hi everyone we finaly got some much needed rain and my brugs really needed it i have isabellla and frosty pink blooming they are about five feet tall i really want a red one Trish my husband mailed your box wensday i hope you like it it has been so hot it was hard to send plants i hope they arrive safe today i took my grandson to see monster house for his 7th birthday and found a real good deal at payless shoes 20.00 shoes for 5.oo that was a deal got his hair cut for school and everyone be careful checking emails from wireless phone we have someone stole my name and ordered phone and sent them to Maryland and luckly my network sent me text mess to say my account password had been changed and i called and asked what was going on and some one fauded my account what a bummer i had to put fraud allert on my credit and it feels weird to see how easly they did it well i hope everyone has a nice evening stay cool patty

Yeah, Popi, you do. I don't know about "accepting" failure. Gotta be a bit careful not to make it too appealing I guess. But I do believe that the child (or adult for that matter) who has made a mistake and messed up is the one who needs love. Not approval, mind. But love. Acceptance on a very, very basic, personal level. Even though you blew it, I still love you. I may not be crazy about what you did, but I still love you. I tried so hard to get that across to my children. It was my number one priority - totally out of proportion, I'm sure, because of how I was raised and all kinds of other input. But I just wanted them to know that come whatever they would be loved. And so far I sure can't complain. Both of my children are lovely people who work hard (incredibly hard sometimes) and show true concern and care for others. I really can't complain about them at all. I don't know how I managed to be so fortunate as to have two such amazing people for children. As for this little boy...it seems to me there are a couple of reasons he might not speak up for himself: he could be afraid of failure. In his mind anything less than perfection may be considered failure. I'd try hard to impress upon him that there will be lots of times when he tries hard but doesn't ace the situation. It's still a win. If he can only do what he knows he can do perfectly he is limiting himself horribly. He could also be afraid of punishment. I don't mean a beating...just a sense of letting his parents (or other significant people) down. That can be an awful burden on anyone. It would be so freeing for him to learn that the other people in his life will survive his imperfection. As an eldest child he may have an overgrown sense of leadership - the feeling that HE has to be best. That can challenge him but it can also inhibit his ability to risk failure and try new things. With a first child I think it is important to analyze what you as parents really expect. I think it is too easy to expect that first child to carry the banner, to be perfect. And the child will pick that up. My own boy was too wise - he WAS excellent in school and extra activities but he had a sense of adventure and mischief that would not be denied. He was a real firecracker and he had his narrow escapes and such. And I'm so glad he was that way. Oh. It put more than a few gray hairs on this head but it kept us all down with our feet on the ground. I think one reason he was able to do that was because he knew...really knew...that I'd still love him. No matter what. Proserpina, I'm sure you feel that way about your little boy. I have no doubt that your love for him is just as strong as mine was for my boy. How can you NOT? But getting it across to them...that's the trick. He's 10. I think I'd sit him down and tell him. Just tell him. He's got a lot of growing up to do and it would be a lot easier if he knew he had your unconditional love behind him. It's perfectly obvious to you but it may not be to him.

aww I'm sorry your contractor is an a$$. I agree with others to a) have a lawyer look over your contract, and b) stand your ground - HE works for YOU - you're the employer - and as long as you let him push you around, he will. Our GC has been pretty good but when times like these came up (charges we didn't feel we were responsible for) we spoke up immediately - and he backed down. On another note, I don't really understand why any electrician can't do a job because there's a ceiling in place. Electricians do wiring with all the walls up all the time - it's just cutting holes in the plaster (for the lights) and fishing wires. Since the walls are down, it's all the more easier. It's not AS easy as if the ceiling was down, but it's not a dealbreaker by any means. (My DH did the wiring for our entire house during this reno - just yesterday he was fishing wire from the basement to the foyer b/c the alarm company forgot to run one for the siren - duh.) Anyway if this electrician is your GC's guy, then tell GC to either find another one or to tell this guy to stop being lazy. I'd request a meeting between you and the electrician and the GC to have them explain to you why taking down the ceiling is necessary. Because based on what you've told us (no crazy weird wiring going on) I don't get why he can't do it.

I cried too. I went to high school with a boy who had this but at that time I didn't kmow what it was. Now I see him working in Walmart. My DH has a cousin who has CP and he has been in a wheelchair for 25 years or more I think. He just had his 40th birthday.