People who have run away from their families only to return later, what made you come back?
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 1d ago 75%

    There wasn’t any one thing. We were no contact for awhile but we slowly started talking a little at a time. It eventually led to me moving back in for a few small stints (student teaching, knee surgery, a few months before my wedding). Today, we talk basically only through FaceTime with my two year old and there’s a trip or two to see each other over the course of the year. But honestly, my mental health is fucked before and after the visits, I get anxiety attacks before a phone call occasionally, and we can’t really have deeper than small-talk conversation because we disagree on almost everything.

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  • US vaccinations fall again as more parents refuse lifesaving shots for kids
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 3d ago 100%

    Schools and everywhere else need to stop accepting non-medical exemptions. The “religious” or “philosophical” reasons for not vaccinating should not permit the child to be admitted to school, daycare, playgroups, or anything else. Inconvenience the parents enough to make the right choice.

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  • "Initials" by "Florian Körner", licensed under "CC0 1.0". / Remix of the original. - Created with dicebear.comInitialsFlorian Körnerhttps://github.com/dicebear/dicebearUS
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    Most Americans support banning phones in schools, but only during classes
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 4d ago 100%

    The issue is kids aren’t making phone calls in class. They’re on social media. They’re listening to music. It’s usually not obvious and disruptive to others, but still impacting their ability to focus and learn. Banning them outright causes kids to be sneaky and resentful, but allowing them can be detrimental, especially with the impacts on mental health. If you collect them before class (I’ve seen teachers use shoe holders hanging on the door) kids will bring in an old phone and turn in that. If you use the locked bags, same deal. If you scramble the service so they phones are unusable then you can run into issues in a real emergency.

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  • TIL: Being intellectually gifted is a spectrum of neurodivergence and does not automatically mean the person is/will be a genius in anything
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 6d ago 60%

    When we do testing in schools to determine giftedness it is the top 95th percentile of different tests. It wasn’t just reading and math but also nonverbal tasks (like tangram type things). We used state testing and IQ scores as well. We tried to create a whole profile of a child and then determine which ones met the criteria of requiring gifted services (95th percentile and above). I don’t think there’s a federal guideline so each state (or even each district) sets their own parameters. The twice exceptional kids were the ones with ADHD or other diagnoses. But yes, it was possible that these kids were not the “smart, model student” though I’ve had plenty of those as well.

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  • Potty Training, advice? Ideas? Vent?
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 7d ago 100%

    So earlier yesterday we went with no pants or anything. At one point, she stopped in the middle of the kitchen and froze. I asked her if she needed to go and she ran to the potty and went. Then later she said she peed, but when I looked it was the tiniest amount and she stopped herself and finished in the potty. Does that seem like the understanding the emergency?

    Also, we’ve had times where she’s held it for a few hours, been completely dry, and peed a bigger amount on the potty. This has even happened at daycare as well.

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  • Potty Training, advice? Ideas? Vent?
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 1w ago 100%

    Very very rarely. Like only at a birthday party. Juice gets her the most excited

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  • Potty Training, advice? Ideas? Vent?
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 1w ago 100%

    It’s possible, but we do offer watered down juice as a reward. A cup for poop, a sip for pee (usually only when she’s really fighting it). She still needs prompting to go, though.

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  • Potty Training, advice? Ideas? Vent?
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 1w ago 100%

    It’s the cheapest, safest, and most convenient to us. And they do encourage her to go potty and she goes multiple times a day there (just in addition to going in pull-ups). While changing daycares may allow for a different policy in their 3-year-old room, I still want my toddler to be potty trained for a multitude of reasons.

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  • Potty Training, advice? Ideas? Vent?
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 1w ago 100%

    It’s hard to have time off with our work schedules, which is why I tried over the summer initially. She doesn’t care as much as I thought she would about going on herself though. She ran in yesterday with a big smile to tell me she peed in her underwear. I’ll check out the book though, thanks!

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  • My LO turned 2 in May. She’s been peeing on the potty since she was 18 months old (and started having accidents in the tub). We started potty training in earnest in June. We’re now in October and not doing much better. We have very little issues with getting her to go. She will pee on the potty almost every time we suggest it. But she will not hold it and she will not tell us when she needs to go. Making it through the day with no accidents requires us to make her stop every hour and go. She knows all the mantras and will tell you the right thing every time you talk to her. But she isn’t putting it to practice. We’ve tried stickers, hand stamps, screen time, juice, stickers in the potty that show dinosaurs when she pees on them. She likes all of these things and is excited for them. But she will not go of her own accord. The thing is, I know she can hold it. She'll hold it for hours in the car or when we’re out and about in public. She doesn’t fear the potty (sometimes after pooping in her pull-ups it’s sensitive and she’s afraid to pee for a time or two, but gets over it quickly). We’ve done underwear, pull-ups, no pants, leaving the door open and lights on, and us announcing loudly when we need to go to model. Is it just a waiting game? Eventually she’ll understand her body better? I’m a little apprehensive because the next room at daycare will send your child home if they have 2 accidents in a day. So we’ve got about six months to make some drastic improvements. We’ve done books and songs and get super excited when she goes. I’ve tried to make it a positive experience for her. And that’s just pee. The only way she will poop on the potty is if we catch her in the act (usually after not going for a day or two) and run her to the potty. Most weekends she’ll go both days without pooping and then go first thing at daycare in her pull-up. Is there anything I’m missing? Anything I haven’t tried? I would be fine with the occasional accident because she forgot to go while playing, but right now she will only tell us after she has gone in her pants and will only go potty if we remind her.

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    What is the latest funny thing that your child did or said recently?
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 1w ago 100%

    My husband and 2-year-old daughter are off on Monday but I still have work. We were talking to friends and my husband mentioned maybe having a playdate at a playground since they are also off. My daughter goes “I want to go to the playground on Monday too!” As if the grown-ups were gonna go and leave the kiddos behind.

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  • A California police department spent $153,000 on a Cybertruck for school anti-drug events
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 2w ago 100%

    Our division does DARE with 4th graders still. Officers come in and spew that shit for a few weeks and kids get a bunch of swag and cupcakes for signing a pledge. I’m not a fan of any of it, but it’s above my pay grade.

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  • How many pieces of toilet paper do you use to wipe after peeing?
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 3w ago 100%

    At home: 3 squares, folded. At other places with different paper: 4-5, depending on quality. Out and about with the tissue paper that exists in public bathrooms? Maybe the length of my arm.

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  • What are some nice short videos for youngish kids to watch?
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 3w ago 100%

    The Disney plus app has lots of shorts if you have that. We’ve done the spidey and his amazing friends, Winnie the Pooh, and Bluey. There’s lots more on there, even like Cars and Frozen ones

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  • Judge approves $600 million settlement for residents near fiery Ohio derailment
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 4w ago 100%

    From the article: “Anyone who lived within 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) of the derailment can get up to $70,000 per household for property damage plus up to $25,000 per person for health problems. The payments drop off the farther people lived from the derailment down to as little as a few hundred dollars at the outer edges.”

    My parents and my brother live in the 2-4 mile range and when they got their paperwork it was up to $45,000 per household.

    So the money isn’t divided equally between the 55,000 claims.

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  • Judge approves $600 million settlement for residents near fiery Ohio derailment
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 4w ago 100%

    When my parents and my brother received their paperwork it was a different amount depending on how close you are to the wreckage site. 2-4 miles away was initially listed as $45,000.

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  • How about we play, "Never have I ever"?
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 4w ago 100%

    Yeah I wasn’t sure how to word it because I know that different places have different naming mechanisms. But from 6-18 years old I was homeschooled. There was a co-op or two where I technically did classes with others, and I did a year of Cyber school before it was cool but most of my education came from me self-teaching from textbooks and “curriculum”.

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  • How about we play, "Never have I ever"?
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 4w ago 100%

    Homeschooled 1st-12th grade with the exception of 4 months of public school in first grade.

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  • How about we play, "Never have I ever"?
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 4w ago 100%

    Homeschooled 1st-12th grade with the exception of 4 months of public school in first grade.

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  • How about we play, "Never have I ever"?
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 4w ago 100%

    Homeschooled 1st-12th grade except for 4 months of first grade.

    Funnily enough I have a masters degree and work in a public school

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  • How about we play, "Never have I ever"?
  • 93maddie94 93maddie94 4w ago 100%

    I was homeschooled from first grade with the exception of 4 months in public school for first grade

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  • I’ve had my platinum pass for Seaworld parks for 11 months now, it was my first time having a non Cedar Fair or Six Flags pass. Since I’ve lived 25 minutes from Williamsburg I figured it was the time to try, especially since almost everybody I know has a pass.  First, cost. My platinum pass was over $400. I have never paid this much for a pass before, and to rub salt in the wound, I could’ve gotten the same pass for only $200 if I didn’t live in Virginia (or any other state with a Seaworld park) by purchasing the San Antonio platinum pass. Having the same pass (with some differing benefits) for such a difference in price depending on location is insane.  Now, I will say that there have been a lot of benefits that I have been able to take advantage of with this pass. My 6 free tickets became easily over 10 if you count the platinum bonus tickets or the extra Water Country USA tickets, nobody else in my family needed a pass and we were able to go together or with friends multiple times. There were also double discounts on food and drinks, $10 “Busch bucks”, extra discounts on specific stores, and other free things that could be redeemed during your visit. Most of these were once a month benefits. There’s also a one time fast pass per trip, but I honestly never used it.  However, redemption of the pass perks is difficult. First you either need to wait in line at a kiosk or at guest services for them to print out individual cards. These cannot be reprinted, so if you lose one or don’t redeem it and forget to bring it back, you’re out of luck. Then, employees are unable to make all the discounts work appropriately. I think only once was I able to get both my platinum pass discount and whatever extra discount was on the card. Every other time after examining the receipt something didn’t come off correctly. I’m not sure how their computers are set up or their employees are training but something isn’t right.  The park map and the app is confusing. Most parks I can take a lap around and have a general idea of at least where all the big rides are. Here I felt like I hit so many dead ends and main paths that look like they lead nowhere. The map on the app does not allow rotating and as soon as you toggle something “on” giant labels take up so much of the screen space. The app itself also offers no filtering. You can see an alphabetical list of rides. You cannot filter by height requirements, type of ride, wait time, or anything else. The picture that is shown of the ride is usually not very helpful in determining what type of ride it is either.  Ride operations are honestly not too bad. They’re not the most efficient I’ve seen but I have also seen much, much worse. During busier times they also have single rider lines available at Griffon, Alpengeist, and Apollo’s Chariot (though honestly the lines never seem that long anyway). It’s important to note that the entire park doesn’t always open when the park does, which is something I’ve mostly seen at SeaWorld parks. I was planning on hitting Loch Ness Monster and then DarKoaster, only to find that all paths to get to DarKoaster were blocked off.  The coaster lineup is decent, and is definitely worth the trip if you’ve never been. There’s some good credits. You’ve got your Arrow looper, launch coaster, dive coaster, inverted coaster, indoor coaster, and your B\&M hyper. Verbolten is also a fun experience.  My conclusion is that Busch Gardens Williamsburg is a perfectly fine park, but is overpriced when compared to others, especially if your reason for visiting is thrill rides. I will not be renewing my pass, opting instead for Cedar Fair passports for this next year. (My toddler is almost 36” and wants “baby rollercoasters” in the worst way, and the Busch Gardens kiddie coaster is 38”). My biggest reason in the future for getting a SeaWorld pass again would be the convenient location and the number of friends that have passes. For just me, I’ll pass (no pun intended).

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    www.wpxi.com

    Kennywood closes rollercoaster after photo appears to show cinderblocks supporting part of the ride  WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. — Two days after an alarming photo from oneBURGH media blew up on Facebook, Kennywood pumped the brakes on the Racer, temporarily shutting the rollercoaster down Wednesday. The picture appears to show part of the ride jacked up on two large cinder blocks. “That’s not okay,” said Patrice Klimchock of Greensburg. “That’s scary to me.” Channel 11 showed people the photo, including Justin Gambrell, a Kennywood employee. “This doesn’t look right,” Gambrell said. “I didn’t even know about this, so this is a shocker for me. As somebody who works here, I feel like this should be stuff we know.” A spokesperson for Kennywood said rides are inspected daily but wouldn’t say how this could’ve gone unnoticed. “From my understanding that was inspected a few days ago, and that was how it was left to be running?” Klimchock said. “That concerns me.” The Racer is one of Kennywood’s oldest rides, first opening in 1927. Without going into detail about why the ride was closed, the amusement park’s communications director Lynsey Winters sent a brief statement saying, “A non-structural enhancement under the station is being made and the ride will reopen tomorrow.” Some parkgoers are raising questions about safety protocols. “I would want to know something like that even for the safety of others...because anything is possible,” Gambrell said. Klimchock agreed. “Kennywood’s a great place and we love Pittsburgh and want to support it, but they need to take better care,” she said. When Channel 11 first inquired about the photo of the rollercoaster on Monday, Kennywood’s press team sent this statement: “The safety of our attractions is our top priority. All rides at the park are inspected daily by Pennsylvania-certified state inspectors before opening so that they may be enjoyed safely by all guests.” Channel 11 emailed and called the Department of Agriculture that oversees the ride’s inspectors and we have not heard back.

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    So I’m thinking along the lines of [this](https://youtu.be/bom8nFqF6Ag?feature=shared) (volume warning) But my two year old just did the same thing while “helping” to feed the dogs. She spilled a few pieces, looked at the mess, and then dumped out the rest of the cup. She exclaimed, “I make a mess” then picked up the pieces, put them back in the cup, and successfully poured it into the dog’s bowl. What breaks in their brain where the task doesn’t go according to plan so they make an even bigger mess?

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    This message brought to you by the milk cup and makeup bag I’ve had to fish out of the garbage.

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