Ha ha, I tell *my* six year old this, oh, 5,000 times a day!

I told the dad that I actually worried about him hurting the furniture. It was awkward, and I worry I came off as rude.

I have a toddler. While I'd correct my toddler if I found him jumping on furniture, I wouldn't be surprised. I was a little surprised when I asked a six-year-old to stop bouncing on my couch that his parent assured me that the child would be fine and does it at home all the time. I have to say I don't love the idea of somersaults on the beds, either, though I can see that being gentler on the furniture. Luckily, I haven't seen anyone try that yet.

We'd had a recent rash of play dates with 5-7 year olds who are apparently allowed to jump on furniture at home. Am I totally weird that I don't let my kids do that? If you let your school-aged kids jump on your furniture, how do you keep the furniture nice?

I hate grading math. I just find it really boring. My daughter is thriving with Beast Academy, so we aren't going to switch, but she whips through it very quickly. I know I need to suck it up and correct every night, but I procrastinate, which makes it even worse. Am I the only one who feels that way? I love reading her writing. I don't mind checking her geography. Math? It's so, so boring.

Have you had lead levels checked? My second had anemia, and we found out elevated lead levels probably caused it. :(

She still struggles with apologies: it's pretty rare I hear a genuine apology. As she calms, she does seem more other interpretations of reality than her own, but she is also pretty invested in saving face, too.

Often, it seems like validating her emotions, especially anger and frustration, gives her permission, in her eyes, for aggression, no matter how many times I tell her that she may not hurt others no matter how angry she gets. To her, righteous anger justifies aggression. She's very interested in fairness, and fairly committed to the idea that if she hurts it's only fair that the person who she blames for that hurt is hurt in return.

Newly 9.

One of my kids tells herself very negative stories about the events in her day that escalate her anger and frustration, leading her to lose control of herself. For example, both of my older kids like to sit in the chair in the kitchen closest to the heating vent. We've tried several methods for sharing this seat. Whenever it isn't her turn, though, she tells herself a story about how her brother just wants the seat to make her miserable, that I let him have the seat because I am in collusion against her, etc... At best I get a child stomping around the house, whining, and slamming doors. At worse, she takes out this anger on me or her siblings. She is like this about most things that don't go her way. It makes her difficult to live with and makes it very difficult for her to make friends. She's a very dreamy child, prone to fantasy. We've talked about how we can do "magic" to change reality by the words we tell ourselves, and while she likes the idea outside of the moment, in the moment such a suggestion provides proof about how I'm against her. How do I stop this escalating negative self-talk in the moment?

How I handle screen time: Screen time only happens after chores and school are done, and then I tie how long they may do screen time with how much time they've spent outside (for example, one hour outside is one hour of screen time). Screen time does not roll over to another day. Screens go off two hours before bedtime. (One of my kids really struggles with regulating sleep and bright lights and screens right before bed intensify this issue.) Whining or sneaking screen time results in losing screen time. To be fair, only one of my kids is really drawn to screens, so this isn't really hard for me to enforce as only one kids really needs monitoring.

That sounds awesome!

Who's making hamantaschen today? What are you filling it with?

Sonlight is very popular in my homeschool group.

I have my 9 year old in a Safety First Incognito: as my daughter has friends out of boosters already, she appreciates a more discreet booster. It's definitely a booster for tweens, though: the weight minimum is 60 lbs and the height minimum is 47ft. My six year old is in a Graco Nautilus, which can be a 5 pt seat, high back booster, or backless booster. Unlike the Incognito and the convertible I have for the baby, the Nautilus is wide and will not fit three across with pretty much anything, so I can never use a car with only two rows of seats. I regret it as a result.

Not even in the summer?

I have a drip machine.

I think this is what I will try if I can find a flavored coffee I like.

My babies come eight days late, but somehow as soon as I hit 37 weeks, I can't let go of the thought, " Any day now!" So, the last wekk of pregnancy, I get my hair done, I get a massage, I go out to eat with my husband sans rugrats, I avoid "natural induction" techniques that make me miserable (but indulge in ones like spicy food, pineapple, and TeA because I enjoy them: no way to castor oil or disgusting herbal concoctions), I baby the baby about to be dethroned, I feed my frrezer, I go out with girlfriends who don't have babies, I ignore anyone who asks, "Have you had that baby yet?"

I lived in an apartment with a five year old and two year old as a SAHM. If possible, have a ground level apartment to minimize noise complaints from neighbors. However, it often comes down to luck as to whether you have a neighbor who minds or not. For what it's worth, most people are gone during the day anyway.

"Maybe" pretty much always means "No," in my experience. In my experience, half of people who "commit" end up flaking out. I'd RSVP for the number who said yes, and if by some miracle a maybe shows, you'll probably still have seats. This is why I pretty much never organize anything anymore.

Right now I drink Natural Bliss Coffeemate in my coffee every morning, generally the Hazelnut flavor, though I really like the new caramel flavor too. I am looking for a more affordable and lower sugar alternative. I am not ready to be one of those people who drink their coffee with only a little cinnamon or vanilla extract. So, sugar conscious and frugal mamas, what are you drinking in your coffee?

My young six year old likes Labyrinth, Set, Gobblet, Catan Jr., Blokus, Connect 4, Hoot Owl Hoot, Busytown, Rivers Roads and Rails, and Qwirkle.

I am so frustrated with my nine year old! She keeps losing her schoolwork. Unless I watch her put her school stuff away, she often doesn't do it at all, or she puts it right on top her school binder or bin instead of inside it. Are my expectations unreasonable? Can your nine year olds put school work away without supervision? How do I get her to do this by herself?

I was vegan from 16-22. I started eating eggs during my pregnancy with my second. It tasted so amazingly good! Dairy and meat slowly followed over the next year. No issues. I am still am omnivore.