Maybe he's reducing your hours until you're healed? Unless you were hired for a specific number of hours per week, the manager can schedule you for as many hours as he pleases. Often managers do this in hopes that the employee will quit. If this is the case for you, and you want to hold onto your job, tell the manager you'd like to work as many hours as he can possibly give you. Beg if you have to, and let him know the job is very important to you.

Can you put up some equipment or other enticement that will lure the kids over to your house? Maybe a zip-wire, or a homemade rock-climbing wall, or something?

Oh, you mean that alternative-lifestyle mom-of-triplets who decided she hated SWB and this forum? And she became a troll all over the internet slamming TWTM? Yes, I remember that. SWB had to ban her repeatedly. And if you're also talking about that lady in Georgia who had multiple, MULTIPLE drama-filled life issues, whom we all prayed for, and who turned out to be a fraud...yes, that was weird. The only redeeming thing that came out of that was being able to watch the talents of some of the boardies as they computer-traced her posts right to her home and revealed her identity to the rest of us. I'm sure there were other issues, but those are the worst I can remember.

I can't believe I wasted ten minutes reading this entire thread.

Yes, you should go to a laundromat. Even if you purchase the washer tonight, it might not be delivered for a few days. Plus, you don't want to feel so pressured that you buy the first washer you see and miss out on getting a sale price. If your dryer is working, you can bring the clothes home wet and dry them at home (though they're heavier that way).

I'm hoping they'll name a girl Princess Charlotte or a boy Prince John (after the epileptic and possibly autistic little Prince John, the Queen's late uncle; this movie is about him: http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Prince-Miranda-Richardson/dp/B00015HXDG/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1373389753&sr=1-1&keywords=the+lost+prince ). I like Kate but really despise her attention-seeking siblings. Her mom's smug expression irritates me. But I have to admit Kate has never done anything wrong.

Tea? Don't waste your time. The type of tea parties she likes to attend happen in the frat house.

Deranged sorority girl resurfaces, as a dating advice columnist! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2356978/Sorority-girl-sent-furious-email-rant-fellow-sisters-lands-new-job-dating-advice-columnist.html

He needs strength in his "core." Can your husband practice doing stomach crunches or whatever guys do to strengthen up their abs with him?

Here is what Maddykate has said about her nephew: He is extremely sneaky; He has disdain for adults; He does not have a good relationship with any adults at all. This goes beyond being gay and feeling alone. This boy has deep-rooted problems that may or may not be caused by his relationship with his parents. He is clearly a difficult child. I'm very surprised that no one has recommended getting this family -- whole family, not just the boy -- into counselling immediately, by whatever means it takes.

I ordered something from them a couple of years ago, and it took MONTHS for the order to arrive. I'd actually given up hope. They don't communicate very well, and items take forever to arrive from England, where they're located. I did not renew my membership when it expired. I've found that books published by TFS often show up on the Barnes and Noble website via independent sellers. If anyone is interested in an out-of-print book by TFS, that's a good place to start looking.

I would also panic, to the point of almost being in tears. I have to be emotionally ready to be sociable. If someone surprises me when I'm in my shell, I get terrified.

Photo, please!

Does anyone wonder if the girl's mother is on these boards, reading this thread and posting on it? Some of the posters have taken this situation very personally.

Mominlaw, I think you misunderstood what I was saying. A girl who opens a door so hard that she breaks someone else's mirror holder really might have proprioception issues. That could translate into her pressing the accelerator too hard, or misjudging any number of factors involved in driving. If she is immature to the point that she cannot bring herself to acknowledge the incident and apologize for what she did, she might be showing that she isn't ready to be a good citizen on the road. Anyone can have an accident. It's important to learn to take accidents very seriously. Lives and large amounts of money are on the line.

This "child" will be driving on the roads in two or three years. She needs to learn how to manage herself. She also needs to take responsibility for her actions. I guarantee the police and insurance companies will not cut her any slack if she gets into a wreck, just because she didn't mean to cause it or because she is embarrassed.

Happi duck, I think I understand what you're saying. A volunteer should have a servant mentality. It shouldn't be an exercise in sociology, or a mental comparison of who is better off, or a chance to show off. It should be about stooping down to raise someone else up. I have seen too many volunteers go at their work with the attitude of, "I'm going to help these poor people for five hours, then I'm going out drinking with my friends." It's very clear that their hearts are untouched. In fact, these volunteers are actually elevating themselves and congratulating themselves on their "compassion." If the OP's daughter is so self-focused (no offense intended; we all know how teens can be) that she is mesmerized by her peers' flashy internet posts and ashamed to work at an honest job, she needs to suffer a little deprivation of her own. She needs to realize that hard work is what makes humanity function. She needs to see herself as a member of the food chain, not as Lady Bountiful.

I would severely limit the amount of time your daughter spends on her computer or phone. At our house, our 16-year-old cannot take the phone upstairs -- she has to use it in the main part of the house (kitchen, breakfast room, living room). She has to leave it with us at night. She doesn't have a computer upstairs. If I see that she's had too much screen time, I find other things for her to do. Doesn't your daughter want new clothes and other goodies that cost money? She needs to learn that a paycheck means more *stuff* for her. It's not a disgrace to work. My daughter has two jobs right now, both at fast food places. She also babysits every chance she gets. I'm amazed at how well she has taken to the world of work, because she's lazy around the house. If the lure of having money of her own to spend is causing her to develop a work ethic, so be it. She's getting great experience. If your daughter doesn't want to actually work, could she put her energy into learning a new skill? Maybe something like bookkeeping or fine cooking, something that isn't taught in her school? Knowledge is power. If I were you, I would put even *more* pressure on your daughter. I have to put pressure on mine quite a bit. She kicks and screams (not really) about it, but she's almost always glad afterward that I made her do what she didn't want to do.

I was reading the thread about students who refuse to do their schoolwork, and several moms were saying that they were poorly motivated in high school. They refused to do their work because they were bored. My question to those moms is: How *did* you spend your time? Did you watch television? Did you read, and if so, what did you read? Did you have a hobby? Did you hang out with friends? I guess I'm trying to figure out if you did other things that were educational (but less boring), or just hung around and waited to mature (and eventually get motivated)? When you see your own child showing symptoms of this, what do you do? Are you understanding, or do you panic? How do you adjust the child's workload to help him/her?

I'd serve it for breakfast and discard any leftovers.

The school should be telling you where students normally buy their uniforms. Lots of schools have accounts with Lands' End, which will sew a logo onto the various shirts and cover-ups. Often schools have "uniform swap day," which means they have a table set up with used uniforms that families have donated. Families in need can have the uniforms for free. You might want to ask about this.

Oh, gosh, this is so close to home. My son is going through this. All weekend my husband and I have been tag-teaming spending time with him. He is in very, very bad shape. Part of it is a poor reaction to one of his medications, but he is absolutely hopeless and helpless now. At dinner tonight I held his hand and told him that I'd be calling a psychiatrist in the morning for him (long story behind that), we'd get him hospitalized if that's what needed to happen, we are looking for a house or condo to buy near our house just for him, to just be patient, we love him, he is part of our family and so, so important to us. He knows he can call us at any time. The things I was telling him were very simple, and I spoke slowly. He is in such a bad state. For someone who's not quite that bad off -- he is almost extreme -- I would give them simple tasks to do. Could they help prepare part of a meal for a sick person? Could they help fold socks? Nothing too hard, just easy tasks that really help someone else. And when the person does complete the tasks, praise them lavishly, but gently. Call the person every day. Just to say hi or share some fun gossip.

My daughter used German is Fun, Book 1 in her German 1 class this past year: http://www.amazon.com/German-Is-Fun-Book-One/dp/0877205809/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371920872&sr=8-1&keywords=german+is+fun+book+1 The only negative thing I can say about it is that the book doesn't give a vocabulary list for each chapter. You sort of have to make your own list. Other than that, the book is well-regarded in the high school world.

I just purchased a copy of America's Test Kitchen magazine, which I love, and I noticed an ad for their online classes. They look really good! Here's the link: http://www.onlinecookingschool.com It says you can take quizzes, communicate with instructors, and chat with fellow students. I'm not sure exactly how all that works, because I haven't signed up for the free trial, but it sounds good. I may sign my 16-year-old up for this -- she likes to cook, but she doesn't like to take instruction from me.

Congratulations to your daughter also! :):)