Don't stress. Many kids make that same mistake, especially young boys and Legos. Take him back over to the friend's house to give back the Lego hat and explain what happened. Ground him for a few days from playing outside of your direct supervision and have a good talk about honesty. It will be okay.

I let their respective kids come over to play, feed them and look out for their pets...hope that earns me some points! ;)

Love it! Yeah, you definitely got me there! A UPS driver in the family...swoon! ;)

They both are really nice but I'm quite sure think I am slightly insane and do tend to avoid me while they are in uniform! ;) one of them knows I homeschool and has been known to comment on heavy book boxes!!

Oh, and yeah...they both think I am slightly nuts this time of year! ;)

During this fun season of ordering new curriculum, planning for next year and stalking the UPS driver, I feel an obligation to let you know that my UPS driver now lives next door to me! He's been there a while, but just got the local route so he can be home for lunch, etc. To make matters more fun, my FedEx driver also lives next door to me on the other side!! I love where I live!!! :)

I loved sociology so much that I majored in it for my undergraduate degree! I had a psych minor, so decent exposure to both. I went on to earn an MSSW (social work) and a couple of advanced licenses for private practice after that. Given his interests, I think he would enjoy and benefit from both. It really depends on where he wants to focus. If he is interested in looking more at the how/why we do things as a society, in groups, etc. and how that influences the individual, sociology is the way to go. If he is more interested in the biology of the brain, how society/upbringing/brain function affects the individual, then focusing on psychology is the way to go. IMHO, a good understanding of both is critical, especially if he really wants to practice in the field. HTH.

Praying, Julie!

You did just fine. You protected your child and you were polite. Nothing else you can do...you did all the right things.

My golden retrievers do very well on a Gentle Leader. I highly recommend it!!

I'm so sorry for all that you are going through!! I am in your field (well, retired from your field!!) and I think this is the way I would go. Unless you plan to teach at the college/graduate level, a Ph.D is not necessary to have a nice private practice and is also probably more than you can bite off and chew at the moment. You can do very well with an LMFT if you can manage the study window. The plan at your children's school also sounds like a great way to go and something to seriously consider. Hugs...

I agree with most others...eventually, it will stop by itself due to maturity or social pressures. Relax and enjoy your kiddo! That said, I have one with a major anxiety disorder and for whom it did not stop, even into her adolescence. She changed the shape of her bite, big time. Prior to braces, the orthodontist put an inexpensive, semipermanent thingie in her mouth (great description, I know...I haven't had coffee!) that basically fanned out over her upper palate and made it impossible to suck. Within just a few weeks, the habit was totally broken. I think he left it in there for around six months to be sure, but it worked like a charm and her bite went back to normal before braces (which she would have needed anyway!). She just got out of her full braces and she looks great!

I have a 30 yr old. He started out difficult, stayed difficult through his early 20s but is now blossoming. He wasn't entirely mine...I'm the stepmom...but he is mine, you know? The trouble is, I think the end result is really up to them!! We parented DSS and we parent our others to take personal responsibility, regardless of their circumstances. We teach them to work hard. We try to teach them to love others and love the Lord, and to live by His Word. From there, it is all them. They have to choose their own path. DSS chose his own, and it was a hard one. His early choices affected our little ones, so we had to kick him out. He learned more from all of that, however, than from anything else that we could have done for him. He is a good man now, leading and loving on his family, working hard and having big goals for his future. I am proud of him.

Google senior relocation services. It is a growing field and might be of interest to you!

Praying for you and your family!

Praying for you and your family!

Me, too!

I am so, so very sorry for your loss. Do not allow yourself to feel guilty...you did nothing wrong. Grieve your husband with a clear conscience, knowing that he knew how very much he was loved. My prayers are with your family.

So happy for you! Another thing you might try is implementing a simple praise command that is repeated whenever you want him to eliminate. For example, when you take him outside, say something over and over again like, "that's it, that's it...go potty!" (That's our command phrase!). Takes them a while, but after a few weeks to a month dependent on your dog, they will know exactly what you mean when you say it! Now, my four and a half month old golden retriever will go on command every time I take him out! It is a beautiful thing. :)

Praying for you today. I am so, so sorry.

I am so, so sorry. I cannot..do not...want to imagine what you are going through! Please, please keep posting and let us know how we can help you. For now and going forward, you have my abundant prayers.

I've trained several dogs with bells and it works great! (It's also fun to watch the reactions of guests to bells randomly ringing...they think your dog is really smart!) Combine it with crate training and you have a winning combination. I'd advise you to ditch the puppy pads, though. Especially as a dog gets older, they just train a dog to go INSIDE instead of out. Make out the only option and you'll have an easier time. Oh, and if you feel guilty about leaving the dog in the crate too much, give him a break tethered to you on a leash. That way, he can't sneak off and go in a corner!

Praying! How very sad.

I think it is more important to give him the relaxation, stress relief and "shot in the arm" of grandma's praise right now than to worry about school work. I say let him go.

Twice a day. Six people and two dogs here, lots of scratch cooking. I will put almost anything in there, but still end up hand washing pots or something that doesn't fit in load #2.