Thank you, Jeanne in MN and happi duck. I have to agree with both of you. Yes, I will admit that I did blow up at my husband. I do have to apologize for that part. And yes, we will have to discuss how we will deal with that show going forward. I appreciate your feedback.

OK. Maybe I need to apologize to my husband. Jean in Newcastle, that is an interesting point that you brought up. My husband considers himself very much a conservative, and I am more moderate. Not sure why this is such a hot button for me. Maybe because I am with the kids 90% of the time, that I see them growing up (too quickly) and I want to keep them innocent as long as possible... NayfiesMama, we are from Oregon! I will PM you here shortly! Thank you both very much for sharing your thoughts. It is appreciated. :)

I came home and found my kids (7 yr old DS and 10 yr old DD) planted in front of the television watching Dancing with the Stars. Hubby had it on and was watching with them. Not only did they miss their bedtime, I personally feel it is inappropriate for our kids to watch something like this. The dancers have to play up the sex appeal and many instances the costumes are too revealing. I suppose after watching this show, if anything, my kids can learn how rewarding competition can be, get critiqued and accepting everything with grace. I guess I can talk to them about those pieces. I got upset at my husband. He thinks I am overreacting. Am I?

A warm water bottle always helped my little one feel a little more comfortable.

Potstickers. I find them in the frozen food section at the grocery store. If you're near an Asian grocery store, that is even better!

Thank you everyone for your feedback and suggestions. It is helpful to hear the different perspectives, since my co-worker and I are obviously too close to the situation. Although it still irks us (it's been almost three weeks and nothing has been done) we will just have to wait it out... Thank you again.

My kids LOVED it! However, my nephew did not... he is very sensitive to loud sounds, and it bothered him tremendously.

I am a part time theatre assistant for a local Children's theatre in our town. We have a group of 20+ students range in ages from 7 - 21, and about 1/2 of them are home schoolers. We are in an older building, and one that is not in the best part of town. During our theatre rehearsals, everyone usually receives a 1/2-1 hour break. The younger kids bring their snacks and hang out together, while some of the older ones have approval to leave the building and come back. A few weeks ago a group of girls (ages 11-14) tried to leave the premises. They do not have approval to leave. We find out later that this same group went out one of the windows in the building, and came back that same way without any of us aware. Well... until the employee at the sandwich shop across the street walked over to return a phone one of the girls left behind... she told us that there were four of them, described each one, and even was able to tell us which girl it was that left their phone. We were was livid! The instructor called each one of them into her office, and each tried to lie their way out if it. They even tried to blame each other for coming up with the idea. (Great friends, huh?) Anyways, we got them to all finally admit the truth as to what happened. They knew they were wrong and apologized. The instructor was going to speak to the parents about what had transpired that day, but before that could happen the Director told her and I not to speak to the parents. He will figure out how to handle the situation. The instructor and I are a little perplexed. Why couldn't we go ahead and speak directly with the parents about what had happened that day? Both the instructor and I homeschool our children. We are pretty certain that in a PS environment that the teacher would still hold conferences with the parents if there were any issues. (At least, if it was my child, I would much rather hear from the "teacher" vs. the "principal.") Can anyone shed light on this? :confused: Thank you!

My dd(10) has high anxiety, and I find that I just need to make sure she gets some "outdoor" time throughout the day... rain or shine. She can play on our play structure, play tag with her little brother, and even things simple as doing some weeding or picking blueberries seems to help her. She usually feels much better after being outside and getting fresh air. As for me, I make sure I get the gym every morning before everyone wakes up, and I am set for the day. My anxiety levels are much lower on those days I have some quiet time for myself (for me, that is going to the gym and getting a good workout in.)

My daughter (10 now) was diagnosed with Selective Mutism when she was 5. The experts told us the best thing to do then was to keep her in PS, since she needed the social interaction in order to overcome her anxieties. I disagreed. I saw how unhappy my child was in the classroom. Regardless of how much her teacher wanted to help her, she wasn't able to give her the individualized attention due to classroom demands. So I took my child out of PS. (The experts were not pleased with my actions!) Anyways, we have been homeschooling for the past four years, and it is going very well. I can spend the time necessary to work with my daughter to help her overcome her anxieties. Although she will never be a social butterfly, she has her interests (ballet and piano) and has developed deep friendships with many of the kids those areas. She attends birthday parties, sleepovers, and play dates at others' homes. As for writing, my child has always struggled getting her thoughts on paper, too. So this is an area that I really have to spend a lot of time with her on. A very gentle (and very patient approach). She used to cringe and be in tears when I would ask her questions about what she has read. But now, it is becoming more comfortable for her ... still work to do in this area, but it is coming along. (I don't know about your child, but mine is a perfectionist.) It sounds like you are getting closer to learning more about what makes your child special. Once you find out, you can further your research and find even more ways to help her. You are on the right track! :) Not sure if any of this helps (or not). Feel free to ask me to clarify, since tend to be all over the board on this subject.

Always Remember I Love You

My son's pediatrician discovered that he had a heart murmur when he was two. She wasn't too concerned about it; but sent us to a pediatric cardiologist just to be sure it wasn't anything more. (I'm a worrier, so I think she did it just to help me feel better about it.) The cardiologist examined my son and said the same thing. Heart murmurs are fairly common in children, and as they grow the murmur should become more faint. It is hereditary (my father-in-law has a heart murmur.) By the time my son turned four, the pediatrician and cardiologist could not hear the murmur any longer. I think if your child's pediatrician feels it is nothing to worry about, then I think you shouldn't worry. I am sure he/she would speak up if they felt it was something more serious.

American Girl Dog Fancy Cricket

Love the idea. Count me in!

I'm going to try K12 history and science with my oldest, and FIAR with my younger one. I'm looking forward to having some help in these areas. Life has been hectic the past few months...