Parents of the HS Class of 2009 (Part 1)

Parents of HS Class of 20xx
1881

<p>Missy… I know it sucks when kids are wanting to work — nay, needing to work – and the hours don’t seem to fill the days. Husband has taken to employing son and a couple of his friends this summer. It has worked primarily because H told them upfront that the hours would be sporadic. Plus, it’s manual labor and so they get a good hourly wage, the same as he would pay anyone else doing the job. But it’s definitely hard work and it’s dirty. But with some going on family vacations, or missing because of orientations etc, it has seemed to give everyone involved a good return. </p>

<p>Leaving today for the long drive east… but we’re not remote in the least. What I love most about this place is I see the same old friends I have since I was a kid myself and now their kids are friends with my kids. It’s a whole generational thing… I need the respite hugely.</p>

1882

<p>Have fun, modadunn! Nice post.
D picked up another job as well. Thank goodness because her first job - retail - is really cutting back on the hours for the kids who are off to college this fall!
S who is still in China cancelled his plans to visit the Uighar region later this month. He was really looking forward to a city on the Silk Road that is being demolished. I would think it was on some sort of World Heritage protection list but - not so. I’m happy about his not going though. He picked up another 4-city trip through his university that hopefully won’t be so unstable.</p>

1883

<p>Hooray! Just got word that D2 will have apartment at school. The fire really messed up the housing situation. We are so thankful since she leaves in exactly three weeks! :eek:</p>

<p>Now I feel like I can start to help get her ready. It is all the more real and departure is looming!</p>

<p>Have fun to all leaving on trips!</p>

1884

<p>The work hours thing has perplexed me for years. Many employers seem unwilling to provide a stable work environment at all any more. D worked in a different area of the zoo two years ago and they regularly would decide during the day that they had too many employees and send the “extras” home. It amounted to a large sum of money that was expected and which could never be recouped. Several years before that, DS worked in an ice cream shop which would schedule the kids and then call them and say don’t bother coming in or you can leave several hours early. And yet these employers do expect some loyalty from the employees. I just don’t get it.</p>

<p>D’s replacement computer still has no eta from Dell. Trying to just grin and bear it at this point. Have some email correspondence from the “supervisor” who has now been assigned with some of the worst english I’ve seen in a long while.</p>

1885

<p>NorthMinnesota, such a relief!</p>

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<p>Albertson’s management looks at their sales figures on an hourly basis. If they are under where they should be, they starting sending folks home. My son has been sent home an hour or two early (from his 4-5 hour shift) many times…I guess that $6.50 they won’t have to pay him will help out the company. Of course, then customers need help and can’t find any employees around because they’ve been sent home…so then has Albertson’s really saved any money? </p>

<p>It’s all tolerable for us because Son’s money is for “wants” rather than “needs.” But Husband chats with the adult “full time” employees and the same thing happens to them. He always shops on Thursday mornings and he’ll see employees leaving by 10 am or so because their “work week” is over due to their hours being cut.</p>

1886

<p>Sharon - I would be spitting nails. I am not good with that kind of stuff. Another reason I went with Mac so I can walk in there and see a real person!! I always loved when I’d get on the phone with support and end up talking to “david” in India. Why they think an American name gives us some sort of comfort is beyond me, but it’s probably just an attempt so we don’t butcher their real names.</p>

1887

<p>NorthMinn, that’s great news - hooray! And three weeks, really? Wow. </p>

<p>missypie, yes, the ice cream place D worked at used to send them home early, too. Yuck.</p>

<p>sharon, grrrrr.</p>

<p>Have a great trip, Modadunn (and everybody else who’s heading off). We’re planning a getaway for after S1 goes, to help S2 (and H and me) cope. Travel therapy, rather than retail therapy.</p>

1888

<p>Is there no happy medium with hours worked?</p>

<p>My son loves his job as a day camp counselor, with hours from 8-3:30 Monday thru Friday. He also works the after-camp program from 3:30-6 Monday thru Friday. Then he was asked to come in early to help with the early drop offs/day care at 7:15. And to stay late to help clean up/set up for next day til 7 or 7:30. He is sweet, strong, reliable, and popular with the kids and the adults.</p>

<p>He is receiving a set salary amount for both the camp and after camp programs but no “pay” for the extras before and after but doesn’t know how to say “no”–he was told he “might” receive a bonus for his extra help at the end of the season if there is $$$ in the budget. I think a ten hour contracted-for work day is long enough and they maybe need a few more bodies who would be glad to have the work? </p>

<p>He is exhausted but still wants to spend time with his friends in the evening as they will scatter all over next month.</p>

<p>I guess he’s getting good practice burning the candle at both ends for college.</p>

1889

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<p>A friend’s D had a similar issue last year. She was helping out with kids’ summer programs at a huge fitness center. Then they put her in charge of some. She was pleased to be given the extra responbibility but soon realized that all the planning and prep and designing the classes was to be done on her own time.</p>

<p>One summer during grad school I worked at Waldenbooks - I always had the noon to 9 pm shift. The store closed at 9 pm and we were required to clock out at 9 pm, but still had to vacuum the store and close down the registers after 9 pm. They got 10-15 minutes of unpaid time from every employee every night. Years later, I heard on the news that Waldenbooks had been sued by their employees over this practice.</p>

<p>I actually think that being exposed to some “low level job abuse” is kind of good for our college bound kids, whom we hope will be well paid professionals working in respectful environments. If they’re ever “the boss”, they can remember how they were treated “back when.”</p>

1890

<p>Heading out to boost our economy while I shop for D2’s 18th bday present and some school items. She is at fitness training and that is her job for the summer. Lots of hard work but since she is getting her school “paid” for by playing sport (and merit) she is happy to put the time in.</p>

<p>Looking for something fun and sparkly that she will always remember. Hope it’s a good shopping day! :)</p>

1891

<p>The notes of kids leaving in 3, 5 weeks, etc. are poignant indeed. </p>

<p>We’ve had quite a few months – D1 got engaged, graduated from college; D2 graduated from HS; we had a wonderful week on Kauai as a foursome(thanks frequent flyer miles) – probably our last vacation as a foursome given D2’s engagement. (Still, all of us are home this summer; first time for a while; what a treat.)</p>

<p>But through it all my dad has been hospitalized following valve replacement surgery. Heart is fine, but at 80 years old nothing else seems to be cooperating – lung infections, blood clots, etc.etc.</p>

<p>I’m really finding out what it means to be the “sandwich” generation. Dad struggling for recovery; and both Ds about to launch out in new ways. H and I are between the two generations … coping. </p>

<p>I’ve cancelled European business trip (Vienna!!) in August.</p>

<p>D2s bill arrived Monday – addressed to her in care of us. But she knows her scholarship pretty much covers it all, so it’s somewhat irrelevant who gets it. Interesting, now that D1 starts her grad program, we see nothing – no bills, notices, nothing. What a difference four years makes.</p>

<p>I’m rather dreading August, coming too quickly – we ship both daughters away, and become empty nesters. While we’re proud of and excited for them, I think “change” is more exciting for them. For them it’s new life, adventures, friends, careers. For us, it’s kids going away, parents aging … Through it all there are deep joys, but the poignancy is there in the background, too.</p>

<p>Best to all as we anticipate those fall farewells!</p>

1892

<p>It’s been recommended for years that my dad have a valve replacement, but he knows he’d have the same recovery issues as your dad. He’d rather feel great, then drop, than be a debilitated old man. I don’t think my mom agrees, but I don’t think he’ll ever have the surgery.</p>

1893

<p>I always seem to sign on to this thread when the subject is EXACTLY what is going on in our house. My dad just came home from doctor and was informed a arotic stent needs to be placed. He had an abdominal aortic aneurysm two years ago and almost died. This is worrying me.</p>

<p>S1 is only working 4 hours a day and is not finding any other work. I am worried the bills will add up. We are trying to avoid taking out more loans for this year. Move in day is Aug 22. YIKES!</p>

1894

<p>My mom had a stent put in a few years ago…it was the kind of thing where she was at the doctor and he said, “you need to check into the hospital right now and have surgery immediately.” So they did it ASAP. Of course, after the fact, that’s when she researches the brand and type of stent and concludes that it was a bad one to get…I think she’s taken years off her life just worrying about the thing.</p>

1895

<p>Dad’s diagnosis was aortic stenosis. The valve replacement went fine, and the heart is doing great. However, Dad has also had 3 major cancer surgeries and radiation therapy, and the complications arise mainly from the aftermath of the onslaught of those “therapies.” </p>

<p>He had the heart surgery because he needs yet another cancer surgery, and they said the risk of surgery was too great with his narrowed heart valve (and I quote, “You could have a stroke, or die;” they do know how to phrase it).</p>

<p>But now what do we do? Just one day at a time …</p>

1896

<p>It’s so hard to know what to do. I recently talked to a friend I hadn’t seen for a while. I inquired about his mother. He said she is 94, has finished chemo for ovarian cancer and is feeling fantastic. I bet that most of us would have said - ovarian cancer, age 94, just make her comfortable until her time comes. Yes she chose aggressive treatment and is thriving.</p>

1897

<p>Sending healing karma to your father, Zetesis.
NorthMinn - glad to hear your daughter will have a place to live.
Sharon - after a descent into DellHell two years ago, I swore never to buy another Dell. </p>

<p>Took S out today - applied for a passport, opened a new checking account, applied for a credit card.</p>

1898

<p>I finally followed the link on the school web site to Dell’s website to see the “recommended” lap tops. With an estimated ship date of 8/18, guess we won’t be buying a Dell…not too upset about that.</p>

1899

<p>My FIL is was in surgery this afternoon for a pacemaker. I think our parents are just at “that age”. Still waiting to hear from H but FIL’s prognosis was good. Sending to all parents good thoughts and prayers!</p>

1900

<p>S informed me just now that he doesn’t have a job anymore, as he wasn’t doing well enough at the telemarketing job to keep it. : - / Hope the Kohl’s job comes through soon!</p>