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Post by dtesposito on Jun 2, 2012 22:08:34 GMT -5
my one year old was amusing himself by setting a roll of duct tape on it's edge and rolling it across the floor.
Maggie, this is sweet, and it's true that "toys" like this are the best ones! The same is true of cats--it's legendary amongst cat people that we buy expensive beds and toys, and they curl up in an empty box and play with a crumpled piece of paper instead!
I remember that one of my favorite toys when I was a child was a cardboard shoe box that I made into a house for my little people made of paper drinking straws. (This was after reading the book, The Borrowers!)
So you're right, expensive toys are not any better than what you can play with around the house. They take less imagination, too!
Diane
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Post by messyme on Jun 2, 2012 23:53:18 GMT -5
Just as a think-outside-the-box possibility -- if you cannot drop that online course, what is the worse thing that happens if you get a fail? If it doesn't put you on the old dean's vacation (academic suspension) and it doesn't affect your student loans, you could just let the prof know that you can't do it and you won't complete it, but you have to remain registered in the class. No one likes to fail, but it won't be the end of the world to have one fail on your transcript. If it ever comes up in a job interview, it can be a talking point about the summer you learned about bringing balance to your life. I have 4 boys. Right before number 3 was born, I stash and dashed a LOT of toys in the basement. They have been there now for almost 5 years. So we have some terrific toys that number 2 and 3 never got to enjoy, and might only just get out in time for number 4 to play with. I feel very guilty about that. However, it is also true that kids can be perfectly happy and well adjusted growing up having only played with pots and spoons. So it is not the worse thing in the world if you son does not have all his toys. It would be less frustrating, but as long as he has something, it's not the end of the world if he doesn't have access to them all. A couple weeks ago, my one year old was amusing himself by setting a roll of duct tape on it's edge and rolling it across the floor. I felt simultaneously amused and upset. I think that (failing the course) might be Plan B for me, actually, if I can't drop it! I did that once before -- I was too late to drop a course, but I just stopped going and doing any work in it, and ended up with an "F". It actually really doesn't matter because I have more than enough credits to graduate, I already applied to graduate, and I already applied to a professional program which only looks and counts people's 10 best full credits -- for which my marks are very good (average of those = about 91%). In total, I only need 20 credits for a 4-year degree, and I have about 25. The main reason I took courses this summer was to get student loans after not being able to find a summer job, and also to brush up on some things I needed brushing-up on. I already have one "F" on my transcript and a couple of really low marks (a 50 and a 50-something) because at that time, those marks didn't really matter. I hate having those awful marks on my transcript, but I can easily and logically explain them if I need to, which I doubt I ever would. With 20 credits all over 70% and almost all in the 80s and 90s, anyone should be able to look at it and realize the low marks are anomalies. It's true about children's toys! I like the duct tape story! I know what you mean about feeling simultaneously amused and upset -- my son has made a few "garbage crafts" and to find the material for his crafts (garbage like candy wrappers, straws, etc.) he didn't have to go into the garbage! That made me think of an amazing video I saw recently -- maybe I got the link here even, I'm not sure, but it's such a great story: cainesarcade.com/I've been boxing up a lot of my son's toys for now. I'm leaving out a few toys that will keep him happy and occupied -- his Lego is one of them because it's his absolute favourite toy ever, especially the little Lego minifigures. Once I get the house cleaned up and organized, I'll be able to get the other toys out of boxes/"storage" and they'll actually have somewhere to go! But it's true -- kids don't need lots of toys. My mom grew up in a rural area in the depression (1930s) and she remembers playing with rocks. She had maybe a few books and one doll, and her mom made clothes for the doll out of extra material. In their Christmas stockings they'd get an orange, which was a big deal, and maybe a couple hard candies or something like that. I think I remember her saying she made little people out of empty spools of thread. My son's room is about 3/4 done. I won't have to stay up all night this time like I did for my daughter's room! I'm not doing as many details or decorating as I did with her room, right now. I just want to get it cleared out so I can put his favourite toys in there, and make a nice clear space for him to play and store his toys. Later, I'll find a desk for him and hang a few extra posters, etc.
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Post by joyinvirginia on Jun 3, 2012 1:36:35 GMT -5
You are doing great, messyme , considering how many responsibilities you have. I also use my shoe holder/ seat by front door as storage area for library books, works well, and I have calendar on fridge that I note due dates for book return on. When I was in school, housekeeping was lowest priority. You are not alone, and it gets better as class load gets better and as kids get older. Does you eleven year old know how to do some laundry? That is age my oldest started doing her own laundry. Take some time to enjoy yourself while doing all you have to do.
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Post by howardsgirlfriend on Jun 3, 2012 19:37:17 GMT -5
Since your biggest shortage is time, perhaps you could plan your desqualoring by how much time you'll spend, rather than what area you'll finish. You can get a lot done in 15 minutes.
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Post by Sunshine on Jun 4, 2012 5:26:59 GMT -5
Wow... if your average for your top 10 credits is 91%, I don't think you have too much to worry about!! That is just awesome! I finished my bachelor's degree in 1989, and my marks ranged from excellent to horrific The only time I have ever been asked for my academic transcript is when I applied to do a post graduate course. I recall turning up at an exam once, and having the lecturer politely ask who I was, as they thought I had come to the wrong one.... mmm, no, been enrolled in this all year... sorry I missed EVERY class...
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Post by messyme on Jun 4, 2012 8:04:43 GMT -5
Thanks! Sunshine -- I like that story! I have a funny one too -- in college (a long time ago, not the same program as I'm in now) I was very young and went to another city for a Boyz II Men concert and planned on cramming for a couple of hours before an exam the next morning. As it turned out, we stayed overnight in the other city (I wasn't driving) because we got backstage and met Boyz II Men and their opening group, and somehow my friend found out which hotel they were staying at and we ended up there, chatting with them until late! I got back home the next morning about an hour before my exam, SO exhausted and having not studied at all! So I just went to bed -- I didn't call or anything! I ended up graduating and getting a VERY good mark in that course -- because my other marks were good, they must've figured they lost my one exam and gave me 100% or something! I felt bad after, but then they did something they shouldn't have done either, just assuming they lost my exam and not telling me about it! Anyway, my son's room is done. The carpet needs to be cleaned. And his room is not as "finished" as my daughter's; I want to find him a desk and get the big tall bookshelf out of his room, etc. but for now it's fine. I have to hang some pictures, curtains, etc. too. I'll post photos sometime today or this week. howardsgirlfriend -- thanks for the advice and that is a good idea, but it just doesn't work for me, because I don't really ever have 15 minutes free. There are always other things I need to do; or sometimes I decided I need a break to relax and do nothing. I tried cleaning a bit at a time as much as I could, but it didn't work for me. I also felt anxious always trying to find time to clean every time I got a chance; always thinking about cleaning. What has been working is putting everything (even my important things) aside for a big chunk of time, and getting enough done that I can start to maintain it. That's not a perfect solution either because then other important things get put on hold. But it's been working fairly well.
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Post by Sunshine on Jun 4, 2012 13:46:33 GMT -5
getting your son's room tidied up! I hope the maintenance goes as well as it has with your daughter Do you have a particular room you want to do next? I hope at some point you also get the blessing of a lovely bedroom.
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Post by messyme on Jun 5, 2012 7:06:38 GMT -5
getting your son's room tidied up! I hope the maintenance goes as well as it has with your daughter Do you have a particular room you want to do next? I hope at some point you also get the blessing of a lovely bedroom. Unfortunately, my bedroom will be one of the last to get done! I need some space to use as temporary storage, and my bedroom is one of those places because the kids needed room to play, but all I really need in my bedroom is some clothes storage and a bed and my desk. The next room to get done will be the upstairs bathroom, and then the upstairs hall and linen closet (actually the linen closet is completely empty right now!). I really wanted to finish up my kitchen, but when I was cleaning the kids' rooms, I piled up some boxes and stuff in the hall, and now it's very cluttered!
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Jun 23, 2012 19:41:37 GMT -5
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