I usually book through Expedia. I often spend a ridiculous amount of time searching for hotels that will allow five people. I have always been able to find a hotel that will take 5 people, but it often costs more or is not our first choice. Oh well.

No. I am capable of being days late on a payment - even with reminders - if I was having one of those months/seasons. I cut others some slack and I appreciate it when others do likewise for me (although I do not necessarily expect it). I would not be mad if the Op insisted on payment by due date - those are the rules, and if I don't abide, that is the reality. Her group, her rules. However, equating someone who is 5 days late on a $12 renewal to someone who would drunk drive or commit adultery is mind boggling. :confused:

I would probably let her pay at the next meeting if it is not putting anyone out in a concrete way…but I am a big softie about that sort of thing. If she did not pay, though, that would be it - no more events until she pays in full. I do not, however, think you are being harsh for insisting on payment ahead of time. You gave her ample warnings. Write your email explaining her options, the next move is up to her. Sending positive vibes she just doesn't show up at the event without prior payment and cause a ruckus.

I voted 6. Maybe 5. The first is basic algebra, the second involves multiplying fractions and the third seems a bit easier to me - like it could be 4 or 5. I am in Canada, btw, and have seen the Canadian curriculum (similar to another poster)….that might be the difference.

Yup. Here are 2 examples: Quebec had a conscription crisis in WWII. That is all I learned about WWII. I thought Animal Farm was a literal story about animals revoting - I did not realise it had anything to do with the Russian Revolution and communism until my son read it this year. I did learn to write an essay in high school (more than I can say for my DH) and my math was fairly strong - everything else was a total wash. With the exception of math, I could have learned everything I learned in high school in about 1/2 the time.

Where else are they supposed to go if all hospitals have the same policy? Sometimes you just can't "go elsewhere." I have no idea if he felt like he was above hospital policy (because he is a Kennedy) or if he felt the hospital policy was wrong. I am questioning the policy - and I am no Kennedy! Since when is the act of questioning a policy automatcally equated to "thinking you are above hospital policy?" Questioning things is how we assert our rights and improve things for ourselves and others. To be clear: I think everyone has the right to question a policy they think is intrusive or unfair, and I can see why a mother or father would question a policy that said they were not allowed to walk around with their own medically stable baby. I think RFK responded to a rule he did not like in a totally inappropriate way. There are proper channels one can go through to lodge a complaint or concern - running away from a nurse is not one of them :glare:

I am sure you have thought of these things, and some you might be opposed to but I am going to say them in case you missed any…….:grouphug: -medication -respite care. You might need to call children's aide society - they might be able to help -does he have a social worker? -naturopath - I am thinking homeopathy, allergies, gluten….it would not be my first line of defense but it cannot hurt (other than your pocketbook) and might help -call up the autism or mental health society and ask if they have any resources or respite for parents before formal diagnosis. I have 2 autistic nephews (Quebec) - my sister has monthly respite, some sort of Saturday program and a camp. She pays for some of it, but considers it worth it. -School (mostly so you get a break - but they may be able to help, as well) School plus you as an advocate would be better than sending him to his fathers where you know his issues will not be addressed properly and you may lose contact with him. And a "yeah that" to jean in newcastle - do NOT get a puppy! Puppies are a lot of work, and you do not need any extra work.

I think he inherited most of it….and he does sound like a jerk or was having a very jerky moment….

5 babies are kidnapped by stranger in hospitals in the USA yearly. Half are from the mothers room. http://www.ispub.com/journal/the-internet-journal-of-healthcare-administration/volume-7-number-1/preventing-the-worst-case-scenario-an-analysis-of-rfid-technology-and-infant-protection-in-hospitals.html It is too many and it is horrible - but it is not a regular occurrence. To me this whole issues begs the questions: should individuals have to give up their rights because a few crackpots exists?

Fwiw - Ottawa is about 2.5 hours from Montreal. It is in the far east of the province. University of Ottawa and Carleton are the universities to check out for German programs. I made it to NYC in about 7 hours, for example. I do think Montreal is a little funkier than Ottawa, but Ottawa has many of the same pros without the negatives. Its pros aren't quite as strong, but its negatives are not quite as strong, either.

Bolding mine. I am not sure how this plays into it :confused: I hear you on the rest of it. I simply think there is a way to cede to parental rights, while keeping babies safe. I was in the hospital recently with an older child and was asked if there were any custody issues they needed to be aware of. It can be a question included on intake. Parents who want to take their child for a walk can then go to the reception desk, state their intent to go for a walk, and the receptionist can look up who the parents are and if there are custody issues. I am tired of the erosion of parental rights in institutions - I firmly believe there is a way to keep babies safe while supporting parental authority. I am not a rule breaker for the sake of it - but I do expect rules to be reasonable, and I expect them to be explained to me if I ask (when time permits). If you are asking me to give up my rights as a parent (right to take my baby for a walk) you should be willing to say why. There is an excellent possibility that once someone explains to me why the rule exists I will comply. If I genuinely think the rule is bogus I would write a letter, refuse to use that hospital again, etc. I wouldn't just take my baby for a walk and I think RKJ was wrong do so.

I think a babies father should be able to take a baby for some fresh air if he feels like it (assuming baby is medically stable) and there are no custody issues. I do not think he went about it the correct way - he should have presented himself at the desk on the ward and let them know he was taking the baby for a walk. If they balked, he should have ceded to their rules if they made sense, or brought the request up the chain of command if he was not convinced. Turning a maternity ward into a 3 ring circus is not cool.

11 or 12.

Ottawa, Ontario is pretty good in terms of promoting bilingualism. There are many public French schools (which may or may not accept anglophones), some private ones, and French immersion programs in most english schools. Ontario is very easy to HS in and I find Ontario less Big Brothery than Quebec. It is much easier for unilingual english to get a job in Ottawa.

You are not the only one. Everyone in my house had the flu this last month - and we almost never get sick. My youngest developed pneumonia out of it. Honestly, I feel like I have been hit by a mack truck and cannot wait for February to end!

I voted evening because it is what you want. My kids shower any time of day - and usually mid day. Works for us.

Hello, I am HSing my youngest child. She is 9 and been HSed her whole life. I HSed my older two as well until they decided hanging out with other teens might be fun and enrolled in school. :tongue_smilie: I am borderline an USers. Hyper relaxed (there is an oxymoron). For years I have struggled with something, though, and I would like to know how other parents (particularly those who are quite relaxed) deal with it. I am quite determined to cover the 3r's with her. I am also quite determined that she will have lots of free time to explore her interests - it is one of the reasons we HS. I would like to do more fun stuff - science experiments, art projects, music, etc, etc. I feel like we are on this merry-go-round of only doing math and Language Art. We never do the fun stuff - perhaps because I am determined to keep our structured learning time to a minimum. What did we do today? Math and Language Arts. What did we do last week - oh, let me see, math and Language Arts. Does anyone manage to keep "school time" to a minimum, cover the 3R's adequately and still have time for fun learning stuff? How do you do it?

Aside from the French issue…. I was born in Montreal and lived there till I was 24. I now live over the Ontario border, and visit about every 2 months (many family members live in Montreal). Here is my take on Montreal: -it is a gorgeous city - really gorgeous. The mountain, the old architecture, the river…bliss. -it has wonderful culture of all sorts - from dining, to museums, to art…. -it has a slew of private schools to choose from. I probably wouldn't use public schools in Montreal for a variety of reasons. I am not a snob - I have used Ontario public schools, but I have some issues with Quebec ones. At least research school in your area before making any leaps. -excellent public transportation -a decent amount of outdoor activities - biking is big there. Cons: -one of the most big Brothery places I have lived. -anglophones often feel like second class citizens. This may differ for those not born there. It can be difficult to find work for anglophones (more difficult than for unilingual francophones) there are language issues around signage and ability to get services in English, you may not be able to send your kids to English public school (I can because I have papers - papers! Like a friggin pedigree…..). -I do not consider Montreal to be overly kid or family friendly -Montrealers can be really warm and friendly people….they can also be very rude. I know the same can be said anywhere, but they seem more intense about it than in other places. -Quebec has threatened to separate from Canada 3 times in my lifetime. It always brings up great worries for those who live in Quebec but do not want to separate. I won't live in Quebec - I think the cons outweigh the pros. Everyone has to make their own decision. Good luck!

You are very lucky. I have anglophone family members in Montreal who have trouble finding work due to language issues.

Most employers want bilingualism.

Another vote for relaxed eclectic. Some would say we unschool - some would not. Labels smabels. :tongue_smilie: We definitely do a lot of learning outside the home - field trips, travel, classes…. There are parts of TJE I like. There are parts of classical I like - particularly the study of logic.

It does not surprise me. I lived in Quebec for the first 24 years of my life - and still visit regularly. It is a very Big Brothery province. I currently live about 1 hour from the Quebec border and I know HSing families who moved to Ontario to escape the HSing issues in Quebec. As to the question of whether or not Quebecers take these things lying down…the answer is "it depends." Those who travel, even if it is only by computer, know that this is not normal do not take it lying down. Other people, however (certain members of my family) think the government is a PITA everywhere and Quebec is no worse than anywhere else. :glare: No, dear relatives, you are wrong - I have lived in numerous places and Quebec is more of a PITA than anywhere else in Canada in being Big Brotherish

what are your favourite games to play online to kill time - and where do you find them??? lately I have been playing physics games - like this one: http://www.physicsgames.net/game/3_Slices.html Word Womp and online boggle over at pogo are fun, too!

As for practical advice - I would go with the other aides given your previous issue with this aide or I would make it clear that any outing with costs would have to be cleared beforehand (claim it is part of your budget process).

:iagree: , particularly with the bolded. You should not be asked to pay. If the state is not paying (and you do need to clarify this) then there is a good possibility outings with costs are not going to happen. On the restaurant issue…I would not be Ok with bringing your Dd to a restaurant or even a drive through unless I was also eating. It sets up a certain have and have-not dynamic I am uncomfortable with. I would pay for myself, the state would pay for it, or I would not go. Are you Ok with her not doing outings with a fee due to lack of repayment by the state?