It's too late now, of course, but I think the best thing might have been to just put the letter away and not do anything at first. This was not an emergency situation that needed to be dealt with right then. Advice didn't need to be sought immediately. I don't say this to blame the OP, but just to mention that, in general, it can be good to hold off reacting to things sometimes. Put it away, tell noone and just think about it.

I am shocked, just utterly shocked, that a 15 year-old sent a letter by post. This just blows my mind. More seriously, though, the only thing I don't understand is why it was addressed to Homo Sapien. :confused: I'm guessing she wanted her friend to open it, not her friend's mother.

He's just mad he didn't get the answer! He didn't understand that it was supposed to be a fun guessing game. The fact that it could possibly be a number of things was kind of the point! After I googled it I realized I did just see an article on that the other day, but it didn't help, I still needed to look it up.

There are some good movies on this thread. I don't think anyone mentioned this one: There's Only One Jimmy Grimble It's got Robert Carlyle in it too.

The banning of certain foods due to allergies and soda (and candy if that were banned) wouldn't annoy me at all. Were there a long list in addition to that, it would start to annoy me, but I voted based on the OP, which only mentioned allergy-triggering food and soda. ETA: my son does have soda and candy sometimes-- I just wanted to be clear that I don't ban it myself.

My mom and I saw this a few weeks ago and both loved it! For me, as far as Woody Allen films go, it ranks up there with Radio Days. It's definitely one I'll want to see again.

Nixon, just before he resigned.

John Lennon's murder, I was 6.

Hoarders and bad dreams Thinking about getting a puppy Are you sure you have the space? Adult ADD Long shot: Prozac So I can't sleep... What are you opinions on n*dism? So what do you crave? How old for sushi? Attention Paperback swap people! "I'm not really a book person, mom."

The funniest one to me was the one by "Robby" about his sick grandpa. His reply to the comment made was priceless.

I don't see a problem with it. Not everyone follows a rigorous classical model of education. Plenty of responsible homeschoolers do not do hours and hours of academic work everyday.

:lol: What is an apt punishment for this? For that, I'd say a very small studio with a hotplate and no bathtub. That'll serve 'em right. I'm tired of hearing about Zucchini Bread!! I know, it's all anyone ever talks about anymore! At what age did your night time battles end? Well, as I don't have any room in my daytime schedule to fight, I'd say they will go on as long as there is evil in this world. ETA:For that first one I had to read it three times before I realized it was the word "apt" and not the abbreviation for apartment. So that one's on me, not the OP who wrote it!

Our library seems to take days to check in items, especially DVDs. Almost everytime I look at my account online it says: User is DELINQUENT (yes, in all caps!), when nothing was returned late. They do usually get it taken care of by my next visit (I go weekly). I don't really understand why it takes so long because all they have to do is scan the bar code. Then they can deal with them after that as they are able.

Well I wouldn't want a picture of Voldemort on my bedroom wall either! I'm not sure that's an indicator of the movie being too much for him. He's seen the other movies, so he's seen Voldemort before. Normally I would say 7 is pretty young, but if he's seen all the others and has read/heard the last book, then I think he'd be fine. Movie 6 was freaky with the Inferi. The graveyard scene in the 4th movie is pretty scary too. Battle scenes are less scary in a way because they are further removed from real life (as far as a kid is concerned). I mean, worrying that there are Inferi under your bed is a fear a kid might have, but not suddenly being in a battle. I'd let him go with his dad based on the information you've given.

Need Ideas for using Bookcases for a Pantry Remove books (maybe you can store them in the pantry?) Buying a bike for your kid Awesome, thanks! A 24" would be great. (I know, that one was way too easy) I'm a spreadsheet dum-dum. Help? I never said you weren't! Your insult didn't help at all!

Last: The Pursuit of Happiness, Douglas Kennedy Current: Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It, Maile Meloy Next: Man in the Dark, Paul Auster

My mom and I were at a hotel pool with my son a few weeks ago. A group of rowdy boys (a baseball youth team) came in without any adults. There was splashing from jumping and cannonballs so we moved to different seats--problem solved. I just watched well to be sure they weren't going to bother my son and eventually some adults with the group showed up. A grown man making a kid look at the water splashed on his clothes sounds like an immature one to me. Possibly one who thinks the world revolves around him as well. :glare: I do teach my son to be aware of others though. I am not saying that anything goes in the pool--what's acceptable can depend on who is where, how crowded the pool is, whether there are lots of little ones to be careful of, etc. But an adult by the side of the pool can just move back a little, no? :confused:

I can imagine how hurt your niece felt. It sounds like the grandmother was put in a really bad spot. I have the impression that she was questioning the wisdom of her son bringing his girlfriend to the gathering and he talked/manipulated her into not causing a fuss about it. She may regret that decision and I feel bad for her because she should never have been put in that position by her selfish son. I hope your niece has been treated better since.

Tonnerre de Brest! I can't wait! I agree, Cleo, that Tintin is better in French (as are Les Schtroumpfs and Blake & Mortimer). I'm still excited to see this with my son though!

I can understand the urge, but I think trying to keep the kids from visiting family is more wrong. His anxiety over this can be taken into consideration but he doesn't get to be adamant that your kids never fly when half the family (which just happens to be your family) lives on the other coast.

Well, for one thing, Lorelei sang "I Will Always Love You".

This has been an interesting thread. I don't think the boy in the OP was rude at all. Ragging on eachother a bit is what kids that age do, at least his was enlightening. I am also fairly sure it was done good-naturedly. I doubt he did it the way Judge Judy corrects people's grammar. What bothers me most about this kind of ignorance is that so often people don't just say or think, "I don't know". They instead fill that empty space with some sort of nonsense and are convinced it's the truth. I was really annoyed one time at a museum in Paris (musee du Quai Branly for those who know Paris) where the Great Lakes were marked incorrectly. Lake Winnipeg was labeled Lake Superior! At a time when high-profile individuals are revising history and standing by their version no matter what, I don't think a 9th grader calling some of his friends out on Mt. Everest blowing its top in the U.S. is a bad thing.

I asked because I think a wheeled cart for the bag sounds perfectly reasonable. It might just save their backs! I can't imagine thinking someone pulling their own bag is a spoiled wimp. If my son were playing golf it's what I would prefer. ETA: It's also not anyone's place to question if a child has a disability. What any of us don't know about another person can fill several volumes. I could see someone being certain that my son doesn't have any disabilities but how would they know about his heart defect if we didn't tell them? Why should we have to tell anyone? One more edit: I do think the OP has some valid complaints about some of the parents. I don't understand why parents put that kind of pressure on their kids. It's beyond annoying.

Do you mean a motorized cart they ride in or a wheeled cart to hang the golf bag on so they can pull it rather than carry it?

Me neither, especially considering how the topic came up!