The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[MinnieM123]

I wish we got those teacher appreciation gifts. When we were in Cincinnati hubs and I had Graeters ice cream and it was delicious! You can send me a gift card to that place any day, I could order it online!

Been reading all these comments about gifts for teachers. When I was a kid in school, we never did anything like that--never heard of it. Guess we got off easy . . .

 

[MinnieM123]

I went against etiquette and just asked

That's what I like about you -- the direct approach.

 

[FutureCEO]

Been reading all these comments about gifts for teachers. When I was a kid in school, we never did anything like that--never heard of it. Guess we got off easy . . .

When I was a kid, my mom gave my teachers a plate of homemade cookies. This was the time she's was making like ten different kinds during Christmas time.

But to be a teacher nowadays with all the bratty kids and parents, textbooks that are centuries too old and politicians that want you to learn a certain way. Not to mention common core because 10 + 10 doesn't equal 20 anymore.

 

[MinnieM123]

20 years, and Didnt hear much about this..

Here's one of the threads in N&R--last comments back in March. There have also been other references made to the 20th in other threads. I agree, however, that it didn't get the full hype like Epcot, for example.

https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/animal-kingdom-20th.934906/page-5

 

[DryerLintFan]

I bet you are right. Should not have brought them outside.

Here's a good article on the hardening/ acclimating process:

https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-harden-off-plants-1402554

 

[DryerLintFan]

Been reading all these comments about gifts for teachers. When I was a kid in school, we never did anything like that--never heard of it. Guess we got off easy . . .

This era in parenting is really difficult when it comes to things like this. Social media and Pinterest turn everything into a competition. It's not YAY we're all celebrating the teachers anymore, it's I need to make sure I'm celebrating them as good or better than everyone else. When we make our budget, we almost have more money put aside for teacher appreciation and Christmas for teachers than we do for our family. And to be honest, I don't mind that because my daughters teachers are with her more every week than I am, they do an excellent job, and we consider them part of our parenting team.

But even on my daughters birthday..... we never used to have anything sent to school for our birthdays. We sent in ice cream sandwiches, balloons, hats, and a paper craft. There was another kid who had a birthday the same day though, and that mom sent in huge gift boxes for all the kids with treats and toys and huge snack platters and cupcakes.

You have to constantly opt out of competition as a parent in today's world. And that's a struggle, because you don't want to disappoint your kid. And because nobody who grew up or parented in a different era seems to understand the struggle.

 

[21stamps]

Boy, if I was a teacher(a paid one), I would want to work at that school.

I honestly couldn’t be any happier with out teachers so far. T’s homeroom teacher this year is amazing. Prior to the school year she sent a hand written card telling T (and all of her students) a little about herself, and how excited she was to have him in his class. She’s a huge Bengals fan, and included that tidbit in the card as well. He was thrilled.lol. They did brackets for every game during football season and whoever “won” received a no written homework pass.. there were also squares for the entire class to have no written homework. In the beginning it was a little bit of an adjustment because she is very strict about personal responsibility.
I forgot to sign his planner one night the first month of school, T came to the car crying the next day because he received a “color” for not having the planner signed. I emailed her and explained that it was my fault, she wrote back “It’s his planner, and it’s his responsibility to make sure that you sign it.” I was a little shocked, but I like it. . They have “jobs” in the classroom and rotate them weekly, she also rotates the seating arrangements once per month. I’ve never had a kid in 2nd grade before, so maybe all teachers do that now.. but I hope that we continue to get teachers like the one he has this year, I’m going to be sad when he moves out of her class.

 

[21stamps]

This era in parenting is really difficult when it comes to things like this. Social media and Pinterest turn everything into a competition. It's not YAY we're all celebrating the teachers anymore, it's I need to make sure I'm celebrating them as good or better than everyone else. When we make our budget, we almost have more money put aside for teacher appreciation and Christmas for teachers than we do for our family. And to be honest, I don't mind that because my daughters teachers are with her more every week than I am, they do an excellent job, and we consider them part of our parenting team.

But even on my daughters birthday..... we never used to have anything sent to school for our birthdays. We sent in ice cream sandwiches, balloons, hats, and a paper craft. There was another kid who had a birthday the same day though, and that mom sent in huge gift boxes for all the kids with treats and toys and huge snack platters and cupcakes.

You have to constantly opt out of competition as a parent in today's world. And that's a struggle, because you don't want to disappoint your kid. And because nobody who grew up or parented in a different era seems to understand the struggle.

I may have said this before, but in preschool, the first time we received a Shutterfly valentine with kids picture on it , I was SHOCKED. I sent T to school with store bought valentines and mini play doh containers.. I couldn’t believe what he came home with! That’s when I realized that things are very different today.
I can’t blame anyone but myself for the Pinterest inspired bento box lunches, smile face post its inside, and sandwiches cut into shapes with PBK sand which cutters. (I stopped that in K..now his boxes are not photo worthy, and I haven’t put in a post it note except for special test days, who knows where my sandwhich and fruit cutters are now )
My mom stayed home with us and didn’t even do that. I don’t know who decided to start this trend, but everything you said is spot on. Pinterest is the best and worst thing to happen to parents!

I know you work outside of the home too, so I think you can relate to the weird “competition” thing of stressing over what our kid brings on holidays etc. It’s not even that I want to be in competition with the army of SAHM’s...I just don’t want my kid to stick out or feel bad that his mom can’t find the time to do the same for gifts etc... if that makes sense?

 

[21stamps]

When I was a kid, my mom gave my teachers a plate of homemade cookies. This was the time she's was making like ten different kinds during Christmas time.

But to be a teacher nowadays with all the bratty kids and parents, textbooks that are centuries too old and politicians that want you to learn a certain way. Not to mention common core because 10 + 10 doesn't equal 20 anymore.

We don’t use common core in our school. We have some elements, but our curriculum is not based on it. Thankfully!!!

 

[21stamps]

Been reading all these comments about gifts for teachers. When I was a kid in school, we never did anything like that--never heard of it. Guess we got off easy . . .

We also didn’t wear bike helmets or sit in car seats and boosters til age 8.. so some things have improved

My siblings and I crack up at old photos- us in the back of a station wagon, very young- no car seats.. blankets laid out to sleep. Amazing that we all survived childhood

My kid was in a 5 Point all the way thru kindergarten.lol... and he’s still in a booster. Although he’s begging to get out of it.. I’m waiting a bit longer..

 

[DryerLintFan]

I may have said this before, but in preschool, the first time we received a Shutterfly valentine with kids picture on it , I was SHOCKED. I sent T to school with store bought valentines and mini play doh containers.. I couldn’t believe what he came home with! That’s when I realized that things are very different today.
I can’t blame anyone but myself for the Pinterest inspired bento box lunches, smile face post its inside, and sandwiches cut into shapes with PBK sand which cutters. (I stopped that in K..now his boxes are not photo worthy, and I haven’t put in a post it note except for special test days, who knows where my sandwhich and fruit cutters are now )
My mom stayed home with us and didn’t even do that. I don’t know who decided to start this trend, but everything you said is spot on. Pinterest is the best and worst thing to happen to parents!

I know you work outside of the home too, so I think you can relate to the weird “competition” thing of stressing over what our kid brings on holidays etc. It’s not even that I want to be in competition with the army of SAHM’s...I just don’t want my kid to stick out or feel bad that his mom can’t find the time to do the same for gifts etc... if that makes sense?

I totally get it. I really do. I think that's the hardest part about being a working mom these days, is seeing all the amazing things other moms do that I don't have time or energy for.

I think what really helps me with this is remembering that the kids, for the most part, don't need any of it. They don't need you to orchestrate activities for them,... they need to be bored and use their creativity to fill the gaps. They don't need made from scratch blueberry lavender lemon cupcakes and a white chocolate ganache for their birthdays, Costco cupcakes with a themed pick will make them just as happy. They don't need to be in every sports thing they say they're interested in, they thrive from one or two so they have the structure of a team learning environment and then have the rest of their free time to roam the neighborhood and ride bikes with friends and make beaver dams down by the creek.

We get so caught up in the idea that we're doing our kids a disservice if we don't keep up with the other moms that we fail to see that our kids don't actually need any of it. It's a constant struggle to opt out of the competition, and I have to remind myself of this constantly.

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

Awesome. So much better than my take out pizza at Edison’s Ponte Review to follow in my never ending trip report.

I heard Pizza Ponte wasn’t so good.

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

Seedlings should be given filtered sunlight at first. That could be their problem

They were fine til we brought them out. They are inside now, have been since Sunday night. Hopefully they will perk up again.

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

20 years, and Didnt hear much about this..

Tim Tracker posted a video yesterday on his day at AK on Sunday.

 

[21stamps]

have the rest of their free time to roam the neighborhood and ride bikes with friends and make beaver dams down by the creek.

I had to quote this part because this is what makes me sad about childhood today. They’re not doing this. Everything is scheduled play dates. We do have a few kids in the neighborhood, and they do play together, but not even close to when I was a kid.. when I was growing up it was “come home when the street lights come on”.

Back then we didn’t have indoor playgrounds, trampoline parks, bounce houses, indoor go cart tracks, etc etc etc etc. We had our back yards and the swim club, zoo, museum, and amusement park. Not even 1/10th of “kid activities” that exist today. We also didn’t have so many day/holiday ‘camps’.

It’s a strange world now, there’s things that I wish still existed i.e. riding your bike to a friends house and ringing the doorbell.

 

[DryerLintFan]

I had to quote this part because this is what makes me sad about childhood today. They’re not doing this. Everything is scheduled play dates. We do have a few kids in the neighborhood, and they do play together, but not even close to when I was a kid.. when I was growing up it was “come home when the street lights come on”.

Back then we didn’t have indoor playgrounds, trampoline parks, bounce houses, indoor go cart tracks, etc etc etc etc. We had our back yards and the swim club, zoo, museum, and amusement park. Not even 1/10th of “kid activities” that exist today. We also didn’t have so many day/holiday ‘camps’.

It’s a strange world now, there’s things that I wish still existed i.e. riding your bike to a friends house and ringing the doorbell.

I'm trying to imitate exactly that for my daughter. Back yards, parks, natural play areas, zoo, pool, conservatory, camping, etc. The simple things that take imagination.

My first year as a parent I felt like I couldn't breathe all summer because people wanted to get together and go here or get together there for that and every spare moment of my free time seemed booked with social things I thought my kid needed. Which was especially dumb because she was a baby. Now, I'm super selective about what we agree to do. We'll go to birthday parties and some play dates, but most of our summer is spent at the pool, zoo, conservatory, parks, and at home in the yard or exploring the neighborhood.

 

[21stamps]

This is one of my favorite photos of T, because it’s timeless imo.
He was 5, We were riding bikes at a park, it was hot, he wanted to get in the creek. I let him take off his shirt and shoes and do just that. I got in too. Just a creek that’s been there forever, not a ‘cool’ new playground or specifically-for-kids entertainment center. Old time fun

 

[DryerLintFan]

This is one of my favorite photos of T, because it’s timeless imo.
He was 5, We were riding bikes at a park, it was hot, he wanted to get in the creek. I let him take off his shirt and shoes and do just that. I got in too. Just a creek that’s been there forever, not a ‘cool’ new playground or specifically-for-kids entertainment center. Old time fun

View attachment 280184

Columbus has been doing really good at creating natural play areas for kids. They're like,... crossovers between playgrounds and letting your kids loose in the woods. If you come back up this way, you should check them out!

 

[21stamps]

I'm trying to imitate exactly that for my daughter. Back yards, parks, natural play areas, zoo, pool, conservatory, camping, etc. The simple things that take imagination.

My first year as a parent I felt like I couldn't breathe all summer because people wanted to get together and go here or get together there for that and every spare moment of my free time seemed booked with social things I thought my kid needed. Which was especially dumb because she was a baby. Now, I'm super selective about what we agree to do. We'll go to birthday parties and some play dates, but most of our summer is spent at the pool, zoo, conservatory, parks, and at home in the yard or exploring the neighborhood.

That’s great! And seriously realistic.. you pretty much described our Wednesday’s and Sunday’s prior to the sports madness. It’s just the showing up on doorstops that have changed so much.. not with close neighbors.. but when I was a kid we used to ride all over to friend’s houses. I haven’t seen that at all so far. We have a great network of parks here too.. every year we set a goal to hit them all, but end up repeating our faves.

I actually don’t think that I’m going to renew our zoo membership this year. It’s up in May...I think we’ve gone 3 times, and he’s done a couple of camps. Not sure if it’s worth it to renew again. Makes me sad because we’ve had great times there the past few years, but I think it makes more sense to just pay as we go at this point.

 

[21stamps]

Columbus has been doing really good at creating natural play areas for kids. They're like,... crossovers between playgrounds and letting your kids loose in the woods. If you come back up this way, you should check them out!

I don’t know if we’ll make it to Columbus this summer, but we’re definitely going back to Hocking Hills. We had such a wonderful time there.