Since it's Wednesday

[flamingo]

Re: friends, In our last neighborhood the kids we knew thru school, etc. were not immediate neighbors, so playtime had to be arranged in advance. Now it's much more organic, and frequent, b/c we're surrounded by kids. Plus the kids are older so can have a bit more independence.

What feels weird to me is B having a life thru school that I am so removed from...there haven't been any of the normal school functions where you get to meet other families and kids. I have no clue who these people are, lol.

I'm more familiar with C's buds thru preschool and dance but we are not arranging playdates or anything like that.

mamabear we definitely don't do the same # of arranged 'playdates' with friends as I did growing up (like where friends would come home from school with us or vice versa). IDK if that's Covid or just more parents working than when we were kids, or what.

eta: ha, maybe it's carseats. I can remember friends riding home with us from nursery school and kindergarten just strapped in to the regular seatbelts! 

[vino]

You were right flamingo! Came just in time for Valentines day 😂

[flamingo]

vino  LOL. longest of wow's. Well, glad it finally made it 8 weeks later...

[mwhip]

Feb 10, 2021 15:36:01 GMT -6 trtlcrzy said:

Feb 10, 2021 14:59:41 GMT -6 mwhip said:

One of my best friends asked me to take a heating pad to her daughter, who is home not feeling well after her 2nd covid vaccine. She is a senior in HS and works at a nursing home.

I was not expecting her to be as bad as she was. She was laying on their steps crying because her body hurt so bad. It took me 40 minutes to get her from the stairs back to the sofa. I let their dogs out for her.

Poor girl. Is she taking ibuprofen and Tylenol?

She said she had taken Tylenol, shes on other meds and can't take ibuprofen.

[guster]

I read everything too late to respond last night, but I echo so many of your stories.
Josie wrote notes to everyone in the class about a month or so back when it was a rainy day and they didn’t have outdoor recess. Friendly stuff— lots of rainbows and hearts. She got home that afternoon and told me she gave them out to her classmates, and when I cleaned out her backpack I found a note inside that said “ I hate you, Josie.” with a picture of a stick figure boy punching a girl.
A lot of phone calls and a lot of discussion with Josie (who was completed non-plussed by it). The parents of the boy were so apologetic and saddened. We met up with the family at a playground the weekend after so the kids could talk.
Her teacher said she sometimes she this kind of mean spirited behavior later in the year, but she wondered if missing some of the months of kindergarten and the softer skills taught has set some kids back.
And mamabear, I agree on the close friend front. Our houses are really spread out so kids don’t typically play on the street to hang out. Everything is planned by parents and there hasn’t been much happening now that the months are colder.
flamingo, same thoughts on no school functions. We had so much time in the first half of last year to socialize and let the kids run around together. Charlie’s preschool still does playground drop off and pick up so at least I get to chat with a few of the parents.

[flamingo]

oh gosh guster what a note! Glad it didn't seem to bother J much, and probably good it was found so his parents and teacher can keep an eye on things.

That's interesting that the teacher has seen a pattern based on time of year, etc.

We had something similar last year, although it was verbal, not a note. The school called to let me know in case B said something about it. They didn't tell me the other child's name but B did, and I knew this kid to be ... a handful. B took it in stride ("consider the source"), and I did appreciate the call and that the school was on top of things.

[flamingo]

I was reading online last night about 7 year old emotional meltdowns. Sounds like a lot of this (all that we discussed yesterday) is par for the course for the age. Yay?

Also, on a lighter note, I read where it said kids start being more aware of personal appearance at this age. Literally 5 minutes later, B came in and told me he liked the way the hairstylist had styled his hair (he got a haircut after school) and wanted to start doing it that way. This morning I helped him with his hair in the kitchen (no judgement, we were in a hurry), and he disappeared...sure enough, he was in front of the bathroom mirror perfecting his hair. LOL. Right on time!

[jewels]

guster, that is heartbreaking. I would be so angry if I ever found out my kid wrote a note like that. I am glad J was not upset by it. I think S would be heartbroken. He got a note from a girl for his birthday that she colored really pretty and told him that he was the best friend that she could ever imagine. It's hanging on the wall in his room and it made him feel so good.

What's amusing is that on his birthday, he had been inside school with her for a grand total of 3 half days. So I'm not sure how they have a such a close connection lol.

[jewels]

flamingo I often do the boys' hair in the kitchen. I'm in a hurry to get downstairs and get breakfast started, then I usually have a few minutes of calm to fix their hair. No judgement here.

[flamingo]

Feb 11, 2021 8:03:53 GMT -6 jewels said:

flamingo I often do the boys' hair in the kitchen. I'm in a hurry to get downstairs and get breakfast started, then I usually have a few minutes of calm to fix their hair. No judgement here.

Haha, yep, at the breakfast bar while he's sitting still!

But I can hear my grandmother saying to not mess with your hair in the kitchen because of stray hairs getting in food, etc. (sorry, Grandma) 

[nam2013]

flamingo we have one tiny bathroom upstairs and a half bath downstairs. I’d say 95% if the time I do my kids hair in the living room, no judgment here🤷🏼‍♀️.

[wineallthetime]

Feb 10, 2021 20:20:52 GMT -6 mwhip said:

Feb 10, 2021 15:36:01 GMT -6 trtlcrzy said:

Poor girl. Is she taking ibuprofen and Tylenol?

She said she had taken Tylenol, shes on other meds and can't take ibuprofen.

Have you heard how she's doing? That's awful. I feel kinda shitty today from the vaccine but luckily nowhere near that level.

[tgrimes]

mwhip I'm so glad she had a better day.

[mwhip]

Feb 11, 2021 8:22:19 GMT -6 wineallthetime said:

Feb 10, 2021 20:20:52 GMT -6 mwhip said:

She said she had taken Tylenol, shes on other meds and can't take ibuprofen.

Have you heard how she's doing? That's awful. I feel kinda shitty today from the vaccine but luckily nowhere near that level.

Her mom said she's doing better today. The muscle cramps have subsided and she was able to get a good night's sleep. So 24 hours of hell it sounds like.

[guster]

Feb 11, 2021 8:03:08 GMT -6 jewels said:

guster, that is heartbreaking. I would be so angry if I ever found out my kid wrote a note like that. I am glad J was not upset by it. I think S would be heartbroken. He got a note from a girl for his birthday that she colored really pretty and told him that he was the best friend that she could ever imagine. It's hanging on the wall in his room and it made him feel so good.

What's amusing is that on his birthday, he had been inside school with her for a grand total of 3 half days. So I'm not sure how they have a such a close connection lol.

I was far angrier than she was, in fact she took it very lightly. It allowed us to have conversations with her about standing up for herself to let people know that although she does forgive them and hope they can be/stay friends that some actions are just wrong and they are upsetting, and people have to consider the weight of their words and actions.