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Hannah

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Posts posted by Hannah

    “she is a hard woman”…..what would this mean to you?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    To me there's a difference between being a "hard" women and being a "tough" woman. 

    A "hard" woman is emotionally closed off, unapproachable, unwilling to show vulnerability and someone who doesn't care for others. 

    A "tough" woman is strong, resilient, can be bad-assed, but also kind and compassionate.  She may a bit gruff in her manner, but definitely cares for others.

    • Like 6

    Is the US Just Not a Serious Country Anymore?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    6 minutes ago, Sneezyone said:

     What felt different is the extent to which people were willing to see it and try to do something about it and/or change policies to address it. The opportunity for economic mobility felt more real as a result.

    Thanks for clarifying.  I guess its very difficult to ignore poverty when it is so prevalent!   I'm not sure though that the pragmatic approach of the government to allow informal trade is an opportunity for economic mobility as such.  Access to resources such as credit, basic infrastructure such as water and sanitation or opportunities to grow their business is very limited for street vendors who mostly eke out a very meager living.

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1

    Is the US Just Not a Serious Country Anymore?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    6 hours ago, Sneezyone said:

    Lemme challenge you on this, not because I know what right and wrong is but because I saw a different approach and it shifted my thinking.

    In South Africa, the constitution guarantees people the right to make a living by hawking their wares streetside. RADICAL TO AMERICANS, normal to locals.

    Its a fantastic country in many ways, but I do find it rather surprising to see South Africa (a developing country) as an example from which the developed and 1st World USA can learn, and I'm trying to understand what the difference in approach is and shift in thinking is that you learned?

    The constitution of South Africa (on paper one of the best in the world) does indeed indirectly cover informal trade in the Bill of Rights under section "22. Every citizen has the right to choose their trade, occupation or profession freely. The practice of a trade, occupation or profession may be regulated by law".   One of the applicable laws is the Businesses Act (1992) which recognizes informal trading as a legitimate business activity.  However, cities and towns have by-laws and these include regulations on where informal traders may make their living.   Some are more lenient than others in application of these laws, but relations between informal traders, formal businesses and municipal authorities have not always been amicable and there have been some very nasty skirmishes and incidents when the municipal authorities have tried to apply the law. 

    It may be a normal occurrence all over Africa to see street vendors, but its far from an ideal way to make a living and very often a survival tactic, rather than an entrepreneurial choice.  The IMF rates South Africa as the country with the highest unemployment with 35.6% (against the USA with 4.6%).  People turn to informal trade as they have no other choice.   Poverty means that people lack the resources, or access to resources, to start formal business.  More than half of the population lives in poverty and it is the most unequal country (highest Gini coefficient) in the world.

    What am I missing that makes South Africa a country to compare oneself to or strive towards?

    • Like 5
    • Thanks 2

    If you have siblings that live at least two hours away

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    I have 2 biological sisters and 3 step siblings.  With the first lock-down of the pandemic we started a family Zoom on a Sunday afternoon and I see them then.  After three years of doing this weekly it is tedious to dial in, but my parents really appreciate seeing everyone around the world, so we continue doing it.  My bio sisters and I have a WhatsApp group where we message each other at least once a week.  We lost our mother when we were 18, 14 and 11, and that made us very close.

    My parents and 2 of the steps live a 2 hour flight away.  I see them once or twice a year.   My bio sisters live in England and Ireland and between them coming here or us flying over we've been extremely fortunate to see each other at least every 18 months for the last 20 years (except of course during the pandemic).

    Anyone still masking?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted · Edited by Hannah

    Our country was in a state of disaster where we had to mask indoors and out in any public setting and in the workplace for more than 2 years.  It was also compulsory to sanitise one's hands when entering workplaces, shops, churches, etc. The requirements were lifted end of June last year and I rarely see masked people any more. There are still sanitizing stations and I see people using those.

    I did have Covid in August 2021, after my first vaccination, and probably caught it in the ER when we took a family member in for a dislocated collarbone.

    ETA it is no longer a threat here though https://covid19.who.int/region/afro/country/za

    Books/Resources for parent suspecting Aspergers in 12 yo child

    in The Chat Board

    Posted · Edited by Hannah

    My daughter was diagnosed (by a team using ADOS) at 15. The diagnosis helped to focus therapy on explicitly teaching social skills, which greatly reduced her anxiety.  For her it helps to have scenarios worked out, so if the other people does this, then I do that.

    I did not realise how hard it is for her to read other people.  She had to be taught how to read facial expressions like a raised eyebrow or a frown, body language and tone of voice.

    We practiced things like how to make small talk, active listening and when it's OK to share your (in her case always strong!) opinion and when to hold back and rather text me the story instead.

    She wanted to go and chose to stay in high school, but it took a huge amount of effort for her to navigate the NT world and get through the day. Her diagnosis helped us to understand that and to work out how to recognize overload and tools like deep breathing and listening to music to relax and settle.

    She started university this year and it is going extremely well. She has made a few friends and is managing academic life. I would not have thought that possible 4 years ago.

     

     

    • Like 2

    How old are you?

    in The Chat Board

    Posted · Edited by Hannah

    13 minutes ago, wintermom said:

     when we hit high school and college, the differences between US and my country made the information less relevant. 

    This was the same for us. I joined the old boards around 2004, shortly after the first edition of WTM was published. Our homeschool journey would have been so much poorer without the book and the  recommendations and advise on the education boards.

    High school we needed to follow a more standardised approach with exams written through a recognised exam board to get into university.

    • Like 6

    destination weddings - vent

    in The Chat Board

    Posted

    When I was young and broke, I used to made a cross stitch with the names of the couple and their wedding date that I had framed. The personal touch was really appreciated. I am still friends (24 to 30 years later) with four couples in who's houses their cross stitch still hangs. I  decided recently to start doing it again for the next generation, but now that I can will probably add some cash too.

    • Like 6
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