This is what I thought of. My dd with ASD had some trouble with the less commonly used verb tenses until she was maybe 10 or so, as well.

We're going back to the schools, thinking of enrolling dd14 (ASD) for high school next year, so I'm trying to figure out if this is what I need to ask for in an evaluation. Dd14 has a hard time telling me about things like, say, a science experiment at her co-op class. She tries to brush off the question ( "What did you do?" " I don't know, stuff.") And-- that sounds like normal teen who isn't interested in talking about her class. But if I probe more, she has a really hard time knowing and/or explaining what the purpose of the experiment was and how it unfolded, beginning, middle, and end. She gets fed up and angry with the questions before I get any real sense of what happened, and I think her anger is at least partially because this process is hard for her. So, is the Test of Narrative Language what I want? And, next: what am I seeing in this scenario? Dd was taking an open-book science quiz. The book shows several types of maps geologists use: topography, climate, etc. The question asks "What types of information can a geologist get from a map?" Dd, very frustrated , says "Which map? They don't say which one!" She rejects the idea that the question meant maps in general , and insists that it must mean a particular map. Is this failure to generalize? What would you want to see happening in school to address this? Lots of practice generalizing, I guess, lol? I want to make sure I ask for the right things, and I'm starting to go nuts trying to get things ready.

I'm both sorry this has happened and angry on your behalf. We need to do better for our kids with disabilities. Providing support in school is so important in helping them grow up to be as independent and functional as possible.

Hugs, Teaching3Bears. I hope you can find some help for your boys and for you. I'm sorry about the colds, illness doesn't help anything. When I mentioned your health I was thinking in a more wholistic sense, though: more that so much stress has to be hard to deal with, and sometimes I find I need to put on my own oxygen mask first, kwim? And while I do have a dd on the spectrum, I'm not dealing with anything remotely like you are. So, you might need some stress relief too. What prairiewindmomma said, in other words. More hugs and best wishes.

I'm glad he's feeling better today. Investigating the laughter more, with videos and a new neurologist, might be worthwhile. I wish I could offer help in person. You're carrying such a heavy load. Would school enrollment be an option, perhaps? It would at least get you a few hours daily to care for yourself. Your health is important. So many people depend on you.

Yes, I think you're right. Classic asd thinking. Which illustrates just how much asd can interfere with thought processes.

Thank you. This is a big help.

Completely understandable. Anyway, it's nice to see you.

Yes! I was wishing for your insight on Brexit on the politics board recently. @Laura Corin

You say "this poor girl"-- so is she an adult? If not, I probably wouldn't pursue this at the moment. Assuming she is an adult, well, she already was working on the assumption that her father had issues, right? So, different father, different issues maybe (alcohol vs. drugs), but still issues. She still seems interested in knowing him. If she has a very small family, she might like a cousin, regardless of what happens about her father. Do you have any feeling for whether you'd like to know her better? These situations sound so hard to navigate, and I really have no idea what the best course is. I hope you can find a path that seems right for you, this girl and her father.

How are you doing today? I've been thinking of you and hoping you all are safe and warm.

Oh my goodness, that doesn't sound like whining to me, it sounds like utterly justified cause for concern. Will the space heaters be enough overnight? I would be demanding action from the contractors. But in the meantime, is there anywhere warm you could go? Family or friends?

Thinking about a trip this summer... How long would you want to stay in the city? We'd be interested in history, architecture, restaurants, just soaking up atmosphere. I'm envisioning a week, but we could potentially spend more time in the city, or we could spend some time in other areas. We've never been there, or to Quebec at all. Anyone with experience want to chat?

Thank you! So, do you (or others) think a week is too long? Or just plenty of time to relax as well as explore? It looks like such a lovely city. I'm also kind of interested in driving up to Tadoussac for a chance to see whales, but that looks like it's too long to be a day trip, so maybe a night or two.

Your feelings are valid. We've had some bad things happen in hospitals over holidays, when staff is reduced. No idea how common that is, but in the situations we saw, patient care suffered. But if he's still so frail, then it's no wonder caring for him at home seems overwhelming. I would not be happy with that either. And it positively stinks that they sprung this on you without warning. I'd ask about help at home, just in case something might be available. Do you all have the for-profit home nursing companies geared toward senior care which are all over here? They are pricey, but might be worthwhile to get you through the first few days. Just an hour or two to help with bathing, maybe.

Could you talk with the powers that be, explain the situation, and see what they say?

Oh Stella, as if you needed more worries. Hugs and good thoughts. I wish I could offer help in person.

Yes! Only one sibling here, but two teen girls, closely spaced in age, with similar interests, rivalry, and not a lot of flexible thinking anywhere---> lots of stress. But, they *both* want to be up at night. Oy. One can handle it, get roughly adequate sleep, and manage her assignments. The other can't. Got to go get them moving now... 😀

Lots to think about there. I'm going to have to mull it over a bit, but thank you.

Thank you for this. I think it's very pertinent for us. After all these years, and even though I should know better, sometimes I have a hard time moving past frustration with behavior that seems-- and is-- inappropriate, and focusing on just how hard stress and social demands are for dd.

I'm sorry, that sounds so disappointing. Will your dd be able to visit at some point, at least?

I can say first hand that, even dealing with younger teens, if they don't want to change sleep patterns it's really hard. We are living this now. Dd14 wants to stay up all night and sleep all day. She does not see why she should have to conform to society's schedule or the family's. Left alone, she drags herself out of bed around 5:30 pm, walks her dog as it's getting dark, then stays up until around 6:00am. Obviously we aren't letting this happen, but it's the pattern she started to slide into over the Christmas break. She is still homeschooled, but has a few outside classes. Getting her moving is murder. And to cap it all, she refuses meds, so no more melatonin, though it can help. The heart of the matter is that she does not want to change. So, we're approaching this from multiple fronts, and I'll be glad to get any other suggestions. But atm I'm trying to make sure she has things going on that she wants to be awake for, make sure she has time outside and exercise, and have consequences in place if she doesn't get moving and do the things that must be done in the morning hours. Getting up and facing schoolwork is no fun, but morning is the time I have available, so that's when we need to work. Results so far are mixed.

We have a couple of ceramic tureens, but they're so cumbersome to wash that I always worry about breaking them as I wash them. Frankly I find them a nuisance, so I don't use them. We have a bunch of useful but ugly pots, aluminum or stainless steel. I cook in these, but don't really love putting them on the table and serving from them. I'm wondering about something like a Lodge enamel pot that would work for cooking and serving. On these winter days when soup is the main item on the menu for lots of meals, how do you serve it?

This is an aspect I had not considered, but should. Food for thought, so to speak.

Just read the care instructions for the enameled cast iron. I may just stick with my old pans...