One day you will write a book and we will all buy it for everyone we know and you will be having us all laughing and crying with you and your sweet, compassionate, funny self. And you will retire on the earnings and tour the south of France/Caribbean and live happily ever after, singing Wesley hymns into the ears of unsuspecting ladies who needed someone to step up and help them not be afraid. And by then, just think of the stories you'll have to tell. I just love you. Sniff. :grouphug:

And what about the Exxon Valdez ruling? I'd like someone to check the courthouse water supply or something, just to make sure no one's gotten to them. I know people who lived the aftermath of that spill and they've been, pardon the expression, reamed by almost every court who heard this case. Even with attys from the corp on record as saying they'd drag it out as long as they could (specifically against a little enforced law which dictates that a big org not get away with steam-rolling) because even with fees, they were making so much in interest on the amts they'd been originally ordered to pay out they didn't care -- and they figured the "little people" would cave before the corp. The little people didn't cave, but the Supreme Court did take away the interest Exxon owed on the original amts ordered and with the refund they set up with the "Seattle Seven" they won't even feel the amt they'll have to pay out. Puke. And folks wonder why anyone would get twitchy about "big business?" :glare:

My son's was made for him by ladies who've volunteered with the local Project Linus group. The only expense to us was for the aquarium rock to weight it. If anyone here has a nearby therapy unit through a local hospital/university they're likely to have similar resources.

Boo to the (inexperienced, graceless, rule-bound) lifeguard. Go over her head, kindly, and get a doctor's note if you think that might help (it probably will -- it's magnificent for dealing with airport security). But above all, WAHOO little man! :D

One on one eval done? I have kids who test badly but don't have trouble with the work, far from it. Evals reflect a more realistic picture for certain kids. Many evaluators are also well qualified to discuss solid recs for curricula and learning styles based on what they've seen in your kiddo -- toward the goal of getting your kid to test in the mainstream, if that's indeed possible. I wouldn't necessarily swerve away from Saxon, but it's great that you're paying attention and looking for answers. Sounds like you've got a kid who is a puzzle, not like you're doing something wrong. :grouphug:

was fine until visits with dad -- far away, overnights with the new honey. She explained later that when I didn't come with them for the visit she thought it was because I didn't love them anymore. :001_huh: Poor kid. She's had the hardest time with sleeping, often seeking out me or a grandparent in the middle of the night. Snuggles and stories in her bed before prayers and tucking in have helped. Leaving a nightlight has been a must, making as small a deal out of the whole thing as possible has really helped. She also likes to listen to Jim Weiss' Goodnight stories -- they help her settle and really rest well. HTH and I'm so sorry. As hard as it is acknowledging a split and the loss involved, dealing with sadness and anxiety in the littles makes me wanna kick someone. Obviously I'm still suffering from a surplus of righteous indignation..... :grouphug:

of theirs, you're probably okay. :) We had it when a friend brought her kid from daycare, without handwashing, played in our play-dough and didn't tell us when hers got sick. :glare: (We would've tossed the play-dough.) My then littlest, at 9 mos, had it the worst. A fever of 103 that wouldn't go down for anything. In the ER they thought ear infection, because her ears were red (inflammation) and so we had antibiotics that we didn't need, so she and I passed thrush back and forth for a couple of weeks. (Rowr) It was horrible. My oldest, then three, had it and was pretty thumped by it too. I contracted it (nursing?) and had the fever, chills, hand, foot and mouth pain, and it lingered. A week later, when a driver nearly took us out in an intersection, the accompanying rush of adrenaline made my mouth, hands and feet painful all over again. So did running on the treadmill. :001_huh: Best of luck. You'll probably miss this one, though. :grouphug:

I wanted to say that I also love you for even asking! :D I'm going to think about this and will likely come back with more. The first couple of things that come to mind for parents -- in foundational terms, before one even gets to curriculum issues -- are: 1.) Ask lots of questions, even of seemingly unlikely people. The best resources for information (and commiseration) are often those who at first sight have no good reason to be in the possession of anything applicable to your kid. Take notes of the answers given. 2.) Be not afraid. Whether it be a (potential) diagnosis, an unknown therapy, or something (like psych help) that seems enormous, daunting, and rife with society's presumptive labels, be brave. Suspend your paranoia. Get over it right now and first thing every morning hereafter, if need be. Your child needs you to be willing to deal with what is, not what you wish you had. Your child does not have time for you to get comfortable with their issues before you act. Take your blinders off, set aside your preconceived notions. You can do this. Be of good courage. Create in yourself unflagging courage, optimism, resourcefulness. If you find this catastrophic and need counseling or meds in order to make this happen, do. not. hesitate. Again, you and your child, indeed your whole famly, do not have time to sit around while you reassemble your marbles into a complete set. Part of "handling things well" will mean that when you need to fall apart, you do so. Thoroughly. Temporarily. Then you will choose to carry on rather than wallow or be thumped into inaction by fear. 3.) The best advice I've ever received is: a.) to trust my (informed) gut. Parents will know their children best and will strive to provide what's best for those children. b.) Modify everything as needed, shedding guilt as you go for not completing things as set out -- by guides, authors, etc. c.) Ignore naysayers. They'll waste your time and suck away energy that you already don't have. I have wondered if there might be a way to create a compendium of useful classical ed "things" for particular disabilities, learning styles, or special needs. In Q's case, his needs will be so huge (in part because he's likely to remain mostly non-verbal), that thinking about types of curriculum becomes a walk in the Twilight Zone. There remains no doubt that he's a bright little guy -- relationships/people are his thing, he loves to turn pages when read to, he's trying to make the "b" sound (unprompted) when eating blueberries, he obviously gets a kick out of the kids' memory work and Latin chants, even trying to join in with OPGTTR vowel and consonant rhymes ;) . It's just that he has little of the usual methods of communication at his disposal. And how does one teach when one can't be sure (at least in a typical fashion) how much is making an impact? I think it would be lovely if you could include a list of resources as obscure (?) even as Assistive/Augmentative Communication devices (Prentice-Romisch is one company, Dynavox is another), or Ablenet.com, for example. Support groups' websites would also be useful. Suggestions from parents might be good -- for example, I have one child who memorized multiplication tables while walking up and down the stairs, the Gettysburg address while circling a chair in the middle of the family room. (Of course, an exhaustive list wouldn't be appropriate.) There are two purposes I can think of in including something like this. First, a list of such things would likely be useful for those who are just beginning to face an overwhelming situation with a child, but who wish to use classical ed (the more tools the better). Second, it is all too easy for people to get lost in the particulars of their own lives. Seeing a list of such resources, which most parents will never have to contemplate using (thank God), would, I think, have the effect of reminding us all to be grateful for our own problems. This principle is quite useful for me every day :D and such a list may well be appreciated by all sorts of people, even those who wouldn't anticipate it. I hope some of the above is useful. I'm going to ask a friend who has special needs teenagers to weigh in here as well. Thank you again, madame. (And for signing my book at WHO last week. It means a lot. The poor thing has now been carefully placed on a high shelf. :) ) MB

Way to go, madame!!!! I just, I just, I just..... I don't know what to say! But I'm standing and applauding. Really. You are awesome. :)

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

any medical personnel? Do you have a nurse line with your insurance co? I think given this episode, I'd keep liquid Benadryl on hand in case it happens again and make sure that you're eating and drinking well. (Not that you weren't.) How very scary for you, the mom! :grouphug: What a great trip you've undertaken!! I hope the rest of it goes well for you all.

A Murder for Her Majesty was a little much for the littles here so we mostly read it while the littles were in their piano lessons. In order to keep the interest of the biggers, we often RA poetry/verse or short, very old, stories of morality :D at bedtime. Everyone gets something out of Now We are Six, even if the things they grasp are all different. But when you're staring down Shakespeare and stuff, the littles either have it soar right over their heads or become rather disturbed by the themes. This is a good time for Letter Factory or DK dvds or books on tape in their bedroom(s). Because, c'mon, how could they just read Shakespeare to themselves? Ya have to discuss it, IMNSHO. ;) Bottom line: Don't worry about whether or not the read-aloud "gets" everyone's attention. Provide coloring books on the floor while you read and the one who needs to hear it will, the other will tune out or ask questions because of what you're reading. Worry only if the themes aren't in some way appropriate. Otherwise, one of the biggest benefits to having your kidlets at home is precisely this multi-age make-up of their educational pursuits, frustrating as it can be for the mama. :)

That is too funny. :D I've come to refer to the shirt on inside out episodes as the reversible days. So tomorrow, see, you can turn the thing right side out and wear it again! What a labor saving way to wear your clothes!! She definitely goes to church from now on.

:iagree: That bizarre spelling thing makes me crazy. Shudder.

But hugs and prayers for you all. You'll get there, but it takes so very long for the very sensitive kids to sort of grow new skin over these emotional owies. I have one who told me at 7 that, "I'm a very sensitive person! Some people, when their feelings are hurt, just hurt in their hearts, but when my feelings are hurt, I hurt all over!" And she does. Thank God she can be articulate about it, because the enormity of certain things around here would sink her otherwise. My boy that feels things deeply and holds them in could benefit from her willingness to talk it out..... Anyway, all that to say: You're doing what you need to. There are good resources at your local library for talking to kids about loss, but you're really, really already doing a lot. Your little guy needs those hugs and talks, but mostly (now) time and maturity, to be able to process his sadness the "rest of the way." Blessings on you for being in the thick of it with him. And more hugs for the both of you.

I'm really enjoying the "tag lines" or whatever we're calling the quotes placed in the signature line area. You all are such smart people and witty! I'm constantly reading and thinking anew on familiar subjects or snorting with laughter -- sometimes both at once. I'm planning to steal your lovely thoughts and use them mercilessly. (heh) I'm a bit of a quote junkie. :tongue_smilie: One question: what is up with the cheese themes? Or am I just homing in on cheese quotes because I am also a cheese addict?

I noticed the same thing. Perhaps one of our children, afflicted with parents' who enjoy having their rights, should correct his fallacious thinking. :D

Waving to Colleen! Mebbe she could come to WHO? ;)

So I might be tightly scheduled then, I'm not quite sure yet. Family in town, schedule not yet set, yadda yadda. But I really want to come and see everyone, so everyon should plan to be there. Thus sayeth me. :D

out of touch. :D Somebody show me where you get the neato emoticons!

Good thing you ladies posted. I'm still too *something* to have caught that on my own. Somebody try again and see if I'm capable of catching a joke! :D

to you what format your child uses to receive his/her education? As in, are you dedicated to homeschooling, would you use a charter or virtual school? If your kid needed something from a local parochial school, would that fly with you? Why or why not? I finally got around to reading the middle section of last fall's Mensa Research Journal (yes I'm slow -- I have a backlog of reading to do) as I was on the plane home last night (after delivering the kids). It strikes me as significant that one of the writers discussed homeschooling as: "...the practice in which the education of children is clearly parent-controlled or parent-directed (and sometimes student-directed) during the conventional-school hours during the conventional-school days of the week." I guess I'm thinking about certain conversations which I've overheard in which those who aren't homeschooling 100% on their own, without the benefit of any organized school/teacher's assistance, are viewed somehow as "impure," if you will. Thoughts, please? I'm working this over in my head and would love to know what all you brilliant people think.

Are you going?

Let's say that your eight year old was making drawings for the photo album you're planning to fill with the kids drawings and pictures of the kids for them to give to their dad. Included in the stack of 4 x 6 pictures she's drawn are these three: one of mom and dad, side by side and smiling; a drawing of a tree with mom, dad, and kids names, titled "The Family Tree"; a drawing of a heart, also with same seven names, titled "The Family Love." Knowing that there exists a strong likelihood that they would not be met with what you find to be helpful response, would you include those drawings in the album or just put in a few more photos? Tangentially, when one finds on the floor pages of "things" written by the children about the OW, what does one do with them? After talking with the kids to help them process their feelings, after stomping on the papers when all are in bed, then what? A file folder or a big bonfire? And to what end, either of those?

she had the magical cocktail of Ketamine and Versed. If any of my children were ever to need a VCUG in the future, they would have that same combo, or general anesthesia, or I'd be dead. I would never under any circumstances (except life or death) consider that procedure without enormous pain meds plus the handy-dandy "forgetting" meds. This speaks to good touch-bad touch and a whole lot of other things, IMO. So there's my two cents. Best of luck.