bookbard
-
Posts
2,492 -
Joined
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Classifieds
Store
Posts posted by bookbard
-
-
I think it depends on the school.
My daughter goes to a tiny private school (art focused) and they have always had a strict no-phone rule. They're able to enforce it because the school is small and the parents agree to it before joining. They do not take the phones away from the kids, but they'd get in trouble if they were using it.
However, the huge public school nearby has a new no-phone rule (new state rule) and some parents are really concerned as it is understaffed, there's a huge amount of bullying and vandalism and it's not easy for a kid to get help if they need to. The other day a kid I know rang his mum from the toilets in order to get help. On the other hand, a kid was beaten unconscious and all the kids filmed it, rather than helping . . . I don't know what the answer is.
-
4
-
-
Well after reading most of Ilona Andrews' other works, I finally managed to get into the Kate Daniels series by reading the newest 'series' (Wilmington series). It's similar to her (actually their) other books, magic, violence, romance, tough woman etc. In other words a fun easy urban fantasy - knowing there are a dozen books left to read is very reassuring.
-
4
-
-
possible cause for long covid?
It makes sense on a lot of levels, eg why women are more likely to be affected.
-
1
-
-
Just saw a headline (couldn't read the article) in Australian Doctor that ATAGI is no longer recommending covid vaccines for children. They're allowed to get two shots, but it sounds like they're telling GPs not to advise them to get it. It is simply mind-blowing, considering there is no harm to the vaccine, and there is harm from getting covid. I wish someone would investigate ATAGI - I just don't understand, except for saving $$.
This is an old article (2022) about ATAGIs attitude towards vaccinating kids. In Australia, they hold all the power around vaccines.
-
1
-
2
-
-
So the main issue I'm having is always feeling stiff and sore (I'm near to 50). I was thinking of looking into yoga to help. It's not just waking up in the morning, but anytime I sit for a short while.
-
4
-
1
-
-
Oh, lots of things. I refused to learn to drive, until I was forced. Now I drive hours each day. My sister could never speak in public - then she got a job where part of it was public speaking, every day. She's fine with it. We were all raised to be scared of adults and really struggled with shyness that took years to overcome, but we're all confident now. The key is practice. Also, I guess, realising that everyone is thinking of themselves, 90% of the time, and not you.
-
2
-
-
1 hour ago, Melissa in Australia said:
In the news children's faces are just about always blurred to protect their identity
If it's a crime or whatever yeah I have seen kids faces blurred, but on commercial TV they still do that thing of visiting a school or club with kids waving flags and banners, esp breakfast TV. But it's so common I can't see that it would be dangerous unless the kid was already in a danger situation eg custody.
-
1
-
-
Just finished reading Kipling's Kim. Now I was certain I'd read it before (years before) but I remembered nothing at all. I did enjoy it mostly because I've spent a lot of time in that part of the world and it was very obvious Kipling knew and loved India. Of course, it was the India that a British person would see, but after accepting you're reading the perspective of someone living in the world of British India, it's still a fine piece of historical fiction. I don't know that many kids would enjoy it nowadays though, except that Kim gets his own way against the adults for most of the book.
-
7
-
-
3 hours ago, Harriet Vane said:
By the time I am done with this I will have lost more than two weeks to active illness because someone felt Covid is not a big deal and all this Covid paranoia is so overblown. (Those are their exact words.)
I am so sorry, and infuriated on your behalf.
-
1
-
1
-
-
2 hours ago, Katy said:
I guess the pills are made overseas and they cannot make enough, or there’s a shipping problem.
No, apparently they haven't been allowed to make more. Apparently the US DEA has not allowed the company to make more. It's an issue in Australia now too.
-
2
-
-
I am sure you do have PTSD with all that is going on - no sleep if I remember correctly - it is so hard. I really feel for you.
-
3
-
-
2 hours ago, Mothersweets said:
I also finished listening to North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell and narrrated by Juliet Stevenson. This is both a re-read/re-listen for me and it's one of my favorites.
I really enjoyed North and South and I can imagine it would be a great one to listen to.
-
5
-
-
I have stuck to 10,000 steps per day since Jan 1 and am mostly walking early in the morning as it's been pretty hot. Not doing much else apart from stretches - it has been super busy. I do lift a lot at work (and my arm muscles are starting to show it). I have lost more than 5kg since the beginning of the year, mostly around the waist which is good I think. I need to lost 10 more kg to move out of obese range and 20 more to move to healthy weight.
-
8
-
-
I'm not doing the challenge, but I wish they'd integrate 'outdoor time' into existing exercise trackers (maybe they could use a light sensor?) It would motivate you to do a bit more. I reckon I'd do an hour a day at the moment but I'm not really keeping track - some days would be more, some less.
-
1
-
-
We had to do a mystery for book club (The Dry by Jane Harper, Australian author). It was all right, but it sparked a lot of reading of books I already have which are mysteries. I reread The Big Sleep (didn't realise how homophobic it is), Gaudy Night (a great book about the whole how do you have a career if you're married thing that we STILL struggle with), To Play the Fool by Laurie R King (fascinating secular book with lots of theology in it), Peter Temple's The Broken Shore (if you want an Australian mystery, this is excellent and literary), A Grief of Stones (brilliant fantasy by Katherine Addison), Emma Bull (and friends)'s Shadow Unit (gory but so good), and the sci-fi novella The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard (ok, interesting but just ok). So I feel like I covered quite a few genres - romance, hard boiled, fantasy, sci-fi, philosophical . . . basically a mystery is one of those structures you can hang a lot onto.
-
4
-
-
1 minute ago, Kassia said:
Change or dollar bills?
hmm, change is a possibility. We don't have any dollar bills here under $5
-
My kid doesn't like chocolate or lollies - great for his teeth but it makes Easter tricky. In the past I've gone with soft toys or lego, but he's a tween now and not into lego anymore (and has a billion soft toys). I'm trying to think of other non junky things that would be fun, might be consumable, but not a huge 'gift'. I still have a bunch of plastic eggs that I could put things in to find - but what?
-
I also think people blame lockdowns for things when they should be blaming Covid for things. Covid itself wreaked havoc in people's lives. And to be honest, it still is. Not only leading to massive numbers of orphans, but just wrecking people's health. I can't believe the number of friends, younger than me, who now have chronic conditions due to Covid. It's been far more damaging than lockdowns. And I believe the studies that are coming out at the moment about lockdowns (especially in Melbourne, Australia, which had a lot of them) are finding that they didn't lead to enormous issues for most people - and in fact didn't have any lasting issues with education, either.
Of course, you can't extrapolate Australia to the USA, especially New York. What an awful time that was.
-
8
-
1
-
-
16 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:
(I don’t hate my job. I’ve been incredibly lucky in my boss, and most of my students are lovely. I just hate the logistics because I still do 90pc of washing and dishes etc and homeschool and the whole package is really exhausting).
Oh, that's the same for me. I really did not want to take this job on because I knew I'd end up doing everything I was already doing, plus working. And that is what has happened - I still do 90% of everything plus work.
-
3
-
-
All sorts of headlines popped up this week about side effects of the Covid Vaccine, from the usual sorts of newspapers. I finally found a more rational report - they found 2 new side effects from the Astra Zeneca vaccine (which is no longer used in Australia due to previous side effects). They are less than one in a million effects. I can just imagine how this is being trumpeted around the anti-vax world, despite the fact that effects of Covid itself are so much more common and devastating.
-
3
-
-
14 hours ago, BakersDozen said:
Honestly, I'm really scared. Like really, really scared. The other night was so bad, I almost drove myself to the E.R. to be committed. Never felt that way before, not even with all the sad or horrible crud that came my way.
So I went through this about 8 years ago. Did go to hospital, thought I was having heart issues - actually panic. They were kind but not much use.
What ended up making a difference to me was exercise and getting a job. Getting work so you're in the zone for hours at a time - and I'm in the equivalent of a minimum wage job, not doing anything professional, but I help people each day and am appreciated for it (by 99% - there's always that one person).
-
8
-
2
-
-
I see this thread has taken a life of its own overnight (or for me it's overnight). I was going to address points but it doesn't matter now. In short I don't think the principal overreacted, I'm sure there was more than a single 'cringe' involved, I just didn't get the whole picture, and I think it was a good lesson. I'm glad the principal rang me both about the words and the meltdown so we could chat about it at home, and she reassured me she goes through this sort of thing a lot at this age and not to worry, they'll work through it. So while I'm still disappointed and embarrassed, it's one of those things and we will move onto the next crisis (probably the next kid, they tend to take turns).
-
8
-
2
-
-
Thanks everyone, You're right, she's never been in trouble from a teacher before. We had a chat about the fact that making mistakes and getting in trouble at school will happen, and how to deal with it. Her view on the 'mean words' was of course that it was all a joke, that's how they talk - so I tried to chat to her about social cues, sensitive kids and so on - I think this will take a while but she considers the person a friend so hopefully they'll be able to talk it out. I am glad the school rang me so we could talk about this stuff but man it's hard.
Ugh! I am exhausted. I worked myself up to tears before picking her up, sure that this would trigger school refusal - nope, one of the first things she said was that she's looking forward to tomorrow!
-
18
-
-
My daughter has just returned to school from homeschooling a few weeks ago (beginning of our school year). I just got a call from the school principal. She said something mean to another kid, who didn't want to come to school today.
I feel terrible. I understand that my daughter was trying to be cool (she said to the other kid that she was 'cringe') and she didn't realise how hurtful it was. But when she was called out, she melted down and was really rude to the teachers. Fortunately the school has a brilliant restorative justice policy and will work through it all with the kids. It's a good lesson to learn but I just feel so ashamed.
My plan is to pick her up from school, take her swimming and then chat afterwards about it in the car.
-
22
-
Omicron anecdata?
in The Chat Board
Posted
Saw an interesting article about how NZ and Australia were the only places not to have a fall in life expectancy due to Covid, and how it vindicated their lockdowns:
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/how-australia-bucked-a-global-covid-19-life-expectancy-trend/thpl96aw4?utm_campaign=CDAqEAgAKgcICjDNi4ELMMz8-wIwrdf1AQ&utm_content=rundown&utm_medium=gnews&utm_source=newsshowcase