Exploding Kittens

If the student is reasonably polite, she can share a ride with little interaction: basically be a human suitcase occupying a seat. Your DD could spend the entire ride with headphones in, napping. You'd never have to be in the car with the other mother, it would be more like a public bus with only two passengers. As long as no one is rude or disruptive and demanding, I'd give it a single trial, but that's because an eleven hour round trip would destroy my back and my sanity. Also seconding the idea to look for older students in your area. Diamond matched up her BFF (senior) with a freshman friend for a 7hr drive- they became good friends and the shared rides were wonderful. Editing to add: Also ask around at some neighboring towns and check if there is a ride sharing board, Facebook group, or something at school. The friends mentioned above were not from the same high school districts, but only lived about 20 mins away from each other.

If she only plans on wearing them for dress rehearsals and shows, dailies are the way to go. They are more expensive overall, but you won't need to buy a full years supply. HOWEVER, LOL! One of my girls who only planned to wear her contacts for shows (got daily disposables) ended up loving them so much that she wears them almost every day. BabyBaby is currently trying contacts right now. She tried the monthly lenses (remove every night, clean and store, then put in a fresh pair every month) and is currently on a week trial of dailies. She wants them for martial arts, and she trains 3-6 days/week. Our eye doctor said that the manufacturers are phasing out the two-week lenses (oldest used those about six years ago, then switched to dailies which she rarely wears now) in favor of the monthlies to make it easier for patients to remember to replace them in the first of every month. So soon the only options will be monthly or daily. Dr. says monthlies are slightly better for oxygen for the eye, since technology isn't there to make the daily lenses as high a quality (ETA while keeping the cost affordable) but for most people, it isn't an issue. A fresh lens every day also has advantages over a poorly cleaned lens. When Diamond had the two-week lenses, whether she wore them for two days or two full weeks they got build-up and were no longer comfortable after 14 calendar days. Also, ask if there are rebates for first time users. We got a $200 rebate in a yearly supply of dailies, which made the cost almost equal to a six month supply of dailies with no rebate. (Monthly lenses had a $100 rebate) Our Dr. charges $480 for a year supply of dailies, but with a $200 rebate and $110 paid by insurance, it's not so bad. (This doesn't include the eye exam, contact lens fitting and follow-up appointments) Because BabyBaby does three different martial arts, one fighting and once close contact/grappling, we will likely go with the dailies. Doing the math with insurance, rebates, and adding the cost of contact lens solutions- the price difference would be under $25, so no significant financial advantage to either. My concern is if she loses or tears a monthly lens, she only gets 12/year. She will have 360 daily lenses, so there is wiggle room if she loses a few, just don't wear one on an off day, KWIM? It could end up costing more if I have to reorder monthly lenses before thebyear is up.

Ugh, would not eat it. Stuff like this is why I always out the groceries away myself. (Well, that and the fact that some people in my house put stuff where it sort of fit, rather than where it belongs). And also, I know that a needed ingredient wasn't bought, rather than being surprised that we don't have any chicken on chicken night but nobody told me. Normally, I make the list and DH shops, and I usually cook, so I do need to know what was missing. If I may share my misery, I am defrosting my downstairs freezer. Seriously, you could film the Star Wars Hoth scenes in there... I took out some GF pizza crusts, GF cheesecake, and a strawberry confetti cake and set them on a chair while I shuttled other frozen items upstairs and stuffed them in the upstairs freezer. And then I forgot about them :( They're just thawed, not ruined, but we still have half of a Boston cream pie, so we're in dessert overload.

My daughter begged to not attend a best friend's birthday party because she hated that place so much. Even though I hate it even more than she does, we still went for a little while. So just go for the games, the less time anyone spends there the better, IMO

Baby items seem to get better, lighter, and safer every year. Fabric or tires might rot, safety straps might not be up to future standards, a hugely improved much lighter weight easier to fold and store model will be there for your future grandkids, and someone could use your stroller right now. Grandkids could be 10 years away. Or 10 hours travel time away.... :(

If your signature is correct and DD is currently 13, is she fairly "young" for a 9th grader next year? Also, are her teachers highly skilled/trained in science, or are they moms who are following the teachers guide? (No offense to the just-moms, but I'd be less eager to follow their advice in a science plan for my child than if they were more experienced teachers or had a science background) So math, whether it's her weakness or if she's right in target for her age/grade, isn't what it should be for Chem next year, and that's fine! If it's the only option for science at coop, then do bio at home, or if a not-typical science sequence would work for her future life/career/educational goal, do an alternate science if you want her to have group bio labs the following year. Environmental, astronomy, geology... all can work if it's what she's interested in. My state only requires three years of science for a homeschool diploma. My girls all did/will do four, but none did the typical Bio Chem Physics Advanced Bio sequence. Also, look ahead at your coop now to see if it really will work for you in future years. Some kids who are on those "off" years for classes offered every-other year do just fine, others really miss out by not being ready for Chem in 9th, but needing to take it before 11th, for example. Or if they only offer foreign languages every-other year (like if next year were only Spanish 2 and 4, and the following year Spanish 1 and 3, those off-year kids would never be able to get to Spanish 4)

To my "ears" it sounded direct but not harsh. But that also could be because I mostly agreed with super tech mom But I also know enough people,with family dynamics similar to the OP and they would have reacted as she did. That's why we're all here, tomget some varied responses. Not all of them will apply or work for everyone, but hopefully it gets people thinking about different ways of doing things or different background experiences etc

Are there other assisted living homes? My girls have performed with various groups at dozens in our area. Some were awesome and gave them gift bags, some were a less welcoming staff. A good time for those is generally as the dining hall is being set up for dinner. If dinner is at 5:00, people seems to start rolling in at 4:00, so a little pre-dinner music would guarantee and audience. Make sure they have a flyer and photo a few weeks ahead for their activities board. Day cares? Could he learn some more kiddie songs, maybe have a singalong? Office buildings at lunch time? Children's hospital? Senior citizen centers? Any open mic or jam session nights at local coffee houses? Those are really popular here Organize a homeschool talent show or recital? Invite any homeschooled student who plays an instrument or sings to perform their recital piece, maybe a church member can arrange for free use of the space? Make it a community event as a fundraiser for the library, animal shelter, food bank?

I'm amused that some state laws (I think) and many parents have stricter passenger rules for actual licensed teen drivers of cars. :D I also want to point out that one family's "reasonable guidelines" are another family's "excessive micromanaging" and yet another family's "chaos and anarchy". I'll give you my personal example: Many friends have a reasonable guideline of "No more than two people on the trampoline, and no flips unless you're jumping solo." That is unacceptable to ME, as trampolines are not allowed for my kids as long as we're paying for their health insurance, so it also applies for the 22yo, LOL! But I'm sure that it also seems overly restrictive to an "Anything goes on the trampoline" family. Each of us have set rules that we believe to be reasonable, but yet they're all different. But I do respect each family's right to set whatever rules they wish for their family. Even if I personally think it's silly that a 9yo cannot stick her arm out of a treehouse (or whatever it is) to wave Hello or catch a breeze or raindrop, I would expect my kids to follow that rule if they were playing at your house. And they would likely need continual reminders as it isn't a typical or common expectation, in my experience. Also, is the girl and only child or youngest? She may also not have the concept of needing to dial her behavior/privileges/freedoms back to a younger age to be an example to younger siblings. Another example is that older teens might need to learn to watch scary/intense movies in their own room or somewhere not in the general family living/recreational rooms so that younger siblings aren't upset by or exposed to them. A youngest or only child would likely have no need to do that.

We have been involved with four different dance studios, none used demi pointe shoes. No harm in them, unless the dancer actually tries to go en pointe.

Unless the job is something that will be relevant to their future life and career goals, or is some unusual situation where it is extremely high-paying, I would not be concerned if he had to quit the job in this situation. Absolutely no for Mom going in and talking to the manager. But I do think it is worth explaining the situation of the grandmother in failing health and asking for consideration, and letting them know that the family trip is non-negotiable. Another option, if for some reason he needs to keep this job, would be to just fly him out for the maximum time he is allowed off. Still expensive, and a bit of a pain, but it preserves the long trip for the family, and allows him some time to visit.

Bonus points if the person says something like "No way am I going to PAY some please to fix this. Can you believe ComputerFixitPlace actually charges people MONEY to do this?"

Same. If DH got paid for all the computer fixing, website helping, photo editing, etc. he's done, we could probably buy a new car or at least afford to do some major repairs to our broken-down rust buckets, since oddly, mechanics don't work for free like people expect DH to. :( I hear you. Whenever we start attending a new church, kids activity, etc. we are not allowed to mention that DH can fix computers, build websites, edit photos, or run soundboards/projectors. Agreed- it doesn't have to be "market value" for every thing, every time. Sometimes, have his favorite meal or snacks. Sometimes give cash or a gift card. Sometimes just a hug and a THANKS! And hopefully, you'll have the kind of communication where you can ask him to let you know if a repair was bigger than usual so you can show extra appreciation, and when it was truly just a quick fix and no big deal.

First I have to say that after my children were past the phonics stage of learning to read and I used "step 1 through 3" type of early reader books, we have never chosen or rejected books based on lexile, reading level, or whatever. I will also say I've been very confused by this and most other "ratings" or scores/levels. I truly hope that, outside of leveled books for the very early readers or other specific situations, I hope that children's authors aren't writing with a specific score in mind. I can get as much enjoyment out of the cleverness of Sandra Boynton board books as I do from a complex story. And I know one 22yo voracious reader with an impressive vocabulary who would get annoyed if the word for "barked" was unnecessarily run through the thesaurus every time. (And that goes triple for dialogue when the author uses every variation of "said") So if the scores are there to help classroom educators, librarians, tutors, and therapists work with children- or other situations where a specific level is needed- great. But for general reading it's not anything I've ever had need for.

Would it be possible to subtly involve the teacher or leader of the group? are they part of the same organization, or just doing the same thing at differently places- I don't know what it is, but is it like they both play the accordion but for different folk groups, or are they more like first and last chair Aeolian Harp players in the big city youth orchestra? ;) Wide -age-gap siblings at a recital can be sweet, but a new student of any age and an advanced student performer (in a role other than teacher/accompaniment) can sometimes be painful to watch. Perhaps the teacher or group leader can let the new students know how pieces or performers are chosen for the workshops? Somehow, new families to this activity have to become informed as to how things are done. My background is dance- and performances would be based in class level or audition, never because some mom bought music and costumes and declared her child would dance Odile while the teen danced Odette from Swan Lake. Maybe gently bring it up when the mom talks about the music she selected? Let her know that it sounds interesting, or whatever positive phrase that's appropriate, but that music selections and performers/groups/ensembles are decided by the teachers, and you hope she will be able to return it. Or that your daughter is only able to practice works selected by her teachers, or whatever the situation is. Then tell her you're so glad he daughter is so eager to work hard, and you hope she is able to find a suitable duet partner when her teacher believes she is ready. Just stick with the angle of educating her. If the mom truly doesn't know, she'll be thankful. If she's crazy, at least you've given her solid reasons why it won't work rather than excuses that she can counter endlessly in an attempt to wear you down.

If I'm not scrolling through Spotify or adjusting the volume, my iPad is set to go dark after three minutes. You should also be able to minimize it, like if you were texting or reading WTM? Like you can her the songs but the app isn't showing in your screen.

My girls LOVED it. (ages 22, 17, & 15) They are all superhero fans to varying degrees, with eldest being a huge WW fan. They liked that it was about a powerful woman without the story beating you over the head that it was all girl-power. They liked the costuming, and the battle scenes were clearly battles but not gruesome. I don't remember every great thing they said about it, but they just raved about it, and these are girls who normally come home from movies very disappointed.

As many views as you can find. If your profile pic is what you want, bring that... printed is best, since the stylist can set it on their station. If you only have the picture on your profile here, I have not yet found a way to see anybody's picture larger than a postage stamp size, so if it's just a tiny picture on your phone it's better than nothing, but might not be as helpful as a larger picture. Picture doesn't have to be a professional 8x10 or anything, doesn't matter if your kitchen is a mess in the background, doesn't matter if you're wearing stained sweats (although WHY would someone snap your picture in those, LOL!) as long as the hair is clear.

Let me teach you my most useful phrase: "I am not your pack mule." If my purse has to carry everybody's water bottles, wallet, sunglasses, snacks, small purchases, medicine, trash, etc. then everybody has to take turns carrying it. If I'm carrying a bag that is too heavy I get horrible neck spasms and get nauseated from the pain. Only exception to the pack mule rule: if I make them bring jackets because I'm cold I will carry the tote bag. :D Unless it can be left in the car and retrieved fairly easily.

Awesome! In most areas, the stylists all went to the same twomormthree beauty schools and had the same training. You can get a great $12 haircut and a crappy $120 haircut. Some people really are just very good and worth every penny, and others are good and need the convenience or scheduling flexibility of working at walk-in type salons. I've worked in both.

It's usually helpful if you have a picture of what you want if you're making any major changes to the length, amount of layering, color, curl, style, bangs, etc. find a photo of your hair cut by your old stylist, it might be helpful to show what you liked. Come in to the appointment with your hair styled as you normally wear it. That way the stylist can see what it looks like, how you work with your hair, and you can tell them what you like and don't like about it and show them what you want to change or how much length you want taken off or which parts you're trying to grow longer. Let the stylist know how much time you will realistically spend doing your hair, and how often. I've been cutting my mom's hair for 30 years, and she wanted something that her hair would not do without about 30 mins of drying, curling, and fussing, every day- with touch-ups midday to maintain the style. I knew better, but she had to learn the hard way LOL! A "trim" usually means keep the same style, but remove the same amount of length all over. If it's been six months since your last cut, the hair would have grown about three inches so that would be a "trim" for you, but if it's only been six weeks, 1/2 - 1 inch is more appropriate. (Assuming there is no major damage, split ends, or uneven previous haircut) Whether the stylist removes 1/2 inch or 12 inches, it's the same amount of work, so pricing doesn't change. $50 is low high-end here, but not unreasonable. Something to do to find a stylist who might be a good fit: when you see someone with hair like yours in a style you like, stop them and ask who does their hair. You'll know the person does well with your hair type. I was always better with curly hair and short men's cuts, so I built up a lot of regulars with those hair types. For a new stylist, just tell them you've had miscommunications before and would like to talk about your hair before it's shampooed and throughout the haircut so there aren't any misunderstandings. Sometimes, even with great communication, the same thing means different things to each of you. Best example from my salon days: a guy asked to have his hair cut "over his ears" so I gave him a nice short haircut, but what he meant was "covering his ears." Thankfully, he was a good sport about it. People always asked for things like "three layers" but that isn't how layers work. A final thought: they really DO mean it when they say to let them know if the cut isn't working out. Even if youve gone home and at the end of the week you realize it isn't right. A good stylist would rather fix it and have you be happy, and hopefully return next time, than have you unhappy and telling everyone how horrible the salon is.

Ahhh the new foster is a different category. We don't limit, my my children are much older: 22, 17 (graduate) and 15. They use their phones to text throughout the day, even during school times. but they are also all very active, don't text while at paid employment or outside classes and activities.

Other We've participated in two. One had 10 week fall and spring sessions, with some high school classes requiring both semesters Another had 32 weeks for K-8, and 9-12 with some high school classes with extra weeks before, after, or in December. Half-year classes for high school varied in weeks, the fall semester was shorter by a few weeks due to Christmas break

So wait a minute here... You're required to go, but won't be staying with your child? What's the point? How can you supervise or chaperone if you aren't onsite?