Holy cow people. It's not quantum physics, nor is it secret controversial knowledge..... Don't house bettas together! It's an accepted fact that they are aggressive with their own species. So why would you want to try to keep them together? What point does that serve? I don't doubt there are instances where people have "successfully" housed male/male & male/female bettas together. It is a widely accepted consensus that It generally never works! There's a case of a lioness caring for a baby gazelle, does that mean you'd let your pet in a lion enclosure? Since, hey, they could really hit it off...... In the wild, bettas have acres of rice paddies to hide and stay away from each other. In any size aquarium they are limited by their enclosed space with no escape. Trying to house bettas together serves no benefit to the fish. Attempting it shows you have no interest in the fishes happiness or well being. Experienced betta breeders will tell you, the only time males and females are kept together is for a very short period for breeding only. Then separated. It's very common for one or both to be injured during the process. You can keep a group of females together (usually odd numbers work best) but good luck. More times than not you'll have to deal with fighting since the females can be just as aggressive as the males.

Children learn what their parents teach them when they're young. I'm none of the above on the left, and yet my parents left me alone to live my own life once I was 18. I think there's more to be said for kids that can step out on their own once they hit adulthood and make their own choices and live their own lives, then the ones that constantly run back to mommy and daddy for input, money, what have you. The point she (and I) have tried to make is be the best parent you can when your kids are children and hopefully you've done the best you can. Once they are adults, leave them alone as much as possible so they can actually become adults -- be there for love, support, and whatever they might need if they're desperate, but don't keep handing them everything, or forcing your own life choices and opinions on them past childhood. I think you do more damage in the long run if you do that. Just my opinion.

First time I've seen this -- it's clever and funny!

June: You just reminded me of those early days. My DH, too, would often try to shove us all together, thinking we'd see in one another what he sees in each of us, and that we couldn't help but bond and genuinely love one another. I don't think his plan worked, lol. How could it? The BM lied about me being the reason they didn't work it all out. I wouldn't be accepting of TOW, either. Later, when she 'fessed up, too many hurts had occurred - it was several years later, sadly. Cawfe: You're right in that I don't want to go where I'm not wanted. I don't want to be w/o my boys, who definitely not wanted, either. If I have to ask my parents to stay w/ the kids, I'd MUCH prefer to use it for a nice dinner out w/ DH alone or another movie as other than Sat, it's been YEARS since we've seen a non-kids flick. And, DH is supposed to relieve mom on Wed. afternoons, but it has yet to happen. I think I'm telling her to go for PT on Wed. afternoons for her shoulder... If I ever tried to stick Dh w/ something for the kids, he'd just miserably fail. Even now, he's supposed to be helping w/ the nighttime routine per counselor. Some nights he's OK, some I do it alone, but if he's tired and I'm not done w/ the older two, he just plops the 3 y.o. in our bed and goes to sleep. Well, that's NOT really doing the bedtime routine, you know? Or his other stunt is letting them stay up really late watching a movie in bed til they fall asleep from exhaustion...grrrr! I could never trust him to do this routine during school! Southern: I, too, was a fan of Jackie's. Ironically, I believe she and Christina had a very strained relationship. I felt for both sides and I was just a kid back then! But, regardless, Jackie handled herself w/ class - no doubt about that...and no one can criticize one's grace under pressure, right? Oh well, the 'date' is hours away. OSD must be so excited - probably having a pedicure over her lunch hour... Thanks for all the support and advice! I just needed to bat this thing around - will post more when I know what transpires tonight. Oh, and I'm thinking of bagging up all the junk in her room w/ the laptop and handed it to DH as he heads out to get them tonight. She never came to clean up - I know you're all shocked beyond belief, lol. Oh, yeah, Jackie might not be this tacky - but I have a feeling if Christina had wanted anything she left behind, it'd be in the land fill by now....lol. Dana