yep. met too.. It is raining. again. and cold. blah. I spent most of yesterday in bed, sick with a bad cold. Today, I am still having a Nyquil hangover, but am feeling a bit better. But my is it hard to get started;

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/effective_biblical_discipline/4_secrets_to_successfully_handling_behavior_problems.aspx http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/effective_biblical_discipline/why_kids_misbehave/the_wonders_of_reality_discipline.aspx Here are two articles that might give you some ideas....

read up in some of Kevin Leman's books. He has lots of practical suggestions for "pulling the rug out from under" a kid.

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!! I find it rude and insulting which is why I used it there. It is NOT a term I would want anyone to use when speaking to my kid, overweight or not!

yep. upon re-reading...these are just lame excuses. So I just need to DO IT!

the thing that I find so difficult is 1. growing up my family had horrible diets. To this day my dad brags that he likes nothing green. So I don't have a good example of how to lead in that area. 2. this is my "challenging" kid. I have to stay on her about so many different things already, attitude, schoolwork, chores....that to add one more source of stress makes me want to scream!!! 3. she now has braces. so she says that apples, carrots, raisins, etc. that she used to munch on are too much trouble to eat. 4. fresh food is so EXPENSIVE!

I am thinking that snacks at home need to be more fruits and stuff. Perhaps my pie project really needs to be our only "sweet" indulgence for the week, and the rest of our snacks should be healthy. Maybe I need to get in the habit of reading labels aloud to the family. I know I don't realize the caloric content of many foods till I actually read the label. And I do need to show them what 1 serving looks like. A cup of cereal is really not as much as one might think.

the teachers for sunday school, youth service, and Wed. night classes are all different. I think each one thinks that it is "special" to bring a treat to their group. And no I am not blaming the church. Absolutely not. But for the teens especially it is kind of an open "buffet" type of thing. A cooler full of drinks, a table with snacks. And if there is a small indulgence at home and we are at 3 church services a week it will add up. And what do you do with a kid that just hates to move?

Seriously, this is what I am considering. I have thought about going to the dr. for a annual physical, just to get an idea of what we are dealing with. I am not being snarky when I say, "please tell me how you would say this." My family tries to operate on the openness principle. When there is an issue we try to deal with it. openly. kindly. thoughtfully. When we bottle things up and avoid them, they end up coming out anyway, and usually it is uglier then than if we'd addressed it to begin with. So give me some words of wisdom, Ester Maria. (do you think, perhaps she is waiting for someone to step in and give a little bit of guidance here? Is that possible?) It's hard for me because I was a skinny mini (complete with flat chest...but that is another thread) until I had kids. The last thing I want is for unhealthy patterns to grow unchecked and then "I've just always been chunky." I want her to know that we can take control of our health and well-being. WE ARE IN CHARGE OF OUR CRAVINGS!

teachers bringing cupcakes. boxes of little debbies being passed around. Bags of potato chips. Sodas!!! Every week. at each service. It wouldn't bother me too much but if they eat a sweet or junk food at church and then later they eat a dessert at home...well, it all adds up. I think I am going to enforce the rule about candy, and if their teacher brings cupcakes or a snack, then they must tell me about it. I refuse to criticize the teachers who are doing such an awesome job otherwise, but I think I need to make my kids more responsible to say "no thank you." if they have had enough. At my house they typically get one treat per day...it could be a small serving of chips or a dessertish type thing, but one per day is all they need. If they get cupcakes and a bag of chips after they ate something fun at snack time , then that is overkill IMHO.

she is totally oblivious....really. I'm thinking about just mentioning that sitting inside this winter is kind of showing up. So how can I help her to work on that. Not that she's a fatty. Not that she's gaining weight. Just "hey, anything I can do to help you out with this?" Not that I am being critical or ugly or thinking she is fat. Just a friendly reminder that I am here to help.

It is not really about what we are eating. We don't eat a lot of junk. I don't buy processed foods. It is portion size. She just likes to eat alot! And she is the kind of person who does not like to move much. I do make a pie once a week. ONE pie. That means everyone gets one and a half slices per week. I doubt that one pie I make a week is what would pack the pounds on. She does drink milk all the time. She does not like water. Perhaps I need to enforce "only drink water between meals"? She really has a sweet tooth. She gets lots of treats at church. How do I address that?

This is the same Grandma who told this dd that ice cream was good for you because it had milk in it. (she was being totally serious) Fortunately we live hours from her and it is only an issue several times a year.

How would you gently tell your teen dd that she is putting on weight? Would you even say it? Dh and I have decided that I am the one, since it would hurt less coming from me, but she is so touchy anyway, I can't think of a good way to approach it. No, this is not a normal phase where she'll gain weight and then grow taller. She's been the same height since she started her cycles a year and a half ago. I doubt she's going to get much taller. She has a fat roll on her belly. help.

yes, yes this is ME! I do embrace Christianity, but that is a very tiny reason for why I homeschool. I homeschool because I want better for my kids than what is offered.

I am currently making a lovely dress for myself that is similar, but is sleeveless. I love that style!

not at all. ever.

\ my dh might have written this!!! I have been stunned at how often women gripe about personal issues with their dh to other women, sometimes even right in front of him! ( issues of more importance than just a little teasing about leaving his socks in the floor)

I'd bet it was cause the littles were not around to be a distraction.

that is a sister rule to the one where you crawl out to the store to get some Gatorade and soup cause everyone has the flu. You are wearing PJ bottoms, haven't showered in 3 days with a bit of baby vomit on your shoulder. The one child who is healthy came with you, but is wearing only a diaper and a t shirt. Only then will you run into at least half a dozen people who know you.

I DESPISE it when people come by without calling. I think it is terribly rude.

yes...this...

I think I remember a Cosby show like this... Claire said, "Your father and I work very hard for our money. Wealthy people have their money work hard for them." I always remembered that and thought it was very clever and accurate. Seriously, mpst people in the US are wealthy compared to the rest of the world though.

these ladies did... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1369297/Style-makeover-Would-YOU-let-man-choose-clothes.html