I don't know, but this has to be one of the best thread titles of all time! :lol::lol:

Okay, *that* is hilarious! :lol::lol::lol:

:grouphug: Congratulations! We are expecting #4 right now, at our most financially-challenged time. We haven't had the comments from people that you have, but I'm sure there are people out there that think we're irresponsible. I hope you're able to ignore the comments and enjoy your pregnancy!

:iagree: This is what I do when I go overboard on a punishment. I'll tell DS11 (who has ADHD and is usually the one being punished :tongue_smilie:) that he can earn his game (or playtime or whatever) back by doing extra work around the house. He is usually so eager to get whatever it is back that he's eager to help out. :D

I guess my main problem is that they *always* have electronics on their minds. Both of them love to read, but if they have the choice between playing their games or reading, the computers will win every time. (Especially with DS11, who will do his schoolwork and ask if he can play his game right away...it's *always* on his mind.) I'm actually glad when they get grounded from their electronics, because for a few weeks there is no whining about wanting to play (because they know they can't until their grounding is up) and they end up doing a lot of writing, reading, and imaginative games. I'm just trying to find a balance. I've tried being very strict about game time (1/2 hr a night, or weekends only) and having no restrictions at all (which is kind of where we are now). Both of these strategies have just resulted in them wanting to play more.

I like this idea! :001_smile: We've been getting burned out on doing almost every subject every day. There are some days where we are really on a roll with a certain topic...it just makes sense to continue on with it. I think I've kind of limited myself by the way I schedule (I have a daily one, too) and I'd love to have the flexibility to move things around easily if I want to. We are way behind this year and I actually have to go into my Homeschool Tracker program this week and reschedule everything, which is going to take me forever. Maybe I will see if there is a way to just do a weekly schedule.

I hate it too, and I finally snuck it out of DD6's room last year. She hasn't noticed...too many other books on her shelf. :lol:

What I don't understand is people bringing their little kids to the store when they know there are going to be huge crowds like that. I cringed when I saw that video...there was a toddler that looked like he was about to get trampled until one of his parents picked him up. :glare:

Cleaning, organizing my desk area, and re-scheduling the rest of our school year. I am already way behind, yet here I sit, reading the WTM boards. :lol:

:lurk5: I was wondering about this too. I googled it, but I didn't find specifically what is normally done as a celebration.

DD14 and DS11 both have laptops that they use for schoolwork and also games and internet. DD14 also has a cell phone, mainly because we no longer have a landline phone and when she babysits her brother and sister, we need to be able to contact her. She does have games she plays on her phone, too. My question is, how do you monitor electronics use at your house? I'm finding it difficult to do this when the electronics are in their rooms. I want to have some new rules in place for when we start up schooling again after the new year. Both of the kids would play their laptops all day long if I let them. :glare: I did have a way to shut off their internet when they were doing schoolwork, but then that limited them doing research for reports, etc (plus, it was a pain to turn back on again when they were finished). DD14 was having issues with cell phone use at night, so I've been just having her "turn in" her phone to me before she goes to bed. I'd just like to hear how other people handle it...do you have time limitations? Only on weekends? Thanks!

Yes, because we've had an extra long vacation due to various illnesses. This week after I'm done organizing the house I need to get on Homeschool Tracker and reschedule everything. :glare:

After New Year's. :001_smile:

:iagree: The holidays are a stressful time. Blow-ups happen. Your sister should have taken your DH's past behavior into consideration, at the very least. IMO, people really need to use some common sense before they report or threaten to report parents for things like this...how much more stress are they causing for the kids?

That is adorable!! :lol::lol::lol:

A year of boons for us! The kids were all thrilled with their gifts, even though we didn't have a lot to spend this year. DD6 loved her kitten pjs and some striped tights. DS had asked for an old Playstation 1 for Christmas, and one of our friends gave us his old one for free, plus some games! He was thrilled! We got DD14 a body pillow with a nice soft cover, and she loves it. I was happy that the three of them each decided to get each other a small gift with some early Christmas money they received. They all had a ball watching each other open their gifts. DH and I got mostly cash from his family, which we needed! DH and I didn't get presents for each other, so we are going to see a movie today while the kids play with their new toys at my parents' house. :001_smile:

I heard about that! :(. Sending positive thoughts your way. You all have been through so much already. :grouphug:

:party: Congratulations! That will be fun to announce to the girls!

Congratulations! :party: I'm trying to hit 1000 before the New Year. :001_smile:

Thanks everyone! I knew I could find help here. :001_smile: Time to study myself in the mirror for a bit and figure out my plan of attack. :lol:

I'm 6mths pregnant, and my hair is down to the middle of my back. For some reason, my hair is falling out. Not in clumps or anything, but enough that long hair is getting all over the house and it is *really* annoying (especially since my hair is usually thicker and doesn't fall out until after I've had my babies). Anyway, yesterday I cut my own following a youtube video that I've used lots of times. It shows you how to cut your hair into layers by combing it into a ponytail on top of your head and then cutting the end off. I do this periodically so my hair isn't so flat (it's normally really thick and heavy) and been happy with the results. I cut off a ton of hair, but there is hardly any difference, and the overall length looks the same. DH thinks I went overboard on the layers, and that I should just go into Perfect Look and get it cut. I want it to be shoulder-length, but I hate to spend the money on a professional cut (we've been low on money for awhile). We have plenty in the bank right now for the $12.50 I believe it costs, but I thought I'd check and see if it's even possible to do it myself. (I already asked DH if he would try and he said, "no way" :tongue_smilie:). Or is this something I shouldn't even attempt on my own?

You're not the only one! I have about 1,000 things to do, but I can't get off of the WTM boards. I think it's that I have SO much to do, I just don't know where to start. (Okay, I *know* I should start with cleaning the house... :lol:)

All three of my kids look similar to each other, though my oldest looks a bit more like her dad, and the other two look more like me. But I'd say that they look like siblings.

My 11yo DS was (and still is) a sensory-seeker. He sounds a lot like your son: loved to play rough, but didn't mean any harm by it. He was in school for short period of time a few months in 1st grade), and that's how we found out it wasn't just him "being a boy." He would hit himself in the head, chew on the collars of his shirts, and get too close to the other kids...he didn't mean any harm, he just had no concept of other people's boundaries. Now, I can still see a couple of sensory-seeking behaviors in him, most of which are silly noises and stomping or shuffling his feet. His other behaviors have disappeared. We did do some of the activities in The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun when he was younger (the crash pad made out of pillows was great for him, and also making a "sandwich" out of couch cushions) just to ease some of the sensory seeking, but I never could find the time to make it a several times a day thing. If he was being extra hyper, we'd try the activities above, or I would have him push against the wall as hard as he could (as if he was doing a push-up against it), or do a wheelbarrow (I would hold his legs and he would walk around the room). These were recommended to us in his occupational therapy, because he also has poor muscle tone. We tried to avoid any jumping and running exercises because they seem to just rev him up more. I only say all of this, because I know how difficult it is to drop everything and turn your home into an occupational therapy center :tongue_smilie:. Sometimes the books make it seem like that's what you have to do (and when you have other kids, it can be hard!). We just dealt with the issues as they came up, and as he has gotten older, he has grown out of the most of the noticeable behaviors. I took what I could from the books (we couldn't afford a lot of the sensory seeking toys, though I did get a couple of chew necklaces and bracelets for him so he'd quit putting holes in his shirts.) I was just thinking about this yesterday, when I took all 3 kids to the library, and my youngest wanted to do crafts in a different building. I let my son stay with my older daughter in the library by themselves. Just a couple of years ago, I never would have thought I could do that. He would have been too disruptive. Now he's able to sit quietly and read. Sorry this is so long....all of this to let you know that it *does* get better. :001_smile:

No, I'm definitely glad to know! And I had always thought root beer was sort of ok, because there was no caffeine. But I guess it's best to stay away from all soda and just use clear sodas on special occasions, etc.