best, I'm getting that book for my son! I just had all my conferences with his teachers (he is a Jr in HS) and every single one of them commented on how quiet he is, including one teacher who actually called him "aloof." They all acted as though he's the first quiet kid who has made his way through that school. My older DS never really dated in HS. He fell head over heels in love right after graduation, though, and had a messy and emotional breakup about 6 months later. Hasn't dated anyone since then (almost two years ago). Younger DS (the quiet one) now has his first GF, as of about two months. They have been friends for two years and they are part of the same group of friends so it's hard to determine what counts as a date and what is just hanging out with friends, because there's a lot of overlap there. Sometimes they go out with the group and then the group will disperse and the two of them will go elsewhere. Sometimes they're in the group and they all stay together for the evening. And probably least frequently, they will go out on a real date. Problem with this whole scenario is that it feels (to me) that he is spending too much time with the GF, but since part of that time they are also with the guy friends who I want him to also spend time with... it's not like I can say, okay, hang out with your friends but don't invite her this time! Anyway, it does seem like a nice relationship so far. Hard to say if it will get serious but I do wonder how the breakup will be if/when it happens, because if it's not cordial, it's going to be awkward for their group of friends.

No idea what to think here as to play date vs date. I guess that unless it were actually me arranging this 'day' for myself and my child or without knowing at least one of the persons involved in the planned 'day'...we're pretty much just tossing out thoughts on something 'we' know nothing about. Are the adults co-workers? Live in same apartment complex/condo? Meet at daycare? I think how the two adults even know each other might add weight in thinking what to term the event. If I were to turn to a co-worker I know well but never thought of 'dating' and said 'hey kid and I are going to the beach/zoo/whatever, if you think your kid would enjoy it, come and tag along'...I'd say day out being co-workers giving kids a chance to have fun and give me someone to visit with and enjoy the day. If I were to ask a male who I see everyday picking his kid up from daycare and had no knowledge/relationship with other than struck up meaningless 'great weather we're having' convo to suddenly say 'hey why don't our kids go to beach/zoo/whatever this Saturday together and we can all have lunch'...I'd think I were date hunting and looking for more than a playdate for my child. This statement has me curious --" I asked on a forum because that is less invasive than asking the parent and making a big fuss about them possibly starting to date again.(especially if they aren't) It was unusual also because previous play dates were arranged around the 6yo and their school friends only".-- It seems the people being asked about in this make believe 'what do you think' thread may not so quite so 'made-up'. If that is the case, does it matter if this adult is thinking of dating again? What has the timeline been between this person's divorce and this possible date/playdate? Has the person been dating minus the kids tagging along with anyone of late? Is this a trial run to see how the other person even relates to children before thinking of a possible real date? Is there a chance the person arranging the event is plain 'man hunting' and using her child to do so? No, I don't expect answers to any of those questions, but the idea was to ask yourself these questions and see how you may now view your original 'what do you think'. If you (not me) had answers to all these questions and knowledge of the people asking and being asked about the play date/date would you still be asking 'what do you all on this forum think'?

Hi mom-of-all-trades, thank you for the well wishes regarding my husband. A few things however I believe you misunderstood about my position in all of this. He is free and clear to spend as much time with them as he wants to, they are the ones who cut contact with us when he told them to stop lying all the time and stealing from us. They blocked us on facebook and the youngest has moved away and never let us know her contact info. The oldest refuses to tell us when asked. Husband has already extended the olive branch as it were twice without success. The ball is in their court... The youngest never really wanted anything to do with her half siblings and is so far gone in her relationship with her father that he doubts she will ever make contact again. (long story). The oldest still lives with her mother and her mother decided that she doesn't like me because I helped my husband not be a doormat to her and the demands for money that she would have just pissed away for herself (he wasn't required to pay child support and they are both over 18) and guilt she still tried to lay upon him regarding his older children. His oldest seems to have learned how to behave from her mother regarding the stealing, lying and manipulating. I didn't really have a problem with her spending time with my daughter until I started noticing things missing from my house. She even stole a pair of my husband's shoes. New ones that he just bought. Stealing not just from him, but from me as well. When confronted about it, lying and acting outraged at even being accused even though some of the stuff later appeared in her house. This is not the type of person either me or my husband want in our house regardless if she is his daughter. If she ever realizes that she needs to clean up her act and be honest and not steal, then she will be welcome again. And she has been told this. She isn't only hurting us, she is hurting her half-siblings with every item she takes that we have to replace. I have made it clear that I value honesty highly and at this point it is too hard for her to accept. We will see what happens in the future but like I said, I have a strong gut feeling that it will not. Regards NadineV PS, there is a lot more information about what led to this situation in my two previous posts if anyone is interested.

I’m also working on her office, which is off the entry and has french doors so it needs to be presentable. They have a rug in a traditional pattern in light aqua and coral, a tonal shift from the colors we are using in the adjacent rooms . I bought this oil painting for that offfice; it’s a view of Notre Dame from the rear, across the Seine. The colors are beautiful and luckily the frame is the same tone of wood as her desk. It’s pretty big and will make a statement at 30” x 40”. I bought it at an auction, it was painted by a French artist in the 1960’s. This is a picture of a picture and not very clear even if you click to enlarge. IRL it is crisp and has an illustrative vibe I’ve seen in a lot of Italian paintings depicting / featuring architecture.