Forbidden food is always more desirable. A nine year old craving sweets is normal. Eating a box of sugary cereal in one sitting is common. This type of cereal is typically highly processed - white flour and sugar. Eating one serving just makes you hungrier, so you eat more, getting hungrier rather than satisfied. Soon the whole box is gone. You have an upset stomach from the sugar, etc. but remain unsatisfied. The same thing happens with potato chips. Rather than limiting foods, limit where they may be eaten. Meals and snacks must be eaten at the table. The snacker must clean up after himself. When you see him eating a cupcake, do not comment about how it is unhealthy. If he eats it at the table and cleans up after himself- thank him for remembering. If he takes it to the sofa or his room, remind him that food is to be eaten at the table. The same rule should apply to ALL members of the family. Let your children see you practice mindful eating. Save the lectures on healthy eating for another time. Do a lesson on nutrition. Have your children track their eating habits for a week. Let them figure out how they could improve. Do a study on household pests - mice, cockroaches, and how to prevent infestations. Try not to point fingers when you tell your children that this is why we do not eat in our rooms, the living room, etc. Most likely, your son is hungry and wants immediate satisfaction. He is sneaking food because he knows you don't want him to eat those items. He feels guilting for eating them and therefore tries to hide the evidence. He may also be testing boundaries. If you refuse to make an issue of food, he will stop sneaking it. If your son does continue to sneak food and lie about it, then deal with it as you would any other type of sneaking or dishonesty.

Your daughter is part of the wedding party. Isn't she expected to participate in the rehearsal? Would you send her to the dinner alone? Customs vary. My sister and her husband invited out of town guests to attend their rehearsal dinner. Their wedding was in a small town without much in the way of entertainment. My cousin did not feel the need to entertain traveling guests. She felt that the guests on her side of the family would be visiting with other friends and relatives and that her fiance's family would want to visit tourist sites. She provided a list of area attractions that the guests might enjoy on their own. You might ask your brother and his fiancee. Tell them that you do not want to cause hurt feelings either way. Let them know that if you are invited you would be happy to attend. If you are not invited, you would be equally happy to make other arrangements for the evening.

When I enter a home for the first time, I appreciate if the host restrains his/her dogs. I will offer my hand for sniffing and may even pet the dog. I usually do not mind if the dog licks my hand. I do not want to be jumped on or have my face licked. One of my children was knocked down by an over-exhuberant dog. The owner stated that the dog just wanted to play. My son is now terrified of strange dogs. He will pet dogs he knows as long as they don't try to jump on him.

Thanks for the suggestions. I have requested a number of the titles through my library consortium. We'll see what appeals to my sons. At the rate we are plowing through science books, we will have read all of the Level 1, Let's read about science titles available through our library system before the end of summer. We are also reading some of the health titles recommended at the Guest Hollow website. I am trying to add other non-fiction to slow us down a bit and add some balance. For fiction, we are currently reading the Before Five in a Row books and related titles. I plan to start FIAR in the fall.

My children love the Let's Read and Find Out Science series. Is there something similar covering history or geography topics?

We have a small stash of medium-sized packing boxes from Home Depot in our basement. They have been - lined up to form a train, stacked to make a store, turtle shells, nests, tunnels, and more. My children will play with any size box or laundry basket.

Social dance classes - ballroom, country line dancing, or even square dancing Photography Sketching or basic drawing with a bit of color theory Add a small amount of art and/or music history to compliment whatever history you are doing. Try one of the arts that is craftier - pottery, stained glass, textiles (weaving, dying, embroidery, quilting), woodworking.

My children take outside sports lessons because we are new to our area and they have no playmates. Also, we are older parents. We do not have the stamina or physical agility to play the more strenuous sports. When I was growing up, kids taught each other the basics of sports. You went to the park, there were other kids, someone had a ball, and soon there was a game. If there was no ball, someone found an old coke can and start a game of kick-the-can (hide and seek with a twist). Walking around my neighborhood, I don't see this. If kids are playing together, it is an organized play-date or organized sports.

Much of Texas is flat. London is also fairly level. The changing elevation may have been more of an issue than the distance. It would not have been an issue for me. My husband cannot handle hills.

If family members are unwilling to consider paying for activities - suggest equipment. Your four oldest children are close in age. They could practice basketball, badminton, tennis, volleyball, croquet, bocce, beanbags (corn hole in the midwest), softball/baseball, archery, dodgeball, kickball, etc. together. If a few friends can join in, you'd have the sort of pick-up games kids used to play all summer. Bicycling is also good exercise and once you have the bikes and helmets, cheap. You mention that your family likes to hike. Have you tried orienteering? Frizbee golf can be played in many parks. You don't mention whether you live in town or in the country. If your yard is large enough, set up an obstacle course. Or, better yet, have your children design one. Your children might enjoy a backyard campout. You could join them for a supervised cook-out, then retire to the house. See if you can get your hands on old scouting guides. The ones from the make-do eras might have some ideas that would appeal to your kids.

:iagree: Many of our nearby city parks offer free activities at least once a month. Also watch for free and reduced fee days at local venues. Sometimes they ask that you donate canned goods in exchange for admission. Zoos and museums tend be crowded on those days, but if it is the only way you get to go, it may be worth it. If relatives give gifts for birthdays and holidays consider asking them to buy or contribute toward a family membership to the zoo, a local museum, or the Y. If you give your children gifts, have a family meeting and suggest a family membership instead of individual gifts. I have asked relatives to consider paying for sports lessons for my children in lieu of gifts. They appreciate the lessons more than they would a similarly priced toy. (A month of lessons at the local Y cost $20-30 per child). If you have a local Y call and ask about scholarships or reduced fees. It is hard when you cannot afford to spend anything. I don't know how much you are putting aside for future vehicle purchases, but would setting aside 10-15% of the money for family activities derail your plans? You could plan to drive your current vehicles longer or purchase used rather than new. If it would or your husband refuses to consider this, could you have a yard sale and use the proceeds to fund activities?

We don't consider piano or learning to swim to be extra-curricular. Karate versus gymnastics versus swim team - let them pick. If you don't have the money for swim lessons, you or another member of your family could teach them basic swimming safety rules. You may even be able to teach them to swim on your own.

I think it is a combination of time and money. Take quilting for example. Piecing or patchwork used to be something the poor and frugal did. They would take otherwise useless scraps of fabric and make bed coverings from them. The rich were more likely to have blankets and whole-cloth bedcovers. The only equipment needed were scissors, needles, and thread. Making a quilt took time, but time was often easier to come by than money. The daughters of the house could practice their stitches on the quilts. Today, quilting has become a hobby for those with time and money. You can purchase many blankets for less than the amount of money invested in a single quilt. Some people do still use scraps of fabric and useable pieces of worn clothing. Those with disposable income buy new fabric to cut into small pieces. You can buy scissors, rotary cutters, cutting mats, rulers, plastic templates, books of patterns, sharps and betweens (needles), sewing machines, quilting frames, quilting machines, and so on.

If your daughter will be getting her license and taking a car to campus, does she know basic automobile care? How to pump her own gas? Where to put various fluids? What to do when lights start flashing on the dash? My recommendation is that a freshman should not have a car unless she is living off-campus. If at all possible, I recommend a self-defense class. Many police departments offer these for a minimal charge. The campus police may also offer such a course. A credit card strictly for emergencies might give you peace of mind. As long as you spell out what is and is not an emergency. Many colleges use student id cards as debit cards. Often these cards are accepted in commercial establishments near the school. If her college does this, find out if and how you can add money to her account. Attending an orientation session is beneficial. Tidbits of useful information often are presented in these sessions. Some colleges offer a 1 credit course titled something like "the student in the university." These courses are designed to help the new student navigate and thrive in the university setting. Remind your daughter that a lot of learning will take place outside the classroom. She will be paying fees for computer labs, physical fitness facilities, and clubs. Make use of the resources for which she is paying. She should attend at least one play or music event, sporting event, art exhibit, free lecture, poetry reading, etc. each term. Work out at the gym. Visit the library. Sign up for a library tour. Become acquainted with the special resources available to her as a student. Many libraries offer small group and one on one training sessions for students. Do not expect the library to have copies of course textbooks. Sometimes professors will put copies on reserve. These typically have a very short loan period - hours to days. If the library does happen to have a copy of the textbook in the circulating collection, there is likely to be a long waiting list. Plan on buying the books. If you live relatively close to her college, plan for her to take minimal possessions for the first few weeks of college living. Move in day is stressful. The less you have to move in, the better. You can make a second trip to bring the winter items and anything she cannot easily obtain locally.

With your setup, I think the traffic flow would be better with an island. I have a kitchen with a peninsula similar to the one you are considering and I hate it. Clutter seems to breed on it. Some suggestions: 1. Put a cake pan or roasting pan in your oven. Then stand in front of your stove and open your oven. Pull out the pan. Have someone measure the distance between your backside and the stove. You need at least that much space between the island and stove. If you take step backward before moving to the side, also allow for that movement. 2. Do you need all the storage space you are planning or are you just trying to fill the wall space? If you don't actually need the storage, consider having seating space at your island. Two or three tall chairs would look nice. This would help keep snacking messes in the kitchen. It would also allow room for overflow guest seating or space in the kitchen for little helpers. If you are looking to fill the wall, you could hang a whiteboard, memory board, or artwork.

:lurk5: Especially any that include the reproductive organs. I'm also looking for titles that discuss the growing fetus without going into too much detail about the process of fertilizing the egg or the actual birth. (ie, not every child is born in a hospital.)

Regarding weddings ... what will you do if the other family does not agree? We will make a monetary gift to the couple. What they do with the money is their business. If the bride's parents insist on a lavish wedding, they should pay for it. If the prospective couple want a lavish wedding, ditto. We will encourage a small wedding or an elopement. My husband and I paid for our own wedding. I have seen no evidence that a fancy wedding is more successful than a modest one. Quite the contrary. We also paid for our own educations. We do feel, however, that assisting our children in this area is our responsibility. A good education is never wasted. We set aside money each month to offset the prospective costs. We do not expect our children to be eligible for need-based aid. We are not counting on scholarships. We expect that our children will earn a bachelor's degree, learn a trade, or join the military. An education opens many doors for the child. A wedding is a one day event.

We have been dabbling in Before since my oldest was 2. I plan to begin using FIAR in the fall when he is 4.5. My current plan is to read 1-2 FIAR titles per month, alternating with rabbit trails and Before titles. If FIAR proves to be too much, back up plans are to continue Before and add lots of Let's-read-and-find-science books. We would then try FIAR again when he turns 5. I expect that we will cycle through most of FIAR twice. What is missed the first time around can be covered the second time.

I plan to cover at least half the costs of attending a state university. If my children earn scholarships, any excess money left in their education funds will be theirs upon graduation. Cars and insurance are their own responsibility. I will help set up a first home with gifts of essential items. Those items would not necessarily be new. Marriage - I will give a set amount of money. That money may be used toward a fancy wedding, a down payment on house, or whatever. Grandchildren - if I have the money, I will set up education funds. If they live nearby, I will offer to sit for parents' nights or weekends out. Otherwise, I might make gifts of experiences (pay for zoo or museum passes, music lessons, or sports participation.) for birthdays or holidays depending on the desires of the parents.

If you are considering using a commercial brand - Similac, Nestle, or Carnation, use store brands instead. They are manufactured by these three companies, the only difference is the label. The "big name" the store brand compares itself to is the company that manufactures that store brand.

Bride's parents - "The wedding should be held here. The bride grew up here, her family is here. It's tradition." Groom's mother - "Get married here. Your siblings won't be able to attend if you go to xxx to get married." "I won't attend if your father and his wife are invited." Friends - "Get married here. You live here. We want to attend your wedding and cannot take off to go to xxx or yyy." Bride's parents: "Grandma cannot travel. Your aunts/cousins, etc. can not afford to stay in a hotel. We want our friends to be invited." Groom's mother - "Well I want my friends to be invited. You are not inviting your father, are you?" Bride's sister [stationed overseas]: "Could you wait a year? I've already scheduled my vacation for this year." Who would you please? The logistics were impossible. That's why we eloped. BTW when my grandparents got married, they and their attendants put on their best clothes. They stood in front of the minister and got married. The attendants were the witnesses. They went home changed clothing and my grandfather went back to work. They were married in a church less than 1/4 mile from my great-grandparent's house. My great grandparents did not attend. Big weddings were not the custom then.

I drink water. If I am very cold, I will have a cup of peppermint tea. Occasionally, I will have fruit juice or lemonade.

At his 4 yr. well check, my son's pediatrician asked my son to copy some simple figures he had drawn - a cross, a circle, and a few others. He also asked him to write his name. My son can spell his name, but cannot write any letter. He also was unable to reproduce the figures. I was surprised that he was willing to try. The pediatrician is referring him to an OT for an evaluation.

I had one. We called it eloping. Seriously ... My husband's family lived in one state, my family in another, and we lived in a third state. My extended family is huge. His family is tiny. No matter what we did, someone would have been unhappy. So we pleased ourselves. We decided where we would like to go on our honeymoon. We researched getting married there and decided it would be the best option for us. We told our families where and when we would be getting married and that they were NOT invited. It was great. The officiating minister supplied two witnesses. We sent wedding announcements rather than invitations. We did not go into debt. Our parents forgave us. My mother thanked me after my sister's traditional wedding. I have several friends who had destination weddings. Some asked friends if they would like to attend. They did not expect many people to say yes. They paid for their parents and grandparents to attend. Others did as we did and sent photos and announcements after the fact.

How do you decide the sports in which your children participate? For many sports, it seems that if the child does not begin in the elementary grades, if not sooner, the child will not be able to participate later. I do not want to deny my children the opportunity to participate in sports they would truly enjoy. I also cannot afford to take advantage of all the sports available to them. The local Y offers - pre-k and k: swimming, soccer, t-ball, basketball, and gymnastics 1-6: swimming, soccer, baseball, tennis, golf, volleyball, basketball, martial arts, football, and gymnastics Additional sports are available elsewhere in the community. Do you select 2-3 sports and rotate through them seasonally? Would you encourage your child to try 4 or 5 different sports before choosing 1 or 2 to concentrate on? Outside of classes, my children will have little exposure to sports. My husband and I are not athletic. I am vague on the rules for most team sports. For myself, I prefer hiking, walking, cycling, and cross country skiing to team sports. My husband prefers watching to participating.