GREAT IDEA about the drum set. I would add BAGPIPES!!!

I don't think it was the mere "ownership" of a .22 that was in question. It was the meaning behind the words i.e. right now he's shooting at dogs with a BB gun... next he will graduate to shooting OTHER things with a .22. The intent was clear and, I agree, a pretty big generalization. He made a mistake. Once. He was imitating his father. I do not think that makes him a sociopath. He is not out ripping limbs off kittens one at a time and keeping their remains in an icebox. Let's be realistic. My brother at around age 12 shot a bird with a BB gun and killed it. Why? Who knows? He was a 12yo boy trying to be cool in front of his friends. It traumatized him and he has never touched a gun since. So let's pull back on this slippery slope idea just a bit. We do not know how this will affect her son one way or the other REGARDLESS of her feelings on the matter.

OK, my iPad is freaking out. I typed this long response then it got all messed up when i tried to fix a typo...ugh... so here is the gist: So here's how I see it: - 10yo boy with a new BB gun, probably needed to be taught some rules before handling it - beloved mother stressed out by constant barking and a neighbor who did nothing about it - precedent in that he saw/knows that his father has handled a similar circumstance in a similar way - 10 yo boy decides to "man up" and help his mom Misguided? Yes. But he is a 10yo boy. So take his gun away until he has time to learn how to use it safely. Tell him you appreciate his intentions (trying to help you) but that was not the best way to handle it because most people do not find it socially acceptable to shoot a dog AND because it causes bad feelings between neighbors. What happens in addition to that really depends on whether or not you care if your neighbor hates you. It doesn't sound like she has any intention of making her dogs stop being so obnoxious so you may have to write this one off as a loss. And FWIW I do NOT think your child is a sociopath or that someone needs to call CPS on you. I, too, have been brought to the brink of insanity by an thoughtless neighbor who allowed her dog to stand outside barking all day long.

Another vote for The Case for Christ. It is excellent. I also don't care for Mere Christianity for THIS purpose. It is a good book but not really the one I would recommend for an unbeliever.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

This describes my experience to a T although I only did it one time. :D I had a wonderful experience at my hospital!

Ugh. I am completely done with "dysfunctional family dynamics" stories as well as "asian mother-daughter relationship" stories. I read one book this summer called "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen and it was wretched.

Probably. There is some swearing but not too much. No sex ... Just some kissing. Some violence. Mostly it is just creepy. :D

I have had a "bad books" curse hanging over me all summer!!! I have read about a dozen books and most of them ranged from "meh" to downright terrible. It was getting to where I didn't want to buy anything else on kindle because it felt like wasting money. BUT I just finished "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" and I loved it! It was such a fun read... weird, interesting, a little spooky. I was sad when it was over. But now I have to choose the next book to read and I fear the return of the curse.... :tongue_smilie:

It is so interesting how cultures approach this differently. That model would NEVER fly here. We have an all day kindergarten that is very heavy on academics and I STILL get parents complaining that we aren't rigorous enough. They want more languages, more homework, higher math, higher reading, etc. They do NOT want their kids outside for very long and preferably under a cover of some sort. They don't want them wet or dirty in any way. I can hardly get them to send their kids in tennis shoes so they can run around at recess (instead of fancy dress shoes).

:iagree::iagree: Maybe that's why this is bugging me so much. Between the forceful language they have chosen (and these are TV commercials) and the idea of kids being lined up for vaccinations at school like it is no big deal, my American individualism rears it's ugly head. :D

I lost 25 pounds following the NO S PLAN (no sugar, no snacks, no second helpings except on days that start with S). It sounds simple, even a little silly, but as the author points out... It is not a magical diet. Just stop eating so much sugar and stop eating such huge portions. That is what worked for me.

Yes there is a parental consent form, however, the illiteracy rate here is staggering. I really think it is the wording they are using that is bothering me. They keep using words like "all" and "every" and "will be" that IMPLY something mandatory. And honestly, parents here don't really argue with school leaders. They just do as they are told. I have issues with the lack of choice implied.

So apparently here in Malaysia they are giving the HPV vaccination to all 13 yo girls...free of charge... AT SCHOOL. The information I saw didn't say the word "mandatory" but it was most definitely implied and well, people just don't question the government here like they do in the U.S. It also said "for those girls who do not go to school, they can get the shots at the free government clinic". :001_huh: So they don't have to go to school but they need to get the shots?? Interesting. How would you feel if the government started doing this in America?

:iagree:

They are good questions I think. I'll do my best. I was only able to conceive and bring one child to this earth. Dh and I have completely unexplained secondary infertility. I was ok with one. Until he was about 5yo. Then my heart just ached for another one. Plus, my dh and his sister are both adopted so adoption was in my dh's heart. We had the money for IVF (which MIGHT have worked). We could have done donor sperm (which definitely would have worked). But for some reason when the subject of adoption came up it was like fireworks exploding. We chose not to specify a gender (which is very unusual in international adoptions). We wanted God to send us His choice. He sent us a boy. And we were happy. Until he turned 5yo. :D What can I say? I really wanted a daughter. But I honestly never thought it would happen. Never. There are posts in my history on these boards to prove it. Then Natalie fell into our laps and it felt perfect. Since then we have "contemplated" more but, for the first time, it just doesn't feel right. Somehow we both know that we are done. That our family is complete. We have had multiple other opportunities and we just keep saying no thank you. I am not sure if that answers your question. What I do know is that I would NOT have put my body through all the things necessary to do IVF. Adoption was a much safer choice. My SIL had an unexplained premie (born at 27 weeks). She is fine and it is a miracle. But she and my brother are not tempting fate. They will either stick with one or adopt.

I know it is not popular to say that homeschoolers need to up their standards but honestly, I am exhausted from defending us all. We get a lot of homeschooled applicants for my school. A lot. As soon as it is mentioned at our admissions meetings that an applicant has been homeschooled, the eye-rolling and snarky comments start. And I ALWAYS JUMP TO THEIR DEFENSE. Always. But I am getting tired because, honestly, these homeschooled kids ARE behind... really behind. I would LOVE for some homeschooled applicant to come in and just smoke our entrance test but none so far. And the ones who do get in have troubles coping with homework, deadlines, organization, and .... I hate to say it... social skills. Please, can someone send a homeschooled kid to my school who proves them all wrong so I can stop looking like a fool??? :tongue_smilie:

Holy typhoon Batman! This sucker came at us hard and we don't even get the worst of it since we are tucked in between mainland Malaysia and Indonesia. I have never seen this much rain before either in volume or length of time. We are on day 6 of solid rain. And the wind!!!! It ripped the roof off of our school's cafeteria and put holes in our chapel roof. Trees are down everywhere. Flooding. Debris. What a mess. And throughout it all everyone here just kept going about their business as if it was not happening. Yesterday I stood with my jaw on the ground as my students struggled to stay dry walking from class to class. I thought for sure the preschoolers would get blown over. And nobody thought it was scary except me!!!! I must be a total wimp.

Roses are red Violets are blue You're totally gonna cave and come running back because you can't live with out us. :lol::lol::lol:

Well, based on admissions applications to my school (and we get loads of homeschoolers) my answer is it depends a lot on the curriculum they use as well. For some reason those ACE/School of Tomorrow packets are UBER popular among homeschoolers in SE Asia and kids coming from that program are ALWAYS so far behind we can't even accept them. And as for writing? We start teaching writing in preschool with writer's workshop. We do have an occasional homeschool kid who used a different curriculum and does well in our school.

You poor thing. Your need for therapy is obvious to the rest of us. You don't need to deny it sweetie. We are here for you. :lol::lol::lol:

Awww.... I love you! :grouphug:

oh exactly!! I can't win because if I try to tell them they are wrong they just give me this sad look like "poor little thing, look how delusional she is. She doesn't even realize it!"

What is with all the asterisks? This iPad is weird sometimes.

Do you ever consider getting DNA testing to see if you are ACTUALLY related to your family? I got a birthday card from my aunt today. Happy birthday, I miss you, blah blah blah… then she says something about how she understands that I needed to find some peace and if I had to go half way around the world to find it then she can live with it * Whiskey Tango Foxtrot??? * My family drives me nuts.** They act like they all know me better than I know myself… that I am running from past hurts and traumas… that I live in denial… that I don’t REALLY like it here, I just say that to avoid dealing with my demons, Etc etc etc. * Well I hate to burst everyone’s drama bubble but, I am just not that deep of a person. Yeah, a lot of crappy things have happened in my life. But crappy things happen to everyone. MOVE ON. I don’t have the time or the inclination to spend my time navel-gazing, reliving the past, and wallowing in misery. * Just because my mom and her sister LOVE to dredge up the past and relive every sad moment every chance they get does not mean I am the same way. I am FINE. Really. I promise. UGH Well I guess I better get busy... Apparently I have a glass menagerie to assemble and I am behind schedule. :tongue_smilie: Signed, Emotionally fragile and delusional