:grouphug:

i wish i could give you a big hug right now. God bless you and him.

most universities keep scores for years so there is no disadvantage in sending them 2 years early.

Hugs and prayers and strength to you! I wish I could hug you in real life, because I know what it's like--and it is awful. God Bless You.

OK, so I am a cheesy person. You may find something cooler to do, but this is what I would do (Re: your question on what day trips to take). 1. Monet's garden at Giverny. It's a little bit away from Paris by bus. It is beautiful! 2. Rodin museum (in Paris) 3. Eiffel Tower at night. On the way home (walk), buy sausage subs from a street cart. 4. Louvre (in Paris) 5. Notre Dame (short). I walked from where I was. 6. Just walk around Paris, up and down, drinking coffee at whatever little coffeeshop you feel like, looking at the beautiful food shops. 7. Go eat tartes (quiche). I think it was called La Maison des Tartes. 8. Montmartre and then hang out in a coffeeshop after. This is a little bit away on the subway thing. Edited to add: I am jealous! Enjoy your trip!

I think it is a violation of our privacy, absolutely. Unfortunately, in this crazy age, everything is public. I turn away when I see people are taking photos. I slip away, or turn away. I don't want my photo public. It would bother me. It would bother me even more if DS's pic was on FB. We don't do FB or look at it unless it's a business and I need info.

black sharpie. not everything came back. but that's not the sharpie's fault.

Hugs for sure. Hopefully you will find a happier church soon! Hang in there!

DS took Math Level 1. Doesn't know how he did. June 26 is the day to look for the SAT / SAT Subject Test results. ... I hate waiting but at least it's sooner than the APs...

I have left DS alone for years (definitely since before middle school). Only for about 10 minutes. (Popping in a store or coffeeshop to grab something.) Car is on, with either A/C if it's summer or heat if it's winter, with all the windows closed, with the keys in his hand so he can lock all the doors. Also the recirculate button is on so he doesn't get the car exhaust.

Church Lunch at home Go to a grad party for 1 h Do laundry (there are 3 loads to do upstairs and about 3 downstairs). Declutter boxes in basement Declutter shelves in schoolroom Declutter outgrown clothes and make a big bag of them Find a way to make the basement stop smelling gross!!! Jean, I wish you a restful day. Lizze, I am praying that things get better for you. Love to all.

I don't know how I feel about this. On the one hand, I wouldn't want to keep thinking I was anonymous if I wasn't any more. On the other hand, I really speak my mind on this forum and I don't speak this frankly or seriously to most of my IRL friends. I would feel really vulnerable if my family's problems were now more public...no longer an anonymous poster who you don't really know. And now you would know all the problems I have with my kid -- not many, and no serious ones, thank goodness (more "is late to everything" kinds of things), but still, he would be so embarrassed to have been publicly displayed as a problem to solve. i am torn and confused... :(

Dirt cheap, haha! :)

DS is like that. It drives me bonkers. Now, he is an amazing singer, musician, and composer. So there are perks to this. I feel guilty making him shush, but I like a PP's comment that I am teaching him not to alienate those around him. Good. :)

I know nothing about it except a very short boy in high school got them and in college he was super tall. He didn't seem to have any side effects. He was very good looking, had perfect skin, and teeth that were so beautiful--he had no cavities at all. (Yes, he was good looking! Before and after his shots.)

I loved PP's post about we need to be the brains for our teens. Although I really like the 'girls need to be their own boundary keepers,' (I actually love that statement!) I think the other PP's comment about the fathers being tough shouldn't be jumped on like that. That PP was just trying to share her own dh's experiences as a teen. There is no need to be mean about it about his ethics. If ethics were all that was going on here, the OP wouldn't be finding people's bottoms on her son's phone. There is a certain level of brainless impulses that unfortunately have a big role here. Back to the issue: I wasn't sure if OP is OK with her DS having sex. If she is OK with it, and if he is OK with it and the girl is OK with it, (maybe her parents too--I think they should know as well), then they all need to have a conversation about birth control (pill + condoms should be supplied by parents or at local clinic); if one of the parties is not OK with it, it's time to start a big conversation with the kids. It sounds like the young people are OK with it. But I think OP has to be very clear about it: if it's yes, then OP has to help guide this (I know it sounds weird, but someone has to provide the cash for the birth control and make sure they get decent sex education). If it's no, you shouldn't be having sex, OP should be very, very clear about it, and possibly provide the birth control regardless of her approval/disapproval. They definitely shouldn't be ignored and left to their own decision making without any birth control. I personally think 15-year-olds shouldn't be having sex, but I don't think my personal opinion should be imposed on OP's kid and girlfriend. I think the sexting is ridiculous and unnecessary. It could also be harmful to both of them in the future, because some of those images could end up in the wrong place and pop up later when you don't want them showing up. Job interviews, her future husband if these two don't end up together, her future children, etc. Who wants that photo to come back?

I would fire her, BUUUUUUUTTTT.... the reason she is bringing the granddaughter is because they can't afford the money to put her in any kind of childcare. Either the mother is unfit or works or something because they can't afford anything else. It is not your business, and frankly, I would let her go but I would feel really terrible about it. Sorry to complicate the thought process. Now, if she isn't cleaning properly, you need to fire her anyway, regardless of the granddaughter issue. If someone is not cleaning, what is the point of paying them? You might as well do it yourself or leave it messy and save the money.

Don't finish it. It traumatized me as a young teen. Go read something fun, like Jane Austen! Or watch a fun movie, like Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day. I hated 1984.

Call the police's non-emergency number and report this. This young man should be spoken to and his father should be told of the liability and fines, since obviously the thought of hitting small children either hasn't deterred them or they just don't think it's possible.

I know how you feel. I miss my wonderful dog every week. He's been gone for two years. A year before, another dog, my best friend in the world, died too. I know how you feel and it can be unbearable. God Bless You.

I think the kid will be fine with no video games until Sunday. I suggest you read books, watch movies or play board games as a family. He doesn't need video games to survive. It really is not a big deal to remove video games for a few days. If it is, then you have bigger problems.

OK--your neighbors are NUTS! Don't even begin to think that what they are doing is in ANY way reasonable. This is a free country. If your lawn is mowed and your trees off their property, they should KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT. Stand up for yourself and tell them they do not get to dictate your life for you! (I don't do well with people, so it's easy for me to give advice -- in your situation I would be stressed beyond belief.) What these people are doing is wrong. Just plain old wrong. Harassing a young family for no good reason, because they have nothing else to do!!!

My mathy guy started with Ecce Romani (very simple), continued with Wheelock's, and then prepped for the AP with the Caesar and Virgil. He loved Wheelock's. Definitely good for a mathy guy.

I would take away computer games for 24 hours every time he used it without permission. (I guess that's punitive, but I don't see how it will hurt him to go without video games for 24 hours.) I wouldn't change the rules. You set yourself up to bending the rules in the future, and it's a very reasonable rule for a 10 year old. Even teenagers have a hard time self-regulating the video games (I know a friend of DS who plays all day and half the night). Your rule will help him have a better quality of life. Don't scold too much. That's my downfall--the nagging. Just--no computer games for 24 hours if he uses it without permission. The end. During his 24 hours, you and he can do fun things together--it doesn't have to be a miserable 24 hours.

OK, sorry if I am posting twice. I can't find my other posts, but I think they are in the General Education and the Chat Board. Has anyone used Bookrags? What are your experiences? They are like Cliffs Notes but you pay $20 a month. Let me know if it's worth my $?