Hunter - I completely disagree with your art teachers and others who don't like your drawings. Art should come from your experiences, heart and soul. If you draw and then erase those lines to form your image, then you have produced something more original and thoughtful than the average well-drawn image. Throughout history, great artists were often unappreciated, sometimes until long after their death, because they were different. Don't let these people discourage you. Drawing exactly what is there, using "standards" is just drawing. What you are doing is art. Art comes from the inside out, not the other way around. Denise

I don't think it affects who I am. It may affect how people perceive me, based on others they've known with my same name. Most men confuse my name with Diane, Debbie or Donna. Women don't seem to have this same confusion. Other than that, I really haven't thought too much about it. One of my sisters and my dd have unusual names. They're both feminie and pretty but unusual. It will be interesting to see how people react to dd's name as she gets older. I'll ask my sister this question and see what she says about it. Interesting question. Denise

:iagree: Denise

Congratulations! :party: Denise

Yes. When we brought our son home from overseas. Many, not all, adoptive parents will give their kids benedryl or dramamine to calm the child. It is a terrifying and overwhelming experience for the child and parents are often advised by the adoption agencies and doctors to use these medicines to help calm the child. Along with bringing a few new books, small toys and other distraction techniques. My ds was so nervous, he stayed awake all night. We layed on the floor and looking at each other the whole night. He wouldn't break eye contact. I held him, talked to him and tried to soothe him. He was so terrified. He wet his pants twice. So, yes, we gave him some benedryl about 15 min. before we boarded the plane. He was asleep at take-off, woke-up 30 min. into the flight and was delighted by everything he saw. It really helped him get over the initial fear. Denise

As often as I could until mid-high school. Then I began dating and forgot all about reading good books. You know, young and dumb. :tongue_smilie: Denise

:iagree: This is the best answer you can give. It doesn't sound judgemental or freaky. You just want the best for your kids and so you made a decision that you think suits those goals. And yes, I was asked this question a lot when I first started homeschooling. It still gets asked, just not as frequently. Denise

If it's a medical problem, I would make the food for him. If it's for weight lifting or something else non-medical, I would expect him to take care of it. I still might help out some, but my dh would take care of most of it. Denise

My prayers are with you, your son and your family. :grouphug: Denise

Yes, I believe that demons exist and that demonic possession is possible. I do believe it's very rare. Denise

I apologize for not responding the last 2 days. My dh and oldest ds were returning from a big hiking trip out west and I was getting ready for their return, plus a few other things. Life got more hectic than I had planned. Dialectica - I do think you are correct about human nature. It does not seem to be internal to humans to be equal to each other. Maybe it's part of our survival mechanism. We don't want others to suffer, but we want to make sure that we have a plentiful and comfortable life. It seems that we want more than just survival and that's ok. But, some people are better at it than others, whether through good business sense or manipulative, corrupt means. So, yes, systems need to have built in mechanism which allow people ways to improve their lives. Regentrude - this is exactly how I understood communism. However, since I've never lived in a communist country, many people tell me that I don't really know, I'm just speculating. So, thank you for stating what I thought to be true. And Rosie - as usual, you hit the mark. Human compassion is completely missing in such a system. I'm out of questions at this time, probably because I'm a bit brain dead - we got home from the airport at 3 a.m. That's a long story. :tongue_smilie: I hope you all have more to add. Looking forward to it. This is an interesting and enlightening thread. Thank you! I will save this thread for when ds is studying govt. and economic systems. It will really help. Denise

Wow! Great job! I bet you all had fun too. :) Denise

Hunter - if it's the handwriting that is causing problems, several of us from the Special Needs board are going to try The Palmer Method. I will get you a link so you can download and print one of the books. It's very old and looks difficult. Yet, it's actually easier movements. My 10 yr. old also was able to read it more easily than he reads other types of cursive. http://www.iampeth.com/books/palmer_budget/palmers_budget_index.php Let me know if that link doesn't work. Handwriting takes more skill because you have to remember how to form the letter, make your hand make the shape and then make the connecting forms. As far as the rest of writing, it's much more difficult to compose by hand. You must organize your thoughts first and then think through each sentence carefully. It takes more planning and organizing than composing on the computer. Graphic organizers don't help me, nor do they help my oldest ds. For us, a rough outline helps the most. Then, we spend a lot of time thinking as we write. Often kids are told to stop dreaming and write their paper. But, to write, you have to stop periodically and spend time thinking. If you allow yourself to do that, it helps organize your thoughts before you put pen to paper. I don't know that any of that helps you. I hope you find something that will work for you. Denise

Can a communist system allow for civil liberties? You said that what is not condemned by the govt. is often condemned by society. Is that because it is so ingrained in the people to not deviate? If that is the case, that is a powerful tool for the hierarchy. So, if a dictatorship is necessary when a communist regime is instituted, do they simply swap one set of "bourgeoisie" for another? One set of elites for a new set? It is my understanding that the vision of Marx and Engles was that all people are equal in what they have, they work for the common good and thereby live a good life. That doesn't seem to be the reality though. It seems that it ends up being a 2-tiered society with the elites living a lavish life and the masses living in poverty. Is that true or just my western perception? Can everyone really be equal? It seems that some of the very things Marx and Engles criticized other systems for is played out again in the communist system, sometimes magnified. But then, human behavior factors in and messes things up. Things like greed, jealousy, pride and so on. Those things cause problems in the capitalist system too. Do you think any country can acheive a stateless system as envisioned by Engles? Is this really possible? And would it really be a good thing? I just can't picture what that would look like. But, I'm looking through a western lens. I included Venezuela because when Hugo Chavez was elected, he then established his dictatorship, shut down the media, clamped down on freedom of speech and press, regulated who came and went from the country and instituted price controls. He may just be borrowing some communist style policies to establish and maintain control and not truly be a communist. I don't know. Denise

Oh, that's my term, limited socialism. By that I do mean welfare and healthcare programs, like the U.K. Sorry for the confusion. Get some sleep and we'll talk more later. Denise

Yes, I've heard this, the bolded part, many times but I don't understand what it means. What is a Republic and how does it differ from a democracy? I think I understand that we don't have a true democracy but we do have a form of it, right? I do want to read more about economics. Every economic system has flaws and capitalism is no exception. I would never argue for the U.S. to become more socialistic, though. History does not show socialism as a good way for a people to prosper. How does limited socialism hurt capitalism? And, what do you do about the externalities (usually people) inherent in a free market system? I guess I consider safety nets a type of socialism - social security payments (including disability), welfare, medicare and medicaide. Are there ways to provide safety nets that aren't socialistic? Thanks. Denise

Why has it been so difficult? Is part of it that people are changing to something unknown to them and so they don't understand how or what to do? For example, I grew up in the military. In the military everyone of the same rank has the same kind of house, same pay and so on. The environment is highly structured and you don't deviate. When I was getting ready for college, my parents really couldn't tell me about how the outside world worked. They told me to major in business but couldn't explain what you do in business. They had no idea how to apply for a job, outside of the civil service or military. It was because they had spent their adult lives in one environment that differs so much from the one I was about to enter. Is that the reason the change has been so difficult? Or, are there other factors? Denise

I wonder if the band around the waist bothers her. My oldest hated having anything, no matter how light and soft, touch his waist. He always shoved his underware and pants down off his waist and wore them closer on his hips. I bought him lots of long shirts. For your dd, maybe hip huggers would be more comfortable. Also, if you can afford it, Hanna Anderson has some wonderfully soft underware. In the end, letting her go commando most of the time is fine. She's little, it's no big deal. It's kind of sweet. Denise

:lol: That's so funny! I hate that word too. Underware. That's the word I like. My family thinks I'm crazy. Denise

The purpose of this thread is to help prepare for teaching history and American govt. to dc this yr. and it's a spin off of the 3 Generations thread. Credit goes to Dialectica for the title of this thread. Thanks! One of the thoughts that struck me is that no system is pure. Am I right that they are all a mix of some kind? For instance, in the U.S. we are a democracy and we operate under a capitalist economic system but we do practice some socialism too. It seems that we need to do this to offset the flaws in the capitalist system. The communist system seems to always be a bit mixed too. Is this correct? Also, can a country have a communist system and have a democracy? It seems to me that communism, while the intended goals seem worthy, always necessitates a dictatorship. I use Cuba, China, U.S.S.R., N. Korea and Venezuala as examples. Please correct me if I'm wrong on any of this. I want this to be a thoughtful discussion about the various systems, how they work, how they don't work and the interplay between it all. I know I've mixed economic systems and government systems but you really have to have both. So, how do you mix them? And, can any of them ever be in their pure form? Can't wait to hear from you all. Denise

You would be surprised, unfortunately. I would love to discuss this all with you and anyone else who wants to calmly join us. I will start a new thread in a little while. I have to put my dd down for a nap and get my ds, 10, doing something constructive. I look forward to listening to you. Denise

Hate to admit it but, yes, I call the kids to come look over the parts. Did you find one in your yard? A friend of mine is struggling financially and could not afford to buy a dissection kit for her high schooler. She gathered fresh road kill whenever she saw it and used it for dissection. She's amazing! Denise

She's 70. Denise

But you push yourself because you feel it's what God wants from you. So, even though it doesn't feel comfortable, you try anyway. That's sacrificing your happiness for your committments. By the way, I'm a big chit-chat failure too. I'm awkward and tongue tied. Yet, like you I keep trying. I keep at it because it's best for my dc and what God wants of me. Keep trying. And, give yourself some grace. Denise

:grouphug: I will pray that you find someone soon and find peace until you do. Denise