For parties with kids friends I always put an end time. Parties with dh's family, well, lets just say I did that once and it did not go over too well. I was 7 months pregnant and did not feel up to the big family gala. I did 1-4, cake and coffee. I thought his mother was going to have a fit. She asked "What is this coffee and cake?" I told her not to expect dinner. I was pregnant and cranky. They came and at 4 made a big production over going out of leaving at 4. It didn't bother me but dh would never agree to do it again. I say, keep doing what you are doing if that is what works for your family.

I tend to do all the clothes one day a week. 1. Sort by dark, light, white 2. Wash. 3. Hang what needs to be hanged, throw other items in the dryer. I wash all the loads and then run the dryer once I am done. That way I only run the dryer once. Most of our clothes are hung to dry. 4. Unload dryer-I fold as clothes go into the laundry basket. 5. 2 or 3 days later remember that there are clothes hanging to dry and go get them. Everyone is responsible for putting their own clean laundry away. I sort it onto my bed by person and then the kids come and get their piles. Towels and sheets are done on different days from clothes. I will admit that there are some weeks we live out of the laundry basket. I am okay with this. I hate putting laundry away. I don't mind washing and folding but for some reason the put it away aspect makes me want to run for the hills.

Don't compare them. I struggle with this all the time. In the beginning it was a daily struggle. Now it is probably weekly. My dd is just not the student my ds is. She is just as bright as he is but she is not interested in applying herself to anything that she is not interested in. It used to frustrate me greatly. Now, for the most part, I have learned to teach to her strengths and not to worry about how she is not like her brother.

Where is the obligatory other? I like my electric pencil sharpener. It was my grandfather's and I still remember going into his office and sharpening all of his pencils. I have used other electric sharpeners that do not work as well as mine. But, I also love the old fashioned manual schoolroom sharpeners which work so much better than the little handheld ones that my kids prefer.

The dating starting at 10 is fairly common where I live. The parents think it is "cute". A for the clothing-yes, often the kids do insist on it. Common demands of the child. As the parent, I don't have to buy it. There are many clothes my dd would like but I veto. She knows when she has a job and can buy her own clothes she is welcome to buy what she wants. Until then, I have veto power. Yes, they are growing up and it our job as parents to guide them through these years not give them carte blanche to do what they want. My dd is 11 and she has a handful of boy crazy friends. She can be a bit boy crazy, too. Right now, she is in love with Tom Cruise. There was a boy this past year who she had a friendship with. He would have liked to call them boyfriend and girlfriend but I made it quite clear to dd that they can be friends not dating friends and she was ok with that. I think she appreciated being able to make me the bad guy who wouldn't let her date rather then having to be in a potentially awkward situation.

Personally, I think the "No child left behind" legislation was the final nail in the good public education coffin. Whether or not the schools are truly failing will depend on your view of what public education is supposed to achieve. Is it supposed to be about teaching the 3r's? Is it supposed to be utopian learning for the sake of learning? Is it supposed to be preparing children for life in an office cubicle? Until society as a whole can agree on the end goal then there will always be reports of how the schools are failing.

:iagree: My parents were not involved in my daily education. My mom did take me to the library and both my parents made sure I was doing my homework, they would quiz me for tests if I asked but I can't say they really knew what was going on. As for the parental involvement at school, all I can say is my kids teachers did not want me involved in what my kids were learning. I agree with the sentiment that what they really want is parents who parent but that is not what they say. I suppose it would not be pc to tell parents to start teaching their kids how to be productive members of society.

I am just as happy to go to bed at my regular bedtime on NYE. We usually order in Chinese and watch a movie together. I normally fall asleep and dh will nudge me at midnight to see the ball drop. These last couple of years the kids have been staying up with him. However, last night we broke with tradition and went to a friends house. A good time was had by all and I even managed to stay awake.

I blog for my mother. It is the easiest way to keep her updated on what we are doing with homeschooling. I have some friends who read it fairly regularly, too. I also have some total strangers who stop by. I also do it a little bit for me so I have a record of our homeschooling years.

I have always said that cleaning is a set up for failure. Between my teen, preteen, the dog, and dh my house is never as clean as I would like.

This is our fourth year homeschooling and my 13 year old is lonely a lot of the time and my 11 year old is starting to get that way. They crave seeing friends 24/7. But, the homeschool friendships are just different then the school friendships. Their friends aren't local. My son still has one friend from his school days who he can get together with and does not require effort on my part. My daughter has no one local. I will be honest. It is frustrating for them and for me. Well, for me because they want something they don't have. Most of their friendships are truly acquaintances. During the week we are busy and we see these friends but I find the weekends challenging. Homeschoolers around here just don't seem to see each other on the weekends. My kids both do swim team. They have a few friends from the team but the friendships don't go past that. There is no getting together at any other time. They both participate in the library run book clubs, my son volunteers at the library during the summer, they do summer swim team at the town pool. Rarely, do the friendships from these activities extend to other things. I have taken to homeschool dating again to try to increase our social circle. In our area there are very few older homeschoolers. My feeling is, just keep throwing yourself outside your comfort zone and do activities that interest your dd and the friendships will develop. They just take longer than the friendships that develop in school where you are together all day and sharing the same experiences.

I don't know. If I live that long I suspect my needs will be simple and few. Good food and good company. My grandma is turning 100 in a few months and I am trying to figure out what to give her. I know she has enough nightgowns to last another 100 years. I am leaning towards donuts because she loves donuts. Or maybe some flowers.

I have an 8th grader and I am having mild anxiety palpitations over planning high school. After all of my fears that he would want to return to school and not wanting him to choose it now I am scared that he chose to continue homeschooling. How do I know I am doing the right thing? I read these boards and always feel slightly inadequate. We are not doing enough, we are not rigorous enough, we ditched Latin. Thanks Homes'cool for the btdt report. All things I have been considering and thinking about. I am going to go back to trembling in my corner.

On the occasions that I wear makeup I now go powderless. I don't like the way powder clings to my wrinkles.

My dh just wants to be left alone. This works fine for me. I leave him alone. I occasionally ask him if he needs anything (I admit to always hoping the answer is no).

This thread has reminded me that we have not made sushi in awhile. Time to get to the fish market.

Sometimes I sliver the garlic and other times I mince the garlic. It depends on my mood. I have not tried it with pressed garlic.

Oh my! That is right up there with how the morning after I first got my period my father looked at me and said "My baby is now a woman." I remember turning tail and screaming up the stairs "Mom! You TOLD dad!" I have instructed my dh that when the time comes he is to say absolutely nothing to dd. OP, I suspect she will feel more apt to talk when you are home and alone together.

As others have said, it is nothing some sequins won't be able to fix. As for Santa being racist, well, all you have to do is watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer to figure that out. Fine young buck is Rudolph until Santa finds out about that nose. And then he is only forgiven for being born different because he is useful to the man. Shocking, really.

In my home there will always be physical books. I do think mass produced books will one day go the way of the dodo bird.

:iagree: I love homeschooling in NJ.

I use Sebastian brand dry shampoo for my dd. She has oily hair. She prefers the dry shampoo to the corn starch I usually use because it does not leave white residue in her hair. I think the corn starch works better.

I never actually read the Rainbow Fish but am now glad I did not. As for The Giving Tree. I used that book to teach my children about selfish behavior and being appreciative for what you get and to not behave like the boy. I also taught my children that the man in the yellow hat from the original Curious George was a poacher, so maybe I am not the best one to be dispensing my wisdom on this one.

Hot Cherry Tomatoes. Heat olive oil, garlic, and tomatoes in pan. Sautee until skins start to split. Serve.

My dh takes Sam-e, 5htp, and St. Johns Wort. I can always tell when he has not taken them.