i hate this, i hate this, i hate this

[Anonymous]

Buy a plastic baby pool.

Buy a slip n slide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm with you. I hate this. My kids are unaware and can be happy in the moment, I wish I could be too. (They think summer will be normal with pools and swim team and I don't to crush their hopes until we know for certain.)

It's harder and harder to make the effort to keep things going and happy. I'm so sad.

Thanks for joining me.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it does any good to worry about what is open and when and why. If something is open does that mean you will automatically go?

You need take what you do know, evaluate your own risk, and then make the best decisions you can.

It sucks and it's so hard, but waiting for someone else to lead you to a plan just isn't going to happen. You have make a decision for your family and deal with the consequences. Waiting for answers is just not going to happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some days are better than others. Today is not a good day. Every time an announcement hits, I get so sad. Our city just closed pools and splash pads for the summer (not in DC). I am just SAD.

I am a SAHM and my kids are under 5. We didn't lose jobs. Our lives our GOOD. My kids are happy and blissfully unaware.

But, i hate this. I hate that my son missed t-ball for the first time. No swimming?! All summer?

And now, possibly no school next year?

I'm sad. I hate this. I want to quit.

Sit with me, and vent.

Real question amidst my venting: I can imagine multiple problems with pools from health issues to logistics to expenses. What's the rationale for closing splash pads? Does anyone know? I can't imagine why the decision to close splash pads for the entire summer would be made at all -let alone so early in the season. Is it as simple as viewing it as an attraction that will encourage large groups of kids too young to social distance? This sucks rocks.

Probably the social distance aspect?

As for pools, it’s probably also for social distancing purposes. The virus isn’t waterborne and I imagine chlorine would kill it, so the actual pools aren’t the problem.

I guess you're right, but I just seems like kids using the splash pads would be young enough that they'd be supervised by parents. This is pushing my rantiest rant button really hard. Sigh. Grumble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it does any good to worry about what is open and when and why. If something is open does that mean you will automatically go?

You need take what you do know, evaluate your own risk, and then make the best decisions you can.

It sucks and it's so hard, but waiting for someone else to lead you to a plan just isn't going to happen. You have make a decision for your family and deal with the consequences. Waiting for answers is just not going to happen.

That is what we are doing. But we don't have another pool option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Me too. Hate, hate, hate it.

Got a message from my kid's teacher that he's not turning the video on for Zoom calls. I have a job and simply can't monitor that. And kid (5th grader) knows that nothing this quarter is being graded, so he doesn't think he should bother with any of the distance learning stuff. He knows he is getting an A (school is averaging all grades from the 1st 3 quarters, and he has straight As), and said straight out that even if he got a D, that a D in 5th grade during a pandemic isn't going to change any aspect of his life. And he's right. I can't argue with that.

Your son is one smart cookie!

Yup this is why our school's grading policy has a caveat that zero participation in distance learning will drop you a letter grade. But if your kid doesn't care about grades, then you need to figure out how to get him to care about learning and participating even if he doesn't like it. And since grades aren't a consequence that matters to him, give him one that does. It is not his right to make you stress over getting notes from his teacher -- so his behavior is having a negative affect on you, and he doesn't get to do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Buy a plastic baby pool.

Buy a slip n slide.

Buy a giant blow up backyard waterslide from costco.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Me too. Hate, hate, hate it.

Got a message from my kid's teacher that he's not turning the video on for Zoom calls. I have a job and simply can't monitor that. And kid (5th grader) knows that nothing this quarter is being graded, so he doesn't think he should bother with any of the distance learning stuff. He knows he is getting an A (school is averaging all grades from the 1st 3 quarters, and he has straight As), and said straight out that even if he got a D, that a D in 5th grade during a pandemic isn't going to change any aspect of his life. And he's right. I can't argue with that.

Your son is one smart cookie!

Smart if the purpose of school is grades. Less smart if the purpose of school is learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm with you. I hate this. My kids are unaware and can be happy in the moment, I wish I could be too. (They think summer will be normal with pools and swim team and I don't to crush their hopes until we know for certain.)

It's harder and harder to make the effort to keep things going and happy. I'm so sad.

The strange thing is that my kids know all this and are somehow still happy in the moment. It makes me wonder if they just don't understand how boring this summer will be or if all the stuff we usually do in the summer never mattered that much to them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Buy a plastic baby pool.

Buy a slip n slide.

Buy a giant blow up backyard waterslide from costco.

Oh yeah — all of that will totally fit in my postage-stamp TH backyard. We bought in this neighborhood in large part because of the excellent common amenities, including a gorgeous neighborhood pool and clubhouse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Me too. Hate, hate, hate it.

Got a message from my kid's teacher that he's not turning the video on for Zoom calls. I have a job and simply can't monitor that. And kid (5th grader) knows that nothing this quarter is being graded, so he doesn't think he should bother with any of the distance learning stuff. He knows he is getting an A (school is averaging all grades from the 1st 3 quarters, and he has straight As), and said straight out that even if he got a D, that a D in 5th grade during a pandemic isn't going to change any aspect of his life. And he's right. I can't argue with that.

Your son is one smart cookie!

Smart if the purpose of school is grades. Less smart if the purpose of school is learning.

+1000. As a homeschooling parent, my kids would be idiots if I allowed an attitude like that. Learning can happen anywhere, anytime, in this day and age. It may be different, but in some ways it is much easier to attain knowledge when not in a school building. This philosophy has been a godsend for my kids because they understand they can continue learning throughout their lives and they know how to do it even without a formal "class".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m bummed. I know we have it good—we both still have our jobs and we’re healthy—but my kid is only little once. I was really looking forward to this summer with her at the pool. She’s only going to have one summer as a 3 year old.

I know it’s dramatic and not even close to that important, but I’m still bummed about it.

Me too. It is lame but I miss shopping with my kids. I love pushing them in the cart. They'll be too big too soon.

It's not lame. That's a sweet part of life when they're small. I enjoyed it too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Buy a plastic baby pool.

Buy a slip n slide.

Buy a giant blow up backyard waterslide from costco.

Oh yeah — all of that will totally fit in my postage-stamp TH backyard. We bought in this neighborhood in large part because of the excellent common amenities, including a gorgeous neighborhood pool and clubhouse.

OP, we were very poor growing up and had no lawn to speak of either. But we did have a sprinkler that provided hours of entertainment, running back and forth through it.

It's not as good as a splash pad or above ground pool but will feel refreshing and fun for the kids

Would there be room for a plastic baby pool?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Buy a plastic baby pool.

Buy a slip n slide.

Buy a giant blow up backyard waterslide from costco.

Oh yeah — all of that will totally fit in my postage-stamp TH backyard. We bought in this neighborhood in large part because of the excellent common amenities, including a gorgeous neighborhood pool and clubhouse.

OP, we were very poor growing up and had no lawn to speak of either. But we did have a sprinkler that provided hours of entertainment, running back and forth through it.

It's not as good as a splash pad or above ground pool but will feel refreshing and fun for the kids

Would there be room for a plastic baby pool?

Yeah, i think we could fit that.

We’d have to get our hose fixed first. Time to convince DH it’s worth the money ... he hasn’t wanted to pay to get it fixed.

[Anonymous]

The only thing that has helped me to stop feeling this way, OP, is complete acceptance. The summer will not be any different than now. No friends, no classes, no playground, no extended family, no date nights, no relief. Weirdly this depressing realization really has helped me!