OK, this isn't the most pleasant topic, but I am looking for advice from parents who have already "been there" with their kiddos. . . My 9-year-old son has some pretty smelly armpits lately. It kind of took me by surprise, and I don't know if deoderant is safe or even recommended at this age! Of course, I'll talk to his doctor, but thought I'd see what other parents have done with their own. Is this normal or is he a little early for BO? Thanks!!

I wouldn't worry if you haven't seen any legs yet. The back legs were slow to grow, but the quickest change on ours seemed to happen after it got it's front legs! Now the second and final one has his front legs, so we'll see if it's the same species. :-) You know, I read that bullfrog tadpoles can take as long as one or even two years before they complete their changes! Maybe you have bullfrogs, or just a slower-growing species... http://www.bullfrogs.com/Bullfrog-Tadpoles.html

Thanks to all responses!! We have pen pals for both!

We have been raising a couple of tadpoles and have had a blast watching them change over just a few days. Today, the one who was apparently the oldest climbed up the wall of the aquarium they were kept in and escaped. He still had a tail! We found him on the kitchen floor before he became a cat snack and released him safely. I've never seen or held such a tinly little froglet. I think he was a grey tree frog, hence the ability to climb the glass wall of the aquarium. So much fun...

This is hilarious!! Mine: DS, 9: Wants to be a chef. I'd love to see him become a pastor. Relistically, I can see the chef thing or maybe an engineer. DD, 7: Wants to become a scientist (biologist, I think, because she likes animals) and a mommy. I'd love to see her become a mommy! Realistically, I see her becoming a mom and a writer... DD, 6: Wants to be a missionary and an "animal rescuer." Realistically, I see her becoming a doctor because she is absolutely fascinated with how the body works in detail.

I have three, and I have had to learn to be fluid and not stress about time-blocks for subjects. Every year, we tweak our schedule until we figure out what works most efficiently. Sometimes it is very fluid, and other days not so much... Let's see... Here's my average day to give you an idea. Mine are in 1st, 2nd, and 4th... We always start out the day with Bible and Scripture memory, which we do all together. Then I get the younger ones started on handwriting or an art project (or anything else they can do independently) while I have a little teaching time with the oldest. I get him going on some seatwork and start some teaching time with one of the other two. It pretty much goes like that; me rotating through the kids with a little instruction time for each while the other 2 do some seat work of some kind. We all do our science reading and sometimes history reading together after lunch, and then they break off and finish any activities related to those two subjects. It's really just a process of figuring out how the rotation works the most smoothly! I also had to learn not to be too hard on myself if it didn't fit in a planner... We use what I call a "linear" daily schedule where I have a list of subjects I expect to hit with each kid broken up M-F, and I let the amount of independent work each kid has on a particular day dictate how we rotate through teaching times. It's kind of crazy and I couldn't really put it on paper (other than my Monday through Friday chart!), but it works for us. I hope it helps a little!

I have a 9-year-old son as well as a 7-year-old daughter who are interested in having a pen pal. PM me if you have a son or daughter who'd be interested! Thanks, Heather

If it's all attitude and not a medical problem (like hypoglycemia), then maybe giving her some extra household chores? Hard work can soothe my bad attitudes sometimes!

Both of my former step-sisters were ps teachers. One year, one of them had a particularly horrid 3rd grade class and had to deal with incidents like a child throwing himself into the wall while all she could do was stand in front of the class saying, impotently, "Stop that right now!" She wasn't allowed to touch him, even to restrain him, and she really couldn't get help without leaving this obviously out-of-control situation to escalate. The poor teachers really have their hands tied as far as what they are allowed to do for discipline, and so many kids are not taught to respect authority these days. Some are better at handling it then others, granted. So, it couldbe the teacher, but it could just as easily be a dynamic among certain students. Some groups just create more chaos than others!

Very, very weird, and with misspellings, grammar errors and all, it reminds me of many bank scams I've seen. I would call the authorities if you have contact info for the guy. Otherwise, do nothing.

If you are a Christian and were called by God to do it, then because you are obedient! ;-) (Sorry, that was to keep myself focused...) Because you want to raise thinkers and not test-takers. Because children are precious and you want what is best for them. Because you consider it all joy when you encounter trials of many kids, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Because, if they went to PS, you'd spend nearly the same amount of time each day on homework anyway... Hang in there--you are not alone. I was writing this to myself, too!

We're going to be near Estes Park in the fall! The friends we are going with sent us the following links. Maybe some will be useful for you: Estes Park Calendar of events à http://estesparkcvb.com/calendar.cfm?currdte=10-01-2010 Another calendar of events à http://www.estes-park.com/go/calendar.html Estes Park Things to do…à http://estesparkcvb.com/activities.cfm Estes Park Strolls & Easy Hikes à http://www.estes-park.com/go/stroll.html Estes Park Photo Tours à http://estesparkcvb.com/activities.cfm?mode=listings&listing_cat_id=1591 Bolder area hiking à http://www.trails.com/activity.aspx?area=12619 Estes Park Elk Fest (October 2 & 3) à http://estesparkcvb.com/events.cfm?mode=cat_overview&listing_cat_id=1444 Glenwood Springs à HUGE Hot Springs Pool à http://www.glenwoodchamber.com/ Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad à http://www.durangotrain.com/

Thanks, all of you! He is 9, we all work in the same room most of the morning (sometimes going to an adjoining room if a particular assignment needs extra concentration) and I stay pretty much in the room with them, except to check on the one or two in the other room. The speed tests are not so much of an issue as just general staying on task. He is my oldest and likes to be "in the know," and so is mightily concerned as to what his younger sisters are doing. It really is something that has gotten better as he's gotten older, although we have occasional relapses, and I think I may have had a particularly frustrating day with him on the day of my first post... I'm afraid I've been quite tired and have not had the patience I should lately. I do wish, however, that he would be less concerned about reliving his old lessons with his sisters than doing his current stuff! He's just one that, rather than work through the less-pleasant tasks to get them over with, will spend a lot of time and energy dawdling, complaining, slapping his forehead dramatically, etc. Again, we've made progress, but the first couple of weeks of school each year is like starting from square one--we have to fight all the same battles of the will, have all the same discussions, go through all the same scenarios. I think more than anything I just needed to vent a little... Thanks for 'listening!'

Lord of the Rings--all of 'em Black, White, and Red by Ted Dekker The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers, especially the first 2

Hi, all! How do you all keep your kids focused on their tasks? I have two that are dream students who know what they have to do and just get to it, keeping themselves busy and sometimes even forgettting to let me do the teaching. Then there's the other one... This poor child is more worried about the timer in speed drills than the actual math problems, more concerned with his sisters' assignments than his own, and expends more thought toward the book series he is reading than the assignments he has in school. The exception is, if he likes the subject, he stays "tuned in," but he really struggles to pay attention where it is needed the most! I'm just curious if any of you have a student like this and what has worked for you in handling it. We've tried a variety of tactics, and they all have minimal success... Thanks!

I had a response typed up for pm, but it was a bit too long... Difficult to be thorough in my answer and yet brief. I'll try to abbrieviate, or I can send it in two sections. PM me if you are interested--I don't want to fill your box and I see that you have had several replies already!

I've had several people locally use Care Calendar. It's very easy to use and straigtforward: http://www.carecalendar.org/ I've also used www.lotsahelpinghands.com.

I've got to second judo! It's not a striking art so much as throws and grappling, which makes it incredibly practical for self-defense. After all, if you are in a self defense situation, you may find your attacker will not stay in a convienient punching or kicking range. ;-) Plus, the first thing you should learn in a good dojo is how to fall without getting badly hurt, which has practical application in regular life (bikes, slipping on a banana peel, etc.) As for what makes them different, Tae Kwon Do and Karate are mainly striking (punching, kicking) arts. Akido is a very beautiful art of using your opponent's attacking force against them, but without worrying about efficiency (at least that's what I've gleaned from the very little I have seen). Someone else is bound to be more knowledgeable than me here... Judo is also using the art of using the attacker's force against them, but with the ideas of "maximum efficient use of foce" and "mutual welfare and benefit" holding Judo, rather than punching, etc., consists of throws, pinning techniques, and chokes and armbars (aka "submission techniques," which usually result in a contestant "tapping out" to end the match). The name "Judo" means "Gentle Way," and has appeal to a wide range of ages. My Sensei's sensei is still practicing in his 70s! That is a very, very brief run-through that may be horribly jumbled because I am completely exhausted! Anyway, hope it helps. Check out www.judoinfo.com for more info...

I don't have highschoolers, but I did check out the Visual Link free demo and was very impressed. I've heard geat things about it, so you might want to google it and check it out!

Hmmm... I know it would more than likely be fine, but still... there's that niggling little thought in the back of my mind that, true, a child predator might be working for a company in the shipping department, but they are unlikely to know that you even have children. Someone looking on a pen pal forum posting will not only know you have children, but have a quick and easy way to pretend to be younger and get the address! It's unlikely, and I know I sound paranoid! ;-) However, I did have an unfortunate experience in my early 20s that made me privy to the way certain types of people think. It was disturbing and I am afraid it's colored my "trustingness..." But all that being said, I would love, love, love to feed this desire for a pen pal! I am considering the PO box anyway, just to have a "school" address. So if anyone needs a 7-year-old pen pal, let me know!

Does anyone out there have any ideas or experience helping a child overcome ADD tendencies? My daughter is extremely smart but has such difficulty focusing! Let me say that I will not address it through the medical community because I do not want to put her on medication, and I firmly believe that all children have some potential for an ADD diagnosis. Also, I recognize that as little as 50 years ago all these things were addressed as behavioral and personality traits, and I'm not sure that was a wrong way to go about it. After all, we are fearfully and wonderfully made, right? So we each have our struggles and my job is to help them identify and learn to cope with theirs... <climbing down off my soapbox...> So all that being said, I would love to glean from the experience/advice of others! A classic example of her type of inattentiveness is this: We told her to pick up Toy A and Toy B and put them away. She bent over and picked up Toy A, whereupon my husband said, "And Toy B." She looked down, bent to pick up Toy B and dropped Toy A in the process (not deliberately, but as if it ceased to exist in her mind). She has tons of stories and ideas flying through her mind and is always writing/drawing/etc. But she is never, ever, ever cleaning up behind! At 7, her table manners closely resemble a 7-month-old's, and she is perpetually forgetting things that are important to her as well as daily tasks and chores. I would be interested in trying dietary changes and especially in behavior coaching to help her work on her weakness. I don't really know where to start, short of making her stay within arm's reach of me for several days. . . Thanks for listening and thanks in advance for all advice!

Hi! My middle child has expressed a ton of interest in having a pen pal, but I am frankly hesitant to hand out our address to anyone I haven't met. Does anyone have any suggestions? Perhaps a PO box just for the purpose? Also, would anyone out there have any interest in a 7-year-old pen pal from TN? :-) If there's interest, I will probably get a PO box this week! Thanks, Heather

Thanks!

When mine were that age (and still sometimes) I would make them sit at the kitchen table or whatever room I had something to do in and be quiet. They could do nothing but be near each other and be quiet until I was done with whatever I was doing. It really did cut down on bickering, because the loss of freedom was not worth the fight in the first place! The only exception to this was if I could give them a job to do in the same room I was in. Then they could quietly help me fold laundry or whatever was going on. No talking until body language showed calmer attitudes and supervision by me were keys, and when they were calmer, we would discuss the heart issues behind the fighting, boiling it all down to "treat others the way you want to be treated..." Hope that helps some!