If it's in your ear and not your eustacian tube, I second the peroxide in your ear. Pour in ear, keep it in until it stops bubbling, dump out on a washcloth, repeat until no more bubbles. Beware though, this WILL make you dizzy. It cleans out all the wax quickly. If it's a eustachian issue, take Sudafed (or better: Advil cold & sinus) and fill a sink with hot water, cover your head and the sink with a towel, and hold your face in a horizontal position over the steaming water. The steam and horizontal position will move the clogged up fluid, the Sudafed thins it enough that it can move. ETA: a little vaporub or eucalyptus oil in the steaming water helps a bit too.

I hate honey myself. It's too sickly-sweet, it's almost bitter it's so sweet. DH thinks I'm crazy, but once when we were TTC and I was taking royal jelly in honey I had to hold myself back from gagging everyday. I just hate it. And I love sweets. I also love cilantro, and tons of people hate that.

This really depends on your family dynamic (my sister is super serious and does not take teasing well at all; she considers it abusive and will hold a grudge for decades); but if teasing is acceptable in your family, comparing the kid to Eeyore or Debbie Downer (depending on their age and TV exposure) would probably be the way we'd let the child know that while that may or may not be true, it's not socially acceptable to express.

Unfriend & unfollow her.

So happy to hear this!

Um, no. But I do know that B vitamins are water soluable, so it's unlikely to overdose on them. Try giving him half a tablet with a full glass of water 20-30 minutes before bedtime and see if it helps.

I haven't read all the replies, but I think it's selfish to value luxuries (cars, education) over people. Also, unless you'd be earning an equal amount of money or more to your husband, your income and the additional taxes and daycare expenses, etc wouldn't be worth it. I suspect your "friends" feel guilty that they choose luxuries first, and knowing they are rather hollow, decided to lay all their guilt on you. Have more kids. Get new friends.

I missed the part about it being bad at night before. That makes me think that there's something in his room that he's allergic too. Probably dust, but if he's in a humid spot in the house it could be mold too. Or even a pet, if there is one that snuggles with him at night, but not so much during the day. Clean out his room. Use a sanitary cycle on your washer for the bedding (Or if you don't have one, get a big pot and boil his sheets before you wash them). If he has a comforter, switch it for an easier-to wash bedspread or blanket. Get rid of everything that collects dust. Wash the curtains or blinds. Use a HEPA filter vaccum and get the floor and the mattress (even if it's a wood floor, dust can collect in the cracks). Take out the vent covers and clean the vents out as far as you can reach too.

I haven't tried this yet, but the other day on Pinterest was a post (complete with links to medical studies) that said that a B5 supplement stopped allergic Rhinitis faster than antihistamine would. I had allergies as a child, back then most antihistimines were prescription. I cycled through them all and finally settled on that the only one that works for me is Benadryl, and it doesn't cause drowsiness as long as I am actually having an allergic reaction (and not a cold). As a kid, Benadryl made me hyper. One other thing- you might have your child drink more water. Histamine is one of the ways that your body manages water, and more of it is released when you're dehydrated.

DH has a job interview in a town in Kansas so close to the Oklahoma border that in the first phone interview the person said most people choose OK due to lower taxes. Websites make both states sound a little simpler than here, but maybe in Kansas you need to run it more like a private school, with a homeschool name and everything? Can those of you with experience in either state please comment on what homeschooling is like there? Do you get free community college classes, access to sports or biology labs or anything from the local school district? Thanks!

I agree with magnesium supplement. If he won't swallow a pill, try a bath with epsom salts. Too much magnesium can cause diarrhea. I saw a Dr Oz episode where he said pickle juice cures leg cramps. Apparently it has the right ratio of salt to potassium.

He hasn't vetoed tossing anything; he said it's up to me. Which almost makes it harder... maybe he means he's not attached to any of it and we should get rid of most of it. I think the eagle might have to stay in a box in the attic though, it's bulky and furry but really special. My 7th grade sewing projects were badly-fitting pants, I don't know why his was so cool.

I'm feeling overwhelmed with clutter I've been ignoring. What are your guidelines for keepsakes? I moved a lot as a kid, and every time we did we threw out a lot of stuff. DH lived in the same house from age 2 until he went to college. Every time we go visit, we come back with random stuff tucked into the car - like his middle school sewing project, a stuffed eagle. What do you do with your DH's random possessions? Also, please share any tips you have about the easiest way to have a yard sale. I have got to get rid of some of our stuff, but most of it is not junk. Thanks!

We talked about it at length and agreed before we even got married. He was initially unsure, but as time has gone by and he's met more and more adults that he works with (engineering) that were homeschooled, he's not only more and more on board with the idea, he's actively involved with it, he helps choose curriculum (especially math - he was a math tutor in college).

:grouphug: Praying. And I agree, contact the police. Ask them if it could be him, and file a missing person's report.

Warning: my BIGGEST pet peeve is self-righteous condescension, so keep that in mind if my opinion might offend you. Also, I'm Christian, and my approach would be from that perspective. If you're not religious, I'd try a therapist. Preferably a children's therapist who uses cognitive or art therapy or both. If you are religious, IDK how other religions handle this sort of thing, but from a Christian perspective, no one is perfect, you're not perfect but he is not perfect either. And judging others and putting guilt trips on them about it is not acceptable behavior. It is much less socially acceptable than swearing, in fact. And then I would pull DH aside and in no uncertain terms make sure he understood that and to NEVER undermine your parenting again. How completely ridiculous that he criticize you in front of your child. Have him start categorizing your words as "adult" or "grown up" words, not as "bad" words (that's the way my two Navy parents taught me). Also, I think your son needs to learn about respect, and how even if he doesn't agree with your every action, he is still a child, and it is absolutely unacceptable to dole out condescension or tantrums about it, both because you are an adult and also because you are his mother, and you outrank him. He doesn't get to parent you. He doesn't have the right OR the responsibility. Then I'd pull out all of the stories there are about Jesus and stopping people from judging others. I'd give the verses to him as copywork if he can write, and memory work if he cannot. I would also be sure to point out (while DH is in the room) that Jesus got angry not at sinners, but at judgmental self-righteous people. He doesn't have the right to judge friends or playmates like that either. Then I would point out some of his character flaws (besides being judgmental). And I would tell him he doesn't have the right to judge himself like that either.

Oh no! How humiliating! I'm so sorry.. Hope your TeA improves soon. btw... I heard a horror story last night about one of those pellets making things worse not better, and they guy switched to a cream and had amazing results. Please keep that in mind if things don't work the way you imagined they would.

I guess I would present him with whole, natural foods. It might take trying things 15 times before he likes them. As long as the doctor isn't concerned, I'm not sure why you are? Do you have intuition that something isn't right? Is he not thriving in other ways? Did other DC develop differently?

I think the prairie dresses they used to wear were sewn by one of the older girls, so my guess is that as she got more sophisticated and learned to sew from a pattern her choices got more sophisticated too. I think maybe they have more life, and somewhat more sophistication than the Duggars.

First, I agree that his numbers are the most scary possible, and probably not realistic. Second, you're homeschooling, so you can tailor all of their high school years towards the first 2 years with AP credits. AP credits are accepted at all but the most exclusive schools, and those typically have tuition waivers for students whose parents make less than $100K. They also currently cost about $80, and that is for a one or two semester class in most cases. You can spread the exams out over 4 years. Third, you can start including test prep now. High scores and high GPA's = full rides to honors programs at most schools! Most kids don't do extensive prep for exams, and with so many years to prepare there is no reason your kids can't do well enough to get a full ride to a state university. Fourth, even if they do need to take out some loans, if they choose a practical major that leads towards high-paying jobs it won't matter. Start talking to them now about majors like engineering (so many options!), accounting, computer science or MIS, mathematics (or a spinoff like actuarial science or statistics if they want to be multi-millionaires and work in financial services). Fifth, if you're at all a military-leaning family, strongly consider ROTC or even military college options. Many private colleges with ROTC programs waive room and board costs for the kids that get tuition scholarships, and then they graduate with marketable degrees and guaranteed jobs.

:iagree:

There's not a magic age, especially in this economy. If I were you, I would apologize for pushing school on her when she clearly doesn't want to go. Then I would have a discussion on finding her passions, preferably ones that lead to a higher income. In fact, perhaps it could be an income-backwards equation: How much money would you need to have the lifestyle you want? What jobs that you would enjoy would earn that much money? What kind of training do you need to get that job? There are a few jobs that don't need much school that would lead to her having the sort of independence she wants, but she needs to do all the paperwork herself. The quickest route to complete independence is probably the military; but that's not a great option for every kid. If she is interested in enlisting, push her towards the Air Force.

:iagree:

I don't know about larger bumps, but I had smaller ones once when I happened to be at the doctor for something else. She diagnosed it as dermatitis and said I needed to wipe my razor with rubbing alcohol before using it. I thought it was just using a cheap razor (one of those orange disposable ones that cost $3 for 12. I threw them out and got an expensive razor instead and the bumps went away. But they were very very small pimple-like bumps, not large, and not painful. I guess I second the dermatologist.

I guess instead of an employment-type resume, I'd print out a transcript and make sure it included awards and activities and test scores. Smallish font and columns if necessary to make it all fit.