Washingtonians

[Chickielady]

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You are absolutely correct!!!
We really need to "turn the clock back" to the 60s & 70s and take more time educating our kids.
The things teachers are asked to do, and bus drivers, is NOT part of their job description. They are not babysitters.
One woman wanted her kid's underpants changed 2x a day as he still wet himself sometimes (in kindergarten) My brother's girlfriend is a K teacher and the stories she tells, especially about the OLDER set of parents having kids is horrible...these older people are in their 30s & early 40s FINALLY having their kids and not willing or realizing that they have to give up working or playing as if they were still childless, and put time into the chicld you just gave life too.
Reminds me of people who get a puppy, then get bored with it as it grows.
And the dog lives out it's life in a yard alone....

While the owners go skiing, and boating & vacationing...and WORK WORK WORK....
It is hard to spend alot of quality time with your kids, especially if you have several kids.
Getting off work & trying to get dinner going & animals fed & laundry going..whilst helping your kid's do there homework is a job in itself!!!
I am more & more for home schooling & Moms at home, everyday.

 

[SadieSue]

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I don't have any great suggestions. Gift certificates? Home canned goods? They could probably use a drink by the end of the school year, but I guess alcohol wouldn't be appropriate.

We didn't gift our teachers every year except for a few that Lily thought were really special. I remember one year at the end of 6th grade (I think) when she insisted on giving her teachers a pineapple and hand made a card for each of them that said "Golden fruit for a golden teacher". It was all her idea and it still makes me smile to think of it.

I gave the kids bus driver a bottle of Jack Daniels in the past - he had an extra rotten group of kids on his bus, so the district hired a retired cop to take the route. I figured he could use it after he dropped the last kid off on the ast day! He was really pleased with the gift; not at all what he was expecting!

It was probably the most practical gift he'd received in a long time - love it!

 

[cheryl98117]

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My got my first "real job" when I was 14 years old. I worked as a waitress, at a small diner in Suquamish, made $4.75 an hour. I loved it, and worked there until I was 16. During my freshman year of HS, I started vocational training at a tech school. Took Cullinary arts for 8 months. Outside of school, I was in training as an aprentice, for farm management. Spent five years working under a couple farm managers, mainly focussing on horse farms. Ive been doing this ever sence then. I gave myself two options in career choices, and chose the one that fits me best...

I guess I'm just tired of going into a store to spend my hard earned $ and getting treated as if I am inconveniencing someone for coming in. We have a few places like that around here and it is irritating. I have had this experience with teens and adults alike. So I'm not just down on teens or young people.
I'm just saying if your going to hold a job, be thankful you have a paycheck, do your best, and check your 'TOOD" at the door on the way in! Customer service should be high priority.
Jim Lucas shouldn't be the only reason I go to Del's. They should all be as nice as Jim. Know what I mean?

I completely understand. Ive worked in customer service as well. Was always the "go to" person for customers... I can't stand rude people, well corection. I cant stand people who are rude for no reason... I went into Farmland in Silverdale to buy pig food for my mom, and the lady behind the counter was absolutely rude! And on top of it, she was the manager... More and more, people are just not caring about the way their customers see them.

 

[PitterPatterPalace]

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Congrats. Around here we call that an outie, girls have innies.

I've been calling it a tiddlywink.

 

[broodytood]

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Yikes!!! That's scarry!

 

[broodytood]

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Congrats. Around here we call that an outie, girls have innies.

That's adorable!!!!

 

[Ogress]

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He likes a lot of things that take a good amount of physical labor, but surprisingly, he HATED dissecing squid, I think because the teacher expected the cuts to be precise. One of the elementary school teachers had an after school rocket science class that Alex loved - it was hands on and they got to make and test different designs and he made modifications on them to get them to go higher. I'm not sure about the test yet as he is only 12. When I took it, my top scores were for college professor, fighter pilot, wildlife biologist ... worst were pre-school teacher (I don't see much difference between that and college prof these days!), minister, can't remember what else anymore. I think the test must have been given by the military - that fighter pilot just looked really odd! In college I worked as a fire fighter for the forest service, first year they had to hire women (10%). My boss was in the airforce and was forever trying to get me to join! I love a thrill, and don't shy away from danger (well, I didn't when I was younger), but I prefer to keep my feet on the ground!

Alex was not deterred by the photos you sent! I asked if he would be scared, and he said he wouldn't have time to be scared until after everything was back under control, and then he'd be shaking, and he'd want to cry but wouldn't because he has to be tough! Don and I think that he won't be able to succeed on college. Even though he's very smart, he's not a self-starter for anything that requires putting a pen on paper! The bad thing is, Don is about the least handy person I've ever met, his solution to every little problem is to hire it out! He's never going to be able to teach Alex any woodworking or shop skills as he has none (he won't admit it). Don is a genius with a photgraphic memory and a mind like an encyclopedia. Microsoft loves him, but he'd never be able to cut it at a physically demanding job.

I'm going to try and find some summer programs where Alex can learn some vocational skills. That and cooking. He loves to cook and invent recipes almost as much as he loves to eat! I think it would be great if Tom Douglas had a cooking school for teens!

 

[SadieSue]

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Yikes!!! That's scarry!

X2. That's an interesting plan and I hope it works for the bears AND for your neighborhood! I've been following stories about black bears through the North American Bear Center in Ely, MN on Facebook. I've been fascinated by what I've learned there. There was a documentary about Lynn Rogers on Animal Planet some time ago called "Bearwalker of the North Woods". The program is rerun from time to time. Dr. Rogers studies these bears close up with tracking collars and webcams on their dens. He has spent decades earning their trust while still keeping his distance. It amazes me how he approaches the bears he knows to replace batteries in their collars just by whispering, "It's me bear", offering them nuts and favored treats so they allow him to touch them without any sedation. They share beautiful, and sometimes very sad stories about the individual bears and their offspring on their site, lots of photos and videos.

I wonder what the process is to train bears to be afraid of people? It is certainly best if all keep their distance from one another.

 

[hallerlake]

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He likes a lot of things that take a good amount of physical labor, but surprisingly, he HATED dissecing squid, I think because the teacher expected the cuts to be precise. One of the elementary school teachers had an after school rocket science class that Alex loved - it was hands on and they got to make and test different designs and he made modifications on them to get them to go higher. I'm not sure about the test yet as he is only 12. When I took it, my top scores were for college professor, fighter pilot, wildlife biologist ... worst were pre-school teacher (I don't see much difference between that and college prof these days!), minister, can't remember what else anymore. I think the test must have been given by the military - that fighter pilot just looked really odd! In college I worked as a fire fighter for the forest service, first year they had to hire women (10%). My boss was in the airforce and was forever trying to get me to join! I love a thrill, and don't shy away from danger (well, I didn't when I was younger), but I prefer to keep my feet on the ground!

Alex was not deterred by the photos you sent! I asked if he would be scared, and he said he wouldn't have time to be scared until after everything was back under control, and then he'd be shaking, and he'd want to cry but wouldn't because he has to be tough! Don and I think that he won't be able to succeed on college. Even though he's very smart, he's not a self-starter for anything that requires putting a pen on paper! The bad thing is, Don is about the least handy person I've ever met, his solution to every little problem is to hire it out! He's never going to be able to teach Alex any woodworking or shop skills as he has none (he won't admit it). Don is a genius with a photgraphic memory and a mind like an encyclopedia. Microsoft loves him, but he'd never be able to cut it at a physically demanding job.

I'm going to try and find some summer programs where Alex can learn some vocational skills. That and cooking. He loves to cook and invent recipes almost as much as he loves to eat! I think it would be great if Tom Douglas had a cooking school for teens!

Did I mention that my older son has gone to work for Tom Douglas? He took the culinary program at South Seattle Community College.

 

[Ogress]

That would be like a dream come true for Alex! Congratulations to your son. Maybe I'll see if he hac take Alex on a tour of a real kitchen some day!