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Dear UrbanBaby community,

Thank you so much for being a valued member of the UrbanBaby community. We wanted to inform you that we are shutting down the site on July 6th. We are grateful for your participation and support that has helped make UrbanBaby such an important resource to parents for many years.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can email us at urbanbaby-support@cbsinteractive.com.

Thanks so much,

UrbanBaby Support

[ - ] I never thought I'd be for less power for the teachers' union but I do now think their power is too big and needs to be scaled back some. 12 Replies [ Reply | Watch | More
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NY Schools 07.14.08, 09:15 AM Flag
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what changed your mind? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:18 AM Flag
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My zoned school has a lot of good teachers but several really, really, really bad ones who should have nothing to do with children (borderline abusive). We can't fire them. We get the greenest teachers who burn out so quickly and leave the profession. It's bec of the seniority system we have going. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:25 AM Flag
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interesting. Maybe I could help? I'm a reporter - I cover education, and I could write a story about the difficulty. egreen@nysun.com. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 11:12 AM Flag
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how do you define borderline abusive? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 11:19 AM Flag
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NP: the principals now have virtual total control over whom they hire. They no longer have to make hires based on seniority. That was one of the changes wrought under Bloomberg/Klein. A union's job is to protect those who have been hired. It is not impossible to get rid of bad teachers, but principals must be willing to follow the procedures. Many don't want to go through the paperwork, or don't want to put a "U" in a teacher's file. Really, the principals have much more power now and as Stan Lee wrote, "with great power comes great responsibility." Also keep in mind that the teachers' union contract is the only thing that keeps any kind of cap on class size (though the contract is routinely ignored anyway, it would be much worse without it). As for green teachers burning out quickly, that has long been the case... and without union protections and benefits, even more teachers would leave the system (or never enter it in the first place). Most teachers I know have very mixed feelings about their union and wish their principals would have the balls to move improve or remove their fellow teachers who are incompetent. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 01:31 PM Flag
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Well, the principal doesn't want to fire the bad teachers bec she knows they will be replaced by other bad teachers who nobody wants - it's not a desirable school. It takes up a huge amount of time to go through the motion to fire teachers. If we did fire, we'll end up getting the greenest teachers or old and bad teachers. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 01:35 PM Flag
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That's a catch-22. So the principal has to make it a more desirable place to work. Does the school work with Teach for America? You get green teachers but typically well-educated and enthusiastic. Also there are these new bonuses for teachers willing to work in less desirable schools. The DOE is treating principals like CEOs, and all CEOs grapple with recruitment. Does she have a reputation for treating teachers with respect? Is she an efficient leader? Good, experienced teachers often come to a different school because they have heard good things about the school from its current teachers. Anyway hiring is no longer based on seniority; the union really has nothing to do with the problem your school is having. Perhaps the principal should be mentoring those problem teachers more closely, observing them in class, providing guidance. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 01:45 PM Flag
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I know the principal tries hard, but she can't make it a desirable place to work all by herself. She did all she can. Green teachers will last one or two years at most and they leave. Well educated but they don't know how ot manage a class and not good teachers yet. Of course, if she does fire bad teachers, teachers to replace them will think principal is out of line (job security). The school's budget to hire experienced teachers is not there. They cost more. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 01:50 PM Flag
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What's bad about new teachers. Our school is very good and all the teachers hired are new. Most of them very good, still have the energy and also top credentials. And they cost a lot less than seasoned teachers. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 02:12 PM Flag
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Well, I like them, but it's hard for them to manage the class (inner city here) and they burn out and never stay. At least in my school, they teach for a year or two and they leave the profession (marry) or move to $$$$ zoned schools. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 02:15 PM Flag
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They leave when they have kids at our school but usually stay for 5 years or so which is not bad. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 02:20 PM Flag
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which school? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.21.08, 11:53 AM Flag
[ - ] anyone use Dr. sharon partick at roosevelt? 3 Replies [ Reply | Watch | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:03 AM Flag
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no but my OB delivers out of Roosevelt. Dr Kurt Christopher. His partner Shawna Hedley is also wonderful. She's out of the same hospital too [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:15 AM Flag
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I saw her a couple years for just GYN appts. Was not thrilled with her. She's a nice enough person, but the waits were interminable and she misdiagnosed something I had and she didn't follow up later after results came back. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:49 AM Flag
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wow. what did she misdiagnose? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 11:13 AM Flag
[ - ] Any reccomendations for a singing teacher for a 12 year old dd, pref. UWS. 6 Replies [ Reply | Watch | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:03 AM Flag
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Yes, me. I've worked with many middle schoolers, many who were prepping for LaGuardia HS auditions. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:13 AM Flag
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^^^post if you'd like my email address and I'll tell you more about my teaching, and yes I'm UWS. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:17 AM Flag
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please give me your email address, thanks [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:31 AM Flag
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uwssingingteacher@yahoo.com [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:53 AM Flag
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sounds made up [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:55 AM Flag
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actually, I'll be completely frank. My regular email contains my name which I'd rather not post on UB. If you email this address I'll then give you my regular email. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:59 AM Flag
[ - ] i need a 40th birthday gift for a male friend. he is into baseball (yankees fan) and military history. would rather not do a book (kind of boring). any other ideas? thanks! 4 Replies [ Reply | Watch | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:02 AM Flag
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Boxed set of Band of Brothers dvd. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:03 AM Flag
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what kind of military history? My dad is a huge WW2 fan and I got him the flag that flies over Pearl Harbor. The changes the flags daily and sell it with papers confirming it was original. He loved it. Also for the baseball side of it, if you were able to get to the Javitz center today or tomorrow, they have this huge fan festival there and lots of autographed items [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:07 AM Flag
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^^^meant THEY CHANGE [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:07 AM Flag
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lap dance with your pearl thong? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:16 AM Flag
[ - ] Anyone else in this situation? I am 37 yrs old - mom and dad are 71 and 61 yrs old and have NO MONEY. I help support them - I work full time. I am very worried about what to do when/if I stop working since I amy want another child. Other issue is health - I am starting to think about my parents not being here - how will I handle? (I suffer from anxiety/depression). My mom does not take care of herself at all - overweight, high blood pressure, never goes to Dr. and I can't change her no matter what I do. 1 Reply [ Reply | Watch | More
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Newborn 07.14.08, 09:02 AM Flag
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My mother is also overweight and doe snot take proper care of herself. Also very concerned about her finances and the potential for having to support her. I think what works best for me is that I remind her how important her health is and that she needs to start to pay attention to those things if she would liek to see her grandchildren grow up and to be an active part in their lives. For me it is also pretty stressful thinking about her mortality but I try not to focus on that and only plan for nice things. I guess that is putting me in some denial of it ever happening but ti seems to work for now. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:10 AM Flag
[ - ] What are some good movies to show a 3 yo? My dd seems to be afraid of most movies. I just can't think of anything to bring for a long trip for the DVD player. 20 Replies [ Reply | Watch | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:58 AM Flag
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My Neighbor Totoro. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:01 AM Flag
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cinderella. dd LOVES it. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:03 AM Flag
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She is not scared by any of the scenes? Mine is terrified of everything! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:07 AM Flag
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what do you mean? which scenes, how so? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:08 AM Flag
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We started to watch Shrek the Third the other day (probably too much for her overall but it was on) and she got very freaked over almost nothing - there's a scene pretty early on where there are tons of Ogre babies coming in throught he window and that is what freaked her out. She could dnot sit through Lady and the Tramp for more than 5 minutes, 1001 Dalmations, Nemo (we fast forwarded past the first scene). [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:12 AM Flag
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sounds like she needs some non-animated kids movies - go back to the classics - how about Mary Poppins? (Just stop it at a certain point before the Bank scene) [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:13 AM Flag
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I have Mary Poppins - will have to try that out. I think mary comin gin on the umbrella may actually freak her out - she's a very sensitive kid - unsure how she developed that! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:16 AM Flag
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first time she watches sit with her and redirect - asking things about the movie, like, "Do you think Mommy could fly with an umbrella like that"? etc [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:17 AM Flag
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also don't ever say that "this part might be scary" (or something like that) or fastforward parts while you say "this is a scary part" - if you're going to ff, do it before dd is watching [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:29 AM Flag
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have you tried live-action versions of fairy tales (thinking the Rogers & Hammerstein version of Cinderella) or Shirley Temple movies? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:08 AM Flag
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Hadn't thought about that - good idea. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:12 AM Flag
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my 3yo LOVES Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but she thinks it ends when the car flies (before it gets to the land with the child-nabber) [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:15 AM Flag
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Toy Story. Veggie Tales (yes, they have Christian overtones, but they're sweet and funny) [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:11 AM Flag
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The Princess Sing Along DVDs (no scarry parts, just singing), Showy Show is cute and Dora the Explorer. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:15 AM Flag
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My dd who is 4 is scared off all princess movies too because of the mean peopel in them. She likes" My Little Pony, Franklin, all Richard Scary dvd's, Strawberry Shortcake, Dora, Diego, Sesame Street and most of all Dragon tales. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:19 AM Flag
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^^and Max and Ruby...so cute. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:20 AM Flag
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get the Wonder Pets DVD's - they're great and totally non-violent/non-scary [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:27 AM Flag
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Funny, I can't stand the wonder pets. They are so annoying to me. My daughter thinks they're creepy. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 02:45 PM Flag
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Are you familiar with Peep, a cartoon on Discovery/Discovery Kids. Totally adorable. you can usually see an episode on its website www.PeepandtheBigWideWorld.com [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 02:50 PM Flag
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I second Showy Show and Max & Ruby. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 03:05 PM Flag
[ - ] Brangelina twins: Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline? I don't like the boy's name. 7 Replies [ Reply | Watch | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:58 AM Flag
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i do [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:01 AM Flag
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Really Knox? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:02 AM Flag
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I don't either. Gelatin or Fort. But I guess they want to keep with the X in the boys name theme [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:03 AM Flag
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were the babies born? is one a boy? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:17 AM Flag
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yes, on Sat., yes, Knox [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:18 AM Flag
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what an ugly name [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:21 AM Flag
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I completely agree, guess it was the only one they could come up with with an x in it [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:23 AM Flag
[ - ] would you let your 5 yo watch Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure? What about the Star Wars series? How about the Marx Bros? 5 Replies [ Reply | Watch | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:57 AM Flag
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I would need to rewatch Bill & Ted's, so I'm not sure (don't remember it). Maybe on Star Wars. Yes on Marx Bros. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:02 AM Flag
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there's a lot of smoking in the marx brothers movies. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:02 AM Flag
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there's a lot of smoking everywhere, but I doubt smoking (which is usually done for comedic effect) in a Marx Bros movie is going to make a 5yo want to smoke [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:04 AM Flag
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my kids have watched all the star wars movies. they don't entirely sit through them. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:21 AM Flag
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Bill & Ted's might make your 5yo spontaneously say all their annoying phrases over and over... that would be reason enough for me to not show it to my kids. The others, fine, though they might be bored by them [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:26 AM Flag
[ - ] All of the posters who are BITCHING about all of the Anderson posts, one of you started a new post and a lot of you are feeding into it. I bet 75% of the A posts are started by non-A families. It is your own fault! Go be a good parent to your dc and stop wasting your time making fun of those of us who were LUCKY enough to have dc at A. 7 Replies [ Reply | Watch | More
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NY Schools 07.14.08, 08:57 AM Flag
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Huh? what are you talking about? Haven't seen Anderson posts today. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:58 AM Flag
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Read on. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:59 AM Flag
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op: Look a few posts down, you will see. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:00 AM Flag
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what is your dc wearing the first day? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:59 AM Flag
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op; Whatever she wants. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:00 AM Flag
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You so crazy [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:02 AM Flag
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Lord, do you really think this post helps matters? Oy. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:32 AM Flag
[ - ] thoughts about "little red schoolhouse"? recommend it? 1 Reply [ Reply | Watch | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:52 AM Flag
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my kids don't go there but I toured it and liked it. It's progressive (we are at another progressive). I have heard the HS isn't that great but that's hearsay. I say tour it, speak to current families if you can. My kids are there for summer camp and we love their camp [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:55 AM Flag
[ - ] Anyone think about having another baby because you can tell your marriage has gone bad? For me, it would be a third, but my kids are my highlights (I'm FTWOHM, so have other things going on), but DH is so remote and we have drifted apart. I'm not wanting a 3rd to make things better with him, but to have more kids because I love them so much. I know this is a sad post, but surely I can't be alone in this thought? 6 Replies [ Reply | Watch | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:51 AM Flag
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Not a good idea, that will probably make things get worse. Why not go to therapy? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:01 AM Flag
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ITA - Therapy and then look for a new baby daddy. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:02 AM Flag
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Yeah, like thats going to happen [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:39 AM Flag
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That doesn't sound right. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:03 AM Flag
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You will not be able to raise three kids w/o DH's help. You have to fix the problems with him before you should think about having another child. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 09:59 AM Flag
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this sounds like a terrible idea. work on the marriage for the sake of the kids you already have and love. signed, a child of divorce [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 10:07 AM Flag
[ - ] Need a birthday gift idea for a 4 yo boy. Looking to spend no more than $40. TIA 2 Replies [ Reply | Watch | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:50 AM Flag
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anything to build with [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:51 AM Flag
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easy lego set [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 10:00 AM Flag
[ - ] i'm in first tri -- is it possible to get more toned do you think even as I inevitably gain weight with the pregnancy? Please say yes. Was just getting back into working out! 3 Replies [ Reply | Watch | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:50 AM Flag
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how long had you been working out regularly before you got pg? pregnancy makes the ligaments go all funky so I would stick with walking or yoga and no weights. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:52 AM Flag
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a couple months, but i'm not that regular -- sometimes 2x a week sometimes none. that's what is confusing me. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:55 AM Flag
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I was wondering the same thing but since I didn't lift before getting pg don't think it's a great idea to start now. In a regular cardio routine so will try to keep that up but not add anything new. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.14.08, 08:54 AM Flag
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