lovely for us at this time." I would not point out that you didn't like her house. (My very sweet MIL doesn't understand how I can like my 1940's bungalow. She lives in a brand new home that I don't like. When she tells me, "Maybe one day you guys will be able to get a nice new home," I just say, "Oh, I love my little cottage!" I never say to her that I would hate to live in a new home and that I don't really like hers. I really do love older homes. However, my MIL is very sweet, so it's easy to tell her this.) When she complains about Christmas I would only say, "This year it's better for us to have a quiet celebration at home." I was a customer service rep at a health insurance company for a few years. There were many (many) times I had to be the bearer of bad news (no, your $1500 MRI is not covered.) It was horrible to have to give people bad news. They would sometimes get angry and try to badger me. However, I was just the lowly CSR. I had no authority to change the insurance policy. I wished I could because it was awful telling people things they didn't want to hear. However, I did learn how to very nicely just keep repeating, "I'm sorry to say that your MRI simply isn't a coverable expense in this particular policy." They would say something about how stupid that was. "Unfortunately, it simply is not a coverable expense." Insert another indignant comment from the (poor) customer. "This policy lists MRIs as an exclusion at this time." Horrible to be a CSR having to say these things, but consider yourself a CSR with your in-laws. You still need their business, but you have to deliver the bad news. Stay calm and professional. Only state and restate the facts about yourself and don't go on the attack, even if it's a gentle attack. Going on the attack just gives her more ammunition. And really, you want to be a good witness. God loves her very much. He did not put her in your life for you to yell at her or belittle her. Just state your needs and your decisions and don't comment on hers.

Poor sweetie! Those last couple of weeks are sooo tough. Most midwives will wait (if they can) until you are a full two weeks after your due date. Find out when that day is and set yourself to endure until then! You can do it! You'll be great!!

I volunteer to teach Children's Church for the 3-5 year olds at church twice a month, but that's about all I can handle with homeschooling. There are other church sponsored events but I figure it's up to everyone else to pitch in with those. (The church has a membership of about 1200 people!) One thing that keeps me going is when I get a compliment here and there. A "thank you, my kid had a great time in your class" goes a long way. Instead of them thinking that they're entitled to MY work with their kids, it's nice to know that they're appreciating that I'm going out of my way and using up my precious time for their sakes. It's not something they're entitled to, it's something they're blessed to have. However, I don't think most people feel entitled. I think most people feel exhausted. I would love to volunteer for more things, but there just aren't enough hours in the day.

http://www.raisinggodlytomatoes.com This is the website that people talked about in your other thread, about the tomato staking. I haven't read all the posts on this thread yet, so don't know if someone already gave it to you. I don't follow everything on the tomato website, but there is a ton of good advice. It helped me to feel empowered to stop the bad behavior that wasn't exactly "bad" just reeeeally irritating. If the behavior is something you wouldn't expect from an adult, then it needs to be stopped, even if it's not "bad" but just irritating. I won't write here all the techniques. It's all on the website.

http://www.raisinggodlytomatoes.com/ This is the tomato staking website. I don't follow everything on this site, but there is a lot of good advice about stopping bad behaviors and also about recognizing what's behind them: pride, manipulation, etc.

How come the last post was late last night? Has no one added a post since yesterday, or is something wrong with my computer?! :confused: Has a date been set yet?!