When I was around your daughter's age I was a candy-striper at the local hospital. There were several other kids my age who worked with me in the hospitality shop. Does she dislike all sports or just some sports? Swim clubs and martial arts might be a good fit, as might social ballroom dance clubs. Do you have a local cultural building in your area that promotes the arts? They might offer classes for youth in ceramics, photography, etc. Wildlife centers may also have youth activities. If she likes to garden there might be a Junior Master Gardener program near you.

This does look like a good book! It put me in mind of the conversation in Pride and Prejudice between Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley and his sisters about what constitutes an accomplished woman: Mr. Bingley: All young ladies are accomplished. They sing, they draw, they dance, speak French and German, cover screens and I know not what. Mr. Darcy: But not half a dozen would satisfy my notion of an accomplished woman. Miss Bingley: Oh, certainly. No woman can be really esteemed accomplished who does not also possess a certain something in her air, in her manner of walking, in the tone of her voice, her address and expressions. Mr. Darcy: And to all this she must yet add something more substantial in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading. Elizabeth Bennet: I'm no longer surprised at you knowing only six accomplished women, Mr Darcy. I rather wonder at your knowing any. Even then, pressure from without to fit a certain mold... I shall definitely take up your book recommendation. Thanks for the suggestion!

Broken thoughts, broken conversations--nothing shatters a thought or a brewing eloquent turn of phrase faster than kids shrieking (for fun or otherwise), kids arguing with each other or kids interrupting you. I love my kiddos (ages 4, 2, and 6 mos.), but on some days they can sure drive out all ability to think! :) I love quiet, contemplative (even mindless) tasks for alone time--planting and tending my garden, for instance, or baking bread. When I get that chance I thoroughly enjoy the peaceful contemplation. Yet, it is not the same as reading challenging material, wrestling with it, pausing to consider, rereading, and then sharing my questions, concerns, and impressions (in complete sentences) in writing or with my husband or a friend. My idea of a good date night with my husband is a trip to a coffee shop for a good conversation. :) I am a far cry from letting housework override my ability to think:blush:, but daily life still seems to get in the way of a complete thought unless I make time for it. I don't usually remember to make time for intellectual revitalization until I notice I'm getting stressed and edgy (which I could've avoided becoming had I scheduled a night out sooner). Rather than stay awake to all hours (like again tonight :)), I think I'd better heed SWB's advice and get some good reading accomplished early in the morning.

Soaking it for a little while is okay in my book. Don't leave it for days and days, but a couple of hours shouldn't hurt. Steel wool will definitely take off all your seasoning. You can even use a little soap--you'll just have to reseason the pan well (which, since you're using steel wool and the stuff was burnt on really well you'll have to do anyway). :) Do you have a flat plastic scraper? They work really well for this sort of thing. Maybe try adding a bit of vinegar to soften the burnt bits.

Have Read: Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius Home Education, vol. 1 by Charlotte Mason Homeschooling by the Millmans Charlotte's Web with my daughter Started Reading: A Philosophy of Education, vol. 6 by Charlotte Mason Listening to Anne of Green Gables with my kids while we run errands On my list: A biography about Cicero The Brothers Karamazov--my husband is reading it and says it is excellent The History of the Ancient World by SWB--my husband read it and really enjoyed it

This is wonderful advice! Excellent ideas--I'll definitely be incorporating these. I, too, am a new-to-homeschooling mom. We haven't even exactly started yet (my eldest is 4) and I still manage to get myself feeling overwhelmed just thinking about the scope of homeschooling. These reminders and good ideas help keep me calm and sane. :)

We cannot afford to buy much organic either. I do my best to wash very well conventionally-raised produce. For me I try to purchase food based on how it is raised--is it sustainable? is it humane? (consequently, we don't eat much meat) Or, do I actually notice a difference (in my experience, organic celery lasts lots longer than conventionally raised does). Locally-grown, organic or not, often tastes better. To paraphrase Garrison Keillor, 'tomatoes strip-mined out of Texas' don't taste very good--more like watery styrofoam. :) We eat seasonally around here quite a bit, too--no fresh strawberries in the dead of winter.

I taught 8th grade in IA 5 years ago and all those were against school dress code--except tanks were okay so long as bra straps didn't show. The fingertip rule is still there. For students who were dressed inappropriately I had a hideous cardigan for them to wear in class (and then give them a reminder about the code at the end--I never had to remind a student twice). In a male teacher's shoes I might still have them put on the hideous cardigan and go to the main office with a note. Though, I think some male teachers could get away with just telling students straight up their clothing is against code. Good question.

I try to keep light-colored Gatorade (the Rain varieties are pretty light-colored) and apple Pedialyte to help prevent dehydration. I have found that the light-colored Gatorade is easier on the stomach and won't stain if it comes back up (same goes for Tylenol--get the grape kind or risk stained carpet!). :) (We learned the hard way.) Thanks for posting about this--important to be reminded of keeping up the stores in the medicine cupboard.

The recipes folks have posted look like they'll be really yummy. If you also want to look through a good grains/beans recipe book, we've enjoyed using 366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains. I first found it at the library and then decided that it was worth buying.

I broke my toe 2 years ago (tripped over my baby's bouncer). Went to the ER, had it x-rayed, and they said, "Yep, your toe's broken." They can't really do anything for a broken toe. You can "tape" it to the toe next to it to help it set straight. I have decided to never go to the ER again for a broken toe unless there are bones showing or the toe starts to swell, start having red streaks emanate from it or start getting even more black and blue (pretty much anything that demonstrates a blood vessel has been pinched or I got a secondary infection from the injury). We have insurance but we still had to pay for a big ER bill for a toe they just said to tape to the next one. You could call the nurse on duty at the doctor's office for her advice--a phone call is still free.

Excellent answer!!

I can only comment on the attraction to the Steelers by people in the Pittsburgh area. This analysis comes secondhand from my husband (a native of the Pittsburgh area, though not much of a sports fan) since I asked him the same question (I'm originally from IA where the overriding followings of any sports teams are for the ISU Cyclones and the UofI Hawkeyes). He said that in the 70s many many steel mills were closing, lots of people were losing their jobs, towns were crumbling, and morale in the area was very, very low. Then, the Steelers football team start winning. The "Steel Curtain" won several Superbowls in a row and 3 within a decade, I think. People had a reason to cheer, a reason to be proud of something. Folks are mad about the Steelers--my husband's aunt won't miss a game (on TV because the tickers are super hard to come by, I hear). As for the attraction to other sports teams, I think the other poster's analysis is about right.

Many schools publish their curriculum standards for all the grade levels. Follow this and design your own curriculum, invite your daughter to participate. This will take a lot more work, but since it will be your own you will be very invested in it. Some other ideas: when learning landforms, build and paint a model on a 1' square board that depicts X number of landforms she's expected to learn (I did this in 6th grade and LOVED it!) do unit studies on topics of interest; for instance, if you're learning about the world, pick a country and learn about it in-depth--food, traditional clothing, architecture, inventions, religions, history, current affairs, agriculture, etc. One country could easily segue into another country based on migrations/colonization/warfare (7 degrees of X country--Australia, S. Africa, U.S., India, and China are all connected historically by England, so you could study all of those countries) or use Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? for nearly the same outcome Make science hands-on--lots of good books for this. You might be able to get a cow heart from the butcher for dissection purposes, or go fishing and use the cleaning of the fish chore to learn about anatomy (my dad and I did this when I was a kid).

No idea. But, they are pretty quick to make... :) I hope to be in your shoes soon with my dd reading CVC words! We're still working on letter sounds.

When I was 9 I remember everyone in my class presenting a state. I can't remember whether or not we had to draw the outline of our states ouselves or not, but I do remember drawing and coloring special things about my 2 states. I had to draw the state bird, flower, etc, mark the capitol, and include at least one other neat thing about the state. Your daughter could include things about modern state history could be included (e.g., images of World Trade Center burning; Katrina aftermath; Challenger explosion; LA riots; Mt. St. Helens blowing up; etc). Maybe she could create a diorama or design an informational posterboard about one of the topics you're studying. Sorry I don't have any actual resources...

At all meals (snacks included unless they're just eating crackers) and anything involving arts and crafts my kids wear aprons grandma made for them. We have about 6 aprons. My eldest is 4. I have a larger plastic-type bib for my two-year-old son for when he eats wet and sloppy foods that might soak through the cloth onto his clothing (oatmeal, applesauce, etc.). Do they have strictly identified "play clothes"--ones that can get extremely dirty and it's okay? My grandpa is a farmer and he has coveralls he wears to chore; I don't think they get washed every time, just when they're finally really filthy (which is most likely the next day since choring is not exactly tidy work). ;) When my dad was a kid he had to change into play clothes after school (they probably also worked as chore clothes when he started helping out). I need to start doing this sort of thing, too, to save on laundry.

My kids are a bit young yet for this study guide/coloring book, but I look forward to using it with them when they're ready. I do plan to use this during a mom's group event in which we'll learn about backyard birds to teach our kids. http://www.birds.cornell.edu/schoolyard/T_Resouces/color_book.html The birds are diverse, there are study questions to aid in identification and observation, and you get to color the birds based on the coloring you see, helping cement the birds' detailed appearances in your mind. Happy bird watching!

Thanks for clarifying, Melinda! :) If this bill does pass, it is good to know that we can still add subsequent children to our insurance. I didn't think that sounded quite right, so I am glad to know I was wrong and misunderstood that portion of the bill.

So, do I understand this rightly? We lose our freedom to choose whether we want to be covered by insurance or not (and pay for all medical expenses out of pocket if we want); we lose our freedom to choose an individual plan or not; we lose our freedom to enroll any new beneficiaries to a current insurance we're happy with; and we lose our freedom to choose how we spend more of our own money (i.e., our money will be forcibly taken from us if we don't want to participate in paying for this). This is confusing. Do I understand this correctly? We may continue to participate in our current health care plan, but only if it doesn't ever change. Any new beneficiaries must be enrolled with the government (meaning my next baby cannot be added to my husband's insurance?). We must participate in a plan or we will be taxed by the government. Employers will be taxed if they don't offer health insurance. The government is going to control prices of the premiums. All of the provider networks and out-of-network costs and pre-condition stipulations and bureaucratic nonsense will stay the same (except for the bureaucratic nonsense which will get even crazier with the addition of government bureaucracy). So far this bill sounds like encroaches quite a bit on individuals freedoms. There has to be a better way to fix the problems in the current system than this bill. I think there needs to be a lot more discussion on the intended and unintended ramifications of this bill passing than what I've heard. I do think society has an obligation to help those in need. I also think individuals should not be forced. When people are allowed to voluntarily participate in something that benefits people in need, the positive outcome affects more than the recipients of generosity--I think it makes everyone more generous as a whole and inspires others to join in the effort of their own free will. I would say Habitat for Humanity is a good example. As for this bill, "Let's not be hasty."

The poll didn't have an option I could choose, so I chose the closest one: yes, and I use a permanently installed pole. Well, in reality, my clothesline is not permanently installed. I use a Sunshine Dryer. http://www.sunshine-dryer.com/ A cylindrical base is put in the ground. The rest of the clothesline is an umbrella-style clothesline that I put up before I hang clothes and then take down after I'm done hanging clothes. So, unless the neighbors are home in the middle of the day, they don't see my clothes hanging. It is a very sturdy and large clothesline--the manufacturer says there's room for 4 king-sized sheets, which I believe since we only have a queen and there's room to spare. I can hang quilts on it, too. An outstanding clothesline! Forgot to add: I also want to rig a retractable clothesline in our garage for hanging clothes. (Our cars live on the driveway because the only place to store anything in our house is the garage.)

This, at least, is voluntary. If I do not pay what portion of the taxes that are to go to the proposed health reform plan then the federal government will come to take it from me. I can freely choose to leave the insurance company. Yes, fines and penalties will hurt but no one is going to put me in jail if I decide not to participate. ??? That's not how my kids get the flu. :) Besides, the doctor can tell you to go get X test done, but you don't have to go. If you choose not to no one will arrest you.

Concerning rights... "A “right” is a moral principle defining and sanctioning a man’s freedom of action in a social context. There is only one fundamental right (all the others are its consequences or corollaries): a man’s right to his own life. Life is a process of self- sustaining and self-generated action; the right to life means the right to engage in self-sustaining and self-generated action-which means: the freedom to take all the actions required by the nature of a rational being for the support, the furtherance, the fulfillment and the enjoyment of his own life. (Such is the meaning of the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.) The concept of a “right” pertains only to action—specifically, to freedom of action. It means freedom from physical compulsion, coercion or interference by other men. Thus, for every individual, a right is the moral sanction of a positive—of his freedom to act on his own judgment, for his own goals, by his own voluntary, uncoerced choice. As to his neighbors, his rights impose no obligations on them except of a negative kind: to abstain from violating his rights. The right to life is the source of all rights—and the right to property is their only implementation. Without property rights, no other rights are possible. Since man has to sustain his life by his own effort, the man who has no right to the product of his effort has no means to sustain his life. The man who produces while others dispose of his product, is a slave." http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=arc_ayn_rand_man_rights Perhaps I need to reread John Locke's and Thomas Paine's writings on natural rights and the rights of man from the original sources, but I think this is a pretty good distillation of what they wrote and meant. If nothing else it makes for important discussion material regarding the right (or not) to health care (as paid for by taxpayers), etc. :)

In general, yes, I'm happy, content as another poster stated. There are ups and downs, aggravations and pleasures, joys and concerns. Life can be very hard sometimes but there are so many things to enjoy and appreciate that supersede the sad and unfortunate. I love learning about the world, doing things with my kids and husband (boy have I been blessed!), enjoying the progression of the seasons. Many of the things Ray Bradbury has noticed and written about in his books and short stories (like Dandelion Wine) portray some of the very things I love about life. I haven't had a chance to read all the posts yet, so perhaps someone has already read this interesting book on happiness: Happiness is a Serious Problem by Dennis Prager. Every Friday on his radio show he also discusses topics associated with happiness. I think these are better than the book, personally. Cicero, too, has written on happiness, in On Friendship, I believe--a better read than Prager's book even.

I am no doctor. It sounds like she might be very dehydrated, though. I have been dehydrated to the point of vomiting before. You get nauseous, shaky, a headache. The symptoms you describe and her stomach hurting once a month may (or may not) be related, I don't know. Regarding dehydration, if you have Gatorade, have her drink a 2 tsp about every 15-20 minutes for several hours til she starts feeling better. Intermix giving her Gatorade with some water. Her electrolytes may be off from getting dehydrated. We do this with Pedialyte, too, when the kids get a stomach bug to prevent dehydration. I hope she feels better soon!