Image is too small. However you can apply a per-emergent herbicide such as XL or Amaze mid-Feb., mid-May and mid- September to prevent them germinating in the first place. Here is a link that might be useful: XL

Kids will be kids, but I don't know how your able to study with all that racket. If it were me, I'd tell my mother I need to live somewhere else so I am able to focus on my school work. If you can't, tell her you will have to come home to live with her until you can! If the landlord is violating tenant occupancy laws, it IS your business. You have the right to "quiet enjoyment" of your rental space. 5 people in a 1-bedroom apt sounds excessive. Especially with small children. You could find out by contacting the housing authority/tenants organization for your area. Look on the internet or at your local building dept for ordinances that affect where you are living. How loud do your "tantrums" with your computer get? Is this why your mother says to just deal with it? If you are part of the problem, you can't expect too much sympathy. However, I know that excess noise can make anyone batty so I sympathize with your situation. If the issue of moving is about money, maybe you could get a place with another student? Preferably, someone who's studying the same thing you are so you would have compatible interests and schedules. Does your college offer roommate matching services? Check the bulletin board. Just don't hook up with someone who wants to party late at night while your crunching for a test. Try to find someone with a similar major. Another option is to go to a senior center and see if any seniors have an extra room in their house they would be willing to rent out. You'd get all the peace and quiet you need. Might even get a few home cooked meals! You will figure out a way. Just keep asking questions like your doing here and something is bound to come up. Here are a couple links that might help. Good luck. http://apartments.about.com/cs/a.htm?terms=Apartment+living http://stretcher.com/stories/99/990215a.cfm

Daycamp a couple weeks this summer might be something she actually enjoys if she will give it a chance. You might also suggest to dad that you'd like say two morning (or afternoons) a week that allow you to be free of caretaking. Time to clean house, do your errands, book club at library or whatever. That would not be unreasonable. When dad goes off to work along the lines of 9 to 5 Monday through Friday and you're the 'stay at home' caregiver, your correct that the 'not my kid, not my problem' is something that's easier said than done. Dad is leaving you at home in charge of watching his daughter for 8 to 9 or more hours a day until he gets home. While I agree with others that you can't tell dad his daughter can't watch tv if dad thinks it's perfectly okay for his daughter to be a couch potato, that does not mean you have to be the one there taking that responsibilty all day, day after day. And if you plan an outing such as a walk or a trip to the library, she has to join in as she can't stay home alone. If you really have no hope of motivating activities other than tv/vids, you might also try setting her up in a place other than the living room. But not her bedroom. A playroom with the tv, books, crafts, toys ...and declare 'quiet time' for an hour (but not sshhh, no noise allowed)...just a simple 'we are going to clear the livingroom for an hour, it's time for our quiet time'. Maybe she'll go off to her playroom, maybe she'll go outside, it's her choice what and how she spends the time, it just can't be in the livingroom. Lure her outside, set yourself up a place for your 'my space', a cozy corner of your deck or under a shade tree where you can go out and read. Who knows, maybe with you outside daughter will venture out and ride that scooter. I think what most have been trying over your different posting threads in telling you in their opinions, is that you can't tell dad how to raise his daughter (example, too much tv, no veggies, inactive sedate days) but you do get some say in how *you* spend the day. It's unrealistic to think one will have lots of relaxation, quiet time, and self entertaining kids all day when there are children in the home...if you know how that can be done without affecting normal childhood, write a book, it'll be a best seller LOL... it is not unrealistic to think that you have to be the one doing all the caregiving in dad's absence. Shakti above had some good ideas with "May be you can do something with her (think as if she were your own d, what would you do with her? - talking, joking, walking in the park, cooking together ...)" If you do intend to remain the sole caregiver during dad being absent, you are going to have to come up with ways to make it workable for both daughter and you without complaining and fighting. If SD is not there one week, maybe that's when you need to focus on the main housework. Maybe folding towels and putting her own laundry away could be a regular assigned chore. Helping set the table. Little things that are actually helpful to you yet gives her a sense of not only responsibilty but also a sense of being a part of what's going on in the home...being included.

The leaves appear to be trifoliate, meaning you have a tree that is from the rootstock, and not a lemon at all.