I just learned that schools in my city might be (not exclusively but still) abstinence-based, totally omit LGBTQ or reproductive health. The only thing required besides basic biology is HIV/AIDS awareness. I live in a deep blue city and state but the material is just old/unupdated, so even that was progressive…20 years ago.
I don’t have the watch myself so I’m just wondering if there are any downsides (to a middle schooler) of having whatever is the cheapest model (with cellular). I really don’t want my kids getting into health app monitoring (they currently think it’s a cool idea) or similarly innocuous-sounding features.
Are you guys eating greens? I’m not a lettuce person, but I stopped buying spinach (and berries) to be safe, and I have no idea where the country is on that. And then I heard something about rice and I’m just so over it. (I don’t eat beef but I do note that, at this point, there’s a protein, a green and a starch on the sketch list.)
My little ones are horrified by whatever they’ve seen/heard about the landslides in Nepal and Tibet. This comes after them also freaking out about the orange smoke, the floods, and most recently the tornado in Atlantic Beach (we know someone whose cabana was destroyed). But idk what action to suggest that’s practical and will also mean something to them.
This is under “politics” because everything’s political now. Sigh.
Ok so our region had several atypical weather events this summer (none extremely serious, although there were a handful of heat and flood related deaths, and they are inching closer to us each year) and so I can no longer get away with telling the kids that the tragedies on TV aren’t something to seriously worry about. My 10yo was literally screaming when she saw videos of the landslide. My 13yo started googling polar ice caps and calculating “how many years until” this or that. Sigh.
But they both want to get involved. I had already borrowed one of Greta Thunberg’s books from the library, so I had them take a look and asked them to tell me what they think they can do. This also buys me time because saying stuff like “recycle” sounds ridiculous, and “use less plastic” is too abstract. It’s in our clothing at this point. Anyway, any suggestions? (This experience also showed me how I’d given up on climate in a lot of ways that I’m not proud to admit.)
Second, based on what little I’ve read about El Niño, next year is going to be a lot worse. How is everyone preparing their children to psychologically handle even seeing this stuff, much less preparing for it, much less experiencing it?
And related question— does anyone have a “go bag” or significant food pantry?
PS Enter politics— so they just went to YouTube and it looks like every Greta Thunberg-related video is about how she’s a whiny dramatic farce. Enter side discussion on algorithms…
To the parents of budding musicians— when do you decide whether or not to more aggressively pursue admissions to one of these schools (or their ilk)?
I know that even the three that I mention are vastly different, and frankly, I feel lost. I don’t want to increase my private instruction budget with unrealistic goals. I don’t want to start practice-commuting with my preteens to an inconvenient location if our zoned school (which had a pretty good music program) is almost certainly their destination. And if I put MY emotional eggs in that basket, I know that, however I try to hide it, they will sense my disappointment if it doesn’t happen. (They’ll certainly notice, for example, that we have less disposable income along with those extra lessons.)
I’ve heard of families taking their keyboards on vacation with them and I’m not sure I want to spend middle school doing that sort of thing.
And what role, if any, does NYSSMA play?
We are embarrassingly late to establishing a consistent chore schedule with our 10 and 12yos. We’re always in so much of a rush that my partner or I pick up the slack so that we get going. And now that’s thrown off consistent issuance of allowances.
Related (but I think we need to work it out now, too) is the popularity of gift cards and Robux. They’re not interested in money except buying snacks in the supermarket.
Anyone else feel that babies are bearing the brunt of the overall increase in noise? Like I mean that people seem more apt to get openly pissy in public when around a crying child when the real noise pollution is in the construction and emergency vehicles? I have a bee in my bonnet about the increased decibel level of emergency service vehicles and my theory is that the “city sounds” are too much, and leave no room for any unsolicited human sounds.
I want to head out there (either via train or ferry) but I don’t know where to go! Which beach(es) are best for families and near food? Also, are there umbrellas or showers?
I feel lost figuring out how to set up my tween’s first phone. I’m not ready for social media yet, I’m concerned about YouTube (but I suspect that there’s no avoiding it) and I’m concerned about overnight use. (I don’t want to restrict overnight use altogether, in case of emergency when we’re apart).
And then, how does one begin to teach about the dangers of blithely clicking “yes” to pop ups, or replying to text scams?
And anything else! I’ve never felt so old!
Where is everyone buying shoes for their kiddos? I’ve been ordering online but I’m getting tired of the returns process. And the last time I went to DSW, I got whatever was left that fit, which is a very small Venn diagram.
Our daughter sees a speciality provider who has done wonders for us in terms of academic challenges, accommodations etc. I made an etiquette-related faux pas (is that phrasing redundant?) and would like to bring her a gift to today’s appointment.
A friend said to get Tate’s cookies, which seems kinda cheap but cute in the gift-that-counts way. Another said a Sephora gift card but should I assume that all women are interested in shopping there, also how much?
Ted Gioia appeared on PBS NewsHour and got me interested in Hendrix. I’d like to learn ,ore about musicianship. Any book recommendations? Thanks all.
I’ve gotten bored with my usuals in news in general. There’s so many ways in which the world is interconnected but we hear very little about most of it.
Also, I don’t really have any parenting shows that I like. Travel, mental health generally and screen-related, and education (specifically anything Project 25-adjacent and anything AI) are other areas lacking for me, and then (I’m sad that it occurs to me last) happy stories.
The mini fridge is more important, as is <$300/night.
My kids are having actual nightmares about climate emergencies and I find myself without anything to reduce their stress (other than suggesting we use less plastic or that they join their school’s environmental clubs, both of which were laughable suggestions).
I’m sorry if this is inappropriate but idk who to ask: I have an ancient upright that I don’t want and I also don’t want the recipient to get hurt moving it. People who have responded to my fb post don’t seem to know much about pianos and think that all it requires are 4 hands (hehe), like it’s a couch or something, and then there’s my sunken living room and porch stairs. What’s the etiquette? Can I ask for proof of insurance?
I don’t want to administer Tylenol unnecessarily but my daughter has been complaining of headache all afternoon and asking for tea and I feel like this is so foreign that maybe it could be justified???