I have an entirely different idea - your symptoms sound exactly like those you get if you have sleep apnea. It is something more people get when they're older, but even young children can have it. It is associated with extra weight, but unless you are heavy, there are also anatomical reasons for it (like a slightly lower palate, tonsil problems, and others), and you need to be seen by an ear, nose and throat specialist (your family doctor could set that up), plus have a sleep study (where you have a couple of small wires taped to your chest and wear a small plastic clip on your finger (painless) for one night to test for the condition. It can be very serious IF it's not treated - the headaches are due to high blood pressure (if you have apnea) and the tiredness is because you are not sleeping well at all - you actually end up holding your breath (in your sleep) for a few-many seconds at a time, many times a night, and the gasps you take each time afterward can really tire you out. Please, please show this note to your mother and ask her to look into it - it really needs to be taken care of (also painless!) if you have it. I know - I do (and lots of other people too).

Terryr, why are you saying it? Obviously, you don't know anything about opossums. I'm sure they were dead. There is no way an opossum will "play dead" for 24 hours. A 6" baby wouldn't even know how to play dead. They don't know who or what to be afraid of. I have seen many adult opossums playing dead after they had been confronted by my dog. They will come back to life within hour and even in the presence of a human (but not a dog!!!) . Chilled babies can look dead, but you can bring them back to life if you place them in warm water,with the head up (if it's not to late and they are still alive). After 24 hours the body will become "stiff" and a little hard if it's dead. If it's soft and floppy, it could be alive. Also, a dead animal will be cold to the touch. Less than a 7" baby should be with it's mother. Without the mother they will die quickly from dehydration and from exposure (even in warm weather - they can't control there body heat at this point.) Mother-opossum's will not return for lost babies, even if she is alive. So leaving 6" babies where they were would not be a good idea. Please, check the link bellow.

I think it would still be good to have a picture. We get quite a lot of plants 'verified' by master gardeners which turn out to be something quite different. It will be around next year not because the same plants will flower again but because it will have flowered and set seed which will grow next year. It is extremely hardy and will flower all winter in some climates whenever there is a mild spell. The only way to deal with it it to pull every one you see before it flowers. But as Jean says - it is easy to pull up and it can be got rid of. It just takes regular short sessions - they don't have to be 5 hours long. Little and often is the best way of dealing with weeds like this. And they certainly don't warrant either panic or depression. Look on the bright side - you could have bindweed or knotweed. You've learned a hard lesson that monocultures are very risky things. One disease or pest can hit the lot. Mixed plantings are much tougher. You've also learned that bare ground won't last long and annual weeds are perfectly evolved to nip in and take advantage of the clear space. Isn't nature wonderful? BTW if it is Groundsel cage birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc love it as, I believe, do chickens.

I would simply tell him that if he isn't going to support you, then he can find another job where he can be home with her (not likely) or send her to live with her mother. There is no law that says YOU have to raise his child.. you have no rights, you have no responsibility either. With him backing you, SD would not have a choice & I suspect she knows dad will take her side so she acts up even more. My SD11 did the same thing at that age.... til I told dad that HE can do everything for her & I won't do anything if he isn't going to back me. He's the parent! But, the bottom line is it's a husband problem because this same problem could happen when it's your child together. If the parents are not on the same page and working as a united front, the kids will manipulate. Kids are manipulative by nature. They are born with an instinct to get what they need to survive & as they get older, they learn ways (through manipulation) to get what they want. I have my DGS. He's 20 mos. & already behaves differently with everyone that takes care of him. They learn early what they can or can't get away with from certain people. As long as your husband refuses to back you, she (and the others) won't respect you. The others are learning from her too. It's a bad example. Before anyone gets riled up over the word manipulation, all behavior that kids do to get what they want (crying, whining, talking sweet, tantrums, etc) are methods of manipulation. It's a natural (innocent) thing when it starts out, but if they get away with too much and are not taught consequences, it moves to a higher level of manipulation where they are aware of manipulating situations & when that follows them into adulthood, that's where a lot of us see self serving, self centered, master manipulator ex's (both male & female) But, my point is that some manipulation from kids is to be expected but it should obviously be dealt with. DGS will whine & cry more when his mother visits him. He doesn't pull that with me. Of course, he wants mom to baby him because she's hardly around. With me, he only whines when he's tired & he knows that means I will get him ready for bed & put him to sleep. I don't usually cradle him before bed, unless he lets me know by climbing up on my lap. But, when he whines with his mom, she gets frustrated & doesn't know how to handle it so she brings him back to me. I believe he wants her to cradle & rock him or hug but she can't or won't pick up the signals he gives... she only sees him as a whiny, crying baby & that gets on her nerves. Kids learn early on, how the parent (or person) reacts to their behavior & that determines their future behavior with THAT person. (that's why kids act differently at school too) You have a choice of how to deal with your SD. I would tell her "Look, your dad isn't here during the week, I am. You may not like the situation & maybe I don't like the situation either, but it is what it is. I am the parent when your dad is gone & I really don't care if he is angry about it when he comes home on his days off... when he's gone, things are done my way. PERIOD." Because you have to stand up for yourself for your kids to respect you. I also think you should continue to give her structure because she is a child & nobody else is going to, but you don't have to make her comfortable as long as she is disrespectful or sassing you. Set rules for all the kids & take charge of your life. Be consistent. Be fair. and when DH gets home, don't allow him to attack you... because all you have to say to stop an attack is "Either you stay home with them or send SD back to live with her mom... unless you're willing to do that, then I am running MY house MY way when you are not here." and it would help if you refrain from complaining about the kids to him when he comes home. It would REALLY help if you give him updates while he's gone... on the good & the bad. It's tough & it's gonna take a lot of strength, patience & stamina to do what you need to do if you want peace. I was a single parent of my 3 kids & worked 4- 10 hr. days for a long time & part time job on my days off. The difference, I didn't have anyone coming home 2 days a week to give me a hard time because they thought I said or did something wrong... but I didn't have financial help either though. (no C/S) BTW, I had 3 children by 3 men & that doesn't have a lot to do with whether someone is a good or bad parent. There are bad parents that have all their kids from one father that they're married to.