There are days when my kids ask for a pj day and if they work and do as expected, I have no major issues with it. I don't do this often just because it seems to be distracting, but as a treat once in a while it is ok. However, I am all for comfort, so comfy pants, jeans/sweatshirt is VERY common!!

OUCH!! This is a hard group of people. It is much easier to sit at our keyboards and type an opinion than to actually be going through the situation. And as far as TPing being minor, HELLO.... did you miss the part about sneaking out, going with older kids, DRIVING with another teen....forget where they were going on what they did, the first three would make my daughter dead meat!! OP We all have opinons and ideas, but do what is right for your family. As mothers we can only do our best every day and pray for God to do the rest.

I have to line up on the side of did **stupid*** things as a teenager. (we won't even get into the numbers!!) I think you are on the right track. Beginning the teenage years is hard enought and then to just be starting public school.............ugh. I wonder if there hasn't been some peer pressure and the need to fit in with the other kids. Not a great excuse I know, but a real one!! I have a 15yo and we went through this when she was 13, in fact its why we started homeschooling. It is great to be a child's friend, but our first responsibility is to be their mother, and trust me at our house, mom is not a popular person sometime. If it were me, and I do go to drastic measures to prove a point, you could one of two ways. Basically, you could tomato stake her (as I heard in another post) which means to keep her with you 24/7. You could even go as far as to put a "bed" beside your bed so that she could sleep beside you at night and you can keep an eye on her. :tongue_smilie: Most would think it was a bit much, but it is not something they soon forget. Teenagers think they are untouchable because if they make a big enough scene, mom and dad will back down. You have to call the bluff. If you have already had problems in the past and they are escalating, maybe its time to get her attention and let her know mom is not playing. In our family trust is a HUGE issue that is not taken lightly. If I trust my daughter to do something or be somewhere, it better happen, or the trust will disappear. I say this only to help and give advice. Things got really bad with my daughter to a scary point. No one but you knows what your family needs, this is the extreme I had to go to with my daughter. You have my prayers and hugs, this is one of those times in life that just stink!!

We do have a treasure chest, but I have discovered it is more about saying no to the treasure chest. Our treasure chest are for days when everyone is on task, doing as they are asked and no one is crying under the table. (3 in K and 1 in 1st) There are very few days when they are allowed to pick from the treasure chest, because if they break the rules, there is no treasure chest. I do like to reward them for putting forth extra effort or being kind/sharing with the others though. (continuing to read a particularly difficult section for them during reading) The cheapest way to fill a treasure box is to go after holidays and buy the trinkets that they have marked down. Bubbles, little notebooks, pencils, that sort of thing. I have 2 that are hyperactive, so we stay as far from the candy as we possibly can.

We go a little month by month with scheduled MAJOR purchases around August and then around Feb/March. This gives us an opportunity to be flexiable and shop for what we want. I also try to purchase as much as I can already used on-line or at bookstores. We actually have several bookstores around our area. This way hubby does not have as a heart attack when I say one cirriculum is not working. The first cirriculum I bought for my high schooler was a boxed kit for the entire year and spent way to much money on something that she hated and we fought over. He was not pleased when I told him she hated it and we needed to buy new. So now, we buy bit by bit!

We do more of a year-round school here. It works out well for our family. This allows us the flexability to take a day of here and there as is needed for our family. During the summer, I try to do a more hands on approach to science, so our lessons are focused mainly on plants, gardening that type of thing. My kids did their own garden last summer and really enjoyed it. Most people I know hate it, but it works for us!

www.daniellesplace.com This site has a lot of free lessons. Most of the lessons include songs, crafts, and games. You might try here. There is also a subscriber section, which I do use, but I would try it out with the free ones first to see if you like it. I use it A LOT for my kids club at church.

Look at your local library and search for file folder games, there are tons of books out there. You can also find "The Mailbox" which is an educational magazine for teachers that are provided at all different levels and have some other great ideas. I made tons of different file folder games and take them along when we will be waiting at drs office, car trips. The kids think they are special games that they are really lucky when they get to play them. If you will PM me with what types you are looking for, there may be some that I have that I am finished with! I would much rather pass them on than throw them away! www.Kinderprintables.com www.childcareland.com Both of these site have free resources that are great!

Tubes, no sweat, very easy recovery. Tonsils is a bit more, just don't expect too much the first few days. Push fluids and stock up on ice cream, puddings, soft easy things that will be easy to eat and comforting to the throat. My kids ENT had her be continually on the pain meds for the first 2 days as to control the pain.

I am a Christian and I love the fact that I can teach my children my beliefs while homeschooling, but is was not the deciding factor in homeschooling. I have 2 that are ADHD and the PS was not helping my girls at all. Our school system was just not equipped to deal with the challenges that went along with my youngest, so we brought her and her sister home. It is amazing at the changes in them both!!! The trips were not school age yet, but we went ahead and started them at an appropriate level and everyones's day was uniform.

This has been a huge issue at our house this year. My daughter is 15 and decided she just doesn't want to do things either. So, I tried most everything to be the "nice mom" but then it was time for wicked witch to come out. She has an assignment schedule for each week. EVERYTHING is due on Friday at 6. Even if I am not able to check it then, it is to be put on my desk. ALL of her priveledges are gone until it is completed. No phone, computer, reading anything she enjoys is gone until school is completed. It seems harsh, but it only happened twice and when she saw what kind of life there is with no priveledges, it has changed her ideas. There are several rules and things that go along with this, but this is the basics. One of the best things though is we wrote up a contract, what we expected not only of school but of her day, time up, dressed, time for school to start, chores to be done and consequences if she does not complete these. Then together mom/dad/daughter reads the list and all parties sign it. It sounds very formal, but when she is crying later and says I did not know........her signature is at the bottom of the page that she was aware of the rules and consequences. All of this may not go for a 12yo, but maybe it will help. All of my kids from youngest to the oldest have jobs to do to help with the housework. I don't know how I would ever get anything done if I had to do all the housework by myself. You would be amazed at what a child is capable of doing and the pride they take in a task well done!!!!

As the kids say, I put my eyes (contacts) in, then dogs out, tea pot on and off we go............

I really needed to see all the working moms right now thanks for asking!! I have been at home for the last 3 years, but with finances, I may have to start working again, at least part time. I have been concerned that I would have to give up homeschool for our kids, which is not something hubby and I want to do. It is comforting to see that there are moms who work and home school and make it work out!!!

I ran across this site last night and we are going to try it out, thought some of you might have use for it. http://www.livemonarch.com/adopt.htm