I'll have to ask my husband when he comes home later. I have not heard him mention it before but I will ask anyway. Here in western New York public teachers have been skewered by the media a great deal for a few years now, and poor hubby's nerves are raw. My husband and I always talk about how to motivate students to learn. He told me about "explicit instruction", where the teacher is required to say, "today we will learn about blah blah," and write it on the board.

That was a close call! :lol:

I do that too. Right now I have a blank white wall in my living room and have been thinking about what pictures and frames to use for it. I will probably spend another month thinking about it before I go ahead and buy anything.

She looks just like her! Right now I am wishing I had a girl so we could dress up and play Little House on the Prairie. I used to pretend the space under my desk was a fireplace and i made cornmeal mush.

I love reading about Jane Goodall or reading books she has written about her life.

I can't login in either. Maybe I will try later in the morning and see if they fix the problem.

One of my boys was like this, to the point where I was utterly completely exhausted, and is still kind of like this, but the situation has improved immensely. It started at age 2 and now he is 8 1/2 and seems to be outgrowing it. He used to be completely contrary, would not do anything he was supposed to, even if it meant punishment, even if his twin brother was begging him to cooperate. I researched ADD, ADHD, and ODD. Sometimes I felt that if I didn't medicate him soon, i would go crazy. Friends and doctors gave me discipline advice that totally didn't work. Life has been a great deal easier lately. I don't know what happened. I started homeschooling last spring, but I'm not sure if that's a factor. I had to homeschool because he was getting into trouble in school and I could barely get him to school. Would not get out of bed, would not brush teeth, get dressed, put on shoes, go to car, get out of car. everyday battles. I think he likes our change of schedule. No morning rush. He gets to study interesting things he likes. Or maybe he just would have outgrown it anyway. I'll never know.

My husband is going to laugh so hard when i show that to him later!

That sounds really good. I will try to watch it tonight if my kids will go to bed. I really like documentaries.

I've given up on this. I have too many other battles too fight. Last I told my 3 year old to take his finger out of his nose, he told me that its ok because his nose is empty.

I feel very sluggish. We are doing a lot of field trips this week! Today we watched a video (Liberty Kids), listened to book on tape in the car (Wind in the Willows) and hung out at the Aquarium for a couple areas. I think it was a good day.

I think aquariums are great because all the bedding doesn't get kicked out. We have a pretty wire cage and bedding goes everywhere. I had to put cardboard walls along the lower level to keep bedding in. I found one of those cool plastic cases with tunnels and stuff at the thrift store. The boys put the gerbil in there for a little while everyday for fun time.

Awesome! I can't wait to show my teacher husband when he gets home.

I didn't know that Fairmount Avenue was a series. I have one book and now I will look at the others. Thanks!

We also go to the pet store to study animals. We talk about what different animals need in terms of care (for example some need heated tanks). Last trip the sales person let the boys hold the turtles which they really enjoyed.

We loved it but I couldn't read the end when Charlotte dies. I kept getting all choked up. I told the boys I was probably going to cry but was going to plow through it anyway. They told me they didn't want to see me cry so we never finished it.

I find the most awesome book recommendations here. Right now I am reading Magic of Realty and Persuasion.

I love tator tots.I bake them. I never had them as a kid. I tried them a few years ago and thought, "these are yummmmy!"

Just finished shoveling. Now I can sit on my butt for the rest of the day. The boys are out playing now.

I want to shovel for the mailman and for UPS, but I am afraid that with the wind blowing snow around it won't make a difference. Yesterday it was spring-like and this morning it almost looks like a blizzard. Glad I stopped at the store last night for milk and bread.

I guess he'll be ok by next Friday. He looks tons better. Still a little sore.

That is so cute. I can picture my kids just salivating the whole time. "Mom, can we eat it now? Please? Now? Now can we? Mom?

Twin ds 8 elementary ds almost 4 preschool

Margaret in CO, that sounds terrible! I'm glad we just have a minor thing here. Baseball mom, fil actually brought over the sour warhead candies. Ds has been sucking on them.

Yes, actually the doctor mentioned salivary gland infection. Whatever it is, I don't know how long to keep ds at home.