I wonder what your once upon a time friends would have done if it had been their children's party and strangers wanted to participate. Bet they would have been appalled at the audacity. I have never had this situation happen when we have had public birthday parties. It blows my mind that parents would actually expect their child to be able to eat food or receive items from the party when they weren't invited. Sure, if you are at a park, your kids are going to notice the party. If my children couldn't accept the party wasn't for them I would go somewhere else. (We were never invited to join in a party with people we had no idea who they were either.)

:grouphug:

My experience with Panera is that they will let you stay while they are cleaning. In fact, they have never kicked me out. As long as they are working, the workers have always told us stay until we are done cleaning. I have no idea how long that would be since I usually have left within 30 to 45 minutes after they say they are closed. The staff really doesn't seem to care.

So far I have only spent $2.27 in cash. Spent $30.00 on gas. Oh, there are so many tempting things out there to spend money on aren't there? I know that this upcoming week I will have to get milk and nestle quick for the kids. I am trying to use up the food items we have in the house to cut down on costs.

No advice. I'm so sorry. This sounds so frightening and stressful. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: We want our children to be happy and when they aren't it is so difficult and paralyzing.

Oh yeah. This happens to me as well. I found that if I take off my socks I cool down some. Weird right?

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

I am about halfway through this: "Stalking the Soul" by Marie-France Hirigoyen It is pretty interesting. It is about Narcissism. It started out talking about what it looks like in families and than moved into talking about what it looks like in the workplace. It was very enlightening to read about what those dynamics look like.

Maybe a redo? If they start whining, they need to start the day over. Go up to room, and than come down when they are ready not to whine. They can whine in their room all they like. I would make sure that their room was rather boring. I know for my son, not with whining, but if he had a behavior that was inappropriate, I would have him go up to his room to think about what he was upset about. I told him he could come down when he was ready to talk it out. I was surprised how oftern he would be up their for 30 minutes or more. He would usually come down ready to talk and the behavior would be better. I read somewhere about the redo. For example, if you wanted them to line the shoes up in the hall but they threw them in a pile, you have them redo it. I liked this because instead of launching into a lecture, maybe inadvertantly shaming the child about what they should have done and than punishing, it gives them a chance to do what was asked and end on a good note. Like someone else mentioned, letting them decide what subject order they will do things in might help. If they choose when the dreaded subject was they had to do, maybe they would be ready for it and not whine.

I think what you did was very thoughtful. I don't think a thank you is going to make them feel worse than they already do. It actually lets them know you are grateful for their helpf and I would think it would help how they were feeling.

Hope you feel better soon!

I'm so sorry :grouphug: :grouphug:

If my family gave us a gift card, my dh wouldn't just assume it could be used for our anniversary. Since it is my family, dh would want to know what I would want to do with it, even though the gift was given to both of us. When my family or his family has given us money we have used it for vacation,split the money down the middle and done what we have wanted individually and we have saved it for a date. However, we have talked about what we wanted to do each year. If my dh wanted to use the money given to us on something for himself, I wouldn't be upset. It is his family. The reverse would be true as well. I think the big thing for me is the communication componet. I usually am o.k. with anything if we have talked about it. So, yes, it would bother me if no communication was taking place and my dh assumed he knew what I wanted and used a gift from my family for whatever worked easiest for himself. (Just to clarify, this is how I would perceive it based on my history with my dh, doesn't mean this is what your dh is doing)

Oh how awful! :grouphug: :grouphug:

I'm so sorry :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

This has been discussed to death in other threads. Are you pot stirring? ;) I also have a relative who won't eat ham.

I'm sorry. I hope something works out sooner than later. :grouphug:

Dust...is that supposed to be on the list of household chores to do? ;) UO: I believe that allowing kids to eat cake for breakfast is o.k. In my mind, cake is just the Maserati of donuts.

:grouphug: :grouphug:

UO: I love when my kids fight with each other. It gives me a chance to use my mediation skills. JK...NOT!

:iagree: And the therapy is free! You can't beat that bargain right?

My son loves this series. It is acutally one of the books he will read as well as listen to the audio version of it.

How about a carrot cake muffin with cream cheese frosting?

:iagree: Cupcakes all around!

I'm so sorry! :grouphug: