My grandpa had a turkey that would attack my uncle. Never bothered us kids, but wouldn't even let my uncle out of his car!!!

I take care of all that in our house. DH has a rough idea, but only asks if something comes up. He's bad a remembering details though. I haven't lived on my own, only with parents or dh. I have used that excuse for pushy salesmen though, "Sorry, dh takes care of all that stuff." LOL

Bath paints or the things that color the water are less mess than you would think. They wash right off and make a rule that any flinging or splashing of the paints means immediate loss of them. My 6yo likes things that pour, action figures (we have some rubber ones from a cake that are waterproof), bubbles. The other kids have liked the foam shapes, numbers, and letters. Tub crayons or the water coloring tablets have also been big hits.

In my mother's uterus!! Not born til Sept.

That's wonderful news!!!! I have two kids that are almost 4 years and 3 years off meds successfully now!! I know my daughter was very happy to be off the meds because that meant she could do impromptu sleepovers with Grandma without worrying about the meds.

My kids like the little inflatable boats. They are about 2'x3', approximately. That along with a net and bucket will keep them occupied for hours. They use the boat to put the bucket in as the roam the shore looking for minnows, tadpoles, shells, etc. They also use the boat for floating on, jumping off of, and many other things. We usually bring a bigger boat too, but since you said it was for a 5yo. Bring extra rope and you can tie it to the kayaks for the trip to and from the lake, or to the dock while just swimming.

We like Oliver! The musical version. It may not be the most accurate, but it is suitable for younger kids and opens the discussion of how kids were treated in Victorian times, which is what Charles Dickens was after.

Ground them from each other. If they have separate rooms, they need to stay in there and amuse themselves. If they really annoyed you, bring them out at separate times for meals, baths, etc. A day or two of that usually works for my guys. Since we share rooms, I usually have one in my room, two in the kids' bedrooms, and one in the living room, rotated at my will.

Set aside 2 or 3 nights and watch the videos on their website and play around with the program before trying to use it for real.

Mine just asks over and over and over and over until someone pours it for him. Youngest of four, he's getting way to used to being the baby!!

Not seeing it in Firefox either.

{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}} DOn't have any advice, but I can do hugs!!

For the three older ones, I give them a weekly assignment sheet. They know I don't care what order it is done in, as long as some math gets done each day and it is all done before video game play on the weekend. SO if, they want to do math and all history on Mon, then math and all science on Tues, etc, that is entirely up to them.

When the kids were little, either I let them sleep in or the watched PBS in the morning while I did my wake up stuff. Now that they are older, the morning larks start independent work and us night owls sit around and blink at each other for a while. It is usually 10am before everyone is up and running. Those that get a later start, work later. So there is incentive for getting to work, but not everyone's brain is functional that early.

Because of Winn-Dixie Tale of Desperaux

I did it back when my 11yo was 1yo, graduated when he was almost 4. I only had to school oldest and he was 1st grade, so not very intensive. The last semester was the hardest. I had used up all the online classes I could take, so had to take 4 F2F classes. Lucky for me, DH was able to take off one weekday and take the kids to their activities. Mom could take them on the other day, and I was able to get all classes on those two days! You can do it!! Limit outside activities to ones that are necessary for sanity, yours or the kids. Use schedules!! For both you and the kids. If they are doing independent work, you work on your school too. Involve them. I had several classes that covered Shakespeare and Renaissance England. That became our history. I read to them stuff I needed to read anyway, we watched movies (if they were suitable, unsuitable movies became part of date night for me and DH). Multi task. Don't be afraid to bribe the older ones to watch the 1yo for an hour while you study or write a paper.

I give my kids a $ amount that i feel comfortable spending and let them decide if they want one bigger thing from both or 2 smaller things from each. My daughter will often make things or pick a stuffed animal from her collection for special friends, if she wants to add something extra.

I get that quite often!! I usually go a camping trip somewhere new or at the very least a day trip to explore something. If none of that is possible, I plan long trip somewhere down to the smallest detail and read books about other places. It helps, even if I never get to take the long trips due to finances.

My kids liked the Jumpstart games, and the puzzle ones like Freddie Fish, Pajama Sam, and Putt-putt. Cluefinders when they got older, but that starts around 3-4 grade. These are all older games, though so I don't know how easy they are to find. I do know they work on Windows XP and Vista, haven't tried them on 7.

I bought a Gen 2 Touch from Gamestop at Christmas time. It works fine for what I do. If they want newer apps, or camera, they will need to go to a newer version. Gen 2 doesn't have the camera.

Get an EZup and set it up next to the pool on the side that the sun comes from when you are swimming.

I had the German measles as a child too. I have had to get a booster after each child since the titer shows no immunity.

The American Girl movies, The Happiest Millionaire, Anne of Green Gables series, The Great Race, original Annie, These are some that my dd12 likes.

Mine complained up until they were old enough to stay home, then they decided that running errands was the best fun ever!!

My daughter has 2, but only takes them out of the house to her BFF's house. Traveling involves several stuffies instead. More versatile and less likely to be messed up by brothers, plus little brothers will play bears with her but not dolls.