We had a great weekend. We told the kids to the bookstore. It’s their second time being in a retail establishment since March. The first was to adopt our cat. They did great. Wore their masts, kept their distance.
Sunday we went to a party for one of DD’s virtual learning classmates. They had a snow cone truck and some activities. DS didn’t want to leave. DD enjoyed it and liked seeing her friends.
Weekend was good! I got pretty much all my cleaning/organizing house projects done. The biggest hurdle was swapping over all the kids' clothes to the next size/season. Now their dressers aren't overflowing anymore with old stuff that doesn't fit. The next battle will be stuffed animals. I need to figure out what to do with all of them after I make the kids choose their favorites and ditch the rest.
Today's a super adult Monday. I've got therapy, an initial meeting to work on estate planning with a lawyer, and beau and I are setting up a joint account to use for household expenses and laying out our budget and finances for living together tonight.
I worked, stuck by my computer most of the weekend. I did go visit a friend Saturday night. And DD and I went to Target last night. She finally started Saturday, so that called for an Oreo Blizzard stat. We were starting to get worried that she was such a late bloomer. I guess that is a trait for both kids.
Vent. I need these people out of my house. My house cannot take this much activity. We are always here. The floor is always dirty, even right after cleaning, the bathrooms need to be cleaned twice as much, there is something always sticky on he counter, someone comes through and undoes everything after I do it such as picking up pillows, folding blankets, straightening my bed, picking up towels. I could probably work from home if these other people would get out.
We had a good weekend! We took the kids bowling on Friday afternoon. This bowling alley near us changed ownership hands just before COVID. So they took the opportunity to completely revamp - new restaurant/bar, knocked down walls, etc. They reopened about 2 weeks ago. We were one of 2 families in the place, masks until you were at your lane (and if anyone was near us, we would have worn them). New balls placed at our lane while we were putting on shoes. It was candlepin, not ten pin, so softball-sized balls with no holes - easy to clean.
Saturday DH and I just did a ton of work around the house and the kids ran around the neighborhood all day. I made dinner for us on Saturday night while the kids watched a movie together. Sunday the kids ran around more (lots of Capture the Flag), and DH and I watched football. DH set up a larger TV on our screened-in porch.
Overall, a smooth, relaxing weekend... calm before the storm. DD2 has soccer Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, and Sun this week. DD1 has boxing on Saturday as well. Both have Piano on Tues. Thursday is our only day off and DD1 is already trying to fill it. Nooooo...
twinmomma, we got each kid a fillable bean bag chair for their stuffed animals. Works great to keep them out of sight but within easy reach.
We didn't go anywhere with DD1's quarantine this weekend. Played virtual games with friends Friday night. DH spent most of Sat and Sun priming and painting the basement walls and ceilings. He finished one room completely and I love it. We gave DD2 a hoverboard for her early birthday present so they played on that all weekend. She mastered it quickly and I watch her in awe after I almost broke my neck trying it out.
Post by traveltheworld on Sept 14, 2020 10:07:30 GMT -5
We had a great weekend. Had a birthday party for one of our bubble family moms - everyone had a blast. Then we left the husbands with the chidlren and chilled on a patio with fancy deserts and wine till midnight. It was great.
DS had hockey evaluations all weekend. Then we just chilled. DH took DD to shop for picture day clothes for DS and she picked the cutest outfit for him. It was very endearing.
Post by supertrooper1 on Sept 14, 2020 10:40:29 GMT -5
DS and I had a pretty good weekend. Saturday we went to beau's grandson's 2nd birthday party. Due to poor air quality and the mom being an entitled brat, beau ended up being the only reason I stayed for the party. Yesterday we had a nice visit with my parents. My mom and I played cards while my dad played with DS. I hadn't played cards with my mom in forever and it brought back a lot of good memories from playing cards with her when I was growing up. It did piss me off when I found out that my brother dumped his kids on my parents last week during their online school and they couldn't get the kids into their classroom all week. They have Chromebooks issued from their school and couldn't log on. My mom couldn't help because she was at work and my dad doesn't know how to use a computer, so that left a 2nd and 3rd grader trying get online which didn't happen. I send DS to daycare for his online school because it's too hard for me to WFH and facilitate the meeting times, but I would have gladly helped my niece and nephew if I didn't live an hour away. I feel bad for those kids sometimes at the lack of trying from my brother and his ex-w.
We had another weekend stuck in the house because of smoke. Soccer practice was cancelled, but we managed to sneak in a playdate for DS, a haircut for him Friday, a return visit on Saturday to fix the botch job he got, and some friends over on Sunday.
I think if you were to add up the number of days that going outside for more than getting/to from a place was safe, it would be like 4-5 days total in the last month. The fires by us are out (or close to it) and now we also are the lucky recipients of smoke from other fires. It totally sucks.
The combination of smoke and fall allergies is killing me. My eyes and surrounding skin have never been more tender, to the point of not being able to sleep. DH snored all night, and the combination sucked enough that I ended up in the guestroom, and managed to fall asleep sometime after two... only to shortly be woken up by DS. To say I'm not firing on all cylinders today would be a massive understatement.
Weekend was good - pool, beach, and had our two school pod families over for pizza and swimming Saturday evening. I’m really glad to have connected with these two families that we didn’t know all that well before.
Then this morning I woke up to a text from the pod teacher that she’s not feeling well. Not a huge deal for today, and of course I don’t want her to come if she’s not feeling well, but I’m really hoping she can come the rest of the week. She’s hoping it’s allergies. We don’t have too much smoke from fires down here in San Diego, but it still can’t be good for our respiratory systems.
I think we’ll never have a week go as planned again
Weekend was meh. It rained Sat morning cancelling soccer. DH and DS spent 2 hours cleaning DS's room while I was at work. I came home and took a nap and Sunday was mostly just stuff around the house. Oh we sold popcorn for Cub Scouts. I was going to go to the Sunflower field, but after selling popcorn I forgot until about 3 and they close at 5. Now they are closed for the year, so I missed it womp womp.
Post by mustardseed2007 on Sept 14, 2020 13:42:47 GMT -5
DS had a play date and even though I was texting back and forth with one of DD's friends' mom's she never did accept a play date which made DD a bit sad. We also did a virtual art class through church which DS loved and DD - despite spending time in the afternoon helping me prep the art supplies - had a anxiety fueled metldown when the zoom class started.
Post by librarychica on Sept 14, 2020 17:11:52 GMT -5
I’ve lost my weekend in the haze of my workday, which was insane. Just insanity. I should still be working but I need a couple hours to regain my equilibrium. I will come back after kid bedtime.
It was a good weekend. We went to a local garden to see a fairy house display. Ran around. We were supposed to go kayaking but the weather didn’t hold. We will try again this weekend but I’m not optimistic about the forecast. My backyard has an unplanned pond in it ATM.
I put myself out there a bit regarding my consulting business... and my very favorite local small business has asked me for some help! I don’t have a contract yet but I’m excited!! 😊
Weekend was smoke filled so we barricaded ourselves inside. I deep cleaned my bedroom, did some laundry, watched lots of TV, and started a paint by number canvas.
Our office is still smoke filled and it actually smells better outside than it does inside. I brought my air purifier from home and have it on full blast up front hoping it will help. Between the dense smoke and now dense fog the air quality is beyond crap but I have work so need to work in office the rest of the week.
DD starts her new practice schedule of Tu/Th/F 4-7 today.
My favorite part of WFH is listening to DH.. he is on calls 90% of the time and I have the "lucky" joy of getting to listen in because my brain doesn't shut off.
So I sort of know the conversations he's been having regarding staffing for months, and I'm pretty shocked how calmly he's saying "told you so" without saying "told you so" or sounding like an asshole and honestly.. I'm impressed. It's probably how we've managed to stay married so long. I need that life skill.
Also a vent: work is holding up payment on a bonus that's outside the normal bonus structure (but in writing) until we sign the new compensation policy for this type of bonus.. which apparently they changed at the end of last year and never talked to us about. This bonus will still get paid out under the prior policy and HR is "not sure what the changes are because they didn't draft either policy."
My boss (who probably reviewed the revised before it was finalized but isn't a detail guy) says it's "no significant changes," but I just ran a redline, and the changes in this one aren't favorable on two separate counts.
I know I don't have any choice but to sign it, but it's annoying. This happened at my old company... we had a policy in place, and any time anyone got a significant payout, it came with a policy changes. Womp womp.
Everyone is alive here, and has signed onto e-learning. I am swamped at work, particularly with all of the shifts at the university right now. But will survive somehow.
campermom, I'm so sorry. Sounds like that place just isn't going to work, especially if it's costing you a ton of money. If he's not going to be able to get the work done there, I'd be pulling him and saving myself the cash. He can just as easily not get the work done at home while you're there, right? I think you figured out that you can work from home, not school, right? Remember, it's just kindergarten. He'll be fine if he doesn't get a perfect experience. Can you just unenroll him in public school and "homeschool" a bit to get him basic foundational skills on your timeline?
Please see my K/daycare thread on ML and tell me what to do.
I’m so sorry. Ugh. Can you find another daycare option? While ours has some issues with connectivity and not following up to make sure kids are doing their work completely, it’s nothing like that. As soon as a kid raises their hand an adult is there to help and they ensure everyone is logged on to every class. I’d also call the daycare and tell them each of your issues and ask for a plan to address all of them.
I know with our jobs we can’t support DL at home even while we are WFH so we have to have support, even if it’s mediocre, and daycare is the easiest option for us. We also need to work to pay the mortgage, etc and can’t cut back at work without serious long term consequences. Lots of people are in the same situation so don’t feel like you have to cut back at work as the best answer. If you want to, go for it, but don’t feel like it’s the only option. You could hire a nanny/tutor, find another daycare, form a pod, trade days with another family, shift your work schedule, etc.
campermom, kinder is optional here (maybe everywhere, I have no idea). I'd pull him from that program and the district and either put him in a private kindergarten that can be in person (it usually falls under daycare, so they can be open for in person) or pull him and put him in preschool and supplement an hour a day (which is basically how real homeschooling works at that age.) I honestly can't imagine that either of those options would cost much more than what you're dealing with now.
campermom, I would have daycare move him back to the pre-k class where he will get more help. His teacher can see he needs more and I don't think she will be upset if you make this move and just work with him at home in the afternoons or evenings. Can you work with him while the other 2 kids are at sports? Can his sibs help out even if it is just reading out loud to him while you drive in the car.
Post by campermom on Sept 16, 2020 21:19:20 GMT -5
Thanks everyone. I don’t want do private bc we maybe going hybrid mid October. His K teacher is amazing and so is her assistant. I’ve called for private nannies, SAHM, pods etc and nothing has panned out. Other daycares have a high ratio or are full.
Working in 2 elementaries (we are on day 9 tomorrow) I am finding that Working parents are slowly finding out that daycares are not working for this age. I have 2 neighbors watching it pan out for My kid, and a teacher and assistant who are working FOR my kid while the daycare is floundering.
We had a conf call this afternoon and they gave me a song and dance about how he has his hand up but they think he’s just participating in class. Meanwhile he is asking specifically and appropriately, “will you charge my computer?” I mean I watched it.
Or “my teacher wants to talk to you” and still getting “please wait” for like 24 minutes
Starting tomorrow he will have a sign (laminated exclamation point) that he will hold up only when his teacher tells him thru his headphones that he can, and daycare agreed to respond.
TF is this life.
Also, WPs I’m so proud of him for not losing his cool everyday with this shit. He’s being so polite and asking appropriately. I love his actual school staff so hard right now. They get him.
Post by mommyatty on Sept 16, 2020 21:41:21 GMT -5
campermom, if he’s doing that well with it, could you try letting him do it from home a couple of days next week? Is there the possibility of letting him go to daycare after his school day is over? I know he does better at daycare generally than at home, but maybe if he knows he has daycare in the afternoons to look forward to, that would be better.
Post by campermom on Sept 17, 2020 13:06:40 GMT -5
I updated on page 2 of my thread on ML. Good news. My eyes can’t handle typing it out again.
Now I have irrational worries that I’m developing a brain tumor bc my eyes are blurry when I know in my rational thoughts it’s because I’ve been staring at screens for weeks.
Post by sandandsea on Sept 17, 2020 13:14:54 GMT -5
Try some eye drops. Your eyes are likely dry from the screen/stress/life. Whenever I start getting blurry vision, drops always help. Though I’m a mess trying to put them in!