I understand that there are various deficits that VT can improve and that not every patient is dealing with the same issues or starting from the same place, but I'd like to get an idea of the kinds of improvements that are possible and realistic with VT. At this point, I have decided to go ahead with it, so that isn't up for debate. I just want to know what sorts of improvements might be realistically expected - even if the specifics are not relevant to my kid, it may help someone, so I'd love to hear about all aspects of how helpful it can be. So, would you say it's been life changing for your child? Or has it simply made a few things a bit easier? I have a tendency to expect amazing results, but I'd like to go into this with realistic expectations.

What about using a library cart to hold homeschool stuff so you can roll it away when not in use but still have all the stuff together. Could your printer go on a lower shelf of said cart? I've also seen rollaway portable desks at staples that might work for you.

Snakes and ladders Timberdoodle games Building kits like Lego Dolls and clothes (like AG not Barbie) Any games from the living math web site Dice Art supplies Cardboard, boxes, Tools A few stuffed animals Toobs

I used to do it several years ago and really enjoyed it. I need to buy some of the dyes and get started again, the kids would love it.

This is the one we read and enjoyed.

Really? I've never heard this one, but I am in Canada... We have one at our cottage, but it's been there a very long time.

Do you mean lawn darts, Melissa, or dart board darts? I don't think dart boards and those darts are banned anywhere. If you do mean lawn darts, do your kids use them? If I had them, I'd totally let my kids use them with a safety lesson.

I played this! And we used Swiss army knives and they did stick in the ground. Crazy!! I only played it once, as I knew it was insane even as I played. Lol! I also remember kids becoming "blood brothers" by cutting their skin and rubbing their bloody fingers together! Can you even imagine that happening today! It's hard to believe we survived!

Oh yes! Like Vicks Vaporub. We used to slather it on our chests when we had bad colds as kids - now, though it's considered dangerous. I don't know if it's banned here though. I wonder what the thinking is on the mustard plaster my mom used to keep in the medicine chest. I burned my skin so badly with that stuff I no longer needed to shave one leg - hair wouldn't grow.

A really great happy medium between praise and ignore is to simply say, "I noticed." or "I see that" with a smile. I have a kid who craves praise and this is what I've switched to saying and it gives her the acknowledgement that she wants without over praising.

Yes. This is exactly what I was trying to say. My ps education left me weak in debate/communication skills, so it came out wrong. ;)

Oops, I didn't mean liberal as in the political party. Sorry, I'm not American, I forget those terms mean something very different within the US.

No, I've never seen fox news. I don't usually watch American news shows. I don't think you and I mean the same thing when we use the term liberalism. I'm not conservative either in my political views. I just meant that there's a push toward one side of the coin in a lot of institutions. And it doesn't encompass everyone's views. Am I sensing some hostility towards conservatives? Is this the kind of thing op means, except without the violence? I think the whole black and white liberal vs conservative division is a part of the issue from an outsider looking in. Where I live, people generally don't care if you vote liberal or conservative, most of the time we wouldn't know how our friends or neighbors are voting. Plenty of people switch sides from one election to the next. I find the US system fascinating - i can't help but wonder if the division is by design.

You mention the nutritionist would likely recommend GLuten free, dairy free. Have you tried this?

I think the people who act out violently are still a tiny minority. I still see most people behaving respectfully or at least not resorting to violence. As far as people being unable to have respectful conversations about differences without making personal attacks. Might this be because the schools and colleges, for the most part teach towards liberalism rather than encouraging students to see both sides. Isn't liberalism the place we are trying to get kids to in their world views. At least that was my experience at university. I'm not saying liberal views are bad, but they are only one side of the coin.

The first time, we just read it and listened to the audiobooks. This time we are using the AG. I ask the review questions and we choose an activity some days. We do a lot of review too this time since the kids are older and we add in other books according to the time and place in history we are studying, like Greek Myths, Arabian Nights, etc.

I was an entitled kid even though my parents didn't cater to me, I was just bitter about it. The real world has done wonders for that! This will probably be true for your dd too since you aren't indulging her. What transformed me the quickest is my parents saying no to a lot more things as I got older. At a certain point my parents stopped buying my clothes, because my taste was expensive as long as they were paying, and they stopped paying for extras like going to the movies, my class ring etc. No gifts at all unless it was Christmas or my birthday. It forced my hand and I got a job. And I felt better about being able to buy what I wanted and saw that the money only went so far. It was a reality check. Now, I feel so awful about the way I spoke to my parents and what my expectations had been. And one of my favourite things to do now is spoil my parents - but not my kids. Lol!

Ah I can relate to this one. People would say "just like Crystal Gail", or they'd sing Crystal Chandelier to me, or Crystal Blue Persuasion.

"Going to school has been so great for my kids." especially annoying when no one was even talking about education. And people who offer me jobs I would never want, or suggest I apply somewhere - and I'm not even looking for work. This has happened to me an unusual number of times. And the people who say "I could never stay home with the kids because I'd miss being around adults." (ummm...I didn't ask and do they really think there are no adults to be around if you're a sahm?) I've concluded that people want me to be as miserable as they are.

OP, I could have written your post. I too was very Pollyanna-ish, then life happened, things outside of my control and a profound sadness came with it. I too do not want to be medicated for feelings that are appropriate to my situation. One difference is that I'm further down the road than you are - it's been several years longer than three for me. For a long time, I thought happiness would be impossible as long as the situation persisted - there are some things you just can never be happy about, but I've learned to bracket my happiness, as in I'm happy with most of my situation, most of the time, there's just that one thing that I cannot be happy about, nor do anything about. Not sure if that makes any sense. So I do choose to be happy most of the time and to live life to its fullest, despite some things being so very less than ideal (a complete understatement!) When I need to cry and be in that place, I let it happen. I occasionally wallow in the why me attitude, but I cannot stay there or I'm sure I would die. I don't know where you're at spiritually, what your beliefs are, but I have found, for me, the serenity prayer helpful to meditate on, even though my issue does not involve addiction, it still applies. It reminds me that I can take care of myself. I can be the best person I can be given the situation and that everything isn't my responsibility, even if I once thought certain aspects of this were. That was a huge paradigm shift that took a very long time. I hope you find something in my words to hang onto. Believe me when I say it wasn't that long ago that I would have called BS on the above, but that shift needed to happen for survival. And it has brought a certain amount of peace that helps me through the day. Still hoping the much needed change comes, but in the meantime, I have to keep myself well and control the things I actually can. Huge ((((hugs))))

I think we talked about the clash between the social norms of the two groups at the time. Comparisons of ideas each held about appropriate dress, ownership of property, historical ways of dealing with conflict. I didn't ask my kids to choose a good guy and a bad guy, but rather to try to see things from both sides. How might you feel if strangers came and claimed land that you used? How might you feel to see strangers half naked in your home, taking your things?

Ours is probably middle of the road. I like the extra large capacity for comforters and large loads. I like sensors so it stops when the load is dry. Those are the only features mine has. I don't need anything else like steam or racks. Our set are grey in colour, but I regret that because when only one machine dies it may be hard to find a match.

Popeye's! Here they've changed the name to candy sticks, but you can still buy them. Ive told my kids they used to be called cigarettes. You can still get licorice pipes though. Love those!

This is what my sister did. She had a sunken living room very well baby proofed. I got an exersaucer for my own kids instead.

I wonder if this is what we call Kinder Surprises here? They haven't been banned here. My kids have had many of those. You mean a Chocolate egg with a plastic egg inside containing a toy or puzzle? Those are still available here in Canada.