MinnieM123
Premium Member
The fact that Voodoo is relaxed without Cookie around, speaks volumes. This should make you feel better about the decision to relocate Cookie.
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working out for Disney
- Thread starter Figgy1
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The fact that Voodoo is relaxed without Cookie around, speaks volumes. This should make you feel better about the decision to relocate Cookie.
epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
Some daylily photos for today:
Last edited:
epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
Songbird76
Well-Known Member
So the schools of fish are reopen after corona?
Or was the turtle there to break up the non-distancing fishies?I'm glad it's going well without Cookie. I wondered that myself, how Voodoo would react to the change. Maybe Cookie was kind of a bully to Voodoo? Was it hard for your youngest to watch on the sidelines at softball or was she ok? I think part of getting back outside is so important because you know how there are studies that show that a lack of vitimin D from sunlight in the winter can bring on a kind of depression? I forget what it's called, but it's a real thing. Some people have a real problem towards the end of winter, because they need that sunlight and the vitimin D. But this year, everyone was still stuck inside during the spring, just when we would normally going back to outdoor activities and interacting more socially. I think it's been a real problem for mental health, not to mention the outlet of their hobbies and friends being denied to them, and not getting to exercise as much. It's been hard all around. I think the kids really needed to get back to it.
My kids are back to school now, though they can only go once or twice a week. In E's class, they have divided into three groups and go every 3 days, but then kids who are in danger of failing are in 2 groups. They only have 19 kids in their class total, and the school said they could have 11 kids per class and still distance, but the rest of the classes are bigger and had to split into 3. So they went ahead and did 3 groups, but E said one of her friends is in the danger area, so she's in 2 groups, and while her group started as only 6 kids, another kid joined them this week because he was in danger of failing, so he had to be put into a 2nd group for school instruction. The days that they aren't at school, they have to follow along at home, but that's not as effective for some of them, hence needing extra days at the school. But they only have a month left before Summer vacation anyway. I wonder if those kids will make it. 1/3 was already failing in E's class before the schools closed for Corona. E's got the highest grades in the class, so she's fine, but a couple of her friends have been struggling, and it would be really sad if they don't make it and won't be in her class next year.
HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
So the schools of fish are reopen after corona?
I'm glad it's going well without Cookie. I wondered that myself, how Voodoo would react to the change. Maybe Cookie was kind of a bully to Voodoo? Was it hard for your youngest to watch on the sidelines at softball or was she ok? I think part of getting back outside is so important because you know how there are studies that show that a lack of vitimin D from sunlight in the winter can bring on a kind of depression? I forget what it's called, but it's a real thing. Some people have a real problem towards the end of winter, because they need that sunlight and the vitimin D. But this year, everyone was still stuck inside during the spring, just when we would normally going back to outdoor activities and interacting more socially. I think it's been a real problem for mental health, not to mention the outlet of their hobbies and friends being denied to them, and not getting to exercise as much. It's been hard all around. I think the kids really needed to get back to it.
My kids are back to school now, though they can only go once or twice a week. In E's class, they have divided into three groups and go every 3 days, but then kids who are in danger of failing are in 2 groups. They only have 19 kids in their class total, and the school said they could have 11 kids per class and still distance, but the rest of the classes are bigger and had to split into 3. So they went ahead and did 3 groups, but E said one of her friends is in the danger area, so she's in 2 groups, and while her group started as only 6 kids, another kid joined them this week because he was in danger of failing, so he had to be put into a 2nd group for school instruction. The days that they aren't at school, they have to follow along at home, but that's not as effective for some of them, hence needing extra days at the school. But they only have a month left before Summer vacation anyway. I wonder if those kids will make it. 1/3 was already failing in E's class before the schools closed for Corona. E's got the highest grades in the class, so she's fine, but a couple of her friends have been struggling, and it would be really sad if they don't make it and won't be in her class next year.
Yeah...the turtle totally didn't appreciate their complete failure to distance.
The two dogs certainly had an interesting relationship. They had their times when they really enjoyed playing together and were very close in the beginning, but after we separated their crates to reduce the early hyper-bonding that was going on, we noticed a change. Cookie was definitely a bully at times, and she often hated it when Voodoo would play games with us.
It's our younger one that was watching from the sidelines. Between Thurs-Sun...she sat there cheering her team on for 9 or 10 games. She was less than enthusiastic cheering her sister on last night. I know cases and hospitalizations are on the rise here, but I really hope they find a way to keep things going. Getting outside for these kinds of activities gives them all of that much needed vitamin D, but also has had a significant impact on their mental health. Obviously, I don't want to see anyone get sick, but the mental health aspect of all of this really needs some attention. I know I have friends who are silently shaming me for allowing my kids to play, but I know we all hit a part where the mental is impacting the physical and I've seen such a positive change in everyone over the last couple of weeks since practices started up. In fact, going to practice last week was a huge mental boost for my older one who was in a deep funk over Cookie.
That's really encouraging that your kids are back in school. I know it's different, but it's something. Our teachers worked so hard, but the home learning just didn't seem to be as effective as the classroom. I've always had so much respect for teachers and I applaud them for everything they've done and are continuing to do to educate our kids. Still I think that in person experience is critical for a lot of kids. Those 1/3 that were already at risk of failing could probably benefit from more classroom time vs. the virtual. We're waiting to find out what school is going to be like for ours. We don't go back until Aug 11th, but we have back to school things starting up next month, at least of now.
HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
Little update...day 4 of this newest attempt to get back on track. I got up and biked for an hour and did some leg work. I'm probably going to skip tomorrow because I have a break day, of sorts, planned for the family. My husband and I decided to each take vacation days from work and book tickets for the Houston Zoo. I have to get an early start because my vehicle needs to go into the dealer AGAIN for the a/c being out...which just won't cut it when we're in the mid 90s each day. But after that...hubby is going to pick me up and I'll get in my exercise walking at the zoo in the heat for a few hours.
I also have a friend driving up on Saturday and we're going to do the first of the Disney MK themed virtual 5ks on my town's green belts. I'm probably going to chalk the start/finish line on Friday evening, bring along some little Disney toys for character stops, and it's Mad Tea Party themed, so I think we're going to throw in elements from our costumes in January.
And just one little shot from last night. My older one is upset that the game time was shortened and she didn't get to bat, but she pitched in the first inning and was catcher for the second inning...during a pretty sunset.
I also have a friend driving up on Saturday and we're going to do the first of the Disney MK themed virtual 5ks on my town's green belts. I'm probably going to chalk the start/finish line on Friday evening, bring along some little Disney toys for character stops, and it's Mad Tea Party themed, so I think we're going to throw in elements from our costumes in January.
And just one little shot from last night. My older one is upset that the game time was shortened and she didn't get to bat, but she pitched in the first inning and was catcher for the second inning...during a pretty sunset.
Songbird76
Well-Known Member
Yeah, your summer break starts a lot earlier than ours does, so our kids will finish out the school year having gone back to school, just not full time. My kids are both very very lucky that the virtual learning works well for them. They both prefer it and their grades are just as high as they were before. They both like to work ahead. My son goes to school every Tues. and Thurs., 4 kids to a group. (They divided the class in half. The other half goes M-W-F, but W and F have always been half days, so they end up getting the same amount of instruction as the T and T group) Because A prefers the virtual learning and did so well with it, they've secured a computer for him to use at school and he does his work virtually at school, just like he does at home, but with the teacher present in case he has questions. The rest of the kids have regular instruction. I can't imagine how hard it would be if my kids didn't do well with the virtual learning....so many kids are struggling, and I think mine are in the minority. Most of the kids hate it, and my two love it because they don't necessarily need the instruction. This way they can just start their work right away without waiting for the lesson, then they can go on to the next subject when they finish one, so they get done early and have the rest of the day to just do whatever they want. It works really well for them, but it hasn't worked as well for most of them, and I really feel bad for the ones who were having a hard time even before, and now they are so far behind they might not even get to move on to next year. They'll be held back or have to go down a level. That must be really hard! You get put in an existing group that's already formed friend groups, you don't know anyone, plus it's kind of embarassing admitting you failed a year.Yeah...the turtle totally didn't appreciate their complete failure to distance.
The two dogs certainly had an interesting relationship. They had their times when they really enjoyed playing together and were very close in the beginning, but after we separated their crates to reduce the early hyper-bonding that was going on, we noticed a change. Cookie was definitely a bully at times, and she often hated it when Voodoo would play games with us.
It's our younger one that was watching from the sidelines. Between Thurs-Sun...she sat there cheering her team on for 9 or 10 games. She was less than enthusiastic cheering her sister on last night. I know cases and hospitalizations are on the rise here, but I really hope they find a way to keep things going. Getting outside for these kinds of activities gives them all of that much needed vitamin D, but also has had a significant impact on their mental health. Obviously, I don't want to see anyone get sick, but the mental health aspect of all of this really needs some attention. I know I have friends who are silently shaming me for allowing my kids to play, but I know we all hit a part where the mental is impacting the physical and I've seen such a positive change in everyone over the last couple of weeks since practices started up. In fact, going to practice last week was a huge mental boost for my older one who was in a deep funk over Cookie.
That's really encouraging that your kids are back in school. I know it's different, but it's something. Our teachers worked so hard, but the home learning just didn't seem to be as effective as the classroom. I've always had so much respect for teachers and I applaud them for everything they've done and are continuing to do to educate our kids. Still I think that in person experience is critical for a lot of kids. Those 1/3 that were already at risk of failing could probably benefit from more classroom time vs. the virtual. We're waiting to find out what school is going to be like for ours. We don't go back until Aug 11th, but we have back to school things starting up next month, at least of now.
Songbird76
Well-Known Member
Oh gosh I love the zoo! But my husband isn't really fussed and my kids have been there enough that they don't really care whether we go or not, so it's not really worth the money. It makes me sad...I'd love to just be able to go to the zoo myself. When I get my drivers license, that's one of the things I'm looking forward too...the independence.Little update...day 4 of this newest attempt to get back on track. I got up and biked for an hour and did some leg work. I'm probably going to skip tomorrow because I have a break day, of sorts, planned for the family. My husband and I decided to each take vacation days from work and book tickets for the Houston Zoo. I have to get an early start because my vehicle needs to go into the dealer AGAIN for the a/c being out...which just won't cut it when we're in the mid 90s each day. But after that...hubby is going to pick me up and I'll get in my exercise walking at the zoo in the heat for a few hours.
I also have a friend driving up on Saturday and we're going to do the first of the Disney MK themed virtual 5ks on my town's green belts. I'm probably going to chalk the start/finish line on Friday evening, bring along some little Disney toys for character stops, and it's Mad Tea Party themed, so I think we're going to throw in elements from our costumes in January.
And just one little shot from last night. My older one is upset that the game time was shortened and she didn't get to bat, but she pitched in the first inning and was catcher for the second inning...during a pretty sunset.
I DID get my husband's encouragement to do a mother/daughter disney trip in a few years. We're thinking graduation present. He's not a huge Disney fan and E and I are, and A enjoys it passively when we're there, but he spent a LOT of time in the room on our last trip. It's so overwhelming for him...the people, the noise, the decorations, and he needs a lot of down time to recover, and he'd probably be ok with not going. So since his high school program is 5 years, E's is 6 and she's one year ahead of him, they will graduate at the same time. So E and I will go to Disney, and my husband and A will take their share of the money and invest in a massive gaming system instead. Only 4 years to go!
HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
Yeah, your summer break starts a lot earlier than ours does, so our kids will finish out the school year having gone back to school, just not full time. My kids are both very very lucky that the virtual learning works well for them. They both prefer it and their grades are just as high as they were before. They both like to work ahead. My son goes to school every Tues. and Thurs., 4 kids to a group. (They divided the class in half. The other half goes M-W-F, but W and F have always been half days, so they end up getting the same amount of instruction as the T and T group) Because A prefers the virtual learning and did so well with it, they've secured a computer for him to use at school and he does his work virtually at school, just like he does at home, but with the teacher present in case he has questions. The rest of the kids have regular instruction. I can't imagine how hard it would be if my kids didn't do well with the virtual learning....so many kids are struggling, and I think mine are in the minority. Most of the kids hate it, and my two love it because they don't necessarily need the instruction. This way they can just start their work right away without waiting for the lesson, then they can go on to the next subject when they finish one, so they get done early and have the rest of the day to just do whatever they want. It works really well for them, but it hasn't worked as well for most of them, and I really feel bad for the ones who were having a hard time even before, and now they are so far behind they might not even get to move on to next year. They'll be held back or have to go down a level. That must be really hard! You get put in an existing group that's already formed friend groups, you don't know anyone, plus it's kind of embarassing admitting you failed a year.
The south, in general, tends to end earlier and start back up earlier than the bulk of the US, but I know it's different in other parts of the world. My older one was OK with the online/virtual learning, but she's such a extroverted person that she really does better with in-person learning. The younger one, while bright, doesn't enjoy school as much. She really needs that classroom setting to keep her motivated. That's great though that yours thrive in this kind of learning environment. It's especially good since I think this whole situation is causing various shifts to virtual learning, remote work, etc. For this school year, grades were kept for the fourth quarter/marking period, but they weren't held against students. So, nobody is being held back if they didn't do well with remote learning. I just don't know if that will be the case going forward if this is any part of the norm for the 2020-21 school year. Like your school system, we may start seeing kids held back or sent down a grade level.
HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
We love the zoo. When the kids were younger, we used to be members and go pretty frequently. My older one even had her 4th birthday party at the zoo...which was a mistake, since August + Zoo + Houston = Way Too HOT! That will be nice when you're able to get out to the zoo on your own.
Soooo exciting!!! A mother/daughter trip sounds like so much fun! Of course, my husband and younger one also love their gaming! It's making them nuts that my younger one can't currently play with her hurt hand. Either way...lots of time to plan an incredible trip to Disney!
HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
I was thinking we'd do a lot more walking than we did at the zoo. So far, I only have around 7K steps for the day. So, I'm probably going to walk as the sun gets lower in the sky. That also hinges on my vehicle. The a/c is acting up again. I took it into the shop before we headed to the zoo and need to find out if they've figured out what's wrong with it.
I also figured I'd share our zoo trip. I made a reservation and bought tickets online a week or two ago, since like Disney, they're taking a similar approach to manage crowds. We had a 9am arrival start window, but arrived closer to 8:30 and saw this pretty rainbow at the fountain in the park outside the zoo.
Masks were not required, but we wore them for a while since there's some risk of transmission to the animals, and there were some spots where it was more of a challenge to distance. I knew certain parts of the zoo would be off limits, but without walking it, it was hard to know all of what would be a total miss or a cut experience. We knew inside favorites like the aquarium, tropical birdhouse, encounters house and kids' section were closed. The map showing the one-way traffic flow also indicated that may absolute favorite part...the primate trail...was also off limits. I guess that's considered a "high touch" area. Once inside, we checked out the macaws and sea lions. It wasn't until we got to the bald eagle that I decided to take out my phone (opted to leave the big camera at home).
Before going into this section, we could also see the entry point to the primate area. We obviously couldn't go in, but we saw some of the ring tailed lemurs out playing at the entrance area. They were too fast and too far to photograph.
There were a few other things in this area (some kind of crane, alligator gar, alligators). I thought the rest of the outdoor bird exhibits would be open, but I guess I read the map wrong. It's not a favorite part of the zoo, but it would have been one more outdoor thing to see. Instead, they had the dragon area open. I think it's kind of silly and have never been in here because there's usually an extra charge. BUT...it was free today, so we saw a bunch of animatronic dragons.
I took a number of dragon pictures, but all in all...it was really cheesy. After exiting, I realized that the area where we saw the bald eagle and the area ahead of us were a section that used to be a big duck pond. It's still pretty, but I can't decide if I like it more wild like this.
We were allowed to go off the main path to see the tigers, but none of them were out. The lions are across the way and they were in view, but the best viewing points were closed to the public. So, this was the best I could get with my zoom.
I was hoping we'd be able to get closer to the lions, but after looking at the map, I guess there was no good way to bring guests into this point and keep one-way flow moving well. It's too bad, because the bears and smaller cats are in a section that's adjacent to the far end of the lion habitat. The path they did create took us out along the habitat where they keep the giraffes, ostriches, and zebras. No giraffe feeding, but the area was still open for standard observation.
I also spotted a Mickey in this area...
And a little AKL vibe inside the cafe where we popped in to pick up some water...
Speaking of...some of the more modern updates to the Houston Zoo were put together by people who were previously involved with Disney's Animal Kingdom (the park), so the zoo has its areas where you get a strong Disney vibe.
The rhinos were up next, and they were doing their best to stay cool.
We couldn't get right up on the glass for a better view of the chimpanzees, but this guy was pretty close. All of the smudges are from where they've put their hands on the glass. In normal times, you could go up to the glass...put your hand there...and many of them will come over and put their hands up to yours. I've had similar experiences with the orangutans (which were part of the closed off primate section).
The gorillas are just on the other side.
Outside, the juveniles were being kept in check by the older gorillas.
Next up- ankole cattle...
He kind of reminds me of the Stitch Ate the Page thing when the Disney site is acting up.
The enclosure said Capybaras, but I'm pretty certain this is a Tapir.
In case you needed to know...
The giant anteater wasn't out, but we saw some bongos and a hornbill. Still, the Okapi is my fave in this area, and they even had their baby right up near the fence. I just don't know why mom kept mouthing the railing...
(continued in next post)
I also figured I'd share our zoo trip. I made a reservation and bought tickets online a week or two ago, since like Disney, they're taking a similar approach to manage crowds. We had a 9am arrival start window, but arrived closer to 8:30 and saw this pretty rainbow at the fountain in the park outside the zoo.
Masks were not required, but we wore them for a while since there's some risk of transmission to the animals, and there were some spots where it was more of a challenge to distance. I knew certain parts of the zoo would be off limits, but without walking it, it was hard to know all of what would be a total miss or a cut experience. We knew inside favorites like the aquarium, tropical birdhouse, encounters house and kids' section were closed. The map showing the one-way traffic flow also indicated that may absolute favorite part...the primate trail...was also off limits. I guess that's considered a "high touch" area. Once inside, we checked out the macaws and sea lions. It wasn't until we got to the bald eagle that I decided to take out my phone (opted to leave the big camera at home).
Before going into this section, we could also see the entry point to the primate area. We obviously couldn't go in, but we saw some of the ring tailed lemurs out playing at the entrance area. They were too fast and too far to photograph.
There were a few other things in this area (some kind of crane, alligator gar, alligators). I thought the rest of the outdoor bird exhibits would be open, but I guess I read the map wrong. It's not a favorite part of the zoo, but it would have been one more outdoor thing to see. Instead, they had the dragon area open. I think it's kind of silly and have never been in here because there's usually an extra charge. BUT...it was free today, so we saw a bunch of animatronic dragons.
I took a number of dragon pictures, but all in all...it was really cheesy. After exiting, I realized that the area where we saw the bald eagle and the area ahead of us were a section that used to be a big duck pond. It's still pretty, but I can't decide if I like it more wild like this.
We were allowed to go off the main path to see the tigers, but none of them were out. The lions are across the way and they were in view, but the best viewing points were closed to the public. So, this was the best I could get with my zoom.
I was hoping we'd be able to get closer to the lions, but after looking at the map, I guess there was no good way to bring guests into this point and keep one-way flow moving well. It's too bad, because the bears and smaller cats are in a section that's adjacent to the far end of the lion habitat. The path they did create took us out along the habitat where they keep the giraffes, ostriches, and zebras. No giraffe feeding, but the area was still open for standard observation.
I also spotted a Mickey in this area...
And a little AKL vibe inside the cafe where we popped in to pick up some water...
Speaking of...some of the more modern updates to the Houston Zoo were put together by people who were previously involved with Disney's Animal Kingdom (the park), so the zoo has its areas where you get a strong Disney vibe.
The rhinos were up next, and they were doing their best to stay cool.
We couldn't get right up on the glass for a better view of the chimpanzees, but this guy was pretty close. All of the smudges are from where they've put their hands on the glass. In normal times, you could go up to the glass...put your hand there...and many of them will come over and put their hands up to yours. I've had similar experiences with the orangutans (which were part of the closed off primate section).
The gorillas are just on the other side.
Outside, the juveniles were being kept in check by the older gorillas.
Next up- ankole cattle...
He kind of reminds me of the Stitch Ate the Page thing when the Disney site is acting up.
The enclosure said Capybaras, but I'm pretty certain this is a Tapir.
In case you needed to know...
The giant anteater wasn't out, but we saw some bongos and a hornbill. Still, the Okapi is my fave in this area, and they even had their baby right up near the fence. I just don't know why mom kept mouthing the railing...
(continued in next post)
HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
I missed getting a good tongue picture, but she started working the plants...which is probably better than the railing.
You can see that she stayed close to her baby.
We were also allowed to go in to see the cougars and the leopards. We didn't spot any leopards until we were on our way out.
Up next...the elephants. This first section is where the bachelor males tend to spend their days.
This guy preferred to be on his own.
Horrible lighting, but this is one of the babies. There are a couple in with the females and they all go in circles guarding them.
Still feeling Disney-ish.
After that, we had the choice of walking past the reptile house and seeing the exhibits visible from the outside OR going past the meerkats. We chose meerkats.
We passed a macaw in an enclosure before heading out. The ones up at the entrance are blue macaws, so different macaws near the exit.
And then it was time to go.
Back in our zoo member days, I learned early on that it's best for us to get to the zoo right at opening and get parking up front. Even in these times of limited capacity, people were lined up for our parking spot as we were leaving.
I was hoping a little more would be open, but it is what it is. So, after 2 hours in the zoo, we were done. Next up - LUNCH. We opted for a local pizza spot that's been around since the mid 1970s. I had a gluten free crust on mine and decided to give feta a try with my tummy. The kids had pizza (the younger ordering WAAAAAY too much) and hubby had cannelloni.
And that's it. I took some videos, but nothing amazing. It was so sunny that it was hard to tell if I was getting anything good half the time. It was really nice to get out and do another more normal thing, even if it wasn't the way we'd normally do it. We wore our masks most of the time in the zoo, they had hand sanitzer all over (I had my own too) and the restaurant had people spaced really far apart and had all employees in masks. I know there's still risk involved in doing all of this, but just trying to embrace the current normal as best as possible.
You can see that she stayed close to her baby.
We were also allowed to go in to see the cougars and the leopards. We didn't spot any leopards until we were on our way out.
Up next...the elephants. This first section is where the bachelor males tend to spend their days.
This guy preferred to be on his own.
Horrible lighting, but this is one of the babies. There are a couple in with the females and they all go in circles guarding them.
Still feeling Disney-ish.
After that, we had the choice of walking past the reptile house and seeing the exhibits visible from the outside OR going past the meerkats. We chose meerkats.
We passed a macaw in an enclosure before heading out. The ones up at the entrance are blue macaws, so different macaws near the exit.
And then it was time to go.
Back in our zoo member days, I learned early on that it's best for us to get to the zoo right at opening and get parking up front. Even in these times of limited capacity, people were lined up for our parking spot as we were leaving.
I was hoping a little more would be open, but it is what it is. So, after 2 hours in the zoo, we were done. Next up - LUNCH. We opted for a local pizza spot that's been around since the mid 1970s. I had a gluten free crust on mine and decided to give feta a try with my tummy. The kids had pizza (the younger ordering WAAAAAY too much) and hubby had cannelloni.
And that's it. I took some videos, but nothing amazing. It was so sunny that it was hard to tell if I was getting anything good half the time. It was really nice to get out and do another more normal thing, even if it wasn't the way we'd normally do it. We wore our masks most of the time in the zoo, they had hand sanitzer all over (I had my own too) and the restaurant had people spaced really far apart and had all employees in masks. I know there's still risk involved in doing all of this, but just trying to embrace the current normal as best as possible.
Songbird76
Well-Known Member
Well ours weren't graded while they were doing virtual learning, or at least not that counted, and they weren't allowed to grade tests. They still graded the work, but it doesn't count towards the final grade. They are taking the grades where they were before the corona crisis, and factoring in their work ethic and participation DURING the pandemic, and adding how they do between going back and the end of the school year. Now they can give actual grades, but no graded tests. Any tests they do are purely to see where the students are and predict how successful they will be next year. Kids who were already struggling before will obviously have a hard time catching up, but the reality is they probably weren't going to make it even if they did go to regular school. Now they are looking at who was behind before and who fell behind because of virtual learning, and of those who fell behind because of the virtual learning, who put in the work and just couldn't do it without the structure and discussion. If they were working hard and didn't fall behind before, they'll go through, even if they are still behind. If they were already slacking off before, and they treated the virtual learning more like a vacation, they won't make it. But they've said in the news that tens of thousands of kids are behind now because of Corona. I imagine it's no different in the US, and there, they didn't get a chance to go back to school again before Summer vacation. We at least have an advantage there, that our school year lasts longer.The south, in general, tends to end earlier and start back up earlier than the bulk of the US, but I know it's different in other parts of the world. My older one was OK with the online/virtual learning, but she's such a extroverted person that she really does better with in-person learning. The younger one, while bright, doesn't enjoy school as much. She really needs that classroom setting to keep her motivated. That's great though that yours thrive in this kind of learning environment. It's especially good since I think this whole situation is causing various shifts to virtual learning, remote work, etc. For this school year, grades were kept for the fourth quarter/marking period, but they weren't held against students. So, nobody is being held back if they didn't do well with remote learning. I just don't know if that will be the case going forward if this is any part of the norm for the 2020-21 school year. Like your school system, we may start seeing kids held back or sent down a grade level.
Songbird76
Well-Known Member
How long will your youngest not be able to game? My son broke his wrist a couple of years ago, right before Summer vacation, so he couldn't go swimming or anything until he got the cast off. And he couldn't bike home from school for the last few weeks. He still managed to play on the computer, though. Is it the hand she writes with?
The best part was that it was DH's suggestion that we do a mother/daughter trip. He enjoys certain things at Disney, but like he said, a coaster is a coaster, and it doesn't matter to him whether that coaster is in Disney or here in the Netherlands. And Disney is so expensive, because we have international flights, resort, tickets, meals....it's a LOT for 4 people, and if it doesn't matter to him where the coaster is, why spend thousands of dollars for him to do a few thrill rides at Disney when he could get just as much enjoyment by spending 50 bucks to go to a park here? Which I totally get, but I do worry that my son might not understand why we get to go to Disney and he doesn't. But I can't go with both kids, but without my husband. My son needs more attention and help, and sometimes we have to split up and one person has to stay with him while the other gets to go do other things. If I went without my husband, the only person who would get to do what they wanted would be my son. It wouldn't be a very fun trip for my daughter or I. At least with a mother/daughter trip, we can split up if we want to do different things...she's totally capable of heading out on her own. But I never expected my husband to suggest it....he's always been more of an "if we're going to go on vacation, we're going to stick together!" kind. I think the diagnosis of autism disabused him of that notion...he realizes now that that's not a realistic expectation.
HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
I think in the end, our grading worked out to be something similar. I would also have to assume that many children are also behind here. I know some is due to many children just not being good with the virtual environment, some was kids struggling before the shutdowns, some was kids in areas/districts that are unable to provide as many resources, etc. Still, some were kids who were just treating this all like one big vacation. My younger one had her forgetful moments, and weeks where she fell behind because she's not as good at managing work being in a variety of sources, but there were kids that she never saw in their Zoom classrooms. Much of the northeastern US just finished their school years, so we're sort of all over the place in how this impacted US kids. I know not everyone shares my opinion, but I'm really hope they're able to find a way to get them back into the classroom in August. They've suggested we possibly shift to a year-round school model vs the summer break that's been the norm in the US. I'm not opposed to it.
HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
The doctor projected 2-4 weeks. Same kid broke her wrist a few years ago, but everything I seem to remember from that injury involves things like school, bathing and sports. With the bite, the dr is afraid that movement will cause the wound to reopen and prolong healing duration. We're now on day 10 of healing, so she's close to the early projection on being able to do normal things. She's now able to move her fingers without pain, but there's still some mild pain and discomfort in the palm with certain movement or cleaning actions. I don't think she's ready to grip a bat or field a ball, but I think she can probably manage an Xbox controller or computer keyboard by the weekend.
Obviously, every household is different, but I think a mother/daughter trip would be ideal and a lot of fun. My husband as well as the kids get jealous if we don't go as a family, but once there, we're good with a divide and conquer approach to meet different likes. Next time, we're even considering let the kids go off on their own for a while since they'll meet Disney's age requirements. If your DH isn't into the whole Disney experience, there are some really great places to go for a coaster enthusiast without spending all that Disney $. It would still be the cost of getting to the US in your case for my top choice, but I've always wanted to visit Cedar Point in Ohio. My daughter's band/choir trip (well, minus this year) always involved one of the state Six Flags parks...which opened her eyes to a whole new world of coasters. I have friends and family who have to approach Disney differently due to autism and other issues. Their kids are all still younger at this point, but I know as they get older, they may have to take a different approach that keeps differing sibling wants and needs in mind. My friend who traveled with me back in January has a son on the spectrum and while she's not a thrill ride person, she used our trip as an opportunity to ride the things she wouldn't get to ride with her son due to his concerns. Still, it may be different for them as her younger one gets older. Either way...the trip sounds so exciting for you guys
Songbird76
Well-Known Member
Well at least she's on the mend. 2-4 weeks doesn't sound all that bad to an adult, but as a kid, during summer vacation, it's practically purgaroty! But she's almost halfway, so hopefully she'll at least get to finish out the season with her team.The doctor projected 2-4 weeks. Same kid broke her wrist a few years ago, but everything I seem to remember from that injury involves things like school, bathing and sports. With the bite, the dr is afraid that movement will cause the wound to reopen and prolong healing duration. We're now on day 10 of healing, so she's close to the early projection on being able to do normal things. She's now able to move her fingers without pain, but there's still some mild pain and discomfort in the palm with certain movement or cleaning actions. I don't think she's ready to grip a bat or field a ball, but I think she can probably manage an Xbox controller or computer keyboard by the weekend.
Obviously, every household is different, but I think a mother/daughter trip would be ideal and a lot of fun. My husband as well as the kids get jealous if we don't go as a family, but once there, we're good with a divide and conquer approach to meet different likes. Next time, we're even considering let the kids go off on their own for a while since they'll meet Disney's age requirements. If your DH isn't into the whole Disney experience, there are some really great places to go for a coaster enthusiast without spending all that Disney $. It would still be the cost of getting to the US in your case for my top choice, but I've always wanted to visit Cedar Point in Ohio. My daughter's band/choir trip (well, minus this year) always involved one of the state Six Flags parks...which opened her eyes to a whole new world of coasters. I have friends and family who have to approach Disney differently due to autism and other issues. Their kids are all still younger at this point, but I know as they get older, they may have to take a different approach that keeps differing sibling wants and needs in mind. My friend who traveled with me back in January has a son on the spectrum and while she's not a thrill ride person, she used our trip as an opportunity to ride the things she wouldn't get to ride with her son due to his concerns. Still, it may be different for them as her younger one gets older. Either way...the trip sounds so exciting for you guys
There are some great places with coasters here, so my husband is happy to stay here and not even go with us to the US. The test will be if my son agrees. He has very few rides that he loves at Disney. He loves Test Track and will go on that by himself....that was a one and done for me. I don't do coasters, and TT is way too uncomfortable and my knees kept slamming against the seat in front of me and it was soooooo painful. But he can do that one alone, and my daughter and DH like it, too. He loves Buzz lightyear space ranger spin, tomorrowland speedway, and he'll go on Pirates of the Carribean, but it's definitely not a must do for him....he likes carousel of progress. He loves Toy Story Mania, and he won't set foot in the Animal Kingdom at all anymore. He's a picky eater, and doesn't like mac n' cheese, spaghetti, PB&J, and won't eat Disney Chicken nuggets or pizza, though he did eat the pepperoni off the pizza at Via Napoli. But the only food he actually liked and consistently ate at Disney was Joffrey's giant donuts. And he spent several days at the resort playing on the computer rather than going into the parks with us, so I think he'd be ok being left behind. E and I have similar tastes and can just go with the flow and have a great time. But E can also go with DH and do thrill rides and have an equally good time. DH doesn't mind spending time with her in the parks, but he seems to resent the time he has to spend with A when he doesn't get to do his own thing. He doesn't enjoy the parks if he's not doing the thrill rides, and since A won't do those, and won't do a lot of the other rides either, there's not a lot you can do with A in the parks. That may change in time....when we went in 2016, he wouldn't do most things. He wouldn't even go into Haunted Mansion to get to the rider swap area, wouldn't to Pirates of the Caribbean, or Star Tours even though he loves Star Wars. Last Summer he was a lot better about going on rides with us, even if he didn't love them. So who knows...another 4 years and he may be a total fan and have tons of fun. He'll be old enough to be on his own as far as Disney's rules go, but I don't know if that's a realistic expectation for him. I'm afraid he'd be too overwhelmed to cope by himself, and get lost. It's all just speculation at this point anyway....E really wants to take her best friend to Disney and I had suggested it would be a fun graduation present, and by that time, she may not want mom tagging along. So who knows what will happen in 4 years, but it's sure fun to think about!
HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
Our pools are also open, so she's furious about missing pool time. Her coach is finding ways to make her useful, now that we're nearing the 2 week mark. He can sub her in as a runner if the catcher or pitcher needs to be relieved. She's not slow, she's not ultra fast, but she is an aggressive base runner. So, there's some fun in that and if he puts them in their white pants, she enjoys sliding excessively to challenge my laundry abilities.
He's also teaching her a one arm style of slap hitting that's permitted in case they need a hitter. She's can wiggle her fingers without pain and make a fist with just a little bit of a pinching feeling on the surface of her palm. She's able to grip a ball and a bat at this stage, but I think next weekend will be when she's ready to play normally.Well, hopefully they can figure it out. It's hard when you have a person in the mix who only enjoys thrill rides...and the ones at Disney tend to be more mild, so it's probably even more frustrating. Letting the kids go off on their own is a bit scary, but hoping we can figure out a way to make it work so that we can transition to a new kind of touring. I guess at least you have time to work out details and a lot could change between now and then. He may even develop some different food tastes that could guide things a different way if he comes along.
Songbird76
Well-Known Member
I'm so glad her coach is working with her and is being helpful about it! It's great that he still includes her, even though she can't hit or catch at the moment....finding ways to keep her feeling like part of the team. Sounds like a good coach! I know a lot of coaches would just sideline an injured kid and kind of forget about them. It's nice that her coach is making an effort!Our pools are also open, so she's furious about missing pool time. Her coach is finding ways to make her useful, now that we're nearing the 2 week mark. He can sub her in as a runner if the catcher or pitcher needs to be relieved. She's not slow, she's not ultra fast, but she is an aggressive base runner. So, there's some fun in that and if he puts them in their white pants, she enjoys sliding excessively to challenge my laundry abilities.
Well, hopefully they can figure it out. It's hard when you have a person in the mix who only enjoys thrill rides...and the ones at Disney tend to be more mild, so it's probably even more frustrating. Letting the kids go off on their own is a bit scary, but hoping we can figure out a way to make it work so that we can transition to a new kind of touring. I guess at least you have time to work out details and a lot could change between now and then. He may even develop some different food tastes that could guide things a different way if he comes along.
Yeah, well, DH really liked Rock n' Roller Coaster, and he loves ToT. BTMR is a bit tame, but he likes it just fine. But he'd rather just be on his own doing the rides we won't do, or with E doing some of those. She loves ToT as well, and BTMR, though she didn't dare do RnRC yet. I know E could handle being on her own. She's a very mature 14 and has a good head on her shoulders. She would know what to do if she got lost, or needed help. But A wouldn't know what to do. CM's would probably just find him standing somewhere in tears and he might scream at them if they started asking questions he didn't know the answer to. He has problems knowing when and how to ask for help. He's very good with concrete facts and regurgitation of information, but anything abstract where there's not a factual answer will make him panic. Open ended questions, like "Where are your parents?" would likely just distress him because he doesn't know the answer. Who knows though....by the time they graduate, she will be 18 and he will be 17, so he may have matured a lot. We'll see how it goes.