No answer for you, but this has always happened to me as well. The doctors always told me there was no correlation, but it was too predictable. What's even weirder is that since I've had my hysterectomy (ovaries taken out as well as uterus) I still get this symptom monthly. Also, if I mess up my hormones (too much progesterone) I have this symptom.

True, what I said didn't answer the OP's question. It was my viewpoint of the situation of the post. If people don't want that they shouldn't post on public message boards. If we were having a face to face conversation I doubt you would call it a "conversation". Most people would call it a confrontation, a disagreement or a fight (depending on how they were raised). BTW, adding smileys to sentences with nasty intent is really passive aggressive. I chose not to ignore anyone on this board. I'm interested in other people's viewpoints. I just think attacking people for their beliefs in childish and a waste of time.

When someone asks for advice on a message board they get advice colored by the person giving it. I'm stating my opinion. You don't need to like it or agree with it. I'm not sure why you feel the need to attack me for it, but oh well, if that's the way you roll that's life.

The post shows a pattern. We don't know the whole story, neither does the OP. Based on the info in the OP I, personally, don't think that family would be a good environment to raise a child. Whatever the real story is for the BIL & SIL to being living separate lives, it's no life for a child. Envision this poor child's life. Visits with mom's family without dad; the child thinks "why isn't dad here?", there's a hole. Visits with dad's family, everyone is drunk, including the old people; the child thinks "is this what having fun is", let me try". You don't have to like my comments. They were meant from a purely intellectual versus emotional place. Of course my heart grieves for that poor woman. Of course I think her husband should be with her. I know he lost a child too; why doesn't he want to cleave to his wife? But the way their lives were presented just isn't a supportive, stable environment for kids. It sets the kids up to have to take sides. Parenting that way is in poor taste if you could have avoided it. I understand that sometimes we end up in these situations. The couple in the OP are in the beginning of this situation. They can come together as husband and wife or not, but do you really think children should be brought into it?

This isn't an isolated incident. It's a way of life for husband and wife to live separate lives. They don't spend time with her family as a family, only her. His family spends their family get togethers so drunk that a 70 year old falls and breaks her pelvis. As protective as the parents are on this board I can't see why any of you would want a child raised in this environment. Funny, are you the pot or the kettle?

They don't need to have children together. It also sounds like their marriage isn't a very supportive one. If they are happy, fine, but I pity the children that are raised in that marriage.

I liked this one too. I was it every time i see it on the guide.

:iagree: This is so hard! I just want him to benefit from what I've learned and my observations. I need to remember that he has to make his own mistakes and he has to learn his own life lessons. I bite my tongue so much I'm not sure I'll have a tongue left by the time he's 20! :001_huh:

Ds hates opera. Any suggestions on one to try that he might like? He's never actually been, just seen excerpts on TV. Do you have personal experience with St. John's? I looked at their website briefly.

Oh. I mean lazy because he wants to ask questions and get answers instead of search the answers out himself. It's like he'd rather not learn if someone else won't tell him the answers. I'm definitely willing to move mountains, but in the past when he exhibited interest in things I jump into gear and he drops it. I'm really sick of the run around, but I don't want to miss the "real" time. KWIM? I think it's probably the nature of the beast with a teenager.

Ah, so it's about my expectations! Don't give him a chore that I want done perfectly. I can try that.

Not on your federal taxes at all. IRS code specifically excludes homeschool expenses. The teacher deduction has guidelines that exclude homeschoolers.

So are you saying I'm being lazy? Or that he's not necessarily being lazy? I've really tried not to ruin his love of learning and I've tried to respect his feelings. I've tried changing the things he doesn't like. I'm just not a sociable person. Thanks for the links. He's said no online courses, but I'll check them out and send him the links. He might like them. I think he's really craving the interaction with a teacher. I haven't actively taught him in about 2.5 years.

How do you pull that off? Ds gripes and complains the whole time. He does a shoddy job, then gripes and complains when I make him fix it. The whole thing is just a big mess and he ends up grounded because of his attitude and reaction to the assigned chore.

Aw, man! I need to read more carefully! The link you provided is for Santa Fe College in Florida! I'm still going to check with SFCC here in NM. The research I did at CNM was that homeschooled students are not eligible for dual enrollment but may begin taking classes at the age of 16 and pay full price for those classes. Now, full-time tuition is only $3200 a semester. So we were going to have Ds take 1 class the first semester after he turns 16. Historically, NM school districts do not work with homeschoolers. Homeschoolers are shunned by students and many adults. Ds was horribly bullied when he was in Little League. If I had known the extent of it I would have pulled him out; he knew that so he didn't tell me. He has a few public/private school friends now that he's met at other churches and his martial arts classes. Anyway, I think I may need to just get on the phone. I'd like offer him something in January. Although, I think his unfilled feelings are not totally academic. We just found out that his "girlfriend" (we don't allow dating, but he exclusively talks to her online & the phone) is mentally ill. I wish he would not get tied into this relationship at this age, but he's pretty stuck on her. Apparently the abuse stories we were getting from her were because she's schizophrenic with atypical depression and has hallucinations. We finally confronted her mom about the abuse stories she was telling Ds and her mom told us all of this. Anyway, I think Ds is seeing that he doesn't want a relationship with her but feels bad about that. He's playing the knight in shining armor. So he's had alot of stress in his life with dealing with her and her mess and driver's ed. The driver's ed videos really bothered him. That is why I'm thinking this isn't totally academic, but I can see where doesn't feel challenged and wants an actual instructor.

Queen. We used to have a King, but I felt so lonely because we each separated to our own edges. So 2 years ago we bought a Sleep Number bed in Queen. Dh would have gotten the King, but he didn't want to spend that much money. I like the Queen because I know he's in bed with me. Sometimes it does feel crowded. We are both overweight and Dh is 6'1", but I'd rather have that than feel I'm sleeping alone.

That's true. We do have elders. But we've been struggling in this church. One of the elders has been deceptive and abusive of his power. No one else is stopping him. That's a big reason we are thinking of leaving the church. Our church is full of "Sunday Christians", ds has asked to attend a church that has "everyday Christians". I must say I've been horribly disappointed in the leadership in our church. Once Ds noticed it, it became a deal breaker for me. My service is up at the end of the year and that's when we plan to leave.

Thanks everyone! Teachin' Mine - I never thought of SFCC. CNM doesn't offer dual enrollment to homeschoolers. But we live between Albuquerque and Santa Fe so SFCC might be convenient. I'm not sure you can register "in name only" in a NM public school or at least in the districts around us (we have 4 to chose from because we are so rural). By CPT do you mean College Prep Test? I got him the study guide for the GED, PSAT and ASVAB. Part of me thinks I should just scrap this year's curriculum and focus on the study guides above. But then, if he's done in a few hours a day and bored, adding the study guides would be a good thing. We've changed curriculum every year mid-year, because I just got sick of fighting over it or he seemed lost or bored. So I know I'm part of the problem here. Sebastin - Our church is extremely small and not oriented on youth at all (there are exactly 4 kids that attend regularly and another 3 that attend a few times a year). We are thinking about changing to a church that has more youth and has mission opportunities. My mom is having a heart attack at the thought of us leaving the Lutheran church. We are home bodies and aren't part of any other groups, except a homeschool co-op that we attend marginally. I guess I have to step out of my comfort zone here to help him find these people. Candid - I agree and that's what I told him last night. I told him that he needs to take the initiative. He said he's bored because he's done with his school work by noon but can't have his computer until 3. We have a set of encyclopedia and tons of books, plus he can practice guitar or piano (with he is teaching himself and doing wonderfully!). So I hope I got some of that through to him. I'm going to let him shadow at the Christian school so he can see what a school room is like. He's never been to school so he has no idea about the wasted time and inefficiency. If it's more efficiency he wants; he can provide that himself. He works completely independently because he doesn't like the way I talk and gesture. He doesn't like that I laugh in his ear and breath in his face. So after I took the knife out of my heart I realized that I have to respect this. While I have an Assoc. degree, I would be learning alongside him and he says he wants an instructor that can just answer his questions; not learn along side him. Hmmmm, this is sounding like laziness to me. Does anyone else think so too? Thanks so much for you input!

So I've paid the $75 application fee for a $7000/year Christian school for Ds. He has an appointment to shadow a student after Christmas break. I would have to get an almost full-time to pay the tuition and everything I earned would go to that tuition. I knew it didn't feel right. I knew Ds wouldn't do good with the required schedule. I knew things weren't working now. He refuses to let me teach him anything which is why I went with Lifepacs this year. But he's not feeling challenged academically. For the last year he's been flip-flopping about going to B&M school. When I told him tonight that it seems like he doesn't know what he wants he told me that he knows exactly what he wants just not how to get it. Here's what he wants in his own words: "Mentors, instructors, teachers, in depth learning in 1. Music 2. climatology 3. core subjects 4. history Prepare for college College Course in music Flexible, homeschool-like schedule" He'll be able to drive by himself in 6 months. He can get a job now if he wants and I'll drive him. He has 1 co-op class and will begin a research class in January. He takes a Geometry class outside of home. He attends martial arts 3 times a week. He play in the worship band at church. History, Bible, Geology, Health, Biology are Lifepacs. He can take a college course at 16 (next October). What can I change this year? Should I just scrap next semester and try to round up mentors to learn the things he wants? How would I find mentors? Should I just get the job and send him off to the private school? Should I continue to research charter and public schools to send him to? New Mexico is still 49th in the nation for education I believe. I bet he could pass every part of the GED except the math right now. He feels like he's wasting his time. Any advice would be helpful. We're really kind of stuck. I feel like he's on the cusp of really taking off, but he thinks the answers to his problem are in B&M school, but I think he knows that isn't right for him either. TIA!:)

Oops! Posted in wrong board!

Okay, I poked it; it didn't explode. I feel like complete dunce! Oh, well, it smells good!

LOL. I thought "poke a hole in it". It won't explode?

I'm cooking a turkey in a bag. It's been in the oven about 1.25 hours. The bag is all full of air and touching the top of the oven. I forgot to put the slits in the bag. What do I do?

I would definitely wait until you are calm. Then tell them that the cat is dead. If they have questions just let them know that outside life is dangerous for cats. I would not necessarily tell them that the neighbor's dog killed the cat. The dog just did what some dogs do. When I was 7 we came home to pieces of a whole litter of kittens all over our yard. The neighbor dogs did it. I refused to own a dog for 15 years and hated the neighbors dogs. I threw rocks at them whenever I saw them. That's why I suggest leaving the dog out of it if you can. If you can't then explain that some dogs are just that way. Interestingly it was huskies that got our kittens as well. They also got our rabbits. Try to deal with any anger in your kids towards the dog if you have to "out" the dog. They will be angry because they will be hurt and not understand why.