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NEVERENDING ♾️ The NEVERENDING Raising Children Thread

JNA said:
Kids around here have been in school for nearly 3 weeks already.

August 5-6: Students with last names A-J
August 7-8: Students with last names K-Z
August 9: ALL Students at School
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Slackers.

We began all students 30 July.
 
JNA said:
Does anybody's kid school start after Labor Day ? back like when I was growing up.
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We are back to starting after Labor Day in our district after starting the week before Labor Day for the previous 7 or 8 years.

Looking at a list compiled by one of the Detroit newspapers, it appears that about half of the districts here start next Monday the 26th and the the other half begin on the Tuesday after Labor Day, with one oddball district starting on Tuesday the 27th and a couple starting on the Wednesday after Labor Day.

In the grand scheme of things, I'm indifferent as to whether my kids go back before or after Labor Day except this past school year, they actually got out a week and a half earlier than normal and now they're going back a week later than normal as well so that really adds up to a lot longer summer than we're typically used to.
 
Kids here go back really early but the county is transitioning to a modified year-round schedule so they have more breaks throughout the year.
 
WSU MUP Student said:
The private schools a block from my house are back in session. I can almost touch the end of summer... and by "touch" I mean push my kids off the couch and out the door to school on the 3rd of September!

I like when the private schools are in session because when the weather is nice, I can work in the den or kitchen with the windows open and hear the elementary kids on the playground. I like the sounds of kids when they're a few hundred yards away so much more than the sounds they make in the same house as me.
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I was talking to a PC member about a school locating next to a neighborhood. She told me she hoped it would be a high school. I asked why because people usually prefer to be closer to elementary schools. She mentioned how horrible it would be having to hear children outside playing during the day. She's a bit older and a little particular about things, but it blew my mind that the sound of children playing a few hundred feet away would be a negative.
 
JNA said:
Does anybody's kid school start after Labor Day ? back like when I was growing up.
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WSU MUP Student said:
The private schools a block from my house are back in session. I can almost touch the end of summer... and by "touch" I mean push my kids off the couch and out the door to school on the 3rd of September!

I like when the private schools are in session because when the weather is nice, I can work in the den or kitchen with the windows open and hear the elementary kids on the playground. I like the sounds of kids when they're a few hundred yards away so much more than the sounds they make in the same house as me.
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Most NJ school districts start after Labor Day. My little goes back on Wednesday after Labor Day.

I live across the street from the elementary school and the preschool/kindergarten playground is closest to me. I love the sound of the kids playing.
 
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The kid started back today (2nd grade). IMO too early - August still equals summer in my mind. He was not thrilled to be back on this 85 degree day. Unless we're prepared to invest billions in HVAC improvements to schools nationwide (no A/C at his), they should be looking to push off the start of school to as late as they can.
 
Agree. My cousin's daughter is in her second year at a prestigious university here. Facebook shows posts that connections make and I saw a post where my cousin is searching for a tutor for her daughter. When I needed a tutor, I found my own. There could be a circumstance that I'm not aware of, but to my knowledge, the student is intelligent and capable.

When I took my daughter to college orientation, the admissions rep dismissed students to another meeting. She then remarked that parents should stay put, and that some would walk with their children to the meeting and hang out around the door. Those apron strings are tight.
 
I knew someone who worked in the housing department for our local university. She mentioned how horrible it was dealing with parents. 90% of their workorders were parents calling for the students. About six weeks into the first semester they always got calls from parents about pink mold. It was always that freshmen didn't realize they had to actually clean their shower and toilet occasionally. It wasn't uncommon for parents to ask the housing department to clean the shower for them. There are actually house cleaning businesses geared towards cleaning student's off-campus apartments.

A lot of the major athletes are in two bedroom suites and one of the bedrooms is locked. It's "rumored" that they had to kick at least one mother out of the spare room. Apparently, wherever the player had transferred from allowed the player's parents in the dorm.
 
The flip side is that some students have to come home every weekend & The Girl is not one of those students. She had a roommate one year whose dad not let his baby go without. One example is the time they lost power for about 2 hours & he showed up the next day with a small generator.
 
kms said:
Agree. My cousin's daughter is in her second year at a prestigious university here. Facebook shows posts that connections make and I saw a post where my cousin is searching for a tutor for her daughter. When I needed a tutor, I found my own. There could be a circumstance that I'm not aware of, but to my knowledge, the student is intelligent and capable.

When I took my daughter to college orientation, the admissions rep dismissed students to another meeting. She then remarked that parents should stay put, and that some would walk with their children to the meeting and hang out around the door. Those apron strings are tight.
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They need to be loose enough to allow distance but stay connected; they may need to drag themselves home by them one day, and when they reach out for it to grab, it's gotta be there. There's a scene in a movie with Gene Hackman and Julia Roberts. I think it was the Pelican Brief. Father and daughter. And I can't remember the story at all, not at all, I just remember Gene Hackman saying to his daughter "I knew the first time I held you when you were a baby. I knew you were going to break my heart." Being a parent is the most emotionally confusing thing in the world. Your heart breaks over and over and over, but you have to let them live, live like the essentially wild creatures they are.
 
^^^
AIB

Who went to a college that was to far to go home on any weekend ? Me - NJ to Utah
Did you even have a car your freshman year ? Me - No
 
Kids today are helpless. They have lawnmower parents. They mow down any obstacles they may encounter. It's insane. But it just reinforces what I've been saying for year, this nation is turning into nothing but a collection of . . . . . well you know what I want to say.
 
JNA said:
^^^
AIB

Who went to a college that was to far to go home on any weekend ? Me - NJ to Utah
Did you even have a car your freshman year ? Me - No
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NH to IN
No car (of any kind from age 16 until I was in my final year of college)
 
mendelman said:
We put my son’s marching band regionals on the calendar.

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Not sure what movie you're talking about. When my sons were in marching band, we just planned on every Friday night (football halftime) and every Saturday (competitions) from late August through December were taken. After eight years of that I was glad to no longer be a band dad.
 
On the parents and college kids front... we're not far enough along in the process to worry about that but I get a kick out of our neighbors. For the past couple years, they've had two kids at Michigan. It's only about a 40 minute drive from here and the kids are home for a few days at Christmas and (according to the parents) the parents go out there to visit and take them to dinner exactly once a semester.

This summer, the son was living in an apartment in AA and specifically only came back home when his parents were Up North so he and his friends could party over here.

Doesn't seem like much helicoptoring going on with them. I don't know if I'll have that much willpower when my kids are in college. :rofl:
 
Oldest is having a fight with his girlfriend. Not the first time. They makeup and all seems well then it repeats. I've told him this is a sign it will not work out and a ring will not magically change things for the better. That is as far as I will go as his life, his choices, his learning experience. I do put the likely blame on him as he has a bad temper like my FIL.
 
SlaveToTheGrind said:
Oldest is having a fight with his girlfriend. Not the first time. They makeup and all seems well then it repeats. I've told him this is a sign it will not work out and a ring will not magically change things for the better. That is as far as I will go as his life, his choices, his learning experience. I do put the likely blame on him as he has a bad temper like my FIL.
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Sadly that is very true. As I learned the hard way myself. The early part of the relation will set the tone for the relation ship. When someone says they have a dark side, you should pay attention. They may not be kidding.
 
Doohickie said:
Well today is the day my daughter-in-law gets an IVF egg planted. Wish us all luck. If it's a girl maybe they'll name her Hope like Hope Walz.
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First of all, I realized some of you know me on Facebook. The wider family hasn't yet been notified, so DON'T say anything there..... unless I start talking about it.

But so far, so good. With Claire's visit to the IVF specialist today, she's been released to see her regular OB/GYN. She informs me that my grandbaby-to-be is the size of a plum.
 
Spent all day Friday, Friday night and all day Saturday with my daughter at Michigan State for family weekend. Went to the volleyball match, took her out to dinner then spent Saturday tailgating and going to the football game. Got to meet some of the friends she's made. She's absolutely thriving and it made this dad incredibly proud over the weekend.
 
Must brag on daughter, she was invited to some Stanford law summer program where the professors show them a mock trial and then teach them the steps from opening to closing statements. I'm not sure it does anything for her college resume, but she wants to go into law and Stanford is on her list...so I'm just left finding a way to pay for her 10 day stay in California next summer.
 
DVD said:
Must brag on daughter, she was invited to some Stanford law summer program where the professors show them a mock trial and then teach them the steps from opening to closing statements. I'm not sure it does anything for her college resume, but she wants to go into law and Stanford is on her list...so I'm just left finding a way to pay for her 10 day stay in California next summer.
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Go into debt to give your daughter this opportunity. It likely will be totally worth it. I would do the same.

Good reason to sell the jalopy Sebring now? :smirk:
 
Has anyone else experienced a lack of transparency from a high school athletic department regarding its scheduling of extra voluntary practices? I have a teenager that will be in a winter sport in three weeks, and per the State High School Athletic Association, that date in three weeks at the end of this month for the start of the winter athletics season is when official practices begin. Earlier this week, I asked the school what the dates are for the next three weeks for these extra voluntary practices. I have to drive the teenager to school and that impacts my work schedule. In the intervening three days since I emailed the school, it has been silence. I am considering my next step. I have talked to coworkers about this phenomenon and they suggest that parents have to take it on the chin and do whatever the coach expects of the student athlete to participate in the extra voluntary practices. In my head, my position is that the school benefits when these student athletes participate in the extra voluntary practices because the presumed improved athletic performance begets positive press from the improved athleticism, thus, the school should be more transparent with parents. But what I think is going on seems lopsided. But maybe I am missing something here?
 
Wannaplan? said:
Has anyone else experienced a lack of transparency from a high school athletic department regarding its scheduling of extra voluntary practices? I have a teenager that will be in a winter sport in three weeks, and per the State High School Athletic Association, that date in three weeks at the end of this month for the start of the winter athletics season is when official practices begin. Earlier this week, I asked the school what the dates are for the next three weeks for these extra voluntary practices. I have to drive the teenager to school and that impacts my work schedule. In the intervening three days since I emailed the school, it has been silence. I am considering my next step. I have talked to coworkers about this phenomenon and they suggest that parents have to take it on the chin and do whatever the coach expects of the student athlete to participate in the extra voluntary practices. In my head, my position is that the school benefits when these student athletes participate in the extra voluntary practices because the presumed improved athletic performance begets positive press from the improved athleticism, thus, the school should be more transparent with parents. But what I think is going on seems lopsided. But maybe I am missing something here?
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They have to call them voluntary or they'll get in trouble with the State High School Athletic Association if it's prior to the start of the official season. So the school and/or athletic department are not going to comment on them. It comes via the coaches. When my daughters played volleyball if you wanted to make the team or have playing time, it was expected you would attend "voluntary" practices. So yes, you have to take it on the chin.
 
btrage said:
They have to call them voluntary or they'll get in trouble with the State High School Athletic Association if it's prior to the start of the official season. So the school and/or athletic department are not going to comment on them. It comes via the coaches. When my daughters played volleyball if you wanted to make the team or have playing time, it was expected you would attend "voluntary" practices. So yes, you have to take it on the chin.
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Thank you. Based on what you are telling me, it sounds like my teenager is participating in a voluntary practice type of situation. But I am also confused by what you are saying. If the school calls them voluntary, and if that qualifying designation is a way to avoid issues with the State High School Athletic Association, then it sounds like the school isn't doing anything wrong and won't get in trouble. That's why I am thinking about the transparency issue. If voluntary practices are held, and it's clear they are voluntary, meaning the voluntary practices are outside the scope of State High School Athletic Association, then the school shouldn't be fearful to address my question about when the voluntary practices are scheduled.
 
Wannaplan? said:
Thank you. Based on what you are telling me, it sounds like my teenager is participating in a voluntary practice type of situation. But I am also confused by what you are saying. If the school calls them voluntary, and if that qualifying designation is a way to avoid issues with the State High School Athletic Association, then it sounds like the school isn't doing anything wrong and won't get in trouble. That's why I am thinking about the transparency issue. If voluntary practices are held, and it's clear they are voluntary, meaning the voluntary practices are outside the scope of State High School Athletic Association, then the school shouldn't be fearful to address my question about when the voluntary practices are scheduled.
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Who did you ask at the school? I would email the athletic director or the coach directly. The actual school administration probably has no clue.
 
But the coaches don't want the other coaches to know how many & type of practices are being held. Nothing will be in writing.
I went straight to the coach one year and asked "what time & where" and he told me.
 
I'm glad one son is only in marching band and another is in debate club and scholastic bowl (aka quiz bowl) club which are at the high school.

Also, our high school is easy walking distance from our house.
 
Planit said:
But the coaches don't want the other coaches to know how many & type of practices are being held. Nothing will be in writing.
I went straight to the coach one year and asked "what time & where" and he told me.
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Our high school volleyball program set up its own cheap website with Weebly to communicate dates and times. Even if you searched on Google I doubt people could find it lol
 
btrage said:
The actual school administration probably has no clue.
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I find that extremely difficult to believe. The extra voluntary practices are held at the school facility, somebody has to have a reservation to the facilities and/or have access to the keys.
 
Depends on what your definition of "voluntary" is, I guess. What I'm hearing is voluntary practices = playing time. To any teen I've known, that would mean a definition of "involuntary" or "non-negotiable". YMMV.
 
Wannaplan? said:
I find that extremely difficult to believe. The extra voluntary practices are held at the school facility, somebody has to have a reservation to the facilities and/or have access to the keys.
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The athletic director and/or coaches.

The principal/main office will not know.

Again though, I'm just speaking to my daughters' experience at their high school.
 
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