I'm looking for a book that covers how diet affects the mind. Something like Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder or something similar, BUT I need it be available for download through Audible. :glare: Anyone have any suggestions? Most of the research I've done and learned has been through herb and nutrition books and online, and my education has been pieced together and not due to one or even two books. The above book is the only one I can think of that puts the information together in one interesting and readable book. But I know there's got to be more out there.

It's a nice thought, but I strongly advice against this, especially since they don't seem to have a great relationship to start with. Oftentimes, this kind of thing seems a good thing at the moment, but later causes heartache.

Thanks, ya'll!

My dh brought home a bunch of 12 oz Gatorade bottles from work...the problem is, the expiration date is April 2011. They're all sealed and never been opened. Do you they're safe to drink?

Have you ever read Sometimes the Magic Works by Terry Brooks? Even if you're not writing sci-fi or fantasy, I highly recommend it. I found it very encouraging. Getting rejections is just part of it...keep at it and I'm sure it will be worth it!

Thank you for starting this thread. My dd is slightly older and will likely be having eye surgery this year. She's 5 now; she may be 6 by the time the surgery happens. I've thought about it but haven't discussed it w/ her, and I've wondered how to help prepare for it.

Thanks. That is very enlightening.

Can you share more about this? I'm not familiar w/ it. I like shopping @ Kohl's, too, but only because I seem to find the best deals there.

Okay...did a quick a browse through their Best Prices and it does look promising! There were some great deals, and I like that I can get free shipping to store so I don't have to make a special trip to hit the store during their sale hours. :001_smile: I'm definitely going to be watching JCP to see what kind of deals I can score when I need things. Thanks for the info ladies!!

You guys had me hopeful, so I hopped over and checked out their site. It still sounds like sales gimmicks to me. :glare: Their site says: Everyday Prices - Our regular prices which are always great That's your opinion...let's see if I think they are really that great Month-long Values - Even better prices on the things you need now Sounds like a month-long sale...really nothing new, is it? Best Prices - Our lowest prices always happen on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month. While they last! Another sale...reminds me of Kohls Power Hour specials This is just another attempt to boost sales. :confused: But if their prices will beat the deals I get at Kohls with the power hour sales, %-off coupons and "cash" back, then I will absolutely shop JCP more. I DO like the set times for the special sales...makes it easier to plan. It seems like I'm always shopping for clothes...at least one of the kids needs of something. :glare:

To the OP, not sure if this is what you're looking for, but... This Day in Baptist History by David L. Cummins is very interesting. It is not a curriculum. It's actually more like a devotional. There is a short reading for each day of the year and it covers what happened on that same day (different year, obviously) in Baptist history. It could certainly be used to supplement a history curriculum. There are actually three volumes of this. The author has done extensive research into Baptist (Anabaptist) history. I believe he used a lot of source documents in his research. It is a very interesting topic. Also, I'm sure you could contact him for some more information, resources and/or recommendations. I've actually met him. This (Baptist history) seemed to be a passion which he very willingly shared about. He was a very approachable.

The mouthing off is nothing entirely new. I think to some degree, that's part of being a kid. It's just that lately, for whatever reason, it has become more than an occasional gaffe. It's become an unwanted norm in his conversation. Yes, impulse control is an ongoing issue. I believe he does have mild ADD/ADHD, which has been evident since he was little although he's never been diagnosed with it. That does affect how I handle him, which is why I liked the very direct approach of holding the tongue. It's communicates on so many levels that what he is doing is inappropriate. I did look up some more info on the coffee, and the effects seem to be related to the caffeine content. Ds15 doesn't like coffee, but I could probably get him to drink some caffeinated herbal tea (green tea or a blend or something). I'm going to look in to it. Thanks for suggesting that! KidsHappen, your advice may be helpful for others, and I appreciate your views, especially as a mom who's already been through these years and has adult children. I really value that kind of input! But I can't ignore it. His behavior is hurting his siblings, and I cannot tolerate it anymore. Redirecting and verbally correcting hasn't worked. I need somthing more. And FTR, it is usually NOT a spat between two siblings. It's unprovoked attacks by him against his siblings. He really has developed this know-it-all attitude and evidences this by inserting his comments into everything usually in the most insensitive way. Spats between siblings are a different matter and are handled differently, although I really liked this [below], and I might start using it: I have to admit, I really liked this [below], too, but I'm afraid that ds15 might actually find this demeaning, as opposed to holding his own tongue. :001_huh: I might use it for some of the other kids, though.

:iagree:, too.

Thanks. I was just trying to explain and clarify. I hope I didn't offend you. :grouphug:

Although ds is not an aspie, this does sound similar. He doesn't mind being alone, and while he'll recognize that what just came out of him mouth was rude/disrespectful, he'll forget about everything we've just discussed the next time it comes up.

First, The problem w/ ds15 is that he doesn't respond well to verbal corrections or explanations. Now, the other kids do fine, I can reason and explain and verbally correct and have them "try again" and it works. But not with this son. After the fact, when confronted or when we have discussions, he feels bad and realizes how he was wrong. These talks go very well and I come out thinking, "Great!" But when it comes down to it and he is "in the moment" it's not enough to motivate a change in him. Yes, holding your tongue would be unpleasant and uncomfortable, but abusive? I don't see that. :confused: My ds15 would not be horrified at. all. He would be inconvenienced because he would not be able to continue with whatever activity he was doing previously. He would not be embarrassed in the least. I agree that he's at this age where he's almost a man but still a kid, too, and that puts a different dynamic on how to handle these kinds of problems...which is why I'm looking for ideas. It would be nice to not do anything physical, but I see no other alternative with this child. Talking just doesn't work. Removing privileges works only until he regains that privilege. It doesn't motivate a lasting change. What else is there? BTW, when you say physical, I assume that you would also be opposed to push-ups, laps around the house, etc.? Second, I'm hesitant to have him do something for his sibling because I want his focus to be entirely on his own actions and not be a reminder that it's *their* fault. He's very good at passing blame in his own mind, even if it isn't true, and I don't want to give him any room for that. (Sometimes one of his siblings does provoke him, and when that happens I correct them, too, but most of the time, he makes these snide/snarky comments in an attempt to make himself look smarter when his siblings haven't done anything. :glare:) Third, I'm not so much looking for punishment as training exercises. I need something that can be implemented every. single. time. he spouts off and fails to control his tongue. I want to help him retrain what has become a bad habit. I don't think limiting his peer activities and such will work for this.

IMO, I think it can be both. I think of natural consequences as something that reflects how the real world works. Logical might also be natural, but it might be something that just makes sense in a a+b=c kinda way. Like the push-ups idea. Or this one... I like the idea of not doing favors, etc, because it does certainly make sense, but ds is very much an "in the moment" kinda kid. His impulsiveness is a major part of this whole issue. So, I think something more immediate would work better for him. What do you guys think of this: Everytime ds lets his tongue roll without controlling it, he has to stand and hold his tongue for...say, a minute? (Obviously, without a screen (TV, computer, etc.) in view.) The idea would be if you can't control your tongue mentally, you can at least do it physically. I like the sound of that. :tongue_smilie:

Yeah, this is my ds. I'm tired of the attitude and the younger ones are picking up on it, too. :glare: Pointing it out to him isn't working. I really think he doesn't *get it*, but after the umpteen times I've said, "It's not what you say, it's how you say it," and "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all," and "That was rude [or not nice]. Try again," I'm begining to think it's become a willful ignorance that needs more than words to push past. :iagree: This is it exactly!

You guys are great! You've already given me some good ideas.

Ds 15 is getting bad about throwing insults, especially name-calling, toward his siblings. I'm constantly calling him on it, so now he's trying to disguise it. For instance, instead of saying, "You're stupid," he'll say, "That was a stupid thing to do." :glare: (That's just an example. He usually finds a more creative way to insult rather than use something so obvious as "stupid.") It's not allowed. He knows this, but he's 15 and really pushing his boundaries. I'd like to find a logical consequence to this, but I'm having a hard time coming up with something. Anyone have any ideas?

Several posters have talked about the negative reception by others in regards to severe allergies. Not just negative, but boarderline hostile. This is what concerns me. How do they expect to enforce this kind of ban??? I was just having a conversation earlier w/ another mom about how some people just have absolutely no clue about boundaries. They do not consider where/when/if they are hurting others. They are only concerned about themselves. Thankfully, IME, these people are in the minority, but in a whole school, there isn't one selfish parent that is not going to defy the rules and sneak something in? And what about the child that is just being selfish and immature and doesn't understand what he is doing when he sneaks his favorite snack into his backpack or pocket? How can they ensure this will not happen? That's what I don't understand about this ban. I read these articles, and it's as if the ban will solve everything, but I just don't see it. :confused: Do these bans really solve anything or do they create a false sense of security? I like the idea of having epi-pens available just in case, for first time reactions. For those that know they need them, they should have them on them or on someone else who is always present.

Serious question: Is this the fault of the pencil or the sharpener? I've always thought it was the pencil not having the lead properly centered, so I've been buying expensive pencils! But I also got a new sharpener about the same time I started doing this...so which is it? :confused:

I substitute vension for ground beef all the time. I don't alter the original recipe EXCEPT when browning the meat. Venison is VERY lean. You will get almost NO fat like you do with hamburger when you brown it, so you'll want to add a tbsp or so of oil into your pan before you start browning. (Keep this in mind if you're making patties, too. Venison makes great hamburgers if you mix it with a little ground pork or even ground pork fat. Otherwise, it tends to be very dry. I save the fat trimmings from pork roasts for just this reason.) IME, venison also tends to contain more water, so it takes longer to really brown it. I think the flavor and texture is better if I cook it until all the water is gone, not just until the meat is done.

Well, your goals are pretty much my goals...but you're meeting them! So kudos to you! I want to see a 3-5 lb loss per week, too, but I haven't been able to keep up with that. Thanks for the motivation!

Wow!!! Four arms! :D I'm impressed! :lol: