:grouphug: It is scary, isn't it? My dd10 has had night terrors for many years. Just once in awhile...sometimes when she has had a fever, but sometimes just out of the blue. The first few times I was really scared, because she was totally FREAKED out. It made me think of how a lot of people in the 'old' days would say someone was possessed...because I could completely describe some of these night terrors in that way. Screaming, hallucinating, speaking incoherently, etc. It is totally scary to watch your child acting so crazily. Does your dd remember anything about it at all? I have never gone to the doctor specifically about the night terrors, although I think years ago I probably mentioned it and got reassurance that it wasn't incredibly abnormal. It didn't happen often enough to where I was really concerned and then I'd forget about it until the next time. Now, I'm not so freaked out, because I know what's happening and we just work through it. With our dd, she is so out of it that she is definitely not awake (and never remembers it in the morning). This sounds kind of weird, but we start asking her math facts--for some reason it helps her to have to think about things like that and gets her distracted or something. She'll come up with really crazy answers sometimes, but we just calmly keep talking to her, hugging her, holding her, and going through math facts. Sometimes it takes awhile. I take her to her bed and sit by her, rubbing her back, singing her back to sleep. And usually she goes back to sleep and it's over. A few weeks ago when this happened again, dh and I were actually able to laugh about how funny she was rather than be freaked out. That made it feel a little less scary. We were joking that we ought to pull out the camcorder, because she never believes us when we tell her in the morning. And our kids had just seen that funny youtube video about the little boy who had been at the dentist (have you seen that?) and is drugged up...and we told dd she was acting a lot like that! So there is our experience, for what it's worth. I know it's scary...and more so in someone your dd's age.

I like the original version the best, too. The first time I saw this I laughed so hard I cried! I think it helps for us to realize that we're not the only ones that have days where we feel like this is all we do!

We also have pasta salad as the main dish in the summer time. I will often have cantaloupe slices or fruit salad, cottage cheese, and rolls to go with it.

I'd consider the possibility of keeping her with her classmates, moving on to 2nd grade next year, but spend time this summer working on her problem areas. Just 30 minutes a day--you could review the curriculum from the second half of the year or try something completely different that focuses on those areas. And next year, if she still struggles in those areas, you could easily after-school writing & spelling, if needed. Of course, bringing her home would most certainly allow you to tailor things to her specific needs, but if you really want to keep her at the school, I'd personally NOT hold her back. If she is doing well in reading and math, why waste the time doing it all again?

You can browse around online at craigslist or another online classified ad to get an idea of how much people are paying for things in your area.

I often include a plate of fresh veggies/fruit with our meal. I put at least 4-5 different things--cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, green peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, apples, strawberries, grapes, etc. At first I told the kids they had to eat at least 3 different things. This allowed them to not have to try them all...for example, my daughter who very much dislikes tomatoes, or my son who dislikes green peppers. This is a very easy way to add veggies in...and also a great way to fill up growing kiddos who are constantly hungry.

Well....I learned it like this: Great, green gobs of greasy grimy gopher guts, Marmeladed monkey butts, Itsy-bitsy birdie turds, French-fried eyeballs swimming in a pool of blood, We forgot our spoons... Oh, no, we'll have to suck it up through straws, Slurp, slurp! Yum Yum! (I'd have to admit I prefer the other versions posted--I could do without butts and turds now that I'm the mother!) I was being silly one time and sang it for the kids...dh about fell off his chair that *I* would be the one to introduce this to them! (I'm the one who gets all bent out of shape over burping at the table). Of course, I regretted it as they started to copy me. What was I thinking?!?

Well the last time I couldn't find my rolling pin, it was under my dd10's bed. Then last week I couldn't find my measuring spoons...a few days later I found them in the van. Are there any helpers who might have used them for some other impractical reason and forgot to put them back?

I totally agree with this article! I think it's gotten a little out of hand--we hardly do anything anymore that doesn't have a treat/refreshment at the end of it...

My kids and I love the series. We haven't done anything with the cards, but we eagerly read each book as soon as it comes out!

I like Faber books (Piano Adventures), too. I'm also teaching my own kids piano. There is a great forum/website for teaching ideas--http://pianoadventures.com/forum/index.php I enjoy going there and getting ideas. Also, if you search around on the website, they have a terrific resource--they take the entire first book and you can watch them teaching a lesson online. Not that you'd show it to your kids for them to use directly, but it has been helpful for me (who is not necessarily a piano teacher) to learn how to do it better. What I like most about the Faber books is the music selections--simplified classical pieces are included in even the beginning books. And they have great supplemental books for every level. I spend way too much at the music store when I go! Along those lines, I've also found that the Suzuki piano books have some great selections, too--even if you're not going with the Suzuki method, I love their classical selections and arrangements. And you can buy the CD to have student get familiar with the tunes...I think it really helps in learning to play.

The pools around here require a disposable diaper AND another plastic reusable kind. Have to have both or they can't swim.

A few years ago we hired a teenage boy from our church to mow our lawn. He sent out letters to people he thought might be interested--explaining that he was starting a lawn service and would mow & edge the lawn weekly. A few days later he stopped by, looked at our lawn and gave us an estimate...ended up charging us $15 per mow (our yard is about 1/3 acre). Every tenth mow he does for free--kind of a thank you for being a regular customer. It took him about an hour & a half to do our yard. He started out doing one or two lawns a day...he's now several years older, has two siblings as assistants and has 15 lawns to do each week. They work together as a great little team...two mowing, one edging...they work really fast! Their fee has gone up as the abilities to do a good job have improved. Our ds12 now does our lawn and we are encouraging him to follow this young man's example...our son doesn't seem to have as great of a work ethic (YET), although when he thought about how much money he could make, he realized perhaps we were on to something afterall.

Oh, yes! Most definitely!

I see nothing wrong with a district charging for full-day. If the funding for the program doesn't come from the state, they need to get it somewhere. And in many cases, the parents who WANT the full day ARE wanting it for daycare. Our state doesn't mandate full-day, so various districts/schools still have options. There was a huge uproar around here when they wanted to change from half to full day--parents were freaking out not wanting their kindergartners gone all day. On the other hand, several districts are using it as more of an opportunity to help those students who aren't coming from a literacy-rich environment--helping them to get up to level or even ahead...and there are accommodations made for free/reduced lunch students (as in fees reduced).

My dd10 has night terrors and totally freaks out when she has a fever. It is scary. Every time it happens, I think about how long ago people thought others were possessed or needed an exorcism (you know all those old movies...)...and I think this is what it must have been like! She will be screaming and reaching out at things and yelling things that don't make sense. We just hold her and talk to her. Trying to get her to concentrate on something seems to be what helps her snap out of it...for us, we do math facts with her. Now that I've gotten used to it and know when they are likely to happen, they aren't as scary...and she cracks up to hear the crazy things she's done the night before.

I freeze mine, too. I just finished up using our leftovers from Christmas...and now I have a supply from Easter. I just put the slices right in bags & freeze. Of course, if you take the time now to chunk it, it's much easier in the long run...but I'm often too lazy after a big meal to do so! Our recent favorite is to make Chinese Fried Rice...I make a bunch of rice in my rice cooker, meanwhile, scramble a couple eggs, then add frozen peas & carrots, then ham, then rice...sprinkle some soy sauce & ginger. Yummy! All of my kids like it...(that is a rare find, indeed!). I also love to make cheesy potatoes & put diced ham in it as the main dish. It's also great to make a big chef salad in the summertime.

I'm not offering this idea with personal experience, but my dad LOVES his gorillapod tripod. There are various brands of them, I think--he bought a really expensive one off the internet, but I saw a cheaper one at Walmart a few months back. Basically, the three parts of the pod are flexible and you can twist them to keep your camera in various locations. My dad twists his to hook on the curtain rod so he can video a family meal, holds it in his hands and twists it around to get a shot from a strange angle, etc.

Thanks for sharing!

I think sports are a little out of control in some ways by the teenage years. It kind of seems that those who aren't very good have already been 'weeded' out and so those who are still playing team sports are the ones who love it & live it & are good at it. I think if the teenager is going to start at this point, you'd definitely want to have him do the learning & practicing away from the team until he is at an even performance level as his peers. Perhaps you can find a high schooler willing to coach him individually & teach him until he's ready to compete on a team. I'd suggest trying to find a sport that kids don't start as early...in our area, lacrosse is just beginning to be offered in the recreational leagues. So it's a fairly new sport here, plus, the kids are all just beginning together. My ds12 has finally found his little niche--and I think it might be because all of the other kids haven't been doing it since the age of 4, with competitive 'elite' teams since the age of 8, etc. I'd also add that independent sports still offer the 'team' experience--swim team, track club, tennis team--being involved with other peers.

:grouphug: It is hard dealing with MILs! I also have one who won't take no for an answer and she'll only do things that are HER idea... Actually, my list could go on and on...I could help you feel better cause your MIL isn't as bad as mine...but that probably isn't what you need to hear! Good for you for calling back and changing things to fit better for you!

I voted yes. If they wanted you to have a 'home' membership & attend regularly in order to qualify for reciprocal privileges, they'd state it in their policy. Now my only question is which museum has this great deal? :D

Oh, my goodness...those pictures are terrific. Makes me want a newborn to snuggle!

This is lucky, at least...maybe they won't be there much longer? And who cares if you make them mad...they'll be gone soon enough. In our case, we go to the same church, my dh is their son's scout leader, she cuts all of our hair...it's not like I can just say something & not worry about how they react. Ugh...I very much dislike in-person confrontation situations!

Oh, I feel your pain. If the motion-detector-sprinkler wasn't so expensive, I'd buy a bunch right now. I've heard about cayenne pepper, but haven't tried it yet. Where exactly do you find cayenne pepper at the store? (I've looked near the spices, but couldnt' find it once) Our neighbors have two yippy obnoxious dogs--they open the door & let them out for a lot longer than a few minutes at a time. They come straight to my yard and poop. Then anytime someone comes to my front door or when my kids are outside in OUR yard, they come over and bark at them (not a few barks...like ten minutes) as if this is their territory. My dd2 is now terrified of dogs. And half the time they poop right on our front walkway. We've tried a couple things. I yell at the dogs & chase them away. I yell at their kids to come and get their stupid dog out of our yard. Dh picks up the poop with a shovel & throws it into their yard. He's called over before to have them send their kids over with a shovel. In the summertime, we turn the sprinklers on whenever we see their dogs. In the winter, we throw snowballs. Obviously our attempts are not direct enough. We need to talk to them directly, but I just hate confrontation so I'm putting it off. Mostly because when I get ticked enough to talk to someone about it, I tend to spout off a little more than necessary. :D I'm afraid I'll say too much and completely burn the bridge, yk? I'm thinking of sending an email (how lame is that? but I can control my emotions...) and saying, "Hey, we're having a few problems with your dogs...dog poop & scaring my little one. Will you please keep your dogs out of our yard?" But I just don't get it when people LET their dogs do this. If we loved dog poop, we'd have a dog ourselves. If we thought barking, yippy dogs were cute, we'd have a dog ourselves.