I'm in a different district, but I know the systems pretty well, if you need anything, LMK. If you tell me which school, I may know someone there too.
As for all that, it's normal. It sucks. For instance, incoming K parents were never told about before/after care until it was full and the waiting list was over 20 people long (we're a very small school/town, so that's a LOT for our town). And they only sent it out because a parent called the district.
DD starts K on 9/5 and I feel so lost about everything.
Like, there's a before and after school program at her school and the application wasn't available till last week. I have it turned in, and I assume I'm good, but the website also says "registration doesn't guarantee acceptance" and I know plenty of other parents in other districts whose before and after care program limits to a certain # of kids and fills up super quickly so I'm kind of low key panicking that I'll be scrambling the week before school starts to get before and after care.
There's a newsletter that we apparently get now, but it's clearly geared toward parents who already have kids at the school. There's an orientation but it's not till 8/28. Info on teachers, lunch programs, etc doesn't go out till late next week.
Is this normal? I feel like I should have a clearer idea what's going on by now.
I relied on neighbors. It’s also my mission over these next couple of years to create a “welcome wagon” on PTO to pair willing parents to be an email/text point of contact for new families to the school, whether they’re newly relocated or first time kindergarten families.
If you can find a school PTO general email, reach out there if you don’t have a neighbor to help. I’m sure they would be happy to help.
StrawberryBlondie if you go back to this time last year im pretty sure I posted the exact same thing.
And then I remembered Facebook groups exist and I found our pta page and asked all my dumb questions and was greatly reassured.
So, I found the FB page for the school and school district, but not a PTA page. I found the Twitter for the before/after care program. The last post on any of them was on 6/6.
Post by eponinepontmercy on Aug 7, 2019 15:46:58 GMT -5
I just booked DD's birthday party at a local arcade place. It's in a month so I really need to get invitations out. Now I need to track down email addresses or phone numbers for all these random children's parents.
I’m thinking of maybe enrolling my 2 year old DD in some sort of class like gymnastics or dance. Just something to do on the weekends to help her get some energy out, and also that doesn’t cost a fortune.
Is she too young? Am I better off just taking her to the playground and the indoor play places to let off some steam?
I’m thinking of maybe enrolling my 2 year old DD in some sort of class like gymnastics or dance. Just something to do on the weekends to help her get some energy out, and also that doesn’t cost a fortune.
Is she too young? Am I better off just taking her to the playground and the indoor play places to let off some steam?
We had sizzli in toddler gymnastics. It was adorable. They jump and do forward rolls and then jump some more.
DS is starting K next month too and we’re so out of the loop too. Luckily my neighbors are old hands at it and there’s a K teacher in the neighborhood who posts occasionally on our FB page. We won’t even complete his registration until tomorrow when he has his physical (summer birthday) and we’re trying to get him moved from PM K to AM K because it fits our after care situation better (onsite aftercare won’t take K students). Such a hassle and AMEN to whoever said school districts haven’t kept pace with modern life.
The district still hasn’t released a supply list either and tax free weekend is over. Nice.
Post by redheadbaker on Aug 8, 2019 22:04:36 GMT -5
We get DS out of bed about two hours after he falls asleep to go to the bathroom. The things he's done in a semi concious state are funny:
- peed in the trashcan (thankfully, there was a liner in it) - went back to sleep on the bathroom floor - sat down at his desk to play Minecraft - tried to take the bath mat back to his room with him (I guess he thought it was his blanket?)
We get DS out of bed about two hours after he falls asleep to go to the bathroom. The things he's done in a semi concious state are funny:
- peed in the trashcan (thankfully, there was a longer in it) - went back to sleep on the bathroom floor - sat down at his desk to play Minecraft - tried to take the bath mat back to his room with him (I guess he thought it was his blanket?)
LOL! My son fell asleep on the floor when we did this too. Kids are hilarious.
H and the boys leave on Sunday to head up north and visit his parents.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to it. Having the house to myself, being able to eat what I want, do what I want, for almost a week is going to be amazing.
I’m thinking of maybe enrolling my 2 year old DD in some sort of class like gymnastics or dance. Just something to do on the weekends to help her get some energy out, and also that doesn’t cost a fortune.
Is she too young? Am I better off just taking her to the playground and the indoor play places to let off some steam?
DD1 has been in gymnastics since 18 months. I like it because it gets her listening to another person, practice with taking turns, etc (I SAH). I think there is some additional value to be gained from a structured class than just going to the playground (plus it’s indoors!) but it’s obviously not a must do or anything.
Today was my kids' last day of camp for the summer; we did four weeks of different camps over the course of the summer, and I think all but one were a lot of fun for them. They had a blast today, so it was a positive note to end the last of their structured, non-mom-time this summer.
We have about a week and a half until school starts. I am wrapping up school supply shopping this weekend and still need to put in a rental order for DD1's violin. I want to take her over to the school next week to walk through her classrooms and practice using the combination locks on the lockers, which the administration encouraged us to do over the summer.
I have been hitting the end of season sales to pick up stuff for the start of school and buying a few things ahead for next summer. Zulily is my weakness, because they have some good brands of graphic tees for kids that are super soft, inexpensive and hilarious/geeky/fit my children's obsessions perfectly.
My kids are going to be at my parents' from a Tuesday to Friday. I was asked to go to a business meeting on Thursday halfway across the country, which would mean leaving home Thursday afternoon and getting back a few hours earlier than my kids on Friday.
I was super bummed, but I just saw the agenda, which was not super relevant to my role. I'm going to try to get out of it. I have fantasies of taking trash bags of toys out of their rooms.
DD starts K on 9/5 and I feel so lost about everything.
Like, there's a before and after school program at her school and the application wasn't available till last week. I have it turned in, and I assume I'm good, but the website also says "registration doesn't guarantee acceptance" and I know plenty of other parents in other districts whose before and after care program limits to a certain # of kids and fills up super quickly so I'm kind of low key panicking that I'll be scrambling the week before school starts to get before and after care.
There's a newsletter that we apparently get now, but it's clearly geared toward parents who already have kids at the school. There's an orientation but it's not till 8/28. Info on teachers, lunch programs, etc doesn't go out till late next week.
Is this normal? I feel like I should have a clearer idea what's going on by now.
My kid starts K on Monday, and despite all of the info, I still feel clueless. Heck, my husband subs at the same school, and we still feel clueless!!!! (Subs generally don’t need to know about lunch payments, car pickup line, whether the school is but free). About two weeks ago we got a call from his teacher, they sent a mailer, and we had “meet the teacher” day on Thursday where everyone brought in their school supplies and the teacher went over some policies. But there’s just so much information and some of it conflicts. I think we understand the big stuff, so the rest i assume will fall into place.
I’m thinking of maybe enrolling my 2 year old DD in some sort of class like gymnastics or dance. Just something to do on the weekends to help her get some energy out, and also that doesn’t cost a fortune.
Is she too young? Am I better off just taking her to the playground and the indoor play places to let off some steam?
No no no no! That's the best time! I had GD1 in toddler tap and ballet at 3 (we moved here at 2) and it is the cutest thing EVAR! lol.
My biggest disappointment was when they had their dance program, she had a long ballet skirt instead of a tutu. I've never gotten over not seeing her little wrigglebutt dancing around as a bumblebee or some such. Instead she was adorable in black with pink almost draping the floor. Little goth fairy.
Orientation for both girls (middle/8th) and high (10th) is during the week DH and I are going to be on our cruise. They're going to be at my ex's for the week, possibly camping and maybe spending a night with their mom to go to an amusement park an hour not far from us. They're having fun spending time with their mom. She's doing well, living with her boyfriend on his mom's property and helping remodel a house there for them to live in. They both want to do orientation but two days driving two hours for a one hour orientation isn't likely to happen.
We had DH's company picnic yesterday. I had to do some last-minute shopping/gift-buying for a couple of the kids and it was raining when I left, pouring by the time I was done. Rained the entire drive down to the location for the picnic (park and petting zoo) and stopped **just as we were pulling into the parking lot**! SOMEBODY was meant to have a picnic, lol. I was worried we would be the only ones there. As it sits, we have enough food to feed an army for a week, even after everyone took their share of leftovers home. Hamberders and hot dogs and chicken boobies for all! (No leftover cookies or brownies though, of course.)
We received our first public school phone alert - the district is doing a simulated active shooter training with first responders at one of the local high schools this week. School isn’t back in session until after Labor Day here so I really appreciate that they do the most intense version of this training now. Fuck this reality though.
Post by cattledogkisses on Aug 11, 2019 17:11:32 GMT -5
Not a mom, just an aunt trying to be a supportive aunt, so I hope this is a good spot for this.
Our 16 year old niece came out as a lesbian to us this weekend. Obviously we love and support her always. Her dad (single dad; mom passed away) is supportive, but I'm afraid that my ILs (her grandparents) will not be so supportive. I think she knows this too, because she said that she does not plan to come out to them yet. I'm wondering if there's something we can do for her to express our support. Sixteen is already a tough age even without factoring in being LGBT. H suggested maybe buying her some rainbow/pride items, but I don't know whether she's comfortable being publicly "out" yet.
Not a mom, just an aunt trying to be a supportive aunt, so I hope this is a good spot for this.
Our 16 year old niece came out as a lesbian to us this weekend. Obviously we love and support her always. Her dad (single dad; mom passed away) is supportive, but I'm afraid that my ILs (her grandparents) will not be so supportive. I think she knows this too, because she said that she does not plan to come out to them yet. I'm wondering if there's something we can do for her to express our support. Sixteen is already a tough age even without factoring in being LGBT. H suggested maybe buying her some rainbow/pride items, but I don't know whether she's comfortable being publicly "out" yet.Ju
Just send her an email or a text: Thank you for telling us. We are so happy for you! She just needs to know you are supportive.
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
So this dress code presumably applies to the elementary school as a whole? 5th grade and below?
Honestly, I'd write a strongly worded email to the principal and follow up with whoever I needed to about getting the wording changed. That they have referenced sex in the dress code for literal children is pretty appalling. I don't agree with those dress code rules in general, but the language about "sexualized" clothing is way too far.
Yes, up to 6th grade. I may have kids there for the next decade, so I'm hesitant to start off our time there by complaining, but I'm considering it.
Not sure where you are in CA, but there was a school district in Alameda County that recently moved to a no-shame dress code, meaning girls won’t be punished for having female bodies.
Post by eponinepontmercy on Aug 12, 2019 6:56:46 GMT -5
DD woke up complaining that her stomach and her throat hurt. I usually try to make her go to camp/ school anyway, because those are her usual "fake illness" symptoms, but I didn't feel like arguing today. Maybe she just needs a mental health day - it was a busy weekend. It actually works out because my throat legitimately hurts and I didn't sleep well.
My younger daughter leaves for college this coming Saturday. I waver between "Hooray!" and "Wah, where did my baby go?!?" She moves in a week early to accommodate band camp (she made it onto their color guard), and the dining halls won't be open yet. We are brainstorming this week on foods that she can prep in her room with just a microwave and tea kettle, since hers is a freshmen dorm with no cooking facilities.
My older daughter came out to me as bi almost a year ago. She has recently started a relationship with a woman she's known for 3 years. So now they get to navigate the waters of not only a same-sex relationship, but an inter-racial relationship. Daughter told me that B., for the first time ever in a new relationship, didn't feel like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. She has met my parents (calls them Grammy and Grampy), my sister and her family, and apparently we were all welcoming enough that she lost some apprehension.
Post by 5kcandlesinthewind on Aug 12, 2019 9:40:17 GMT -5
We had to take my son to Urgent Care last night because he fell running in our house and cut his knee. I thought I was being overly cautious, but he ended up with three stitches. My ILs called this morning to check on him, and he got all sniffly on the phone and said, "I got a hole in my knee!" He is currently alternating between acting normal and being as pathetic as possible as soon as he remembers he can get away with it, so I think he'll live.
Post by Velar Fricative on Aug 12, 2019 9:50:20 GMT -5
Starting today for the next two weeks, DH is doing every kid dropoff and pickup. I felt so weird leaving for work only 20 minutes before I'm supposed to get into my office this morning.
Transitional kindergarten. They offer it in my state (CA) for kids who are within three months of the cutoff for kindergarten.
i loathe TK ... what was supposed to be a temp program for kids born between the old cut off of 12/1 and the new cutoff of 9/1 has somehow been made permanent. TK is ONLY for kids born between 9/1 and 12/1. So if you have a late spring or summer birthday your new 5 year old will be in kinder with kids turning 6 w/in the first month of school who have already had a year of 'school' so to speak creating imo an unfair advantage.
i just wish they'd do away with the program as it was designed to be temporary until the cutoff dates caught up. the 9/1 cut off date has been in place for quite some time.
DD starts K on 9/5 and I feel so lost about everything.
Like, there's a before and after school program at her school and the application wasn't available till last week. I have it turned in, and I assume I'm good, but the website also says "registration doesn't guarantee acceptance" and I know plenty of other parents in other districts whose before and after care program limits to a certain # of kids and fills up super quickly so I'm kind of low key panicking that I'll be scrambling the week before school starts to get before and after care.
There's a newsletter that we apparently get now, but it's clearly geared toward parents who already have kids at the school. There's an orientation but it's not till 8/28. Info on teachers, lunch programs, etc doesn't go out till late next week.
Is this normal? I feel like I should have a clearer idea what's going on by now.
completely normal. i've been fielding questions from incoming TK and K parents on my dd's school's PTA FB page about all sorts of things.
Transitional kindergarten. They offer it in my state (CA) for kids who are within three months of the cutoff for kindergarten.
i loathe TK ... what was supposed to be a temp program for kids born between the old cut off of 12/1 and the new cutoff of 9/1 has somehow been made permanent. TK is ONLY for kids born between 9/1 and 12/1. So if you have a late spring or summer birthday your new 5 year old will be in kinder with kids turning 6 w/in the first month of school who have already had a year of 'school' so to speak creating imo an unfair advantage.
i just wish they'd do away with the program as it was designed to be temporary until the cutoff dates caught up. the 9/1 cut off date has been in place for quite some time.
Yeah that's a fair point, and I am a little worried that my kid will be over-prepared for kindergarten - I feel like she's ready now and would send her this year if I could.
On the other hand, if TK wasn't an option, my kid (and presumably most of her classmates) would be doing another year of preschool instead, which would probably have a similar curriculum. So from a readiness perspective, TK probably benefits kids without access to preschool, and doesn't make too much impact on kids with access to preschool.
Post by downtoearth on Aug 12, 2019 12:25:45 GMT -5
We don't go back to school until August 28. I am excited that we still have so much summer break left to not get into a routine yet.
My 8th grader lost two teeth in the past couple weeks - that is so weird. They aren't even molars, he's just so late losing teeth. Unluckily he still has one baby tooth that has to be pulled next week b/c the adult tooth is coming in behind it.
My middle kid has long "hippie" hair and is learning how to make man-buns and pony tails on his own. I secretly love it when he makes man-buns. I can't let on or he'll think it's uncool.
My youngest is super grabby and snuggly for the past 4+ weeks with me - I think it's probably a reaction to sleeping over at his dad's part time and at mine part time, but it also might not be. I just keep giving him tons of love, but he also sometimes ventures into hurting me when I try to get away. I'm not sure how to address this. I'd love to figure out how to make him feel comfortable, but also not get frustrated when he is just dragging me around or jumping on me when I least expect it. Any advice? He is 6 almost 7 and headed to 1st grade if that helps.
DD starts K on 9/5 and I feel so lost about everything.
Like, there's a before and after school program at her school and the application wasn't available till last week. I have it turned in, and I assume I'm good, but the website also says "registration doesn't guarantee acceptance" and I know plenty of other parents in other districts whose before and after care program limits to a certain # of kids and fills up super quickly so I'm kind of low key panicking that I'll be scrambling the week before school starts to get before and after care.
There's a newsletter that we apparently get now, but it's clearly geared toward parents who already have kids at the school. There's an orientation but it's not till 8/28. Info on teachers, lunch programs, etc doesn't go out till late next week.
Is this normal? I feel like I should have a clearer idea what's going on by now.
Besides the afterschool stuff, that's exactly where we're at (we need to register for before/aftercare a FULL YEAR ahead of time if we want a slot, so I don't presume to be the norm there).
L starts K on 8/26. He finds out his teacher and has orientation on 8/22. B/c it's a public school they are still getting registrations in, so wait as long as possible to set classes, to avoid having to make a bunch of shifts if they have an influx of registrations. I have a flier on the lunch program I picked up when I registered him back in the spring, but haven't been able to sign him up for it yet. So yeah. Samesies.
Post by 2curlydogs on Aug 12, 2019 13:31:45 GMT -5
H and the kids made it up north, though S threw up about 10 minutes from the house. Hopefully it was just motion sickness and not a stomach bug or something. I haven't heard from them since then.
So, I posted in the weekly randoms that I spent hours yesterday cleaning out my kitchen. That's one of those things that is next to impossible to do with my kids here. My kitchen smells so delightful as a result.
Tonight I'm doing their toys, games, puzzles and art supplies. Or, starting on them at least, as I expect this will take several hours more than the kitchen did.