My 11 yr old has only had pointe shoes for a year. She takes a ton of technique classes, but pointe class only once a week for 45 minutes and they're mostly at the barre anyway, so the shoes last pretty long right now. Her first pair, she grew out of after 4 months. She's had these shoes about 8 months and she said one of them is a little mushy and the other suddenly feels unsupportive and bendy. An older girl suggested using jet glue. Her teacher does the pointe shoe fittings, so I will talk to her this week to schedule, but I have a few questions for you... What is jet glue and what would a dancer do with it? How do you know that a shoe is truly dead? Her first shoes had a full 'soft' shank and these have a 3/4 "hard" shank. Does it matter? She has done great with both, but I read somewhere that a 3/4 shank shouldn't be used by beginners. True? Not true? Depends? Thanks!

Writing Skills focuses on grammar in a writing context. It should do the trick for getting her up to speed. It's incremental, so it starts with parts of speech, moves to punctuating clauses, constructing sentences, organizing paragraphs and finally on to essays.

I don't think that a holding pattern needs to involve dread or boredom or avoiding new topics. My 11 yr old has been digging deeper, developing resilience for solving tricky word problems and learning lots of algebra and geometry and probability and statistics, just not in the context of the Algebra 1 course that is standard here in the US. I think if your child is learning and thriving and is neither frustrated nor bored, it doesn't matter whether you call your math "Pre-Algebra" or "Pre-Algebra II" or "Algebra 1" or "Integrated Math 7" or "The Return of Pre-Algebra!" It's all good.

I'm guessing you like Keys To... because it's gentle and incremental and direct. Try "Writing Skills" by Diana King published by EPS. If you feel her skills are weak, start with book 1. It's aimed at 5-6th grade, but is not particularly childish. Here's the table of contents. http://eps.schoolspecialty.com/downloads/samples/2561M/ws_1_TOC.pdf Another gentle, incremental and direct program I've had a lot of success with is Apples and Pears Spelling. You'll need both the teacher and student book. It's scripted and intended for one-on-one instruction which I think is essential for kids (and adults) with spelling problems. Have her take the placement test. Here's a link to book C teachers manual. http://www.prometheantrust.org/admin/files/tnc.pdf

We're in a holding pattern before a straight algebra 1 course too. As our main book, we've been using SYRWL Maths 2 and now 3. We've also done some Singapore CWP and Zaccaro Real World Algebra and Become a problem solving genius. If you feel he needs more arithmetic work, I'd use MM for specific areas.

"Rules of the game" published by EPS has been great for my kids! Keep in mind, many public schools don't teach grammar anymore (instead teaching writing mechanics within the context of a writing assignment)... She's probably quite advanced compared to her colleagues.

I don't "allow" as much as "insist" they walk the dog on days I don't get a chance to. I think maybe around 7 is when I felt they had the strength to hang on to her (she's a big dog). They'd just go around the block at that age, but now they walk much further. They also walk into town and to the park and my older walks to babysitting gigs or to her ballet carpool's house. I should add that I am much less free range when we have foster kids because I have less confidence in their decision-making and boundaries and because I feel an added responsibility to the state to provide extra supervision. So I do recognize each family and situation is different.

Keep in mind the population of the forum you're on. I've noticed that health oriented forums tend to have a high percentage of people who are either seeking out initial diagnoses, needing support because they're unhappy with their doctors or treatments, or relapsing and wanting new ideas. People who have a well-managed disease and are happy with their treatment just don't need much support. It's easy to read post after post of anxious reports of a failed treatment and assume that it won't work, but the folks for whom it does work may just not be needing the support of an online message board.

My 9 year old loves "Cutthroat Kitchen". It's like chopped only they end up having obstacles (like having to cook over a camp stove, or with only a spoon or with some crazy ingredient).

Sure! I mean, I'd let any child who I trust at home by themselves to also be okay at a hotel. I guess if it were a nasty fleabag hotel that rented rooms by the hour, I wouldn't, but then, why would I be there to begin with if it was gross and unsafe? Terrible things could happen anywhere. I don't let unreasonable fears guide my decision making.

I'd move your first grader. I've done enough bouncing around math curricula to know that Singapore is my favorite. It's not intimidating and straightforward. We solve the textbook problems together orally and then I have kids do the workbook independently. CWP comes later, but we usually all work them out and compare. I don't know about the MIF, but Primary Math (Standards) has been a success.

Just fun things I've found - thanks to this forum!

When people rave about Singapore, it's usually the Primary Math series they're talking about. The middle school series, DM and NEM, have more mixed reviews. I'd stick with Calvert if it's working.

Terry Jones is great, you might keep your finger on the fast forward button when it gets to the medieval woman. My daughters saw it around age 8, but there are some bits many parents might want to avoid. Horrible histories on YouTube were a favorite. Also, Worst Jobs in history Middle Ages.

If you choose Things Fall Apart, check out this introductory video. We've been enjoying the series when it lines up with what we're working on. http://www.learner.org/courses/worldlit/things-fall-apart/

I think there were 8 chapters in the Elements and 10 in Carbon chemistry. We did one chapter a week --- something like this: Read on Monday, did activities from student guide on Tuesdays, did activities or games or labs on Wednesday, watched videos on Thursday, did other chemistry stuff on Fridays -- read Chemical Chaos, watched Periodic Table of Videos, watched Crash Course Chemistry, read Poisoner's handbook (and watched it). We've delved into other chemistry like unit conversions and balancing equations and different reactions, etc...,but McHenry's materials were really awesome. Not comprehensive, but definitely worthwhile.

Ellen McHenry has been incredibly popular at our house! It's a perfect mix of serious content, accessible writing, and fun activities and games.

Funny!

Sometimes kids just aren't ready for a topic and need time to really understand it. But... Negative numbers are usually taught in 6th/7th grade math, so if she's in Algebra 1, I wouldn't move on until she really gets it. She can't get very far without it. Besides lots of number lines, talk about elevators going down to basement 1, 2, and 3 rd floors, or feet below sea level, or how much money someone owes. It's easy to find real life examples for adding and subtracting negatives, but multiplying and dividing negatives is tricky to explain because it's so abstract. Key to Algebra book 1 is cheap and gentle and deals with negatives a bit. I'd probably start there.

Hallelujah! We're almost there... We have no Nordstroms or Dillards locally, but thanks to you -- I found this bra: http://www.dillards.com/product/Jasmine-Ginger-Microfiber-TShirt-Bra_301_-1_301_503296692?df=03800947_zi_purple_sage in size 30C. Not plunging, pushing up, or overtly sexy. Just a nice pretty bra in the right size for 20$ with good reviews. I ordered the cream color. They even have a wireless triangle type bra in the same line, though my girl says 'no way, yuck'. Well-trained-mind forum, I love you!

Minimus was a huge hit here! It's perfect for that age -- a light, fun taste of Latin that will whet her appetite for more.

I read an interesting article on why the debate is a terrible idea: http://www.richarddawkins.net/foundation_articles/2014/1/16/why-bill-nye-shouldn-t-debate-ken-ham# I'll copy and paste here: Why Bill Nye shouldn't debate Ken Ham by Dan Arel posted on January 16, 2014 05:38PM GMT Scientists should not debate creationists. Period. This may sound harsh but let's start by looking at what sparked this statement. TV personality and science advocate Bill Nye (Bill Nye the Science Guy) has accepted an invitation to debate Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis / The Creation Museum on February 4, 2014 at the Creation Museum in Kentucky. This is a bad idea and here is why. Debating creationists offer their position credibility When you accept a debate, you are accepting there is something worth debating. Political ideologies are worth debating, religion as it pertains to things like human well-being and flourishing can be worth debating, because these kinds of ideas claim to offer solutions to problems and they are debating the best way to achieve such problems. Debates about the existence of God can be fun, they are not really that meaningful, but they are a debate about ideas and beliefs and can be worth effort. Creationism vs. evolution however is not worth debating. Why? Simple, there is nothing to debate. Evolution is a scientific fact, backed by mountains of evidence, peer-reviewed papers you could stack to the moon and an incredible scientific community consensus. Creationism is a debunked mythology that is based solely in faith. It has zero peer-reviewed papers to back up its claims, it has absolutely no scientific consensus and is not even considered science due to the fact it cannot be tested. Why would a scientist debate this? Nye would do more good on his own going on TV and discussing evolution and the importance of scientific education instead of giving Ken Ham any publicity and a public forum with thousands, if not millions of viewers, to spew his dishonesty. Ham is a snake oil salesmen and Nye just offered him up an infomercial to sell his product. Ham can repeat his mantra over and over; “teach the controversyâ€. Nye is not a biologist I do not know an incredible amount about Bill Nye other than I loved his show. However, a Google search only turned up that Nye has nothing more than a bachelor’s degree in engineering and three honorary doctorate degrees. We fault Christian apologists almost daily for trying to ride their honorary degrees, it would seem only fair we hold Nye to the same standard. So we have Nye, a very smart man with a degree in engineering, not biology, not anthropology, and he does not practice any form of research science. Nye should be credited greatly for his work in education; but as a qualified candidate to defend evolution, especially against the likes of conmen like Ken Ham, he is not. You must fully understand your opponent This is mere speculation but I have no reason to believe that Nye has the firm grasp on creationism that would be needed to go up against the likes of someone like Ham. To win a debate successfully you must understand your opponent's position better than they do, in fact, you should know it well enough that you could debate for them. Creationists have no rules, their dishonesty stops nowhere. Nye will attempt to use proper science and reason to bring down Ham, but Ham will care little for any facts or evidence and will stick to nonsense and will feed on audience ignorance and use terms like "irreducible complexity" to confuse the watchers into thinking he has made a valid point. Key phrases like “half a wing†will fly from his lips as he openly ignores science's amazing understanding of the evolution of things like the eye, or wings. Ham will be relying on faith and pushing the biblical teachings onto the viewers and will attempt to call out anytime science could have been wrong to tear down its credibility. This debate is being held at the Creation Museum itself and this will ensure that the brain-dead creationist zombies come out in droves to support Ham and loudly applaud anytime he manages to string together and coherent sentence, or even more likely shouts that his grandmother was no monkey. I honestly think it would be fantastic to see Nye destroy Ham, but will that do any good? Suddenly a little known figure outside of his circles, Ham will be thrust into the spotlight, reaching impressionable youths around the world, and as great as it would be to see him taken down, the risks of him winning are greater. The American people are not going to dissect Nye’s credentials to accept such a debate and if he goes down, he will take down a lot of hard work in science with him. If the American people, who are already weary of science and already disown the idea of evolution as quickly as possible, see who in their minds is a top scientist lose to a creationist, we will have taken steps backwards in time. The risk versus reward in this scenario is not worth it. Nye is putting a lot at risk and he is not the man to do so. Creationism is a worthless and uneducated position to hold in our modern society and Nye is about to treat it as an equal, debatable “controversyâ€. Dan Arel is a freelance writer, speaker and secular advocate residing in San Diego, CA. He writes on secular and humanist values on subjects such as secular parenting, church and state separation, education reform and secularism in public policy. Follow Dan on Twitter @danarel.

Thank you for all your ideas and commiseration! I hadn't even thought to look at ebay. Also, those nice plain expensive bras would be perfect except for the price. I had her measured yesterday at two shops (Macys and VS) and both said 30C. We don't have a specialty bra store. The biggest city nearby is about 5 hours. As I mentioned in my post, for the past 6 months or so, she's been wearing a 32B bra because the cups fit, but I had to alter it in the front between the cups and move the hooks over. I had her try on 32A's and 32B's and the band was actually not far off, the problem is the distance between the cups. I can do the same thing again and try to alter another bra, but I didn't do that great of a job. The 30A girls' bras are way too small in cup size. She has a sports bra but doesn't like it because she thinks it looks goofy under her clothes (she's not a sporty or casual dresser).

We are so frustrated! There is literally no bra in our county that works for my dd. She measured in at a 30C. We found some 30As in girls depts. I could find a few 32Bs in the teen depts. But 30C is not only not in stock, but appears not to exist as a size and can not be ordered. I have googled high and low and only found some push-up types, but we're looking for more functional/less sexy. She's fine with underwire and lightly lined. Please don't suggest VS, Kohls, JC Penny's, Macys, Justice... I went to every shop in our local mall and they just don't have that small a band in a C cup and no one could order it even. Currently she's wearing a 32b from target that I altered. In general, the problem isn't the band as much as the distance between cups. Also... I can't imagine paying more than 30 or so dollars for someone who I assume will outgrow it. My 11 yr old has pretty much refused to go bra shopping any more and I don't blame her. Thoughts?

Since diets are not (for me anyway) sustainable over a long period and then I feel guilty that when I give them up... I've decided to go with a planned one month of deprivation in the form of the Whole 30. I figure I can do anything for one month. Luckily, my BMI is in the normal category, but I have some blood sugar and cholesterol issues going on. So for the month of January, I have given up dairy, alcohol, coffee, grains and sugar. Really... Some of my favorite things! There have been a few Paleo things that just wouldn't work for me - like.... We like beans or sauces with a bit of sugar in it or soup with potatoes in it, and giving those up wouldn't work. I have lost 4 or 5 pounds. Starting Feb 1, I am done! But my plan is to continue to eat lots of fruit and vegetable, but to casually limit dairy and grains and alcohol and sugar to vacations or eating out or visiting friends. I can easily not have a bowl of Cheerios on the morning, but not having a slice of my friend's birthday cake seems wrong.