How many families are in pods?

[Anonymous]

Okay I’ll play. I podded up for 3rd grade. We have four kids total in pod and we hired someone to teach them every day from 8.30-1pm. The cost is split evenly among the parents.

For me it came down to the following:

- I suspect my 3rd grader may be ADD; or at very least she gets a tremendous joy by not listening to me . In all seriousness, she’s high energy and does poorly sitting in front of a screen all day, often declaring “I’m bored” ten minutes into school.
- Getting any work done during those hours is next to impossible because she requires essentially constant attention and redirection.
- I do think she’s learning her social skills from the likes of YouTube, roblox, Minecraft, or whatever - which isn’t great to say the least. Lots of 15 year old kids typing all sorta of stuff on there. The screen time is rotting the brain but I’m sympathetic to the fact that all her friends are on these games (so she sees it as the only kind of socializing she can have). It seemed like a pod could provide some limited normalcy again.
- We sought out parents with similar risk profiles and we all took covid tests before day one.
- Mentally all the kids seem to really benefit from having a teacher and packing a lunch, etc. It’s a bit like why they say to get up and get dressed for work even if you are at home - helps shift the mindset.

I feel incredibly snobby having a pod, but my kid is doing so much better with this than they did with me trying to manage things at home on my own, juggling work, school, lunch, etc. It makes me happy to see my daughter happy. Obviously if she or I get covid and die, this will have been quite the mistake, but then the only real alternative is to stay in strict lockdown for another year or more.

May the hate start.

[Anonymous]

We've taken the lead in running a DL supervision (vs. teaching) pod of 4 kids, 2 ours, 2 from other families, ages 8-10. Lots of work to organize and keep everybody rolling, but worth it. We provide room and board to the tutor (who works 20 hours) while the other parents this person $350/week total. Parents taking turns leading Wed field trips. The kids are obviously loads happier and more motivated than in the spring. Glad we're doing this but doubt we could keep it up for the whole school year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like the term "pod" is being used to mean two completely different things.

1. "Pod" - Essentially daycare or team parenting where a caregiver provides supervision that includes overseeing distance learning log-ins and schedule maintenance. see, nanny, aupair
2. "Pod" - Two or more unaffiliated households who collectively hire an educator to supervise distance learning, classroom activities and supplement regular distance learning curriculum. see, tutor, private teacher.

These are not remotely the same thing or solving or the same problem.

I think there is also a third concept of pod for kids who are pulled from their schools and are essentially home schooled by a private tutor.

3. "Pod" - Two or more unaffiliated households who collectively hire an educator to provide distance or in-person learning to their children who are no longer enrolled in a formal school program. see, tutor, private teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PPPPPPPPPPPPP poster who suggested that people are using "Pod" to mean two very different things. While the trolly trolls won't care, to the extent that people are trying to contribute to this thread it would really be helpful if people could explain what they are solving for and what grade their kiddos are in.

Why is it so important to you to make sure everyone knows your pod is not like the other pods?

Wow. Your reply says an awful lot about you. I'm actually not in a pod. Like a lot of other families I'm trying to figure out what to do in a lousy situation. To the extent that others are trying pods and are willing to share their experiences it could be helpful.

You are clearly here for the drama. And I'd hazard to say that that you suffer from some serious inferiority complex if what you took from my post was that people are looking down on you.

NP. To be fair, your posts says nothing of that sorts. Maybe try asking a pointed question to avoid responses like the above.

So let me get this straight. I suggested people identify for what they are solving and for what grade. In reply someone comes over the top with a really bitchy comment reading into what I sad something that simply wasn't there. I called B.S. and you suggested that somehow asking for two data points because they "would be really helpful" was somehow the precipitating factor?

I asked for two specific data points because they make responses more useful for people trying to figure out what to do. How much more specific should I have been?

But since you suggested I ask a pointed question, here's a couple?

1. Since I didn't post anything about my Pod (because I don't have one), how exactly do you find yourself defending somebody with low self esteem who created a backstory of their inferiority?
2. Do you know what the phrase "nothing of the sort" means? Because my post said, "to the extent that people are trying to contribute to this thread it would really be helpful if people could explain what they are solving for and what grade their kiddos are in", which I think makes it pretty clear that I am asking for the information because I think it would be helpful to others solving for the same situation?
3. How much more specific than asking for two data points should I have been?
4. Why don't you have a basic level of reading comprehension? (In all fairness, this one may be subsumed by the preceding).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like the term "pod" is being used to mean two completely different things.

1. "Pod" - Essentially daycare or team parenting where a caregiver provides supervision that includes overseeing distance learning log-ins and schedule maintenance. see, nanny, aupair
2. "Pod" - Two or more unaffiliated households who collectively hire an educator to supervise distance learning, classroom activities and supplement regular distance learning curriculum. see, tutor, private teacher.

These are not remotely the same thing or solving or the same problem.

I think there is also a third concept of pod for kids who are pulled from their schools and are essentially home schooled by a private tutor.

3. "Pod" - Two or more unaffiliated households who collectively hire an educator to provide distance or in-person learning to their children who are no longer enrolled in a formal school program. see, tutor, private teacher.

Respectfully, I disagree. That's called "homeschooling" and is a different thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay I’ll play. I podded up for 3rd grade. We have four kids total in pod and we hired someone to teach them every day from 8.30-1pm. The cost is split evenly among the parents.

For me it came down to the following:

- I suspect my 3rd grader may be ADD; or at very least she gets a tremendous joy by not listening to me . In all seriousness, she’s high energy and does poorly sitting in front of a screen all day, often declaring “I’m bored” ten minutes into school.
- Getting any work done during those hours is next to impossible because she requires essentially constant attention and redirection.
- I do think she’s learning her social skills from the likes of YouTube, roblox, Minecraft, or whatever - which isn’t great to say the least. Lots of 15 year old kids typing all sorta of stuff on there. The screen time is rotting the brain but I’m sympathetic to the fact that all her friends are on these games (so she sees it as the only kind of socializing she can have). It seemed like a pod could provide some limited normalcy again.
- We sought out parents with similar risk profiles and we all took covid tests before day one.
- Mentally all the kids seem to really benefit from having a teacher and packing a lunch, etc. It’s a bit like why they say to get up and get dressed for work even if you are at home - helps shift the mindset.

I feel incredibly snobby having a pod, but my kid is doing so much better with this than they did with me trying to manage things at home on my own, juggling work, school, lunch, etc. It makes me happy to see my daughter happy. Obviously if she or I get covid and die, this will have been quite the mistake, but then the only real alternative is to stay in strict lockdown for another year or more.

May the hate start.

No hate here. Many parents are in an unsustainable situation, and clearly you were. I'm glad you found a solution. We're not in a pod, nor are we considering one, but I get that each family has a different situation and parents owe it to their kids to do the best they can for them. There are a variety of solutions, including pods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay I’ll play. I podded up for 3rd grade. We have four kids total in pod and we hired someone to teach them every day from 8.30-1pm. The cost is split evenly among the parents.

For me it came down to the following:

- I suspect my 3rd grader may be ADD; or at very least she gets a tremendous joy by not listening to me . In all seriousness, she’s high energy and does poorly sitting in front of a screen all day, often declaring “I’m bored” ten minutes into school.
- Getting any work done during those hours is next to impossible because she requires essentially constant attention and redirection.
- I do think she’s learning her social skills from the likes of YouTube, roblox, Minecraft, or whatever - which isn’t great to say the least. Lots of 15 year old kids typing all sorta of stuff on there. The screen time is rotting the brain but I’m sympathetic to the fact that all her friends are on these games (so she sees it as the only kind of socializing she can have). It seemed like a pod could provide some limited normalcy again.
- We sought out parents with similar risk profiles and we all took covid tests before day one.
- Mentally all the kids seem to really benefit from having a teacher and packing a lunch, etc. It’s a bit like why they say to get up and get dressed for work even if you are at home - helps shift the mindset.

I feel incredibly snobby having a pod, but my kid is doing so much better with this than they did with me trying to manage things at home on my own, juggling work, school, lunch, etc. It makes me happy to see my daughter happy. Obviously if she or I get covid and die, this will have been quite the mistake, but then the only real alternative is to stay in strict lockdown for another year or more.

May the hate start.

That was so incredibly helpful. Thanks for taking the time to post it.

Can I ask a few follow-up questions? Did you pull your kids out of school or are you technically still enrolled and doing what is required for attendance purposes? Are you willing to share the cost for the teaching resource? Can you share anything about how you went about finding the teacher? Thanks for any additional info you are willing to share.

[Anonymous]

I think this wouldn't have gotten the disproportionate coverage that it did if it didn't have a cute name. "Pod" is the "hanging chad" of our time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this wouldn't have gotten the disproportionate coverage that it did if it didn't have a cute name. "Pod" is the "hanging chad" of our time.

Yup. Imagine if it was "gang" or "crew". Pod sounds like something Taylor Swift would be in with her impossibly good looking friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PPPPPPPPPPPPP poster who suggested that people are using "Pod" to mean two very different things. While the trolly trolls won't care, to the extent that people are trying to contribute to this thread it would really be helpful if people could explain what they are solving for and what grade their kiddos are in.

Why is it so important to you to make sure everyone knows your pod is not like the other pods?

Wow. Your reply says an awful lot about you. I'm actually not in a pod. Like a lot of other families I'm trying to figure out what to do in a lousy situation. To the extent that others are trying pods and are willing to share their experiences it could be helpful.

You are clearly here for the drama. And I'd hazard to say that that you suffer from some serious inferiority complex if what you took from my post was that people are looking down on you.

NP. To be fair, your posts says nothing of that sorts. Maybe try asking a pointed question to avoid responses like the above.

So let me get this straight. I suggested people identify for what they are solving and for what grade. In reply someone comes over the top with a really bitchy comment reading into what I sad something that simply wasn't there. I called B.S. and you suggested that somehow asking for two data points because they "would be really helpful" was somehow the precipitating factor?

I asked for two specific data points because they make responses more useful for people trying to figure out what to do. How much more specific should I have been?

But since you suggested I ask a pointed question, here's a couple?

1. Since I didn't post anything about my Pod (because I don't have one), how exactly do you find yourself defending somebody with low self esteem who created a backstory of their inferiority?
2. Do you know what the phrase "nothing of the sort" means? Because my post said, "to the extent that people are trying to contribute to this thread it would really be helpful if people could explain what they are solving for and what grade their kiddos are in", which I think makes it pretty clear that I am asking for the information because I think it would be helpful to others solving for the same situation?
3. How much more specific than asking for two data points should I have been?
4. Why don't you have a basic level of reading comprehension? (In all fairness, this one may be subsumed by the preceding).

Yikes. Touchy touchy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:a group of 3 of us have been considering podding up our 3 1st graders, and sharing the supervision 3 days a week.

none of us really need it for childcare so we have been talking about it re: the socialization and the schoolwork, and all three of us are hesitant -- it just seems like a slight negative regarding their actual virtual learning. they may be distracted, have technical difficulties their parent cant just jump up and fix, parents cant push to make sure they are getting the most out of the work...we are all very interested in regular social hanging out, though.

another group in our grade *did* need the childcare help, so they set up a pod of 3 families with a very scheduled rotation of parents doing the monitoring. I'm not sure how the academics are impacted. My impression is that they are so grateful for the childcare help that they are willing to have a slightly sub-optimal learning experience. But maybe it is fine!

If you and your 2 friends are stay at home parents, you might just not understand the pressures of the parents in the other pods. I assure you the mild learning loss is made up for in spades with the ability to keep their jobs.

Uh yeah. PP above, pods are for working parents who are desperate, primarily. It’s fine compared to the complete shitshow alternative, trust me.

I do sympathize -- no judgement at all on podding up to make this work. fwiw, we 3 are not stay-at-home parents. somehow between spouses trading off and kids playing independently, it's OK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PPPPPPPPPPPPP poster who suggested that people are using "Pod" to mean two very different things. While the trolly trolls won't care, to the extent that people are trying to contribute to this thread it would really be helpful if people could explain what they are solving for and what grade their kiddos are in.

Why is it so important to you to make sure everyone knows your pod is not like the other pods?

Wow. Your reply says an awful lot about you. I'm actually not in a pod. Like a lot of other families I'm trying to figure out what to do in a lousy situation. To the extent that others are trying pods and are willing to share their experiences it could be helpful.

You are clearly here for the drama. And I'd hazard to say that that you suffer from some serious inferiority complex if what you took from my post was that people are looking down on you.

NP. To be fair, your posts says nothing of that sorts. Maybe try asking a pointed question to avoid responses like the above.

So let me get this straight. I suggested people identify for what they are solving and for what grade. In reply someone comes over the top with a really bitchy comment reading into what I sad something that simply wasn't there. I called B.S. and you suggested that somehow asking for two data points because they "would be really helpful" was somehow the precipitating factor?

I asked for two specific data points because they make responses more useful for people trying to figure out what to do. How much more specific should I have been?

But since you suggested I ask a pointed question, here's a couple?

1. Since I didn't post anything about my Pod (because I don't have one), how exactly do you find yourself defending somebody with low self esteem who created a backstory of their inferiority?
2. Do you know what the phrase "nothing of the sort" means? Because my post said, "to the extent that people are trying to contribute to this thread it would really be helpful if people could explain what they are solving for and what grade their kiddos are in", which I think makes it pretty clear that I am asking for the information because I think it would be helpful to others solving for the same situation?
3. How much more specific than asking for two data points should I have been?
4. Why don't you have a basic level of reading comprehension? (In all fairness, this one may be subsumed by the preceding).

Woah! Have a sip of wine. Step back from the computer and come back later tonight to read your disproportionate response to a one sentence NP response. I say this with all sincerity, you probably need counseling if the POD topic is causing you to respond like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like the term "pod" is being used to mean two completely different things.

1. "Pod" - Essentially daycare or team parenting where a caregiver provides supervision that includes overseeing distance learning log-ins and schedule maintenance. see, nanny, aupair
2. "Pod" - Two or more unaffiliated households who collectively hire an educator to supervise distance learning, classroom activities and supplement regular distance learning curriculum. see, tutor, private teacher.

These are not remotely the same thing or solving or the same problem.

We're much more in the (1) camp.

We have 2 kids and found a second family with 2 about the same ages as ours. The four range from K-2nd. We were able to find a part time babysitter to help out. The rest of the supervision is split between parents. We're still nearby for technical or moral support, but are now able to telework at more like 80-90%. Frankly, we're relying almost entirely on the teachers for the education side and it's going well. The kids are adapting to Teams and somewhat managing their schedule themselves--even at their young age. They're definitely interacting and paying attention more than last spring. I think the 'pod' helps because it's a specific thing we go to every day instead of just sitting around the house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PPPPPPPPPPPPP poster who suggested that people are using "Pod" to mean two very different things. While the trolly trolls won't care, to the extent that people are trying to contribute to this thread it would really be helpful if people could explain what they are solving for and what grade their kiddos are in.

Why is it so important to you to make sure everyone knows your pod is not like the other pods?

Wow. Your reply says an awful lot about you. I'm actually not in a pod. Like a lot of other families I'm trying to figure out what to do in a lousy situation. To the extent that others are trying pods and are willing to share their experiences it could be helpful.

You are clearly here for the drama. And I'd hazard to say that that you suffer from some serious inferiority complex if what you took from my post was that people are looking down on you.

NP. To be fair, your posts says nothing of that sorts. Maybe try asking a pointed question to avoid responses like the above.

So let me get this straight. I suggested people identify for what they are solving and for what grade. In reply someone comes over the top with a really bitchy comment reading into what I sad something that simply wasn't there. I called B.S. and you suggested that somehow asking for two data points because they "would be really helpful" was somehow the precipitating factor?

I asked for two specific data points because they make responses more useful for people trying to figure out what to do. How much more specific should I have been?

But since you suggested I ask a pointed question, here's a couple?

1. Since I didn't post anything about my Pod (because I don't have one), how exactly do you find yourself defending somebody with low self esteem who created a backstory of their inferiority?
2. Do you know what the phrase "nothing of the sort" means? Because my post said, "to the extent that people are trying to contribute to this thread it would really be helpful if people could explain what they are solving for and what grade their kiddos are in", which I think makes it pretty clear that I am asking for the information because I think it would be helpful to others solving for the same situation?
3. How much more specific than asking for two data points should I have been?
4. Why don't you have a basic level of reading comprehension? (In all fairness, this one may be subsumed by the preceding).

Woah! Have a sip of wine. Step back from the computer and come back later tonight to read your disproportionate response to a one sentence NP response. I say this with all sincerity, you probably need counseling if the POD topic is causing you to respond like this.

I bet you are the parent whose kid teases and bullies other girls in school, and when one of the victims finally hits back (either by smacking your precious kid or verbally eviscerates her and makes her cry) goes into the principal's office and says that you demand justice because that kid had no right to respond to your kid's abuse.

Also, noticed you didn't actually address my questions; one could say you did "nothing of the sort". But then one would have used that phrase correctly.

[Anonymous]

I am a work at home parent with a husband who is increasingly going back to work on site. We considered a pod because last Spring’s school at home was pretty untenable. But now that we have been back at it for 2 days in APS, I don’t see how a pod could be helpful except for parent who can’t work from home. If the kids aren’t in the same class, you’ll have 4 kidsbon headphones having completely separate experiences and talking over one another while the tutor hangs back and only participates when there are problems. Where is the benefit in that except for parents who are completely absent? (I’m not saying that sarcastically, but rather in a “please explain” kind of way.)