When you tell your ds he needs to put his dirty clothes in the refrigerator so you can wash them... and then proceed to put the milk away in the food cabinet.

Then your Ticonderoga's must be better quality than mine. I bought some, both the black ones and the yellow, and I STILL can't get the blooming things sharpened properly! :glare: I have the exact same problems as the op. I.don't.understand. I just want to give up.

:bigear: My dd is going to need a bra soon. Her problem isn't tomboyishness but seams. She will.not.wear ANY clothing with seams around her chest. Think empire waists and babydoll shirts. I'm concerned she won't go for the feeling of the bra band around her chest and have no clue what to do about that.

I do so on a regular basis, but not for more than 5 or 10 min or in giant parking lots like Target, Wal-Mart, or Lowes. If it's too hot, I don't. If the area is not safe, I don't. I used to crack the windows for air, lock the car, and take the keys. Now I leave dd the keys since she knows how to start the car if needed for A/C. Of course, I also send my 6 yr old out with the keys to get something from the car when I can't go myself - depending on the parking lot and where the car is parked. I have also left them unattended in front of a store with our dog when I had to run in to get something. I had just picked the dog up from the vet and couldn't afford the gas to drive home, drop her off, and go back into town to get what I needed. It was too hot to leave the dog in the car and the store wasn't one I feel comfortable leaving the kids in a running car. The only solution was them keeping the dog on the leash sitting in the rocking chairs in front of the store, in the shade. It was a quick run in/out.

My xBIL entered PS for the first time in 8th grade because of baseball. He did very well academically, had a great pitching arm and was being recruited for scholarships... until he had to have surgery on his pitching arm late in his Junior season. That pretty much ended his baseball career. He did, however, then earn a music scholarship for his awesome guitar playing and is now a part of a touring rock band.:D

All I know is that I was given a bottle... don't know what was in it. I do know that I cried all.the.time and my mom thought I was brain-damaged (her words, not mine). I'll have to ask her what she actually used.

I only got through page 11 of the replies, but I wanted to post this. I was born & raised in a small TX town that was definitely redneck, but you hardly ever saw a confederate battle flag or anything else related to the Civil War. It wasn't brought up in any way. My xdh was born & raised in Mississippi. The confederate battle flag is literally everywhere. He is one of those that believes the war was about states rights and has read extensively about it. He is proud of the flag from a heritage standpoint and had one hanging in his bedroom. From many of the jokes he tells and comments he makes... most people would think he's a racist. However, many of his best friends (he doesn't use that term loosely and has often risked his own life for his friends) are black and/or hispanic. To him, it's the attitude and behaviour of the person that elicits the jokes, comments, etc., NOT the color of their skin. *Don't read further if the "n" word bothers you!* To use his exact words, "I don't have a problem with black people. It's niggars I can't stand." He uses the term "niggar" to mean any person that routinely behaves in an idiotic manner, never wants to work but feels they "deserve" handouts, and blames others for their lot in life -- whether they are black, white, brown, or purple. My BIL (my sister's dh), though, is most definitely a racist even though he doesn't own a single piece of confederate memorabilia. My children now understand that their father does and says many things I don't want them repeating or emulating. Their father's flag is folded in the cedar chest and not brought out. To answer the OP, I would let my dc continue with the lessons. I would, however, talk with them about the flag, what it means to some, and how it might make others feel. I would explain why we don't display such things in our house or on our person. They will be confronted by such things as teens & adults and I want to make sure they understand my personal point of view so they can be prepared and not caught by surprise.

I think we started with the birth of Jesus for scripture reading... either that or the creation story. After those two I'm not really sure. Noah's ark, Jonah & the big fish, David & Goliath... stories of God's provision, love, protection, justness, etc. All the previous would be high on the list but I can't really put them into an exact order, iykwim. ETA: I'm talking about the VERY first stories... like when they are 2 yrs old and younger, not for scripture memorization or actual Bible study for older children.

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking here. The first 4 scriptures? Is that stories, books of the Bible, or passages we try to get them to memorize?

I just brush mine with a little oil (coconut or canola), sprinkle on onion powder, salt, garlic powder, basil, paprika, and sometimes rosemary, then bake. It's easy, quick, and delicious!

I used GoDaddy as well through James L. Paris Internet. I also have a 20% off coupon that is good through 8/14. Just pm me if you're interested.:D

It's hard to say exactly... but we tried to focus on God as Creator first. He made the trees, grass, animals, them... everything! After that, I went to His love for them and the world He created. There are many other concepts I tried to instill: He's perfect, knows everything and is everywhere (omnipotent & omnipresent to give the big words we don't use till they're older). Like the pp said, these things were talked about during everyday things and not sit down specific lessons. Just brought into conversations as the opportunity arose.

LOL! I'd assume the dog just had her breakfast and I could wait to feed her 'till supper! So far, I've only seen her eat crickets, beetles, frogs, and mice.

I understand what you're saying... I LOVE my church, too! I love the music and really feel like I get to worship. I love to hear the pastor preach. He really makes me think about things and I feel like he helps me to understand the original meaning since he's got his phD and takes the time to define the original Hebrew/Greek. BUT..... Family Night, eh. Not so much. We do TeamKid and I feel like it's just games with a mini-lesson on the side. My dc don't memorize scripture in their classes and the same stories repeat almost ad nauseum with nothing new added as they get into the older classes. It's not really a visiting church. For example, when my ds was an infant, he had RSV and was in the hospital for 4 days. I only got 1 visit from my deacon on the last day we were there. No one shows up for outreach.... well, only the same 4 or 5. You just have to ask yourself, do the pros outweigh the cons? For me, the teaching of the pastor and the ministry of the music are enough. I have a good circle of friends I can call on both in and outside of the church and I teach my children to memorize scripture at home. It's MY job to teach them anyway (as far as I understand it at least). So, I stay. I get refreshed and challenged by the sermon. I get uplifted and lift my praise during the music. I teach my children at home and bring them into the service when possible. You will never find a perfect church. They are filled with imperfect people who don't always hear/understand what God is saying. You might be the one to help them hear... then again, you might be just a supporter to the one who hasn't come yet or even just one to move to another church. I pray you find the peace in whatever path you take. :grouphug:

LOL! I've got (don't know how to do the links...) What's your most reliable news source? Cowboys & Aliens (the movie) Then when I went back after posting the above, I saw: Trip to the Stockyards (Picture Show Off) Chicken people:

I belong to a support group, not a co-op... but the part I bolded jumped out at me. When I joined my group, there were a LOT of high school aged kids and just a few lower elementary/preschool. In fact, my son was one of only 2 preK kids. However, over the years the older kids have graduated and their younger siblings are now mostly middle-school aged. Also, many families have joined with younger kids so that we are now a lower-elementary heavy group with at least 10 preK and 4 infants! We get several inquiries every month asking about our numbers of high school kids (only 1 last year) and none of the families will join because they don't see the numbers they want. The thing is... almost NONE of the groups around here have many high schoolers present BECAUSE each family is looking for a group that ALREADY HAS a good number and no one is joining any of the groups!:tongue_smilie: Could it be that your co-op is just in an in-between stage. The younger families don't see as many opportunities for their dc and so shy away from the higher cost for their smaller/younger families? To be honest, there are many, many more inexpensive options for the preK/early elementary set to get their enrichment when there are not older siblings to consider.

I know, my cousin had a swing in her son's bedroom... but my ds's room is upstairs over the living room. I keep imagining the landings over my head making the light fixtures shake and shudder! :tongue_smilie:

My ds was too short to do it that way when he first tried it. He holds onto the molding on one side of the doorway with both hands and then just shimmies up that side with his toes. When he gets to the top he grabs the top molding and inches to the middle before dropping down. He's a gymnast too and is trying to make the team. He also keeps asking when I'm going to put a set of rings in his room hanging from the ceiling... I'm thinking a tree outside is a better spot, lol.

I live in a rental. It's a turn of the century farmhouse with tall ceilings and my ds figured out how to do it when he was almost 5. He goes all the way to the ceiling and then hangs from the molding in the doorway. Since he's started letting go and dropping to the floor, he began taking one of the couch cushions and putting in the doorway to land on. The only thing that bugs me about it are the dirty hand and foot prints on the molding and walls... but they get to scrub those off themselves as the price of climbing, lol.

That one is safer than the one that was across the street from my house when my dd was 1. Ours was a slide that made up one leg of the swings. The handrails were about 2 inches above the steps, the steps were slick metal with large gaps and VERY steep (think A-frame swing leg steep), and the "platform" was about 2 inches wide and at the same height as the top of the swing support about 12 feet up. There was absolutely nothing to hold onto while trying to sit down to slide. I think it was put there in the 40's. Dd loved that slide from the time she was 2 'till they took it out a few years ago. That park also had metal seesaws and an old-fashioned jungle gym that was about 8 feet tall and made of all metal pipes!

I LOVE that playground and wish we had one near us!!! My kids are still fairly young and think that most of the playgrounds around here are too boring. We do have a new one with one of those tall rope pyramids that was posted earlier, but most others are simply made for kids under 6 yrs old even though their signs say 5-12. :glare: Also, many of the newer playgrounds are deserted in the summer because the lack of shade makes the surfaces too hot to touch. That black rubberized mulch radiates so much heat that it's unbearable from about 10 am till 6 pm. I believe that some of the safety regulations have been for the better, but many have simply gone too far. My dad's church had a VERY hard time updating their playground because of all the regulations... They couldn't leave the grass, had to cut down large trees that provided shade because they were too close to the playstructures and posed a "safety risk", couldn't replace with the same size equipment because the required distance from building to playspace changed, etc. So, now they have a horribly hot smaller playground that cost thousands and fewer kids can enjoy at a time when they had previously had a shade and grass cooled space that had been good for many ages. The city actually told them that they could maintain their present playground and keep removing things that became too dangerous without meeting the new codes, but anything added to the playground meant that ALL the new codes must be met.

My dd was/is like this. I tried warm baths, warm milk, soothing story, lullabies, even melatonin. While the melatonin certainly helped, the only thing that consistently got her to get to sleep easily was physically wearing her out every.single.day. Hard work &/or play and no naps. Still, there are nights she's still awake at 1 am just lying in her bed. She also wakes up several times during the night. I've thought that maybe she just needs less sleep than the avg child since she's hardly ever grumpy or lethargic once she's woken up.

I never caught anything with peanut butter either. Tootsie Rolls though.... I caught 4 in the same trap in ONE night! I live between two large fields and get mice every time the tractors roll through. :tongue_smilie:

I live in a rural area... so things are spread out and there's not really any public transportation. I'd have to drive 12 miles just to get to the closest bus stop! Also, the bus only goes to about 7 places in town anyway. During the summer, I've been spending about $40/week. It's more than double that during the school year. I have to drive over 25 miles to the place where I teach my art classes, one way. BTW, I have a 16 yr old Camry wagon.

I know... but in my part of the country holocaust survivors are few and far between. I think I was an adult and married before I personally met one. I didn't say I thought they needed to/should be protected, only that it seems to be a prevalent sentiment where I live. I actually think those kids you speak of are blessed and have an amazing opportunity. They get a chance to understand these things in a way others may never understand...