The next question seems to be vaccine passports. Is this supposed to be a permanent thing for those who are advocating them? In the places where they are being implemented is the an end game for them going away or is it the ‘new normal’?

Thank you! Yes, this is the one I was thinking of.

You all are the most educated and research oriented group of people I know. I am trying to locate a poem and am wondering if any of you might know of it?? It followed a format of: ‘I didn’t stand up for the A’s - because I was not an A’ ‘I didn’t stand up for the B’s - because I was not a B’ And so forth until ‘They came for the Z’s - but there was no one to stand up for me left’ Does this ring a bell??

Breath by James Nestor

Because it is wrong, and you know it. I’m hoping it is a typo of a missing zero from the upper class student. I actually just finished my team manager training for our soccer club - and yes, it is setting off alarms because it should be. Yes, say something to the coach. This isn’t right.

My personal experience is: still do not personally know anyone who has had a positive test. Know several friends of friends’ who have needed to take a test for a variety of reasons, but all came back negative. Do know multiple families that were quite sick in Feb time frame that are positive they had it but were not tested. Live in a state called an early hot-spot.

I do find this interesting, and am NOT ‘anti-mask’, but at the same time, how is a ‘hospital outbreak’ determined to be ‘community spread’?? Especially if said hospital is in a place that has basically 100% masking compliance and has had public masking mandates for months. Does this mean that people who work at the hospital are not masking outside of work?? Or that it is just coincidence that these people work together? I’m not exactly sure what the definition of what a ‘hospital outbreak’ or what ‘community speak’ is based on contact tracing. I only put these in quotes because it seems like they are being used as a very specific term in this instance.

Well, it is after midnight here and I am ‘sneaking’ onto the WTM forums, sooooo . . . I can not see how old your kids are (no signatures) but, I would probably say something general and cryptic and assume the guilty party understood, or nothing and just see how it played out in the morning.

Thanks for the assistance!

I am trying to figure out what works of literature are covered in the British Literature book by Bob Jones University text. I can not seem to find a table of contents or a works/authors included. I can not find a physical copy of the book to look at and flip through. Anyone know? Here is a link to the text at Reading Rainbow, although a different edition would be fine as well. https://www.rainbowresource.com/product/208033/British-Literature-Home-School-Kit-2ED.html?

That is interesting. I find the opposite myself. I avoid talking in them for several reasons. I do think some people talk more then normal to me, I think since I can’t see them smile. But honestly, it annoys me, I try not to answer back. I go out of my way to avoid being in situations where I need to put on a mask. It also really upsets me when other people in masks come close to me in stores because we are ‘both’ in masks, ugh, I hate that. I would consider myself a fairly outgoing person in normal situations.

I am planing on ‘attending’ our local monthly school board meeting this week simply because I want to listen to them talk. My kids are in a group that goes to local schools in the fall for assemblies and I am specifically curious about that. And if they are going to let ‘community groups’ use the facilities and what the parameters might be. I fully expect that they have no real idea, but I am curious to hear what they talk about.

My .02 cents is summer is basically cancelled in WA. If your event is 100% private and uses no commercial anything. For instance a wedding on the brides fathers land where everyone is tent camping or within driving distance and the reception is a potluck that the cousins put together and the uncle’s home brewed the beer - you might be able to go on with it. . . I would not plan on flying to get to the event.

Some people unfortunately purchased flight tickets for the summer before being aware a global pandemic had started . . .

This is a really interesting thread to me. I don’t know what it means. Here is my personal story for why it is interesting. I have never used one in the past, have it purely since the Covid-19. we have been ‘playing’ with it for a few weeks and always getting numbers in the 98-100 range. This evening I ate things that I know I shouldn’t eat because they make me feel bad. I know this, I have no medical diagnosis of anything. But I know when I eat dairy, eat gluten, or an around cats I have a reaction. So anyways, today my husband really wanted us to go on a family outing to get a treat at the end of the day (don’t worry we are 100% social distancing etc etc). Anyways, we ended up at Dairy Queen and because I really wanted a treat but I didn’t want to go into a grocery store I decided to just get a treat. So, I knew this was a bad decision, but whatever. So later I am feeling bad (expected) and I decided to take a reading just for fun. I got a 94. I took it a few minutes later, got a 93. Thought to myself that is really interesting. I am not going to do anything about it. Other then stop eating things that make me feel bad. Don’t worry, we will go back into self isolation . . .

I am currently very concerned about this for my oldest. She homeschooled through 8th, wanted to go to high school so we found one private school that we thought would be a good fit. She was doing ok and we were planing on sending her back to finish, we did not actually sign the paperwork though. Then, Covid came. And now although I think her school has actually in some ways done a much better job of managing the ‘crisis on-line’ schooling much better then the public schools, I am still not impressed with it at all. I really want to at least look at a variety of options in case schools are forced into doing on-line learning. This was not something we consider at all last time, and I think if we are forced into this model, some of the options that we have a hard pass to last year need a serious re-evaluation. I am not willing to continue paying private school tuition for what we received this year. Although I am hopeful that her current school will possibly do things different over the summer to try and be in a better position for fall if on-line is required.

I am a bit impressed we as a country have gone this long without ‘major’ protests actually. I really do think we are getting to the end of the ability of most people to continue to SIP without universal income and more support. I think the fishing protests were a prime example of the gov having gone ‘too far’. Fishing can be done while social distancing for instance. I don’t wish anyone ill-will.

What are your thoughts about how to continue moving on with their education, and/or fold them back into family life?? Especially those who have both some at school and done at home?? I am really struggling with our daughters school, 9th grade, they are currently basically trying to ‘hold school’ on-line. She is supposed to be sitting in front of a computer 3-5 hours a day at various times between 7:30am and 2:15 pm. Ummmm, we only have one computer and multiple kids. We also have a VERY VERY small house. My kids at home also have on-line classes which basically conflict. And then, is this just a few weeks or until the end of the year. Are schools are currently closed for 5 more weeks as it stands now . . . ideas, suggestions, what are you doing??

It looks like fun! My kids always seem to enjoy sailing more when there are other boats and preferably other kids around as well. I would look into races, regattas, sailing camps, jr sailing, and yacht clubs. Join the local boating pages and social groups on facebook or meet-up.

Any idea about 'wait-listed', at Chicago Ballet summer intensive??? It is where I personally really wanted her to go this summer because we can stay with family friends. She has been accepted elsewhere, but any idea about her chances of getting off the waitlist?? The e-mail says not to expect anything until after March 15th, which is of course after the deadline for the other SI's . . .

That is all. It is a complete thought all by itself. If there was ever any doubt in my mind, there is none now. The two are only very marginally related, like snakes and dogs can both be pets.

Pray for us, my husband is bringing up the topic tonight at dinner. All my son knows so far is that we are discussing ‘school plans’ with dad, I’m pretty sure he is thinking it is going to be if the focus is chemistry or earth science this year. Not ‘surprise’ I am trying so hard to be calm and not crying and not feeling like a lamb to slaughter.

I wanted to say thank you for the many thoughtful replies and things to think about. I really really appreciate it.

I still can’t really figure out the replying to quote thing. But anyways: Do you think DH will be an involved school parent? Honestly, he knows that it is going to be all on him to get the kids to the school in the morning. It is directly on his way to work at the exact time he is going to work. It is far enough away that there are no other options as far as carpooling/public bus/etc. We have spoken about how on Sunday’s he often leaves to ‘get the car and walk the dog’ and leaves me to get the kids up to the car every week on time (we are often running late), and things dissolve into frustration. And that if the kids go, it is really going to be up to him. The layout and size of our house make it somewhat difficult for multiple people to get ready at the same time. He has also told me that he doesn’t think he should be the ‘math homework’ person. And several years ago he decided the kids were ‘too old’ for bedtime stories, and stopped them. This is an example of him making a decision that I didn’t agree with, but going along with because I felt like I could compensate by doing more read aloud during the day with homeschooling. Is he going to blame you for that? (Being am involved school parent) I don’t think exactly so. I think he wants me to be involved, and I want to be involved, but it makes me cry in frustration just thinking about it. I don’t know if it helps or hurts that the school uses quite a few curriculum choices that I have personally been using or used in the past. I’m worried that just being on the premises of the school is going to be pouring salt into unhealed wounds of mine. I also worry that my hurt will turn into anger. will it ‘work’ or just cause different problems? Million dollar question, wish I knew the answer 🙂 What about enrolling at fall break or semester? One of my concerns is that for a variety of reasons, this has been an awful school year academically for my kids. From about January on, we really only managed to hang on to life, deal with commitments we had made, and try to give each other some grace. Pretty much only ‘life learning’ going on. I do not think the kids are ‘behind’ because of this because we had really been quite advanced to start. So they might have not gained much, but they are still ‘average’ academically. However, this does need to stop. Last January I almost enrolled the DD into the local public junior high, basically because I could see the writing on the wall of what was coming (and did in fact come to be, here we are) and I was thinking that might stop the academic stagnation that was coming. At that time, DH basically told me that I was just down in the pits, and that he was saying no as the dad, that he thought we should just ‘unschool’ them and get through the rough patch. What I did not realize, was that in his mind, they were both for sure going to a private school in the fall. What I took away from the conversation instead was that he wanted to support me in homeschooling them.

Sorry, I am not sure how to quote or reply within the answer. What exactly makes you think this is the answer? - sending him to this school, I don’t really think it is the answer. I think it is just going to cause different issues to pop up. I know I am being pessimistic, and I am trying to figure out how to realistically get over it and try to move forward. However, it is the issue that my DH tells me is the root of DH’s issues, and that if I would just listen to him and give it a try he is sure things will be roses. If you send them both to school, will this change DH’s expectations of you? He claims it won’t, and that he doesn’t want me to get a job right away. However, one of his issues has always been the pressure he feel monetary because I am not working. And several times I have gone on job interviews and such. And I think that he does want me to have a job. What are the true wants of your DH? This is such a good question. We are in marriage counseling, but he basically told me yesterday that he is only going to ‘support me’ because he thinks everything is basically all in my head and he doesn’t have any issues. How can they be met? I can assure you it is not the curriculum, this school uses SOTW, novels, Saxon Math, Latin Alive, and almost all the families were homeschooling before they started attending. I have either looked at or used basically all the text books. He would be the 10th kid in the class, and they do not allow more then 10 in a class. We are looking at this school simply because it is the one most like homeschooling (technically still is) and I really think it is the best fit and option for the kids if they are going to school. Is the therapist pro/against homeschooling or neutral? I would say neutral for the most part. She really doesn’t seem to offer opinions, and prior to this we had only discussed which school options for our DD with her. I brought up my concerns about our DS and how her going to school was going to change the family dynamics and logistics. That I was concerned DS would not get some of the experiences that we really enjoy (like weekly park days) because I was going to have to pick up DD now. Do you think the marriage will flounder with or without a brick and mortar school? I think the problems with the marriage are deeper then the schooling choice. That the schooling choice has been used as a scrape goat for years by my DH, but that it is really not the ‘real’ issue. Yet is where the drama is currently playing out. Does your DS need to take a placement test? Yes, but I think he will do fine, except, if he deliberately does awful because he does not want to go. They want to do a Saxon placement test, have him read aloud, and write a paragraph. He can do all of those things. School doesn’t start until after Labor Day, so we still have some time. But, it is approaching quickly.