Mine is HOME I feel like last fall our home life was far too chaotic because of non essential outside commitments. I'm saying no to a lot more to focus on home :)

Love love love mine!

I have a very young Ker (turned 5 in November). We have been doing AAR, RS, HWOT and Sonlight P4/5 as gentle K year. We do read alouds in the morning and reading, handwriting and math while his sister naps. (It takes 30-45 min for those 3 subjects). It's going GREAT. we started AAR 1 in July and finished in Dec and have started AAR 2. I read that AAR 2 is when most people start AAS1. Do I need to do that? Am I holding him back by not? He's a very bright kids and he does well with everything (though handwriting isn't a strength), but I don't know that o want to do anything more. I feel like at his age that's enough time. Should I start in the fall? Then he'd be 5, turning 6, or could I wait even longer until the following fall? Thoughts? I am not looking for a super long day for such a little kid...

I was a teacher, and I witnessed, first hand, parents pulling their kids out bc they got tired of dealing with their kids' problems at school. It wasn't an intentional choice but a "I'll just take them out then" bc they were mad at the school. These were the same parents who struggled to support their children when they were at school. If they couldn't/didn't come in for conferences, sign the planner, check homework, return field trip permission slips etc I can't imagine them taking on the responsibility of teaching their kids and doing it well. I live in VA and like our laws too. I think to protect kids from educational neglect it's worth it. (I'm not for crazy high regulations)

For those who don't prefer hosting: do you like being invited to someone else's house? We do a decent amount of having people over for dinner (though less than we used to). Once we had a family Over and the mom was sooooo appreciative! They were a big family and said that it was rare for them to ever be invited to dinner. BUT we have also invited people for dinner where they seemed to not even want to be here. It was weird. Maybe they felt like they had to say yes to the invitation? Idk but it was awkward!

This is good to read. My son turned 5 in November. We started a K year this year and he's done well and caught on quickly (we are already in Level 2 of AAR, and moving along with right start even though we only spend 30-45 min a day on school). My family asks what grade he is in and I didn't know what to say. I think I'll do what was recommended here - work at his level a call him a "kindergartner" for outside things and family who asks so that he is with same age peers and we Don't have to "go back" later.

We have spent over 10k treating my PPD (doctors, therapy sessions, meds). It worked and helped tremendously but as has been said here, isnt how we would have preferred to spend that money. This summer is our 10year anniversary and it would be lovely to have that 10k for a trip. Instead we might do one night away. BUT I have a friend who lost her very best friend to suicide bc of PPD. It's WORTH it that we spent the money to get me well, but it still stinks that it had to be done.

I had severe postpartum anxiety and depression. It was really bad (my midwife said the worst case she had ever see ). I've been pretty open in sharing about it and as a result LOTS of other women have opened up about their postpartum mental illnesses (some anxiety, some depression, some OCD, and two psychosis). I have no mental health history, though there is some in my family (aunts, uncles). I'm so thankful for the help I received and that I'm able to function well most of the time (I take care of my two kids, homeschool, etc). I occasionally have bad anxiety under stress, but it's not unmanageable. I live a "normal" happy life with slightly impaired functioning sometimes. Who knows if that would be the case if I hadn't gotten help. The two women who had psychosis both now have other diagnoses - one schizo-affective disorder and one bipolar. Both function well in that they are active in their churches, take care of their children, etc. But they still live with some symptoms. The one with SA will sometimes see people and things that aren't there but she knows they aren't real. She's super aware and high functioning but it's not "gone". But she is a friend I had before knowing this and I'd have never guessed without her telling me. We talk regularly, she homeschools her kids, she teaches a co-op class, etc.

We are just starting out (K this year). Stresses: money. It was already tight being a one income family before factoring in curriculum (I'm drawn to the pricey ones - AAR, Right Start, Sonlight). Plus it's expensive to think about art, music, sports etc that are provided in public schools but we would have to pay for (not doing any of those things this year, or probably for the next several years). Worrying my kids are missing or will miss something.

I cook sausage and mix with cream cheese and make a delicious load using crescent rolls. So yummy!

So sorry!! Prayers for your daughter and family!! Do mental health issues run in your family or is this completely out of no where? Either way I'm sure it's been so difficult to deal with such a sudden onset. So sorry you're having to go through all of this!

DS5 a bow and arrow DD3, a carrier for her baby dolls

We give throughout the year to our church, a crisis pregnancy center, and support a child through Compassion International. This time of year we also do a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child, Angel tree at our church (which goes to kids of teen moms in Young Lives and we get wish lists from the moms). We also usually give goats/chickens etc through the Samaritans Purse catalog.

Is GABA also safe for pregnancy?

Do you mind sharing what med worked/was safe in case we need to do a change?

So that supplement is a pregnancy safe one (that's when you took it?)

This is a good point!! I skipped a meal yesterday and that's when I was doing sooo bad!

Thanks for all the replies. It stung in the moment and bothered me that day (maybe I was hormonal- I am newly pregnant) but I've moved on. she's made kind comments before. I don't know where this was coming from but choose to move on. My almost 3yr has a looooong time to figure out what she wants to do before kids etc. but for now I think it's so sweet she wants to me like her mama :)

I had HORRIBLE PPA/D after my second. Anxiety was the vast majority of it but it was bad. Hospitalization bad. I'm pregnant now with number 3 and was a little worried about weight issues but expecting the pregnancy to go fine and maybe there would be some PPD/A AFTER I delivered but we would treat it using what worked. I've only been pregnant a week and yesterday and today have been dealing with SEVERE anxiety/panic attacks. I've called my doctor and we are upping my pregnancy safe antidepressant (also treats anxiety). That's it for now. I see my therapist tomorrow. So I'm treating this hard and fast from a medical perspective. BUT would love any natural tips/suggestions that would be pregnancy safe. What non medical things help you ladies with anxiety? I'm avoiding refined sugar/white flour and not eating too many whole grain carbs either to minimize gluten intake. A friend brought me some rescue remedy and natural calm magnesium powder today so I'll add those in. Other suggestions??

ChrisinVA, I have a bachelors and masters from UVA and am could get a job if I needed to, but hope to always be able to focus on my family. I wouldn't trade this life for anything (even though I obviously have hard days). I'd be thrilled for my daughter to also get an excellent education, but would not be disappointed whatsoever if she was primarily a mom, at home, focusing on her family.

Thanks for your thoughtful replies ladies. Trying not to let it hurt. We are making very different decisions than both our families with me staying home and things are definitely tight, we live in a small house (1200sq ft) - our families don't understand sometimes (I get the "when you go back to work" comments and even "I can't wait until you have a bigger house (MIL)" Most of the time I'm very secure in my choices. Sometimes it does hurt.

Today my grandma was here and my 5yo son was building with Legos and Magformers. She asked him if he was going to be an architect when he grew up (like his daddy). He said yes. Then I asked my almost 3yo what she was going to be when she grows up and she said "a mommy", which warmed my heart. (This is her usual response - Wed when I was making apple cake she said when she got big she was going to be a mommy and make apple cake for her kids). My grandma replied "it's fine to be a mommy but I hope you'll set your sites a little higher than that". I was SO hurt. That's what I'm doing. I'm "JUST" a (homeschooling/SAH) mommy and am content in that and don't plan to be anything else if I can help it (you know, until I'm a grandma). I think being a mom who devote herself to her family is s wonderful thing. I didn't say anything at the time. Party bc I was caught off guard and partly bc she's in her 80s and I just didn't want to get into it, but it stung and is something I've not let go.

What kind of lamps/light boxes are people using?

What was up with Sookies voice?!?! That made me totally nuts! She didn't sound the same at all!

My son's 5th birthday is tomorrow, along with a party. So today is major party prep/cleaning. On the list is: - get party food/balloons DONE - clean bathrooms (1/2 done) - vacuum (done upstairs, waiting for kids to go to bed before doing downstairs) - dust DONE - sweep/mop DONE - make cake - clean front and back windows