Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who had to flee war, we get it, your life sucked worse. That doesn’t mean OP doesn’t get to think her life and her kids life sucks right now, because it does. Your struggle doesn’t mitigate someone else’s struggle. OP I feel you, ive still taken my kid to do a lot of outside stuff like hikes and bike rides, but it does suck that they have had such an abnormal year and a half that is still going.

Nah, OP and you need to get a perspective, she is doing this, not covid.

DP. But there’s no denying that COVID has changed our kids’ lives and not for the better. My kids couldn’t go to school in person most of last year. That wasn’t MY choice. My DD’s dance studio closed and she couldn’t do the one activity she loves. That wasn’t MY choice. Sure, there are things within our control but a lot of it isn’t. That’s what can make it hard in kids and their parents.

MCPS and similar have done this, but I did not see that much opposition to online schools in MoCo. The poor in MCPS were given no choice. My niece and nephew in Indiana went to school all year long last year! They were, at times, in a region with high covid rates. They never closed, nobody died in their school system. They have a budget that is nothing compared to MCPS. If kids were positive they had a system in place that kids around the kid and siblings isolated. So, while I am a Bernie Bro, you need to ask yourself why were our kids denied the educational experience that they deserved. If you think covid did that, you are wrong. If you think it was justified to close schools to in-person, learning ( which is sounds like you don't) you don't get to come here and say covid ruined my kids' education last year. No, you say school boards ruined my kids'educational lives.
As for dance, you are truly equating that with a disaster? Come on, there was no reason kids couldn't play outside all summer last year. Kids in my neighborhood in MoCo sure did.

This is a very literal take on the above and largely misses the point. Of course PEOPLE made the decision to close schools. (I’m not in Moco so can’t speak to whatever point you were trying to make about that). Also, the fact that kids - mine included - got to play outside doesn’t change the fact that normal activities were canceled which can have an impact on kids. (And I certainly wasn’t equating anything with a disaster). At bottom, Covid has changed our lives. You seem to be arguing to the contrary.

Different poster. You seem to be the one who doesn’t get it. Covid did not shut down the schools. Covid did not shut down kids’ activities. Human adults did. We have known since about 2-3 months into this thing that statistically kids are NOT at risk from Covid. We COULD have kept the schools open. We COULD have kept kids’ activities going. We SHOULD have prioritized making sure things were as normal as possible FOR THE KIDS, but we did not. Instead, we did what was most expedient for the ADULTS (such as prioritizing bars and restaurants over schools and sports). Covid didn’t make those choices, adults did.

You’re conflating two different issues. As I stated above, yes, PEOPLE made the choice to close schools. We agree on that. That is different from acknowledging the general premise that Covid has changed our lives - far beyond schools, for that matter. Look at the impact it’s had on the workplace and public health, all of which also affect kids in a less direct way.

And the fact that people made the decision to close schools is inconsequential for purposes of this discussion. The OP is about feeling sadness about things kids are missing out on and how their lives have been affected. You seem to be arguing that parents shouldn’t feel that way because people made the decision to close schools…? I mean….

I’m sorry, but are you really this stupid? I’m arguing (and there is more than one PP making this point) that the kids’ lives SHOULD NOT have been this affected and they SHOULD NOT be missing out on things and the only reason they are is because the adults making all of the decisions are GD idiots.

It’s amusing that you’ve resorted to name calling yet are clearly unable to comprehend the previous posts.

I apologize, my PP was indeed nasty. However, what I am getting at is that you should not be sad for your kids, you should be angry and fighting for them rather than throwing up your hands in defeat, because “well what can you do! It’s a pandemic!” This attitude is just making me so frustrated. We moved to a place where the kids are in school and activities, but if we could not have done that I would be raising hell with my school board and local politicians every day. I would be breaking rules left and right to get my kids together with their friends and doing the things they care about.

But yeah, sorry for being nasty, truly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Covid sucks for all of us, but I'm really struggling with what it is taking away from kids. My kids have given up more than a year of early elementary school and all of the learning and socialization and guided activities and play. Their parents have been super stressed out having them home while working full-time to make ends meet, and it has changed our relationship. We have good times together, but a lot of the time we are just maxed out and don't parent well. They have to deal with so much worry about illness. One parent got asymptomatic covid and they worried the parent was going to die... but they also covered their mouths and held their breath when they were safely inside and saw the parent outside the back door (masked) coming up to get food left outside for them during a 10-day isolation. They have had to miss camp due to covid exposure. Through all of this, they have lost their sense of safety and a carefree childhood. And this is just the kids who haven't lost a loved one.

I'm really sad and scared because we don't know when this is going to be over. I was relieved when thought this school year might be semi-normal for them, but now we have delta. I don't know how to make this better for my kids when I'm overtaxed from work + parenting (quarantine) and burned out physically and emotionally from the last year plus. How do you work through these emotions and make the best of the situation?

Good God almighty, what a bunch of claptrap! Children only lost what their idiot parents, like you, keep telling them they have lost. Life is not perfect would you rather that they be dead? Shut up and stop whining and be bloody thankful they are alive and healthy instead of dead!

My God, you are ignorant.

+1 (wow). It's not true that my children only lost what I have told them they have lost. Objectively inaccurate. They missed spring 2020 of school. There was minimal virtual at their school so they lost hours and hours of interaction and instruction with their beloved teachers and friends that spring. They did not see most of their extended family for more than a year. My 3-year-old had a hard time maintaining attention on a screen to have a relationship with anyone virtually. That is a loss for my children to have limited relationships with our family who lives far away, who we otherwise would have seen multiple times over the year. They didn't get to go out and do trick-or-treating for Halloween. We had all of our holidays alone because we were trying to do our part and keep everyone safe, which is what public health officials told us to do.

The fact that other people are suffering more does not mean children like mine are not also missing out. We know we are fortunate to live in the US and have basics like a comfortable home and not in a war zone and we keep that perspective in mind all the time, but my kids and most others have suffered because of the pandemic. They have cried very real tears that they missed their friends, or when they couldn't do something we were able to do pre-covid because it wasn't safe anymore. Often those choices were not my choices as the parent, but for example they couldn't go to camp because they had to quarantine from a covid exposure. That sucks and it was a real loss. They're kids - it's not right to say, "well little Larlo, tough shit. Be happy you're not dead!" Kids have feelings and we should have compassion for what they are going through.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Covid sucks for all of us, but I'm really struggling with what it is taking away from kids. My kids have given up more than a year of early elementary school and all of the learning and socialization and guided activities and play. Their parents have been super stressed out having them home while working full-time to make ends meet, and it has changed our relationship. We have good times together, but a lot of the time we are just maxed out and don't parent well. They have to deal with so much worry about illness. One parent got asymptomatic covid and they worried the parent was going to die... but they also covered their mouths and held their breath when they were safely inside and saw the parent outside the back door (masked) coming up to get food left outside for them during a 10-day isolation. They have had to miss camp due to covid exposure. Through all of this, they have lost their sense of safety and a carefree childhood. And this is just the kids who haven't lost a loved one.

I'm really sad and scared because we don't know when this is going to be over. I was relieved when thought this school year might be semi-normal for them, but now we have delta. I don't know how to make this better for my kids when I'm overtaxed from work + parenting (quarantine) and burned out physically and emotionally from the last year plus. How do you work through these emotions and make the best of the situation?

Good God almighty, what a bunch of claptrap! Children only lost what their idiot parents, like you, keep telling them they have lost. Life is not perfect would you rather that they be dead? Shut up and stop whining and be bloody thankful they are alive and healthy instead of dead!

My God, you are ignorant.

Apparently not, as my children, all three, are doing just fine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Covid sucks for all of us, but I'm really struggling with what it is taking away from kids. My kids have given up more than a year of early elementary school and all of the learning and socialization and guided activities and play. Their parents have been super stressed out having them home while working full-time to make ends meet, and it has changed our relationship. We have good times together, but a lot of the time we are just maxed out and don't parent well. They have to deal with so much worry about illness. One parent got asymptomatic covid and they worried the parent was going to die... but they also covered their mouths and held their breath when they were safely inside and saw the parent outside the back door (masked) coming up to get food left outside for them during a 10-day isolation. They have had to miss camp due to covid exposure. Through all of this, they have lost their sense of safety and a carefree childhood. And this is just the kids who haven't lost a loved one.

I'm really sad and scared because we don't know when this is going to be over. I was relieved when thought this school year might be semi-normal for them, but now we have delta. I don't know how to make this better for my kids when I'm overtaxed from work + parenting (quarantine) and burned out physically and emotionally from the last year plus. How do you work through these emotions and make the best of the situation?

Good God almighty, what a bunch of claptrap! Children only lost what their idiot parents, like you, keep telling them they have lost. Life is not perfect would you rather that they be dead? Shut up and stop whining and be bloody thankful they are alive and healthy instead of dead!

My God, you are ignorant.

You’re conflating two different issues. As I stated above, yes, PEOPLE made the choice to close schools. We agree on that. That is different from acknowledging the general premise that Covid has changed our lives - far beyond schools, for that matter. Look at the impact it’s had on the workplace and public health, all of which also affect kids in a less direct way.

And the fact that people made the decision to close schools is inconsequential for purposes of this discussion. The OP is about feeling sadness about things kids are missing out on and how their lives have been affected. You seem to be arguing that parents shouldn’t feel that way because people made the decision to close schools…? I mean….


I’m sorry, but are you really this stupid? I’m arguing (and there is more than one PP making this point) that the kids’ lives SHOULD NOT have been this affected and they SHOULD NOT be missing out on things and the only reason they are is because the adults making all of the decisions are GD idiots.

Yes. Our response has affected kids disproportionately. Our news media has been fear mongering and our teacher’s unions do not have the best interest of kids at heart.

The conversation about Covid looks very different elsewhere.
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-58270098

“ It is now a serious question that has implications for whether children should ever be vaccinated. And whether we use the virus or booster shots to top up immunity in adults. Both have become contentious issues.
"We could be digging ourselves into a hole, for a very long time, where we think we can only keep Covid away by boosting every year," Prof Eleanor Riley, an immunologist from the University of Edinburgh, told me.”

Our mitigations have no off-ramp and there will not be agreement on when to consider Sars Cov 2 endemic. Mitigation practices could go on for years in blue states.

Anonymous wrote:Covid sucks for all of us, but I'm really struggling with what it is taking away from kids. My kids have given up more than a year of early elementary school and all of the learning and socialization and guided activities and play. Their parents have been super stressed out having them home while working full-time to make ends meet, and it has changed our relationship. We have good times together, but a lot of the time we are just maxed out and don't parent well. They have to deal with so much worry about illness. One parent got asymptomatic covid and they worried the parent was going to die... but they also covered their mouths and held their breath when they were safely inside and saw the parent outside the back door (masked) coming up to get food left outside for them during a 10-day isolation. They have had to miss camp due to covid exposure. Through all of this, they have lost their sense of safety and a carefree childhood. And this is just the kids who haven't lost a loved one.

I'm really sad and scared because we don't know when this is going to be over. I was relieved when thought this school year might be semi-normal for them, but now we have delta. I don't know how to make this better for my kids when I'm overtaxed from work + parenting (quarantine) and burned out physically and emotionally from the last year plus. How do you work through these emotions and make the best of the situation?

Good God almighty, what a bunch of claptrap! Children only lost what their idiot parents, like you, keep telling them they have lost. Life is not perfect would you rather that they be dead? Shut up and stop whining and be bloody thankful they are alive and healthy instead of dead!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Typical narcissist DCUM post by OP. Your snowflakes will be just fine. Be glad you’re not trying to flee Afghanistan.

I know. I guarantee that OP’s kids are in no way actually suffering.

I feel bad for my own kids sometimes because they've been through a rough year and missed school. But I have enough relatives overseas to know that my kids are living in the most privileged country in the world. In my parent's country, people don't have access to vaccines, they simply are not available except for a lucky few, here we have the luxury of arguing about whether to take vaccines. My kids will be fine.

Anonymous wrote:Typical narcissist DCUM post by OP. Your snowflakes will be just fine. Be glad you’re not trying to flee Afghanistan.

I know. I guarantee that OP’s kids are in no way actually suffering.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who had to flee war, we get it, your life sucked worse. That doesn’t mean OP doesn’t get to think her life and her kids life sucks right now, because it does. Your struggle doesn’t mitigate someone else’s struggle. OP I feel you, ive still taken my kid to do a lot of outside stuff like hikes and bike rides, but it does suck that they have had such an abnormal year and a half that is still going.

Nah, OP and you need to get a perspective, she is doing this, not covid.

DP. But there’s no denying that COVID has changed our kids’ lives and not for the better. My kids couldn’t go to school in person most of last year. That wasn’t MY choice. My DD’s dance studio closed and she couldn’t do the one activity she loves. That wasn’t MY choice. Sure, there are things within our control but a lot of it isn’t. That’s what can make it hard in kids and their parents.

MCPS and similar have done this, but I did not see that much opposition to online schools in MoCo. The poor in MCPS were given no choice. My niece and nephew in Indiana went to school all year long last year! They were, at times, in a region with high covid rates. They never closed, nobody died in their school system. They have a budget that is nothing compared to MCPS. If kids were positive they had a system in place that kids around the kid and siblings isolated. So, while I am a Bernie Bro, you need to ask yourself why were our kids denied the educational experience that they deserved. If you think covid did that, you are wrong. If you think it was justified to close schools to in-person, learning ( which is sounds like you don't) you don't get to come here and say covid ruined my kids' education last year. No, you say school boards ruined my kids'educational lives.
As for dance, you are truly equating that with a disaster? Come on, there was no reason kids couldn't play outside all summer last year. Kids in my neighborhood in MoCo sure did.

This is a very literal take on the above and largely misses the point. Of course PEOPLE made the decision to close schools. (I’m not in Moco so can’t speak to whatever point you were trying to make about that). Also, the fact that kids - mine included - got to play outside doesn’t change the fact that normal activities were canceled which can have an impact on kids. (And I certainly wasn’t equating anything with a disaster). At bottom, Covid has changed our lives. You seem to be arguing to the contrary.

Different poster. You seem to be the one who doesn’t get it. Covid did not shut down the schools. Covid did not shut down kids’ activities. Human adults did. We have known since about 2-3 months into this thing that statistically kids are NOT at risk from Covid. We COULD have kept the schools open. We COULD have kept kids’ activities going. We SHOULD have prioritized making sure things were as normal as possible FOR THE KIDS, but we did not. Instead, we did what was most expedient for the ADULTS (such as prioritizing bars and restaurants over schools and sports). Covid didn’t make those choices, adults did.

You’re conflating two different issues. As I stated above, yes, PEOPLE made the choice to close schools. We agree on that. That is different from acknowledging the general premise that Covid has changed our lives - far beyond schools, for that matter. Look at the impact it’s had on the workplace and public health, all of which also affect kids in a less direct way.

And the fact that people made the decision to close schools is inconsequential for purposes of this discussion. The OP is about feeling sadness about things kids are missing out on and how their lives have been affected. You seem to be arguing that parents shouldn’t feel that way because people made the decision to close schools…? I mean….

I’m sorry, but are you really this stupid? I’m arguing (and there is more than one PP making this point) that the kids’ lives SHOULD NOT have been this affected and they SHOULD NOT be missing out on things and the only reason they are is because the adults making all of the decisions are GD idiots.

It’s amusing that you’ve resorted to name calling yet are clearly unable to comprehend the previous posts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who had to flee war, we get it, your life sucked worse. That doesn’t mean OP doesn’t get to think her life and her kids life sucks right now, because it does. Your struggle doesn’t mitigate someone else’s struggle. OP I feel you, ive still taken my kid to do a lot of outside stuff like hikes and bike rides, but it does suck that they have had such an abnormal year and a half that is still going.

Nah, OP and you need to get a perspective, she is doing this, not covid.

DP. But there’s no denying that COVID has changed our kids’ lives and not for the better. My kids couldn’t go to school in person most of last year. That wasn’t MY choice. My DD’s dance studio closed and she couldn’t do the one activity she loves. That wasn’t MY choice. Sure, there are things within our control but a lot of it isn’t. That’s what can make it hard in kids and their parents.

MCPS and similar have done this, but I did not see that much opposition to online schools in MoCo. The poor in MCPS were given no choice. My niece and nephew in Indiana went to school all year long last year! They were, at times, in a region with high covid rates. They never closed, nobody died in their school system. They have a budget that is nothing compared to MCPS. If kids were positive they had a system in place that kids around the kid and siblings isolated. So, while I am a Bernie Bro, you need to ask yourself why were our kids denied the educational experience that they deserved. If you think covid did that, you are wrong. If you think it was justified to close schools to in-person, learning ( which is sounds like you don't) you don't get to come here and say covid ruined my kids' education last year. No, you say school boards ruined my kids'educational lives.
As for dance, you are truly equating that with a disaster? Come on, there was no reason kids couldn't play outside all summer last year. Kids in my neighborhood in MoCo sure did.

This is a very literal take on the above and largely misses the point. Of course PEOPLE made the decision to close schools. (I’m not in Moco so can’t speak to whatever point you were trying to make about that). Also, the fact that kids - mine included - got to play outside doesn’t change the fact that normal activities were canceled which can have an impact on kids. (And I certainly wasn’t equating anything with a disaster). At bottom, Covid has changed our lives. You seem to be arguing to the contrary.

Different poster. You seem to be the one who doesn’t get it. Covid did not shut down the schools. Covid did not shut down kids’ activities. Human adults did. We have known since about 2-3 months into this thing that statistically kids are NOT at risk from Covid. We COULD have kept the schools open. We COULD have kept kids’ activities going. We SHOULD have prioritized making sure things were as normal as possible FOR THE KIDS, but we did not. Instead, we did what was most expedient for the ADULTS (such as prioritizing bars and restaurants over schools and sports). Covid didn’t make those choices, adults did.

You’re conflating two different issues. As I stated above, yes, PEOPLE made the choice to close schools. We agree on that. That is different from acknowledging the general premise that Covid has changed our lives - far beyond schools, for that matter. Look at the impact it’s had on the workplace and public health, all of which also affect kids in a less direct way.

And the fact that people made the decision to close schools is inconsequential for purposes of this discussion. The OP is about feeling sadness about things kids are missing out on and how their lives have been affected. You seem to be arguing that parents shouldn’t feel that way because people made the decision to close schools…? I mean….

I’m sorry, but are you really this stupid? I’m arguing (and there is more than one PP making this point) that the kids’ lives SHOULD NOT have been this affected and they SHOULD NOT be missing out on things and the only reason they are is because the adults making all of the decisions are GD idiots.

I feel bad that kids have to watch their parents bicker constantly with one another about something as basic as “should kids go to school.” Like it’s embarrassing to me that we’ve just revealed to all our children that we have no real commitment as a society to kids or education or families. We are more worried about keeping bars open than kids attending in person school. I feel embarrassed on behalf of all adults. We are assholes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The educational harm from the school closures will be generational. It's good to be realistic about this. Similarly, it's likely the health impact of covid will continue for many years, probably for our lifetimes. In other words, what your kids had before is not coming back. I don't see why you should have to pretend otherwise. Mourn it, yes, but move on. The world has irrevocably changed.

Also, climate change impact is going to make people nostalgic for covid, so consider that your kids are lucky to not have the worst of that.

No. SImply no, the harm to education will not be generational. You are delusional and have no idea what causes a generational impact on anything. You are not "realistic" about anything, you simply are a person that thrives on tragedy and sees tragedy in everything. I hate to break it to you, but our American kids are not any worse than 3 years ago.

NP and I completely disagree PP. Do you even have kids? The isolation and lack of community based activities resulting from the pandemic have been harmful to the development of our kids. For younger children and adolescents, exposure to all types of people teaches essential skills such as communication, tolerance, conflict management, and community. Simply put, healthy individuals need to learn how to interact successfully with others, and the level of interaction necessary for healthy development has not been easy to replace for most families.

Why were you keeping your kids so isolated?

How were you exposing your kids to people beyond friends on a daily basis?

Kid goes to daycare, we met with people in our bubble at other times.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The educational harm from the school closures will be generational. It's good to be realistic about this. Similarly, it's likely the health impact of covid will continue for many years, probably for our lifetimes. In other words, what your kids had before is not coming back. I don't see why you should have to pretend otherwise. Mourn it, yes, but move on. The world has irrevocably changed.

Also, climate change impact is going to make people nostalgic for covid, so consider that your kids are lucky to not have the worst of that.

No. SImply no, the harm to education will not be generational. You are delusional and have no idea what causes a generational impact on anything. You are not "realistic" about anything, you simply are a person that thrives on tragedy and sees tragedy in everything. I hate to break it to you, but our American kids are not any worse than 3 years ago.

NP and I completely disagree PP. Do you even have kids? The isolation and lack of community based activities resulting from the pandemic have been harmful to the development of our kids. For younger children and adolescents, exposure to all types of people teaches essential skills such as communication, tolerance, conflict management, and community. Simply put, healthy individuals need to learn how to interact successfully with others, and the level of interaction necessary for healthy development has not been easy to replace for most families.

Why were you keeping your kids so isolated?

How were you exposing your kids to people beyond friends on a daily basis?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The educational harm from the school closures will be generational. It's good to be realistic about this. Similarly, it's likely the health impact of covid will continue for many years, probably for our lifetimes. In other words, what your kids had before is not coming back. I don't see why you should have to pretend otherwise. Mourn it, yes, but move on. The world has irrevocably changed.

Also, climate change impact is going to make people nostalgic for covid, so consider that your kids are lucky to not have the worst of that.

No. SImply no, the harm to education will not be generational. You are delusional and have no idea what causes a generational impact on anything. You are not "realistic" about anything, you simply are a person that thrives on tragedy and sees tragedy in everything. I hate to break it to you, but our American kids are not any worse than 3 years ago.

NP and I completely disagree PP. Do you even have kids? The isolation and lack of community based activities resulting from the pandemic have been harmful to the development of our kids. For younger children and adolescents, exposure to all types of people teaches essential skills such as communication, tolerance, conflict management, and community. Simply put, healthy individuals need to learn how to interact successfully with others, and the level of interaction necessary for healthy development has not been easy to replace for most families.

Why were you keeping your kids so isolated?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The educational harm from the school closures will be generational. It's good to be realistic about this. Similarly, it's likely the health impact of covid will continue for many years, probably for our lifetimes. In other words, what your kids had before is not coming back. I don't see why you should have to pretend otherwise. Mourn it, yes, but move on. The world has irrevocably changed.

Also, climate change impact is going to make people nostalgic for covid, so consider that your kids are lucky to not have the worst of that.

No. SImply no, the harm to education will not be generational. You are delusional and have no idea what causes a generational impact on anything. You are not "realistic" about anything, you simply are a person that thrives on tragedy and sees tragedy in everything. I hate to break it to you, but our American kids are not any worse than 3 years ago.

NP and I completely disagree PP. Do you even have kids? The isolation and lack of community based activities resulting from the pandemic have been harmful to the development of our kids. For younger children and adolescents, exposure to all types of people teaches essential skills such as communication, tolerance, conflict management, and community. Simply put, healthy individuals need to learn how to interact successfully with others, and the level of interaction necessary for healthy development has not been easy to replace for most families.

Why were your kids not learning all that? Did you lock them up in the house? That's on you.