Your FAFSA is already filed, obviously keep trying to use the retrieval tool, but if it is filed, that is the date that counts. Also - VERY IMPORTANT - if you OWE money on your taxes, the retrieval tool will not work until it is paid (at least this was the case last year). It is completely unfair, and payment is not due until April, but you need to pay right away for the retrieval tool.

Completely agree with Emily. I had identical twins and one day, when they were five they braced themselves in a doorway, and were taking turns punching each other in the stomach. But they were both smiling and enjoying themselves. Anyone crying or otherwise tormented is not having a good time, and thus a line has been crossed.

When my son was that age, he told me he didn't want to be friends with anyone without teeth (my kids all lost their teeth late) Apparently missing front teeth was frightening - until I explained that he was going to lose his too. When he was younger - it was freckles - and he had them! My other two never had any issues like this. I think some kids that age feel threatened somehow by anything different, and others either don't, or don't even notice. They do grow out of it.

My just turned 17dd took Amtrack from PA to Boston w/ a 2hr layover at Grand Central Station - is that sort of equivalent? She was fine - but swears it took her close to the whole two hours to find her second train.

Sorry, but my kids are not a science experiment. Putting your kids into school for the greater good, and their own detriment, sounds like Nazi Germany to me

Thanks everyone, The thing is that sick adults seem to show up everywhere, and they just don't get to close to people (I had an an interview last week where the woman refused to shake my hand because she was sick, but the interview went on - half the people in my office have a nasty cold and they still come in to work - I think maybe when you stay home with your kids you forget about things like that) so I wasn't thinking that bringing him there would be an issue as he is old enough to know not to get close to people. And he is not sneezing or vomiting or doing anything to spew germs through the air at top speed. In fact he went on antibiotics yesterday because of a low white count so there is a chance he would wake up feeling a lot better. And this woman works, and her son goes to daycare, so its not like they are spending most of their time locked up in a clean bubble. And there is no way that I would leave my 18yr old son, who goes to school 7 hours away and whom we have not seen since Aug, home, or upstairs. As well, my mother is doing the "White Christmas" thing and I fear will be very upset if we don't show (and upset could be a 6 months affair). Movie theatres are definitely a good option, thank you - I hadn't even thought of that. It just makes me wonder about my childhood, and whether my parents would have left me upstairs when I was a kid at a major family event (as opposed to staying home with me in solidarity) and that messes with my head, to think that maybe things weren't as I remembered them.

logistically, we just can't drive 6-7 hours to pick up dd, bring her home and then do it again 2 days later so that she can go back (and the other two need rides to get back to school). And I keep wondering how this woman is going to feel if she finds out people were sent upstairs so that she could come for T. I wish I could think of something we could just do as a family while they were over to get out of the house and let them enjoy their meal, but where can you go on T to hang out for 4-5 hours? We are supposed to be spending several days visiting.

I know this is going to get long and complicated, but here goes. My family's big holiday is Thanksgiving. It is always at my parents hours (3hrs away) and always with the same people (close friends - college friends of my parents and their (now grown) children). One of these grown children was recently diagnosed with a form of cancer that has a high percentage of survival rate but intensive chemo treatment that sounds pretty awful. He will be in the hospital on T day but his wife and small child will still be coming - at his request. There are other extenuating circumstances as well, involving the hurricane (other members of this family injured and w/o power for extended periods, house damage, etc) My 3 kids are all college freshmen (which has been somewhat traumatic). My first son came home this weekend and, of course, immediately got sick. I would not be a bit surprised if this happens to the other two as well. I was told, over the phone by my parents this evening, that anyone sick would have to stay upstairs during T so that the wife of the chemo patient would not get sick. Normally I would probably consider just staying home, but my dd is in school 3.5 hours further away and was getting a ride to my parents house, and has no way of getting the rest of the way and she has been very homesick and REALLY NEEDS to see us. So the logical part of me is trying to deal with this but the mommy part of me is thinking that she doesn't want her child/children locked away during the big family holiday because someone else who isn't even related can't get sick, and that my parents have chosen "strangers" over their own grandchildren, etc.

FYI for anyone worried about this, my kids didn't have any teacher recommendations, they had coaches, 4H leaders, priests and other volunteer leaders write references. I wrote one as well and called it the counselors letter. My kids got merit aid everywhere it was offered (funny, my dd is actually at Franklin & Marshall who doesn't offer merit aid but gave us LOTS of financial aid). It is very important that your teens have outside activities and contacts that can write them recommendations but it doesn't have to be teachers. In fact my ds is at our state school who insisted he needed a outside teacher rec, but accepted him w/ a coach & librarian (he volunteered at the library for 3 yrs) reference.

I know a lot of swimming can cause this - tail steering. Not sure what else.

My boys both had heart murmurs detected at around 4yrs old. We went to the specialist right away. They turned out to be innocent murmurs and nothing needed to be done, but we were very happy to "know". If he does have a specific problems, it would be helpful to know in advance - what if there was some kind of medical emergency? My understanding is that treatment might need to be approached differently.

I use cannelini beans - but grind them first. They make a really thick soup w/o a floury or cornstarch taste. My kids will only eat thick soup.

the boys turned 18 over the summer before they headed off and my dd turned 17 Oct 1st. I know many people around here don't agree that she should have gone, but she always kept up with them in school, had very good grades and SAT scores, was very mature and is doing absolutely fine in college. So I am NOT in the age camp, but in the assess each child individually camp.

potato skins stuffed w/ brocolli & cheese for dinner? I can't wait to try this recipe http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/appetizers-and-snacks/broccoli-and-cheese-potato-skins/ TIA

I think you need to do some research on what a college app essay should sound like. There are plenty of books out there with examples in them and you can also google to see online examples. There is a particular style for writing a college app essay, and yes it should say something personal about the applicant. However, there should be no bragging, and generally the use of "I" is discouraged. My kids, after reading multiple samples, were able to produce decent essays, but nobody produced anything that I didn't read over and make suggestions. My suggestions consisted mostly of underlining something I didn't feel was clear or circling a word that had been used repetitively or was "wimpy" They went back and made their own corrections. I don't feel this was cheating; I never told them what to write.