If your ds does not want to go to school, and expressing that to you, I would not push it and send him. Is there a reason why you can't keep him at home?

And this is where I differ. I would prefer to get what I want. I hate returning gifts with a passion. So I will give lists, and quite frankly, I have no problem buying it myself and telling my dh what he got me. Clearly, gifts are not my love language.

Ok, then I misunderstood you. I thought you were saying that the gift had to be something quite different than someone would find online, in Target, or as a gift card. My impression was that it had to be something one of a kind and pretty spectacular. I apologize.

Yep, you're way too picky and hard to shop for. My favorite gift is an Amazon gift card. Dh types in an amount hits "buy now" and prints it on our printer, and I am over the moon. Because I can buy exactly what I want. Putting that kind of pressure on someone to come up with a "thoughtful" gift is not fair. It isn't a reflection on how much they care about you if they buy a generic lotion gift set...it just means they just don't like shopping. And saying that someone has to give you the "right" kind of gift or nothing at all, sounds petulant and spoiled. I'm sure you're not that way, and I even kind of get what you mean, but that's how it's going to sound to anyone charged with giving you a gift for your birthday or a holiday. I wouldn't want to buy you a present, because I would be too afraid that I would come up short and be judged for it.

LOL I did learn the term FIGJAM in Oz, and found it to be very useful...mainly for those Tall Poppies. ;)

My dd shadowed her best friend at high school one day. It was eye opening. She came home and told me that all the kids were on their phones (texting) for almost every class, and the teachers didn't care. The kids didn't pay attention to anything, and nobody could answer any questions. She raised her hand to answer in history class, because she felt so sorry for the teacher. The teacher was thrilled and she and my dd had a great conversation about the Civil War. The other kids couldn't believe she knew what she knew. The teacher's response, "She's homeschooled. What do you expect?" :lol: Anyway, my dd had absolutely no desire to ever visit again. She thought the whole day was a total waste of time for the students, and that it was the worst possible environment to try and learn anything. If your dd has a friend, most schools will allow her to be that student's guest for a day.

Boy.

You don't. If they want to...they will. To be honest, it's really none of your business, and it has the potential to significantly damage your relationship with your dh's family...permanently. It's not your decision to make, and it sounds like your dh and his family have already made it. Move on and forget about it.

^^^I'm seeing it in Comic Sans font.

I've known three cats named Cleo. No kids. So, I don't think of it as a great choice for a child.

What's it rated?

Because it's fun! I love the creativity. I think it makes me look better...more awake, less sallow, prettier. I think women look better with some makeup on. I understand not all women care, or have the desire to wear makeup, or they're making a statement by not wearing it (they don't like chemicals, they feel it's artificial, they feel it's demeaning to women...there are all sorts of reasons women aren't into makeup, and that's their choice), but I still think all women look better with at least a little bit. And let me clarify that by saying women look better with makeup IF they know how to apply it, what colors flatter them, and how much is too much. And that is a big "if". I was fortunate to be able to take advantage of the teaching of several professional makeup artists as a teen, and it made all the difference in the world in how I applied my makeup. (80s blush streaks, anyone?)

Never, ever, ever. Not for one second. It has been a wonderful experience, and I have enjoyed it so much more than I can express. This is my 20th year, and I still look forward to each and every day. It is such a privilege and a blessing. My grown up kids have expressed how thankful and happy they are that my dh and I chose homeschooling at a time when you were definitely a weirdo if you did it. They both plan on homeschooling their own children someday. My youngest and I are having a blast together, and it's honestly been such a joy to teach him and learn with him. His friends all wish they were homeschooled, and on days when PS isn't in session...they all come down to my house and "do school". Those days are REALLY fun, and they're always amazed at what my son studies and learns and how fun it is. Seriously...THE best decision of my life.

"Russia: The Land of the Tsars" was a great series that we watched each time we studied Russia. There are a few mentions of the promiscuity of certain leaders, but a mature 11 year old should be able to handle it. We got it from our library.

I don't know the curriculum you're referencing, but Konos has a Russia curriculum that we've really enjoyed over the years.

Apples and Pumpkin.

It can be a long, difficult, time consuming and EXPENSIVE road. LOL My dd is now living her dream as a professional ballerina, but it was a roller coaster ride to get her there. If your dd is pursuing that type of dance life, then she will receive more time, attention and money than her siblings. Maybe more than all her other siblings put together. It's the nature of the beast. My dh and I are now spending our resources on our boys, but during her pre-teen and teen years, it all went to her. She was in an all-day pre-professional ballet school, M-F, for six years (with a merit scholarship, thank goodness). She also performed with her school's company, as well as a professional ballet company, whenever they cast roles for children. She attended two ballet summer intensives every year (fortunately she had scholarships for those as well), and that meant some travel time getting her to and from whatever state they were in. My dd only participated in one ballet competition a year (as ballet students generally don't compete, with the exception of YGPA), but that involved a trip to either Denver or San Francisco, and then New York City. We paid for choreographers and private lessons ($90 per hour) to prepare her for those. Was it worth it? Yes. She is living her dream, and she achieved the goal she set for herself at age 11. Fortunately, it was a realistic goal for her, given her natural talent and ability. We just needed to provide the means for her to achieve it, and it was a sacrifice at times. I often told her that the world will probably never see the best ballerina out there, because she was born into circumstances that did not allow her to pursue her talent and live her dream. My dd knows she is blessed and privileged to be where she is today, and she is very grateful. She is also an incredibly dedicated dancer and hard worker. There is also a mental component to dance that often destroys the best dancers. It can get very vicious as they get older, and they are always in competition with their best friends. My dd knew that every time she was taking class, she was being judged and potentially cast for whatever production was coming up. She regularly auditioned with her best friend, and you have to have the right mindset to be able to remain friends, no matter what. You also have to be willing to withstand the abuse that seems to be inherent in the dance world. Artistic directors are cut from the cloth of crazy...and you really need a thick skin. Teachers can also be very demanding and often rude as dancers get to be teens. It doesn't happen so much when the dancer is a professional, but those years between 14 and 18 are rough. My dd loved participating in her ballet competition, and especially loved receiving the scoring and feedback sheets from the judges. Again, you need a thick skin for that. My dd looked forward to corrections, because she said it helped her to know what to focus on and how to improve. But not everyone is kind in their evaluations, and your dd needs to be prepared for the harsh reality of the competitive world. Will she be okay if she never advances beyond a certain point? Is she okay with nasty comments from other dancers? Can she handle pressure well? Can you afford to give her all the material advantages (dresses, shoes, private coaching) that she'll need to do well in this endeavor? All of these things come into play when you are pursuing the world of serious dance.

No. We're pretty free range and old school, as is everyone in my neighborhood. Kids go outside to play here and find other neighborhood kids to play with. I don't (and never have) arranged "play dates". If a child wants to play with mine, they knock on our door, or call on the phone. My son does the same thing. My son is in Scouts, and we have church activities as well. All with the same neighborhood kids. As far as extra curriculars, he plays city league sports and takes martial arts. But only because he's interested in the activity, not to make friends. If that happens, it's collateral damage. :D

If they're five and six (under 13, really), I have no problem with girls wrestling and rough housing with boys...including rolling around in the grass together. If they're 15 and 16...no. ;)

Hormones can absolutely affect your heart. Many women have harmless heart palpitations as a symptom of PMS. They are usually PACs (premature atrial contractions). They feel like your heart is giving a really hard beat (like a thump), like it's flopping in your chest like a fish out of water, and they can sometimes be felt in your throat and cause you to cough. They're almost always harmless. And your heart isn't skipping a beat...it's beating too early, so the next beat feels delayed and harder. The Holter monitor will be able to identify the type of palpitation you're having, and your cardiologist can treat you from that point. If they're harmless PACs...it's best just to live with them, because they'll usually treat it with beta blockers, and those can have undesirable side effects. They'll slow down and stop eventually when your hormones level out.

I used to take my kids a few times a year when they were little (and to similar places). It was great for me. They played and I spread out at a table and either read or planned school. We'd stay for hours.

Just read that even Pat Robertson is "begging Ken Ham to shut up". Going on to say that "to say it all dates back to 6,000 years ago is just nonsense." And, "Let's be real. Let's not make a joke of ourselves." And I gotta say...I agree with Pat Robertson. :svengo: That almost never happens. Here's one link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/05/pat-robertson-creationism-ken-ham_n_4733625.html And if you want a conservative source for it, here's another (a few typos in this one): http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2014/02/05/Pat-Robertson-Pushes-Back-on-Young-Earth-Creationism-There-Aint-No-Way-Thats-Possible

Done.

I started them very young. By the time they were four, I allowed them to cook with me with supervision. They all could use the toaster at four, and then the microwave, and they moved up from there. They learned the rules of the kitchen, how to be safe, and even how to operate the small fire extinguisher we have on the floor next to the fridge. They were all very easy and well behaved kids, so maybe that's part of it. They also all wanted to cook, so they were motivated to do what they needed to so they could earn that privilege. We used several children's cook books in our curriculum, and they all chose recipes they wanted to learn to make.

And who wants to know if their predictions are correct? Because seriously...this is killing me. :D Oh, and Cora's brother is involved in the Teapot Dome scandal. That totally cracked me up.