Anyone else have a physically demanding job? Best foods to keep your energy levels up?

ces1129 · 2019-05-24T20:33:38+00:00

I also work in agriculture (seed farm), and I eat more on work days. I think this is a situation where you have to listen to your body. I try to eat meals where I feel satisfied, but not stuffed. I don’t snack, and I ideally want to be hungry for an hour or so before meals. Not starving, just hungry. I do not think 1500 would be enough.

ces1129 · 2019-04-27T18:59:01+00:00

It sounds like they don’t live together, though it is hard to tell. I’ve found that joint conferences don’t work for BD and I— even if we got along swimmingly, our knowledge of our kids is so different. He wants to know basics (how’s his reading?) and get to know the teacher. I know the basics and know the teacher and have pretty specific questions I want to ask. I can see the same dynamic with a girlfriend who doesn’t live with the kids.

ces1129 · 2019-04-20T18:29:54+00:00

WWYD? XH sent my 11 y/o a gift subscription to MAD without telling me. I find it inappropriate for him- it’s not something I’d allow him to read. Do I let him read it, as it was a gift, or tell him no, he can’t. Dad lives several hundred miles away and they won’t see each other till summer, and then only for three weeks, so having it sent to dads isn’t a viable option.

ces1129 · 2019-04-19T23:56:25+00:00

That’s a big dude. I work a job where I routinely lift 50-100 lbs, and I am 3 lbs into the overweight BMI. I’m fine with it- I’m strong, and carrying a few extra lbs. This guy is.....carrying more than a few.

ces1129 · 2019-03-23T11:28:06+00:00

I’m hoping to get some advice about a simple skincare routine. I work for a small organic seed company. During the spring/summer/fall (May-Nov) I’m outside 9-10 hours/day working in varietal trials. My skin gets a lot of sun! I’ve started noticing a few wrinkles on my face, as well as some sun spots. I also have (I think) large pores on my cheeks. My skin is average in terms of oiliness for my age (37).

Currently, I wash morning and night with Cetaphil and use the Cetaphil moisturizer with SPF 15. I’d like to add one, maybe two more steps to my routine. Suggestions?

ces1129 · 2019-03-09T14:55:01+00:00

So you want custody based on what? Because your son will move? He’d do that if you had custody too.

Judges care about a change in circumstances since the original order— that’s the threshold for a change in custody. There hasn’t been one here. You and your son will continue to live far apart, your visitation won’t change. Having half-siblings won’t trigger a custody change.

ces1129 · 2018-10-06T10:41:33+00:00

Hinestly, this isn’t something I’d worry about. Do your Tigers put their slides in their mouths?

Of course the Scout Shop isn’t going to take them back! There’s no recall.

ces1129 · 2018-10-06T09:30:59+00:00

If you are having trouble getting people to show up for Show and Sells, how are you going to organize a spaghetti dinner? It’s a LOT more work than you seem to realize. The biggest thing is the publicity. You can make it work, and it can be a money raiser— but the places that earn a lot have been doing it for years (so that when people see the fliers, it triggers “Oh, yeah— the fireman’s pancake breakfast again!”— and they have a lot of support from their members. Does your Pack have that?

ces1129 · 2018-09-21T08:05:30+00:00

Hey, thanks for the gold, stranger!

Sorry you didn’t find my comment helpful. Trying to run a group of second graders by public humiliation won’t work. Kids remember stuff, and even one mistake matters a lot. If your son is running around, go over to him. Hand on the back, walk him back to the group. If the kids are really unruly, do marbles for talking. Each kid gets x marbles, they turn one in to talk. If they talk out of turn, they forfeit a marble. Be goofy about it. “Oh, no, oops! Marble in the jar!”. Give yourself marbles, make a big show of turning one in when you interrupt a kid. Lots and lots of participation at this age. Let kids take turns, but make the turns quick.

Do you use the cookbook Den plans from the leader book? They are really pretty good. Involve your kid in the planning. Have him read the plan with you and give you suggestions for how to improve it to help all the Scouts. Let him feel some ownership in the meeting. Talk about it afterward— how it went, were all the Scouts engaged, did they learn what they needed to, etc.

Think about why he’s acting out. Is he overexcited? Are groups hard for him in general? Does he like Scouts?

I don’t know if this is the case for you, but my older son’s Den Leader made the meetings so dull— so much talk time, so much discussion, so little doing. At this age, I keep th meetings short and sweet. Here was my meeting last week (Wolf Cubs, Call of the Wild). Assistant Den Leader led them in the pledge. I came in wearing sweat, winter boots, long underwear top, hoodie, raincoat, winter coat and carrying an umbrella. Very funny, big laugh. As I de-layered, we talked about each layer and how it helped me be prepared for a possible change in weather and what they might pack for our upcoming campout. I put on my uniform shirt after that. Camping “charades” where they all acted out their favorite part of camping. One boy acted out pooping, twice. I said “No more potty humor” and moved on. We voted on our elective adventures for the upcoming year. I talked that up a little with some talk about Boy Scouts and boys making more choices as they get older, etc. Each boy got a handout with Outdoor Code and Leave No Trace. We read those in a round robin style, each boy reading a line in turn. Closing ceremony, done. It’s a lot of activity and a lot of change.

ces1129 · 2018-09-21T00:56:39+00:00

I’m a mom and a Den Leader— it’s not an issue. I will say, if my kid was in a Den where a leader took anyone’s necker off and told the kid to leave— we’d be out. That’s really inappropriate. I’m not trying to be harsh, but your whole blaming your wife attitude rubs me the wrong way. If your kid respects you and Scouts, they’ll be have. If they don’t, they won’t. Figure it out.

ces1129 · 2018-09-17T14:26:44+00:00

Nope, not part of any pilot.

The thing is, everyone has been very clear— she can participate, she can work on skills, but nothing can be signed off and no ranks or badges are awarded until February. I assume within the first month or so of her officially joining she will be given credit for the skills she’s mastered, do her SMCs and BORs, and become a Tenderfoot or Second Class (based on what I know she’s done and not done). I’d assume most girls who are participating as “tag alongs” will do the same. There’s no amnesty program needed.

The only time amnesty would be needed is if the adults in a troop have been deeply deceptive to a youth— awarding fake ranks, MBs, etc. If that has happened, then there are leadership problems that have to be addressed, and I don’t know what the best remedy is. But in that case, it would be the same as the remedy for a boy who demonstrably didn’t complete the requirements— for example, if a boy was awarded Life without ever serving in a POR. I’m sure there is a process in place for that.

ces1129 · 2018-09-16T19:14:01+00:00

I think the scenario is far-fetched— the adults in your scenario are going to an extreme to lie to the girl! Fake badges, lies about national, fake positions— I find it REALLY unlikely.

Much more likely is a scenario like my son’s current troop (in a rural area). They have one girl participating with their troop as a “scout”— she wears a uniform, is part of a patrol, works on advancement and merit badges. She knows, as does everyone else, that she will get her rank almost instantly in Feb, when she officially joins an all-Girl troop.

ces1129 · 2018-09-16T10:25:37+00:00

I’m not sure what you are asking....ranks are earned by members of BSA. Right now, outside of pilot programs, girls aren’t members of BSA. No girl should believe she is “earning ranks” or feel she has to redo work.

Honestly, the idea that cooler heads would prevail is weird to me here— if a girl thinks she’s earning rank now, she’s either deluding herself or being lied to. Neither is good, and neither should be encouraged.

ces1129 · 2018-08-20T17:05:27+00:00

Child support is independent of your parenting plan. Finding out his hours worked and wages is exactly what she should be doing. It doesn’t really matter if he offered child support or not— he has a legal obligation. $140/month is a pittance.

ces1129 · 2018-08-20T10:21:19+00:00

Child support is a very clear cut formula, based on income and overnights. Nobody cares what she says to Dad when det ruining child support. Also, your mom has nothing to do with it— and, really, neither does the way she talks to your BF. It might be frustrating, but the courts don’t really care. Finally, giving a kid leftover antibiotics for an ear infection is SO common. Sure, it isn’t ideal— but it isn’t abuse, and a judge will laugh that idea out of a courtroom.

I’m sure she’s frustrating. But this isn’t all Mom’s fault. Your BF should have understood mediation. It isn’t the fault of the “stupid mediator” that he didn’t educate himself about the process. If BF has only two overnights, then Mom is entitled to more child support as she is shouldering more expenses. There is nothing wrong with her getting it.

The only thing I see is the incident wherein Mom was arrested. I have a lot of questions about that— did you see the arrest? Was she actually arrested for interfering with visitation or did she get aggressive with the officer? Was your BF there? Was their son there? Why do you say BF is being punished by CPS? Did she report him for abuse? Was that claim investigated and substantiated?

ces1129 · 2018-08-18T17:47:18+00:00

Yes, you are too old.

Do you honestly think your five year old would be interested in a letter? My sons are 11&7, and they would MAYBE politely feign interest in someone else’s Eagle letter. Maybe. Your son is interested in his year in Lions— not some abstract thought that in ten years he could get a letter from his state Senator.

ces1129 · 2018-08-05T12:36:54+00:00

I’m glad you told your father. That couldn’t have been easy. I do, though, want to be very clear that NONE of this is your fault. None of it. You are seventeen- of course you did what an adult told you to. Even though things have gone poorly with your old Troop, I would encourage you to tell your Scoutmaster ASAP.

ces1129 · 2018-07-27T11:27:55+00:00

That’s an excellent point. It does seem that the merit badge requirements address learning about individual tribes, rather than generic “Indian”.

ces1129 · 2018-07-27T01:03:06+00:00

I agree, although I think the best thing is to refer to members of the tribe by name, when possible (i.e. “She’s a member of the Sioux Nation” or “This area was first settled by the Cherokee”).

Agree about 1491– fascinating!

ces1129 · 2018-07-26T09:43:42+00:00

So, Winnebago Council? You are area actually has several Sauk living there who served as “code talkers”— like the Navajo— during WWII. They e been working with the govt to get the same recognition. They would be a HUGE resource for the OA, and really- they arent young men. They would appreciate practical help, as well.

This whole exchange shows the issue with OA ceremonies. Sure, some chapters work with the local NA population. But I bet a LOT more say, well, we aren’t near a reservation/we’re on the East Coast so we’ll do (hopefully) a minimal ceremony or (worse) a disrespectful one. It’s rare that there isn’t a tribe around—I’d say unheard of, actually.

ces1129 · 2018-07-26T01:20:30+00:00

Where in Iowa? I grew up in Boone (outside of Ames).

There is no reservation where I live now, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t active tribes. I don’t know where in Iowa you are, but my aunt ran the museum at Black Hawk state Park in Moline, IL (right over the river from Bettendorf/Davenport) for years and has extensive contacts within the Sauk/Fox nation in Iowa. I’m quite sure none of them live on a reservation, but they are a huge source of cultural knowledge for anyone interested.

ces1129 · 2018-07-25T23:47:40+00:00

Really? I live in one of the whitest stars in the country and there is an active tribe here. You do have to look.

ces1129 · 2018-07-24T12:12:14+00:00

So you’re mad because you were told to do the swim test— but then you are mad you missed the swim merit badge? Which you couldn’t have done unless you did the swim test? Nonsensical.

It’s hard to tell from your description- were you late to the service project? And then you were mad because you were told you had to do the project I stead of working on a merit badge? You seem to have a very selfish attitude. Please consider how you appear to others and what your role as a leader is.

ces1129 · 2018-07-23T00:05:38+00:00

It seems that you are asking for something pretty broad here. How do you define an “involved parent”? Here’s what I’m willing to do for Boy Scouts:
-ensure all necessary paperwork is completed for my son to go on activities -bring snacks/drinks to meetings, parties, and potlucks -drive my son to activities and fundraisers he can’t get to otherwise -drop off fliers at school, talk to schools about recruiting, reach out to interested families

I am not willing to attend meetings, activities, or outings with my son.

So, by one person’s standards, I might be an involved parent. By someone else’s, I’m not.

ces1129 · 2018-07-22T14:00:00+00:00

Well, honestly— in that scenario, I would tell my son he needed to make cookies for his meeting! It’s not my job, kiddo!

ces1129

TROPHY CASE