nimblelynx7 said:Future Teslas don't really need this. To be fair, Tesla wasn't exactly a straight-A student, much like a lot of people with that kind of drive.
This is clearly aimed at average—or even below-average—students, just to give them a slight leg up at the starting line. That is, assuming their parents actually have the cash to foot the bill.
Well, I suppose that’s exactly the point—if we're being honest about it. It’s just an average kid—nothing special, really—yet these old-timers act like they're entitled to a Tesla. I mean, I suppose I agree—sometimes those kids who struggle in school aren't actually incapable of grasping the material—but rather, the entire system itself is just fundamentally flawed. It’s less about their ability to learn and more about how the structure is built, I guess. I mean, I suspect the average kid doesn't really need all those intensive prep sessions—they tend to pick up the threads much faster than we give them credit for, I guess.
God forbid—that’s just stuff for people trying too hard, or parents who think they're raising some future Tesla prodigy at home. But hey, it's a private business, and I guess you can't really complain about why someone would run one, provided it actually turns a profit, right?
northerncrane4 said:It’s just boring, boring, boring—until this one twist happens that is so incredibly preposterous. It isn't even really about the concept itself, I guess, but more about the visual execution and the resulting action sequences, which somehow makes the whole thing fun simply because of how ridiculous it is.
That sequence involving the parkour moves with those weirdly contorted joints was extra entertaining. I just can't wrap my head around that part, honestly.
Angela Wells74 said:Like yesterday, I didn't have a fever at all, and now it's back. My doctor isn't actually seeing me, so she doesn't really have to take my word for it that I'm symptomatic. But hey, I guess I can try. 🙂
Well, if she doesn't believe you, just go ahead and schedule a follow-up exam.
Angela Wells74 said:Sounds like you have a really good doctor then. 😉 Does sick leave cover Sundays too, or do they skip those like they do with vacation time?
When it lists an expected duration of, say, 14 days, weekends and holidays are included—since some people actually work those days. So, no, they don't get skipped.
Larry Gonzalez83 said:I hear you, and I mostly agree. It only feels hypocritical if you look at it as: "Sure, you can smoke, but I'm not giving you the cash." Especially since most of it happens at home. Those cigarettes don't just appear out of thin air... it’s either me buying them or her using my money to get them.
When it comes to "allowance" money, I always like to know where it's going and what it's being spent on.
But realistically, everyone has the option to smoke—how would we even stop them operationally? That was my thought process. Our blessing won't be tied to whether they smoke or not, nor will it magically prevent them from smoking inside the house.
Larry Gonzalez83 said:I hear you, and I mostly agree. It only feels hypocritical if you look at it as: "Sure, you can smoke, but I'm not giving you the cash." Especially since most of it happens at home. Those cigarettes don't just appear out of thin air... it’s either me buying them or her using my money to get them.
When it comes to "allowance" money, I always like to know where it's going and what it's being spent on.
But realistically, they can all smoke if they want to; I was more wondering how we could actually stop them operationally. That was my point. Our blessing isn't going to include a clause about smoking, nor will it give her permission to smoke inside the house.
Personally, I thought the first two installments were excellent. As for the rest—well, I guess we'll see. In any case, I'm somewhat on board with the prequel idea—it might be interesting to actually get a glimpse of Panem and The Capitol back in the day, before everything went south...
I honestly don't see how this could be considered hypocritical. It all comes down to basic prioritization—kids really need to learn that sometimes you have to pass on one thing if you want to afford something else later on. It’s a simple trade-off, like choosing between grabbing ice cream with friends or saving up for a pack of cigarettes. My daughter doesn't even get a set allowance once a month; instead, she gets a little bit of cash every single day $3.25 because she'll head out for a soda or an ice cream in the park right after school—or maybe thirty minutes before. And if she’s heading out to McDonald's or catching a movie with her group, she gets a bit extra for that too.
Larry Gonzalez83 said:Speaking of lighters, I was finding them in my daughter's things back in seventh grade too... though back then, I hadn't really smelled cigarette smoke yet—not that I wasn't sniffing around. She used to bring these incense sticks from somewhere, the kind that makes me feel a little nauseous, and she’d light them whenever her friends came over. I know for sure they weren't experimenting with cigarettes then, but I also know that about six months later, by eighth grade, they were playing with cigarettes... along with her BFF who ended up smoking too. That was when the smell of smoke started sticking to her. And that was right when, after some pretty heavy talks, she finally admitted they had been smoking. I’m not saying this is definitely what’s happening with your daughter, but I do think it’s worth keeping an eye on things... just to try and stop things before they get too far along if you can... Honestly, you probably won't be able to stop her from trying a cigarette if that's where her head is at. And whether she likes it or not afterward... well, that’s down to her. My daughter unfortunately liked it, so she kept going... To be fair to her, though... in this past year, she hasn't smoked any more than when I caught her and we made that unfortunate deal to "allow" it at home. It’s still just two or three cigarettes a day, which I decided I could tolerate as part of our internal agreement. I'm willing to look the other way on that much, treating it like a passing teenage phase... hoping it really is just a phase... Even though some people on here suggested that smoking at home might just be the tip of the iceberg, and that she’s likely smoking way more when she's out... we never actually doubted that. It seems like she managed to find a sort of "balance" to make it all work. Every now and then I suggest she quit, and she usually says she'll think about it, but that's where it ends... Now we're looking toward high school... we'll see how things play out once they step into that older crowd...
I ended up missing my window to start smoking back when I was enrolling in high school—which, honestly, probably worked out for the best—but I still remember being absolutely floored by how many kids were already hooked. It wasn't just some casual experimentation, either; you could tell they weren't novices. They had that certain look about them—that specific way people carry themselves when they’ve been at it for years. I guess it felt like most of them had been smoking since they were seven or eight years old. I realize I can't exactly step in to stop her—nor can I go around issuing some sort of prohibition—so I suppose all that's left is to hope she actually grasps our position and doesn't end up blowing it. Though, if she's going to try, I imagine she will... probably.
Carl Green4 said:My girl is in eighth grade and she’s obsessed with scented candles. I’m constantly confiscating them, but she just buys more. Well, she can light them herself then... Maybe that's just how it is. 🤷 I told her straight up: one day you're going to burn the house down. ☕
I truly hope yours turns out smarter than that. That's my honest take on your situation. And I say that as a smoker.
If it's okay to brag a little on this thread, I will.😁 I am incredibly proud of my daughter. She started tutoring for math, chemistry, and physics, and she actually started caring about her books. She fixed everything. We've seen grades in those subjects—math and its related 😁—drop like stones for eight years, but never like this. I'm genuinely happy.😍
Plus, she’s finally starting to open up and talk to me again. We’re even planning a little outing this weekend. Keep your fingers crossed that it stays this way.👍
I did ban the candles, though, because she lit one in her room and put it on a table right next to the curtains. I was like, no way, we aren't burning the whole house down. It makes me so happy to hear that her grades are up, that she’s caught up, and that she’s studying. But most importantly, that she’s talking to you. You really should be proud. Anyway, I just had my own massive lecture about classroom cliques. It doesn't smell like cigarettes in here, at least—she's heading to soccer practice in twenty minutes.
Peter Rogers said:When you say you wouldn't fund it—what does that even mean, really? The only way to actually stop funding something is to completely cut off any kind of allowance. Because if it’s coming out of their pocket money, you’re basically footing the bill. I’m honestly hoping I don't find myself in that position anytime soon, because I still remember my generation being full of smokers—and yeah, I was one of them. Looking back, it probably would have been better if we’d actually had some cash for cigarettes instead of being broke. My husband and I haven't touched a cigarette in ages, way before we even had kids, and honestly, nobody in our immediate circle smokes anymore. I don't see it among their friends either, but... man, you can never be too sure, right? One night out, one new person, a little bit of bad influence, a sudden urge to indulge, and suddenly everything flips and heads in the wrong direction...
What I mean is that we won't be the ones buying her cigarettes. Her daily allowance is meant for things like a soda or an ice cream after school. Of course, she can always buy them later if she saves up, but then that becomes a matter of her own priorities. Certain things would just have to be given up...
Look, I wouldn't even go near her—we actually discussed this, and I certainly wasn't standing there lecturing her. She’s well aware that nobody wants her smoking, let alone funding it, and she definitely wouldn't be allowed to smoke inside the house. As for what happens next... well, I suppose we'll just have to see. I'm just hoping she makes a sensible decision.
Sarah Hall53 said:I don't know... back when I was that age, we were basically obsessed with singeing the edges of our notebooks just to make our emo poetry look more "authentic." Plus, let's be real—if you're writing a love letter to the absolute love of your life, you're kind of a loser if you aren't using glitter pens and burnt paper edges.
Now, though, I have no idea how much that carries over to the digital generation—honestly, I’d expect them to just use some vintage burnt-edge filter on their phone instead. 😂
So, I asked her what she even needs all those lighters for if she doesn't smoke. Like, with people out there burning leaves or those face masks... I really thought she was past that phase. I just hope she doesn't end up setting herself on fire or something, if that's actually what they're doing.
Yesterday there were about seven girls hanging out outside, and honestly—I wouldn't be surprised if they all pooled their money just to grab a pack of cigarettes. Probably just doing it for the hell of it, you know? But that’s how people get hooked, and I really wouldn't want to see that happen. I had another talk with her about it today—I mean, what else am I supposed to do? Just talk, offer some advice, and hope for the best, I guess.
frozenrider15 said:I'd be just as shocked as you if I stumbled upon a lighter in my kid's bag. Honestly, I find it hard to buy the idea that every single teenager is walking around with a lighter tucked away as part of their daily kit 😁.
I’m not exactly losing sleep over her picking up a habit. We don't smoke in our house, and while I know peer pressure is a massive force at this age, smoking just doesn't fit her personality. At this stage, she's actually quite aware of how bad it is for your health—she’s almost overly cautious about her own well-being—so smoking isn't even on my radar right now. My real concerns lie elsewhere. Between the fallout from the pandemic and those intense tremors we dealt with over the last two years, some anxieties have bubbled up to the surface. That's what we really need to tackle.
Speaking of those last two years, they honestly just completely threw her off balance—she was probably hitting her most sensitive stage. There were fears, even some regressive behavior, so we've been seeing a child psychologist over near Mayo Clinic every once in a while. As for the lighter, I’ll have to look into that further. You see seventh and eighth graders smoking here, and there are some kids I’d never expect it from, so I won't go out on a limb regarding my own daughter. It doesn't help that my husband smokes, though she is well aware of our stance on kids and teens using tobacco.
So, I found a lighter in my daughter's things yesterday—it just sort of spilled out when I was looking through her stuff. It didn't even smell like cigarettes, which is a relief, I suppose. She just looked at me like I was being dramatic and said that everyone has lighters and it’s totally normal. I mean, seriously? Why on earth would a seven-year-old be carrying around a lighter? That whole phase where kids are obsessed with playing with matches or fire seems to have passed for her long ago, so I'm honestly just stumped...
It’s not like you’re scooping it out of a lake. You just put some toilet paper in the bowl, finish your business, grab the sample, and then flush. That’s how I handle it, at least.
Susan James said:So, let me pick your brain on this... What do you think (or better yet, what do language specialists think) about those dual-language programs where most classes are taught in English, even though they are technically humanities tracks? Some subjects are taught in English, while others stay in American English. In some advanced tracks, you'll even see things taught in Spanish or French.
To me, it sounds amazing (I’ve had great experiences with immersion programs for kids, and it’s definitely more affordable than private prep schools 😬), but how does it work in reality? What do the linguists say about non-specialists teaching their core subjects in a foreign language?
Looking at various combinations at major universities, it seems like you could pair Philosophy, Political Science, or Art History with a specific language. In those cases, an actual expert ends up teaching their subject in a second language. I'm not sure how it works for Biology or Chemistry, though since English is the standard for scientific papers, I assume those folks have a great enough grasp of the language to teach it. From what I see on their websites, though, it mostly seems to involve Liberal Arts subjects.
The Department of the Treasury has its studies over at EJ, which is mostly just the diaspora looking for cheaper tuition options. Everyone picks up American English, and there are some Indians and Africans there too. The professors, naturally, teach at EJ; some are brilliant, while others—well, god help us—but they show up and teach regularly. I believe the tuition is around 7 or 8k dollars a year.
Susan James said:Personally, I think it’s actually better if things stay exactly as they are. Especially if Milo is already happy with how the selection turned out. 🤷
If we're talking about having just one single try at this—one shot—then I guess that first option looks like a decent middle ground. But then again, that's just my own take, which isn't necessarily the truth.
So, I gave it a look. My personal take—if you could even call it that—is that Conor McGregor has the hardest road ahead of him, while Titus definitely has it the easiest. Maybe they should just put everything out there right from the start.