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Well, I say you officially qualify for a sick day! Anytime your thinking gets muddled, you really can't learn well. I just put my son to bed because he has a low grade temp and just can't focus....not really sick, but not learning. on the other hand, I've had my dd do school with a 102 temp because she was thinking clearly, just a little tired (she did nap, i'm not a complete ogre:)) Enjoy your day off, and get well soon!

How wonderful!! It's always so good to see our children being the kinds of people we know they can be. Tell him to keep up the good work!

first :grouphug:. I have to commend you for your restraint. I'd probably have lost it and ended up causing a scene. I would definitely call the school and tell them what is going on. Sounds like this guy is trying to scare people into coming to him for further work. I would also write him and let him know that you are very upset with his actions, don't feel that he spent enough time or had enough history to give the opinions he gave, and that you were complaining to the school. I wouldn't speak with him, because he just won't get it. Sounds like one of those "i'm in the neighborhood with some extra tar - need your driveway fixed?" scams. Of course, he may be a dedicated dr., with great knowledge and a willingness to share every possible scenario that could be. Some people just don't have very good social/conversational editing skills. But i'm cynical, so I lean more toward scam....especially since he is contradicting your dd's surgeon, without benefit of any history or extra workup. Good luck!

This is it in a nutshell, but it's a sticky and messy process (pretty easy though). I'm not sure exactly how long it takes, because you keep adding sap and boiling it down. Best done in a sugaring shed with a two or three partitioned pan, but you can do it in the home on the stove, or a kerosene heater or woodstove. Just be prepared to have sugar residue around where you are working. On the plus side - your house smells great! and yes - for sugar maples it's 40 gallons sap to one gallon syrup. You can also tap other trees like birch or regular maples, but the sap is less sugary and it takes more to make a gallon. I've seen catalogs with equipment (taps and such), and I'm sure you can get step by step instructions online.

not much help, but lots of :grouphug:. My almost 7yo ds is very similar (I almost cried when I read 8 - two more years of this?!) The one thing that helps with my ds is a schedule. He is very rigid - which we are working on - but I've found that the same thing at the same time with the same rules and expectations works wonders for him. Unfortunately, it's the complete opposite of me. But when I am able to do this, he's a happy, cooperative, pleasant boy. oh - and food. lots of it, often. low blood sugar and this boy do.not.mix. I can be doing the routine/schedule thing, but if he hasn't eaten in the last hour or two..... Hope this helps, and you are able to have pleasant days with your ds soon.

I do keep this firmly in mind - and make sure to mention it ever now and then to them.;) I know they realize that we are doing what we do because we want the best for our kids....she's really just trying to help me. I was pretty nervous about sending dd off to high school because I hated it so much as a kid. (so far, dd loves it) I just have to find a time (when i'm not cranky) to let her know enough already.

Thanks! That comic was actually in our paper the other day, and I forgot to cut it out. :tongue_smilie: Yes, I can tell mom to knock it off, and will. With the inlaws....I'll keep that happy bubble firmly in place.

You know, I know that my parents and inlaws weren't thrilled by our decision to homeschool. They were (and are when it comes ot my other two who are still at home) pretty good at biting their tongues though, and didn't say too much. Now, however, that my eldest dd is in public high school...Every conversation with my mom winds up being about how good for her ps is, and how she needs to learn to deal with other people, and how good for her ps is, and how she's going to have to learn to get along with other people who might not be like her, or have her viewpoints, or....ARRRGGGGH! I know (think, hope) that she's just trying to reassure me that we made a good choice in putting her in high school, but for crying out loud! It's been 2 1/2 weeks, and i'm about to lose it. Helloooooo.....we made the choice that we felt was best for our family, and we made it with the clear understanding that if we became unhappy with either the school or if our dd's attitude/values started to become trouble, that she would be coming back home. Oh - and all that praise about how my dd is so mature, kind, responsible? That is partially because of her natural tendancies, and partially because we removed her from the artificial, backbiting, nasty construct of our local elementary school. So don't tell me that ps is so good for them when (in our town) all it does is throw them together in a Lord of the Flies type survival situation and academics be ****ed! Anyway, I'm going to have to come up with a polite way of letting her know to :chillpill: on the "ps is good for her" theme, but needed to vent here first so I can be reasonable when I talk to her. Thanks for letting me rant.

cookies/chips and dip/veggies and dip/fruit and dip.....simple, relatively inexpensive, and all pre packed at the grocery! or you could have a grown up palate and bring out the wine and cheese!

I've never heard of it before, but it looks really amazing! I may need to get one myself - I'm sure my dh will thank you:D. If you get it, let us know how it works out.