Just got back from a day away, and my whole house smells like acetone/ nail polish remover. For some reason this is ringing a bell with me, but when I have googled it, all that comes up is the possibility of a meth lab - I know that is not it!!! Anybody have this experience??? What is that smell? How do I get rid of it?

It depends on your child's interests and personality. Now that I have another one coming up in a couple of years, I am planning to do FIAR with her. I have started doing a modified B4FIAR with her. It is hard to find the books, but well worth it. At 2, she has already memorized 3 of the stories that we read once a day for 5 days, and now has stories to tell in the car, and is applying what she has seen and learned. So my personal votes is: FIAR. (but I do like the logically sequenced science and social studies of SL).

I took the sizes of clothing offered as a guide to purchasing one for my dd. 7 Their clothing starts at size7 (I think). My kids have always worn their age size, so we didn't let her have one until 7. My little sister had saved up her money for over a year when she was about 10 (this was 20 years ago or so) to buy herself a Kirstin when they were very very new. We liked the idea of having our dd take some responsibility for such a big outlay of cash, so had her save her birthday, Christmas, and allowance money for a year. I think she treats the doll much better because it cost her something. We honored her sacrifice by matching the amount, to buy clothes and accessories for the doll. Her cousin got a trip to the LA Store, a tea party, a new doll, and promises of matching clothing... but the girls' clothes don't come in a size 5. So cousin threw a fit. In my never humble opinion, this shows she was not ready for such a big ticket item (I did bite my tongue - HARD). Sometimes it seems we parents want to get our kids the best or biggest or most longed for item... and we tend to do it too soon. I don't think it will hurt her to wait for it. Think ahead a couple of years, and if you get her one big/ expensive/ special item each year, at what age does she get her own iPod or cell phone?

Yay! We give microwave popcorn to the bigger kids, and tiny jars of playdough to the littles. I LOVE hearing kids walk away from the house saying, "Cool! We got popcorn!" I'm also a bit of a grinch and get a sick pleasure in the fact that the little tiny tots in strollers or babes in arms are getting playdough - that their mom can't eat. Sorry, in my book if you have a kid, you don't get your own trick or treating bag. I even gave little lectures to high school age kids - "You should be ashamed! Don't come back next year unless you are helping a little kid go from door to door!" And in case you didn't know it, apparently the Tooth Fairy's cousin, the Halloween Fairy, goes around on the evening of Nov. 1 to pick up bowls of candy left on your doorstep and replace it all with a dvd or game. True! She came to our house last year, and we are looking forward to her this year too!

I have to agree with other posters, it would depend on what the decedent may have said to the person, or possibly differing religious beliefs. I lived in a country where the widow wore all white, head to toe, for 40 days after her husband's death. It necessitated someone from the family going out to buy white socks, shoes, everything. (this was a country of mainly Arab Muslims).

:lol:

What an awful night for you!! I really really despise self check out and I refuse to use it on principle - until they give me an "employee discount" for doing their employee's work, I won't do it. I don't care how long the line is, I don't want to pay the same amount AND have to do the work! And, like you, it very rarely works for me. Hope this week is better for you!

I teach for a "virtual academy" and I actually tell all my new families the same thing... "In six weeks you are going to ask yourself if it was worth it and you are going to want to quit. Push through that and it will get so much easier and it will get better." I have heard that in most "new" situations, the downtimes are at 6 weeks, 6 months, one year and two years. This is a chart for culture shock, but it applies to nearly all major life events - and switching back into school mode is definitely a major life event!

My three new ones: I have never... Been to Florida succeeded at a diet been able to keep a poker face. I have also never: been to North Dakota, nor Alaska smoked a cigarette had premarital $3x run for public office sky dived or hang glided kissed a chipmunk painted daisies on a big red rubber ball Been to Boston in the fall had a few Mike's shaved my head gotten a tattoo Been to Kentucky driven a motorcycle taken college biology gone skinny-dippin (does it count if it is a private jacuzzi with my dh):0 discharged a firearm I have: read all the harry potter books broken a bone lived in Africa traveled to Asia mowed lawns been to New England seen the Atlantic Ocean gotten braces done my own taxes Taken a geometry class eaten sour cream (I think this is my favorite one Aubrey!!) Had an ultrasound delivered a baby in a hospital been on a plane outside of Texas been asked, "will you marry me?"

Thanks all so much for weighing in. I realized I am struggling with thinking of being up at night as "disobedience," and really it is her having trouble sleeping. Amount of exercise doesn't seem to make a difference for her (sometimes happens on karate or soccer nights, other times it doesn't) but I can see where it would for some. I like the idea of allowing her to make some choices within limits in the middle of the night and having her write me a note. I will definitely keep in mind the magnesium and melatonin if it is persistent. DH doesn't like to take ANYTHING, so he just deals with very sleepy days.

Background: DH has always had insomnia - this is great when you are foster parents to a preemie who needs to be fed every 2 hours, otherwise not so good. DD 10 always has trouble "falling asleep." Her bedtime has been 8:30 for a long time (several years)... recently it has been 8:30 room time, 9:00 lights out. I have recently noticed her sneaking light to draw in the middle of the night (I don't go to bed until 11 p.m., usually) - have heard hte rustle of paper and found the flashlight in her bed. Last night (this morning) got up at 5 a.m. with toddler, and noticed her light was on and she was drawing in her room, with the music on. My problem is, I cannot get her to wake up in the morning - really a struggle to get her out of bed at 8 a.m. However, morning is her best time for getting work accomplished. Cannot do ANY math after noon. Is this "normal" or do any of you deal with it? Do I need to let her set her own bedtime and waking hours? Do I take away flashlights and drawing pads and radio as I see and hear them being used? Do I just let hre sleep when she needs to sleep? :bigear:

It's in my blood to give books as gifts for all occasions. You can never have too many. Oldest daughter is getting (sh don't tell) the complete HP series - got it for a great price at Scholastic. She is also getting the third in the Blue Balliett series - The Calder Game. She shares a first name with the main character, which is why we read the books in the first place. Love the combination of kids' mystery, giftedness, and art in all three. Nieces are getting the "Alexander" books. Younger daughter is getting some B4FIAR books - we have been checking them out of the library and she keeps wanting to read them again, so we need to keep them around the house.

Our state pays 5 cents per recyclable can or bottle (aluminum, plastic, and glass). She has started "collection points" at my mom's house - where we often have empty cans, etc. after a dinner; dh's classroom, and considering more classrooms. If she motivates herself I could see her making $30 a week... that would mean a bit more driving for me. I have told her that since the driving is not out of our way I am not charging for it, and if I have to do the work I get to keep the money.

Last January I set a goal to clean out one closet or cupboard weekly and get rid of things... I saved them in the garage for an eventual garage sale. Today with my sister and mom, we made nearly $1000. ($957 to be exact). Really. Just for getting rid of stuff we have had taking up room in our homes (an old uncomfortable mattress stuck up in the rafters, doubles of some kitchen utensils, ugly sheets, crib and maternity clothes... maybe this means I'll get pregnant???). So - keep decluttering! It is worth something to somebody somewhere.

My parents paid for me to go many MANY years ago (1987, 1988) and it truly was life changing for me. I got to be "normal" (surrounded by peers) for the first time ever. I still have friends from CTY. They could have had me go to day camp, as it was only about a 30 minute drive - I am so glad they let me stay. That extra time was where all the difference was for me. If your child is showing talent... PLEASE save up for this, or something similar. It is expensive, but so, so worth it - from one who has been there!

DH is wanting to put dd in school RIGHT NOW for 5th grade, and I have been trying to tell him that this is not going to decrease the family levels of stress, just put them everywhere else and make sure they happen daily (getting her out of bed, dressed, fed, and to school on time daily - he thinks that will be easy?!). I will definitely show him this thread.

What does your spouse/other do? Are there jobs in that area? My dh is a teacher. DD bought (with allowance money) a sturdy container for collecting recyclable cans and bottles for his classroom. He brings it home full 1-2 times a week, at about $7 a trip to the recycling center (not out of the way for us) this is adding up FAST! She now collects cans and bottles on our daily walks, too. Real Estate agent friend or spouse: can they do some yard work or cleaning of empty homes?? Run errands for elderly neighbors. DH pays her 20 cents/ minute for back rubs.

I used to tutor - particularly SAT prep for high school juniors/ seniors. I have done medical transcription - if you have a good vocabulary and a spell check, you can subcontract from someone who gets the work from the doctors and has the degree. Child care. Any kind of craft you are good at that other people want (fixing up furniture, knitting, sewing, painting). Music lessons, art lessons, swimming lessons, internet lessons. I currently work from home as a teacher for a public virtual academy - basically I facilitate other homeschoolers and am the credentialed teacher who fills in all the forms. I have done ALL the above at one time or another. Pick something you enjoy and you're good at; chances are you can find someone (or several someones) who are willing to pay you to do it for them!

But I'm thinking that if you are making more than 97% of the population of a rather wealthy country, it seems pretty ridiculous to think you are "middle class." Unless math has changed recently, 97% is NOT middle. I have noticed that most people THINK they are middle class when they definitely are not. FWIW, I live in Southern California and we make combined less than $100k. We have a 45 year old house with floors and windows that need replacing. We do not have a pool. We do not belong to the country club. My husband's used car cost $1000 from a friend at church. I do NOT think we are poor. My husband is considering sending dd to private school. We have two cars (not new, not gorgeous, but serviceable). We are paying into retirement accounts (another whole ball of twine after last week!). Especially compared to another country we lived in previously, we are wealthy. Now, I can come home from a friend's house and be sad because her house was built in 2005 and has 3200 sf, she has a nice new luxury SUV and $300 shoes- and I know she thinks she is "middle class" and "struggling to make ends meet." Or I can come home and compare my 1500 sf home to the 500 sf home with concrete walls and dirt floor of my friends overseas, who moved into the "middle class" when they bought a used refrigerator (their first one ever!), who always went above and beyond in their generosity, giving my kids clothing, slaughtering a sheep to share with us, giving us the biggest and best of what they had. I think anyone with $250k a year who thinks they are middle class needs to look very carefully at choices they have made, square footage and year of construction of their home, car - make, model and payments, etc.

I am LOVING The idea of hiring a housekeeper with some of that money that obviously CAN be found in our budget. I do think that would take SO MUCH stress off. I tell all of the families in my class that schooling at home needs to be considered a full time job, and therefore they will not have as much time to do things as they would if they were not teaching at home. I need to remember that for our own family and apply it. Will continue to talk with DH. We are in a state of chaos with the amount of time we are spending (or not) as a family. I think we have all taken on too many things and are not any of us feeling happy about time outside of the home. One of the things I REALLY miss about living overseas is there was no expectation that DH help with the college group, or that DD be involved in choir or soccer or karate. There was no regularly scheduled social time - it just happened. I miss that so much! But I feel like our society in America doesn't allow for that. Everything has to be scheduled - and our family time is squeezed out. Thanks all!

I am going to continue praying about this. We did discuss a tiny bit last night, but exhaustion is not a good point from which to begin. As I think about the situation there are so many things that have contributed to it - I am a big one! My issues from childhood are creeping in, too, and not being helped by him not talking to me about the presenting problem. We will take little bites of time and emotional energy as we can. I am trying to remember that men are all about the rational side and don't appreciate the emotional appeals. This is hard for me, since the emotional side is what it's about. Again, thanks for your support.

We started schooling at home when we lived overseas (pre-k). She went to private school for the 2 month furlough in 1st grade, then when we came home for good in 2nd grade (November through the rest of the year, to give her some stability in a very unstable year). We've been at home for 3rd, 4th, and beginning of 5th. She is moving into the emotional/ hormonal change stage, which I can sometimes deal with rationally and sometimes I don't. I do not deal well with it when I am under stress (from my mostly work from home job, or other times... I know I am not the only one who is stressed). I do not deal well with it at the end of the day. One day last week I had really had it with the eye rolling and extremely disrespectful and rude facial expressions, and at dinner when she did it AGAIN, and DH did not back me up, I really lost it with her and told her that what I wanted to do was smack her face until that look disappeared. (NOTE: I did not smack her face, I did not get out of my chair. I did raise my voice. Then I left to go on a long walk). The next day, without saying anything to me, DH went to a local private school to pick up an application, came home and told me this was his plan. He thinks that we spend too much time together and homeschooling is bad for our relationship. He sat with DD and discussed it with HER (but not with me?!?!) I have not said much to him, but I cannot imagine that her going to school is going to help our relationship - I remember what it was like to try to get her up, fed, and out the door each morning, and what it was like to try to get her to do homework and chores before a regular bedtime. I foresee a LOT of frustration and stress trying to get her to and from school, getting her to get her work done... and paying for private school is also going to increase stress in our marriage and home. I don't know why I'm writing, except that I know there are people on these boards who must have had similar issues. I don't know if I should try to talk to DH, or just let him do this, or what I should do. Or if I just want hugs.

Thanks for the reminder! I always do it on October 4 - not the 1st, too crazy, but early enough that if I have problems I have time to fix it. Yay! It always makes me feel more official.

Spiral means that ideas or areas of study are repeated throughout the year - "coming back to it" again and again. Each day's work includes review from all year- so in 25 questions, you will always have a geometry question, a money question, word problems, statistics and probability, etc. It's daily review of every aspect of the math curriculum. I believe this is why test scores would generally be higher, because students are working on all areas daily or at the very least weekly. Most math programs do not spiral the way Saxon does - we used Singapore for a while, and it is very much about the unit - "in this unit we work on money," "in (This is also true of other programs I used while teaching in a classroom). I liked Singapore (K, 1, 2), except I really did not feel that my dd was getting enough practice each day (fewer problems to work on). Plus, we got Saxon for free from a friend the next year, and I liked it enough to continue with it.

My girls are 7 1/2 years apart. When I took the new baby in for her 1 week check up, she had glitter on her head and face. The doctor grinned and said, "So, I see they're getting along!"