[Are we (parents/child) old fuddy-duddies?]

Interesting--we have Laura from Scotland, and Jakesask--who attended college in Canada (quiet) and grad school in the USA (noisy, more focus on drinking).

 

I'm wondering if this is a US "thing", that we're just overall more loud than other people. Our family has spent a lot of time abroad and we have found that Europeans are generally quieter when outside of the immediate family. We Americans have a terrible reputation as being "loud", and there's the old adage that you can hear an American a mile away. So, maybe this carries over into our academic life, too?

 

Don't get me wrong, the European cans be loud. But they seem to keep their voices better modulated; less shrieking and Billie Mays (the TV salesman) in your face kind of attitude. And when the Euros drink, they tend to do so in pubs, which are more conversational than our (American) bars.

 

Just a thought, maybe this is all cultural differences?

 

This may be true for Europeans but compared to many other cultures, we use quieter speaking voices. In college, I lived in an honors/international dorm. The honors floors were pretty quiet, even during non-quiet hours. The international floors were very noisy regardless of the imposed quiet-hours. There were lots of doors opening and slamming shut, partying and so forth. Also, some of the girls just spoke and laughed so loudly it was unpleasant to have a conversation with them. I'm sensitive to noise but many of my floor mates were not and they were still bothered by the noise level.

 

To the OP - fwiw, the dorm floor where I lived while in college was pretty quiet. We also had a full kitchen to use and many of us cooked healthy meals on the weekends. We did engage in quiet conversations in our rooms but the topics and depth were not the type your dd describes - just typical 1980's college girl conversations. I'm not sure if this atmosphere still exists. I attended Illinois State University. Most of the dorms were like what your dd describes- mine was unique.

I hope your dd finds what she wants.

Denise

[S/O Does your spouse know your medical history?]

He knows but probably wouldn't remember most of it to tell a doctor.

Denise

[NASA INSPIRE accepting more applicants]

The website now says that the program is on hold to due to lack of funding. We are almost done with the application. Should we continue with the application process anyway? Or stop and wait until the site says it is accepting applications again?

 

It seems like this happened very quickly, opening and then being put on hold the next day.

 

Thanks.

Denise

[Steve Jobs has died]

Oh, how sad. That is upsetting.

Denise

[Do you wake your child up in the morning?]

I voted other. I wake my teen b/c he's a teen and would sleep through 10 alarms. My younger children are awake early and on their own.

Denise

[Would you donate one of your kidneys to your sibling?]

Absolutely.

Denise

[Oreos]

Double stuff w/cold milk. Yum!

Denise

[would this bother you?]

I have to change my response b/c I incorrectly read your post. It sounds like your dad was trying to joke. No, it wouldn't bother me. I originally thought your dad was telling you to put dd in the closet - that would scare me. Sorry for misunderstanding.

Denise

[How many posts do you have?]

.7 I'm a slacker.

Denise

[A Poll Just for Parrothead]

I was the difficult child. Mom describes me as always into things, always asking questions and chattering to her. I still remember her saying she hoped I had a child just like myself when I grew up. I have three. :D

Denise

[How old is the oldest woman you know who gave birth?]

51. She was a retired ballerina and very fit.

Denise

[Dr. Seuss books]

Hop on Pop. I polled my kids and they all had different answers - ds#1 The Foot Book, ds #2 all of them, dd Green Eggs and Ham. Dh and I like Hop on Pop.

 

Wow. We must really like Dr. Seuss.

Denise

[Do you know the sound of "your" UPS truck?]

Yes. I miss that sound. I haven't been able to order anything for months and I miss my, I mean the UPS truck. :crying:

Denise

[Pet Peeves]

Mouth sounds. As in chewing, lip smacking, crunching (even with closed lips), etc.

:iagree:This drives me nuts! My other pet peeves include 1) using their, there and they're incorrectly; 2) people who talk during movies or television shows.

 

Denise

[If you were not here at the start of the poll frenzy]

My thought is that people must be getting bored. Nothing controversial or spicy happening so why not a poll? They are fun.

Denise

[Have you ever been to Africa?]

Texas. Lived there for 3 years and traveled through it on many other occasions. Would love to go to some of the countries on the African continent one day.

Denise

[How discipline was handled in school years ago?]

Paddle and writing. My 9th grade yr., in Oklahoma, I got paddled for ditching school with friends. 3 swats with a wooden paddle with holes drilled in it. It hurt and I wanted to cry but was too stubborn to let that happen. :D

Denise

[Does the Number '666' Freak You Out?]

Mostly no. But once in a while, for just a moment, it gives me the creeps.

Denise

[College anxiety - how to fight it?]

Thanks everyone. Yes, I do need to relax or I won't be focused enough to teach him what he needs to know.

 

The ps here are not good and the closest private high school is almost 1 1/2 hrs. from here, one way. I will have him take the SAT and ACT this spring. And, he'll take dual enrollment classes next yr. We are outsourcing one class this yr., Amer. Govt., and I am looking at outsourcing more next yr.

 

I am an info. gatherer and sometimes I gather too much, mash it together and then overwhelm myself. Osmosis Mom mentioned letting go of perfectionist tendencies in another thread. In the homeschool area, I do try to choose the perfect curriculum and then execute it perfectly. No one can do that. Mistakes can turn out to be helpful but trying to be perfect usually sets one up for failure. I know this cognitively, just not emotionally. This is the child I've always felt I messed up on. Well, he's my first.

 

Thanks for the tips, I will use them, and the pep talk. I'm going to take some time to regroup and get myself in order. Thanks for listening and giving me support. I hope I can return the favor one day. You ladies are great!

Denise

[How many different marble runs do you own?]

We own 3, one for each child. They liked them for a little while but now they just sit in the closet. That being said, the one you linked looks fun. Lots of interesting shapes to have the marbles run through. If you buy it, let us know how your dc likes it.

Denise

[What does the hive think of airsoft guns?]

My boys play and they love it. The kids form teams and play "Army" type games. It reminds me of cops and robbers games that I used to play except, there are no bad guy teams.

 

The pellets, which are biodegradable, can sting a bit. The kids all wear long pants, shirts and eye protection. They have a great time and everyone is really nice. For us, it's fun.

Denise

[College anxiety - how to fight it?]

Thanks April. Yes, I do need to think it through more and get beyond it. It's so unlike me. If I have a problem, I solve it. It won't get solved on it's own. So, this is unusual for me.

 

I think I fear messing up his career opportunities by choosing the wrong college, not preparing him well enough to do the work and him not getting in due to the competitive level of getting into college.

 

For background - when he was little he had lots of sensory issues. He even earned an Autism label through the school system for a time. He lost the label and it didn't really fit. But, I spent the first several yrs. of homeschooling focusing more on therapies and treatments than academics. That's fine b/c he's in pretty good shape now. But, it put us behind, mostly in writing. Combine that with mistakes I made, like using the wrong math program for him and it makes me feel like he is not as prepared as he should be.

 

He wants to study physics and math. To enter those majors, he needs to be above average in math, science and writing. The colleges I've checked have stringent requirements for those majors and I just don't know if he'll make it. I know we still have time but I don't know if it's enough time. And, he's slower than average at getting work done. :tongue_smilie:

Those are my fears. It sounds ridiculous yet, I can't shake it. Maybe I need more Tension Tamer tea? I want to return to my calm, level-headed self.

Denise

P.S. I used to drive on crowded freeways too! Where I live now, three cars make a traffic jam!

[Thinking of your grandparents,]

How do you compare in the categories below? It's ok if your answer is based on hunches, rather than hard facts. I'm just curious. :D I promise I'm not tallying answers to report to the government, either. I didn't mean for it to sound like the census so many were complaining about earlier this year. It's just a list of things I find myself thinking of frequently.

 

Family Size (more, fewer, or about the same # of kids?)

Fewer kids - they had 4, we have 3

 

Size of your home?

Smaller - they lived in a large farmhouse

 

Number of moves in your lifetime compared to them?

Many more-they moved once, 1 mile away

 

Do you have as much of a social support network as they did?

No - they lived near a large, extended family & people they'd know all their life.

 

How do you think your nutrition compares to theirs? What about your overall health?

They ate fresh food off their farm and did a lot of physical work. They were much healthier.

 

Educational Levels?

Dh & I have master's degrees. Grandparents had high school ed. Yet, grandparents were much better educated.

 

Denise

[College anxiety - how to fight it?]

I am so nervous about preparing my son for college that I'm almost paralyzed by it. I began researching in his 7th & 8th grade yrs. Then, last yr., I would get so anxious I would shake. What is wrong w/me?

 

Dh told me to take a break last yr. and start again this yr. I'm slightly better now but still getting so nervous I'm unproductive. I have always been a calm, practical person. I keep telling myself to dive in and shake it off because it doesn't do anyone any good to be so nervous. It certainly won't get my son into college.

 

Has this happened to any of you? What did you do to calm your nerves enough to get things done? Any tips you have will be appreciated.

Thanks.

The crazy, frazzled woman - Denise

[Iron alternative]

I had a small, travel one once. The clothes turned out nice. The only difficulty was trying to find a place to hang the clothes while I steamed them. Otherwise, steamers work well.

Denise