<p>
</p>
<p>How about followers, readers, non-posters or posters-in-waiting? :)</p>
<p>Welcome aboard BJ1212! :)</p>
<p>Aren’t you happy all you have to countdown for this year is the end of the winter/Christmas break? Last year at this time we were just a couple of days away from the infamous Common Application submittal deadline and the subsequent countdown to D-Day (decision day for those who don’t remember). :eek: :D</p>
<p>No sleeping in today for S, he has a 7:10am dentist appt. Unfortunately for him it was the only thing open during xmas break. He isn’t complaining, but I wouldn’t be surprised it he doesn’t come back and take a “nap” for a few hours.</p>
<p>Morning all. Sorry your son had an early appt mamom. I understand about getting those in though. We did that over T’giving break.</p>
<p>AvonDad - I am still thinking about AvonMom, and know you must be really encouraged by her recovery! Hugs to the AvonFamily! 
FWIW, I think “followers” or “readers” for our non-posters is a fine name without negative connotation. Posters-in-waiting, or PIW’s reminds me of POWs. :eek: Whatever we call them, they are certainly welcome and it’s good to hear from a few readers over the last few days. </p>
<p>Bluejr isn’t totally turned around in his schedule, but does sleep until noon unless we rouse him earlier. This isn’t much different from what he did on weekends during hs when he didn’t have to be anywhere early so I’m not surprised.</p>
<p>Have a wonderful day all! The coffee is fresh so help yourself! Bagels and muffins as well as holiday cookies are also here to snack on. :)</p>
<p>Momofboston- D never exactly thought we were lame, but is definitely interested in spending more time with us, too. She is hanging out in the living room doing jigsaw puzzles, and working her way through past seasons of Big Bang Theory or Northern Exposure. I have not heard her laugh so much or been so relaxed in years and years. She was invited to a New Year’s party with h.s. friends, but suggested instead we go to a First Night activity near her campus as one of her friends is playing but she wanted to be with us. (color us surprised). But we will take it. It is so great to have our funny, sweet girl with us- and little of the stress/attitude she had been carrying for so many years. College is great!</p>
<p>Since many of her HS friends are either back at school (witner athletes) or away on family vacations (I don’t recall so much travel over winter break when I was her age), D is bored. I guess it is good that she misses her friends and activities at college. She is researching some summer job possibilities and working out with her training team from her HS days (serious practices versus her club team at school!). I am looking forward to the three day weekend. My “holiday” so far has consisted of work at work and work at home doing all the Christmas prep/execution/clean-up and hosting very difficult in-laws. Looking forward to some down time with just the four of us!</p>
<p>Morning All</p>
<p>New Years we will be together–nice meals planned for both NYE and NY Day. </p>
<p>Kiddo didn’t conside us lame and now has made little effort to see hs friends. I think they are all doing something today. Kiddo had conflicts in schedule to join some for an activity at the beginning of break.</p>
<p>OK gotta rant…
Invited friends over for supper tonight. This is second time they will be over for dinner–though we have been friends for many years. The first time they were coming over I asked if they had any food allergies etc and was told no. So planned chicken under a brick and made a nice summer meal. Wife complained saying they “had eaten chicken for the last several evenings…couldn’t I make something else…”</p>
<p>huh??? Seriously??</p>
<p>OK so they are coming this evening and I had planned on pasta—Wife complained they were having lasagna last night with friends and couldn’t I do something like burgers instead … and she asked if they should bring their kids or if its adults only…I told her it can be adults only yet her kids are welcome as its a good chance for the families to hang out…</p>
<p>OK so I am planning on burgers tonight…and sent her a PM via FB to confirm. So they are all coming and she said she’d bring hotdogs for her dd “who doesn’t eat burgers…”</p>
<p>Seriously?? She asked me to fix burgers instead of a pasta meal…</p>
<p>Frankly I have NEVER told a hostess what to fix nor complained about a menu…and I have always expected my kids to eat what they are served…</p>
<p>I am a little peeved at what seems entitled and rude behavior…I just don’t get it.</p>
<p>OK rant over…Thanks.</p>
<p>Yup fog, you’re spot on. Unless there are dietary restrictions (which doesn’t include preferences) one does NOT tell a hostess what to cook. If you have an especially picky YOUNG child it is okay to offer to bring a meal for all the kids since the hostess is cooking for the adults. Then you know you can cook something for your picky eater. Once the kids are say middle school at the latest, if they can’t at least be polite and find something to eat on their plate and thank the hostess they should be left at home. Just MHO. So sorry you have been put in this position!!</p>
<p>^ Her kids are 12 and 14…
Last time I had to tell her son to put his napkin in his lap…and at one point he had stuck his fork in the whole chicken thigh and was waving it around talking…I asked him to put it down before it landed on the floor and my tribal berber rug.</p>
<p>I think this is the last time we do “family gathering” and next time I will invite adults only…</p>
<p>fog: I think next time I’d just invite them for dessert. They’ll find fault with that, too, but I figure if it’s dessert you don’t have to care.</p>
<p>fog- I have never heard of guests telling the hostess what to make for dinner. When I had my Girl Scout troop, I used tell the girls "There is a difference between "I can’t eat that because I am deathly allergic.’ and ‘I really don’t prefer to eat pasta with sauce, but I wil if there is no other choice.’ "</p>
<p>I would tell them that “we already had burgers this week, so I am making pasta.”</p>
<p>My D’s sleep schedule is pretty much the same as it was in HS. She was never a late night person, and is usually up by 10AM at the latest.</p>
<p>fogfog: talk about ungrateful guests!
Welcome BJ. I agree with pepper and AvonDad, that “follower” has a nicer connotation than lurker. I like it.
As for the kids, they are a mixed bag. I’ve got them waking up at all times of day, which makes me crazy as the early meals are ALL of the time.
Still, it’s great to have them around, so I’ll just deal with it for the next two weeks…</p>
<p>I admit to eating over and having one set of relatives (H’s brother and his family) we are very close eat over and discussing what to prepare, but we eat over each others frequently and that is what we do. I do not expect others I invite over who we are not as intimate with to dictate what we are having for the meal. That same relative will also bring food for her picky college age D. It used to drive me crazy. My kids eat what is served and if they don’t like it, tough. But, we over each others house so often that now I am used to it. This same college age daughter btw, is a parents nightmare. Has barely worked while in college, flunked several classes, keeps changing majors, etc. Very spoiled. H & I hold her up as an example of what we don’t expect S to do. Worked so far, haha. </p>
<p>Hope you have a good evening despite the bad start.</p>
<p>Hello awesome parents! Count me among your followers I have very infrequently posted in the past as a parent of one in the class above you and one in the class below you.</p>
<p>I just read a bunch of past pages of posts and wanted to add my support to those who did not have the semester they wished for. I know a few of you follow the class of 2104 thread, if anyone has the time, look back to see where others were at the same stage. We’ve had several who had challenges also. It is great when you can share with each other and get support from others going through the same thing. </p>
<p>My D’s HS friends are at colleges/programs not as challenging as hers, and they all boast about 4.0s etc, the kids are going to tell the good stuff only. That is not always the whole story.</p>
<p>I’ll also add that in our 2014 group there have been other bumps, the rushing mentioned here did throw some of ours off track, but also helped add close groups of friends who helped when kids started having emotional/mental struggles. Stay in tune with your kids as they go through the winter, when they might not be as excited as when they first went to school.</p>
<p>Also, for mathmomvt, I went to your S’s school and worked for three years for the intro CS class there, rising through the ranks each year. It was a great experience!</p>
<p>Enjoy the rest of the breaks with your kids!</p>
<p>We have had a lot of sleeping-in here also but for a variety of reasons. Older DD has worked at her mall job a LOT, closing almost every night, so she sleeps in most days. Younger DD has always stayed up late and slept in if she had nowhere to be and that has been her schedule during break. I have been fighting bronchitis for two weeks and have slept in every day that I could… not sure how I will go back to waking @ 5:30 AM next week; hopefully I’ll have a little more strength by then!</p>
<p>I’ve been surprised by how little effort younger DD has put into seeing her old friends. She was part of a huge group in HS but seems to only care about spending time with a couple of them during this break. There is apparently a lot of drinking going on when her old group gets together now and she’s just not into that. So she sees those she wants to see individually but skips the big get-togethers, including one planned for NYE. She’s planning to hang here @ home and that’s okay with me!</p>
<p>Waves at jackief! I love the perspective of parents from the 2014 class. Thanks for sharing!</p>
<p>Thank you jackie- I will check out the clas of 2014. Boy, you get to go through this college admission thing 3 years in a row. Lucky you. Although maybe that is better than the 7 year break I have between kids. </p>
<p>proudmom - sleep in and get the rest you need. Wishing you a full recovery by the time next Tues rolls around.</p>
<p>Also waving to jackief! I’m a follower of the class of 2014, a wonderful group of parents! Thanks for your wise and supportive words. Keeping an eye out though the winter months is especially timely. Have a wonderful and safe New Years!!</p>
<p>Slept in today for the first time in I can’t remember. No little dog wanting to go out anymore. He made it back to SF with D safely last night. Our office is closed today as opposed to Monday which everyone else seems to have off. I’ll take it. I need it.</p>
<p>Trying to find some motivation to get the tree down which is now a fire hazard and throw out the uneaten food that seems to lurk around every corner. I have 2 pies that people schlepped from NY & FL that I feel bad about throwing away but they were never even opened. </p>
<p>Never mind all the alcohol which was brought- the flavored Vodka’s, Bailey’s etc. I will have to be mindful that I don’t decide to try these out over the long empty nest winter eves. I only like Bloody Mary’s for an at-home cocktail and lucky they are a process to make so I don’t make them that often. I need fresh lemon, horseradish, celery etc, otherwise I won’t bother. White wine will do in a pinch though. </p>
<p>I’ve found a new empty nest Vice & I mean that literally. I have 20 episodes of a certain 80’s TV show recorded on my dvr. It’s such an escape. It’s funny to see the clothes & the hairstyles. H thinks I am insane as I am usually watching one of the episodes when he gets home from work when he works late.</p>
<p>fogfog - time for Pepper’s frying pan for your dinner guests. Allergies and dietary restrictions? - yes. Preferences and personal requests to the hostess? - no way! If they come for dessert, give them an ice cream cone and let them sit on the front porch where they won’t slop on the nice rug.</p>
<p>Early Happy New Year to all !</p>
<p>Fog-definitely frying pan time! I usually cook what I cook and guests find out menu when they arrive. No excuse for bad manners.</p>
<p>Jackie-thanks for the timely tips. Wouldn’t have thought of the post holiday slump but it makes perfect sense with newness worn off and winter blues.</p>
<p>Our exciting news of the day comes from DS2. He passed the written test for his drivers permit yesterday. Big deal for us as DS1 didn’t pass on his first try (overconfidence led to under studying) and DS2 has test taking issues so I was quietly worried. Many kids don’t pass their first time around here because they need 100% on the signs and can’t continue test if they don’t pass that portion! He’s driven for the first time in a parking lot and did really well. </p>
<p>Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using CC App</p>