Not really. Vaccines might activate some genes, or turn off others. And there is still so much unanswered. One thing- why is the rate of autism so much higher in the last decades, and getting higher? Just because they learn more doesn't solve the whole riddle yet. There's a long way to go yet for that.

Afternoon rests. Holidays (our holiday structure works well for us- same as Aussie schools- 4 ten week terms with 2 weeks of holidays in between, 7 weeks off at Christmas. ) Finish early afternoon, start early in the day. Pace ourselves. Dont stress on what doesnt get done- focus on what gets accomp[lished. Stay caught up on basic housework or take a day off every now and then to catch up. A messy house brings me down. Take time to smell the roses and enjoy the homeschooling process. Sit in the sun, do school in a cafe and drink chocolate, take opportunities you couldnt take if they were in school like field trips, short holidays etc. Make the most of teh homeschooling lifestyle. Make sure you do what you love- what excites you about homeschooling- regularly. FOr me, its the reading aloud to the kids and talking with them- so that is scheduled in every day. Our favourite part of the day.

I am a child of divorced parents and it was rough for me but I tihnk it coudl have been much, much easier if: my parents had stayed more focused on the kids and less on their new marriages; I had been taken to proper counselling for my depression (not the local doctor who just put me on the pill!; I knew more kids who had divorced parents and so felt less ashmed of it. All things that were doable. Dh and I were separated for 18 months and I honestly dont think our kids were too damaged, if at all. They had lots of access to both parents. Lots of open communication especialyl about feelings, neither parent *****ed about the other to the kids...we were friendly with each other. I dont think it has to be bad at all, especially if both parents are involved and trying. It gets bad when the parents themselves dont handle it well and dont communicate well, or one parent opts out...all sorts of awful scenarios happen. But its ok, it doenst automatically mean kids are goign to be damaged in anyway that is permanent. If they can be given space to feel, express and let go of their emotions...they can heal through most things.

Dh and I use doctors for tests and diagnosis and access to facilities...but we remain repsonsible and assertive and do not give up our power to doctors. They are human. Their knowledge is not wholistic. They are great for some things, but not generally for health. I wodnt go to a doctor expecting them to help me get healthy. I would go asking for a specific test or to pick their brains on something. Doctors are given far, far too much status in our society.

Yes, but only parts I guess. The toilet has a timeline and various quotes. The bathroom has quotes. The main living area has 3 large desks, computers, bookshelves, maps on the walls etc- The dining room has another computer and ds's workboxes- he schools in there nowadays. Other parts of the house look like other things- I have dozens of glass bottles, dh has a room filled with both buddhist and hindu statues and paintings and paraphernalia, as well as lots of armour and vairous other medieval things. Our main entrance has a huge quan yin statue. People usually comment more on the spiritual things- the Buddhist statues and paintings etc- more than the homeschooling stuff, but once you get to the main living area, the homeschool stuff becomes pretty obvious. Our home is very homely and full of many beautiful things. Many peoplecomment on it. We buy it all 2nd hand.

There was misinformation about eggs many years ago. The information has been revised. We eat eggs every single day. Dh is vegetarian. Dd and dh have eggs every morning, I have them frequently, and often cook with them.

I have never taken kids to paediatrician. I never would answer a questionnaire like that. I understand they deal with a wide range of clientelle and they are probably trying to cover all bases from the most promiscuous up. As if an 11yo would answer truthfully in front of their parent anyway? I would tell them that is completely innapropriate. I dont do things just because it's someone's policy, thankyou very much. Don't give your power up to any authority- none.

Once kids are indoctrinated with school culture- around here anyway- they learn that loving and being close to your parents is uncool, and hating them is pretty cool. My kids told me that after they had homeschooled for a while. So school - the culture, the institution, no one in particular to blame- actually drives a wedge between kids and their parents. I tihnk its meant to- it's meant to keep parents working and kids brought up as new rats for the system. I remember when my kids used to come home from school in the afternoon it would often be an hour or two before they clicked into "home mode" and because really loving and open with me again. They went into a certain personality to survive in school, and it took a while to wear off at home. I personally feel it is this adjustment kids make to school that makes parents feel alienated from their kids, and the parents don't realise that if the kids weren't at school, they would be much closer to them. I was the same- can you not relate to them at all? I was concerned that, my being an introvert and all, I would not be able to handle being around my kids all day every day. I homeschooled nevertheless and discovered that because they were "filled up" on attention they quickly because quite selv contained and not needing me all the time at all. But people don't know that. All they know is that once kids hit the school system, something changes, and it's never the same again. They put it down to kids just growing up, but it isn't. Of course there is also the issue of mothers needing a break. I did. I was frightened to homeschool at first because dh wasnt supportive, but also because I so looked forward to having my kids away for a few hours every day. I needed a break. I didnt realise I coudl have one while they were in the next room or at the shops with dad or on a homeschool excursion or in the evening after they went to bed.

I would just follow all the normal channels that other people follow. I know a hs young woman who is the only hs person to be accepted into our state's top university, and she got into their music program. Connect the Thoughts have some advanced music programs. http://www.connectthethoughts.net/upper--arts.php?course=21548 They also have an arts curricula for those considering entering a career anywhere in the arts field: http://www.connectthethoughts.net/upper--arts.php?course=22213

Sure, I am committed and it looks like we are going all the way through. DH and I never wanted them to go back to school, at all, and were always prepared to do what was necessary to make sure they could finish school at home. There has always been, however, the openness and willingness to change directions IF that seemed like the best thing. Neither dh or I want our kids in the school system but sometimes life does strange things.

Ever since I found TWTM, we have focused each year around a history theme- Ancients, Medieval, Rennaissance, Modern. For me, the theme provides enough cohesion- it determines what books we read for Literature, and our history erea which is fairly central to what we do. Withink that broad structure, I will pick and choose, and often change, curriculum and approaches throughout the year as feels appropriate at the time. I am fairly free flowing. I don't mind changing curricula if it seems like a good idea and still fits within our general theme and overall goals. If it were jsut my dd I was homeschooling, we woulodnt have tried so many things, but dealign with a son with dyslexia and learning challenges, has led me to try many different approaches over the years and I dont regret it. So for me, I dont have a goal not to change curricula- I have a goal just to meet our overall goals and to stay within our yearly historical era. That's about it. This year is the first year I dont think I have changed curricula at all.

I never put restrictions on such things- never had to. Dd got interested in make up maybe around age 12. I have never felt any need to try and control these things, because that would just create even more interest in the forbidden. It's no big deal. Make up isn't equivalent to underage sex and isn't likely to lead to it or any such thing. I think people get fearful so unecessarily. It's fun. It's part of the fun of getting older. It goes along with wanting to look pretty and be attractive. I think in most normal healthy young women of pre pubescent or pubescent age, this is a natural development and in our culture, makeup is one expression. I just spent $100 on my dd16 for her birthday yesterday- on make up and hair products. We had a lot of fun spending an hour in the cheap makeup store (we couldnt have got much makeup if we we bought organic, for that money, and she really wanted a few things so I swallowed my standards and enjoyed the process). If instead of getting frightened of our daughters' blossoming sexuality and maturity, we celebrated it with them in appropriate ways, we could make these years a lot more intimate and beautiful and enjoyable with them, and prevent all the shame issues around their bodies and love of themselves that are so prevalent in our society.

DH's famiyl is local- we only catch up every few months though. Its best that way :001_smile: My family however live on the other side of the country and we only visit every 2-3 years and yes, I definitely consider it a holiday. My mum is a wonderful hostess- you know, I wouldnt like to live with her or anything, but she really has a wonderful knack for looking after us all for the few days we visit. Great cook. She is not a difficult person for me to be around for a few days and since I see her so rarely, I value it. My brother and dad live a fair way from mum, and my brother has 6 kids and we LOVE visiting them and their chaotic, happy family. They have a separate guest space. They barely change their routine when we arrive and we kind of just have to blend in with their family- and we really love it. Dad and his wife..well, they are a little more challenging but we dont stay with them, we just make a few visits. All in all...we make it work for us, and its just me and the two kids who do the visit every few years and we have a great time. We make sure we spend half the time with my brother and his family because thats where we have the most fun! But the rest is good too. I think because I left home at such a young age (16) and havent lived near my family for my whole adult life, they really value me and make sure I feel welcome. My brother, who has lived closer and been more involved, has a lot more "issues" with them than I do.

We learned that particular fact, when crocodiles were seen halfway down our coast at Ningaloo Reef, when they normally stay up north around Broome. When there are certain ocean currents that flow down the coast, they occasionally come down on them as far as Ningaloo- a very beautiful tourist spot with beautiful coral reefs, and where crocs definitely upset the tourists!

Some sort of anti hystamine? I have only had hives once in my life. I had young kids. I was incredibly stressed out. Marriage difficulties. Just plain not handling things. I made ratatouille and although those vegetables (potatoes, capsicum, eggplant and tomato) don't normally upset my system....it triggered horrible hives. The cure in the long run was dealing with the stress. I dont even remember how I handled it in the short term. Good luck...

I take spirulina- it seems to really help my system a lot and I have tried many different things for iron. Floradix tastes yummy but does nothing for me- I always feel I need to drink half the bottle. However I learned early on that I cant stand the taste of spirulina- I take the tablets. I take 20 at a time though- they are 500gms each so I take 10grams at a time. Not sure how to translate that to U.S. speak though :) It sounds like a lot of tablets but they are quite small and easy to swallow- and soooo much better than the taste of the powder, and I am pretty good at powders. I like barley or wheat grass powder and will happily mix that into orange juice. But not spirulina.

All skin conditions (except an outright rash related to poison ivy sort of thing) originate from an internal condition, especially relating to the liver. The liver is our detoxifier, and if it struggles, toxins are expressed through the skin (that is a simplification but generally true). In naturopathy, you go to the liver and help it along if you want to deal with skin issues. Considering all the trans fats and chemicals in our modern diet, (and how they affect the liver) and the quality of many people's diets...yes, I would say it is definitely related to our modern day environmental and dietary conditions. Not to mention stress which psoriasis is very related to. I think we are chonically stressed in our society and that has a profound affect on our systems too.

I think underneath you need to respect their own opinions and life perspective even if it differs from yours. Ultimately, respecting them deeply, even if they really think differently, is more likely to make them respect you in return. I know you were smiling while you wrote "brainwash" and I certainly understand the desire to make sure one's children make intelligent life decisions...but I think my job is to help my kids to think for themselves, not to think like me, and to be what they were put here to be, not what I want, even if that is quite different from me. If you just want a more subtle way to manipulate them...I cant give it. If you want to have a better relationship with them...you have to really accept them as they are and let them know you do. The side benefit of that is that they may respect your ideas more. When I want my kids to hear my opinions, I tell them straight and I am not subtle about it at all. But my opinions are not facts, they are opinions- they know it, and they feel accepted enough that they can hold a contrary opinion to mine , express it, and still feel loved. It's all pretty much up front.

There are 3 main nutritional groups- carbs, fats and protein. You need all of them. Balance carb intake by upping your HEALTHY fat intake- avocados and olives are good but there are many other sources- and your protein intake. Do you try and go low fat? Low fat people often end up carb addicts- it is endemic in our society because of the low fat movement. Fats make you feel satiated- full- so you stop eating. They are important for the brain, for lots of things. I agree the trick is also to rid your diet of anything white.

I wouldn't punish a child for failing, personally, but it could be a time to work out what is going on, why, and making adjustments acoordingly. If she is genuinely struggling with the concepts, what good does punishment do? Has she been taught how to study? Is this an outside class? Yes, dh and I have different standards- he is not academic at all and he leaves it all up to me. He realises our kids are very different- one bright, academically capable one, the other struggling with dyslexia and not academically motivated at all...and so we dont hold both kids to the same standard. In fact, we don't really hold them to any standard- we just keep on keeping on and expect them to do their best. I do feel outside activities are important- they are to my kids and I have never restricted their outside activities to get them to do better on their schoolwork. They are homeschoolers- they need the outside activities. However, I have also always tried to make sure our lives are in balance, and everyone gets enough sleep. It is normal for parents not to agree on things. You havent shared enough details to really be able to comment on the reasonable/unreasonablness of your dh's or your approach.

Not healthy by my standards. To me a healthy meal is one that is predominantly vegetables and at least some raw vegetables. Not that there may not be meat/grains/dairy but the meal would be based around vegetables rather than the meat defining the meal. It would generally involve salad or at least more greens like broccoli. That doesn't mean we eat like that all the time, but that's just my version of healthy. My kids would love your meal though! DH would too except he is vegetarian and the meat balls woudl have to be some sort of vegetarian alternative.

Hi Stacey- I really understand your dilemma- not sure there is an easy answer except to be vegan. My body is not ready to be vegan, so I eat organic raw milk from pastured cows (which is actually normal still here in Australia) and I eat some meat when I crave it- ideally from organic free range animals but in reality, it's not always. We have a great organic shop quite close to home and it has made picking up the raw milk or the organic meat much easier- it is expensive though! Dh is strictly vegetarian but digs his head in the sand when it comes to dairy. He won't drink my raw milk, but is happy with normal pasteurised milk, cheese etc. I just try to base my diet on fruit and vegetables, mostly raw but more cooked in winter, and keep meat and dairy to "extras" rather than staples. But, if my system handled being vegan, I think its a great way to go. If you are managing being vegan but feel like you may not be getting enough nutrients, I can recommend about 10gms of spirulina a day. I can go much longer without meat if I keep up my spirulina intake.

I tend not to censor too much. Do you have boys? Chances are they wont be as grossed out as you are! Grimms and other classic tales are notorious for being pretty graphic and violent. You know your own children- if they can handle it, I personally dont worry about it- my kids are not the super sensitive type. If they were, I would withhold that which disturbed them until they could handle it. As teens, my kids read all sorts of things. My son just read The Kite Runner which has a graphic and disturbing sex scene in it. As far as I am concerned if as teens they are happy to watch violence in movies, which is pretty normal, and they do- they can deal with it in books. I dont censor much at all, and I am not easily grossed out myself. I am currently reading aloud an Australian book to my kids and it has sex scenes in it which I skip- and I tell them I am skipping them. No big deal. If I handed the book to them, I wouldnt cover them up or anything. My dd16 read the Clan of the Cave Bear series a couple of years ago. Yikes, after she finished she told me there were SO many sex scenes in there- I had completely forgotten! Anyway, I really think they can handle it. They handled fairy tales as little kids and they handle adult literature as teens. It can lead to lots of conversations.

The thing is, most people who have no interest in chickens wont even open this thread, so its not necessarily a respresentative poll. I love our chooks- we have 3 at the moment. One died a few months ago. It took me a few weeks to notice there were 3 rather than 4 since the kids feed them and take care of them. Apparently one died and dh disposed of it and didnt tell me because he doesnt want me to go out and buy any more. But he knows...I will.