In the Arms of an Angel - Sarah McLaughlin and Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton

My oldest son couldn't handle rhyming at that age either. Even now, at almost 10, it's painful working on rhyming with him. I don't know why he has such trouble with it. My 3 1/2 year old son will make a string of rhyming words and chatter away about it non-stop for half an hour.

I don't offer the M&M any more. If he remembers to ask for it, I will give it. I did the same thing with the older two children. Eventually they stopped asking for it. I am currently still letting Owen have his M&M if he asks for it because he will still have accidents when he is engaged in other activities. Owen turns 4 in August and I think I may just "run out" of M&M's then.

I did them. I'm just waiting for my husband to check my work and sign them. I did them over a month ago. Still waiting.

I have an almost 10 year old boy just like this. Oh the things I could tell you. How does an 11 year old boy lose his toothbrush? YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!

I had the same thing happen with EA Games a few years back. I tired to cancel my account the day before the account renewed. They had already submitted the charge to my bank. The bank wouldn't cancel the charge. EA Games also made it very hard to find a phone number to contact them with. After hours of searching for a phone number, the customer service person didn't speak English and either didn't or wouldn't understand that I wanted to cancel the account immediately rather than at the next renewal.

Honestly, based on some of the people I have met, some parents are not smart enough to pack a lunch. I've worked in an elementary school before. I saw what came to school with the kids as lunch. Some people in this country have no clue what a healthy nutritious lunch looks like. We've had a couple of generations of people that have grown up on processed, packaged food. There are a great many people that do not understand, or care, what is in the food, how the food affects both your body and mental abilities, and the long term affects of the junk food. Look at the standard American diet. It's loaded with refined carbs, sugar, and fat. There are people that really don't know that is unhealthy. I'm opposed to a school saying you can't bring your own lunch. But I'm not opposed to a little nutrition education for both the students and the parents. If the school doesn't provide the information, who will? I never said a parent should be required to send foods on the list of suggested lunch items, just give out a little information on what makes a healthy balanced diet. Maybe someone who is completely uneducated in that area might appreciate the information.

I don't have ONE favorite song. I've been thinking this over for two days. One of my favorite songs is Rogue Wave - Eyes

Excellent choice for a song you hate. I completely agree.

We eat together every night. Dad often misses dinner because he's sleeping and works 3rd shift. The last time we didn't eat together was because my husband and I were going to a dinner party. The kids ate with our babysitters as we got dressed to go out. I imagine some day there will be times where we don't eat together as a family because of activities, but it certainly won't be a regular thing.

Just finished a history lesson and I'm checking email before working out.

I voted "other". Every week I make up a batch of scrambled egg muffins and either biscuits or blueberry muffins (both from scratch), as well as a batch of home-made Granola cereal. During the week the older kids help themselves to these items as well as fruit and yogurt. I usually make something for myself for breakfast. On Sunday morning I usually make a big breakfast for the whole family.

A child vomiting on your bed. The washing machine deciding to die. I have two sets of sheets for our bed. I have two sets of sheets for each of the bigger kids, with a few spare sets of sheets that fit the twin beds, just in case.

I make my own in a spreadsheet program similar to Excel.

We don't do every subject every day. Daily: Math Spelling & Phonics Assigned reading Handwriting Grammar Science (I have it set up to be covered in 15-20 minutes, 5 days a week) History twice a week Once a week: Art Music Geography Literature Health

We do a very limited amount of candy, but the Easter Basket has to have a chocolate rabbit. I hate junk trinket toys, they end up being more headache than they are worth. Things I've put in the baskets over the years: side-walk chalk bubbles sunglasses silly putty silly bands stickers dollar coins coloring books crayons markers watercolors jump ropes Matchbox cars My Little Pony Mini Lego sets small stuffed animal (I am so sick of stuffed animals in my house!) small puzzles

Wait a minute...they tell you you can't send your child a lunch and then make you pay for their lunch? Is that legal? I know some parents don't pack healthy lunches, but from what I've read about school lunches, those aren't very healthy either. I would rather see parents packing a lunch that their children will eat, then have the children dumping out the over priced school lunch and going hungry. I feed my kids healthy foods. I'm certain my lunches would be healthier AND more appealing than what the school provides. I realize this isn't the case for all families. Maybe what this country needs is more nutrition education for the parents and the children alike. Maybe the schools could try sending home a list of recommended healthy lunch foods to assist parents with their lunch packing.

:grouphug:

I had my youngest at age 37 (last year). It was the easiest pregnancy, easiest delivery, and quickest recovery of my four! But for me, I think anything over 40 is too old. Although I think if we had more money and a bigger home I might actually consider one more. So maybe I don't think 40's too old for me. I guess the question of "what is too old" is really up to the person having the baby.

Somehow it seems more socially acceptable to say rude things to thin people than it is to say rude things to overweight people. It shouldn't be that way, but it seems to be the case. I would never say to anyone, "Geez, you're fat", or "Do you ever stop eating?" but I have in my life had people say to me "Geez, do you ever eat", "Don't you eat" and "Are you anorexic or something?" Having been slightly overweight, seriously underweight, and about normal, I've had all the perspectives. Yes, I'm envious when I see someone that's a good weight, because I'm currently not at my ideal weight for my height. But I wouldn't insult them anymore than I would someone overweight.

The comments I got from people when I was thin were far worse (more mean and more blunt) than the comments I got when I was overweight. I think someone that is not overweight makes everyone else feel uncomfortable and inadequate. Kind of like how non-homeschoolers seem to think our choosing to homeschool is a direct insult at them. :glare:

I guess you need to define odd. Is it odd to be able to interact with adults? If yes, then my children are odd. Is it odd to prefer a book over TV? If yes, then my children are odd. Is it odd not to know who Hannah Montana is? If yes, then my children are odd. But we aren't just odd because we homeschool. Is it odd to not eat fast food at least once a week? If yes, then we are odd. Is it odd to not drink soda? If yes, then we are odd. Is it odd to not be a sports fan in Cleveland, Ohio? Oh hell yes! We are odd. We do lots of things that the "average American" would consider odd. Do we want to be "normal"? No thank you!

Well, sometimes I do too. But I didn't want to look like the "bad Mommy". Usually after having to diffuse 50 meltdowns for the day I am unable to be the sympathetic Mommy. I'm better with staying understanding with the younger children. With the older ones, I just want to yell, "Get over it!"

Stuffed shells.

My oldest is almost 10. Bubbles and sidewalk chalk are still enjoyed by him.