Posts by rowdyviper42

I really like this thread. I have three kids—two are in college right now and one is finishing up high school—and I’ve never once blamed a teacher in front of them. It honestly baffles me when parents drop their kids off at school expecting some kind of miracle, as if a teacher can just wave a magic wand and force knowledge into their heads. Building work ethic and basic discipline is foundational stuff, yet it seems to be completely ignored by some folks. I have a lot of respect for teachers these days; I don't think I could handle being in their shoes with how some modern parents act and what they demand.

My kid is in sixth grade, and luckily religious studies isn't part of the core curriculum. I guess if anyone actually wants to stick around for extra classes after school, that's their call...

In my experience, we used to have the teacher manually write out everyone's grades at the end of every semester, which included calculating the overall GPA. It was pretty informal, I guess, but it gave the kids a solid idea of where they needed to step up their game. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with that approach.

I actually really like my family; everyone’s incredibly easygoing about inheritance matters, too. They’re all such nice people, which is rare because usually, those are the first ones to start fighting once there's money on the table. I’m an only child, but everything I’ve inherited so far came from my grandmother—not out of favoritism, just as thanks for looking after her. My aunt had some initial issues with it, but after sulking for about five years, she finally came around. It wasn't like I was going out of my way to do anything special. Luckily, there was a clear will in place that specified exactly who gets what.

When I say "get rich quick," I’m talking about those guys who can't even cover two rounds of drinks at a bar, yet they'll sit there telling you exactly where to dump $300k or $500k if you want to turn it into millions in a couple of months.🤣They always seem to have brilliant ideas for spending someone else's money.😵

Got some inheritance from my grandmother—a mix of property and cash about 14 years ago. I ended up keeping most of the real estate, mostly the coastal ones, while selling off the inland stuff. I used what was left to invest in two different businesses. Looking back, I can say I'm doing pretty well for myself thanks to that. I’m glad I didn't listen to those people preaching about getting rich quick; I'd probably be out on the streets by now.

Jason Ortiz5 said:I’m going to go on a bit of a rant here, but honestly, this feels like it’s all tied back to how teachers view their students...

Back during the first parent-teacher meeting in first grade, I made my stance crystal clear to the teacher: I don't care about the grades; I care about actual learning. My reason? Well, she started nitpicking during PE; like, "she’s trying hard, but some moves aren't quite there," or "her form could be better," or "that candle pose needs work..." I told her straight up that as long as my daughter is putting in the effort, the PE grade is secondary to me, provided it stays at a C or better. We talked about other subjects too, and I reiterated that I want my kid to actually absorb the material—I’m not looking for any coddling or empty praise. We had similar chats during subsequent meetings.

Throughout the year, she mostly pulled A's. There were a few B's here and there, but overall, the grades were totally fine. For PE, we were expecting a C or maybe a B if we were being generous, and nobody was sweating it. But when the report card finally came home, I was floored. My girl had straight A's (which, let's be honest, she would have earned anyway, minus the PE thing), but there was also an elective listed that she hasn't even heard of, let alone attended. 😲 So, there I was, having to explain to my little one that I have no clue why that showed up, that it wasn't right, and that she shouldn't have been signed up for something without being asked. I don't even dare say anything to the teacher because my daughter still has three years of elementary school left to get through. And believe me, I have plenty to say. ☕

So, I’m asking any educators out there to please explain the motivation and the logic behind this teacher's actions. Aside from the fact that nobody asked for this, I think it could actually be harmful. At best, it just makes zero sense to me. 🤷

No one ever asked the teacher to inflate any grades. I truly thought the teacher and I were on the same page regarding the balance of knowledge, effort, and grading. Our talks were always pleasant; we’d even share a laugh. I genuinely felt our communication was constructive and that we were working well together. Instead, I ended up having to sit my child down and explain that her teacher made a mistake. 😵

My middle child basically got handed an A in PE throughout high school, mostly because the teachers don't really want to mess with a kid's GPA, and honestly, she does try. Toward the end of freshman year, the teacher even asked the class if anyone minded if she got an A to help out a student who had skipped a grade for other reasons. I guess that extra grade doesn't hurt anyone much.😉

She was even signed up for an extracurricular activity she never missed, yet somehow she hadn't even heard it existed. 😲

The youngest managed to bring home an A in Religion despite never showing up to a single class. We went down to the school and they gave us a corrected report card. Maybe the teacher just made a typo when entering the grades into the system.🤷

I kind of like the idea, though my kids aren't exactly in the prime demographic—one's already in high school and the youngest just started elementary school. I suppose the whole point is to encourage consistent effort rather than having everyone suddenly decide to actually study once they hit middle school graduation. Retroactive changes don't feel particularly fair, though; maybe waiting a couple of years before implementing this would be more reasonable. It might even be fairer that way. Pressure is always going to exist, unfortunately. But I guess it might at least make it easier for a parent to tell their kid they didn't earn that A, so they should probably try harder next year.

My older kids went through all their sacraments pretty strictly by the book. They picked their own godparents—people they actually feel close to and comfortable with. My daughter got a white gold bracelet and earrings from her godmother, plus a dress she picked out at her godmother's boutique. My son received a white gold anchor necklace, a phone (which was on sale for $167), and managed to snag some sneakers (around $200). They didn't ask for anything specific; they just wanted those people there, regardless of the gifts. Even though I’m not exactly a practicing believer—I don't really go to church—I guess I raised them with the right mindset, teaching them that sacraments aren't just an excuse to score presents. On the flip side, my daughter had the chance to be a godmother this year while in high school, and her godchild started coming up with these wild, vague demands, which I shut down immediately. I told her straight up that since she's just a high schooler, she could either buy a gift up to $300 or just give that much in a card. Nobody bought my kids a bunch of high-tech gadgets, even if they do have what they need, so I suppose if a kid is going through a sacrament, it should be about faith, not about what they can get out of it.