Your children are 5, 4, and 1 - correct? Have you gone out to play with them? Like someone up thread said, you might need to train them. With my dd(4) I had to invest the time outside with her, play with her on the playground, in the sandbox, play pretend games with her for a while. Now when I send her outside she always has a game to play.

I watch a little boy during the day that is just your son's age. My rule with him is we only play with guns (real or pretend) at the house. I don't worry so much about who / what he is pointing them at as they frequently take turns being the bad guy / big bad wolf / monster, but after getting some looks at the library when he started pretending he had a gun in his pocket, I put a stop to gun play outside of the home.

I've read Read Aloud Handbook and Honey for a Child's Heart - I prefer Honey for a Child's Heart. It spoke to me, while the Read Aloud Handbook just seemed like a list of books.

I have been spending a lot of time researching and reading and planning and solidifying my educational theories and methods to follow. I am now looking at math and wondering... what is the best way to teach math to truly understand and master the concepts? I was initially sold on Singapore, because students test so well after using it, but I've come to the realization that I don't give a darn about testing. I want my youngest to truly understand numbers, to be able to play with them, etc... So deos that mean Singapore is the right program for us? (and yes, I do need a program) MEP? A combination? Someone please guide me - a non math person who is just beginning to understand herself that there is a difference between rote math (what I and my oldest learned) and truly understanding numbers.

Either, so long as the language is not simplified.

I am looking for a book recomendation for fairy tales and fables. I would like something that stays true to original story line, with beautiful language, but with pictures. I have a copy of the Blue Fairy book on my Kindle, but I am looking for something a little more picture book-ish. TIA

The not doing what they say is certainly a problem, especially as the children get older and can be disapointed. Is it possible that part of the problem is wanting your parents to be a certain kind of grandparent, and they are not? I know I deal with that with a family member, I expected much more of them based on my experience growing up, but that's not who they are, so I had to reconcile my expectations with reality.

Thank you for this.

For schoolwork - I don't count it as done until it is done right. If that means doing it three times, then that's what it takes. After about a week of that, it finally started getting done right the first time. Also, schoolwork in our house comes first. So I have to check off that it is completed before my oldest can leave for anything - work, activities, friends, etc... That keeps her motivated to get it done. She actually manages her schedule now, so when she knows she has something to do she will work ahead. I only have the two listed (plus one bonus child), so this might be more difficult with more children, but it works for us. As far as attitude, I just don't accept it. The quickest way to lose a privledge in this house is to give me attitude.

:grouphug::grouphug:

MEP Reception is a math program with little to no writing.

I think that if her own son stopped speaking to her, you should stop answering the phone. Don't even entertain the thought of letting her see them at Thanksgiving. Is there any reason to believe she has changed? She obviously only puts herself first, so why allow her to set your kids up for that hurt.

Also, remove references to "in my old church" so that you are not dismissed as someone who just does not like change.

Yes, just tickets to the party. If you're not going to the party then you need regular tickets. If you have party tickets entrance is allowed starting at 4pm, even though the party doesn't start until 7pm.

1. God wants a cheerful giver - so give what you can with a cheerful heart and then go from there. 2. If this church has different beliefs than yours, is this the right church for you? 3. The 10% rule was created at a time when the church took care of orphans, widows, etc... which the church does not do anymore (yes they help, but they are not solely(sp) responsible, the government does more), and for that reason I also focus on giving to other arenas. 4. Also, giving of time is another consideration - if you feel you cannot give 10% of your income, can you give some of your income and some of your time? I know in some churches (especially small ones) the giving of time is of equal importance.

Depends on who's asking. Family would probably get a smart remark about how we're anti-social. Others would probably get a blank stare (I have a tendency to not care what others think).

Another thought - is your dog getting enough exercise? That will help. As the others have already pointed out, this is his herding behavior showing up. Your son has not shown dominance, so the dog is dominating him.

:iagree: The Sunday School class my youngest currently attends actually taught her bad behavior. Her teacher is the fun, much loved teacher of all the kids - because they get to run around the room, throw things, etc... My dd was actually afraid to go to class for the first month because of the behaviors, and now likes to go so that she can run.

:iagree: As a person who has lived in either suburban or country areas her entire life, areas where most people wouldn't consider overtly dangerous - and has had to use a weapon to protect her family 3 different times, twice from people - I will never give up my right to arms. If that makes me ignorant or whatever else then so be it.

Even vaccinated children are getting it, so that's no guarantee. As a matter of fact, it was the fully vaccinated child that got it, and the not fully vaccinated one didn't.

The little boy I watch had it, he was fully vaccinated. Neither of my DDs nor I came down with it. I have never had a booster, 4yo dd has not been fully vaccinated, 17yo dd had been fully vaccinated with booster.

We just finished a round of whooping cough that sounds identical to what you are experiencing - Coughing without the whooping sound but ending up in vomiting. According to what we were told by the health department, yes they are contagious, and will be until after three days of antibiotics. If it is whooping cough he needs to stay home until he is no longer contagious, otherwise, just go based on his strength / needs. In our instance cough medicine was not helpful for not coughing, but the dr did prescribe some with codine for the pain of coughing. Start compiling a list now of who he has been in contact with since the symptoms first started, as they will want to notify others that have been exposed. In our case, as soon as the diagnosis was confirmed the health department took over the case and did all the contacts, etc...

Funny! :) In case it makes a difference in your responses, I'm not talking about stories or pretend. I'm talking about things like going to the bathroom, flushing the toilet (minor) to trying to get someone else in trouble (happens a lot).

Is it normal for a 2/3 year old to fib / lie a lot? He is caught telling one almost daily, some that make no sense and some that are doozies. I'm just curious if experience would show this to be normal and I was blind to it in my own children or what.

Now THAT'S a smart phone.