TKers: Six threads under and still killin' time....

[D&DDisney]

to my DS who turns 12 today!! Where does the time go? Can't believe he's that old already!!!

I am home today with my DS7 who is

. What a wonderful spring break we'll have if we all get this.

Weather is great. Sunny and 70 today. Just can't get outside to enjoy it.

 

[MagiKitty]

Happy birthday! And feel better little one...what an exhausting day for you D!

Hope you get to enjoy that wonderful weather just a teensy bit.

 

[DL55]

Happy Birthday to D&D's DS! Sorry younger bro putting a damper on it. Hope DS7 feels better soon.
It's always sad when a pet dies. If my old cat doesn't stop pooping on the floor her days may be numbered.
I haven't read the thread about the teenager yet. It is a sad story. I can't stand bullying.

 

[JOCAmom]

I just went and read that whole thread.

I feel so horrible for that poor girl's family. It never, ever should have come to her committing suicide. What the hell were the teachers and administrators thinking by not reporting anything? Yeah, I read they are not required to report bullying. That covers their asses. But I think I read they are required to report it if a student is a danger to harm themselves or another person. Why did they not take the stance that these student were a danger to another student with the physical bullying that they were doing to her?

 

[M&N]

M&N - Congrats on being tied w/ me for Martinsville Dis thread!!!

I did not look at your picks! Honest! Maybe JO should have!

I just went and read that whole thread.

I feel so horrible for that poor girl's family. It never, ever should have come to her committing suicide. What the hell were the teachers and administrators thinking by not reporting anything? Yeah, I read they are not required to report bullying. That covers their asses. But I think I read they are required to report it if a student is a danger to harm themselves or another person. Why did they not take the stance that these student were a danger to another student with the physical bullying that they were doing to her?

Teachers are required to report abuse or suspected abuse...even if they haer it 2nd hand. I just heard a man tell the teachers at school. I really do not know how to stop bullying at school...it needs to be stopped at home before it gets too bad and 2nd nature to the kids. I think it's so hard to be a kid now. I don't know how I could handle it.

 

[JOCAmom]

M&N, but what constitutes abuse? Is it only abuse by a parent? In erring on the side of caution, could you have considered that abuse by another student? What about mental abuse of another person? Isn't all bullying a form of abuse when you get right down to it? Or at least, extreme cases of bullying which she went through.

 

[M&N]

I told my cousin how kind you all are and she said thanks for the kind words about her cat. She just loves all animals and knows how hard it is when one is sick.

 

[MagiKitty]

BF and I were talking about the bullying earlier...I kinda think (and I don;t have children so I could be totally off about this) if you are going to entrust your child in the school's care for 8 hours a day, they need to also look after the welfare of them. I don't really know how they can enforce it though...the schools have enough on their plate as it is. But it does have something to do with parents...kids are just mean, undisciplined, and lack respect for each other. I mean, its hard to be a good kid these days...

BF's grandmother is not doing well. She's been undergoing treatment for bone cancer, and she's just been so tired. She wants to stop treatment; but she's been told that if she stops, she only has months to live. But even with treatment, she won't last longer than a year. Its a tough situation...do you enjoy the less time you have with no fatigue or do you fight? He's brought up Hershey...he may join us. I think its a reaction that life is short and we should enjoy it.

 

[M&N]

I think it can be emotional abuse too. Like if a kid says they want to kill themselves, I think that has to be reported. If a teacher does not report abuse and something happens and they find out the teacher did nothing, the teacher can be in trouble. There are bullying programs out there but it is so hard to control...especially when they get to middle school.

 

[JOCAmom]

MK, to you and BF. My mom has been fighting bone cancer though not life threatening. Well, it is but she was lucky enough that they caught it when they found the lung cancer. She's been getting chemo ever since. Her's is not very advanced and as long as she gets the chemo, she's ok. Tired after her treatments but ok.

In dealing with this with my mom, my first instinct is to say fight. Her cancer is not wide spread and chemo is keeping it from spreading. But if BF's grandmother is being completely worn down from the treatments and is not enjoying life at all, I would have a hard time pushing for those few extra months. What would her quality of life be at the end? And what would her quality of life be like if she continued the treatments?

 

[JOCAmom]

I know there are very fine lines that teachers have to walk. But what happened to this girl seems to have crossed the line from simple bullying (ill....she has cooties and we are not playing with her at recess) to mental and physical abuse.

And someone brought up a very good point, if this was happening to you in your place of work, it would be harassment and there would be severe penalties to the perpetrator. You should feel safe in your place of work. Why shouldn't kids feel the same way where they are 8 hours a day?

 

[Pikester]

Oh Magi, I'm sorry to hear about BF's Grammy. Pass this along to him.

 

[M&N]

MK---It's so hard to go through something like that...your BF is learning a bery good lesson...life is short...use every minute wisely!

 

[JOCAmom]

UUUUUGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

It was just announced today that Selena Gomez (one of my kids favorite stars right now) is going to be performing at Musikfest. Musikfest is a 9 day long festival showcasing all kind of different music with a major headliner every night. I was all excited to get tickets for the kids and not tell them till we go. And then I double checked the date.

It's the day we leave for Disney. Yeah, yeah, I know, we're going to Disney. Usually Musikfest ends around the 10th give or take a day. This year it ends of the 15th.

So disappointed right now.

 

[M&N]

I was afraid you were going to say it was during Hershey!

How about the thread about men in the dressing room...opinions?

 

[JOCAmom]

I didn't read that thread here. But never would DH go in a dressing room with me unless I knocked him unconscious and dragged him there. And neither would I go in the actual dressing room with my kid over the age of 8. If you are shopping with your kids for your kids, it just takes a while. No way around it.

 

[MagiKitty]

Good morning ladies. Its the first day of what is supposed to be a wonderful stretch of weather this weekend. I can't wait!

thanks for all the warmth re: BF's g-ma. Honestly, BF has a HORRIBLE relationship with his mother, and he's very close with his grandmother. Its such a tough situation. I keep telling BF that she's an adult and if her daily life is too much for her, it may have been a good decision for her. We just think she needs to seek alternative treatments and then make an informed decision whether or not to stop treatment. She's so young--mid 60s--and it came so suddenly in the last few months.

I avoid the dressing room at all times. I love return policies. In terms of having a man in the dressing room, I think its just inconvenient for the other dressing room people. I haven't read the thread...is it a single dad taking his kids in there? Are there such things as family dressing rooms, kinda like the family bathrooms you see in some places? Now I have to go read that thread....

JOCA...I know how you feel. Although you will be missing the concert and on your way to Disney, when you plan and plan and then there's this unexpected glitch, its tough! And kids are young for such a short time, you want those special moments. Who knows? Maybe Selena will be on her way to WDW too!

 

[M&N]

That is young to give up Kitty...hope she can think it through more clearly. It's such a terrible thing to go through. My dad died at 60 with his cancer. 20 years ago they didn't have as many options.
My friend has a 37 yr old brother with Downs. She takes him into the ladies bathroom at Hershey. No family ones and she does have to go with him. It's not an easy situation but there is a real reason for that. Not like the dressing room excuses.

Have a trick-free April Fools! I'm staying home...well, I am going for a walk this afternoon.

 

[Pikester]

 

[MagiKitty]

That's what I keep thinking, M&N...mid 60s is so young (strange to think my parents are as old as BF's grandparents...his parents had him when they were in high school). She's been depressed for a while now. I've been urging BF to talk to her about it, but he's pretty scared now. I keep telling him that its normal for those with illness to go through a funk, but if they could find a more manageable treatment, then there could be more time than they know...

I really think Hershey should have family bathrooms! I'm not bothered by finding people in the bathroom in situations...as you said, everyone has a story and you don't know it.