Please help me sort this out. My DS10 plays Y baseball. He loves it and he's getting better:tongue_smilie:, but he'll never be a star athlete -- nor will most of the kids playing youth sports, right? It's about learning teamwork, sportsmanship, etc. Last night we played against a coach who yelled at his team, berated the players, was even screaming as one of his kids was bating, then yelled at the kid for striking out. :confused: My son was pitching at the time. As parents of the opposing team, we were appalled at the coach's behavior. He yelled at the Ump numerous times, etc..... Today, I call the Y and ask to speak to the director. I was told, "He's a good Christian man and nobody on his team has ever complained." So, I'm complaining...my kid isn't on his team, but he's exposed to the awful behavior! And, perhaps the other parents don't care -- I do. This man is representing the Y and teaching children about (un)sportsmanlike conduct. The Y director kept saying "it's just how sports are ma'am" like I was an idiot! :glare: I tried explaining my concerns and that there is ample research on proper youth coaching behavior, but just got the "ma'am he's a good man and his parents don't complain." So, should I just let it go? I'm really annoyed that for 9/10 year olds, coaches are allowed to berate players -- and that my child has to watch it! Okay, let me have it..... I"m a whiny, overprotective mom, right?

6 days? You bet...I might even beg for a few extra days :lol::lol:

I mean this with love and hope that it will be taken as intended --- My daughter who has Down syndrome is "perfect," in my eyes; much more so than my 6 year old spirited foul mouthed kiddo:D. She is also "healthy." She has no health issues at all -- not heart, thyroid, etc. I say this only to educate. Often when I hear "no problems," I know people mean "no disability." Our society teaches us to say we want "happy, healthy children," but that really means "free from any abnormalities at all." And, truthfully, I KNOW I thought and felt that way before my baby girl :-), so I'm not criticizing anyone: just trying to show you another side to comments.

For me, the elephant in the room when we talk about older women giving birth, is often having a child with a disability. Statistically, the odds increase as you get older. That said, I had my daughter (now 7) when I was 31. She was born with designer genes -- aka Trisomy 21 or Down syndrome. I wouldn't trade her or her extra chromosome for anything. In fact, now that I'm pushing 40, I would consider another child in a heartbeat --- if I could be guaranteed the child would have T21 :lol:. So, once my youngest (6) is a bit older, we'll just get on the adoption list for a child with special needs. Having a child with a disability has brought more joy, love, and balance to my life than I ever thought imaginable. And, she's a smart cookie with a sassy mouth! That said, it is something you'd need just to contemplate~~~ and decide how that might affect your plans:grouphug:.

I live in Haviana flip flops in the summer :-)

Wow~~~That is truly wonderful! Congrats to both teacher and pupil! :grouphug::D

Is it our SIZE that makes us so diverse? I mean, geographically we are so large and even our geography is varied, that perhaps it is hard to be unified. The foods we prepare "southern" versus "northeastern" might be because we are in different climates with different locally grown or "caught" foods that lead to different recipes (even clam chowder!). Different music -- the Blues are part of southern culture from playing on streets -- can't do that too often in Maine, kwim? Or California, New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona being near Mexico -- there are some much stronger influences there....etc. We can't forget out "country" is much bigger than most!

Okay, I've avoided this thread, but truthfully, if we discount everything that is considered genuinely American by other cultures -- Baseball, Jeans, and Apple Pie as "americanized," rather than "American," couldn't we do that for ANY culture? Other than Rome, Greece, and China, where were things "truly" invented? Cheese, languages, customs, clothing -- don't they all have their origins in the Ancients in some way, shape or form? I wonder if you can't find "culture" because you are making your definition so narrow? Most Europeans I know have multiple European heritages, even.

I love the short stories, and they've helped my daughter a great deal! The teachers are a bit odd in the alphabet section ;)

I know, but I've listened multiple times and for some reason i hear her saying it....bahhh....I"m losing it!

I think she says the short a say like "cat" and IRAQ??? just seems like a strange word for 3 or 4 or 5 year olds :D:bigear:

It is not bad, just odd for teaching the alphabet. http://www.starfall.com/n/level-k/song-sa/load.htm?f

The Chattanooga Aquarium is amazing. The train tour at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Holiday Inn Hotel is fun and quick, BUT don't stay there. It's a nasty dump inside (icky!). We always stay at the Convention Marriott b/c it's what we get on Priceline ;-). Lookout Mountain is a blast for kids and the views from the top are breathtaking. My kids adore the flag exhibit at the top. We love just walking around the Bluff Art District and the museum of American Art is outstanding! And, there are many tours of Southern History, Native American History, Military History, etc. We never run out of things to do. It is a charming town to visit! Oh: we aren't big Dollywood/Gatlinburg fans, but do take time just to wander the Smokies. They truly are a wonder! And, if your family is up for it, there is no better camping than in the Smokies, imho ;-).

Thank you! This is exactly what I needed. My dd7 needs to see things again and again, and on these, I can even add dots for the visual representations. YEAH!!!!!! The heart site only works for PC and we are a Mac family :bigear:. Thanks all...mission accomplished!

No. I think journals are a place to work out emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Invading a child's privacy by reading the journal would be the surest way to stopping their willingness to engage in writing in journal altogether. So what if a child is in my house? I certainly can never be in his or her head and should not be in his or her journal -- unless I have compelling evidence of danger!

Wow -- even my DS10 thinks this is awesome! We'll be following. Have you considered adding the "followers" widget? I'm sure he'd love to have hundreds if not thousand of followers by the end!

Thank you both...great ideas! I didn't even think of sword fighting/fencing, archery or gun sports and certainly didn't consider games....and he loves games! He's happy to do history, but is a sports fanatic and this would just tie it to something he loves :-). It may take me all summer to pull things together or longer, but these are great ideas! I think I'll start with a wall timeline and start plugging in these ideas and then work from there! Thank you!!!!

Any ideas? Still searching :tongue_smilie:

a site that just flashes the cards with the answers until a child has them down .... just like I do with cardstock flashcards? I just want to try a new way with DD7. She loves the computer and may get less frustrated with it :lol:

Southern US history, I can certainly think of ways to meet his wishes and make history even more enjoyable for him. But, I"m at a loss -- what about between the Original Olympiads and the American early baseball years through the Jackie Robinson/Satchel Paige era?:confused: Any ideas to keep sports thread in his history education to keep him on the hook:D

As an ebay seller, file with ebay and paypal immediately. You never have an obligation to buy insurance, regardless of a seller's claim. We are on the hook, which is why I offer insurance -- hoping people will buy it, but do regardless b/c it's my tush on the line :-). http://forums.ebay.com/db2/topic/Seller-Central/20-Most-Frequently/2000345854

Sorry, Ebay doesn't work like that. In a dispute, the seller is always on the hook. Insurance is never mandatory for the buyer because ebay makes it clear to all sellers that until the buyer is happy -- you are responsible. The buyer will win with Ebay and with Paypal.

Interesting! I have learned about so many new Colleges on this thread...and I didn't even know that ND had such a program. Though, as Purdue alums, that would be hard for us :lol::lol:

Thank you all very much! My ds10 is years away from college, but I have a gut sense that he would love that type of environment - and we are Catholic. But with freshman classes of just 100, wow! Who knows, he may decide that he's a big party school type:lol:, but I doubt it -- that's DS6:tongue_smilie:. Thanks, I'm checking out the suggestions even to inform our current curriculum planning with foundational material that would help build to those materials. And Oxford -- wouldn't that be glorious! Though quite unrealistic for our family :bigear:. Again, thank you! Off to check out the other colleges!

I love the concept! I'm just curious which other colleges take such an approach?