Originally Posted by viet_mom (Post 372349)

Hello all. It's amazing how strongly people feel about pro and anti medicine for kids. Vietbabe's Aunt (my Sis) scolded me for not immediately putting Vietbabe on meds when she was diagnosed 3 weeks ago with "severe ADHD" (causing her to be very behind in language/phonics and other learning issues). Yet...just a few hours ago I met with Vietbabe's teacher for parent/teacher conference (she had read Vietbabe's neuropsych. report which recommends meds as an option) and when I told her I wasn't putting Vietbabe on meds, she was so relieved she actually shed tears and told me she was upset to see the medicine recommendation in the report b/c she hates the thought of Vietbabe's personality changing (despite terrible learning, she is so happy and confident and sweet) and thinks she can work with Vietbabe academically. She even told me she'd spoke with her husband about how she was so worried Vietbabe's Mom would put her on meds and she and hubby were hoping I didn't.

Wow! Such strong, heartfelt emotions from both my Sister and the teacher on different ends of the spectrum! I think if your kid (like mine) is not having behavioral problems and is happy and confident, maybe it's easy to say "No" to the meds (and just keep working on other ways to help learning...we're doing Orton-Gillingham private reading tutor$ twice a week). But when you see your child anxious or depressed....I imagine it is harder to dismiss taking meds. Are we sure the Xanax would be taken regularly? Or maybe only during very difficult times. Most everyone I know that takes Xanax pops them only during a tough time. I have a stash of a similar drug that I take every once in a while if I'm legitimately upset by something and I can't sleep. But that's only b/c I'm allergic to alcohol. I imagine I'd have a glass of wine instead. Truth be told, I like the pure effect of the Xanax-type drug without the side effects of wine. I think if my teen was up all night crying over being jilted by a boyfriend, I might be fine giving her a Xanax the next night to help her sleep. That sort of thing. Sorry for the long post.

Originally Posted by Icky Thump (Post 372546)

Show me one shred of evidence that Ritalin generally works. Show me some epidemiology. All you will ever here is a little anecdote here or there which mentions that Ritalin, when coupled with behavior modification, helps. And I am not talking about a good day here or there or manageability, I am talking academic success.

Plus there are significant side effects that are known and some that are suspected -- cardiac events, cancer, that make me say:
Fuck
That
Shit

remember: Michael Phelps = no meds.

Originally Posted by viet_mom (Post 372731)

No. She's 6. Confident, sweet and well-behaved kid but can't seem to concentrate enough in order to learn letters, phonics, etc. Growth issues another reason why I don't want to try meds (they decrease appetite) besides fear of messing with her chemistry b/c she's so happy and secure.

Originally Posted by mommylawyer (Post 378199)

So hello everyone...been a long time since I've been around...thought I'd check in and see what's going on over here.....

ML

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 383015)

Kinda quiet, apparently.

How old do kids have to be to get The Phantom Tollbooth? The Hobbit? I've got Charlie and the Chocolate Factory coming up, but nothing on deck.

Originally Posted by mommylawyer (Post 378196)

Wel I know I haven't been over here in ages, and planned a hi post, just wanted to say that if the meds are right, there won't e ny personality change at all... I am certain I mentioned my concerns about oldest a few years back...well we spent almost 3 years and lots of $$$ on evaluations ruling out everything else but ADHD, and when we concluded it was, the psych recommended meds... the very first day it was life changing. em was able to focus and completed his weekly work plan in one day...within a few weeks his self confidence was back...Now its not just meds, we do other things too, but meds, if properly dosed etc... shouldn't result in any personality changes etc... now it may take a few tries to find the right one....

Originally Posted by viet_mom (Post 385056)

P.S., I'm worried about finances these days. If you had a 5.5% 30 year fixed mortgage (with around 300K in principal), would you use your extra money to pay it off since savings plans are absurd, like $.002% annual interest? Thanks.

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 385060)

If one is not averse to the risk, it is probably a good time to be investing extra cash instead. But it is really a queston of personal preference.

Originally Posted by Adder (Post 385060)

If one is not averse to the risk, it is probably a good time to be investing extra cash instead. But it is really a queston of personal preference.

Originally Posted by viet_mom (Post 385056)

Hello there. I have also been away from the board and seeing really old posts, sorry. I ended up not putting Vietbabe on meds. She's in her second year of kindergarten and the teacher says she is somewhere around the low to mid range in terms of understanding the stuff at school. She is still COMPLETLEY confident and happy/giggly and she also behaves for me (and pretty good at school too). So while she is definitely ADHD, I'm not going to do the meds. Truth be told...I don't even care if she is at the bottom of her class (someone's gotta be) as long as she is progressing and is happy and confident. When she's working age, she can be an artist, or marry well, or live at home with me forever. I see the hell my sister is going through with her bipolar kid (suicidal thoughts at 7?). Then I look at my own kid and she wakes up singing songs and kissy kissy and makes me "surprise" art projects with hearts on them all day. Goes to bed every night at 8 pm with no fuss. I'm not going to do ANYTHING that messes with that. I'm just sick about my poor sister and her daughter. They've tried meds and when things continued badly (just in a "different" way), they took her off all meds thinking they'd just "deal with things." But then she wasn't even able to function, so their lives are a never ending experimentation of upping this med, decreasing that med, adding this med, etc. I wish I could do something for her.

P.S., I'm worried about finances these days. If you had a 5.5% 30 year fixed mortgage (with around 300K in principal), would you use your extra money to pay it off since savings plans are absurd, like $.002% annual interest? Thanks.

Originally Posted by viet_mom (Post 385056)

Kid stuff

Originally Posted by viet_mom (Post 385056)

P.S., I'm worried about finances these days. If you had a 5.5% 30 year fixed mortgage (with around 300K in principal), would you use your extra money to pay it off since savings plans are absurd, like $.002% annual interest? Thanks.

Originally Posted by LessinSF (Post 385116)

No, no, no. 18 months from now we will have 20% inflation courtesy of Obama and the Dems, and you will only be paying 5.5% interest on the home, in essence making 15% a year on it while the mortgagee watches their 80% interest in it wither away.

Originally Posted by viet_mom (Post 385056)

P.S., I'm worried about finances these days. If you had a 5.5% 30 year fixed mortgage (with around 300K in principal), would you use your extra money to pay it off since savings plans are absurd, like $.002% annual interest? Thanks.

Originally Posted by LessinSF (Post 385116)

No, no, no. 18 months from now we will have 20% inflation courtesy of Obama and the Dems, and you will only be paying 5.5% interest on the home, in essence making 15% a year on it while the mortgagee watches their 80% interest in it wither away.

Originally Posted by LessinSF (Post 385116)

No, no, no. 18 months from now we will have 20% inflation courtesy of Obama and the Dems, and you will only be paying 5.5% interest on the home, in essence making 15% a year on it while the mortgagee watches their 80% interest in it wither away.

Originally Posted by viet_mom (Post 385123)

Wow. Thanks for all the advice. I didn't even think of the "real" interest I'm paying after taking into account taxes. And whew...I definitely need a cushion. Right now, besides 20K in a college savings acct for Vietbabe (courtesy of my Dad) and 70K in my 401K that tanked, I have zero. No savings accounts or cds. Just now starting to save (bc of the adoption and buying house) and I'm past 40. BTW, I should have been able to figure out the after tax aspect of my house payments. Why do I spend 3 hours on the internet trying to find a "recipe" for making candles and other stupid things and don't even bother investigating my own finances? Maybe it's just avoidance.

Anyhow, to thank you all for your advice I bring you this INCREDIBLE PREVIEW:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--N9klJXbjQ

Originally Posted by viet_mom (Post 385123)

BTW, I should have been able to figure out the after tax aspect of my house payments.

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.) (Post 385164)

What's with plastic stroller covers? The clear ones that go over strollers to protect babies from the elements (I assume)? Isn't that about like giving them a drycleaning bag as a toy? Or is the idea to build up just enough CO2 to keep them quiet?

Originally Posted by Cletus Miller (Post 385168)

The ones that are actually made for the stroller (i.e., used by yuppies) or the modified tarps/garbage bags/dry cleaner bags (used by non-yuppies)? The purpose-built ones are designed to block wind and precipitation, to have ventilation and to separate yuppies from their money; b/c when you buy an $800 stroller, you need the $800 of accessories, too.

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.) (Post 385170)

This one looked pretty well fitted. I assume there's ventilation somewhere, I just wasn't sure where. To top it off, it's sunny at 55 here, with a brisk wind but no precip. At least this stroller didn't have the little arm to hold the little umbrella/parasol. That's just too cute by half.

Originally Posted by viet_mom (Post 385056)

P.S., I'm worried about finances these days. If you had a 5.5% 30 year fixed mortgage (with around 300K in principal), would you use your extra money to pay it off since savings plans are absurd, like $.002% annual interest? Thanks.

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.) (Post 385164)

What's with plastic stroller covers? The clear ones that go over strollers to protect babies from the elements (I assume)? Isn't that about like giving them a drycleaning bag as a toy? Or is the idea to build up just enough CO2 to keep them quiet?

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 385624)

do you have no idea how a dry cleaning bag kills? this carries the thought of an Adder post, whereas you normally hit Atticus levels.

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.) (Post 385627)

You saw House of Sand and Fog, yes?

Originally Posted by Oliver_Wendell_Ramone (Post 386970)

Easter morning, the 4 year old, pleased with the contents of her Easter basket, told me she was glad the Easter Bunny did not give her barbeque bubbles. To which I replied, "huh?" And she then explained that she meant, you know, those black things that Santa leaves if you've been bad.

So now, at least in our house, coal, and more specifically, charcoal briquettes, will forever be known as barbeque bubbles.

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 388599)

We'd like to give a gift of a Wii game to a six-year-old child with oldest siblings, and we want the game to be something em will enjoy, rather than watch em's older siblings enjoy. Are there Wii games that are especially appropriate for that age?

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 388599)

We'd like to give a gift of a Wii game to a six-year-old child with oldest siblings, and we want the game to be something em will enjoy, rather than watch em's older siblings enjoy. Are there Wii games that are especially appropriate for that age?

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 388599)

We'd like to give a gift of a Wii game to a six-year-old child with oldest siblings, and we want the game to be something em will enjoy, rather than watch em's older siblings enjoy. Are there Wii games that are especially appropriate for that age?

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 388599)

We'd like to give a gift of a Wii game to a six-year-old child with oldest siblings, and we want the game to be something em will enjoy, rather than watch em's older siblings enjoy. Are there Wii games that are especially appropriate for that age?

Originally Posted by Gattigap (Post 388604)

Most things Mario should work for that age.

Originally Posted by Paisley (Post 388627)

What gender is em?

We got Wii last summer, right before my son turned 7. He loves it. His favorite games are Mario Kart, Super Mario Galaxy and some Star Wars and Indiana Jones games.

My daughter, 4, enjoys Wii sports and her Disney Princess game.

Both kids like Wii Fit (which includes silly stuff like ski jump, tight rope, and hula hoop).

Originally Posted by mommylawyer (Post 388632)

I like Wii Fit!!! And my 7 year old loves the golf...