Posts by Kevin Bailey2

I’m looking into getting some whey protein, though I haven't settled on a specific brand yet since there are so many options out there...

To be honest, my main question is about hunger. Does it actually help curb cravings, or does it just make you hungrier?

Honestly, I think you're just overthinking it. Nobody's actually turned their back on you—you're just projecting your own frustrations onto everyone else.

Roger Sanders said:I get that there isn't a major hospital on Maui, but you're telling me there isn't even a clinic where they can perform a C-section? Seriously? That is absolutely pathetic.

🤦 🤦 🤦

Oh, sure... she could've just walked into a butcher shop before her period started and had them slice her open. I mean, what's a C-section anyway? Just some butchery. A couple of cuts here, a couple of cuts there... stitch it up and call it a day.

Hello? WTF? What are you even talking about?

At least one parent should be required to show up for those high school graduation exams.
Every single student needs a chaperone.
Let them face the reality of what they're getting into. 😁

Lisa Rivera said:Death, I have to disagree. Honestly...

I’m not putting the child on trial here. My point was simply that we need to sit them down and have a serious conversation about it. This isn't a one-off occurrence; it will happen again, and they eventually need to learn how to shoulder their own responsibilities—like realizing that grabbing a cookie isn't worth causing trouble for the rest of the family.

And really, how can you assume a ten-year-old wouldn't grasp the concept of borrowing? You're underestimating them...

Look, I can explain things to him. He’s not stupid.

But seriously... everyone else is sitting there eating their Happy Meals... he's the only one without one.
Even if he totally understands the concept of sharing and Mom gave him a full lecture on it... you can't really blame the kid for grabbing that five bucks.

BlackRock... I still think lecturing about what that kid did is totally pointless.

Look, I’m not saying you’re wasting your breath, and I believe you when you say you've been in similar spots... but your stance is just too harsh. You can't expect every single child to act by that exact same principle.

The fact that you were responsible in that specific moment makes you the exception, not the rule.

That’s why judging this kid is just wrong.

At that age, kids should be responsible enough to do their homework without being nagged, brush their teeth before bed, say grace before meals 🤣 and not mess around during class and annoy teachers... etc., etc...
That would be a normal childhood.

But expecting a ten-year-old to be the only one refusing that famous Happy Meal, while also turning down $3 for a McDonald's from an adult authority figure? Give me a break... it's ridiculous.
Whether he's too young to grasp the concept of borrowing or if these setups just confuse him—whatever.

Okay... if a ten-year-old is stubborn enough to say:
"No, thank you... my mom won't let me have a Happy Meal, and if she made me cereal, I'm eating my cereal."
Fine... bravo. 🤷

But on the flip side, judging a kid who gave in to temptation (even if they've heard that whole "don't take money" parenting lecture)... it just makes zero sense.

No. He isn't to blame at all.
He’s purely a collateral victim of the adults who actually caused this mess.

And expecting that much modesty from a kid—to not grab a pathetic Happy Meal while everyone else is tearing into them? That doesn't sit right with me.
To me, that's psychological torture, and it's definitely not worth $3 or any of the drama that went down after McKinney.

Anyway, I think this story ended happily enough once the kid got his slice of cake, and that’s what matters.
As for how the adults deal with their own messes later... that's on them.

Sarah James4 said:Don't give me that. If adults are supposed to be examples about not taking out loans—especially here in America—then your whole argument falls apart. Second, you walk into a bank and take out credit. Are you claiming he consciously went on the trip knowing the teacher would gift him the money, and therefore he accepted it?

And third, you missed a key point in your argument: he didn't ask her for the money (like you go into a bank to request a loan). She pulled him aside and handed him the cash... then treated it like a loan after the fact. She basically wiped out whatever good intentions she had... probably due to communication issues with the mom.

That's a really poor judgment call from someone expected to educate the younger generation.

Like I said... it's unrealistic to expect a ten-year-old, even if his own mother told him no, to resist the urge to fit in with the group and "society."

It isn't just delusional; it's self-centered, selfish, and plain absurd. Let's keep going...

Looking at everything strictly through an adult lens is a sign of narrow-mindedness and total fanaticism.

Actually trying to step into a child's shoes requires real thought and effort.

It sounds so incredibly senile when people start their stories with:
"Back in my day..."

Total nonsense.
I had plenty of times as a kid where I had to act "responsible" like an adult, but that was only because life hit me hard early on. For example, my mom used to blow all our money on useless junk like jewelry and perfume when we didn't need it. By the time I was seven or eight, I’d often tell her she should buy groceries or pay the electric bill instead of wasting it on crap. My "rationality" back then didn't make me some kind of prodigy; it just meant I learned way too early what it felt like to be hungry and sitting in the dark without power.
And it’s tragic. Really tragic.
Whether parents force kids into premature maturity and "logic," or life circumstances just force them to grow up too fast... it’s something no child deserves.

God forbid I'd ever want the same thing I went through for my own kid or anyone else's.

Blaming a ten-year-old who’s already been through their own gauntlet... that’s just immature and thoughtless.

Lisa Rivera said:

I suppose I should offer some sort of greeting, though the novelty of these digital exchanges wears thin with each passing year... It is all quite exhausting, isn't it? One spends so much energy attempting to find substance in a void that offers nothing but noise. Still, I am here. I shall remain... for now. kaže:
In one particular instance involving Josh, the situation wasn't even about a child borrowing money... rather, it was a matter of the teacher being summoned to provide funds to the student herself, based on her own subjective motives and assessments... quite a peculiar way for things to unfold...

When someone presents you with something entirely unsolicited, one might be tempted to label it a gift... though, in my experience, such unprompted gestures often carry a weight that isn't immediately apparent...

To expect a ten-year-old, who is simply trying to find their footing within a peer group, to reject the desire for conformity is nothing short of an illusion. It is fundamentally unrealistic... And quite frankly, these cynical commentaries suggesting that a child who lacks certain things should somehow transcend those needs to become some sort of "super" archetype? It’s distasteful, if I’m being honest. But I suppose that is just the nature of modern discourse these days...

She belongs to him... I suppose I should express my gratitude... though one wonders if such gestures truly change the fundamental nature of things... anyway, thank you. It started with nothing more than pocket change intended for a Happy Meal... and now, he’s actually demanding more... I suppose I should begin... though I find myself questioning the utility of such an endeavor at this particular juncture. It seems we are expected to provide input, yet the context remains frustratingly nebulous... one wonders if clarity is even on the agenda today. Regardless, I shall attempt to proceed, however futile that may feel... I have returned...

No, she was actually the one who offered him the money... With the added assurance that his mother would see to its return...It was a loan, not a gift. The child wasn't under any obligation to accept those funds... $10It could have been simpler, really... one could have just accepted the offer and opted for a more modest arrangement, perhaps settling for something under...$3.25But that isn't the point, and that is precisely why there needs to be a real conversation with the child, rather than just a meeting with the teacher... It’s a fundamental oversight. Now, she has offered him a way out, but next time, it might be a friend who extends that same temptation. And we all know how this ends... it will be the exact same story, over and over again...

You simply hand them your shirt and your credit lines, and suddenly you’re all tied up in knots. You won't be able to point a finger at the big banks or those private vultures and claim they just handed you a gift... even though we both know that money comes with a heavy price tag attached... one you'll end up paying back with interest...

It seems rather improper for a teacher to demand a refund when the student never even requested it in the first place... though, in fairness, she isn't solely responsible for this entire bureaucratic mess. One could argue that the fault lies equally with everyone involved in the third grade administration... it’s all quite exhausting...

There’s probably a damn good reason why ten-year-olds aren't allowed to take out loans in their own names, so this comparison doesn't even remotely apply here.

Lisa Rivera said:

I suppose I should offer some sort of greeting, though the novelty of these digital exchanges wears thin with each passing year... It is all quite exhausting, isn't it? One spends so much energy attempting to find substance in a void that offers nothing but noise. Still, I am here. I shall remain... for now. kaže:
In one particular instance involving Josh, the situation wasn't even about a child borrowing money... rather, it was a matter of the teacher being summoned to provide funds to the student herself, based on her own subjective motives and assessments... quite a peculiar way for things to unfold...

When someone presents you with something entirely unsolicited, one might be tempted to label it a gift... though, in my experience, such unprompted gestures often carry a weight that isn't immediately apparent...

To expect a ten-year-old, who is simply trying to find their footing within a peer group, to reject the desire for conformity is nothing short of an illusion. It is fundamentally unrealistic... And quite frankly, these cynical commentaries suggesting that a child who lacks certain things should somehow transcend those needs to become some sort of "super" archetype? It’s distasteful, if I’m being honest. But I suppose that is just the nature of modern discourse these days...

She belongs to him... I suppose I should express my gratitude... though one wonders if such gestures truly change the fundamental nature of things... anyway, thank you. It started with nothing more than pocket change intended for a Happy Meal... and now, he’s actually demanding more... I suppose I should begin... though I find myself questioning the utility of such an endeavor at this particular juncture. It seems we are expected to provide input, yet the context remains frustratingly nebulous... one wonders if clarity is even on the agenda today. Regardless, I shall attempt to proceed, however futile that may feel... I have returned...

No, she was actually the one who offered him the money... With the added assurance that his mother would see to its return...It was a loan, not a gift. The child wasn't under any obligation to accept those funds... $10It could have been simpler, really... one could have just accepted the offer and opted for a more modest arrangement, perhaps settling for something under...$3.25But that isn't the point, and that is precisely why there needs to be a real conversation with the child, rather than just a meeting with the teacher... It’s a fundamental oversight. Now, she has offered him a way out, but next time, it might be a friend who extends that same temptation. And we all know how this ends... it will be the exact same story, over and over again...

You simply hand them your shirt and your credit lines, and suddenly you’re all tied up in knots. You won't be able to point a finger at the big banks or those private vultures and claim they just handed you a gift... even though we both know that money comes with a heavy price tag attached... one you'll end up paying back with interest...

It seems rather improper for a teacher to demand a refund when the student never even requested it in the first place... though, in fairness, she isn't solely responsible for this entire bureaucratic mess. One could argue that the fault lies equally with everyone involved in the third grade administration... it’s all quite exhausting...

All three?

Seriously? Does a ten-year-old really carry that much moral weight? Are they supposed to have the same level of responsibility as two people in their 30s?

LoL.

Kimberly Robinson2 said:Look, Doa, that’s not even what I meant—it’s more about the fact that his father isn't actually here with us. When he draws a family portrait, he just draws me and himself, which is basically only half the picture. 😢
Even though my boyfriend does end up playing the dad role when we hang out with friends...😁

I was ten when my brother stepped up to take care of me.
My dad had passed away, and my mom struggled heavily with depression—the kind where she’d project all that darkness onto everyone around her, especially me. My brother decided the best move was to bring me into his household (he was already living with his wife and their kid at the time). Honestly, I'm lucky he took me in. I was already pretty traumatized from seeing things way too early in life. (I know some trolls on an American forum might try to mock me or use my past to claim I'm mentally unstable, but if being vulnerable is the price I pay to help you understand how to protect your own kid... then so be it).

If it wasn't for him and my "new" family, I probably would've hit rock bottom.
I went through some rough patches during puberty because of all that childhood baggage (believe me, you wouldn't want to deal with that version of me), and I still feel the effects today. But I manage to stay afloat thanks to my brother, his wife, and their incredibly positive outlook on life—even when we were struggling to make ends meet.
My brother taught me how to actually rationalize my problems (enough to make me question my old ways every single day). And his wife? She treated me like her own daughter. She gave me so much warmth and affection... she never drew a line between me and her son, whether we're talking about emotional support or just basic stuff like food, clothes, or gifts.

My mother wasn't a bad person, and neither are you.
It’s just that you both tend to over-dramatize the small stuff.
Some adults find that funny... others find it exhausting or stupid...
But trust me, for a child, it is incredibly hard to endure.

Family should be a sanctuary and a compass.
At least, that's how it ought to be.
But some families are dysfunctional, and they end up doing more harm than good to their kids.
When you and I talk about family, we're speaking from the perspective of parents.
And as parents, we aren't just bystanders; we are active participants in the process.
That means the choice is ours: we either build a solid foundation for our children, or we completely wreck them.

Sarah James4 said:josh once said, the kid didn't actually ask for money; the teacher just decided on her own to hand it over.

When someone gives you something without being asked, that's a gift.

Expecting a ten-year-old who just wants to fit in with his friends to turn down money is unrealistic. Honestly, reading comments about how a kid who lacks something should act like some perfect xyz makes me sick. But whatever.

She gave him the money for a Happy Meal, and now she’s looking for a gift in return.

Since he won't talk to his mother, she's trying to pass lessons through him instead. Mom made a bad call by not sending the money with him due to her own issues, and she should have just gone to talk to him herself.

Basically, adults messed up again. Typical.

It would be interesting to hear the other side of this.

Agreed. He’s not five, but he’s not twenty-five either.
He’s ten. It’s ridiculous to expect him to refuse help when it's being offered.
And there’s zero shame in accepting help, especially from a child. It was a kind gesture.

As for the teacher... maybe she's asking for it back because of some principle—like if she pays for him, she’ll feel obligated to pay everyone else who needs help (and the mom says there are five other kids in class in the same boat). She might just want the money back to avoid the gossip. In a small town, rumors spread faster than cancer, and you have to watch every single move you make.

Laura... honestly, your take on this is the absolute worst part of the whole thing.

I mean, how on earth can a mother look at her own kid and tell them they don't have a family?

At that point, you might as well let a bunch of circus clowns raise them—at least they’d provide some actual warmth.

Why are you poisoning a kid's head with this kind of garbage?

You aren't preparing them for the real world or making them tougher. It's the exact opposite. You're just stalling their emotional growth and doing something totally counterproductive that only hurts them.

Look, I get that things are rough for you, but for God's sake... you've always got to try and find the silver lining. If not for your own sake, then definitely for your kids.

Don't use your child as a punching bag for all your frustration, resentment, and general bitterness.
Take it out on someone who can actually handle it. Don't put a ten-year-old in a position where they're telling their teacher that they "don't have a family" and that's why they can't finish an essay.
Instead of running your mouth to everyone else, just sit down and talk to your kid about what's bothering them and why they're struggling.

Melissa Gonzalez2 said:You're basically signing a contract saying you won't take the fall for a kid's bullshit...

Is there a contract where you aren't held morally responsible for everything a kid does, or one that promises you won't have to deal with aggressive, high-maintenance parents?

I wouldn't say so.

Melissa Gonzalez2 said:I don't know how things went at other schools, but back at my old high school, we only had maybe ten people go on these trips and everyone was super chill. Even though we had some strict teachers, everyone just hung out in one room and nobody caused any drama. We spent the time checking out local architecture, which was actually pretty useful for our major, and everyone ended up loving it. All in all, it was a solid trip. No clue what it was like for other schools...

That’s not really an argument.
You’re looking at this through the lens of a kid back then.
Try being a little more flexible and empathetic—think about how all of this looked to the person responsible for keeping you safe.

Of course it felt great to you. When you're young and reckless, there’s no concept of danger or actual consequences. And it was easy to have a blast when it wasn't your job to answer to someone else's parents if things went south.

Melissa Gonzalez2 said:Look, it's not like teachers are getting rich, but there are perks. Like, at a high school prom, the teachers usually get in for free, and there are all those field trips too.

Those "various field trips" are a nightmare. You're stuck on 24-hour duty watching fifty hormonal teenagers who are just looking for an excuse to get drunk and cause some massive chaos. It’s not just embarrassing for the school or the whole country; these kids end up putting themselves in actual danger. And then? The teachers are the ones left holding the bag, dealing with entitled parents lecturing them like they're incompetent just because they tried to enforce some basic rules.

Jason Ortiz5 said:I mean, was that snack really such a "must-have" educational tool? Like, would the whole field trip fail without it? Honestly, getting a last-minute notice just smells like someone being disorganized. Or, even worse, just plain lazy.

Yeah, the main thing is what the neighbors will think about Mom🙄, right? She was probably worried they'd cut off her credit line if she paid for that too—it's not like how he felt about it matters at all.☕

It’s honestly pretty sad. It's a real shame when someone prioritizes fulfilling someone else's whims over dealing with actual, real-life struggles. ☕

Now everyone's acting like the snack was unnecessary, but I don't think that's the point. Would things be any different if they had gone to the Griffith Observatory later and had to pay for that$6.75?

If they'd announced it late or out of the blue, it wouldn't matter. Besides, there should be some basic decency to coordinate with parents, instead of just dragging kids around without anyone knowing or agreeing to it first.

If he was going to go, he should have just gone all in instead of making it awkward and putting him on the spot like that.

I still haven't gotten an answer: would a museum or a gallery lose its educational value just because they didn't get snacks afterward? Is this snack part of the official school curriculum?

Educators really need to wake up to the world we live in. Some people just don't have money to throw around for extras. A little bit of empathy wouldn't hurt them.

No. But that’s a completely different conversation.

The issue here is strictly what went down inside that McDonald's and the fallout from that specific action.

The bottom line is they took all the kids to McDonald's together.
Anything outside of that is a separate issue that doesn't really impact what happened at the restaurant, nor is it even particularly relevant right now.
And honestly, isolating one single kid in a situation like that would be pretty pathetic and just plain inhumane.
That's why the teacher did the right thing.

Why she was taking kids to McDonald's in the first place has nothing to do with what actually happened once they were there.
It was definitely stupid to give parents such short notice about the McDonald's trip.
But that isn't an excuse to let one kid suffer by watching everyone else eat and play with their toys while he sits there spinning sticks with Nutella on them.

If some parent wants to stick to their "isolation" principles and thinks "it's not that big a deal"... fine, they can isolate themselves.
But forcing that on a child and downplaying the problem is incredibly reckless and irresponsible.
This wasn't a case where isolation was necessary because there were other, much easier ways to handle it, which meant the kid didn't end up left out.
Trying to force a kid to be isolated at any cost is just twisted.

The teacher had every right to give the kid money for his Happy Meal.
She did a good thing there.
There's no reason to judge her for it.

As for why she gave late notice about McDonald's or why they go on trips so often... that's a different story. Let them hash that out at a PTA meeting, in the principal's office, or at the Department.

Anthony Gray said:This is honestly beyond rude. Oh, sure, I am just sitting here dying to have the responsibility of twenty-plus kids on my hands just so I can squeeze in some retail therapy. It is truly mind-boggling how some people operate.
If you aren't feeling it, then don't send your kid on the field trip—especially when they won't actually see anything meaningful because the teacher is basically just using the outing as a cover for a shopping spree.

I agree, it's disrespectful.
Some parents are constantly spinning conspiracy theories and looking for any excuse to claim someone is "freeloading" off them.👎

Jamie Hill18... honestly, this post is a mess.
Do you even think before you type?

Kimberly Robinson2 said:She handed him 30 bucks, and he gave her 9 back in change.

But let's not forget—they really should have included that specific detail when they were asking for approval for the field trip in the first place. If I had actually signed off on that, I would've just handed over the cash myself, even if it was just a loan!

Look, I get it—the kid is basically a victim of a broken system here—but you still have to let them know that this behavior isn't okay. You can't just stay silent about it.

I'm asking you again. What other choice did the teacher actually have?

Laura... look, you have to realize that teacher did the best she could with what she had.

Just think about it—what else was she supposed to do?

Leave a kid sitting there watching everyone else eat?

Seriously, imagine how twisted someone would have to be to just sit back and watch every single child eat while one kid sits there with nothing.

northerncobra27 said:I wouldn't say that, it probably just seems that way because we're talking about a relatively small amount of money. At that age, a child needs to understand the concept of budgeting and realizing that everyone has a certain amount of funds to manage. Should they just borrow $200 next time or $667, treat themselves to something and then have to explain to their parents that they owe someone money? I really don't want to get bogged down in an argument over whether $6.75 is considered a little or a lot, mostly because I'm lucky enough to not be in a position where I have to worry about those kinds of sums anymore. Regardless, just as I find it hard to believe the teacher had any bad intentions, I also find it hard to believe that Laura made such a snap decision that her child should be stuck eating a plain sandwich while all the other kids are enjoying burgers.

That's $7.00.

And yeah. That’s a huge factor in this whole thing.

$7.00.

It isn't $67.

Telling a kid "don't take the money" is just absurd.
If a teacher hands them cash, they have every right to take it.

Whatever drama unfolds later between the parents and the teacher isn't the kid's problem.

At the end of the day, the kid didn't write the prompt, and they aren't responsible for paying it back—regardless of whether the teacher actually meant it when she said, "Your mom will pay me back," or if she was just talking nonsense.

If the money was given, it was given.

I honestly think she did the right thing.

If I didn't have these $6.75... I’d walk right up to her, thank her from the bottom of my heart, and tell her I'll settle up whenever I can afford to.