Praying for you all.

Too long. And boiling will also break down the proteins in the broth and make the nutritional value much lower. Toss it.

This is an interesting thread. Regarding your original question, and now having read the whole thread, it sounds like normal things that many 2 yo enjoy doing along with Mommy or Daddy during the day. My children did some of those things as part of their play at that age. You also clarified that you don't call them "chores" and that you do these things together. Certainly I would never expect children to just "remember" chores. I would not do well without a daily reminder list of things to do myself!! During their growing up years, my dc learned to all indoors and outdoors chores at various ages. I have full confidence they are prepared to take care of their own dwellings/land someday. Having said that, when they began high school, I began volunteering to "take chores back" from them. While they still helped when needed/asked to, I wanted them to focus on their academics and other activities. It turns out that both of them had very ambitious goals, and a lot of time was required for them to build many credentials that would open the doors they aimed for. They weren't sitting there eating bonbons while I cleaned the bathrooms! Given that they were both appreciative and hard-working, I was happy to resume these responsibilities. Gently...there is a bigger issue here..I think one of the things you may want to spend time thinking about is the fear you seem to indicate regarding what your family members say about how you are choosing to raise your child. This is just the beginning of your journey, especially if you decide to homeschool Junior. If unsolicited/rude/inappropriate comments are going to bother you, it seems that you need to decide to either get to the mental place where they don't bother you...or strap in tight for a bumpy ride for the next 20 years. And get used to being stressed out a lot. When my dc were young, I was amazed at some of the things that came out of people's mouths. I decided not to let those negative comments bother me. I just politely disagreed, did not get sucked into a debate about decisions that were mine to make and not other people's, and above all, did not feel the need to justify my family's decisions to others. What was also amazing to observe is how some of the more outspoken individuals turned 180 degrees on their opinions as my dc grew up and they saw how they "turned out." I am sure a lot of the older moms on these boards have had the same experience. So with the benefit of hindsight, if I were you, that is the issue I would suggest you and dh come to terms on; over the years, it will become much more all-encompassing than just Junior's "chores." HTH!

I would consider getting a B.O.B. (Body Opponent Bag), which isn't a bag at all, but a more realistic replica of a person (without arms). It stands alone, is height adjustable and very durable. We've had ours for a number of years and it works great for children ages 10 up to adults who are very big and tall like my ds. It also has a more realistic feel when striking or kicking than a heavy bag does, and allows the added benefit of learning to target your strikes and kicks. Have fun!

Quest Bars. Espresso beans. Walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans. Whole grain english muffins with a jar of almond butter. And plastic knives. :)

Just some encouragement to you, OntheBrink, to try Brazilian JJ! It's awesome :)

Set your clocks ahead five minutes. I started doing this when my children were little. It works great.

Each child is different, and of course if his pain gets to be an issue, I would use that as your gauge, most importantly. But when my children were young, they each went through a "I want to write with my opposite hand" phase and they didn't even have a broken bone! It worked just fine. Things might not have been quite as neat, but it was a fun time. Likewise, I had significant surgery earlier this year that rendered my entire right arm, hand and fingers completely useless for over a month, with a few additional months of limited mobility. I learned how to write left handed, and pretty much do everything left-handed. I was slower, granted, but necessity indeed is the mother of invention! If you make it a fun adventure with learning to write and seeing how many things he can do left-handed, the three and a half weeks might just fly by...

Yes, both of my dc (dd 17 and ds almost 19) like to do those things and anything else adventurous and outdoors. However, we were never able to find a one-stop shop for all those interests, despite the fact that we too, live in a mecca for outdoor activity. It would have been so much easier if one group could've provided those opportunities! It was tricky finding friends of like mind... Hiking, camping, leadership, flying/soaring and survival stuff was through Civil Air Patrol. Swimming in rivers and waterskiing was through some friends who had a wonderful boat and were close to a river. Rock climbing happened regularly at a couple of awesome climbing gyms we have nearby, with two neighborhood friends tagging along sometimes, as well as someone they met at work. They also met good climbing buddies just by spending time climbing at the gym. Outdoor rock climbing has happened on vacations. DD was involved in Venture Crew for a short time and went snow skiing with that group. DS is now at USAFA and is constantly doing amazing, adventurous outdoors stuff with friends whenever he has a free moment. So far these activities have involved water, snow, mountains, mud, rocks and much more. :patriot: DD is busy exploring bike and running trails in our area, and continuing to do many of the above as well. It was/has been challenging but it's possible...try finding just one person to do one thing with and from there, it might snowball. The greatest challenge was juggling schedules with availability that overlapped. Also, not all of these things happened concurrently. The waterskiing/river adventures ended when...our friends got rid of their boat. DD found CAP to be more fun than Venture Crew, so she is doing that now. And maybe if your son is able to (depending on his academic goals), think about attending a college where not only will he get what he wants to educationally, but also where it is easy to do lots of those outdoors things and where many student clubs are based on those interests. Wish I had an easier answer for you.

Chiming in on the summer seminar topic...applying for these certainly can't hurt, but if you aren't accepted it isn't a bad thing, nor is it an indication that you won't get an appointment. DS was not accepted to summer seminar. But it turns out if he had been, he would've had to choose going to summer seminar or spending two and a half weeks being a peer mentor in an immersion program for his foreign language (because the dates conflicted). He would've chosen the peer mentor slot, as hard as that would have been, because he had received input from ALOs that would result in more application points than summer seminar.

Back in the spring, I mentioned that I would post "lessons learned" on the Service Academy process, based on my DS's experience. Now that DS has completed BCT(Basic Cadet Training) and has begun his academic year at USAFA, I am ready to do this! :) Hopefully this might be helpful to those of you out there who have children with Service Academy aspirations. As a point of reference, my DS applied to USNA and USAFA and received appointments to both. DS also mentored several young people who were also interested in the Service Academies during his last semester of high school. He compiled some thoughts in writing and was willing to let me share these with you all. So, I will list these items by topic, first sharing DS's thoughts, then adding mine as a parent. 1. Academics DS-Grades, GPA (weighted and unweighted), class rank and especially SAT/ACT scores are of extreme importance to USNA and USAFA. A large percentage of your "Whole Candidate Score" is based on these standardized exams. Definitely start taking these tests early in high school. I took the SAT three times in high school, starting in 9th grade, and I improved my scores each time. Also, take the hardest courses you can (Dual Enrollment-DE, IB, AP, Honors) and get the best grades you can in all of them. Do your best to earn straight A's! While not necessarily mandatory, it really helps. Mom-Keep academics your number one priority. Period. DS owned this priority. If he had conflicting activities, all of which were good ones for USAAFA/USNA, the question he always asked was, will this compromise my academic performance? Schoolwork always came first. (It does at USAFA, too). According to a USAFA Admissions counselor I spoke with a week ago, USAFA does not even look at the composition part of the SAT. However, the essay(s) that are part of the application process are scrutinized as representative writing samples. They also superscore--take the best scores from each section of the SAT across the tests you took. They also do like to see a recent SAT- within one year of application time. For homeschooled students, they really want to see DE classes. While AP classes may help boost your GPA equally, the DE performance also shows the ability to succeed in the classroom environment more than an online AP class. One of the things I remember my son fretting about is that he did not have a class rank. While we are registered with a national umbrella school (PM me if you want details) that issues transcripts and diplomas, there is no class ranking system. So if you have a class rank, great. But my DS didn't have one and in the end, with his other qualifications, it didn't matter. 2.Athletics DS-USNA and USAFA want all applicants to be strong, fit athletes. If you are in a school, participate in multiple sports teams and try for leadership roles (captain, etc.) Individual sports can be great too - in fact, none of the sports I did involved formal "teams." Besides actual sports, work out on your own. Especially focus on the activities that are part of the Candidate Fitness Assessment (an important part of your application). These include running, pushups, pullups, situps, shuttle run, and basketball throw. Look online for specific instructions on how to do each of these according to CFA standards. For example, the basketball throw must be done from a kneeling position. You can find very specific guidelines for each activity, as well as the benchmarks to aim for. Train throughout high school. Mom-Being super fit really, really helps going into Basic Cadet Training (BCT). DS took his independent training very seriously. He learned a lot about how much he could push himself and what he was capable of doing on his own...while making sure he rested enough to avoid injury. This skill transferred well into BCT. He was used to pushing himself long before cadre ever got their hands on him! He went out to CO two weeks before BCT so that he could train at high altitude and adjust some before beginning BCT (we are at sea level). This was a marvelous decision on his part. He was not sick from the altitude like many other basics who hadn't allowed that time...even ones who came from mid-altitude regions. We saw them retching on the Tzo ("If you're going to be sick, go over to the grass!" was the cadre mantra. :) )DS has shared (with all humility) that he was surprised to find out that other basics had decreased their training after receiving their appointment. Those basics had a much harder time in BCT. Yes, there is a balance. DS was cognizant every day of not doing ANYTHING purposefully that might medically disqualify him between the time he received his appointments and I-Day (inprocessing). Furthermore (yes, this is still Mom), if you aren't involved in team sports, choose sports that would be seen as an advantage in the military...specifically, the martial arts. Taekwondo, kickboxing, krav maga (hand-to-hand combat), judo. Even if you can get a year or two of training... that shows strategic effort, provides great all-over-body conditioning, develops speed, balance, flexibility, power/explosiveness, and offers opportunities for leadership (you usually teach as you move through the ranks). Best would be to achieve at a high level in one or more. DS is at an elite level in one martial art and an intermediate level in another. He also has teaching experience in both disciplines. 3. Leadership/Communication DS-Stuff like Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is great! Promote as fast as you can and get on staff as soon as you can. CAPalso offers many opportunities to rack up lots of volunteer hours. Try to be a leader in as many different activities as you can, without compromising grades. Student tutoring, sports coaching, summer camp leadership, and martial arts teaching are all activities I participated in. Also, apply for the summer seminar programs at the service academies you are interested in. These won't necessarily give you application points, but they will familiarize you with the academies so you can get a first hand look. Contact your ALO or BGO early, just to establish a rapport. I had early conversations with both of these individuals; it was a year before I applied, but I established that brief first contact. When you call, ask intelligent questions, not ones that you can easily find the answers to with a simple google search. Take Public Speaking at the college level if possible. This will help you in your interviews! Also look for other opportunities to speak in front of various groups. While you're doing all these things, also work if you can manage it. My work also gave me great real life experience, and leadership as well. Mom-Plan out your leadership activities for the last two years of high school. Even if it isn't completely specific, at least you have a general roadmap. For example, DS knew he wanted to be a math tutor, but we weren't sure how that would flush out. As his DE coursework progressed, he found out about opportunities to tutor in the math lab on campus and wound up pursuing that route. Regarding Public Speaking...I was talking to DS on the phone the other night and he said that was one of the smartest moves we made for him from a practical academic standpoint. He and the other freshman cadets are giving oral presentations that they have to research, plan and deliver to 30-50 people multiple times per week. This is not part of their academics! This is an additional part of what the students have to do. Try to have a credential that really sets you apart and represents a lot of work and a high level of achievement. DS's foreign language was that special credential for him. His USAFA evaluator placed him at third year college level which means that he will be able to minor in it (which is what he wanted). I think only one other incoming freshman was evaluated at the same level proficiency of that same language and he is also in DS's third year class. So it turned out to be a pretty unique credential, which was what he was hoping for all along. 4. Parents' role You need to be cheerleader, #1 fan, counselor/advisor, listener, and parent...but you cannot be the driver of the process. During the interviews for nominations and ALO/B&G officers, questions were asked to ascertain parental involvement. They don't want young people whose parents have pushed them; it needs to be the young person's goal. This means stepping back and letting your student navigate the nomination and application process themselves. You can be counselor, but not the director. If and when your student gets overwhelmed, one of the most important things is to ask them again to numerate their goals and priorities. Ask them if the things they are overwhelmed about are on their priority list or if they are stressed about stuff that really isn't on the list. With my children and in my work with other high school students, 11th and 12th grades are really the time to ask them these questions often(whether or not they are interested in a service academy), so that you are teaching them how to prioritize for themselves and to remain calm while doing so. What is cool is to see that process internalized. 5. Work, sacrifice and fun Mom-Getting into a service academy is within the reach of many young people, but it is a unique journey that requires maturity, commitment and sacrifice. DS's athletics, leadership, work and volunteer activities became the source of his friendships and fun. His weekends and evenings were focused on these. His goal was never far from his mind, and he was constantly re-evaluating daily activities to make sure they were aligned with his priorities...another skill he says is very transferrable to the academic year he recently began at USAFA. We had a lot of fun together, and he had a lot of fun with friends...but it wasn't the stereotypical "go out on Saturday night" high school experience. Perhaps some can do this and still receive appointments, but DS had specific academic goals he wanted to achieve before graduating and those required a lot of time. Looking back now, he has absolutely no regrets regarding his choices. 6. Medical stuff Mom-The medical reviews are very thorough, time-consuming and painstaking. Do not take your cadet wanna-be to the doctor unless you think it is absolutely necessary, because every doctors' visit will need to be documented, explained, and cleared. Depending on what you took them in for, you may need to go to additional specialists to obtain clearance.... I am trying to summarize a complex screening process in one sentence and that's the best I can do! Well, that's it for now. Hope our thoughts/experiences may help someone out there. If you have any specific questions, feel free to pm me. I don't get on the boards daily, but I will try to check a couple of times per week. Cheers!

Poor boy...he left for work early Friday am, the 13th. Of course, he checked his USAFA online portal before leaving...no status update there. He worked til 5 pm. When he arrived home and checked his email, he had a note from the Senator's office saying, "Please call me. I'll be here until 4:30 pm today." DS tried calling to no avail-offices were closed. Oh, dear. He had to wait all weekend. First thing yesterday, he contacted the senator and they informed him of his USAFA appointment. USNA appointed him prior to their regular admissions deadline close, so he's known about that since the third week of January. It was impressive that they flew in under the radar like that, no pun intended. He received notice of this appointment via a TWE (thin white envelope) from our Member of Congress. He is thrilled with both appointments, and is doing his due diligence before he makes his final decision. One thing that was kind of neat. He analyzed all the info he could find from last year, and he had told me he thought that if he was going to get an AF appointment, he thought it would come on 3/13. So he nailed that one! I think it is just beginning to sink in with me. He has worked so hard for this for the past four and 1/2 years. I am just so very grateful and happy that his hard work resulted in him achieving his goal. We've learned so much along this path. When I am further in my recovery from elbow and hand surgery and have had more time to process everything, I'll write a post of our lessons learned...so that those of you with children who have similar goals might benefit from his experiences. Thanks for the kind words.

DS received appointments to the United States Air Force Academy and the United States Naval Academy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will post more another time when it's not after 2 am and I'm due up at 7 am.

If you want to learn a ton about triathlon training, fitness, nutrition for training, physiology, etc., you might want to check out BenGreenfieldFitness.com - free audio podcasts. I have been listening for a couple of years now, and have learned so much. Just thought a lot of you might enjoy listening too.

You have email :)

Ok, I just can't resist jumping into the discussion here. That lady is my hero and we should buy her a CASE of kit kats! Maybe a lifetime supply. If that young man escaped with just a bloody or even broken nose, he should consider himself blessed. I am a self-defense instructor with advanced experience in multiple disciplines. I primarily train in and teach Krav Maga. There is no time for delay in any attack situation. You need to respond immediately. Any delay - even seconds - might mean your life. This woman's quickness to react is likely WHY this situation didn't escalate. She (or anyone else) had no way of knowing if that guy had a gun or knife on him. If I had taken him down and had him under control, there is not a chance I would've moved until the police had him in cuffs. So she also did the right thing by not getting up and letting the guys hold him. This story is indeed funny to visualize...but it could have been deadly for this woman if she had not acted so quickly and he pulled a knife on her. I am so passionate about the need to be situationally aware. If you are busy talking on the phone or texting while walking through parking lots, please be aware that you are basically holding up a sign in front of you that says "please attack me!" The phone thing is just one of so many examples I see every day of people not paying attention. Attacks happen everywhere, even in the "safest" of neighborhoods. You don't have to be paranoid; but you do have to be cautious and careful. And, of course, you better know what to do if you get attacked. I wish there was some way I could conduct a live workshop for all you wonderful WTM people out there. I guess the best I can do is say train yourself to defend yourself. And please don't fool yourself by thinking that carrying a concealed weapon in public is a substitute for knowing how to defend yourself with your own hands and body. I train with law enforcement officers and folks who train SWAT teams and Special Ops forces. They will tell you (and can show you!) that unless you are extremely and highly trained, and you practice almost daily, you will not have time to pull that weapon to defend yourself. I have seen live stress exercises with these highly skilled people participating...and sometimes even they can't get it out in time to use it with one or more attackers coming at them. Please be alert, aware and get home safe. Stepping down from my soapbox now. :001_smile:

And Tampa/surrounding area is a great place to live. Sunny and 65 today :thumbup1:

You're not alone.

I want to know how the young lady who finished third at the US Nationals (and who rightfully earned her place on the Olympic team) felt about being ousted from her team spot by Ashley Wagner, who finished fourth. This whole debacle shows how much the Olympic Games have changed over the years. There is something totally wrong about a committee subjectively choosing a fourth place finisher over a third place finisher because it was "her turn." What???? While we are at it, why don't we strip the Russian pairs figure skaters' gold medal away from them and give it to the Chinese couple who are about to retire after four Olympic tries...isn't it "their turn" to have the gold? And why don't we give the high school class ranking of #1 to the student who "tried hardest," not to the student whose GPA was highest. Yes, this one really irks me - a selective, relatively quiet poster, but long-time WTM-er. Frankly, it is a microcosm of one of the huge problems in our country today.

You've received a lot of good advice. Just a few random thoughts that might help you to understand the middle school age group a bit better. I'm sure there are always exceptions to what I share below, but I've been working with preteens & teenagers in all sorts of teaching capacities for 30 years and this is what I have observed and experienced. - Whether or not your 6-8th grade child is displaying outward signs of puberty, internal hormones are quietly starting the process. In my experience, ages 11-14 were probably the most challenging in many ways with both my ds and dd. It's like their bodies were running along just fine, then the silent hormones start and your child goes somewhat bonkers. After 2-3 years, it seems their bodies say "oh, this is the new normal" and then they become more settled. - Having said that, this is the time period for making sure they know behavioral boundaries and the corresponding positive and/or negative consequences of their choices very clearly. So they don't just become more settled by themselves! When they deviate from family/school rules, just make sure appropriate consequences are enforced. So many kids this age are given 3rd-4th-5th chances by loving parents who think they will just "grow out of it." In most cases, they won't - unless the boundaries are made known and enforced consistently. Especially in the area of respect for others, it is my observation that parents who "let things go" at the middle school ages wind up very regretful of doing so when high school rolls around. - This age group needs you to be loving and patient, while being very firm at the same time. Yes, it's tricky. - Don't engage in emotional debates. Try to remain calm in discussions and if you have decided on an expectation and there is no leeway for debate, don't debate it. Some things can be compromised on (Can I turn in my paper Saturday morning instead of Friday pm, so that I can participate in this great volunteer activity?) Other things can't (Can I just skip doing this paper because I don't want to do it?) - Most students realize sometime between 6th-8th grade that academics have become more work than fun. You can make things fun with occasional field trips, play time outside, exercise, and read alouds, to name a few. But the bottom line is that at some point, academics do indeed become more challenging and the carefree days of being 5 years old and tracing letters in the sand for writing are indeed past. I think it is really important to try to model how a positive, optimistic attitude can help in creating a fun, learning-rich environment. What is fun also changes as the dc get older, so we need to help them realize that. And lastly, as they start to grow up, it is important that they also learn to make fun happen for themselves through nurturing stimulating hobbies or interests. It's not always up to mom and dad to do that for them. - Exercise, exercise, exercise. Boys and girls need to be romped like puppies. Wearing them out physically usually helps to channel the verbal energy into kinesthetic energy. This is true for both genders, in my experience. Sports and exercise teach them to get in the habit of moving their bodies (a good lifetime habit) and in my experience, this is critical to burning off stress. - I agree that ultimately each family needs to decide what's best for their dc based on their own unique circumstances. Just take some time to make this type of decision, and the doldrums of winter are not the best time. The best to you and your family.

Primrose oil supplement works wonders here. For boys and girls.

DD 15 had most of your symptoms last May. Dr. thought it was mono or Epstein-Barr; after those and other tests came back negative/normal, he concluded it was a "mono-like" virus. He said that he sees things like this a couple of times each year. It took her 4-6 weeks to get better, but it resolved on its own.

You've gotten a lot of great responses, covering the full spectrum of possibilities. Maybe it will be comforting for you to know that this happens in my family and we are all the same race. Specifically, when I am out with my ds 17 who is over a foot taller than me. I am not terribly short, but I have a very small build. He is a big guy. We have often been asked (usually when we are alone together) - "is he yours?" One person (total stranger) actually said, "How did THAT happen?" Others think he is my boyfriend. :001_smile: Who knows what goes through people's minds or what their intentions are. Sometimes it is ignorance; maybe others, a genuine attempt to find common ground. Either way, folks have different internal regulators on what they say to complete strangers. Some people's regulators are more loose than others. Try not to let it bother you - you can't change them. Respond in a way that makes you comfortable and don't worry about their response to your response!!

So sorry about your dog. Maybe next time carry pepper spray, so if another unleashed dog comes barreling after you or your pooch, you can give him a little squirt and send him on his merry way?

Try using Natural Calm magnesium. You can get it at most health food stores or at Whole Foods.