Yes. It's obviously designed to be very absorbent (unlike a broom, which isn't), so, I would use it for liquids, or dry matter, or perhaps both. Unless, of course, I had specifically chosen for it *not* to be used for liquids. In that case, I'd make sure everyone knew. I guess labelling with the designated use, as some have suggested, might help avoid future frustration. :)

I have no idea what a dust mop is either. Here, mops are just for mopping up liquids, or used with soapy water to mop the floor. I'm no stranger to cleaning, but if I saw a mop, I'd use it for wet stuff :) Otherwise, for dry stuff, I'd use a broom.

Ah... I see. Well this is a different scenario to what I gathered from your question, and in which case, I can totally understand why extra gifts of food would not be welcome. (I'm not a super-planner like that, so it wasn't a scenario that I could envisage ever happening here! lol :) ). I do think, as others have said, that guests like and want (and need!) to bring something for their host, and will bring something, whatever you say. So, my suggestion is to tell them something they *can* bring, something that is not going to interfere with your plans. It doesn't have to be something for you. Perhaps you could suggest that you don't want or need anything, but if they insist, they could bring a small wrapped present for a homeless charity/women's refuge/children's hospital. Or even a tin of dog food or chews for the local dogs home. ;) Or, if you don't think it's too tacky, do a "secret santa" where everyone brings a small present and has a lucky dip.

Yes, this. :)

Well, serving method matters a lot, because it clearly indicates the formality of the event and therefore the expectations of the guests. In the UK it would be very easy to work out in advance because only lottery winners and royalty have a house with rooms big enough to seat more than 14 people (and even then, they'd be sat on each others knees, lol). We don't have the weather for sitting outside in December, so for 26+ people it's definitely going to be a buffet-style-paper-plate-while-standing-in-the-kitchen event! Maybe it's a cultural difference, because here a "dinner party" would be a small sit-down event, where people eat dinner with a small group of neighbours or close friends. Probably no more than 8 guests. While guests wouldn't be expected to bring a side dish, they would possibly contribute pudding, wine, chocolate or pre-dinner snacks. To not contribute something would be considered rude.

All good ideas. Mine love their iPods, so iTunes gift cards are always appreciated. Good headphones, too: they seem to need new ones every 6 months. (I have no idea what they do with them!) Lava lamps and strings of battery powered lights for their rooms went down well. Hoodies, jeans, belts, band t-shirts, gig tickets, or vouchers they can use to buy gig tickets. A year's subscription to a gaming or music magazine.

No. If it was buffet style, then I'd think it was perfectly normal for guests to bring a food contribution or a gift, even if I said it wasn't necessary. It's what thoughtful guests do. I'd particularly do it if I knew the host was catering for a lot of people, because I know it's expensive and time consuming to feed large numbers. :). I struggle to understand why a host would find it particularly annoying, unless they are an ultra-planner who needs to control everything, or sees food contributions as an insult to their own food. (?) IMO, better to receive something to eat than a useless gift that will just create clutter. If it's an issue I'd suggest directing guests towards a list of items they *can* bring, if they want. Drinks are always a good option, and they won't go to waste if not consumed during the evening:)

I love real books. I can't click or skim easily through ebooks. For this reason I like to have a copy of my textbooks in paper form. I also like real books for those large colourful reference books. (They are far less entertaining in ebook format.) I have no issue with curriculum workbooks being in pdf format and printing them myself. I have an aversion to people writing in real books, even when they are workbooks, so this avoids the issue! It also means I can use the curriculum with siblings, and print off multiple copies, if appropriate. I have also found some advantages to fiction ebooks, apart from the usual storage space advantages: Font size - being able to change the font size or contrast when reading on a tablet can make a huge difference for me when my eyes are tired, and for my children who find reading difficult. Whispersync - a great Kindle app feature where audio and book versions are sychronised. It's been transformative for my child who was a late reader and needs help with vocabulary and pronouncing ion. Its good to be able to combine ebooks and real books. They both have their uses.

Similar issue here: my DD doesn't like touching paper, and particularly dislikes other people touching paper. It does make it rather difficult to assign reading! 😠She puts up with it to some extent, but we've found she's better with library books that have a plastic sleeve over the cover, or hardback books. I'm trying to encourage her to use the Kindle app on her tablet a bit more.

Think "arts", rather than art, think outside the box: Film-making, stop-frame animation, Lego sculpture, Weaving, drawing on a computer program, wall murals/graffiti, wood or soap carving, sewing, designing a logo, photography, face painting, badge-making, cake decorating, clay sculpture... I wouldn't bother with art appreciation with a child who had no interest, but I'd certainly take mine along to quirky, child-friendly exhibitions and sculpture parks, films, and live art demonstrations, to let them experience something of the arts and draw their own conclusions about what they enjoy. :)

Watch movies with the subtitles switched on? Strew some graphic novels/cartoon books around the house? Encourage him to get together with friends to play card games like yu-gi-oh where he has to read to play the game? Play audio books? Borrow non-fiction library books based around his interests? Subscribe to a magazine on a subject that interests him? Download app games that require him to read to use them? Subscribe to something like Reading Eggs and let him work through it himself? Buy sets of Top Trumps and play them together? Mine all taught themselves to read, different ages, different methods. There are lots of ways to encourage reading, without teaching it. :)

Nm

For quality recordings of theatre at a reasonable price, try digital theatre http://www.digitaltheatre.com Its a UK site, but I think you can download in the US "Digital Theatre works in partnership with Britain's leading theatre companies to capture live performance authentically onscreen. Using multiple camera angles and high-definition technology, we bring the drama and emotion of each production to a global online audience. With our unique methods we bring online a library of diverse and acclaimed productions from some of the finest theatre talent around. Each production is available to rent online for a limited period or downloaded to your desktop and enjoyed as many times as you wish."

Nm

I'm like this, too, but better at focusing on audio when I'm driving. I do find the choice of book/narrator/narrative style makes a difference. I'm actually better with radio play adaptations of books, than a straightforward single narrator. I think the different voices and more dialogue and action keeps my attention. I find it harder to listen when I'm doing chores, because I tend to move around the house, or have to deal with interruptions. Often the best time for us is to listen while we're having breakfast.:)

Getting the option to choose dessert! (Always something my kids fight over) An outing associated with their interest or hobby. Fun pair of socks or funky shoe laces Spend the day in pyjamas Surprise treasure/scavenger hunt Bike ride, park day, game of football, board game time, messy craft activity, cake-baking or whatever you would normally avoid, because it's time-consuming or messy or you don't enjoy it.

A friend used to have an unusual way of rewarding her kids for a special achievement or special behaviour. The family had a plate that was different to the rest of their crockery. A child who did something special got to use the special plate for their meal. It might be awarded for a test result, an act of kindness, or anything that deserved a family acknowledgement. It was very simple, yet remarkably effective, even as the kids got o!der.!

Would online courses or groups be an option? Obviously, outside groups would be the best option, but if logistics make those difficult, then online classes based on his interests that have forums and chat boxes can provide new sources of friends with similar interests. If daytime groups are available, and do-able, then I would do my best to rearrange academic work to make those happen. If loneliness is setting in at age 12,imo it only gets worse as they get to 14...15... Also, I'd make use of Skype and real-time apps to make sure he has regular scheduled contact with his longer distance friends. Could he go and stay with them one weekend a month? (I'd definitely put academics aside to enable this) For me, my kids' mental health is top priority above anything else. Trust your gut,even if your dh doesn't think it's an issue.

I think city folk generally dress up more, wherever you are, simply because more of them have the type of job that requires a certain attire, or have the disposable income to buy the nicer stuff. Poland: From the three times I've been to Poland, the weather and "dress code" are similar to that in the UK - casual and not especially classic or stylish. The polish cities we've been to haven't been very tourist-focused, apart from the small, old areas in the centre. Out-of-city shopping centres often have clothes chain stores, should you need. Do make use of city public transport when you're in Poland: the tram and bus systems are widespread, efficient and very cheap! We always felt safe on public transport, even in run-down areas. Most people will speak at least a little English (many are fluent), but it's handy to download Google translate (offline) to a device before you go, as Polish words aren't easy to guess! Enjoy your time!

I don't know, but I can usually spot an American tourist in the UK by the fact that they're wearing shorts in May. Obviously far more optimistic than us Brits ;)

Could it be something to do with the sleep phase you are in? I know we have lighter phases of sleep, when we can naturally wake, and deeper phases when being woken up can be far more disorientating. Maybe your sleep cycle is out of sync due to hormonal changes, seasonal daylight shift, mild sleep apnea or something?

How about encouraging her to play games where she has to be led or instructed by someone else, or games that involve teamwork? (e.g. doing a homemade obstacle course blindfolded while taking instruction from another child, or assembling a small Lego model or recreating a picture that she can't see from another child's instructions.) Being vulnerable (blindfold) in a fun, safe environment can allow a child experience what it's like to trust others, to not be in control all.the.time. Is she a perfectionist? Does she get the chance to play with other (older? More knowledgeable? More skilled?) children? You say that this has been an aspect of your character, too, so is it possible that she is mimicking subtle signals in your behaviour, without either of you realising. I have one child who has always been sensitive to picking up on my habits: it took me ages to realise their behaviour is often a mirror of my own words and actions. The oldest child will naturally have a different experience of life and responsibilities than their younger siblings. Older children also get our full intense, unpractised, parenting focus in those first few years and are therefore more likely to pick up our character traits and habits, lol. Younger siblings get us, diluted, and a good dose of healthy neglect. :) She's young and it might just be an annoying phase that she grows out of. However, you're right to anticipate that you might need to gently temper it for social cooperation and sibling harmony - there's a difference between being a leader and just being plain bossy, lol. :)

Yes, homeschooling can become all consuming, but I think it's as much about the full-on 24/7 parenting required, as it is about the education. I think it's possible to work towards finding a balance. Not easy, but possible, in the same way as some folk achieve a good work:life balance. Our own needs are so often pushed aside when we parent, and even more when we homeschool. For me, it helps to find something in homeschooling that feeds a part of me, something I love and can bring it into my homeschooling, not for the kids, but for me. Having said that, there are times when parenting and homeschooling is just overwhelming, and (in my experience) you just have to ride that, be kind to yourself and get whatever support you can. A day or two away from the kids, away from responsibilities, can work wonders. ;) Edited to add: Yeah, sometimes it sucks. I'm not qualified to give advice, as I'm limping through our last few years of all-consuming homeschooling, lol. But we've had some great times and it has seriously enriched my life and my kids seem to have turned out ok, whether I micro-managed their education or gave up and put them in front of the TV for a week.

We had to learn to do it at school (UK). I thought it was a pointless exercise and couldn't understand why we needed instruction - I mean, how hard can it be? That is, until my kids finally needed to draw margins and underline headings, and I found out they couldn't do it - lots of wobbly lines and silhouettes of thumbs, lol! So, although, I prefer to buy lined paper that already has margins, I have occasionally got my kids to draw margins in, just for some straight line ruler practice. I do think margins make work a little tidier and give a space for question numbers, or adding annotations after a piece is written.

I don't think we ever escape that perpetual mom-guilt over the things we feel we did or didn't do or could have done better;) We can't change what's gone, but it's good to continue to read and learn and find new tools to help us improve our relationships with our kids. Ime, kids are surprisingly resilient and come out ok, however much we think we've messed up. :)