• Cyburbia is a friendly big tent, where we share our experiences and thoughts about urban planning practice, the built environment, planning adjacent topics, and anything else that comes to mind. No ads, no spam, and it's free. It's easy to join!

NEVERENDING ♾️ The NEVERENDING Raising Children Thread

Maister said:
I recall when the State passed a law that school districts could NOT start before Labor Day. Why, you may ask? The tourism lobby (the third largest industry in the state) argued that more families on Labor Day vacations meant millions more of touro-dollars that were being lost to children acquiring knowledge a week or two earlier.
Click to expand...
Our state tried to move the mandatory start date to the 3rd week of August because the Gulf Coast areas wanted to maintain tourism and needed high school kids to keep working. It lasted a year before the rest of the state rebelled.

A county north of us actually started on July 30th which I thought was little early unless you're on a year round schedule. Most systems in our state now have at least one holiday/workday per month plus a 3 day fall break in October, Spring Break in March, and the southern half of state takes a couple of days off for Marti Gras.
 
As of the beginning of this past July, my 20 yr old nephew moved out of this parents' house to the other side of their State and now my brother and SIL are officially empty-nesters at the ripe ages of 51 & 46, respectively.

Me (still with 3 in HS - 10th, 11th, 12th):
Wait Goodbye GIF by Silicon Valley
 
mendelman said:
As of the beginning of this past July, my 20 yr old nephew moved out of this parents' house to the other side of their State and now my brother and SIL are officially empty-nesters at the ripe ages of 51 & 46, respectively.

Me (still with 3 in HS - 10th, 11th, 12th):
Wait Goodbye GIF by Silicon Valley
Click to expand...
You know you'll miss 'em like hell when they move out ...
 
kjel said:
Depending on the diversity of the school district you may end up with Hindu, Muslim, or Jewish holidays off too (Diwali, one or both Eids, Yom Kippur & Rosh Hashanah).
Click to expand...

We usually get at least either the first full day of Rosh Hashanah or the last full day of Yom Kippur off - or maybe it's the last full day of Rosh Hashanah or first day of Yom Kippur? I can never remember. I just know that it was a few years into having kids in the schools here that I realized that our random day off around the end of September or early October coincided with one of the Jewish high holy days

There are a couple districts around here that have a lot more Jewish students and they get a bunch of days off.

I would imagine there are more than a few districts in Metro Detroit that probably get time off during Ramadan. There are a few areas here with a lot of Indian and South Asian students though I'm not sure if those districts have time off for Diwali.
 
Last edited:
My friend who teaches in a nearby ISD went back this week to get her classroom ready. Students return next week.
 
WSU MUP Student said:
We usually get at least either the first full day of Rosh Hashanah or the last full day of Yom Kippur off - or maybe it's the last full day of Rosh Hashanah or first day of Yom Kippur? I can never remember. I just know that it was a few years into having kids in the schools here that I realized that our random day off around the end of September or early October coincided with one of the Jewish high holy days

There are a couple districts around here that have a lot more Jewish students and they get a bunch of days off.

I would imagine there are more than a few districts in Metro Detroit that probably get time off during Ramadan. There are a few areas here with a lot of Indian and South Asian students though I'm not sure if those districts have time off for Diwali.
Click to expand...
West Bloomfield surely gets the high holy days off and then some. Dearborn gets Ramadan and Eid off.
 
This summer is probably the last stretch of time The Girl will be living at home. She starts her final year of grad school in a week.

Last night we did something nostalgic - went to the baseball game as a family. She went to her first game there at 6 weeks old. Over the years growing up, she's changed things she wanted to do like ride the carousel or play in the jumpy house or run the bases after the game. Although we talked about those things during the game, the one thing she wanted last night from old times at the game was Dippin' Dots. Good times. Fun stuff.

Although our team lost, we won!!!
 
Planit said:
This summer is probably the last stretch of time The Girl will be living at home. She starts her final year of grad school in a week.

Last night we did something nostalgic - went to the baseball game as a family. She went to her first game there at 6 weeks old. Over the years growing up, she's changed things she wanted to do like ride the carousel or play in the jumpy house or run the bases after the game. Although we talked about those things during the game, the one thing she wanted last night from old times at the game was Dippin' Dots. Good times. Fun stuff.

Although our team lost, we won!!!
Click to expand...
In Love Awww GIF
 
Yesterday I got the call from my youngest, who just moved into her college dorm for her first year. She opened with"I want to let you know that I have it all under control." This was followed by a story about how a Command Strip refused to cooperate while she was hanging a picture frame, which resulted in a half-dollar-size hunk of drywall being removed. Instead of panicking, she grabbed the paint chip, went to the big box hardware store, had them color match the paint, got them to mix up a paint sample, and bought a patch kit to fix it herself. Based on the follow up pictures, she's done a great job. I am so proud.
 
We were never fortunate enough to have a full set of encyclopedias but lord knows I always wanted them! We did have a 4-volume condensed version (from Collier's I believe) that was pretty cool. I'll have to check to see if that's still at my parents' house next time I'm out there.
 
I have a set of Encyclopaedia Brittanica from 1894. They belonged to my mom's great uncle. He wrote part of the Spanish war claims something or other.

I offered to donate the books to his town's historic society. No takers. I guess my kids will throw them out when I die.
 
My dad was the Director of our County District Library when I was growing up.

No need for our own set, we could just go to the library after hours and have full access since those were not permitted to be loaned out.
 
Last edited:
Our youngest liked to wake up between 7:30 and 8:00 AM all summer long. No matter how much we tried to encourage her to sleep in, she was up by 8:00 basically every morning... until this week when she suddenly has begun sleeping until 8:45ish. Of course this happens when she's only got a few more days of summer vacation left.

Her older sister has been taking advantage of the time off of school - if she doesn't have a camp or something planned, you'd be hard pressed to see her up and out of bed before 11:00 AM.
 
kms said:
I have a set of Encyclopaedia Brittanica from 1894. They belonged to my mom's great uncle. He wrote part of the Spanish war claims something or other.

I offered to donate the books to his town's historic society. No takers. I guess my kids will throw them out when I die.
Click to expand...
They are actually worth some money. Probably a few hundred dollars on Ebay.
 
WSU MUP Student said:
Our youngest liked to wake up between 7:30 and 8:00 AM all summer long. No matter how much we tried to encourage her to sleep in, she was up by 8:00 basically every morning... until this week when she suddenly has begun sleeping until 8:45ish. Of course this happens when she's only got a few more days of summer vacation left.

Her older sister has been taking advantage of the time off of school - if she doesn't have a camp or something planned, you'd be hard pressed to see her up and out of bed before 11:00 AM.
Click to expand...
There were times this summer when my 19 year old was home from college that she wouldn't come out of her room until 1 pm.
 
On days when I am off I'd much rather have two kids that slept until 11:00 AM or later than any number of kids who gets up super early.

My mom only ever gave us one piece of parenting advice when our oldest was born: Never wake a sleeping child unless absolutely necessary. Let them get as much rest as their body wants them to get and we've stuck to that all these years. We have a guinea pig that lives in a cage in our oldest daughter's bedroom so eventually we do go in there to feed the piggie in the morning but we normally we don't go out of our way to wake our daughter when we're in there... except for this week when we go feed the piggie 20 minutes earlier each morning and now open the curtains and leave the door to the hall open when we leave. Hopefully getting up at 6:50 AM won't be such a shock to her system next week.
 
My first year without a child in primary school after 20 years. Moved our youngest into the dorm. Another of life's transitions. For him and me. My oldest just turned 26 so is off my insurance. He will start his PhD program in music next Fall. It's sometimes hard to believe he was the same tiny baby I held in my arms. Now at almost 60 I see the career finish line. I hope to see grandkids at some point.
 
mendelman said:
Teenage boys....amiright?!
Click to expand...

Teenage boys...it seems like they're always surprising you. Most the time they're playing grab-ass but when you really need them, they'll show up.

My dad said in WY they used to say, when working: "You got a boy working with you, you got half a man's help. You got TWO boys working with you, you got jack shit."
 
ursus said:
My dad said in WY they used to say, when working: "...You got [THREE] boys working with you, you got jack shit."
Click to expand...
The dishwasher is literally below the counter where I placed my dirty dishes? And the dishwasher is currently accepting dirty dishes?

Who Is It What GIF by Pudgy Penguins
























Silverlining: At least the dirty dishes got into the kitchen. Small wins.
 
mendelman said:
Silverlining: At least the dirty dishes got into the kitchen. Small wins.
Click to expand...

Twice a week I drop off a garbage bag at each of my boys' rooms and say the same thing: "Trash in the bag. Dirty clothes by the laundry doors. DIRTY clothes. Haul your dishes into the sink."

Hit ratio for compliance: less than 50%. But I believe persistence will pay off. I believe. *sobs, gently.
 
I was cold on Saturday, so I ordered a wool sweater from Ireland. It got here on Wednesday. It's chilly in my house this morning, so I'm wearing it. It's not the most flattering fit, but I'm keeping it.
 
kms said:
I was cold on Saturday, so I ordered a wool sweater from Ireland. It got here on Wednesday. It's chilly in my house this morning, so I'm wearing it. It's not the most flattering fit, but I'm keeping it.
Click to expand...
This doesn't even belong here!! What was I thinking??? I'll check back if my granddaughter spits up on my new Irish sweater, just to make this right.
 
My divorce is moving forward and I looked at apartments yesterday. Really concerned, not only for my two sons with the emotional load, but also with getting a place for my time with them. 2 bedrooms are more affordable, but I think both boys would want their own space even if my youngest (10 years old) would likely sleep with me. Humbling to say the least, but I will have to make it work. So many plates spinning.

(okay, had to get the out).
 
zman said:
My divorce is moving forward and I looked at apartments yesterday. Really concerned, not only for my two sons with the emotional load, but also with getting a place for my time with them. 2 bedrooms are more affordable, but I think both boys would want their own space even if my youngest (10 years old) would likely sleep with me. Humbling to say the least, but I will have to make it work. So many plates spinning.

(okay, had to get the out).
Click to expand...
Hang in there, zman.
 
Last edited:
zman said:
My divorce is moving forward and I looked at apartments yesterday. Really concerned, not only for my two sons with the emotional load, but also with getting a place for my time with them. 2 bedrooms are more affordable, but I think both boys would want their own space even if my youngest (10 years old) would likely sleep with me. Humbling to say the least, but I will have to make it work. So many plates spinning.

(okay, had to get the out).
Click to expand...
Hang in there zman. Many of us here have been down that road, and come out the other side better for it.
 
zman said:
My divorce is moving forward and I looked at apartments yesterday. Really concerned, not only for my two sons with the emotional load, but also with getting a place for my time with them. 2 bedrooms are more affordable, but I think both boys would want their own space even if my youngest (10 years old) would likely sleep with me. Humbling to say the least, but I will have to make it work. So many plates spinning.

(okay, had to get the out).
Click to expand...
The boys likely won’t mind sharing for now. You can always get a sleeper sofa for one of them or for yourself. This process is emotionally and financially draining.
 
zman said:
My divorce is moving forward and I looked at apartments yesterday. Really concerned, not only for my two sons with the emotional load, but also with getting a place for my time with them. 2 bedrooms are more affordable, but I think both boys would want their own space even if my youngest (10 years old) would likely sleep with me. Humbling to say the least, but I will have to make it work. So many plates spinning.

(okay, had to get the out).
Click to expand...
Thanks for the support, y'all!
I found a 3 bedroom, right next to my youngest son's school and it is in our neighborhood so he is close to friends or his mom's house. My oldest is 16 and is more mobile with a car. But both boys would be comfortable in safe, close, surroundings.
Went through the separation budget with their mom last night and it will work.
One more step complete.
 
Our oldest is in 10th grade and one of her friends, HB, turned 16 yesterday and is having a sleepover for a few of them tonight. HB lives about 3 blocks from us. Here's a snippet of my conversation with our daughter this morning:

Daughter: "Dad, I need a ride to HB's house at 5:00 tonight."
WSU MUP Student: "It's like a 10 minute walk and it's nice out. You can hoof it."
D: "Dad! I can't be carrying my bag and my pillow and my sleeping bag through the neighborhood! I'll look like a bag lady!"
WSU: "You'll survive."
D: "Fine. HB got her license yesterday. I'll have her come pick me up!"
WSU: :omg: "I'll drive you!" :omg:

She sure played me!

Had I thought about all this ahead of time, I would have had her pack her stuff up yesterday or this morning before school and then I'd just drop the stuff off at HB's house during the day. Freeing her hands up so she could make the arduous trek there unencumbered! :rofl:
 
WSU MUP Student said:
Our oldest is in 10th grade and one of her friends, HB, turned 16 yesterday and is having a sleepover for a few of them tonight. HB lives about 3 blocks from us. Here's a snippet of my conversation with our daughter this morning:

Daughter: "Dad, I need a ride to HB's house at 5:00 tonight."
WSU MUP Student: "It's like a 10 minute walk and it's nice out. You can hoof it."
D: "Dad! I can't be carrying my bag and my pillow and my sleeping bag through the neighborhood! I'll look like a bag lady!"
WSU: "You'll survive."
D: "Fine. HB got her license yesterday. I'll have her come pick me up!"
WSU: :omg: "I'll drive you!" :omg:

She sure played me!

Had I thought about all this ahead of time, I would have had her pack her stuff up yesterday or this morning before school and then I'd just drop the stuff off at HB's house during the day. Freeing her hands up so she could make the arduous trek there unencumbered! :rofl:
Click to expand...
Clearly, HB would have been all...

will ferrell Terry Hoitz GIF
 
Back
Top