So glad to read your latest update. Please do eat something good/healthy (and, honestly, right now chocolate seems pretty healthy), drink plenty of water, and rest.

Yes, SKL, I know of 5 tots (all under 5) who were either ejected from the vehicle they were riding in or came out of either a regular seat belt or improperly fastened car seats and flew around the interior of the vehicle. All were DOS. Every. Single. One. Of. Them. I know them because I was the medic at the scenes dealing with them. I remember those particular calls very, very well. My colleagues who have similar years of experience (I'm at 18 years in) have similar tales. Seat belts are not meant for kids. Even very short adults can have issues with proper fit; although, they don't have the same issues with immature musculoskeletal systems as kids. As for bulky coats I don't live in an area where they are required most years. My practice was/is to remove my kids' coats prior to buckling them in.

Re: your middle bit - by this criteria I'm not sure my *14* yo is fully capable of showering and getting everything clean. Ugh! Someone tell me he'll finally learn to, you know, actually USE the soap effectively. And deodorant...Son!!! It's not optional!! Seriously, though, my dd5 often takes a bath with her 3 yo brother. We have learned not to leave the bathroom less for safety reasons (though with a 3 yo those are still present, of course) than because the parental units don't want to bail out the bathroom due to all the water on the floor. I still need to help my younger girls (5 & 11[!]) with their hair. My 11 yo has issues fully rinsing out the shampoo & conditioner. My dd12 was bathing/showering independently by 6(?) and my ds9 is personal hygiene independent. Kids are different. So, I think I understand the situation you're referencing and I don't think this is going to be easy to deal with. Big hugs to you and all involved.

Cat, HUGE hugs to you and your ds as you wait. We'll pray for you and your family and remember y'all tomorrow at Mass (if that doesn't offend you). I second JennL's advice to drink lots of water and eat little bits throughout the day. You can best help your dh & ds by putting your oxygen mask on. (((Cat, ds, dh)))

My niece is in her sophomore year there and loves it!

I have to say that after the past several election cycles I've become enamoured of Britain's restriction on active campaigning until, what, 3 (?) weeks before the election. Much better on the old ears and brains than our current 2 years of campaigning and then hitting primary season. Ugh!

Abba12 & Sarah, I think what you're missing is that there is a continuum between "do nothing until your kid is X" and "start rigorous academics early". Those who have said "watch that you don't burn out you/your kids", etc have many times been through that and seen the other side - the pre/teens who are so incredibly burnt out on school they no longer put forth *any* effort. It may seem like no one is hearing what you're saying. That isn't the case at all. Your reactions to what others have said is why more experienced parents learn to just smile and nod and not say much. I'm certainly no expert; hell, at times, I doubt myself with my own kids. I *do* have experience trying to do to much too soon with my eldest and dealing with the fall-out. And that experience and the knowledge and wisdom I gained as a result of that experience is just as valid as your experiences. If (general) you feel that you and your kids will do well with your hs plan, go forth and do it! Do what seems right and teach *your* kids. If you feel that you have something to say that will help another parent with their kids, please share it! Your thoughts and advice are wanted, needed, and valued. We are better and stronger when we share and listen to each other. And, as I said before, it's a two way street.

Re: the embedded video - Hey! I recognize that pizza shack! IIRC, the march occurred at SXSW and I couldn't find a lot of mention about it in either the Statesman or the Chronicle. SX was also dealing with the anniversary of the fatal auto-pedestrian accident which injured some two dozen and killed two.

You know, BlsdMama, I understand what you're saying and, to an extent, I agree with you about letting people's voices be heard even if they've "only" been homeschooling for N years (where N = some arbitrary number less than the number of years the more experienced parent has homeschooled). I don't want younger parents to feel like their thoughts aren't valued or as if *they* as individuals aren't valued. And you're also correct that more experienced parents can do a lot to help "raise up" younger parents. However, I believe that this involves a two way street of communication. Yes, more experienced homeschoolers can and perhaps should listen more to less experienced homeschoolers without condescension or disdain. AND less experienced homeschooling parents should listen more to the more experienced homeschoolers without condescension or disdain. As I mentioned in my first post I don't want younger/less experienced hs parents to feel that they should be seen and not heard; however, I do object to rigid pronouncements from anyone, really, but certainly someone who hasn't even dealt with the age/school level/issue under consideration. Wisdom simply doesn't come from only reading about something, IMHO. I believe wisdom comes from the intersection of theoretical knowledge and hard won experience. And that experience often, nay I would say always, includes a measure of failure.

Heavens! That is so true. Can I have my slice with an extra dollop of whipped cream?

I think that's a good question and, admittedly, the line may indeed be a fine one. In my mind, the phrasing is the difference. "Here's what worked for me/my kid" v "You should do X". And, certainly, advice has its place as long as it's tempered with the knowledge that not everything works for every family.

Abba12, I think it's fine for parents to talk about what's *currently* working for their kids or *recently* worked for their kids. I think it's fine to say that a particular program, book, etc worked well even if that particular resource is OOP or difficult to find. It's obnoxious for parents who only have young kids to make pronouncements about how parents should teach/parent older kids AND to make those pronouncements definitive, as in there is only one true way and it is the Way of the Parent with Only Young Children. I don't visit the pre-K/K subforum even though I still have and teach 2 in that age range and have successfully taught their 4 older sibs because I've noticed through the years that many parents don't want to hear, for example, that it's OK if their 5 year old doesn't want to sit still for lessons for several hours (or even 10s of minutes). They want to hear about the latest full curriculum for K'er's. That's fine, of course, but they then shouldn't bemoan the fact that more experienced parents won't post advice. We may have given up. As for curriculum written by old timers, we're probably still in the trenches teaching our MS & HS students as well as teaching/wrangling any younger kids. I hang out on the HS board a lot because my eldest is doing high school level work in a couple of subjects and will start a full HS course load in the fall. My posts there are of the "someone help me, pleeeaaassse" variety. Just for the record, I don't think newbies should never say anything or give any advice. I believe and practice the philosphy that any advice I may give is of the what did or did not work for me/my kid(s) with a particular set of circumstances which another family may/may not have and is also leavened with plenty of caveats (your mileage may vary, teach your kids, this may not work for you, et al).

Ah, man! Sweet Caden & your family just can't catch a break. I'm so sorry to hear about the wee babe. I know you know what to look for to get Baby Caden to the ER for rehydration. Just remember that the little known and even less heeded corollary to the old adage "Physician, heal thyself" is "Paramedic, get thee or thy family to the doctor." I hope Caden is better today. ((()))

Oh, no! M*A*S*H is an all time favorite of mine, especially the earlier episodes w/Trapper John. :(

Re: protecting older sib's things from toddler sib (because I haven't mastered the quote w/i a quote thing): This is what we've done with my older kids' special things to protect them from younger siblings. It works well.

To the bolded: this is what speaks to me. I love Wagner's operas, especially Der Ring des Nibelungen, and in the Ring cycle the leitmotivs are *everything*. They move the operas' plots and remind audiences of what's happened. (Bear with me; I'm bringing this puppy home.) In the original Star Wars trilogy, John Williams employed many of the same composing techniques. (He probably did in the prequels, too; but, I refuse to acknowledge those because they were so bad.) I can't help but think that "Luke's" (aka the Force) motif was played for a reason - to link Rey to Luke. Although Williams has had many different influences on his music, I really think that the leitmotivs in Star Wars underpin the hero's journey and provide an aural accompaniment to the movies.

My two eldest kids are each taking two classes at TWTMA and in exactly none of them has anything occurred like what you described. I agree that derogatory ad hominem asides are not appropriate; however, if this is your dd's only class at the academy, I don't really see how you can write off an entire school/program based on one teacher's behavior. So, FWIW, my family's experiences with the academy have been overwhelmingly positive and there has been no political talk at all in any of their classes.

A "squeaky" cough could be any number of things from croup to pertussis. Lethargy in kids really, really concerns me. I'd take my kid straight to an ER (preferably a children's ER) and bypass urgent care. As a paramedic who has responded to many an urgent care clinic in my day, most will be uncomfortable with a lethargic child (as opposed to a sleepy one because it's late at night - there is a distinct difference) and will call EMS to transport the child to the ER.

Our tree & decorations went up in mid-December and won't be put up until after Epiphany. We like celebrating the Christmas season and, because of my work schedule, rarely celebrate Christmas on Christmas. However, I'm a firm believer, OP, that you should do what feels right to you. And January 10th is a great day! ;)

Yup. I'm getting over bronchitis and still coughing like I'm about to hack up a lung. My poor ds9 has had a fever for the past 3-4 days. He always looks forward to ringing bells during the Gloria at Midnight Mass and won't be able to tonight. He's really upset about missing Mass tonight.

My dh's b-day is on the 24th and HEB's tamales are tradition on Christmas Eve. Although I can't compare them to the Venezualen version, we're very happy with them. I buy the beef and pork tamales, rice, beans, and an array of salsas. I think HEB has really good tamales for not being homemade. So, I think you're good going with that plan. Sorry about the p/a sniping.

You're right - we *shouldn't* have to chase true love or true friends. <sigh> Thank goodness I have such strong hermit tendancies. Finding friends is very difficult for me.

TM, I had something similar happen several years ago. This person and I had been great friends through university and into young adulthood. She ia technically my eldest's godmother. I listened to her rant, kvetch, vent, cry on my shoulder over many issues through our 20s and early 30s. I finally realized that she never extended the same consideration to me when I had problems. What can I say? I'm pretty clueless, I guess. So, fast forward a bit and I haven't spoken to her in many years. I just stopped initiating calls, visits, etc and - no surprise - she never called me. I imagine she never even missed me. So, anyway, I'm sorry you going through this. It's never easy. (((())))

I am beyond jealous. Wow! How breathtakingly wonderful!

I wondered if they were actually going through with their demonstration. You know what would have made it worse is that these lunatics originally were planning for their demonstration to occur on West Mall - just where Whitman shot several people coming out of the six pack almost 50 years ago. Very glad Great Girl's final went well.