I love them. Some are full of interesting tidbits and some are so pretentious and horrible that I get a good laugh. I have never bragged about awards...then again my kids go to some crazy school that doesn't give out awards. ;)

Happy Birthday. Thank you for everything you have given to the Classical homeschooling world (Including SWB!). Your lessons are like a key to a previously unopenable lock in our home. We hope you have a wonderful day.

The people at our Costco are really nice. That is such a bummer for you.

11 for runs to the store or errands (under an hour) but there are 2 of them so I feel a little better about it. At 12 I will leave them for longer (and they babysit other people's kids but always together.) They also babysit their siblings sometimes but not longer than 90 minutes or so. We live in a very small town where we know everyone. My in laws also live just a couple streets over so I feel safe about it.

I'm counting the books we read for read alouds but they are Lamplighter books so they are not easy reading by any stretch.

:iagree: Exactly. As much as it pains me to say it, I would BET that other inappropriate things have happened and these little things (the notes and such) that she is doing are little clues she is giving you because she is too afraid to speak up. If something bad has been happening or has happened to her that would certainly cause her to look at sex (or thong underwear) in a 'dirty' light.

Bill Nye, Mythbusters, Magic School Bus...my kids know SO much from these shows. Way more than anything in our science studies.

I think it's an honest mistake that even many responsible adults have made. I would not expect her to repay it.

I think it's more of a readiness thing not so much an age thing. I told my eldest DD's at age 9. They were ready completely (And one of them had watched her brother being born when she was 7 anyway. I figured I owed her). My DS is now almost 10 and I am still not quite sure if he is ready. I will probably talk to him at some point between 10 and 11. This of course is the full s*x talk. I never keep development stuff from them. If they ask, I tell them. My kids know about menstruation pretty much from when they are old enough to ask what pads or tampons are when they see them in my bathroom.

I think there could be a point where kids have too many chores. Especially if there is just one child bearing the brunt of it. My kids do all of the kitchen clean up but there are 4 of them so between them it's not too bad. They put away their laundry and trade off cleaning bathrooms. We ALL pitch in to do tidying. If the mom is sitting around doing facebook while her daughter does all the work then yes, that would be bad. But I am betting that was not the case.

The Louet Julia is fantastic. I loved mine (had to sell it for financial reasons). It was easy to use and beautiful to look at.

:iagree: We do Santa and the like but I don't make an extra huge deal out of it. I love traditions but I have a very hard time lying to my kids so I minimize it enough that they do not ask a lot of questions. And I am with the poster who said she likes her kids to know that she picked out the gifts. Sometimes it's hard to save money all year only for the kids to think that Santa just brought the stuff. A bit selfish I know but it is what it is.

I do think it's creepy but I warn you...I posted about it on facebook today and nearly incited a riot. Apparently people are very protective about their elves.

Our shoes have been discovered. Ours have coins, a small gift, a clementine orange and a silly poem. Our favorite part of this day is the silly poems about a persons bad habit. I work hard on those!

You should name her Polly Esther. Hee hee! Cotton and Polly Esther.

I really really want a keurig.

Yep, tooth abcess (has happened to me three times). I have read that people have committed suicide over dental pain. I can honestly say that it's not a stretch of the imagination for me. I would have done almost anything to end that pain. (Somehow I lived through it though).

Tennant Tom Baker was the playing the Dr, when I was first introduced to Dr. Who.

No but I wouldn't buy one for a girl either. I don't like to buy licensed character stuff.

I have played them all, we LOVE them. My favorite ones are: The Haunting of Castle Malloy (Absolute favorite) The Phantom of Venice The Secret of the Old Clock The Haunted Carousel Warnings At Waverly Academy

We are using that this year and I keep finding myself skipping science because I am NOT liking it. Definitely not doing RS4K next year.

There isn't any reporting here in CA. Nor do we need an Umbrella school. We just file an affidavit every October. I'm thinking that those of you saying CA is hard do not live here. It's done online in about 3 minutes.

My thoughts went to this thread last night as my 6 children all sat around our table eating slices of pie and plotting out a video they want to make of The Christmas Carol. They were all giggling hysterically and appointing character to each other. "You can be Cratchit." "I need a porkpie hat!!" "We can use the plastic skull for Marley." They were laughing so hard they could barely talk and I thought to myself then that the benefits to having a large family have GOT to outweigh any of the downside. At least in our home. Our house is generally a very happy place and I don't see nay oppression of the older kids and they do not seem to either.

My Dh's birthday is Dec 18 and my DS's is Dec 13. My Dh says to tell all parents of kids born near Christmas to NOT buy them a jacket for their birthday. LOL. Apparently his parents always gave him a jacket and we have talked to a lot of other parents of December babies who do the same thing! We usually have a big joint birthday dinner for the two of them and my dad (Dec 11) and make the whole say special. I don't think they feel lost in the Christmas shuffle. Never wrap birthday gifts in Christmas Paper.

AS far as logistics go I have always said once you have about 4, you don't notice a couple more. My eldest girls are twins and were 10 when the youngest was born. I have raised them to be very independent and responsible so they are never a problem. The middles can be a little rowdy now and then but all in all, I have always placed a strong emphasis on the importance of being close with ones siblings. It's always been my goal that they completely care for one another so there isn't as much fighting in our house. The kids all help with house chores but I really don't force them to do child care. I pay them (not a lot but I do pay) for babysitting and I never require them to change diapers. Sometimes they want to do these things and I of course allow it then but I don't want them growing up resenting having to 'raise' their siblings. They would be required to help out around the house no matter how many kids were in the family so that doesn't change. Mainly they are responsible for the kitchen clean up. With 4 of them doing it, it goes quickly. They also help with laundry and sometimes bathrooms. This is a generalization and I am sorry it happened to you. It's not the case in every large family though and certainly not here. Amazingly though, if the bond is deep between children, the older ones will get to the sad or hurt little one first and soothe them because they want to, not because they have to. I am sorry you had to mother your siblings and it was not a happy experience with you, it's not the case for all large families though. I have an amazing husband who does a lot to help me out. He does the majority of the laundry and isn't afraid to help out with bathroom cleaning or the like. I also have a fantastic Father In Law who does a lot of babysitting for me. It has it's rough days but I really love having a larger family. Money is always tight but I don't care. People are what matters.