What about Monday?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you all helicopter parents who are freaking about their children’s education right now? You have no regard for your own children’s or others safety. Let the kids enjoy some snow days. Its part of childhood..

They've had 5 days to play in the snow. They'll have two more over the weekend. That's more than enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:This seems to be because MCPS takes on the liability burden of getting students to school, whereas other systems do not. Are there creative ways to work around that? Waiver for bus riding/attendance? Optional open days?

Because they do have a liability. Letting kids get on at stops that you know are unsafe is a liability. You can't just waive everything away, especially if the consequence is missed work--that's duress.

The stops aren't unsafe. Just inconvenient. Walk over the snow. There are tracks to follow.

We cannot get to the bus stop. There is a cut through on an unsafe street. No way to climb over the mound not wait or even get to the bus. No place to even drive and park for the bus to come.

You can walk around the snow mound at the corner. Don't be so helpless. Do you give up when faced with any minor challenge?

DP. It’s really weird that you want schoolchildren endangering themselves standing in the street just to get to school. I understand why people are frustrated that schools aren’t ready to open, but I don’t understand the utter lack of concern for the kids who would navigate bus routes and walker paths in these *actual* conditions. I’ve lived in New England. No, a storm like this wouldn’t taken down a week plus of school. No, children wouldn’t be getting to school in these conditions. The routes are clear there.

No, cities and townships in NE don't have armies of people who clear sidewalks at every intersection. Nor do they clear every bus stop. That simply isn't possible to do. Some will always just have to wait until it melts, which could be weeks or months away. The kids just walk over the snow. That works here, too.

Possibly you haven’t seen the conditions people are talking about, if your area is super clear. Yes, school children up north have to walk around snow. But paths that are not straight in the middle of the street — they exist.

I don't believe you lived in NE if you're saying that is unique to Montgomery County.

Yes, kids may have to walk on snow where there aren't cleared sidewalks. They may have to walk around or over piles of snow, particularly at intersections where plows have pushed snow into sidewalks. People may have to drive on roads at slower speeds because the full road width isn't cleared, or because there may still be some snow on it.

These are all things that can be handled safely. Yes, it is inconvenient. Sometimes uncomfortable. Often it will take more time. But you can do it. And people regularly do it in other parts of the country because it isn't feasible to wait for the snow to melt.

I didn’t say it was unique to MoCo. It clearly is happening region wide. I’m saying during the 15 years I lived in New England I didn’t see streets and sidewalks impassable for this long. And that included when I lived there in the winter of 2015. And I certainly experienced inconveniences and paths that stopped suddenly and needing to walk around things and sometimes stepping into the street because of ice rinks. My neighborhood is orders of magnitude worse than that right now, and it isn’t the only one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This seems to be because MCPS takes on the liability burden of getting students to school, whereas other systems do not. Are there creative ways to work around that? Waiver for bus riding/attendance? Optional open days?

Because they do have a liability. Letting kids get on at stops that you know are unsafe is a liability. You can't just waive everything away, especially if the consequence is missed work--that's duress.

The stops aren't unsafe. Just inconvenient. Walk over the snow. There are tracks to follow.

We cannot get to the bus stop. There is a cut through on an unsafe street. No way to climb over the mound not wait or even get to the bus. No place to even drive and park for the bus to come.

You can walk around the snow mound at the corner. Don't be so helpless. Do you give up when faced with any minor challenge?

DP. It’s really weird that you want schoolchildren endangering themselves standing in the street just to get to school. I understand why people are frustrated that schools aren’t ready to open, but I don’t understand the utter lack of concern for the kids who would navigate bus routes and walker paths in these *actual* conditions. I’ve lived in New England. No, a storm like this wouldn’t taken down a week plus of school. No, children wouldn’t be getting to school in these conditions. The routes are clear there.

No, cities and townships in NE don't have armies of people who clear sidewalks at every intersection. Nor do they clear every bus stop. That simply isn't possible to do. Some will always just have to wait until it melts, which could be weeks or months away. The kids just walk over the snow. That works here, too.

Yep.

We cleared our sidewalk, but our small townhouse backyard is filled with snow. We have no way to clear it, so the snow will stay there.

My kid shockingly managed to walk over the snow mounds from the house to the garage this morning.

As of writing, she hasn’t yet perished.

Do many cars drive between your house and garage?

Because slipping in your yard is different than falling in the street in front of a vehicle that can’t stop.

Then don't walk in the street if it isn't safe. Walk on the snow. Yes, that's possible to do. You're not going to fall into the Nether.

Without water proof shoes, that’s a huge risk. Also, its ice , not snow

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you all helicopter parents who are freaking about their children’s education right now? You have no regard for your own children’s or others safety. Let the kids enjoy some snow days. Its part of childhood..

My kid loves the snow, we are outdoorsy, but even we have had enough. We’ve made snow ice cream, played outside, been sledding, read books, played games, done all the things…… but it’s freezing outside.
We’re done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This seems to be because MCPS takes on the liability burden of getting students to school, whereas other systems do not. Are there creative ways to work around that? Waiver for bus riding/attendance? Optional open days?

Because they do have a liability. Letting kids get on at stops that you know are unsafe is a liability. You can't just waive everything away, especially if the consequence is missed work--that's duress.

The stops aren't unsafe. Just inconvenient. Walk over the snow. There are tracks to follow.

We cannot get to the bus stop. There is a cut through on an unsafe street. No way to climb over the mound not wait or even get to the bus. No place to even drive and park for the bus to come.

You can walk around the snow mound at the corner. Don't be so helpless. Do you give up when faced with any minor challenge?

DP. It’s really weird that you want schoolchildren endangering themselves standing in the street just to get to school. I understand why people are frustrated that schools aren’t ready to open, but I don’t understand the utter lack of concern for the kids who would navigate bus routes and walker paths in these *actual* conditions. I’ve lived in New England. No, a storm like this wouldn’t taken down a week plus of school. No, children wouldn’t be getting to school in these conditions. The routes are clear there.

No, cities and townships in NE don't have armies of people who clear sidewalks at every intersection. Nor do they clear every bus stop. That simply isn't possible to do. Some will always just have to wait until it melts, which could be weeks or months away. The kids just walk over the snow. That works here, too.

Possibly you haven’t seen the conditions people are talking about, if your area is super clear. Yes, school children up north have to walk around snow. But paths that are not straight in the middle of the street — they exist.

I don't believe you lived in NE if you're saying that is unique to Montgomery County.

Yes, kids may have to walk on snow where there aren't cleared sidewalks. They may have to walk around or over piles of snow, particularly at intersections where plows have pushed snow into sidewalks. People may have to drive on roads at slower speeds because the full road width isn't cleared, or because there may still be some snow on it.

These are all things that can be handled safely. Yes, it is inconvenient. Sometimes uncomfortable. Often it will take more time. But you can do it. And people regularly do it in other parts of the country because it isn't feasible to wait for the snow to melt.

I didn’t say it was unique to MoCo. It clearly is happening region wide. I’m saying during the 15 years I lived in New England I didn’t see streets and sidewalks impassable for this long. And that included when I lived there in the winter of 2015. And I certainly experienced inconveniences and paths that stopped suddenly and needing to walk around things and sometimes stepping into the street because of ice rinks. My neighborhood is orders of magnitude worse than that right now, and it isn’t the only one.

I don't where you lived, regionally or the type of location- urban, rural, suburban- but these aren't unique conditions. This is what happens everywhere it snows with temperatures that remain well below freezing. Again, you simply can plow everything perfectly. Sidewalks will remain covered or blocked in some places. Roads will be partially cleared. That always happens when it snows more than 6-8 inches and doesn't melt.

[Thisshouldbeeasy]

Anonymous wrote:Are you all helicopter parents who are freaking about their children’s education right now? You have no regard for your own children’s or others safety. Let the kids enjoy some snow days. Its part of childhood..

+1 this will be a time our kids reflect on in adult hood and reminisce about. Some of my favorite memories were the extended snow days and I don't even remember the make up days.

[Anonymous]

Thisshouldbeeasy wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you all helicopter parents who are freaking about their children’s education right now? You have no regard for your own children’s or others safety. Let the kids enjoy some snow days. Its part of childhood..

+1 this will be a time our kids reflect on in adult hood and reminisce about. Some of my favorite memories were the extended snow days and I don't even remember the make up days.

That’s great. Snow days are fun. I had plenty as a kid.

School is important. I remembered what I learned in school AND what I did outside of school.

I feel sorry for the people who claim they forgot everything they learned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you all helicopter parents who are freaking about their children’s education right now? You have no regard for your own children’s or others safety. Let the kids enjoy some snow days. Its part of childhood..

My kid loves the snow, we are outdoorsy, but even we have had enough. We’ve made snow ice cream, played outside, been sledding, read books, played games, done all the things…… but it’s freezing outside.
We’re done.

Agreed. My kids have been outside with friends all week (or they have had friends over or gone to their houses), they've read, played video games, done crafty things, we've baked goodies and made hot chocolate, we've had movie nights (and some days). But at this point everyone is going stir crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Thisshouldbeeasy wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you all helicopter parents who are freaking about their children’s education right now? You have no regard for your own children’s or others safety. Let the kids enjoy some snow days. Its part of childhood..

+1 this will be a time our kids reflect on in adult hood and reminisce about. Some of my favorite memories were the extended snow days and I don't even remember the make up days.

That’s great. Snow days are fun. I had plenty as a kid.

School is important. I remembered what I learned in school AND what I did outside of school.

I feel sorry for the people who claim they forgot everything they learned.

Really?

You remember you learned Algebra in January 1996 or you remember you had fun in the snow in Jan 1996?

Smh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Thisshouldbeeasy wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you all helicopter parents who are freaking about their children’s education right now? You have no regard for your own children’s or others safety. Let the kids enjoy some snow days. Its part of childhood..

+1 this will be a time our kids reflect on in adult hood and reminisce about. Some of my favorite memories were the extended snow days and I don't even remember the make up days.

That’s great. Snow days are fun. I had plenty as a kid.

School is important. I remembered what I learned in school AND what I did outside of school.

I feel sorry for the people who claim they forgot everything they learned.

Really?

You remember you learned Algebra in January 1996 or you remember you had fun in the snow in Jan 1996?

Smh

Yep.

I remember in 3rd grade, we did a really fun project about Colonial America where we made a colonial village and then did presentations about the different people in the town (blacksmith, cobbler, etc).

In 2nd grade, we did an assembly line project where we made little cars.

In 5th grade, I did my first research paper. My topic was Incan architecture. We were learning about the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incan civilizations.

I also remember sledding down the big hill near my house with my sister and my friends during snow days. I remember roasting marshmallows in the fire.

This was all around the mid-90s in the NYC suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Thisshouldbeeasy wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you all helicopter parents who are freaking about their children’s education right now? You have no regard for your own children’s or others safety. Let the kids enjoy some snow days. Its part of childhood..

+1 this will be a time our kids reflect on in adult hood and reminisce about. Some of my favorite memories were the extended snow days and I don't even remember the make up days.

That’s great. Snow days are fun. I had plenty as a kid.

School is important. I remembered what I learned in school AND what I did outside of school.

I feel sorry for the people who claim they forgot everything they learned.

Really?

You remember you learned Algebra in January 1996 or you remember you had fun in the snow in Jan 1996?

Smh

Yep.

I remember in 3rd grade, we did a really fun project about Colonial America where we made a colonial village and then did presentations about the different people in the town (blacksmith, cobbler, etc).

In 2nd grade, we did an assembly line project where we made little cars.

In 5th grade, I did my first research paper. My topic was Incan architecture. We were learning about the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incan civilizations.

I also remember sledding down the big hill near my house with my sister and my friends during snow days. I remember roasting marshmallows in the fire.

This was all around the mid-90s in the NYC suburbs.

You guys sound overly anxious about kids missing a week of school. Trust me, they are not going to become dumber or anything. In fact, they are probably learning life skills. Free play, interacting with friends, shoveling snow, figuring out how to use this time without screens, cooking meals..maybe learning new skills. way more useful than writing research papers. I feel sorry for your kids..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Thisshouldbeeasy wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you all helicopter parents who are freaking about their children’s education right now? You have no regard for your own children’s or others safety. Let the kids enjoy some snow days. Its part of childhood..

+1 this will be a time our kids reflect on in adult hood and reminisce about. Some of my favorite memories were the extended snow days and I don't even remember the make up days.

That’s great. Snow days are fun. I had plenty as a kid.

School is important. I remembered what I learned in school AND what I did outside of school.

I feel sorry for the people who claim they forgot everything they learned.

Really?

You remember you learned Algebra in January 1996 or you remember you had fun in the snow in Jan 1996?

Smh

Yep.

I remember in 3rd grade, we did a really fun project about Colonial America where we made a colonial village and then did presentations about the different people in the town (blacksmith, cobbler, etc).

In 2nd grade, we did an assembly line project where we made little cars.

In 5th grade, I did my first research paper. My topic was Incan architecture. We were learning about the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incan civilizations.

I also remember sledding down the big hill near my house with my sister and my friends during snow days. I remember roasting marshmallows in the fire.

This was all around the mid-90s in the NYC suburbs.

You guys sound overly anxious about kids missing a week of school. Trust me, they are not going to become dumber or anything. In fact, they are probably learning life skills. Free play, interacting with friends, shoveling snow, figuring out how to use this time without screens, cooking meals..maybe learning new skills. way more useful than writing research papers. I feel sorry for your kids..

I feel sorry that you don’t see the value in writing research papers.

There is value in school AND playing with friends.

How do you not see that?

[Anonymous]

People in this region do not drive responsibly enough for us to ask children to clamber over 2 feet of ice blocking a crosswalk and hope they don’t get hit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People in this region do not drive responsibly enough for us to ask children to clamber over 2 feet of ice blocking a crosswalk and hope they don’t get hit.

My five year old can’t even climb that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Thisshouldbeeasy wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you all helicopter parents who are freaking about their children’s education right now? You have no regard for your own children’s or others safety. Let the kids enjoy some snow days. Its part of childhood..

+1 this will be a time our kids reflect on in adult hood and reminisce about. Some of my favorite memories were the extended snow days and I don't even remember the make up days.

That’s great. Snow days are fun. I had plenty as a kid.

School is important. I remembered what I learned in school AND what I did outside of school.

I feel sorry for the people who claim they forgot everything they learned.

Really?

You remember you learned Algebra in January 1996 or you remember you had fun in the snow in Jan 1996?

Smh

Yep.

I remember in 3rd grade, we did a really fun project about Colonial America where we made a colonial village and then did presentations about the different people in the town (blacksmith, cobbler, etc).

In 2nd grade, we did an assembly line project where we made little cars.

In 5th grade, I did my first research paper. My topic was Incan architecture. We were learning about the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incan civilizations.

I also remember sledding down the big hill near my house with my sister and my friends during snow days. I remember roasting marshmallows in the fire.

This was all around the mid-90s in the NYC suburbs.

You guys sound overly anxious about kids missing a week of school. Trust me, they are not going to become dumber or anything. In fact, they are probably learning life skills. Free play, interacting with friends, shoveling snow, figuring out how to use this time without screens, cooking meals..maybe learning new skills. way more useful than writing research papers. I feel sorry for your kids..

I feel sorry that you don’t see the value in writing research papers.

There is value in school AND playing with friends.

How do you not see that?

There is value in both. However, under the circumstances if you can’t have one you should appreciate the other. This situation is beyond your control. Learn to be flexible and adjust your expectations. Not a big deal if your kid doesn’t write a paper for a week. Have some perspective.