I've used zip.ca for a couple of years now and am happy with it.

When my kids ask about MIL, I just suggest that they ask dh since he talks to her. Keeps me right out of it.

Stretching, icing, and rest worked for me.

We've booked 4 days at Rossland starting Friday. I'm getting worried.

The Muppet Christmas Carol or the Veggie Tales Christmas movie. My now 13yo ds loves them both.

We do a narrative of our year - organized in a report card sort of way but with no marks, just the highlights of the year as I see it. I add lots of photos and attach any certificates (karate, swimming etc). It pleases the grandparents to see a "reportcard", reveals to me how much we've really accomplished, and will serve as a good momento of these years.

He went, he survived, he even apparently looked like he had fun. All his team was glad to see him despite his reservations. However, dh commented on how many kids greeted him in the hallway. Ds didn't even notice. Perhaps the process of noticing (or not) what you expect to see that Pamela spoke of was taking place here. If dh hadn't been there, ds would have never known that all those kids spoke to him.

I just finished practically throwing my 13 yo ds out the door to go to an soccer team lunch at the local high school. He was determined not to go because he feels like an outsider and I was just as determined he go because he loves soccer and will want to play again next year. Not going to this will just make going next year harder and reinforce that ''unsocialized" homeschooler stereotype. I sent him with dh who knows all the coaches etc so it shouldn't be that painful once he walks through the doors. I hope I did the right thing. And while I'm fretting about this, I'm reminded how often I feel weird, different, etc and how often my friends make the same kind of comments. Maybe feeling different, alone etc is the human condition and is just way worse in high school. This is the hardest part of parenting for me

Does that mean that I should be grateful that the mice in my house are still alive? :glare:

On a coffee table - hidden by a newspaper. Or in a bedroom, on the floor. Happy hunting.

Dd (16) feels "different" than her peer group. She says that's a good thing and I think she's right. I'm sure though on lots of days, it doesn't feel like a good thing. I think also that at that age, it's normal to feel different and left out. It's easy to blame it on homeschooling. My 13 yo ds and his other homeschooled buddy were being bullied at soccer and we moms assumed it was a homeschool issue. Apparently not - according to the coach all the Grade 8s were being bullied (and the coaches dealt with it well). I just keep reminding them (and myself), that this is a short season and that life outside these years is much different than life in a high school setting. I find it difficult as well so :grouphug: to you all.

My 2 good friends and I fill each other's stockings just in case dhs don't. I've also been known to put something special in mine myself - just in case.

I'm with you. Enough already.

They both ended up regretting it. In both cases, the girl's peer group was so much older that the younger child wanted to behave in ways that were inappropriate for their maturity level ie dating. Neither girl had academic problems but the social problems were huge.

I listen politely and change the subject SAP

So what works for him is something like this. The rule is that we shower and wash our hair with shampoo every ......

One of his coworkers thought that maybe people were not buying "things" but were still eating out. And perhaps just reducing costs by drinking water rather than staying home. I was just surprised because for me, eating out is the first thing to go.

Dh just returned from his monthly visit to Silicon Valley and reports back that the streets and restaurants seem to be busier than ever - no feeling of economic trouble at all. His company is laying off 1500 people and there have been other similar announcements but it doesn't show on the streets. Is he missing something or is the mood truly that confident?

Ad I wish you had not mentioned it at all. :glare:

I think that's the hardest part of parenting. :grouphug: to you and your ds.

I don't think it's weird at all that ds wants special attention on his birthday.

I've had acupuncture for tendonitis and knots in my back.

I specialized in International Political Economy, learned Chinese and worked in international trade. Other classmates worked in the Public Service. Now I'm an advocate which doesn't really require that kind of training. I LOVED my education and draw in it constantly but by itself, it lead to too many high paying jobs.

If it was my adult child moving home, I'd want to have a frank talk about adult responsibilities in a family. I've seen kids think that being an adult in a home means not being responsible for helping out or for letting people know what they're doing - things that most adults assume is common courtesy.

We were in a nasty car accident and when I told my 12 yo ds to get out of the car, he started asking questions - not good. We did some serious work on doing what you're told in those types of situations without question or comment - just react.