All I can tell you is that this was a problem here in Nashville for almost a week. Things seem back to normal now but we had the exact same problem, it was bizarre. I almost used my lawn mower gas...it makes you feel a bit desperate but honestly, it'll be short lived, I believe.

I'm not very crafty but if you are interested in a food item, I have an easy candy recipe. Also, I make biscotti at Christmas and I put them in celephane bags or tie w.raffia, along with some tea or cocoa. It makes a nice gift. I also make baklava as a food gift. One year my kids bought small tiles from Home Depot and stenciled initials or japanese characters on them and then we sprayed a clear gloss over them and corked the back. They gave them as a set of 4 coasters.

I just want to add that Quinoa is a source of all essential amino acids, high in protein, versatile and just overall, a great vegan choice. For those who don't like soy, you may like Seitan. The texture is more "meaty" and it tastes very good.Also, I have found that if I freeze my tofu for a few days before cooking with it, it's got a chewier texture.

I can not get over how much you sound like me when I had kids in school, it's almost funny!! I feel for you!

I feel exactly the same way and I don't miss the school system at all. As for your comment about the childrens education being the responsibility of the child and parent- I've said that for years to the teachers before I took my kids out. Amen to that.

I believe whole grains would refer to grains that have not been stripped. Quinoa is a whole grain. Bulgar and Oats are,too. When you buy "whole wheat" bread, check the ingredients. They often include high fructose corn syrup and lots of preservatives. Check out Ezekial breads and Food for Life.

I would recommend weight training. Build muscle, do planks and incorporate Pilates if you are not already. Your M... will increase.

My grandmother was my rock. She was my example of what a wife and woman should be. My mom, to my children, is a big kid- lots of fun and they spend every other weekend at her house. My ex-husbands mom and dad live 900 miles away and are nothing but faceless gift givers by mail. They don't keep in touch and just send the few obligatory gifts during the holiday season and birthdays. So I will agree with the posters who say it depends on what kind of grandparent they are. My kids could easily do without the long distance nonsense, I know it hurts them more than anything else.

I have been a vegetarian for about 24 yrs. and 2 of my 5 children are vegetarian. (We eat much more vegan than vegetarian but since we eat pizza every weekend, I say vegetarian.) All who have posted seem to do much better economically than I do. We eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and we eat very clean- staying away from most foods that cannot be indentified as natural. However, we do go to Whole Foods and feed our addiction for the vegan chicken salad and vegan crab cakes. We eat Ezekial breads, lots of Indian food, hummus is in our daily diet and I eat a decent amount of tofu, seitan ,tempeh and Quinoa. I think it's very possible to eat a vegan diet on a budget and I know I could do much better in the money department but I love ingredients. I say you should give it a good try and I think if you take a few cues from those here that do well in the $ department, you'll do great. There is an abundance of good websites to find inexpensive vegan recipes. I like http://www.veganyumyum.com. Good luck :)

I can relate. Nashville went through this last week, it was crazy and the lines went on forever...down the street, into the street and lots of cars ran out of gas. All that to say, take heart, it last less than a week and we seem to be back on track now.

Yeah, fair enough. And thanks but I am alone in this so I think I'll pass. Thanks :)

That's fine. Do what works for you. I am not going to offer my kids a nap, a snack or a drink when they are not behaving. To me, that is absurd. To you, it's a working strategy and helps you get further in your end result.Maybe we have different end goals. As for being in good company, hey, whatever makes you feel confirmed. I look to my grandmother for example more than anyone else. I consider myself in good company,too. You are taking my observations and opinions as a personal attack and that's unfortunate. It wasn't my intention, I just tire of the same complaints from mothers who seem exasperated with their kids. If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten...I'm sure you've heard that.

I like Dash. My husband was trying to tell me what he looked like before we met and we were talking on the phone. He said "I'm not ugly...well...I'm no Dash Riprock but I'm not ugly, either." and so Mrs. Dash was born. I tend to put things out there pretty bluntly and my matter of fact disposition puts people on the defensive and my points end up lost in the process. Sorry for the bluntness and thanks for the smile :)

I want to first say to the Liberator that I also did not use the word "punish". I was vague but you read a lot into what I said. By "weak responses", I meant that the suggestions to feed her, give her water or more sleep or less sleep seemed to not deal with the issue. Maybe I am seeing a different issue. I don't think that being hungry,tired or thirsty is a good reason to be disrepectful and argumentative with someone and I just don't see trying to pacify them with these things as the answer. I have watched so many parents knock themselves out like a court jester trying to please the upset child. "Are you thirsty?" (or whatever) often seems to double for "Can I make you more comfortable somehow so you can stop whining and be nice? WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU??" I am well aware of what it takes to homeschool. I don't see it as having much relevance here. I understand your point about doing your best and I am not claiming that it is easy to raise kids. I think it's the hardest and most important job in the world. It's a challenge and some days are more challenging than others. I do believe, though, that when we pacify them and their poor behavior becomes the norm, we are not helping them to grow, we are helping them to develop into self-centered people who think they deserve anything they want regardless of their attitudes. I see so many parents asking their kids for permission or apologizing for their discomfort. I'm not saying that is the case with you but I have seen that when kids get constantly argumentative, they are use to having their mom/dad trying to please them. So many kids today seem to act like their parents are employed by them and there is a lot of tails wagging the dogs. I know I didn't offer one bit of advice for you and I made a very general observation but I see and hear so many complaints similar to yours. I would like to help and I try to help at times but it still seems to come down, in the end, to parents not wanting to upset their kids in order to teach them right behavior from wrong behavior. Sometimes they do have to be uncomfortable. If the consequence is uncomfortable and consistent, they will stop the behavior that got them there. I am not talking about spanking but I don't rule it out until a certain age, either. I don't have all the answers by far and we all make mistakes but I know that I would not deal with a slamming door, a rolling eye, a shout at me, a sarcastic remark or a deliberate misbehavior by giving the child some water or a snack. We all have different levels of tolerance and I guess mine are quite different than most of yours. I do think, however, that we get out what we put in. If I was to offer you any advice at all, it would just be to make sure your child is aware that it is YOU who is in charge. That this isn't a joint partnership and that there are lines and bounderies. Spell out the bounderies and have consequences in place when they are crossed...every single time. They will get it if they are shown consistence.

Not once did I say to "come down hard on them". Not once did I give a specific answer to any problems. I just made an observation and you read into it what you wanted to.

I have not posted here for a long time but I've got to say this. I'm reading all these posts concerning what sounds to me to be insolent children and I'm amazed at the weak responses. I don't know what has happened to parents and their reluctance to properly parent. I've never seen so many parents here as well as in my daily life who seem to be afraid to upset their children. These kids are talking to you and behaving badly because they can. Period. You are allowing them to be insolent little by little and they are just taking what they can. If they can say this, then maybe they can do that. The children who talk back, tell their parents "how it is", slam doors, quip back sarcastically are children who have zero respect for the adults who are raising them. It's not their fault, it is the parents fault for just not bothering, for thinking it's "funny" or "witty" and all they are doing is creating a tougher fight down the road. I keep seeing parents jump through hoops for their kids while the children call all the shots and the parents look bewildered as to what to do. This is ridiculous.