Tina

"I've only had my boys home for a month, but I'm cherishing the time
I get to spend with them every day. The achievements and
discoveries I get to share in are all mine! ALL MINE!! CACKLE! I
have always envied the teachers for getting to share in my son's
first successful writing of his name or painting awesome pictures.
Now I'm a part of it and I couldn't be happier with that!"

I so agree!!! I remember when my daughter first wrote her name, and my son did his first subtraction problem, I was so excited and happy to see them accomplish these things!! It was a big deal, we called people, we celebrated, we cheered!! I thought about how many people send their kids to day care or school and these things happen and they don't even know it unless they see the papers. How many things did my son learn last year in school that slipped past my radar? But now they are all mine!! I feel kind of selfish feeling that way, but I don't want to share them or give them away to another person/teacher. I still smile and cheer when I see my son reading on his own, it's just exciting!!

°Ü° Tina Rod. °Ü°

Dysfunctional Domestic Diva



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Tina

One thing I find absurd about military life is some of the ways they use lines and ques. At the grocery store on base (called a commissary), you have to stand in one big line and wait for a checker at a check out stand to signal you she is clear so you can go to her stand. So if there are 5 checkout lanes with checkers at them, you can't pick one of the 5 and line up at it, you have to stand in a main line until one of the five has taken care of the customer they have and signaled you to come to them. Some bases even have an electronic sign that will light up with an arrow or a number to tell you which lane to go to. I have no idea WHY they do it this way, but it drives me nuts. When we first got married and I went to a commissary for the first time, they actually had ARROWS on the floor, that you had to travel in a certain direction through the aisles!! You couldn't just go back and forth, you basically got in a line that weaved up and down the aisles till you got to the end and got to the checkout. If you forgot something while you were on an aisle, forget it, you couldn't go back, and if you got out of line, one of the retirees there would yell at you (I don't know if these people worked there or just hung out there to yell at other people). It frustrated me so much I wouldn't go back into a commissary for 5 years. The other commissaries I've been in haven't had the aisle flow lines, I don't know if that was just specific to that base or an old practice that was done away with during my boycott, but they all the ones I've been to have had the line to wait for a checkout lane. It's kind of like when you are at a bank and waiting for a teller window, which I can understand there, but at a grocery store??

°Ü° Tina Rod. °Ü°

Dysfunctional Domestic Diva



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Tina

Christy, I can see your point there. And it does resolve the issue my husband has of scoping all the aisles, picking one, getting frustrated, switching lanes, seeing the other lane empty now, going back, getting behind someone with a million items, coupons, and sales papers to contradict the prices, etc. My problem is I have trouble concentrating in areas with lots of people, so standing in a line with lots of people waiting for one out of 5-10 lanes to signal me, I can't focus to know when I've been signaled (I have the same problem at banks so I rarely go in them). As for the blocked aisle, I completely agree with you, but I always seem to miss something on an aisle and have to go back, so that part of the line thing drove me nuts. Especially with the retirees jumping on you if you left the line to go back for whatever you missed.

Maybe if I wasn't so disorganized and distracted lines would work better for me. ;)

°Ü° Tina Rod. °Ü°

Dysfunctional Domestic Diva



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Tina

I guess I didn't think about post offices, mostly because most post offices I go to only have one or two people serving at the counter. That and banks, post offices, hospitals, etc, to me are different. You don't want someone right behind you overhearing or seeing your bank account number, money, medical records, etc. So there I agree with the single line thing. I guess to me the single line at the grocery store doesn't seem more efficient because you have people who don't see/hear the signal to go to the lane so they are just standing there unaware blocking the line till someone yells at them, and the stores I've been to have a short line for this mass line, when you could have 5 shorter lines in the space they have between the main line and the actual checkers. Not to mention being able to unload your cart while the previous person is paying. I guess it is all about what seems time consuming/efficient to you. That, and I actually don't mind waiting in a line at a checkout stand, even if the person in the next lane over gets out faster. Somehow being in place for my next task with some time to let my mind rest and not have to do anything is like a mini vacation for me. But I'm funny that way. I can see how the main line would be better in many situations though, I guess I never thought of it that way.

°Ü° Tina Rod. °Ü°

Dysfunctional Domestic Diva



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queenpamedalah

I haven't even broached the homeschooling thing, let alone
unschooling, with my folks. Not ready to go there! I appreciate
reading your responses, however, so I can be better prepared when my
dad goes ape-#$%@ over this!

I thought you would get a kick out of my husband's biggest
objections to homeschooling - "how will he learn to raise his hand
and line up?"

It was really hard to not burst out laughing, but he has some
serious scarring from ps and I want to help him overcome his fears
of our kids not being "socialized." I'm trying to get through to
him that, especially as a kid that was made fun of for being smarter
than the rest and he was a skrawny kid apparently, that he should
want to prevent his sons from experiencing that. Since when did
being subjected to bullying make you a better person? Bitter maybe,
but not better.

And a thought on the "checkmark" system. I would ask my now 5 yr
old what they did at school today and I got a police report. So and
so sat in the yellow time out chair twice, so and so got clips
pulled and didn't get to play in the afternoon circle time games,
etc. The first time he got a clip pulled he was devastated and
that's all he could talk about. He said "I have some really bad
news, Mom." He hung his head in shame (he got it for goofing off in
the bathroom - so some discipline was warranted, I'm sure, but then
again, I was against letting 5 year olds go to the "big boy
bathroom" without teacher supervision from the get go. You can't
send kids into a virtual playground and not expect them to goof
off. As it turns out, the teacher paired my son with the "trouble"
kids so he could help keep them in line. Hello?!?!? But I have
digressed terribly now, sorry!). He was sad and moping and assured
me the next morning that it wouldn't happen again. Like I was
disappointed in him beyond redemption. That's too much pressure for
a kid. Let's get real. How about a hug and "we don't play in the
bathroom because it's wet and someone could get hurt" instead of
making a kid feel that he has failed at something.

I've only had my boys home for a month, but I'm cherishing the time
I get to spend with them every day. The achievements and
discoveries I get to share in are all mine! ALL MINE!! CACKLE! I
have always envied the teachers for getting to share in my son's
first succesful writing of his name or painting awesome pictures.
Now I'm a part of it and I couldn't be happier with that!

To the Journey!
Pamela :)

April Morris

I just had to laugh. My husband's best friend said something very similar
years ago. He was single with no kids at the time. We were young and
homeschooling (but not yet unschooling). He was very concerned about how
kids who are homeschooled would learn to stand in line. He was dead serious.
Many years later, he married a single homeschooling friend of mine who had
two kids. They've since added two more kids. And they homeschool. And we've
never let him forget his early concerns! :) It was ok because, though he was
quite serious, he was also open to real questioning and not judgemental of
what we were doing.

~April
Mom to Kate-19, Lisa-16, Karl-14, & Ben-10.
*REACH Homeschool Grp, an inclusive group in Oakland County
http://www.homeschoolingonashoestring.com/REACH_home.html
* Michigan Unschoolers
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michigan_unschoolers/
*Check out Chuck's art www.artkunst23.com
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
Gandalf the Grey


On 1/13/06, queenpamedalah <swombo@...> wrote:
>
> I thought you would get a kick out of my husband's biggest
> objections to homeschooling - "how will he learn to raise his hand
> and line up?"
>
>
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Su Penn

On Jan 13, 2006, at 11:24 AM, queenpamedalah wrote:

> I thought you would get a kick out of my husband's biggest
> objections to homeschooling - "how will he learn to raise his hand
> and line up?"

This reminds me of when my homeschooling group took the kids on a
tour of a local historical village. It included a schoolhouse, and
part of the tour was for the kids to go in and have a "class" (it was
great for convincing them to stay out of school, btw--complete with
dunce cap and so on).

Anyway, as we were approaching the schoolhouse, the docent stood on
the stoop and rang a handbell. "OK, line up, boys on the left, girls
on the right." The kids all just looked at her. "Line up!" she said.
Nothing. We moms looked at each other, laughed, and took our kids by
the hand and led them into line.

Su

Deb

--- In [email protected], "queenpamedalah"
<swombo@m...> wrote:
>
> I thought you would get a kick out of my husband's biggest
> objections to homeschooling - "how will he learn to raise his >hand
> and line up?"

First, I love your screen name.

Okay, so when was the last time you or DH had to raise your hands?
Maybe at a business meeting or something if there are lots of people
there. Doesn't take all that much time to figure out if I want to
talk, raise my arm and wave my hand and the person in charge says my
name and I can talk.

The lining up is easy - go to the grocery store, the bank, the post
office, McDonald's or any other fast food place, movie theaters,
pretty much any place where multiple people are wanting to conduct
some form of business with just a few people will engender standing in
line. He'll have *more* opportunities to "practice" standing in line
while living in the real world. Isn't that wonderful? (tongue firmly
in cheek here; we do lots of our shopping and such online to avoid
lines)

--Deb

Deb

I've noticed that single line practice oozing over into civilian life -
it's at Borders, B&N, Dunkin Donuts, as well as banks (but not
grocery stores - the one we frequent even has do it yourself check
outs so you don't need to even see a human). In fact, last night at
about 6 pm we stopped at Dunkin Donuts (DS wanted a donut and he had
his gift card so we stopped on the way to MIL's). Anyhow, we got in
the door and no one was between us and the counter. BUT, DS (my never
been schooled boy) headed for the 'Enter here' sign that organizes the
line. I walked right up the middle and he came bopping over kind
of 'oh yeah, it's just us' - he thought it was humorous.

--Deb

Robyn Coburn

<<<< I've noticed that single line practice oozing over into civilian life -
it's at Borders, B&N, Dunkin Donuts, as well as banks >>>>

I like it. I think it reduces the frustration of wondering if some other
line is moving faster, someone who came up later got served ahead of you. I
don't usually (but sometimes) get impatient in lines of any kind, but I do
observe sighing, shuffling, neck craning, tsking and harrumphing from other
people at times.

I can see how the commissary situation would be annoying though. A common
line idea taken to the nth degree.

Robyn L. Coburn

--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.17/229 - Release Date: 1/13/2006

Christy Mahoney

Tina, I actually think this makes perfect sense. I too shop at a
military commissary, and I appreciate the way they have the lines. At
regular stores, I always seem to get in a slow line and end up
checking out after people who happen to get in faster lanes. With the
one big line, you know that you'll get the next available lane, and
there aren't 10 different lanes backed up throughout the store.

-Christy

(And I've never seen arrows on the floors of any commissaries that
I've been to, but I'm easily frustrated by people blocking aisles.)

> One thing I find absurd about military life is some of the ways they
use lines and ques. At the grocery store on base (called a
commissary), you have to stand in one big line and wait for a checker
at a check out stand to signal you she is clear so you can go to her
stand.

Manisha Kher

Banks and post-offices have had single lines as long
as I've lived in the US (almost 20 years). I wish
grocery stores had single lines - they're more
efficient. You never get stuck behind someone taking a
long time, wishing you had picked the other one.

Manisha

--- Deb <soggyboysmom@...> wrote:

> I've noticed that single line practice oozing over
> into civilian life -
> it's at Borders, B&N, Dunkin Donuts, as well as
> banks (but not
> grocery stores - the one we frequent even has do it
> yourself check
> outs so you don't need to even see a human). In
> fact, last night at
> about 6 pm we stopped at Dunkin Donuts (DS wanted a
> donut and he had
> his gift card so we stopped on the way to MIL's).
> Anyhow, we got in
> the door and no one was between us and the counter.
> BUT, DS (my never
> been schooled boy) headed for the 'Enter here' sign
> that organizes the
> line. I walked right up the middle and he came
> bopping over kind
> of 'oh yeah, it's just us' - he thought it was
> humorous.
>
> --Deb
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
> [email protected]
>
>
>
>
>
>


__________________________________________________
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Ren Allen

"But now
they are all mine!! "

How about all HIS? I understand the joy in watching your children
learn, I also believe their acheivments belong to them....:)

Ren
learninginfreedom.com

[email protected]

>>I thought you would get a kick out of my husband's biggest
objections to homeschooling - "how will he learn to raise his hand
and line up?">>

This cracks me up! Why not have the family practice those skills at home? Have your husband be the line leader. <g>

--
~Mary

"The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the
green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly
alive."

-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "queenpamedalah" <swombo@...>





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[email protected]

>>My problem is I have trouble concentrating in areas with lots of people, so standing in a line with lots of people waiting for one out of 5-10 lanes to signal me, I can't focus to know when I've been signaled (I have the same problem at banks so I rarely go in them).>>

I can relate to this. I'm always on "high alert" when I'm next in one of those lines to make sure I don't miss my cue.

--
~Mary

"The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the
green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly
alive."

-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Tina" <poey@...>





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[email protected]

In a message dated 1/13/2006 4:57:02 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
m_kher@... writes:

Banks and post-offices have had single lines as long
as I've lived in the US (almost 20 years). I wish
grocery stores had single lines - they're more
efficient. You never get stuck behind someone taking a
long time, wishing you had picked the other one.

Manisha



********************

Oh no!! those stress me out. And everybody is so cranky if you miss the
small cue. I think they make a game of "how to humiliate the next person in
line." Military commissaries do this and I avoid them for this very reason!

Oh, and it is ten times more difficult to stand in line with 20 other
shoppers and carts with wiggly, loud kids.

Leslie in SC



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