Assuming the parent was there due to money constraints, I want to point out that a salad at McDs is twice the price of a burger. And if a kid is eating 4 big Macs (OMG my stomach aches just thinking of it!!!), said kid would probably need a few of those salads to fill up. I'm not advocating that a parent do to McD's at all, just saying that the "healthy" stuff there is more expensive by far than the cheap stuff. Salad is $5ish (??), yogurt, walnuts and apples $4ish maybe? Double cheeseburger? $1 So I can't see someone who is eating there for economic reasons being led terribly much to get the expensive stuff.

I've got a cognitive science major and a math minor for my degree. I would absolutely let him indulge in math. I think it is a wonderful way to teach logical thought at the higher levels. It does from the "how" to the "why" and then to "prove it logically" as you go higher. So fun. And thinking in a logical systematic manner is never a bad thing for any final degree or profession. Did he already do his other undergrad requirements though? I transferred from CC to a major university after 2 "years" (took me longer as I worked full time but two years of credits). I'm glad I got the stuff I wasn't interested in too much out of the way in CC so I could focus on the wonderful breadth and depth of classes I was more interested in once I got to the university.

:lol:

From what you wrote in this thread, I would have guessed frustration. From what I'm reading some say, it truly seems to be an intense anger, really intense. I'm sorry to hear about groups that let you in and then excluded you though. That sounds awful, and must have really hurt you and your kids.

I didn't take it as a typo. My circle of friends actually will say "carp" to avoid saying the other in front of kids ... kind of like "darn" versus the other.

Yowsa. My complaint then wouldn't be that they weren't inclusive but rather they were just nasty, mean people! It's hard to change someone's intrinsic personality. I wouldn't have any desire to associate with them. :D

Agreed. My group I started is up to probably 6 families (about 7 months old now). I would have rather taken the easier way too, but I didn't see what we needed after trying out a few for fit for my family. But being angry at exclusive groups, or angry that there wasn't what we needed, would not have gotten us a group of friends to hang out with. Instead I had to focus on what I *could* do to get a good fit for us. Changing other people is typically not a very productive way to go, and I don't mean just homeschooling. Question directly to you - you find each move there is not a group for you? Or just sometimes?

I see. But any group has to start somewhere, small that is. Those families could start their own group, or you could ... speaking of anyone who doesn't belong to the "big group." I did start my own group locally because I hate to drive. :D So I started a geographical group (area of town). We had maybe 3 families the first week, very small. We are up to probably 5 or 6 families now, many of them new to homeschooling or new to the area ... in other words without a group to start with. That is okay. We have a blast every week even though we are small. If you (general case here) are feeling excluded, it would make sense others in the community are also. So there would seem to be an opening for a determined mom to form a new group with new rules. There have to be some disgruntled people in that big group from what I'm hearing who hate that SOF or lied to join and want something more authentic for their family??

For those of you against exclusive groups, I guess I'm hearing here a more general anger that there is exclusion, just because people are against exclusion in any way, shape or form in the homeschooling community. Is that right? Or is it more your kids not have friends to associate with? Or you as moms feel you don't have a circle of homeschooling friends to chat with because all the other families belong to this group and there is no one else left?

So I'm hearing a lot of you are feeling you don't have the support you need in homeschooling so feel you want to join exclusive groups? If you do join these groups, you feel you will have the support you need even though those people are (apparently by their definition) different from you but also homeschoolers?

Southern California - HUGE metropolitan area. The homeschoolers here are also very very diverse, and Christian homeschoolers from what I see are not dominant at all.

So by this token then unschooling only groups, or atheist only groups (after all they would no church to meet in), or attached parenting only, or classical or Charlotte Mason education only groups are okay as exclusive groups but not religious-specific groups? We have all the above in our community by the way, so I'm not making this one up. I am unable to see the difference between excluding for religion and excluding for other reasons? It still leaves people out.

That is very true, and I'm sorry for those of you in that situation, but I don't think it takes away the right of the group in question to form their own circle. I don't choose the exclusive groups. But I am weary of defending my choices. It seems locally here that homeschoolers seem very incapable of living and let live without lecturing how a family could do things better if only the other family switched to the 1st family's way of doing things. :001_huh: So weary I have considered joining an exclusive group to take a break for a while. So I have a big sympathy for the exclusive groups though I don't belong to one if that makes sense. Is there truly no open group in your area at all?

I personally am fine with a yellow only group, one which I am likely not eligible based on SOF anyway! (Catholic here). We have a yellow only group here (Christian, no Catholic), a Catholic group, a Muslim group, an atheist group, an all inclusive group, an unschoolers group, an AP group, etc., etc. Honestly, I think they are all fine and have no desire to demand a group that isn't open to me admit me and my family. There are several groups that want to talk freely about their chosen path (whatever it may be!) without someone else constantly debating them, and they have a right to do so. The unschooler may be sick of hearing contrary evidence for a while, the "school at home" type the same, the AP sick about hearing why they shouldn't, the Muslim sick of not sharing their beliefs among friends or frankly the Christian just wanting to share their Christian beliefs in a supportive atmosphere. And most of them I have met in other groups (inclusive ones) seem to be nonprejudiced, friendly, outgoing people who hold no ill-will against others. But it is not bad IMHO to have one group where people are like you in your love of whatever and not need to defend it for a while, or just not mention your love of X, Y or Z.

I would have hated it as a kid and would not let my DD be subjected to it honestly, no matter the age of the pastor.

I just skimmed after the first page, so don't know if it was mentioned already, but oatmeal can be made in larger batches and just reheated quickly in the microwave. My kids also like it cold the second day. Yuck to me but they like it. We also do the reheated homemade waffles, multigrain pancakes and so forth. Homemade smoothies for breakfast are popular here, especially in summertime (greens, fruit, flax - varies by day and what is in the garden or in season).

Mine are also asked what their diet consists of, and mine are totally average to slightly on the low side, varying between about the 15th percentile to about the 50th in weight depending on kid. They are all asked extensively what they eat daily, in a friendly way, along with whether they wear their helmet when biking, their seatbelt in the car and so forth.

Yeah, we should consider that right after the government severs all ties completely with the food industry including all subsidies, having former food giant CEOs on FDA, USDA, etc. :tongue_smilie: Good grief.

My DS also exhibits vomiting with a severe allergic reaction (anaphylatic shock to peanuts). Our ped expressed it as his body trying to get rid of it any way it could, including vomiting and then diarrhea, in addition to the usual hives, swelling, redness, mucus, etc.

Costco has real fruit leathers rather than the "fruit snacks" kind but not sure if you put them in the same category Costco has gluten free rice crackers now that are tasty, at least to my crew Dried fruits of various types Plain fruit cut up Cut up veggies Whole grain crackers with or without bits of cheese Yogurts? Need refrigeration

just occurred to me, do you coupon at all? If you do or want to try it, try http://www.hotcouponworld.com There are forums for each store generally, and LA choices seem pretty well covered. They often overlap with San Diego so I use many of the same forum choices - Ralphs, Vons, etc. I find the fruit at Henry's far far superior to Ralphs, Vons or Albertsons in the area. Costco I have had so-so luck with at times, surprisingly. There are bunches of fruit stands tucked away in San Diego - probably LA too? You can get local items there that taste better.

Depends on the season, cheaper in summer when my garden is more prolific. General average $100-$125 for family of six per week, but I don't have teens yet. :D Southern California = high cost of living. I shop a variety of places each week, and I do keep at least a minimal garden year round (the weather is ideal here). I coupon the HBA, toilet paper and whatnot, plus whatever else we buy that I can find coupons for. We shop a lot at Costco. I keep a price book to be sure I'm buying when things are lowest and stockpile (beans, rice, lentils, canned goods, frozen, etc). We don't eat meat every day, and when we do I try to buy the "good stuff" at Costco but use it sparingly rather than a huge main portion of meat. I can my own stuff from the garden or freeze where possible. My total includes everything - food, toiletries, TP, diapers (but just a few as we cloth diaper mainly), OTC meds and any vitamins/supplements we take. Liking reading other input ... :lurk5:

If I'm paying for a class, I expect the teacher to be in control. It is absolutely not my place to be anywhere on the mat/poolside, etc. while an instructor is attempting to do his/her job. I have seen way too many parents who are constantly out there disrupting class because he/she believes little Johnny or Betty needs this, that or the other. :001_huh: And conversely, if the teacher is completely ineffective and can't control the students, I speak to the teacher. If no improvement, we find a new venue honestly. It is still not my place to be trotting out there in the middle of class unless it is 100% clear life is involved (OP certainly had that happen but honestly that is pretty rare). And we have indeed left classes for similar reasons - teacher ineffective in controlling students.

Hmm. I can't say I agree with this. Can you just imagine the outrage on this forum if the tables were turned and someone's aspie/autistic/adhd/SID kid was the troublemaker and some strange mom got up and reprimanded him by getting right in his face by leaping into the gym class? Just saying .... That doesn't mean I haven't felt the frustration on both sides of it honestly. I have one ADHD and one kid who always seems to be the one the troublemaker picks on. Not fun from either side of it, but hating the parents didn't help me either way. In terms of the OP, I would speak to the pool owner/administrator/teacher about better safety awareness. My sons also do swim lessons and there are lifeguards ringing the pool. If the teacher is working with one student 1-1, the others are all with one hand on the side, NOT doing free swim or otherwise getting into trouble. And those instructors have eyes on the back of their heads for sure. :D At that age, I anticipate a certain amount of not listening and wanting to fool around, which should be nipped immediately by the instructor. I'm extremely sorry your son had to go through it though, as that sounds terrifying for him and you. :grouphug:

I just got a Vitamix at Costco. Yippee! Love it so far. Mine only came with the small carafe and a $50 credit towards an additional item. Choices include the larger carafe, dry carafe or the cookbook. So my question: What would you choose? I'm leaning towards the extra carafe but I'm wondering if I should do the cookbook. Anyone have input on whether the cookbook is simply fantastic? I see a lot of recipes online so my thought was I can find recipes but not another carafe as cheaply.