Free Republic

Ack! We're leaving tomorrow night for a ten-plus day visit to my folks down in Georgia. I have just now realized what this means:No access to Free Republic! I need your help, families. I need two FReepers to "set the table"--one for this Friday's thread (April 1, that should be fun) and one for the following Friday, April 7th. Here's where the fun begins: I'm going to let you folks decide on the substitutes, with one simple provision: Can you try to select a mom for one week and a dad for another? Consider this an early Friday fun thread!...

Recent headlines (you know what I am talking about) have given me the topic for today's discussion: Is your family prepared to deal with a sudden, catastrophic illness or disability? Have you discussed your wishes with your spouse, your grown children, your parents? Have you ever considered making a Living Will? If you have one written out, can you tell the rest of us a little bit about what it entails? Is your family financially prepared for a catastrophe, medical or other?

Yes, it is a topic we have discussed previously but it was so much fun last time I thought we could have another go at it. How does one raise a well-mannered child? Are we well mannered adults, giving our children a good example from which to learn? What are some instances of atrocious manners that you have encountered lately? Coffee's on!

We all face challenges of one kind or another but today we'll specifically discuss family members with physical or developmental challenges: Autism, Down's Syndrome, Asperger's, Alzheimer's, et al. We have wildly differring opinions on more controversial diagnoses--specifically ADD/ADHD. I'm requesting in advance that we all be nice. Please post links to support groups or informational webpages if you have any. Share with us your ups, your downs, how your "normal" (for lack of a better word) children interact with your challenged child, or anything else you'd like to discuss. Coffee's on!

Let me preface by saying that this thread is aimed at discussing kids who are dealing with socially driven syndromes or disorders. In a thread in the very near future, we will discuss family members with special physical needs: Down's syndrome, autism, Alzheimer's, et al. There is a lot of ground to cover on this subject and it is difficult to know where to begin. All of us have heard, I am sure, that Americans (particularly children) are more obese today than we have been in the past. Are our children becoming food addicts or couch addicts? How do we...

I need some input, FReepers! What are some topics that we've missed out on discussing? What are some topics that we have already covered that you feel deserve further discussion? How about tinkering with the format? When we started this thread nearly a year ago, I suggested that we might want to try having a round-table style of posting--a different FReeper coming up with the thread topic each week. Is that something we want to try? All ideas welcome!!!

What do you mean, its Friday??! How about we take it easy today? Just catch up with one another: How are the kids doing, tips for relieving midwinter monotony, any big plans for spring break...

This is a topic which is, to me, of special interest. As many of you are aware, our family listed our home of twelve years this past month. It is the only home our family has ever known. As soon as the sign went up in the yard, I began to regret the decision to move. Is this normal? Is it necessary to give something up to truly appreciate how much one loves it? How many of you have moved your families? Was the experience wonderful and adventurous or mind-bendingly awful? What the hell was I thinking??? That's my new...

All things collegiate! How did you save for it? How are you saving for it? How are you helping your kids decide upon a college? Are you nervous about your kids moving on or first in line to buy them a plane ticket? How did you prepare for college?

How do you keep your teen out of trouble? What are some of the signs which may indicate that your teen is in some kind of trouble? How do you handle it?

I just received the following with my regular email. Anyone else hear from this guy?

Touchy subject, folks: sex ed. The subject will probably come up in the majority of families before the teen years actually begin, but (to me, at least) it seems like a logical starting point for the next few discussions, which will be teen-related.

This is not a public education v. homeschool thread! There are many "extracurricular" classes available to children that are of interest to parents: swimming, music, art, bible study, even reading or play groups at local libraries. Some of these are age-specific, and the age requirements are determined by those administering the classes. What do you, as parents, feel are good ages to begin introducing your kids to these activities?

"Back to Work": Meaning, of course, yours truly is going to try to come up with actual topics rather than the fluff I've been posting lately! Throughout the next month or two, my hope is that we can discuss different "milestone challenges": Potty training, starting school, discussing sex with our kids, dating, off to college, and so on down the timeline. I was going to start, initially, with weaning Baby from the breast but I've decided against it. Apart from making the guys squirm (admit it!!!) I think it could potentially turn into a real chair-throwing event. If anyone would...

Here it is, the last day of the year. Some of us are scratching our heads, wondering where the year went. Others may be thinking "Well, it's about time!!!" The end of the year makes some of us reflect upon the twelve months we have just passed through. Was it a good year for us, for our families? Did we make it through any especially challenging challenges--like reading Grellis's threads? Have we accomplished all that we set out to do? Others do not reflect but rather look ahead to the new year. Do we set realistic goals for ourselves or...

Merry Christmas, everyone! Just that...have a wonderful Christmas.

What is your very favorite Christmas memory--the one which instantly brings a smile to your lips or a smart to your eyes?

Its the most wonderful time of the year! How do you spend it? What are some of your family traditions and favorite yuletide recipes? Does your family go to a midnight Mass or do you attend services on Christmas day? Are there any carollers among us? For those of you who are southerners, do you miss having a white Christmas? Is anyone having an open house this year? If so, where's my invite?

First, I'd like to ask all of you to say a prayer for one of our moms, backinthefold, whose son broke two foot bones recently. Can we have an update, BITF? Next...well, I'm not sure where to begin. Earlier this week a thread was run, "A Paradigm Shift in Parenting" (sorry folks, I've forgotten the html for links) in which many of the FFT parents posted comments. The discussion among FReepers on the thread began as a look at the economics of parenting, a topic which we have discussed a number of times in the past. What the discussion turned...

I am going to keep it really simple today--I don't know about you folks but I am still digesting and I have relatives returning any moment. Here are a few queries... How was your Thanksgiving? Are all of your relatives liberal democrats? What is your all time favorite Thanksgiving dish? What is the worst Thanksgiving dish you have ever eaten? Did anyone else get snow this week? 8^) Why are you answering these silly questions when you should be out shopping? What is the airspeed velocity of an African Swallow? European? Can anyone lend me some Tums?