After tax.

Obviously salaries and cost of living are different everywhere so let's talk percentages instead so we can have a better comparison. Out of our monthly income, our money is distributed accordingly: Housing 24% Groceries 16% Utilities 7% Student loans 9% Childcare/house help 13% Piano lessons 1% Gasoline 1% TOTAL is 71% of income The rest goes to savings/entertainment/misc. which varies by month. The prices of many things have risen considerably around here lately, too. :glare: How do these percentages compare with your budget in the area in which you live? Are there any percentages for you that are significantly higher or lower? I am trying to get a bead on what the average household budget percentages are and how that compares with the cost of living here. .

:D. I am actually right so often that it is a family joke. "Mom is always right" is the theme around here and I am... It's weird but true. :tongue_smilie:

Well the nays have it then. :D. My teachers and students will be thrilled to move on from this time-wasting concept. Thanks!!!!

What is WRONG with people????? :glare:

:iagree:

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

It is in our U.S. standards and in the U.S. standards version of SM which we use. It was also in our previous Houghton Mifflin series. I didn't want to automatically dismiss it just because I was unfamiliar with it but I honestly cannot find a reason for using it???

WHY should students know how to do Front End Estimation? It is in our Singapore Math curriculum and it comes after we have already taught how to round numbers. I know WHAT it is. I just can't figure out WHY they would need to know it. It seems to be just confusing them. I need a pedagogical reason for teaching it because my math teachers and my students are frustrated. I had never even heard of it until this week! For those of you following along: typical rounding of numbers: 576 + 324 600 + 300 In front end estimation, you take the first digit and put a zero for everything else: 576 + 324 500 + 300 Yes I know it is just another (less accurate) way of estimating but I need to know if there is some other skill they will learn later that builds on this? It just seems sort of pointless. .

You have all been so supportive in this. It has really been the bright spot this week. Ds took the news well until yesterday when asked me if he could have a PB and J sandwich and I had to say no. Then it hit him. But we will work through this one day at a time. That is what I keep telling myself.

Here it means absolutely nothing. Everyone tailgates at all times. Drives me crazy but they see no issue with it. :glare:

I told my Honors 9 English class this year that the biggest struggle for all of them will be twofold: - maintaining interest over the long haul as a book unfolds since it won't be the 20 second sound bites they are used to. - delaying gratification. Big plot moments do happen. Action happens. But it isn't ALL that happens and it isn't even the primary point of the plot. Getting them to realize that you may have to wade through some difficult vocabulary and sentence structure as well as long-winded descriptions of scenery to get to the "good stuff" but it is so worth it... That's my goal. For these classic books with "low" reading level scores I say "poppycock".... Let's see you teach "Beloved" to a group of sixth graders (since it is 6th grade reading level) and get them to understand it, love it, and not get you fired over it. .

Yep. This.

I like Jesse for a boy!

Congrats!!!!

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

My experience here is the opposite. All the people in Malaysia are shocked at the portion sizes of westerners. My dh can easily eat all of a dish that they use for a family of four. But they also eat TONS of rice to fill up and we only eat small amounts. Funny: a new restaurant opened here and the owners are trying to cater to the expats so we went there and the portion sizes are comically enormous. The owner told me he is trying to do it like they do in America. :lol:

Wow, I DO remember that story about the strawberries. I love you to pieces but your MIL has some serious issues. It has only been two days and i have only told a few people but I have already had a range of reactions. My mom freaked out and wants me to have a stock of epipens in every possible place in the house. One person said it is because I vaccinated him. Another did the "once you get the allergy under control then you can start giving him small amounts of peanuts so he can get use to them again." One gave me that look that says "you are just looking for attention." But most people have been very supportive about it and I really need that right now. Why do people take other people's allergies so personally? It's weird. .

Ok. Good to know. Although that will be a tough one in Asia. I guess we will be eating out a lot less. .

I am not sure. I forgot to ask. We have an appointment with a dietician (it is part of the allergy testing package) so I will ask. There so much info being thrown at me today I am sure there are things I should have asked. :confused: .

That is awesome. Enjoy your time with them!!

Yes. I got them a few hours ago. It's official. No more peanuts for him. In addition, he is very allergic to dust mites apparently. So we came home with a bag full of prescriptions. I can tell we are in Asia because the doctor's advice for the dust mites is to get rid of his mattress and have him sleep on a yoga mat on the floor. :001_huh: Coincidentally, the nurse was doing vision screenings on all the students today and he failed...with his glasses ON. :glare: So now we have to get him new glasses. This is the third prescription change in a year. And speech therapy is costing us a fortune. This poor kid can't catch a break. Sigh. So it begins... A new chapter in our life and all I want to do is take a nap. But first I need to learn how to say "Does this have peanuts in it?" in Malay, Tamil, and Mandarin. I am sure I will be asking for plenty of advice so thank you all for your support in this. .

The whole idea of it just exhausts me. I can barely maintain the relationships I already have in life. I can't imagine complicating them further. Obviously these people have more time and energy than I do. .

Congrats!!!!

:lol::lol::lol: :iagree: .