I would not do an academic co-op for elementary school. I would not do two days a week. I would not do 9:30-3:30. My personal co-op limit would be one half-day of electives for elementary. For older grades, I'd consider academic classes from actual professionals/those with lots of experience in a given field.

My 9yo generalized like this a few years ago. What helped was never to say "Germany did this" and "We did that." Emphasize that these were decisions by individuals. So, for instance, "Adolph Hitler led the Germans to do this," "many post-WWI Germans felt like this," and "some Americans at that time did that."

For the singing at mealtimes, have you considered playing music in the background? People could talk over it, but I'd think that singing a different tune over it would be hard. For the interrupting, that impulse doesn't seem to ever go away, but most of the time, my DS stops when I hold my finger up. He knows it's an acknowledgment that his turn will come when I'm done--he doesn't need to guess when that is. I will address him when I'm finished with the current conversation. It doesn't stop the initial interruption, but it shortens the length.

I can't believe that was three years ago!

9ish

I realize that you haven't seen these behaviors from him before now in the weeks he's been with you, but I really expect that they aren't new to him. As others mentioned, they're most likely coping mechanisms for stress/anxiety; ones he does unconsciously. Scolding will not help. He doesn't control starting them. A gentle reminder each time it happens is as far as I'd go. I think your focus here should be in helping your own son navigate the situation and modeling patience and understanding for him.

(((Mommymilkies)))

nm

DS read Little Women about six months ago at age nine. He liked it enough to go on and read Little Men and Jo's Boys. I don't know if I could have waited much longer and had him still interested in it.

I'm 35 and I learned it in elementary school.

I still have it. I have no plans for it.

I voted yes and other. My 9yo can do it, I don't know if my 5yo could yet, and my 1yo can't.

Just say no. Please.

This is what my preference would be. Unlike to see pictures of each room furnished, but I'd refer to look in person at an empty house. I like to be able to examine and not wonder if the couch/bed/etc., is hiding something awful.

Sorry, I meant to say thrombosed, not prolapsed.

I've had prolapsed ones that healed on their own and had surgery. That's the intensely painful ones. But the random just *there* ones that hang out, sometimes itch, and sometimes bleed with pressure? Those don't go away in my experience.

What she said is what I was remembering:

Art, music, science experiments. The kind of stuff I dread because it means getting out a bunch of stuff and getting messy. Also, once I had more than one child and a relationship with my mother, I really appreciated having an extra pair of hands/eyes along for field trips.

I believe recent research showed that preemptive pain relief reduces effectiveness of vaccines.

I'd talk to his doctor about it. DH has issues like that, but he has to do things a specific number of times (for him it's three). He gets anxious if he doesn't. He's a controlling person in general. It isn't debilitating or anything, but he'd be better off if he'd gotten coping skills as an adolescent.

Do you need it anytime soon? I got it on Amazon used in January when I was planning my school year and it was only $1.39. I'd wait and see what happens with the price if you don't need it soon.

To answer your questions, DS was diagnosed at the beginning of 2011 right after turning five. He was in he waiting list for almost a year. It was a series of three appointments, each a month apart. First, they sent us a ton of paperwork to fill out and give to teachers/therapists to fill out. The initial visit was to meet us and him, discuss concerns/issues, and what testing would be done. Second visit was actual testing. Third visit was discussing results and giving information/resources.

Am I remembering correctly that you're in upstate SC? My son was diagnosed at Greenville Hospital Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics. The wait for initial testing appointment was about a year, so I urge you to get on the waiting list even if you're unsure about it right now. If he is diagnosed, he should qualify for a Medicaid program which will cover his therapies at no charge to you (it goes by his income/assets, not yours).

Um, yearly. I shave once or twice a week. The only time I cut myself is with a new one.

It was not free. I'm embarrassed to admit that I don't know if he's bonded. This is a side business. She's not really a friend anymore. We were in playgroup together when our 9yos were 2-4. We are now just Facebook friends. So, if feelings are hurt it doesn't really change my life. I don't know that I want him to do the fixing, but we really don't have money to redo it all over again. The first time stretched us. He did use cement backer board, so if he did something wrong I'd think it was in mixing mortar and/or grout, laying the mortar and/or grout, and/or not leaving enough time between them.