Posts by Robert Rodriguez9

We used to have actual textbooks for music class. We covered everything—notes, scales, identifying classical pieces, even folk traditions. I found out from a friend today that teachers can basically choose their own curriculum now. It feels like music class is being watered down to just singing and playing some instruments.
It gets on my nerves when certain things just become excuses to pad an average. It’s nonsense. You can't skip the reps. That's just how it works. You'd expect people who aren't exactly math geniuses to at least put in the work instead of being handed an easy A.

It makes sense to me that everyone needs to be on the same page. 🤷

Since we're talking about drawing during exams, I didn't even bother drawing fingers on my sketches—just a semi-circle to represent palms and hands. I skipped the nose, too. I always thought adding a nose made my drawings look weird, so I just left it out. 😂 Nobody ever gave me any trouble for it.

Mine is already reading and writing, though he makes the little mistakes you’d expect at his age. He's been recognizing letters for a while now—no issues with spelling or syllable breakdown. I'm not sure what the future holds, but he's great at expressing himself, retelling stories, and his syntax is solid. Plus, he's got an R in there. His memory is excellent, so I don't think he'll have any trouble with the more academic side of things. 🤣

Brian Jones8 said:We've actually been seeing a speech therapist regularly for about a year and a half now, and we were just at the psychologist today for testing (there's more coming in three days).

From what I can tell, his fine motor skills are solid, but his speech is really struggling—things like "R" sounds, certain word combinations, grammar... I'm genuinely curious to see what the psychologist concludes once the testing is wrapped up, because I certainly can't judge his maturity or IQ myself.

Oh, and the doctor made a point to say that pushing an unready child is a mistake because once they start elementary school, there's no turning back. In her view, it's better for him to stay home for one more year. She commented that she deals with way more issues from parents who force their kids into school than from parents like us, who seem worried they might not be ready.

It’s pretty much the same deal with mine, though he’s already been seeing a speech therapist for three years. We’re still waiting on the psychological testing.
I’m no expert, but personally, I don't think speech issues should be a barrier to starting school. Plenty of kids with various challenges get enrolled just fine.
Our therapist mentioned it's likely these quirks will always be there and might never fully resolve. Given how slow the progress has been over the years, I don't see an extra year in preschool making a massive difference in his speech. If other factors pop up during testing that show he isn't ready, then fine, we'll go with that.

Karen Richardson3 said:Is it just me, or is everyone in New York City dealing with crazy overcrowding at specific schools right now, or is it basically everywhere across the country?

Seattle is actually the complete opposite; the number of kids has basically been cut in half, yet the number of classrooms hasn't budged because the school districts aren't letting teachers go.
The average class size over in Seattle is only about 15 kids 😁

I was reading this recent feature story in the Seattle Times about first graders, and my little guy's class was completely left out of the coverage because they have a whopping 28 students 😁
(And the reason it's so packed is because there are two different first-grade tracks—his is a full-day program, while the other group only stays for a few hours before heading home, so all those kids end up crammed into that one full-day "rush."
I went to the same school growing up, and back then, we had three classes per grade with about 30 kids in each.))

No clue. I’d bet it depends on the school or even the neighborhood—some areas just have more kids than others.

I'm guessing she meant those born right on the border. Look, you might be talented, but we're backed up, and based on your age, you can wait another year.

That's what she told me. I didn't push for details.

Just wanted to add that even gifted kids can get bumped to a later start if enrollment gets too crowded—at least, that’s what one child psychologist told me.

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Mine is still in preschool, but the other kids already showed him how to pray, so he tries to mimic them here and there. Honestly, he just crosses his arms and opens his mouth without saying anything, then tells everyone he's praying. 😁

But isn't the biggest point just that they won't stand out or be different from the crowd? Plus, if they're flying solo, who knows where all that extra free time actually goes? 🤔 I’m talking about the general arguments here, not specifically what Tyler Ruiz502 said.

I get it, you want the specifics. 😁

The question itself is confusing:

Tyler Ruiz502 said:Hey there.
My kid is just about preschool age now, so I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately—trying to figure out our next move. To be honest, I'm an atheist. My husband... well, he isn't exactly devout, if you want to call it that—he doesn't really care for the whole religious thing—but he's not quite on my level either. We aren't exactly "practicing" anything; we might put up a little decoration during the holidays, but we aren't exactly showing up at the local chapel every Sunday. Anyway, the little one hasn't been baptized or anything like that. So, I'm sitting here wondering: should we enroll them in a religious school, or skip it? What do you guys think?
I’m trying to explain the fundamentals—you know, what God actually is, who Jesus was, the whole deal with the church, Christmas carols, nuns, priests, the Crucifixion, funerals... all of it. I'm basically trying to lay out the core tenets for someone who actually believes, just so we're on the same page. I started with something like, "Legend has it that Jesus was born in a stable, and many people believe he possessed miraculous powers..." and honestly? It was a lost cause. In her head, she thinks Jesus is some kind of magical fairy from a cartoon. 🙂
People keep asking me if it’s actually true—as if there's some definitive proof just sitting around waiting to be found. But honestly? We can't verify it. There is no way to check the facts on this one, period. At the end of the day, we’re left with a simple choice: do we want to believe it, or don't we? I've mentioned before how much comfort people find in having something to cling to—it's that sense of belief that keeps so many folks calm and steady when things get chaotic. It’s just... well, you know how it is.
I find myself wondering... is it actually okay for a kid like that to show up to religion class, sit there and listen, but still maintain a healthy sense of critical thinking? I mean—is there really anything wrong with them questioning things as they go along?
I find myself wondering—is there actually any point in being baptized or showing up at church? I mean, does the local school district even bother preparing kids for First Communion anymore? And here is the real kicker—if you aren't some die-hard, weekly attendee, is your kid going to end up stuck in a lower grade level or somehow disadvantaged compared to the religious kids? It feels like one of those things that could go sideways. Are these religious education classes actually meant to broaden a child's horizons and introduce them to different perspectives... or is it just a way to drill specific doctrines into their heads without letting them question a single thing? Because, let’s be honest—if a kid actually starts asking real questions or dares to voice what Mom and Dad taught them at home, they aren't exactly going to have a grand old time in those sessions.
What’s the deal with the religious education curriculum these days? I mean, honestly—what are they actually teaching in those classes?

Over the last ten pages or so that I’ve been digging through—though honestly, it really just depends on which instructor you happen to be listening to—it all comes down to the teacher.

I don't know what to make of this whole Tanita situation—it’s one of those things that just sits in the back of your mind, nagging at you, isn't it? It feels like we're constantly circling the same drain, waiting for some kind of definitive answer or a moment of clarity that never actually arrives. I was thinking about it earlier while staring at a lukewarm cup of coffee, and honestly, the more you dig, the more it feels like we're just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. There's a certain futility to it all—an exhausting sort of loop where everyone thinks they have the missing piece of the puzzle, yet here we are, still staring at the same empty box. It’s frustrating, really. A bit maddening, if I'm being honest. We demand certainty in a world that seems hell-bent on being unpredictable, and then we act surprised when the floor drops out from under us. It's a cycle—a repetitive, somewhat ridiculous cycle—that we seem doomed to repeat. kaže:
Look, regarding the withdrawal process—the rules are pretty much identical for everyone across the board. You can't just pull a kid out mid-year, even if you try to use extracurriculars or some other nonsense as an excuse... it's just not how it works.

Is this actually legit? I mean, if it turns out this is having a negative impact, I’d pull my kid out of that school in a heartbeat. A colleague of mine has a little one who has started begging to pray every single night—he’s developed this whole "paranoia" that if he doesn't say his prayers, he’s headed straight to hell. It’s wild. Apparently, the religious instructor keeps bribing them with toys every chance they get to keep them engaged. Honestly, people have lost their minds. They’ve decided to withdraw him, though I’m not sure if they're doing it immediately or just waiting until the end of the school year.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy via Reddit

It’s weird to me that she’s even still here given everything else she’s written. 🤷

It’s a little depressing reading what you wrote, especially seeing how much doubt you're carrying given everything else people have already posted on this thread.

Look, man, please stop spamming at least two posts in a row. Look at this. 🙂

Fair enough then. 😁 I’m not planning on leaving that kind of decision up to my kid right when they start school. Honestly, I don't even know what criteria they'd be using to make a call like that. 🤔 They can decide later on if they want to.

It’s pretty much expected that kids in religious education classes who actually live out their faith are taught from a young age that Santa Claus isn't real. 🤷 Then again, you hear so much nonsense in those classes anyway, so I don't see why parents should even bother stressing over this. For crying out loud, someone finally tells the truth in a Sunday school class and suddenly everyone loses their minds. 🙄

I get that we’re talking about little kids here, but I don't get what people actually expect when they sign them up for Sunday school. You enroll your kid in it—why act shocked when it turns out the church isn't exactly handing out presents from Santa Claus? 🤷