I just had to perform CPR on a victim of a massive cardiac arrest. It happened at a restaurant, with all four of my kids watching. It was the scariest thing I've ever had to do in my life. I never thought I'd have to use my very ancient CPR training...not ever. I was wrong. If you've never been certified or have let your certification lapse, please go get certified. Don't wait. You don't want to get into a situation like I was in tonight...the only one who knows CPR, but the training is so old you aren't sure you are doing it right. Something is better than nothing, I know, but how much better if I'd been more sure of what to do! Here's a link for how to perform it, but don't depend on this info. Go get certified, please! http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/first-aid-cpr/FA00061/METHOD=print And, in case you were wondering, I don't know if he made it. They were still working on him when I had to get my kiddos out of there, and it didn't look good.

I have a pretty simple rule around here. If you can't clean up your room/playroom every day in 15-30 minutes, all by yourself, you have TOO MUCH STUFF! I will then be forced to bring up a trash bag and help you dispose of some of your excess garbage... :D

Are you talking about www.flylady.com? It's always free. There's also http://www.motivatedmoms.com.

I use this chart for my twin 5 yr old boys: http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-10136-Magnetic-Responsibility/dp/B00004WHNS One of my favorite things about this chart is that the magnets are easily adaptable to different ages and ability levels. We use simple stuff now, but I've used the higher level stuff with my older kids and it's worked great. For rewards, we're currently using a "treasure chest" full of dollar store items that my kids can choose from when they've reached a certain number of days of actually completing all their chores. Right now, it's every three days since they are very distractible. We used to do it weekly with the older ones. A tip...if you are using it with all your dc, I'd get a separate chart for each one. Doesn't really work well for them to use the same chart...the spots for the smiley magnets (that you put on after you've completed a responsibility) only fit one at a time.

One thing that I've noticed hasn't yet been mentioned is what happens to the boys with this group. In other situations like this (polygamist groups) that have hit the news, once the boys hit puberty they are often forced out of the group as they become "competition" to the older men for the girls. There cannot be a surplus of men and have a polygamist group work out well, so some of the "men" have to go. I can remember stories about "lost boys," or boys forced from these groups in their early teens with little to no education or skills and no place to go. They do not fare well. If this has been going on there, perhaps it is one of the many reasons ALL the children were removed rather than just the girls of "marriageable" age (and I use that term VERY loosely! :eek:). As a mom of young boys, it horrifies me to think about what life must be like for those "lost boys." What happens to the young girls is horrifying, IMO, but these boys are truly "lost" and forgotten. Their plight is often not even mentioned.

I teach my two kiddos at home together, and it is challenging but it works out well. We have a similar situation in that my DD8 (2nd grade) has had some reading delays and other challenges (though she's catching up fast!) and my DS6 (1st grade) is actually gifted and is well ahead of her in reading and a few other areas. What we do around here is basically work them together. This year, for example, we did a condensed year of 1st and 2nd grade phonics and grammar together. This was a good review for DD and sped DS up to her level so I could teach many subjects together. Some subjects they can do almost completely alone, like spelling and handwriting, so when DD needs extra help I can concentrate on her while DS works independently. Other subjects like history, science, art and music lend well to teaching the same subject matter at differing levels (SOTW and MOH, for example, as well as God's Design Series for science), so we do those together and maybe have the kids work on different enrichment activities afterwards. Math is handled completely separately. When I am working with DS on math, DD either does independent reading (get some books below your DS's level for this...it builds his confidence!) or takes a break. When DD is working, DS reads independently...just more challenging books. When things get really tight for Mommy (and there are those days, esp. since I have twin 5 yr olds as well!), they can work together and DS helps DD with her reading. Doesn't seem to bother her...she appreciates it and it challenges her to keep stretching in reading. They really do help each other. And, as far as your history question goes...yes, start DD right where DS is. If you are doing classical, she'll still hit all the time periods on the four year rotation just fine. Someone asked me the other day if they could home school. My answer was, "yes, absolutely you CAN...but whether or not you SHOULD is between you and God." I'd say the same thing to you. If you have a conviction that this is the best thing for you and DD, you can work it out so DS still does well. However, only you and God can decide if this is for you. Good luck!

Oh, yeah! We got a Krups model and love it. I use it every day. It has saved me a bundle on Starbucks! That stuff is wicked expensive. Consider this a blessing and start making your own at home! Oh, and incidentally, we got a $200 model at Linens and Things for only $75, buying on sale, using a rebate and asking to buy the floor model. A pretty sweet deal, there!

We have to name our "private school" here in NC as well...we are officially "Grace Classical Academy." I say make up a name for your home school. Why not? It's done that way in many states.

Glad to know I'm not the only one whose DH bites off more than he can chew...and wants me to help! We started yesterday, and he did most of it. I'm surprised to see that the gravel part is going fairly fast. It looks really good! He did most of it, and was REALLY sore last night. Better today, and we get the day off because it just started pouring down rain! The bark mulch pile still looks pretty intimidating, though! As does the "install yourself" fence he just placed on order! :eek:

a huge truckload of bark mulch dumped onto our driveway! Now he wants my help in spreading it all...um, I think I've got some important home schooling stuff to do this weekend! That, and laundry and ballgames, and... of course, I'll be helping him, anyway! He's such a dollface I couldn't refuse to help him in his "hour of need!" ;) But, geez, maybe he could have chosen a weekend that didn't involve my plans to deep clean the house in prep for his parents to visit next week!

My mom gave it to him for Christmas...from some sort of mail order company. She's in a different time zone...when she wakes up, I'll ask her and let you know! They have several different model types. He has three of them, but hasn't been able to do one without help until now. He's still proud this morning! Your son is a cutie! Edit: I just found a link: http://www.4dmaster.com/product/4D-Puzzle-Toys/educational/Gift-Box/4D-Puzzle-Toy-Education-Cranial-Nerve-Skull-Anatomy-Model-26053.htm

Oh, yeah, I watch it! Just so I can see that other people's houses look messier than mine! :o

:lol:

My first thought was, "wow, a 6 yr old did that?" and my second was, "I'm glad I home school so he can sleep in so that he CAN stay up and do a project like that!" I'm a sucker for kids who stay up late doing school stuff. Slap my hand with a ruler, I know...:D

He gets away with murder with that grin! He's a charmer, and he knows it! :glare:

"Charlie Bucket", my DS6, just came pounding down the stairs here at nearly 10:00 pm. He has a bad habit of sneaking around at night to see what we are doing, sometimes staying up ridiculously late for a six year old...we are always on his case about it. Bedtime is 8:00, but last night he really caught it when we found him sitting on the stairs at 10:45! :eek: He never nods right off...can read and read and read, but 10:45 is just out of the question, even for him! So, I'm about to holler at him, but I'm so glad I held my tongue before biting his head off tonight! He had been up in his room constructing a 4D model of the skull and cranial nerve, and was running down the stairs to show me! A 39 piece minature, working puzzle...and he got it RIGHT! Here's the proud little dude, nightie, blanket and all: And here's a close-up! Daddy asked him if he was tired, and he said, "well, I am now!" :lol:

We aren't dealing with ichthyosis, but with another rare and severe skin disorder. My DS6 has ectodermal dysplasia, and my twins (his full bio sibs) are carriers. Thank goodness they don't have it as well...it's wickedly expensive to treat and not covered by insurance. Prayers and hugs to your family,

BA in Sociology, Minors in Psychology/Bible MSSW- Social Work, Clinical/Administrative Major

Wheaton College, undergrad Univ. of Texas at Arlington, grad

I'm so glad to hear that you are having all the testing done! I'm sure it is scary, but you are doing the right thing. Each possibility will need to be tested/eliminated before you figure it all out. Even if it appears the doc is testing for a brain tumor, at this point you have no idea if that is just a testing hypothesis or reality. Try to remain calm and wait for the test results. I'm sure you will get to the bottom of it! Prayers coming your way for you and your son!! :grouphug:

How sad! Praying here.

I am both an adoptive parent as well as the former director of an adoption agency. With the assumption that you were referring to the adoptive parent rather than the birth parent in this situation, I have to say that you need to have a very frank discussion with your social worker right away. Should they find out after the papers have been signed that you withheld pertinent information from them (on a technicality or not), it is possible for them to decide to remove the child from your home during the supervision period prior to finalization. It can and does happen, papers signed or not. That is a risk you don't want to take. If the child is already in your home and you just found out about the cancer, you still need to tell the social worker if your adoption is still under supervision (for the same reason). Your social worker is going to be leery of the situation, for the sake of both your family and the child. From your perspective, the stressors and your health situation will be considered. For the sake of the child, the possibility of a second loss (of an adoptive parent after having lost the birth parents) will be considered. Some agencies have policies of how many years cancer free you must be in order to place, others have state regs, some will take each situation under consideration. Trust your social worker to do what is best for all and talk with her. Cancer doesn't necessarily mean you can't/shouldn't adopt, but it might mean you need to wait a while. I can tell you definitely, though, that if you don't tell her and she or the birth parents find out, you may have to deal with a removal. Please feel free to PM me if I can help in any way. Having been through four adoptions, I can only imagine how hard this must be!

Yes, do check the other thread. You'll find cyber hugs there... :grouphug:

I have no advice, except this: it sounds as if he needs a medical evaluation as soon as possible. Not to scare you, but it does sound potentially serious and not something to play around with. Take him to your doctor as soon as you can, and let us know if he's okay.

:iagree: I don't think your original post was offensive at all, Beth. I actually believe it gave some good food for thought...at least it did for me. I think the point of the original poster was to come up with ideas that maybe she'd not thought of in order to save money. It's up to her to decide what her own priorities are and whether or not the advice given fits. Every family is different. For example, if I asked for posts on how to save money and someone suggested that I skip church to save on gas, that wouldn't meet with my family's priorities. I wouldn't be offended at the suggestion...I just wouldn't take it. However, maybe skipping organized sports for a semester would fit for us...it was just an idea, not a judgement, IMO. :grouphug: Hugs to you. Try not to let it get to you.