Today, I read: 2 chapters of The Witch Of Blackbird Pond (taking turns reading aloud with my daughter) and 3 chapters of On The Banks Of Plum Creek aloud to my daughter. To my son, I read from "Little People Big Book About: Holidays And Celebrations." And also the story "The Golden Goose" from the Oak Meadow First Book Of Fairy Tales.

What they all said. LOL.

I think that once your body becomes so accustomed to doing a given activity, it becomes too easy for your body, and your body just doesn't have to work as hard at it/uses less energy on it, and therefore, it becomes less effective. You have to sort of keep your body guessing and challenging it in new ways that it doesn't "expect." Every month or two or three you should probably switch to something totally different or add in new moves or whatever.

Well, you should email her back as if you took it the way it is actually meant to be taken lol. "Wow, mom, that's great that you found that quote and it had such an impact on you. I am glad that you're coming around! I've always loved that particular quote, too. When I was a kid, I had to sit behind a desk for hours, in a classroom with a group of kids all my exact age, doing deskwork and homework and spending my days behind four walls... ...but you're right! My kids don't have to do that because I have found a better way! They get to have one on one time with a caring adult, they get to be out in the real world around all different people, they get to spend more time out of doors, more time being a kid, more time exploring their interests... ...anyway, I'm glad you've realized that! Thanks again for the quote! Love, 4kiddies" :)

Also, I'm trying to figure out... she said she was at her son's game. And that her husband "who is an assistant coach" went and talked to the boy when he saw what was going on... but is he THIS boy/team's assistant coach? Or just an assistant coach in general, for another team, who thought he'd help out here? I could be way off but because she said "an assistant coach" instead of "the assistant coach" I got the impression for some reason he's not the coach for this team?

Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in a different time. That's actually relevant and pro-homeschooling lol- I've seen it on sites full of pro homeschooling quotes before. Are you sure she didn't mean it as a concession to homeschooling maybe not being so bad (as opposed to some sort of insult)? Unless you were homeschooled (I gather not), then you are NOT confining your children to your own learning (behind a desk, in a classroom, indoors etc).

Do you have someone close to you who emails you and has negative things to say, either about the content of your blog, or about the fact that you didn't talk to them separately about what you put in your blog? (Not even anything to do with them but like you write about the kids, and they demand "why didn't you tell me about that, why do I have to read about it in your blog" kind of thing)? It makes me nuts. Just sayin'!

A bowl of soup (chicken noodle perhaps). A grilled cheese sandwich. Bread and butter. Peanut butter and jelly. Maybe some pancakes (if it were morning instead of more like lunch/dinner). An ice cream sundae :D Born and raised in NY, living for almost 10 years in PA.

No, never! That would be rude (and quite embarassing)! I'd either just stay and listen and get out of it what I could, or alternatively I MIGHT slip out and leave early... but to interrupt with a comment like that? Heck, no! ETA: In your case I might write a letter or email to whoever was in charge of that event explaining my feelings, afterward.

I'm flabbergasted. It's an EMOTION, not a BEHAVIOR. Sometimes you just can't help it if you cry. Even in front of other people. When did that become a crime for anybody? And for a kid no less? Wow. That's so callous! ETA: And you know I like you, Martha lol (so I hope we can still be friends) but this topic is getting to me, I don't think it's right to punish a kid for showing emotion if they aren't doing it in a way that hurts others!

Well, no offense, but it doesn't sound like you're letting them do that if they aren't "allowed" to cry. How is that OWNING your emotions? And, actually, it's up to the adults around them to let them know that emotions are okay, and normal, and that their emotions ARE theirs. Now, I can see if their emotions were HURTING others- like they're lashing out in a rage and saying or doing things that are wrong or hurtful to other people. But you've got to be kidding me if you seriously think it's okay to tell a kid he's "not allowed" to cry because YOU don't think it's worth being upset over or to control that child's emotions. They are HIS emotions!!! ETA: and in this case, the child wasn't hurting anybody. He gave in to his emotions as children sometimes do (as adults sometimes do, too)- and his team showed him kindness and helped him work through it- if you ask me, that was already the best possible outcome and they were handling it just fine on their own. The adult in question should have stayed out of it and not made that potentially hurtful comment to the kid.

And you really think that because an ELEVEN YEAR OLD BOY cried about something that he's doomed to a lifetime of not knowing how to handle himself as an adult? Oh, please! That kind of thing comes pretty automatically with age and maturity, even if you cry when you're 11, even if somebody doesn't tell you to "man up" in front of your friends. What a silly argument.

I think you should do whatever is easiest for you and less frustrating for him in regard to how and when you correct it. But I will add that those words that are spelled wrong in writing assignments are the words I jot down and make a note of to myself, so that the following week I can assign them as spelling words for review. And spelling review is kept fun- things like tossing a ball back and forth while chanting the letters to each other, writing them on the sidewalk in chalk, tracing them in a salt tray with your finger, incorporating them into arts and crafts type things, making them in "bubble letters" and then coloring or decorating the bubble letters and so on.

That's good. :) I can't remember what my daughter's handwriting looked like at 7 and my son isn't at the writing stage yet, but I DO agree that that seems like too much writing for a 7 y/o!

Telling a young boy to "man up" because he was showing emotion- nope, not a healthy attitude. How many women complain that men are not sensitive enough. Gee, maybe it's because of things like this that desensitize them in childhood? Attitudes that tell them that showing emotion is not okay? That they are not a "man" if they do? I don't care if he did it yelling and screaming or as sweet as pie, he still conveyed an attitude that is wrong to convey to a child regardless of gender, IMHO. Now, talking to him nicely about how everyone strikes out sometimes, that he shouldn't feel bad about himself, that I know it's disappointing, but trying is what counts, and so on and so forth? Sure, great! Sorry, but I'd flip if I heard a coach tell my son to "man up."

My favorite chore system is extremely easy: When I need help with a certain thing, I ask. And whoever I ask, helps me. The end. It works! :) (P.S. No, I do not believe in tying allowance into chores. Allowance is because the kids are part of the family so they get to have some of the family income, and because it's how we teach them about money management. Chores get done because they are part of the family so they have to help take care of the family house, and because it's how we teach them about responsibility and helping others. Two totally different issues. But I still find it easier to NOT bother with chore charts and following up to see if chores were done and all of that- it's SO much easier to just say "Hey, come here a minute, I need you to do ______, please. Thanks! Oh, and can you ______. Thanks!").

:grouphug: Good for you, you're going in the right direction! And yes... you deserve that nap!

:iagree: With that, too!

:iagree:

:lol::lol::lol:

We have done the "Switch Witch" before- the kids pick which candy they want to keep, and pick which candy they want to leave for the "Switch Witch" who will come and switch the candy out for a prize or toy. The more candy she's left the better the prize. We have also donated candy to deployed soldiers (who, let me tell you, REALLY appreciated it!) My mother already had a handful of them she was in correspondence with as she's really big on troop support and always mailing out care packages and all. So we donated a bunch of it to some of 'her' soldiers one time. We will probably do that this time, too- my brother is in Afghanistan so I will send it to him to share. :)

If you are sure it isn't being done out of fear, then do what you have to do. But I would make sure. And if it IS out of fear, I would tread carefully. She will remember for the rest of her life whether she was comforted, or left alone and scared under threat to not leave her room (I know from first hand experience and I see at least a few others in this thread do, too). That feeling of being terrified and having someone mad at you for it and refusing to let you go to them for comfort- it never, ever ever goes away. It'll stay with her a lot longer than a few more months or even a year or two of being left to wander into your room will stay with either of you.

I'll second Encyclopedia Brown... ...and what about the Wright On Time series? There are only three out so far but there will eventually be one (supposedly) about every state. It features a homeschooling family that travels in their RV to different states and they learn about that state and I think they solve a mystery in each state.

I agree! Because you are good at it? :D

LMAO. Yeah. You know. Birthday Cake is good but only in limited amounts.