u/Delicious_Row_566

I'm an SMBC with two preschool-aged kids. I made the decision a few years ago, when my first was little, to move across the country to the same city as my only sibling and their family. I loved the idea of my kids growing up with their cousins. We get together a couple of times a week, which has been really nice. I know they have their own busy lives (intense careers and two kids), so I didn't expect a lot of hands-on support. In terms of day-to-day childcare, I rely entirely on daycare and babysitters, which is fine.

So, what's the problem? Outside of my sibling + their family, and a really small number of other SMBCs that I've met, I really don't like our life here. It's a very different cultural and political climate from what I'm used to. Bad traffic, but you have to drive everywhere. Public schools are chronically under-funded, and if we stay I will likely send the kids to private. Moving to the suburbs is off the table because that's even more MAGA conservative. I'm doing my best to join progressive organizations and buffer my kids, but I really don't like the idea of them growing up and internalizing the prevailing values around here.

What would you do? My sibling is very unlikely to move, so it seems like I am choosing between them and a culture/lifestyle that fits. Moving back to where we lived previously is cost prohibitive, so I would likely be moving somewhere completely new

I was wondering if anyone is familiar with this approach and willing to share your experience?

I'm the parent of.a 2E little boy (gifted + ADHD). There's a relatively new charter school near us that uses MMGI, and from what I have read, it can work really well for this kind of kid. In particular, I understand that there are short bursts of instruction, and kids are placed based on mastery of a subject, rather than age, which sounds great for a kid with asynchronous development.

Does anyone have any first-hand experience? Are there pitfalls I should be aware of?

A few things that concern me (I'm not a teacher):

1. I know this isn't the predominant approach to education, and it asks a lot from the teachers. The school claims to do intensive teacher training, but I have no idea if that's enough.
2. I'm somewhat skeptical of charter schools in general, just because there isn't the same level of oversight or accountability as public neighborhood schools.

Edit to add: This particular charter school also aims to serve an underrepresented population, so I think a lot of the kids come in with academic deficits. I'm totally fine with that, and would be happy for my child to go to school with a diverse group of kids. However, it makes the differentiated instruction even more important for him

I'm traveling solo to a family wedding this summer with my elderly father and two kiddos (ages 3.5 years and 8 months). We are staying at a hotel nextdoor to the wedding venue. Wedding ceremony starts at 4 PM, and the reception follows (same location). My extended family is excited to see the kids, but I have no idea how well they will behave, or for how long.

I'm thinking of hiring a babysitter to be at our hotel starting when we leave for the wedding until a reasonable time for me to exit (so, maybe 3-9 or 10). I'd bring the kids back whenever they tire out, and then go back to the reception.

Does this sound plausible? I would obviously pay the babysitter for the whole time, even when the kids aren't there. They are OK with bedtime routines at home, but I know that could be more difficult while traveling.

I lurk on this sub, and it seems like a recurring theme, where someone will post a problem or "red flag," and the response will be "report it to licensing."

I'm curious how prevalent licensing violations (+ complaints, investigations) actually are in the real world. Have you ever reported your center to licensing? What for?