I dont wear sunscreen and I live in a hot place with a huge hole in the ozone. I dont even wear long sleeves a lot in summer. I do wear nice wide brimmed hats, and I do stay out of the sun, generally speaking.

We dont have separate emails because we both do have some privacy from each other. We don't read each others' emails although we could. It feels like a healthy boundary in our relationship. But for others? Sometimes it irks me to send an email to one girlfriend who shares her email with her husband- because if I want to send her a girly email, its not that its anything her husband couldnt read...but I am sending it to her, not her husband. I dont relate to it...but the world takes all types.

Sheltered, in the negative sense, is when kids are not allowed to have enough experiences to expand their horizons and give them the sort of childhood that sets them up for a rich adult life. When they are not exposed to other people enough or the way others live and see life. When the parents keep them encircled only within a narrow band of experience in order to indoctrinate them with their own beliefs. When parents have psychological conditions that keep them reclusive, and they use homeschooling so they have company in their social aversion (I know someone who does that). Of course, most homeschoolers including me appreciate the positive side of sheltering their kids in this day and age. There are people who homeschool for all sorts of reasons, though, and some are not so healthy (in my mind!). I think many of us don't admit how much we homeschool for *us* as much as the kids.We often get defensive when confronted with such terms as "sheltered". But if it touches something...maybe there is something there. If not...who cares what others think? My dh is proud of the fact that he "overprotects" our kids.

Incense, and essential oils- I am into citrus at the moment. I love orange and rosemary oils for the schoolroom. Vanilla when we need a calming influence. I also love to air the house regularly- open it all up to let the fresh air come in. Although in a city, we have pretty fresh air around here and I love to smell the air- the smell of the desert if its an easterly or from the north, the icy southern ocean if its a southerly, the warmer ocean if its a westerly. In the bedrooms I put drops of essential oils on our pillows.

I don't know what you know or how its going...excuse me if I am saying stuff that you already know.... and of course there is an acute situation that needs to be dealt with...however... Tonsils are there for a reason...they are part of the body's immune system. Yes, they can become badly infected themselves...but once removed, there is one less option the body has for healing itself. So while sore throats can be minimised after a tonsillectomy...the sore throat was a symptom, not a disease in itself. The body was not handling infections very well before the tonsils were removed. You may well realise this but fevers are another way the body heals itself. Yes they need to be watched, but unless the temp is very high and for a long time....it's better to let it run its course. Of course every situation is unique and if there is a history of problems, seizures etc...take that into consideration. But generally, a high body temperature kills virus and bacteria. It sounds like your son has a lot of health issues. A lot. Being on several medications as a kid is not a good sign. The body is a self healing mechanism and there is a lot that natural practitioners can do to help the body heal itself. Allergy medications don't cure allergies- they deal with the symptoms- and all medications have side effects. In other words...it looks like, from skimming the thread..you are coming from the perspective of trying to eliminate all the symptoms of your son's various conditions. There is a place for that, particularly where suffering is involved. But if you don't deal with the underlying issues at some point, he will likely build more issues and the suffering will be long term and chronic rather than short and acute. I would get him assessed by a natural practitioner who can show you a different way of looking at his illnesses and treat him as a whole person, not in separate bits. Disregard if you have done all that.

A good natural deodorant is a mixture of good coconut oil and bicarb soda (and you can add a drop of essential oil except that if she is sensitive might be best to leave it out). YOu just melt teh oil (at a low temp ) and mix in as much bicarb as it will handle. It might well be solid when you go to use it...but you ust scrape a bit out and rub it on and body heat melts it. I used that one all last summer and it worked well.

It reminds me of getting advice from a very dear friend. I was complaining years ago to him about how difficult it is to teach my resistant son. He told me about his 2 sons at a basically unschooling school in Canada (cant remember the name of it but it is well known) and how well they have turned out. He strongly recommended I unschool my son- let him find what he wants to learn, dont give him a structured education. His 2 sons however were brought up by their mum and he had no say in their educaiton and little involvement in their life for those years (he has since they have become adults). And..I really did buy it for a while...even though my instincts have always told me my son needs the structure I give him or he just wouldnt learn the basics. Then I realised this friend's two younger children that are part of his life, go to school. So....he is not living what he preaches. So...it reminded me of Gatto. Its very cheap to give advice and another thing altogether to live by that advice yourself and speak from your experience. I did see him talk here in Australia a few years back and I found what he was saying to be very political and abstract and not of much practical use since he was not actually experienced in homeschooling himself. And, he was preaching to the converted. Thats not to dismiss everything he says. I like a lot of it. I just learned to trust myself more and less the authorities.

Waking up with the birds in the morning, well before dawn, and listening to the magpies warble. You would have to hear them to believe how beautiful a sound they make. I never mind them waking me up. Spring- ducklings, sunshine, shedding stuff like sweaters and lots of clutter.

I don't even use my husband's surname so I would not appreciate it. It is a leftover anachronism from a very patriarchal society where women were seen as literally owned by men. Not something I wish to promote.

I homescholed another child for a year. I charged $50 a week plus costs, and the mother was a bit shocked that I would charge that much! For looking after her son all week! I think she thought I was doing it as a charity! So...I am not sure how much you would charge, but check what you could actually get. The kid was the same age as my older child but he had different strengths and weaknesses. I had him do basically the same program as her. The biggest con for me was that this kid was quite emotionally closed to me and it wasnt so easy to "reach" him. He had been bullied at school and was quite withdrawn. I found that a bit hard- he got on well with my kids, but had that really strong divide with adults, wheras my kids are so friendly. We never did really warm together. So, personality can make a difference. Another con was that I always tied our evening read aloud to our schoolwork. Since he wasnt there in the evening...I had to pick something different, so that he wasnt being deprived. That did irk me a bit though it doesn't sound like a big thing...I really relied on that extra 30 mins of read aloud time for our program. The understanding I had with the mother was that it was basically up to my discretion at all times. She didnt have a clue about homeschooling and trusted me. Up to the point where she told me I was being hard on her son for making him read the last chapter of Treasure Island in the holidays because he hadnt finished in term time...and it was the only book I had got him to read all term...and I told her I would no longer homeschool her child if she was goign to undermine my authority with him. It had taken me a lot of work to get him to read that book, it was totally age appropriate, and I needed him to finish the last few pages. She thought I was being unreasonable. So...I recommend that you set some clear boundaries around homework and your expectations and dont sell out to get your students. You need the parents to enforce things like reading at home. Relatives: yes. The boy I homeschooled is my dh's ex-wife's son. He shares a half sister with my kids and they always considered him a "sort of half brother" even though they arent really related. Pro or con: personality of the kids meshing with yours and your kids' personalities. I think Joanne from these boards homeschools other kids, or did. She may well have some good advice for you. I think you woudl have to run it as a business and treat it as such. There is so much room for getting mucked around. I like the idea of running a one room school too but I was a little burned by my experience. In many ways it was ok though - it wasnt the kid that was the issue- it was the parent. Many people told her afterwards how stupid she was because it was doing her son a lot of good to be with me...but she never apologised.

Does a dream count? :) This morning, after reading this thread before I went to bed, I dreamed my 53year old girlfriend was pregnant. I woke up thinking, that was wierd!

It would depend on the personality of the teen and the whole situaiton...but I think, yes, I woudl generally leave an almost 18yo teen at home. We are certinaly getting closer to being more comfortable with that as our kids grow older. Dh and I went to Bali back in February and left the kids at home- aged 14 and 15 then- with a young couple (in their twenties). They had a ball, we had a ball.

No, he does not work "hard" and loves his work. He is not what I would call an easy going personality though...he does get stressed...but more about whether the kids have done their chores, than anything at work. My dh is a big kid. Every day is a big playtime to him. Except sometimes.

Yes, Kindle on Ipad.

Perhaps you are taking too much responsibility for how others enjoy themselves? I am an introvert, but your behaviour sounds like you are too concerned about whether they enjoyed themselves or not.....but ultimately, that is not your resonsibility- that is theirs. If you try to be resonsible for what you have no control over- their enjoyment of themselves...you can't enjoy yourself. If you just be yourself and let them be themselves, and if they dont enjoy themselves, it is ok, because in being yourself, you know you cant really be any better that you are....you will relax. I used to be like that, but for me it was more low self esteem- like, whether they enjoyed themselves reflected on my worth as a human being somehow.

:iagree:

I agree with Laura that people worry too much about protein. There is a current fad about low carb and high protein, but a balanced diet has some of both. It is very difficult to go low carb/moderate protein as a vegetarian without eating a lot of eggs and soy products. My dh is vegetarian, and dd16 and I only eat meat once or twice a week, so we eat a lot of compeltely vegetarian meals, and frequently, partly veg. One thing dd16 and dh do is have eggs for breakfast every day. One or the other of them makes it for both of them..it's a nice little father daughter ritual they have (along with the coffee!). We do eat some soy...quite often I will make a meat replacement schnitzel that dh likes, for him and whoever else doesnt want meat...while I make meat for who wants meat. Making a bolognaise sauce is easy enough for a vegetarian- take out a serve for yourself before adding the browned meat. I often like to eat raw only...so I often just put aside a meal for myself as I make the others a meal. its easy enough to make myself a great salad while making te rest of the family some meat and salad.

Hi Colleen.....I mark my time on these boards by the fact that I joined when you were in the middle of your pregnancy with Kai. The boards were all new to me back then and I remember you well- I remember that it was a difficult pregnancy and I remember you got lots of support here. They do grow up, don't they? It all passes so quickly and then you realise even parenting is just a phase. Enjoy!

Thats beautiful. I hope my kids have fond memories of homeschooling! I suspect they will have fond memories of parts of their childhood- they are very priveleged kids. No, I would not want to be a teen again...but I was not a happy teen. If I knew then what I know now? Yes, that could be ok.

I am 43 and the longing for another child has waned this last year. Before that, even though dh had had a vasectomy and was clear about not having more kids after our youngest (now 14), I had never really let go of the possibility and desire to have another baby. Now....I seem to have pretty much let go of that season of my life and embraced the beginnings of empty nest syndrome (honestly my kids are out and about socialising so much). If some sort of accident happened and I were pregnant again I would embrace it right up to menopause, I think. I know many women who have had healthy pregnancies well into their 40s- even first children. I do wonder if I have been protected from those long term negative effects of pregnancies, by only having 2 kids. I was 27 and 28 when I had my two and it was a good age. Still....my bladder has never really recovered from pregnancy, and neither have my energy levels. So...chances are another pregnancy would really exhaust me and I am being spared that so I have energy for other things.

Interesting, Sandra! I am still filling out application forms- I hope the guy who I spoke to was correct that it shouldn't be a problem. I actually feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders....so this must be the right thing for us too. I am a little sad for dd16 now that we are putting ds14 into school....when I look at the electives. She is a keen artist and the school has a specialist art program- the electives look really great. However....she is very happy about her path through the TAFE system. Good luck with your son. Lol, I had to go check that and yes, the toilet flushed clockwise! Thanks everyone for your well wishes and kind words....I cant imagine I will stay away from the boards. This is quite a unique community. ANd, I have a few months yet till I am offocially not homeschooling.

As a dip for strawberries.

The official recognised treatment for burns here in AUstrala is to put the affected part under running cold water for I think it is 15 minutes, maybe longer. I have never heard of using ice before and I have done several First Aid courses...ice would burn!

I have gradually been picking up more part time work as the kids get older. Yes, the money is great and overall the experience has been beneficial and good. I have one kid who works well independently. The other...not so. I have often had him ask his sister for help when needed if I am not available- and that sometimes works :glare:. Other times I just deal with it as it comes up, give consequences for work not done or done badly...and overall it is ok.

It's Applecross High, Lucy. We are only just over the catchment border and he will be able to ride his bike or catch a bus. I am obviously not the only one who has been through this (thats why I love these boards!). I think maybe its not such a bad thing....I am sure its quite healthy for young men to need a break from mum, as much as it is healthy for mum to get a break from them! And they need stimulation from other people. I would have preferred online or correspondence highschool...and that is my next choice if the highschool falls through....but he is not keen on that and he is not a self dicsiplined learner- no way could he do open uni. He is one of those kinesthetic kids and I think I am just too abstract for him...and, online schooling woudl be better than me teaching him in some way- to be accountable to someone else....but, we filled out the application forms this morning for brick and mortar school and he is ecstatic about the electives he can do...woodwork, metalwork, and lots of sport. He needs this and I couldn't give him those things. And...he doesnt have to do a 2nd language! Thanks for the positive vibes, guys. And yes, I would like to write a book!