u/orangecat100

Last season I made 2 small garden boxes (3x4) and at the start of the season saw one had termites and rotted wood. I still used them, but when I made a 3rd box, I decided to use a torch and do the charred wood method to prevent rotting / termites. We are now 2 months in, and we’ve discovered termites in the box. I suppose it wasn’t charred enough?? (The wood is black). I’m so disappointed. I have more wood I was going to use to build more boxes but after this experience, I think I may go with metal or brick. Thoughts? A neighbor of mine who is big into gardening uses treated wood without issue but I’ve read mixed advice on this.

Our district does not allow redshirting (more likely to approve kindergarten retention if needed which I’ve read in the research has worse outcomes for the kid then redshirting).

I’m worried for him. He will be the youngest and I’m concerned about potential struggles k-12. He’s also 5th percentile for height. Im concerned about separation anxiety and social emotional development but I know things will change over the course of the year. He will soon start PreK4 as a 3 year old in September. I’m looking for positive scenarios/ bright spots or anecdotal stories cause I’ve already read research of the negatives.

Any positive stories for someone in a similar situation? Our district does not allow redshirting (more likely to approve kindergarten retention if needed which I’ve read in the research has worse outcomes for the kid then redshirting). I’m worried for him. He will be the youngest and I’m concerned about potential struggles k-12. He’s also 5th percentile for height. Im concerned about social emotional development but I know things will change over the course of the year. He will soon start PreK4 as a 3 year old in September. I’m looking for positive anecdotal stories cause I’ve already read research of the negatives.

Any positive stories for someone in a similar situation? Our district does not allow redshirting (more likely to approve kindergarten retention if needed). I’m so worried for him. He will be the youngest and I’m concerned about potential struggles k-12. He’s also 5th percentile for height. Im concerned about social emotional development but I know things will change over the course of the year. He will soon start PreK 4 as a 3 year old. Looking for positive stories cause I’ve already read all the research and the negatives.

We had a Bosch BMS500 heat pump installed last year.

We have 3 floors, 1300 sq foot home in New York
1)Upstairs /attic area is ducted with insulation in the crawl space
2) 1st floor has 4 mini splits in each room
3) basement has 1 mini split (all electric home).

Heating:
In the winter on very cold days it can be hard to get above 68 F on the 1st floor. Basement never would go higher than 61/62 but it’s a big open space like 800 sq ft. Attic completely overheats and has to be set to a very low temp or turned off.

Cooling:
We don’t use the basement unit. 1st floor easily cools to 70 or less if desired. Upstairs attic area, won’t cool less then 75/76 when it’s in the 80s and sunny outside.

It is 1 condenser with 6 heads.

We’ve had it looked at twice (once in the winter and once recently) and tests were done and things tinkered with. A part of me wonders if it’s just a crappy system that needs to be replaced or more going on that hasn’t been found yet.

I regret the system. Also wish I went whole house ducted. Big investment to be dissatisfied.

If you have any feedback, I’d appreciate it.
Thank you!

I have a few untreated wood garden boxes, one of them clearly has rotted wood, when I was turning up the soil to add new plants for the season, I saw a ton of termites. Do I need to address this? It’s at least 30 feet away from my house (I’d have to measure). I’ve never seen them in my home. My thought was use the box one more season and then get rid of the wood. Thoughts?TIA

I can’t tell you the number of clients I get that fit into these categories that are trying to lose maybe 5-15 pounds. Maybe they’re even at a “normal” BMI but higher than their baseline. Sometimes small changes can be made such as optimizing protein, adding more fiber and having a consistent exercise routine especially with strength training, but often the scale does not budge. I’m not one to regularly suggest calorie counting but is that the only option other than accept your new body?? I’m all about body acceptance and do believe there is health at many sizes but I also understand wanting to feel good and lose a few pounds. I personally recently weaned pp 3 years and up 10 lb from my baseline and I can’t get my weight down despite doing all the things (other then tracking calories). So with that being said I’m at a loss for how to guide some people when I can’t figure it out for myself. TIA.

My son is currently 3 and thriving in a 4-day, half-day private preschool. It is very gentle and play-based. Next year he qualifies for our town’s fully-funded Universal Pre-K, but after visiting, I’m concerned.

It’s a 6-hour academic day with worksheets they send home. It feels intense likely to prepare them for Kinder. There’s also no dropping your kid off at the classroom (it’s a drop at the front doors and leave). Feels so cookie cutter and not meeting the child where they are at. I worry that forcing this level of rigor so early will lead to burnout and ignore his social-emotional needs. My instinct is that he needs more time for unstructured play and co-regulation from teachers with a smaller class size (1:5/6 compared to 1:7-9)

We are considering keeping him in his private school, though it’s a financial stretch. I've also thought about redshirting him pending how the next year goes to protect his childhood (if the town would even allow it.

Has anyone else chosen a slower, more responsive path even when "free" traditional schooling was available? How did you balance your child’s need for a low-pressure environment with the reality of modern education? I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.

My son will be going to kinder in 2 years. Next year he qualifies for Universal PreK (fully funded for any child interested in our town). He would be 3 when starting. I visited the school and it feels so rigorous for such a young kid. It’s a full day 6 hours, it’s lots of learning to prepare for kinder. My son is currently enrolled in a private pre school half day 4 days a week and absolutely loves it. I worry that he will get burnt out before kinder. They even send kids home with practice worksheets. I want him to play and be a kid while he’s so little.

Then kinder is also a long day. It feels so cookie cutter with how education is in this day and age. I think by 6-7, when they’re more mature all this rigor will be fine but to expect this of 4 and 5 year olds? (And 3 and 4s if they have late birthdays)…

I’ve thought about redshirting if the town will even allow it.

Obviously I’ll wait to see how he’s doing in preK next year before deciding but I guess ultimately I’m now deciding between - universal preK program vs private preK which financially is more difficult. I can’t stop thinking about this and just feel unhappy with the schooling if we took the traditional route.