My doctor told me to take medication at the first symptoms. At the time I think it was Maxalt. Right now I take 600mg of ibuprofen and 2 extra strength Tylenol Tension headaches (which have caffeine, but no aspirin) and that usually helps me. HTH.

Well, my answer is probably going to be very unpopular. Please use your words only and don't beat me up! :001_smile: But, seriously, call in an attorney for a detention, no matter how undeserved? If it were my son, I would commend him for not hitting the other boy back and express empathy that he was not the aggravator. But I would let him serve the detention for a couple of reasons. 1) It's not the end of the world. 2) Whereas the other boy most decidedly acted like a jerk or worse, the better reaction would have been not to have called him that. After all, I don't think "using your words" was ever intended to mean name-calling. So to the extent that calling the boy a jerk escalated the situation instead of diffusing it, it was not the best choice. (I totally understand that the boy was being a jerk, that your son could have called him much worse, and that punching your son in the nose was a completely unpredicted overreaction. I will also mention that my son was involved in a similar incident and didn't do as well as yours did! :tongue_smilie:) Was it bad enough to earn a detention? I would say probably not, but the school as the authority in charge felt it was, and maybe it's a gray area open to subjective opinion; so with such a little to lose, why not uphold their authority? Respect for authority is a valuable, though increasingly rare, quality. I would definitely encourage it and model it. I would also use it as an opportunity to point out to my son that returning evil with even just a little, tiny evil can sometimes produce very bad results. Even when we are not the instigators, our reactions to situations contribute to their outcome, and we are responsible for our choices. After all, in a few years from now when your son is driving on the freeway and someone purposely cuts him off, do you want him to call that guy a jerk, when the "jerk" might be crazy enough to pull a gun or try to run him off the road? That said, I would speak to the prinicipal to make sure he (and I) fully understands the situation; I would also seek his assurance and perhaps some particulars about how he proposes to protect my son against further bullying. Because whereas unjust detention may be tolerable, bullying is not. OK, you can all attack now. ;)

Hey, Quincy! I used to live there! Now I'm in Martinez, about 30 miles northeast of SF. Hello to Mommiieee in the East Bay, too! :seeya:

This doesn't answer your question about how much the jobs your dc did are worth, but since you say they are looking to earn money, here's an idea I like from Confessions of an Organized Homemaker. "Ten Jobs for One Dollar." Or you could make it five for a dollar or ten for five, or whatever seems good to you. This is how it works: Make a list of several age-appropriate jobs for each child. (These are in addition to regularly assigned chores.) Each time a child does a job from the list, s/he gets a check mark. At the end of the week anyone who has accumulated 10 checks gets a dollar. Nine checks earn nothing. Checks do not get carried over to the next week. All jobs are worth the same. Some may be harder, some easier, but they balance out. The size of the job varies by child, but everyone must complete the same number to receive their pay. If you set the "end of the week" as the afternoon or evening of the day you generally need the most help, you get the extra bonus of particularly eager children looking to fulfill their quota on that day!

What price range are you looking for? In Carmel is a neat little inn/B&B that has cottages for families starting at $159/night. (www.greenlanterninn.com) If you just stay in a hotel/motel, but are looking for interesting places, you might try one of these - Carmel/Monterey: nice beaches, Cannery Row, art galleries, Monterey bay Aquarium. Gilroy: Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park (beautiful and unique gardens; rides may be young for your kids) Santa Cruz: Beach Boardwalk (admission is free, but must buy tickets for rides) There are also several California Missions on your way up. You could choose one and find a place to stay nearby. Don't know if any of that helps.... Happy searching!

nt

Would you consider a four-day school week? It works for us: I scheduled our lessons such that we will finish our curriculum in 36 weeks, yet still have a free day which can be used for all major housecleaning and errands. My dd9 works best if I am with her, so I have very little time during our school day (7:30 read-aloud; 8:00 breakfast; 8:30 start school in earnest till around 2:30 to 3:00) to get chores done. Even if not, it may help to have one day designated for errands. Let your dh know ahead of time that if he has any errands for you, he must let you know by such-and-such a day, or it will have to wait a week. You could reduce your trips to the park and museum to once or twice a week (or let dh take all the kids to the park on the weekend sometimes), and free up some afternoons for yourself. It's better to do fewer things effectively than to try to do so many you burn out on all of them. The advice from others to prioritize, recognize and set your limits, and delegate are words of wisdom. Best wishes to you! Jennifer

Another option you might consider is Math Mammoth. It is highly praised on this board and very inexpensive. The blue series covers subjects topic by topic - perfect if you only need to fill in a few gaps. If you have more than a few to fill in, you could use the light blue series which follows a grade level sequence of topics. You can move through it quickly if you need to. Best wishes for you! Jennifer

:thumbup: Yay for you, Macrina! You are awesome! This is just what I needed!! Thanks so much. Jennifer

:bigear:

Is two pages per day of MM about right? (This will be for 5th grade.) I'm worried my dd will balk at doing so many problems. Will she miss much if I assign only every other problem? Thanks!! Jennifer

:lurk5:

My vet told me to give my dog ascriptin or ecotrin (buffered aspirin, I think). You would need to find out if that's ok for your dog, and what dosage. My mom's dog was on glucosamine; I think she felt it helped. Jennifer

Maybe a koosh ball (sp?) or a magnadoodle? Mr. Potatohead (if the pieces aren't too small)? Jennifer

:lol: Exactly! (I was born in 1970, too)

Just a thought, but when I was in school my music teacher gave private lessons on the side. He was primarily a trumpet player, but I think he gave lessons in some other instruments as well. Either way, if you talk to the ps music teacher, s/he may have an idea where to direct you. HTH Jennifer

I feel so much for you in all your frustration and wish I could be of more help. My son (15yo) has had similar problems - not "getting" things that happen in movies, being slow to pick up on jokes or the flow of conversations. Not sure if this applies in your ds's case, but mine also has poor physical coordination. He can't snap his fingers, whistle, or blow bubbles with bubble gum; his 9yo sister can do all of those things. (And has been able to for years.) He doesn't say this, but I know that he doesn't try to learn them because he is afraid he won't be able to. He is somewhat socially awkward as well. It crushes me when people respond so positively to his sister and not to him. Thankfully, he has made a lot of improvement over time. His pediatrician and the psychologist wanted to give a quick diagnosis of ADHD, but I knew that wasn't so. I never did get an answer, but the closest thing I ever found to describing him was the book The Out of Sync Child, which is about sensory integration dysfunction. The only thing I can offer is to reassure you that 1) you are not alone. 2) You are right to trust your instincts. My dh has also been unresponsive in this and other health-related issues. But you are the one who is with your son and works closely with him. And (don't mean to offend all you dads out there), somehow moms just have a connection with their children. We know. Others are much more qualified than I am to offer suggestions as what course to pursue. I do know that if sensory integration (which sounds like it's related to other processing disorders mentioned) is an issue, an occupational therapist is the one to see. Best, best wishes to you and your son and your family. People are resilient; your son will find his way. Jennifer

opossum or 'possum, either way. pe-con, but not p'con :001_unsure: ant all-mond, not al (as in Albert) mond Takes all sorts! :p Jennifer

Looks like I get to be the first to welcome you! :seeya: Best wishes to you on your hs journey! Jennifer

When my kids were in ps, it seemed like the teachers were getting so rushed that they often had time only to *present* the material. The parents then had to do much of the actual teaching at home with the homework after school. This is one of the reasons I decided to home school. They had my kids for 6 hours a day, yet couldn't teach them thoroughly. I felt that if I was going to have to teach them, then I should have the six hours a day! :D Jennifer

Rat-a-Tat-Cat. The box says ages 6+, but I think a 5yo could play. It is a card game by Gamewright that is easy, fun, and, best for mom...fast! We can play 3 to 4 rounds in around 20 minutes probably. My dd, now 9, was probably 6 when we got it, and she still likes it. Even my ds15 will play sometimes. Happy Hunting! Jennifer

Unbelievable. I'm sorry you had to experience that, but I want to congratulate you on your dignity under pressure. You modeled beautiful self-control for your kids, and it sounds like they have already learned from your good example. I hope I can do as well if ever faced with a similar situation. Jennifer

Like many others, all I can say is oh, my goodness! I'm so glad it turned out all right. My very best wishes to all of you!

Well, one book that helped me was called Homeschool: Take a Deep Breath - You Can Do This by Terrie Bittner. I thought she was very realistic in her descriptions of what you can expect, and she had a nice chapter on getting organized, which is my main weakness. I checked out a copy at my local library, but it sells inexpensively on Amazon, too. That's one book. There are lots of good books about getting started. I would start at the library. Jennifer

Sunshine, You haven't posted again; I hope you are ok. My mom just had something happen like this night before last. She saw arcs of light flashing across her left eye. She called the advice nurse, who asked a big series of questions, such as, do you have pain? Do you see "floaters"? and a bunch of other things that are symptoms of a detaching retina. Because she didn't have any of the other symptoms, the nurse told her it was ok to wait till the next day for an appointment. However, had she had other symptoms, it would have been important for her to be seem immediately. You need to talk to an expert about your exact symptoms. For my mom it turned out to be the vitreous fluid separating from the retina, a normal aging thing, not the retina itself detaching. I hope it is likewise a nonissue for you. Best wishes. And please post again and let us know how you are! Jennifer