[AYSO....question....what would you do??]

Look for a different league. Your current league must not have enough kids to field teams. Or coaches.

[Black Tie Wedding--nothing to wear]

If you still feel that you don't have anything appropriate you might try a rental. My city has formal wear rentals for women. It's very high end stuff so you may pay almost as much as buying a nice, but not designer, dress. But when will you wear such a dress again? That's why so many end up at Goodwill.

 

That said I have seen nice formal wear at Goodwill in all sizes. You don't need floor length. Ankle or mid calf should be fine.

[What does a Summer Life Guard/Pool Manager Earn?]

Thanks everyone. It sounds like he is underpaid. The pool mgmt company already had him sign a contract. I told him I thought I could get him out of it but he doesn't want me to. " Too much drama," he says.

 

I did tell him that if he Lifeguards next summer he must switch pool companies and shop around wages.

[Article questioning the "lose weight for health" doctrine.]

I recently read an article about a study, conducted in Africa I think, of identical twins who ate the exact same diet and amounts but one was healthy and one was starving. At the same caloric intake! It wasn't just one set of twins.

 

The authors suspected that it was due to differing gut biome but didn't know why the kids would have different biomes.

 

There is also the case of the woman who treated her Crohn's disease by fecal transplant from her daughter, who was fat. She recovered from the Crohn's but ended up fat.

 

Neither of these "knock it out of the park" but I think they support the idea that our internal gut biome may make a big difference in calories used by our bodies. I look forward to more research in this direction.

[An atheist with no sense of community]

To the OP, I totally hear you on the UU being to liberal. After being heavily involved in my UU church for a decade, I had to leave.

 

To another poster who suggested scouting, Boy Scouts does not allow atheists. Girl Scouts and 4-H do. But the parents there are not necessarily looking for community.

[Tuna fish]

Actually, I find salmon the easiest fish to cook because it changes color as it cooks. In white fish the change is much more subtle, more of a translucent to opaque. Salmon changes from bright pink/red to a lighter color.

 

I know some folks like their fish rare, so you have to get it off the heat sooner. I like mine cooked through and neither dry nor raw in the middle.

[Which Subject to Skip?]

Thank you for the additional replies.

 

Maybe I need to look at a three semester year. That is a good idea which I have avoided due to my need for a break. We worked through summer once or twice and I absolutely was running on empty, heart and soul, before we hit Thanksgiving the following year. But perhaps with only one homeschooling student it might work. This summer is already scheduled for a two week summer camp with the cousins and a local, four week arts program. It's possible the art program could get dropped if she doesn't get her preferred classes.

 

I strongly believe that social skills are important and that my extremely introverted kids need social activities. Now, if there were kids available to just hang out, we would not need so much extra happening. I would prefer fewer scout groups but since Venturing meets at our house it isn't much time commitment.

[WTM coop?]

It has been a few years, but when the kids were elementary-8 th grade I had a co-op with just one other family. We did WTM history and science. We usually met twice per week for a couple of hours. It worked well until it didn't. Then we stopped. We had three kids at one level and a group of three kids at a younger level.

 

 

I have found starting/running a co-op to be ... Unpleasant. This was a different co-op. Herding cats is a nice way to put it but I'd use more colorful language if I knew you better. ;). And I am talking about the adults. The kids are mostly easy.

[When your kids say 'There's nothing to eat' what does that mean in your house?]

What Rebel Yell said!

 

Plenty of ingredients but kids too lazy to make something.

 

I intend to work on this over the summer with meal rotations added to chore lists.

I do get that when cooking something is new it takes lots of mental energy so I want them to put together a basic repertoire that they *know* so well they can make it in their sleep.

[What does a Summer Life Guard/Pool Manager Earn?]

Ds has been a life guard for two summers. He worked at a local pool for a larger pool mgmt company making $7.75 and then $8 per hour. The company wants him to be a pool manager ($75 test) at a pool this summer, managing both the pool and the other guards. The other guards are imported, usually from Eastern Europe, for the summer (IDK if that's relevent, just throwing it out there). They want to pay him $10 per hour and not reimburse his testing/training fee. To me, this seems low considering the responsibility.

 

Anyone know about this? We are in the DC metro area, so high COL here.

 

Thanks for any input you have,

[Which Subject to Skip?]

Thank you all for your ideas. I had a talk with dd last night. While she is very interested in Ancient History, she wants to take five classes next year and preserve a chance of attending a 4 year college directly after high school ( as opposed to the local cc).

 

She suggested just listening to the SWB book on Ancient History over the year and not making it a class. This really lightens her workload.

 

Schedule-wise, the co-op French class is M/W. She does TT M-F. I try to schedule classes so they are not all on the same days so she doesn't have back to back classes.

 

Socially: She sees her friends very little bc they are so busy so we have filled more of her time with extracurriculars. She has 2 scouting groups, 4-H, and music lessons.

[Which Subject to Skip?]

If a child is fully engaged with a course load of only four classes, what do you let go? I guess I'm sort of processing this here, but I'm interested in opinions.

 

This year (9th grade) Dd is taking TT Algebra, BJU French 1, WTMA Biology, and Debra Bell's AIM Academy Intro to Lit and Academic Writing. She is just barely holding her own, meaning some weeks are ok and some are too heavy. She feels down about it sometimes.

 

In planning for next year, given only four slots, what do I skip? TT Geometry and French II are a given. She really, really wants to take Ancient History and WTMA is the only course I have found. But. It will be challenging for her (I may be able to get her some accommodations).

 

So do I drop the science or the English? I wanted her to do WTMA for a WWS catch-up class in prep for Rhetoric. I could just sign her up for English 10 at the local co-op or for a writing or literature class there. She enjoys literature ( no idea where that came from).

 

For science I had planned on WTMA Chemistry using labs from an unschool-y co-op. Now WTMA includes labs and I think it will be too much. I could put her in a Physical Science course at a co-op. It's new but should be good and not too challenging.

 

FYI I outsource everything or nothing. Mixing doesn't work at our house. She relishes the time with other kids (IRL or online) so we are outsourcing it all. We are lucky to have a number of good options.

 

Thank you for you opinions.

[anyone tried focus factor for kids ? for adhd?]

I do not have experience with Focus Factor specifically. However from years of ADHD Momma experience: supplements help, alternative therapies (eg, OT), exercise helps (swimming and martial arts highly recommended), BUT nothing works as well as the prescription meds.

 

It sounds like his dose is too high or too long acting to allow sleep. Maybe a lower dose combined with some of the alternatives I mentioned would work.

 

Also it is normal for the kids to rebound when their meds wear off. They get very ADHD for a while.

[Happy New Year!]

I'm sitting in a cafe for a recital next to a table set for "Haft Seen." There is a little flyer explaining the Persian New Year and the seven items on the table. Is this related?

[Does anyone use Spritzer for speed reading?]

I just checked out your link. I think I naturally read at about 400 wpm. However, if I was reading an article or novel I think the Spritz would slow me down because I don't read just one word at a time. I suspect that that is normal.

 

It would be interesting to compare retention and comprehension using Spritzer, especially in readers with slow speeds and low retention/comprehension.

[Stevia and Miscarriage]

I'm another one for whom stevia messes with the monthly cycles. I had skipped periods and sharp, shooting cramps around the ovaries, but no cysts.

 

Now I avoid it, for myself and my family. DS would get gas from it (it is in many varieties of EmegenC).

[Strong, active older women - HRT or not?]

I'm seeing most people mentioning strong, able older women without HRT. Maybe those who don't get HRT but aren't genetically predisposed to a strong old age are already gone by aged 70?

[So frustrated with swimming lesson costs!]

The least expensive swimming we ever did was when a few home school families got together, rented lanes, and hired an instructor. Still, it was not cheap.

 

At various times we got lanes at the Jewish Community Center, a private swim and Raquet club, and the competition pool at the local U.

[Please help me research this problem.]

I recall reading recently that older people have a more difficult time clearing sedatives from their system. I think I read it in Science Digest? The upshot was that it can take weeks in some cases.

 

I guess they are sure that there was no concussion? That, too, can take weeks to heal.

 

Hang in there. Hugs to you. I think your Mom may be right.

[Strong, active older women - HRT or not?]

My aunt is not currently on HRT though she was before that big cancer scare study came out 10+ (20?) years ago.

 

She has to take drugs for bone density problems, bp, and cholesterol. All three of these were not a problem when she took HRT.

 

She is strong and active but works at it. She attends Body and Soul exercise classes 3 times per week. Works in the yard, and attends art classes at the local U. She and my dad walk miles almost every day.

 

When she stopped the HRT she shriveled up before my eyes: lost muscle and bone.

 

You may check out DrHurlock.com for a menopause specialist's take on the WHI study on hormone replacement. She is in favor of replacement and rebuts the study's results.

[Talk to me about Girl Scouts (or some other social-with-structure options)]

If your dd wants to see the same friends weekly then Girl Scouts could work for you. You can check for a home school troop or join a troop at your local elementary school. GS has changed quite a bit but you will really need to try it out because the experience is so dependent upon the leaders.

 

You could also look for a co-op for some fun classes with home schooled kids. Or maybe tumbling, dance, or swimming classes?

[Speaking of the Dirty Dozen (s/o grocery costs)]

Agree with Binip -"as if the point were to exonerate non-organics, and not to actually inform people."

 

I think of food stuffs as being on a continuum with conventional grapes flown in from Chile on one end, and local organic on the other. Given your budget and the availability you make your choice. It is tiring to make the choices. I know that conventional Ag practices are generally bad for the environment in the long run. I buy better food (in my continuum) when I can. That's all I can do other than lobby my reps to change farm subsidies and make GMO's be labeled.

[need help with clothes for some with sensory issues]

What about jeans with flannel lining? I think LL Bean sells some. I'd look into adding thin fleece linings as well.

 

Or what if he wore some silk long johns under neath?

 

For hotter weather, what about khaki pants in a navy blue or black color to fit in better? Or the casual pants like carpenter pants made in the khaki type material.

[Please Talk about Food Budgets with Me]

Well, I shop the same stores you do OP, and I tobably spend a bit less. I prefer organic but will only insist on it for the Dirty Dozen. I shop Costco for fresh fruits and veggies and frozen fish. I hit Wegmans for my other groceries except beef (bought bulk from a friend) and raw dairy from a farmer. Whole Foods is a once per month trip for items unavailable elsewhere (only 1 or 2 things). Trader Joes for relatively healthful prepared frozen foods.

 

You will have to lower your requirements for organics probably to save money. You might look for a natural foods buying club. Cook from scratch most of the time if you don't already. Make sure nothing goes to waste. Freeze leftovers and make soup. Buy only whole chickens and use the bones to make broth.

 

Start a vegatable garden but only grow things your family eats. Especially expensive things.

 

Are you in No Va? Just wondering.

[S/O Simple Ways That You've Lost Weight]

My experience is that 90-120 minutes of walking at a moderate pace for four days per week did not help me to lose weight. I was 45 when I spent the entire summer walking around a local 4.5 mile lake on M, W, F, and Saturdays. I felt great. My ankle, which I had badly broken a few years previously, finally stopped swelling all the time. But my weight did not budge. I was neither dieting nor pigging out. I was reasonably active every day ( gardening). So I don't think that "gentle" exercise is going to help weight. Maybe if you are a stress eater the lower stress would help?

For myself, I find that losing weight requires that all the portions of my life where I serve others need to be routine and under control before I have the mental/emotional energy to consider making dietary changes. And it does, for me at least, require dietary changes to lose weight. Btw I am considered obese.