I'm in book heaven. Or I will be when I get home. A coworker's son was getting rid of a bunch of paperbacks and she asked me if I wanted them. I thought she was talkig about a grocery bag or so. But it's two paper boxes overflowing with books. I can't wait to get home and see what I have. Plus she said if he wants to get rid of more I can have them.

They don't allow homework to count for grades in elementary school in this county. .... Since it doesn't count for grades the only power school has to get them to do the work is detention.

This seems like insane troll logic to me. Maybe someone who is an elementary educator can explain why this makes sense.

Of course, having parents do the homework doesn't make any sense to me either, which was more the case in Fairfax.

It is a generalization, Cindy, but I think it's a generally good one. I know my sister could deal with her son better than with her daughter, and her husband could deal with the daughter better. There's variance within the genders, too, though - like Calli, my sister and I had completely different reactions to our mother (except I was the one with the screaming fights).

Mallory started wearing 6-9m size clothes, and I pulled out the clothes that a friend sent from the States before he was born. She got them at a consignment store (she says ), but a couple of the outfits still have those anti-theft tags on them. I got them off with the Leatherman, but now I want to hassle her about where she got them!

They don't allow homework to count for grades in elementary school in this county.

Dude. I wouldn't be inclined to do the homework either, especially since I was always pretty good at pulling the necessary whatever out of my ass during tests.

ETA:

my sister and I had completely different reactions to our mother (except I was the one with the screaming fights).

I was lucky in that I was several years younger than my sister. So I could sit back, watch the sparks fly, and think, "Boy, that sure didn't work." It also "helped" that I was a total nerd in high school, and thus didn't have much in the way of parties or boyfriends to fight with Mom about. I waited until after I was out of the house to become a trial to her.

I was lucky in that I was several years younger than my sister. So I could sit back, watch the sparks fly, and think, "Boy, that sure didn't work." It also "helped" that I was a total nerd in high school, and thus didn't have much in the way of parties or boyfriends to fight with Mom about.

I'm the younger, but my sister had moved out, so I just got her as an example via my mother's "Why aren't you more like your sister?" Which included "Why are you such a nerd? Why don't you have boyfriends and go to parties?"

And this was all before I turned 15.

No, I'm not still bitter, why?

You know, I just had another flash of sympathy for Laura, having to stand up to a Brendon-Jr.-sized boy in a destructive rage. That could be a little scary!

Raq, one of the candidates for mayor in Cincinnati is named Mallory (well, that's his last name). So I see signs all over people's yards saying MALLORY For Change! or just MALLORY.

And every time, I think of *your* Mallory, and giggle at the image of him running for mayor.

This seems like insane troll logic to me.

We are talking the school board here. Teachers hands are somewhat tied.

I just had another flash of sympathy for Laura, having to stand up to a Brendon-Jr.-sized boy in a destructive rage. That could be a little scary!

Not at all. Then again, I know lots of people in the well over 6' range. I don't intimidate easily. It is one of the big reasons I think it's important to teach him to find other ways than the physical to solve problems.

Mallory started wearing 6-9m size clothes

I have some stuff that I want to send to Mal. I've realized I have FAR FAR too many baby clothes packed in my closets.

There are no grades for homework? Why would you ever do schoolwork for no grades in elementary school? Because it's so clear to you when you're 10 that it's important to learn the material? If the only consequences of not doing homework was the use of a not-painful stick, even I, the ultimate nerd child, might have thought about skipping it. I think the trolls are winning.

so I just got her as an example via my mother's "Why aren't you more like your sister?" Which included "Why are you such a nerd? Why don't you have boyfriends and go to parties?"

Ah. Most of my Mom and sisters' fights were about clothes to wear out on dates and at parties, and the timing and extent of the dates themselves. I think Mom found my nerd-dom rather restful.

There are no grades for homework?

My best guess is that some Boca Raton parents group sued the school board when little Johnny didn't get an A.