Summer Days

Ive been dealing with a guy for 6-7 weeks now and want to call it quits. I'm busy for the next three weekends in a row with my first free day being the day after vday (yes I know the worst day to end it with someone even though we arent spending Vday together). I work days and he works till midnight so we rarely see each other during the week, only on weekends. He has a 2yr old so during the day when he is off he keeps his son for the mom to avoid daycare so thats why we don't go to lunch usually or anything (I told him I prefer not to involve our children around each other this early on in case it didnt work). I PREFER to end it in person, I feel he (well everyone really) deserves that but I also don't want to string him along for 3 weeks knowing I'm no longer into him. I told him already I don't want to spend Vday together and not to get me a gift but my question is after a week or so if we havent been able to get together for a face to face, is it ok to end it over the phone so I'm not wasting both our time? Or do I wait till I see him even if its not for the next three weeks? Also in the 6-7 weeks since I have met him we have had only 4 dates and never been to each others homes (he doesnt even know where I live) and no sexual contact. Our schedules rarely match up with open time so I don't want to make it sound like ive seen him a lot up till time to end it and now I cant find the time, its always been like this.

Ive been dealing with a guy for 6-7 weeks now and want to call it quits. I'm busy for the next three weekends in a row with my first free day being the day after vday (yes I know the worst day to end it with someone even though we arent spending Vday together). I work days and he works till midnight so we rarely see each other during the week, only on weekends. He has a 2yr old so during the day when he is off he keeps his son for the mom to avoid daycare so thats why we don't go to lunch usually or anything (I told him I prefer not to involve our children around each other this early on in case it didnt work). I PREFER to end it in person, I feel he (well everyone really) deserves that but I also don't want to string him along for 3 weeks knowing I'm no longer into him. I told him already I don't want to spend Vday together and not to get me a gift but my question is after a week or so if we havent been able to get together for a face to face, is it ok to end it over the phone so I'm not wasting both our time? Or do I wait till I see him even if its not for the next three weeks?

I'm looking for creative/unique/different punishment and reward ideas for my child. I am going to try a "punishment" and "reward" jar for good and bad behaviors. When a good or bad behavior presents itself she will draw a slip of paper of her choosing from the appropriate jar. I already know the norms like "no tv, tablet or phone etc. for a week" or "clean bathroom/fridge/etc" for punishmentsbut and "extra hour to stay up past bedtime" or "skip a chore for a week" for rewards but I'm looking for new ideas for both rewards and punishments. She is 13 so age appropriate suggestions please and thanks!

I'm looking for creative/unique/different punishment and reward ideas for my child. I am going to try a "punishment" and "reward" jar for good and bad behaviors. When a good or bad behavior presents itself she will draw a slip of paper of her choosing from the appropriate jar. I already know the norms like "no tv, tablet or phone etc. for a week" or "clean bathroom/fridge/etc" for punishmentsbut and "extra hour to stay up past bedtime" or "skip a chore for a week" for rewards but I'm looking for new ideas for both rewards and punishments. She is 13 so age appropriate suggestions please and thanks!

I'm looking for creative/unique/different punishment and reward ideas for my child. I am going to try a "punishment" and "reward" jar for good and bad behaviors. When a good or bad behavior presents itself she will draw a slip of paper of her choosing from the appropriate jar. I already know the norms like "no tv, tablet or phone etc. for a week" or "clean bathroom/fridge/etc" for punishmentsbut and "extra hour to stay up past bedtime" or "skip a chore for a week" for rewards but I'm looking for new ideas for both rewards and punishments. She is 13 so age appropriate suggestions please and thanks!

I am planning to take my first trip out of the country (USA) for my birthday next year. I have narrowed it down to Greece or Spain but am having trouble deciding from there. I will be going with one female friend and going through a travel agency group trip since neither of us are familiar with foreign travel and prefer to be in a group for safety reasons. Greece is an 11 day trip and Spain is a 9 day trip. Spain is slightly cheaper since you get less days. The trip to Spain included 3 days in each Madrid, Barcelona and Seville. Greece Goes to Athens, Santorini and Mykonos (several nights in each). Ive made a list of pros and cons and even that is pretty even so it's not helping me decide. Any suggestions on which I should pick and why or how I can make this decision easier to make?

I am planning to take my first trip out of the country (USA) for my birthday next year. I have narrowed it down to Greece or Spain but am having trouble deciding from there. I will be going with one female friend and going through a travel agency group trip since neither of us are familiar with foreign travel and prefer to be in a group for safety reasons. Greece is an 11 day trip and Spain is a 9 day trip. Spain is slightly cheaper since you get less days. The trip to Spain included 3 days in each Madrid, Barcelona and Seville. Greece Goes to Athens, Santorini and Mykonos (several nights in each). Ive made a list of pros and cons and even that is pretty even so it's not helping me decide. Any suggestions on which I should pick and why or how I can make this decision easier to make?

I am planning to take my first trip out of the country (USA) for my birthday next year. I have narrowed it down to Greece or Spain but am having trouble deciding from there. I will be going with one female friend and going through a travel agency group trip since neither of us are familiar with foreign travel and prefer to be in a group for safety reasons. Greece is an 11 day trip and Spain is a 9 day trip. Spain is slightly cheaper since you get less days. The trip to spain included 3 days in each Madrid, Barcelona and Seville. Greece Goes to Athens, Santorini and Mykonos (several nights in each). Ive made a list of pros and cons and even that is pretty even so it's not helping me decide. Any suggestions on which I should pick and why or how I can make this decision easier to make?

My daughter has just entered the dreaded "jr hiiiggghhh" (insert evil music here lol)! She is more of a tom boy but not a big sports player per se. she does play soccer but not through the school. She has always had lots of friends in the past but in the last month since school has started she has found that a lot of her past friends are into boys and becoming "girlie (her words not mine) and she is left out of a lot of conversations and not invited to play after school because she doesn't sit around and "whine over how hot one direction is" like the other girls (again, her words not mine). She is finding herself fitting in less with her old friends and having trouble making new one. No child wants to hear the "if they don't want to be your friend that's their loss" speech from their parents but I need some ideas or suggestions on what to do to help her feel better and not like an outcast. I suggested joining a school activity but the school doesn't offer soccer and she doesn't play any sport they do offer and the only activity she is interested in is yearbook club which doesn't start till later in the year. She does attend church and is in girl scouts and an emerging young leaders program through the AKA sorority and has friends there but none of those kids are at the same school. Any suggestions on what I can say/do to make her feel better till she meets some kids she gets along with?

My daughter has just entered the dreaded "jr hiiiggghhh" (insert evil music here lol)! She is more of a tom boy but not a big sports player per se. she does play soccer but not through the school. She has always had lots of friends in the past but in the last month since school has started she has found that a lot of her past friends are into boys and becoming "girlie (her words not mine) and she is left out of a lot of conversations and not invited to play after school because she doesn't sit around and "whine over how hot one direction is" like the other girls (again, her words not mine). She is finding herself fitting in less with her old friends and having trouble making new one. No child wants to hear the "if they don't want to be your friend that's their loss" speech from their parents but I need some ideas or suggestions on what to do to help her feel better and not like an outcast. I suggested joining a school activity but the school doesn't offer soccer and she doesn't play any sport they do offer and the only activity she is interested in is yearbook club which doesn't start till later in the year. She does attend church and is in girl scouts and an emerging young leaders program through the AKA sorority and has friends there but none of those kids are at the same school. Any suggestions on what I can say/do to make her feel better till she meets some kids she gets along with?

My daughter will be 12 soon and her party is in about 2 weeks. Initially it was going to be a pool party and sleep over at my moms who has an in-ground pool. Co-ed during the day for the pool party and BBQ and girls only for the sleepover with wii dance game contest and other girlie sleepover activities. This past week my mothers pool started to leak and had to be drained so the leak could be found and wont be refilled since the season is almost over. Now that there will be no swimming, I am looking for ideas for co-ed preteen kids to fill a few hours. I haven't had a party in the home since she was a toddler and filled the time with things like musical chairs and lemon race games! Any ideas?

My daughter will be 12 soon and her party is in about 2 weeks. Initially it was going to be a pool party and sleep over at my moms who has an in-ground pool. Co-ed during the day for the pool party and BBQ and girls only for the sleepover with wii dance game contest and other girlie sleepover activities. This past week my mothers pool started to leak and had to be drained so the leak could be found and wont be refilled since the season is almost over. Now that there will be no swimming, I am looking for ideas for co-ed preteen kids to fill a few hours. I haven't had a party in the home since she was a toddler and filled the time with things like musical chairs and lemon race games! Any ideas?

My 11 yr old still wets the bed. We have seen a Dr and he keeps saying she will grow out of it but she is becoming very upset that she still does it even though I don't make a big deal out of it and tell her it is hereditary and not her fault and she has several cousins who have the same issue. She is too big for pull ups so we use the expensive goodnight brand and she wets almost every night and often leaks through the goodnight! Ive tried waking her up 2 a night and sometimes thats still not enough! I dont give her any thing to drink before bed and make her use the restroom before bed and that doesnt help either. Any other suggestions? I'm at my witts end!

I am considering leaving my child alone after school untill I get off work. It would be about an hour and a half to 2 hours a day. She is 11 and an only child so she would not be in charge of any other children. My state has no set age law for them to be able to left alone. Its a "discretionary" thing up to the parents (I called DCFS to verify). I would pick her up from school on a late lunch and take her home as I don't want ppl seeing her entering the house alone everyday and knowing she is there alone. What kinds of things did you do to prepare/what discussions need to take place before a child should be left alone? I THINK i have comvered pretty much everything but want to make sure I havent missed some important conversation we need to have. We have covered

*What to do in an emergency

*what constitutes an "real" emergency

*who to call for "non emergencies"

*Never open door or respond to a knock (just pretend your not there)

*Keeping windows/blinds closed

*what to do in case of a break-in/fire

We have a friend that lives in the same building as us, upstaires that she is comfortable with if she needs an adult quickly and our building is key entry only. You have to use a key or someone has to come from inside to let you in and we live in a very safe neighborhood. I have her signed up for a babysitting class through our local hospital (eventhough no other children will be there) because they have firemen and police cover what to do in an emergency and CPR. Its probably the same things ive told her but I'd like her to hear it direclty from "officials" too. Also she will have a cell phone in the house for any calls that need to be made.

Am I missing anything?

Pissed and cant calm down. What to do??? @work so no suggestions like bubble bath etc. Thanks