We hang our towels over the backs of kitchen chairs after a shower at night, and one of my first morning chores is to fold them nicely and place them in a stack on the floor of the bathroom by the shower/bath. There is a bar in the bathroom on the wall that the door opens to, but it only holds 2 towels, and we have 5 people using the bathroom, so I have a couple on the bar usually, but most people use the folded ones on the floor. We are not fussy about using any towel, but if we wanted to know whose was whose, I guess we could either embroider names on them, or use a different colour per person.

Nice casual for tutoring remedial spelling. In my case that's usually a skirt, nice t-shirt, sometimes a scarf, and ballet flats.

Whole30 got rid of my emotional attachment to food. I never believed it would, but now, even six weeks later, I don't have the same feelings about food. I think it's nothing short of miraculous. It was relatively easy to do, too. :-)

Tapping with EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), and/or Theta Healing.

Hi Remudamom! You're back!! Good to see you...I've missed seeing your posts for quite some time now, and hoped nothing had happened to you. :-)  To answer your question - I don't remember Nutrimom, sorry.

I am a part time nanny/housekeeper of twin 12month olds and a two year old. The mother stays home mostly. I would do all the things you listed in your OP, as well as the cleaning, but I'm an experienced mother myself. Not sure that I would have been capable of managing all that at 15 without quite a bit of direction.

Hi, So, just for some background... I homeschooled my 3 girls for 9 years, with a couple of public school years at different times for each kid mixed in amongst it all. I haven't homeschooled now for nearly 5 years, as my dd's are all grown, and I sold all my materials when I finished. Nowadays I do some remedial spelling tutoring, which started off with a lady, who knew I homeschooled my dyslexic kid successfully, asking if I would do some spelling tutoring for her 8yo son. I use Apples and Pears, as I'd used that program for my daughter and was very happy with it. Then a friend of theirs asked me to tutor her son, then another, and another after that. Up to now, it's been remedial spelling only and I use A&P for all of them. Now a lady has asked me to help her 7th grader (12yo) with language arts in general. He got a bad grade in his last school report, and she'd like to lift that grade. He's (I suppose) typical of a vast number of boys who resonate more with maths and science and don't love language arts. His mother brought me some of his school work (he's in ps, if that makes a difference), and his work is very messy in general. It basically looks like he doesn't want to be doing it, and is putting in as little effort as he can get away with. I did an assessment with him the other day. His mother had given me the impression that he was around the same level as his younger brother that is doing spelling with me. He is not, but he's certainly not at grade level. His reading age (Schonell test) is 9yrs 11mo. His comprehension is probably at a 4th grade level. Reading fluency and spelling were not too bad, but again, not at grade level really. I would probably say his current level would be around 4th grade. And, as I said - handwriting was pretty messy, so it'd probably be good to work on that, I guess. He doesn't use cursive, as it's not really used here in general in school. At first I was not really confident about the idea, as LA quite a broad area, and it would be so different to the sessions I do now. Also, I would have him only 2x week for an hour each time which hardly seems enough to cover all that needs covering. But I think I'm getting more used to the idea, as I loved teaching language arts to my own dd's, and if I can get the right resources I'm sure it'll work out fine. So I really, really need some ideas of what to use. Here in Australia, we don't have a great focus on grammar, so I'm not sure that we'll do much more than the basics...it'd be wasted, I think. When one of my dd's went to school in 9th grade, the teacher was shocked that she knew what a pronoun was, and could name them all, and couldn't believe her ears when she also said something about prepositions. I think the teacher barely knew what a preposition was herself. I guess what I need is something that would teach (either separate programs or something comprehensive): Writing Punctuation Basic grammar Reading fluency (or maybe this will come about naturally as we do some reading aloud?) I will use one of the levels of Apples and Pears for spelling, I think. And I think if I insist on neatness, he'll probably improve in that (hopefully, anyway) Suggestions, advice, or whatever greatly appreciated. And if you think I've missed anything, please let me know! :) Thank you, thank you!! ETA: Material from the US is fine, it's usually available here, and if not, I'm happy to get it shipped over. I did so much of that years ago, as you all are light years ahead of us in the homeschooling materials dept.

I actually had a picture in my head of yoga pants, and then I thought I'd use google images to see that I had the right thing....oh my! Lots and lots of ladies bending over to show their butt (& more), and the vast majority of the pants are see-through. That is so not yoga pants in my mind, that is see-through leggings. I'm not sure about anyone else, but they are far from flattering, sexy or appealing in my opinion - I can't imagine any guy I know would think so, either! I think I had the compression style more in mind, and they are cute.

One word (or two, depending on how you look at it! ;) )..... Whole30 It does involve a lifestyle change, but it's worth it. I'm still working on it....I have a lot to lose.

Well, I just googled to see if my definition is right, because you don't hear it very often, and I know davenport only with the British definition - apparently in the US it's different. :) But I clicked that I know it, and feel the love!

A card is appreciated. I lost a litter of newborn puppies to Fading Puppy Syndrome, and most of the people on my puppy buyer list sent condolence cards. It was so special to get them. I still look at them sometimes, and it feels like a hug even now. I think a card is enough, but if you feel you'd like to do something else, by all means do it. If it's from the heart, it's appreciated whatever it is. Flowers, a plant, or the memorial stone the pp's mentioned are all things that would be appropriate. Even take a meal over to them. A visit in a few days and allowing them to talk (or not, if they prefer) about the dog and his special ways etc. might also be appreciated.

Very funny and cute! :)

Dp

Perfume! You absolutely must spray pretty note paper with perfume....before you write. Wait for it to dry, then write all your dreams for the future together, and tell in great detail how much you love him or her. A poem might be nice, but not essential. A little memento of a previous time together....for instance a tiny stone that he picked up and pointed out the beauty of, and you kept....Or a little acorn from a tree that you both reached for at the same time, and his hand closed over yours, and you kept it. (We kept our parents guessing with our lumpy envelopes!) Such fun! We still have some of our love letters, but some were a little...aahhh...more personal... so we decided that we'd rather people not come across them anytime, and we threw them out!

I think I'd be speaking to Dh....for goodness sake, how would he be if you got something like cancer? Perish the thought, but anger certainly has no part to play in something you cannot help! And as other posters said, it could very well be contributing to your stress, therefore a lower immunity, and the constant sickness. My husband used to be the same with me, and then I did get cancer, so I know of what I speak! He and I were very close to separating after my treatment was over, because of the way he was during it. Since then I've grown a backbone and would not stand for it. But, on a more gentle note: :grouphug: I really, really hope you get better. I feel for you so much. I've been sick for a month now, and the thought of it going on much longer drives me to distraction. Read the other thread about long-lasting sickness (it's Tap's post no.27 http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/540429-dr-hive-what-am-i-missing-why-am-i-not-getting-better/?do=findComment&comment=6157973 ), a poster there mentioned all the things she was doing to proactively help her body to fight. I think she's on the right track. I mean to do the same (actually have started today), and make it my every day's work to help myself to get better and well again. Hugs again :grouphug: , and take good care of yourself.

Also, do you think the counselling is actually helping? If not, perhaps you need to try another one. We did go through a few before we found a couple of alternative-type therapists to be her main support system. One was an EFT practitioner, who was also a counsellor, and the other is a Theta healing practitioner. These have been far more helpful than a normal psychiatrist and CBT etc. Although she is not perfect yet, she is a long, long way from where she used to be. When she gets a few down days, she makes an appointment with either of them and it gets her back on a good functioning level for a month or two.

I don't have much advice to give you, but :grouphug: hugs for the young lady, and all those that support her. It's a rough road to be travelling. I've been down the same with my daughter, almost exactly as you describe. We have not really gone the allopathic route, because neither of us has much faith in what seems to be the guesswork of most dr's around here. It's only in the last few weeks that MTHFR has entered our radars and I think we'll be going ahead for testing for that, as it sounds like the shoe fits in quite a few ways for both her and me, although depression/anxiety is not how it manifests for me. Sorry I can't be more help, but I wanted to send hugs and some empathetic feelings your way. ETA: I know the eating thing and exercising is big with helping to keep a good mental state, but I do know when my daughter was at her worst, it was too much to ask of her to try to be on top of those things. I'd do what I could, and encourage her in that regard, but it was a balancing act as to when to just fully support and love her whatever choices she made, or when to take a loving but firmer stance on what I'd recommend her to do for her health's sake. I didn't always get it right, or sometimes it didn't seem well received at the time, but it sunk in and she took it on board when she could get her head around making a few little changes. Hugs again...because it's so hard to watch and try to help.

I'm sorry you're feeling so bad. :grouphug: I can totally sympathise...(that's why I liked your posts, not because I'm happy you're sick!) I've been sick now for just over 4 weeks, too. Started off as the flu for 2 weeks, then constant coughing, wheezing, can't sleep, completely fatigued, and VERY frustrated and overwhelmed. Every few days I feel slightly better and think I'm getting over it, but it's always for just that day, and the next day I'm just as bad! I just got some sleeping tablets from my FIL to try to get a few good nights sleep, which did happen thankfully, and now I'm coming down with a sore throat that my husband has, too. I'm really over it, as I can imagine you are. You begin to wonder if you'll ever feel normal, don't you! I'm up now, and it's 2am here, and was just throwing up after a coughing fit. :( It sounds like you've covered all bases, as far as I can tell. I've started taking crushed raw garlic in honey or molasses to try a natural anti-viral/antibiotic. My doctor today said he would say it's just post-viral cough, and post-viral fatigue, and it should not last too much longer. Didn't fill me with confidence, though. :/ I really hope you get better soon. Sorry you're missing your trip. :(

Glad you had a good and productive first day back. I'm not homeschooling any more :(. Youngest is in uni, but we loved our time, and the first day back each year was always kind of exciting for us all. I'd take first day pictures in front of the whiteboard that said Welcome to Year 3, 5, and 6 (or whatever)...even sometimes on the second day if we missed the first, and just call it 'new school year' pics! It's kind of fun to look back on. Good luck for the rest of the school year! :)

The house where I cleaned once had a large grumpy looking male cat called Lizzie. Just felt really weird to use his name...it was like...lizzie is at the door, should I let him in?

Whatever you like! If you want to wear it - go for it! I think yoga pants are cute. I don't wear pants except around the house, but that's only because I'm a skirts girl mostly. But if I see them on people down the street, it doesn't concern me.

Good job for recognizing it as a false belief pattern! There are so many enjoyable and fun things in life, that it's too bad when false beliefs mean that our enjoyment in normal and natural things is lessened. If you are interested, google Theta healing, or Now healing. If you can find someone close to you that does either or both, both are great for releasing false beliefs that we have either as a result of our own experiences, or that have been handed down (subconsciously) from our parents. It's very freeing to let go of them. :) It sounds a bit woo-woo, but when you understand the processes underpinning it, it makes complete sense. And best of all, it does work.

No, I don't feel guilty. I'm flattered, but never guilty! Part of being human is attraction to others. I don't feel guilty when I admire another man, or even admire a woman's beauty, neither should men feel guilty. Of course, if the admiration is overt in any way, the admirer runs the risk of offending, annoying or upsetting the admiree (i doubt that's a word, but anyway :), or the partner of the admirer.

I've done it when I used to buy on eBay a few years ago on something I've really wanted, but I never used a program....just hung around and entered last second bids.

It's hard to answer this one, as I don't believe that my husband is less intelligent in many ways. He is just more closed minded, and not interested in discussing things, and really does not agree with my point of view on almost any subject. He has a set opinion that is usually very biased and not extremely well though out, but no-one bothers to counter it, as then he shuts the conversation down. On the other hand, I am curious, interested, love discussing things to learn more from others' perspectives, and building my own opinions on varied issues. I think this creates a massive disparity, to the point that we can never really discuss anything apart from banal things. I really feel that not being able to discuss things takes away a lot from the relationship. Instead I have awesome discussions with my daughters and my oldest daughter's boyfriend, and this increases the depth of my relationship with them, I feel. When we met and married (very young), I don't think an equal intelligence was at all on my radar as far as discerning compatibility. That's probably why I encourage my kids to not marry until they have 'found themselves', and really have a good understanding of who they are, and what they need in a future spouse. I don't think you can know that fully until you know who YOU are.