My daughter is always wanting to grow up really fast too. I think it is the society that it is today. Seven seems so young for that! I think there is way too much pressure on them to grow up. Why can't they just be able to be girls? At eleven I was still playing school...

Don´t get too hung up on it. As long as he is eating and eating fairly well. Sandwiches can be nutritious, watch the high fat fillings though. Sometimes kids like to use food as an area to get attention, they know it is important to mom to see them eat well, and it is a really easy way to get you to sit up and pay attention. I can´t really offer tips, my boys are both very good eaters, but only support.And try to gradually cut down on the snacks. If their stomachs get full there is no way they will eat at mealtimes.

I would love tips in this area. My oldest makes dinner an issue every night. She refuses to eat, then wants to nibble afterwards. Last night, we refused to give her anything but her dinner... which she finally ate eagerly right before bedtime. It's a constant battle, though, even when I serve her favorites!

My daughter is like that. We don't let her eat anything until dinner. She likes to fill up beforehand, or refuse dinner and then ask for snacks afterwards. We finally started saying eat dinner or eat nothing, especially if we know it's something she likes.

It´s different here in Spain, everyone lets their kids play out and mine at 5 and 7 are allowed to play on the land opposite our house. I can see them from the house but they love that bit of freedom. People are too keen to keep their kids under their control, but you have to let them learn on their own. Ignore the neighbours, as long as you are happy that they are safe and not in any danger, let them go.

How stupid! People are so quick to judge!!! Forget her. An 11-year-old is pretty capable.

Not all husbands are perfect then?? They just seem to want everything done and expect it to be done because they work away from the home. Sometimes I would do anything to trade places with him and be the one that works. But then reality sets in and I realize that there is no way I would be able to keep up with that pace.

Basically men seem to be able to focus on one thing at a time. My husband admits this is the case, and says he could never work from home with the kids in the background. But I must be lucky, he is great at the ironing and even though he works away all week, he will still lend a hand at home. I guess he got fed up wearing my version of crumpled clothes! Still, I find it takes him ages to get round to doing anything and often do things myself just to get it out the way. He can be in the same room as the kids whilst they are up to mischief, and still not notice!! And at times I think he doesn´t appreciate how lucky he is... when we moved to Spain guess who learnt Spanish and now deals with everything, whilst he just about manages " Dos cervezas" at the bar!! He has no inclination to do it, and now has the ideal excuse - he can´t understand! Ah well, at the end of the day I´d rather be here than anywhere else!

Being a full-time mom is the best job I've ever had; I really love spending most of my time teaching Kieran cool things every day. I don't spend all my time doing the things that my husband's mother did (keeping a perfect house while Brian vegged in front of the tv). I basically spend the minimal amount of time to keep a clean and healthy home. It really sucks when Brian comes home from work and complains that he works all day to pay for our house, and it looks like crap because there is a pile of unopened mail on the kitchen counter and toys on the coffee table where he wants to set his beer. He doesn't even show interest or pleasure in what I accomplished, as if our kid would learn how to write his name from Sponge Bob so I could clean house all day. He complains about how it's all on him to pay the bills and we'd have so much more money if I got a full time job. But then, if he were to get what he wants, half my salary would go to child care and the other half would go to a maid service! I've always been a clutter freak, and for some reason Brian thought that I would change my cluttered ways once I became a "homemaker"! Ridiculous. I mean, the house isn't even in terrible shape, we aren't ashamed to have people over. But I'm never going to live up to the super-perfect standards that my mother-in-law set.

I really hate hearing the criticism... and I think it goes both ways. I really try to avoid nit-picking since I hate hearing it, but it is tough. Sometimes I am just in a MOOD and do it anyway...

It is crazy what things have come to. Why do we even have to worry about such things. When I was a kid we never even thought of such things like somebody coming in the school and shooting us. We worried about bombs and tornados. There is nothing like worry about those little things when there is so much more to worry about.

I have talked to alot of people about what's going on. Most people with no children say it's the parents fault. The parents say that we should do what we can to keep the kids safe. I think as a parent you wonder what you can say to your child. There is only so much you can say to them when you ask them what's wrong. I get the answers "I don't know," or "Nothing." They should have more discussions at school about talking to others about what's bugging them....

> > I just don't know what this world is coming too. First what happened on Monday and then today is 8 years since Columbine. THe world is getting scary. Do we all have to stay in our houses scared to be safe?

It is ridiculous that we even have to worry about such things. I can understand why you kept your daughter home. I would be a nervous wreck in your situation. Plus, with the way the administrators mishandled the Virginia Tech shooting by not closing class and notifying students... it's hard to trust that a school will really do the right thing!