My kids went back to school today. I’m sad and I miss them and it’s only been 2 hours. And I’m worried about them.
DS is not particularly mask-compliant. Nor is he good about wearing his glasses. Putting them together? Oof. Yesterday I put a new mask on his from primary.com. It goes around his head instead of ears but has no nose wire. I put his glasses on. They didn’t fog. But he wouldn’t keep both on for more than a few seconds. This morning in the car, he puts his mask and glasses on. Instant fog. So he’s wearing a Crayola mask that goes behind his ears and has a nose wire. Here’s hoping his ears survive.
DD is wearing an adult-size Primary mask. Her glasses weren’t fogging but she has a spare from Target with ear loops and a nose wire in case she needs to change.
Post by twinmomma on Sept 28, 2020 10:02:34 GMT -5
mommyatty, Nose wire is a game changer for my girls and their glasses. They basically refuse to wear anything else now that we've realized the wire helps a ton with fogging. Another thing that's helpful is they wear their masks on lanyards at school so that when they get a mask break, it's easy to take it on and off and not lose it.
The teachers at our school have said that mask wearing has gone surprisingly well because the kids are so happy to be back at school and seeing their friends that they just do it. Plus, it's a "school rule" and the kids follow those better than home rules usually.
Post by twinmomma on Sept 28, 2020 10:04:08 GMT -5
I've still got DD1 home with me. She's clearly just got a cold, we have two negative covid tests to prove it, but she keeps ending up with just enough of a fever to keep her home. It's making me crazy.
4 day weekend and I'm not anymore rested or mentally ready for today than I was last week. DD is grumbling about logging on to school because they don't do anything. My dad is cranky and we both have overflowing in boxes from being gone.
For those of you have been doing school away...how long did it take before the teachers started doing actual school? Last week was learning how to navigate google classroom, Epic, classroom rules, and lots of getting to know you games. DD's teacher said this week they would be learning to use the seesaw app.
Post by mrsGreeko on Sept 28, 2020 10:46:12 GMT -5
We are moving to in person and hybrid school this week after 5 or 6 weeks of virtual. In my 3rd grader’s class for virtual it didn’t seem like they did much of anything actually school related. Maybe a few minutes every day. My 6th and 9th graders were both doing actual school work the first week.
My youngest came home from camping with my parents yesterday with a fever and a stuffy nose. His fever is gone (without meds since I don’t do meds for fevers, in case that needs to be said), but he still has a little stuffy nose. Pedi said he can still go to his school orientation tomorrow provided his temp stays normal today. Thank goodness.
I dropped my 6th grader off at a new school she’s never even been inside today for her in person orientation. I think I’m more nervous than she is. We had the kids all at a K-12 charter school until this school year so none of my kids have been in their school buildings yet. And they don’t know anyone and it’s a freakin pandemic so everything sucks. They are resilient though and will be fine.
ETA: and my 6th grader is obviously wearing a mask at school today, but she also wears glasses for distance. And it just occurred to me that she has yet to have had to wear both glasses and mask at the same time so I wonder how she will deal with the fogging. I’m willing to bet she just opts to not wear her glasses. Ugh. Hopefully she’s getting contacts this weekend.
ETA2: and I just found her glasses on the counter so I guess that’s not a concern today. Hopefully the teachers don’t write on the boards, she won’t be able to see it. And she’s shy and won’t say anything.
We started hybrid today. I sent one kid off on the bus!!!! I think the mask will be a lot, but she will be excited and she will get used to it. The school is giving all students 2 cloth masks and a lanyard for outdoor masks breaks.
One kid is starting e-learning (phase 2, I guess I will call it) which is a different teacher and schedule. He still meets with his homeroom teacher 3 times a week, but otherwise is with the new teacher. Luckily his advanced math teacher is the same.
Our school started doing actual school on week 2. Week 1 was probably all getting to know you, review, and tech stuff.
Still virtual this week. Next week is fall break and then we go virtual.
I found out that DS has been secretly been thinking about joining the military after graduation. He will almost be a college sophomore when he graduates high schoo. I have been crying since Sunday morning. I can't even look at him right now. We have saved money since he was 1 for him to be able to go to college worry and debt free and have any career he wanted. My brother and DH's BIL and sister are all military and it sucks. We never see them and barely know our nieces and nephews. My brother is career, and it has been good for him, but we did not grow up with the support DS has. Plus, if VA healthcare is any indication of how vets are treated, I don't want my kid anywhere near it. And with the shape of the country and leadership, I really don't trust joining up at the moment.
Still virtual this week. Next week is fall break and then we go virtual.
I found out that DS has been secretly been thinking about joining the military after graduation. He will almost be a college sophomore when he graduates high schoo. I have been crying since Sunday morning. I can't even look at him right now. We have saved money since he was 1 for him to be able to go to college worry and debt free and have any career he wanted. My brother and DH's BIL and sister are all military and it sucks. We never see them and barely know our nieces and nephews. My brother is career, and it has been good for him, but we did not grow up with the support DS has. Plus, if VA healthcare is any indication of how vets are treated, I don't want my kid anywhere near it. And with the shape of the country and leadership, I really don't trust joining up at the moment.
I’m sorry you are so upset about your DS considering the military as a career. My DH is about to retire out of the military (if he had to go back he wouldn’t have stayed till retirement, but it was 100% the best thing for him straight out of high school because he didn’t have much direction at that time). He does AGR for the National guard now which means we don’t move around. It has its own unique issues in that we aren’t near a base so have no military community and support. But, joining the military doesn’t mean he will stay in forever. Maybe he does 4 years and gets out, maybe he does a few more, or maybe he does the full 20. He will come away with experiences and skills, that can’t be a bad thing. . Or maybe he’s just idly considering it. I considered joining the Navy when I was in college and didn’t actually do it. Lots of people consider it and decide to do something else entirely.
There are ways to stay close to him if that’s what he decides to do. If you make the effort you can still know him. He could also have decided to go to college far away and get a job far away. Or he could end up stationed at the closest base to you.
I have a kid who wants to join up when he’s old enough if he’s eligible (because he has no medical privacy being on military insurance he might not be eligible) so I have had thoughts about it as it relates to my kid and I’ve had thoughts about it as it relates to my DH and I know it’s very complicated in ways that civilian jobs aren’t usually. Maybe ROTC is a compromise that potentially would make you happier?
Post by supertrooper1 on Sept 28, 2020 12:24:02 GMT -5
I wear glasses and feel for all of your kids wearing masks and dealing with fogging issues! It drives me nuts trying to grocery shop and my glasses fog up.
It was a low key weekend. DS and I went to Costco Saturday and then just hung out at home. We went to beau's yesterday to play with the 8 puppies he has right now. They're a couple of weeks away from being sent home and a family came to make their selection yesterday. DS hadn't shown much interest in them until yesterday and he kept getting in the pen with them. He even named two of them and told the family they couldn't take his favorite. I'm in no place to get a puppy and had to keep reminding DS that they were all sold.
Water and sewer lines are being updated today by my house so I'm without water all day. Definitely a FWP, but it's strange not being able to use my water when I want.
Post by twinmomma on Sept 28, 2020 15:04:10 GMT -5
Monday Vent: ExH is still on my health insurance for the next year or so. BUT he also listed ME as the one responsible for his medical bills. I'm assuming because the insurance is under my name? So I just got a big fat bill in the mail for services he had. That is definitely NOT the deal we have. I'm pissed and he better not be screwing with my credit score.
Post by mommyatty on Sept 28, 2020 15:21:04 GMT -5
The kids had a really good day! Both came home bubbly and happy. DS said “Me and about 10 other kids played pirates today!” And DD said all the new kids in her class are really nice. So that’s all good news. DS’s mask is booger-encrusted. Lovely allergies.
Post by sandandsea on Sept 28, 2020 17:10:16 GMT -5
Ds1 is on fall Break this week so he’s home with us. His on site daycare was grouping kids at a different location this week since many are out, different rooms for cohorts still, but we kept him home. He’s been a joy today. He’s been on his iPad and computer playing games and made us lunch, did laundry and took out the trash. I made a list of things he can do to earn money and he’s been very motivated and quiet.
He was even happy to get up and get ready this morning to drop little brother off at school since the little one doesn’t have fall break.
I am happy and sad to hear about so many of you going back to hybrid or full time in person. We are.. not going back this school year likely. Not because we can’t, but because our district is a flipping mess. I’ve been roped into a group of parents that are going to try to force the issue. We shall see. They’re trying to coordinate zoom meetings right now, but I cant work up the effort to care because.. of below lol.
We are currently on vacation for fall break. In my happiest of places, our old college town. I tried so hard not to leave after graduation and I’m still sad that I had to.
"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.”
DH and I had our first date this weekend since the baby was born 4.5 months ago. Outdoor dinner and then walk on the beach from 4-7 pm on Saturday, so we still had to put the kids to bed, and the house was a wreck when we got back, but the kids were happy and so was the new babysitter, so I’ll take it. Babysitter works for one of our school pod families, so we weren’t broadening our exposure at all. I think I’ll ask her to come back every other weekend.
Also big sister of a school pod kid wanted to ‘babysit’ our preschooler in her backyard for an hour Sunday morning. Big kids were at the skate park, preschooler went there, and baby fell asleep on the walk home. So I got an hour to eat breakfast and read my New York Times.
It’s amazing how a little bit of childcare when I’m not working helps me enjoy my kids more when I’m with them!
Little DS now has an in person appointment mid Oct with a psychiatrist in the area who has a good reputation amongst my colleagues. He doesn’t accept any insurance so it’s very pricy but not close to the amount it would be for a full evaluation (which I believe is not necessary) at a children’s clinic that would also not be covered by insurance.
I hope we can move forward with a med trial but I also don’t want to be viewed as a pushy parent who just wants her kid to stop bothering me. I also know that I could be viewed as the anxious mom who has developmentally inappropriate expectations for her child and therefore it must be a diagnosis! He’s come a long way it it really is a result of my constant work with him. I feel like I hold my breathe everyday in order for him to act like a normal kid and end the day exhausted from all the intervening.
Weekend was good. DD1 had the neighborhood crew over for swimming, pizza, and cupcakes for her birthday, which is next week. Saturday DD2 has soccer and a cancelled play date, so she was bummed. Sunday DH golfed for the first time in about 10 years, and I took the kids to see my parents. They’re traveling to visit my new niece and will be gone for a few weeks.
My dad was grumpy when we saw him. He’s having some health issues that he won’t discuss, but I’ve sort of pieced together. He’s been very focused on end of life planning lately, which I’m helping him work through, and it has me a little shaken.
We upped DD1’s meds and it’s making her weepy. She crashes hard in the afternoons. I remember these crashes when she first started, so I’m hoping it’s temporary. She needs the increase.
Post by traveltheworld on Sept 29, 2020 10:21:02 GMT -5
I switched to a new phone yesterday and our IT can't get it to connect to my company network; I can't go back to my old phone as it has been wiped. I've now spent hours on the phone with IT and am about to lose my mind.
On a brighter note, we met with DS's teachers yesterday to go over his IEP and they said they haven't noticed any emotional regulation issues/outbursts at all. They commented that DS does seem very disorganized and has a hard time transitioning between activities. I gave them a little overview of how we handle that at home (visual reminders everywhere, multiple alarms, etc.) and they seem really receptive. And as we were talking, DS had to run back into the class to grab his shoes and water bottle, waved hi to us and ran out of the room without either item; then ran back in again, only grabbed the shoes; and ran back in for the third time to get his water bottle. One of his teachers was like "did he just leave school before without shoes??!" Yes, yes he did. It happens. A lot.
Post by supertrooper1 on Sept 29, 2020 10:21:39 GMT -5
mae0111, my dad lost 2 of his closest friends in the last year so he has been focused on end of life planning too. My parents already had a will but they told me they've been updating it. He's focused on possessions every time I visit and advised me I should charge my brother interest on the money he's borrowed when the assets are divided up. I keep reminding him that I'm not there for his possessions or money but it is tough thinking about when the time comes.
Post by mommyatty on Sept 29, 2020 10:40:27 GMT -5
traveltheworld, why aren’t his shoes ON HIS FEET? Are they spare gym shoes or something? Because omg, walking around a school without shoes seems like an awesome way to get athlete’s foot.
I can relate. DS can only think about one single thing at a time. Like “go put on your pajamas” means half the time he forgets to put on underwear first. And most days that he’s at his grandmother’s, he comes home barefoot, and she’s carrying his shoes.
traveltheworld , things like that are also the standard in our house. DD1's ADHD meds don't kick in until after we leave the house, so mornings are always super chaotic. She doesn't do well with lists. She asks for reminders from me, but then she ignores the reminders 90% of the time, sometimes screaming at me for reminding her (like she asked me to). Then she scrambles and forgets stuff 50% of the time. It's frustrating, and sometimes entertaining, and I'm hoping we can find a groove at some point before she graduates high school.
supertrooper1 , my dad seemed to be doing very well - joined a 65+ softball league, was having a great time, very active. Then I saw him this weekend and he was in a terrible mood. Turns out his dr put him on a keto diet, and he haaaates it. He's not overweight anymore, but he has liver disease. He's never, ever been a drinker, so its diet and possibly genetics. But if his dr is stepping in with this diet, then things are bad. He keeps telling me that he wasn't supposed to live this long. He's about to turn 73, and his mom lived until she was 95. His dad died at 72, but after years of hard living - heavy drinking requiring multiple rehabs back in the 1960's (so very uncommon), heavy smoker. My dad never smoked, quit drinking in his early 20's, but worked extremely hard and didn't always eat well. Their will was drafted in 1977, before my sister was even born. It's terribly out of date. Nothing is in a trust. We've been focused on their cash flow as my mom prepares to retire, but the will, trust, updated health care proxy if necessary are all next.
I've told them repeatedly that I don't want a dime - SPEND IT ALL and ENJOY LIFE. He keeps trying to give me things... one day he was trying to give me my mother's mink. All the reasons I did not take it...
1. I'm 6 inches taller than my mom 2. Ew 3. She still wears it and would be pretty miffed if she went to grab it and it was gone. 4. Ew
Post by traveltheworld on Sept 29, 2020 12:03:03 GMT -5
mommyatty, they have to switch from indoor shoes to outdoor shoes at the end of the school day. DS frequently forgets to put on his outdoor shoes and just walks right out of school in his socks. Once he walked 1/2 block in snow and ice before our nanny couldn't stand it and told him that he had no shoes on.
mae0111, we have a visual checklist taped to the mud room door so that it'd be the last thing he sees before he leaves the house. He also has a laminated checklist hanging outside his backpack that "should" tell him all the things he needs to pack and bring home at the end of the day. He does ok with the mud room list as we remind him to look; but the backpack one is a hit and miss as I think he frequently forgets to look (even though it's hanging ON his backpack and he has to move it in order to zip up his bag).
Another amusing anecdote - DS is now 8 and can't tie his shoes, not because of any fine motor issues, but because he frequently gets distracted and forgets what step he is on and has to start all over again.
We've just come to accept that DS may always need more help with executive function. At least he's pretty good about asking/accepting help.
Post by twinmomma on Sept 29, 2020 14:15:44 GMT -5
traveltheworld, oh man. That sounds exactly like my kids. It's really painful sometimes. Beau is finally understanding the level of steps, breakdown, checklist, and reminders that are required for daily function.
Leaving without shoes on would 100% happen here. I've had to remind DD1 to wear pants before.
mae0111 my mom also has liver issues and has never been a drinker. She cut out most added sugar from her diet and that seems to have controlled it enough that she was able to decrease her medication. But she definitely hasn’t gone full on keto.
A friend swears by Nerdwax fog block to stop the fogging. Also, I’ve had decent luck tucking the mask under the glasses to reduce digging on my sunglasses, but I don’t wear them all day.