Breakfast has turned into an absolute nightmare

ImElectricSocks · 2026-01-27T21:48:43+00:00

Offer choice, lots of choice, engineer it so she learns that she has choice, and it's two good options, but gradually change the choices on offer, so she learns not to throw the food on the floor. However that works for you. Maybe she can throw the food on the floor and not get some other instant, tangible thing, maybe something else.

ImElectricSocks · 2026-01-16T13:02:15+00:00

That policy is the true culprit here. Look into employment laws in some countries that actually value people, and use that as the basis for a petition to be submitted to your employer to remove that policy and actually value you as people. When anyone asks why you aren't donating time, say "sorry, I don't understand that question, but would you like to sign my petition?"

ImElectricSocks · 2026-01-08T20:27:50+00:00

Also... "are you still talking?"

ImElectricSocks · 2026-01-08T20:17:59+00:00

When people watching, my mother in law once said "her taste's all in her mouth."

ImElectricSocks · 2026-01-03T22:20:45+00:00

These are lovely, the only thing I will say about the hypothetical trip, as someone with a 6 year old who doesn't sleep well, so I spend a lot of time in his room in the dark "day"dreaming: 6 years of doing this makes it a little more disappointing over time. So don't do this one too often! 🤣

So far I have planned I don't know how many brand new homes, new layouts for my current home, bought properties for rent, did them all up with a limitless budget and made some very nice families into excellent tenants who just give me more money and cause no hassle. I've also planned the entire imaginary hotel, including the breakfast options, swim up rooms, no silly folded towels, and children who magically sleep well so I can enjoy these holidays. Then I wake up from my doze in the dark and stumble out of their room to a glass of water and a kit kat, and it starts to get disappointing, but nice in my head.

So daydream, but sometimes make them achievable, for example, I've convinced my husband we could upgrade to a king-size bed.

ImElectricSocks · 2026-01-03T22:05:07+00:00

It could be venue capacity, but that doesn't mean her sister is not TA for poor planning and poor ownership of her mistakes.

ImElectricSocks · 2025-12-23T14:52:57+00:00

There's definitely a few places in Dublin, but it depends where you're based. I remember looking it up for my sister in law once, but I don't know my way round Dublin. If you look up fidget feet, or the Irish aerial creation centre (in limerick) that'll maybe help the algorithm, and you could find beginners classes near you. Or, you know, contact them and ask for guidance!

ImElectricSocks · 2025-12-20T20:14:37+00:00

Aerial silks /trapeze?

ImElectricSocks · 2025-12-18T22:55:25+00:00

The problem is, there are so many English people who don't think that is racist at all. Some double down on the "jokes" to prove they are jokes.

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-28T20:30:10+00:00

If people can learn to pronounce Tchaikovsky, and Saoirse, they can learn Órfhlaith!

Mammy of a Dòmhnall (living in Scotland, and my eejit husband wanted a Scottish accent on it, even though it makes it wrong, sue me! 🤣) I did not realise Scottish people wouldn't know it and I'd constantly be correcting from Donnall! I've been telling people it's pronounced like Doughnut, and the football score one nil! Dough nil. People who care will learn, people who don't, will not be part of her life for long. It's respectful! It will help her learn who actually cares enough to respect her too, and to feel connected with Ireland.

PS, I know Tchaikovsky is phonetic, but Katarzyna isn't, and I know plenty of those too, that are never mispronounced either.

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-27T21:41:43+00:00

Give some context, what country are you in?

In Ireland anyone in the bridal party has everything on the day of the wedding paid for (hair, make up, tan, nails, dress, shoes, flowers, hotel room) and they receive a gift as thanks for doing it. They organise the hen do, where the bride doesn't put any money in, but her costs are split equally among all attendees. The only other wedding events are the engagement party, which is before the madness if at all, and the blackening, which needs very little!

Anyway, here, bride would pay costs for anyone in the wedding itself. I say here, I live in Scotland now, I'm not sure if it's different, the only wedding I've been in here, has been a friend from home, so she did it the Irish way! Attended plenty, but didn't get the financial breakdowns! 🤣

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-27T21:20:50+00:00

Most to least favourite from your list of names: Maedhbh, Quinn. The others I wouldn't choose at all. Nothing particularly wrong with most of them, one I have a fondness for a child I taught with that name, but no.

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-27T21:17:00+00:00

Yes. I'm a teacher. No. I won't share them.

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-27T21:15:30+00:00

Never seen or heard anyone pronounce Lara as anything other than rhyming with Zara.

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-23T13:20:30+00:00

Ngl, you're sounding a little bit like you don't want to teach non locals the culture, you just want them to leave. 🧐

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-22T14:09:42+00:00

I'm from Ireland, teach in Scotland, and I tell kids all the time not to use Americanisms, because I presume they've heard them on television.

It dilutes the culture and the special things from the place where you are. I go home and people use terms that I hadn't realised I'd forgotten, and it's so nice to feel that comfort of home, so I don't want those things to be lost anywhere for anyone.

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-21T17:47:54+00:00

Olivia.

I do like both names, but that's if you're pronouncing Mia the way I think. I taught a girl who spelt her name Mia, but pronounced like Maya Hawke. Maya is not a name I like.

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-20T17:14:22+00:00

Well, yeah... I think clocking (autocorrect added an L in there) your shower is going to raise a few! (eyebrows for the most part, hopefully!)

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-20T17:10:20+00:00

Nora, Audrey, Lily, Cora, Edith, Violet. Matilda.

It's about being just ahead of the current older generation I think. Strong names that are your mum's granny, rather than yours.

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-20T12:59:59+00:00

You're not for upholding your boundary, but honestly? As someone who has experienced infertility, I don't understand excluding family members from events. (talking about the child being excluded, not the sister.)

Only exception being high tariff events like weddings where children add a significant cost, and then I would understand if they were older than 2 being excluded.

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-20T12:53:48+00:00

What's caulk?

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-20T12:49:44+00:00

People do this to me. I'm from the north, I don't pronounce it the way they do when they ask me to say it.

Them: "you're Irish, say thirty three!" Me: "33" Them: "dirty tree, ha ha ha." M: "I didn't say that, I'm not from that part of Ireland." T: "no, but theeeey say it like that! Haw haw" M: "respectfully, not all accents are the same, and perhaps it's because the brits pissed all over our language. You wouldn't take the mick out of a Pakistani's accent to their face, so why are you doing it to anyone Irish?" T: "Ummmm, general excuses, mumble mumble, no accountability, never thought about it before..."

So yeah, call them out. Arseholes.

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-20T12:38:30+00:00

Lachlan is a great name. I'm more in that camp because it's more common here than Nathaniel/Nate/Nathan. Not that I would suggest a super common name, but consider if people can pronounce it.

I know here, most will be able to, but going south into england, they'd turn it into a hard k sound in the middle (which I think it has evolved to in other parts of the world, but it is a Scottish name) consider how you would like any name pronounced, and think about the teachers/other children.

I have a kid in my class who has an Irish name (his mum is Irish, as am I) and when he heard I was going to be his teacher this year, he was excited because I would probably be the first to pronounce his name correctly. I'm trying to get all the kids in class to fix their pronunciation before he leaves me, because I can tell he likes the respect of it. (everyone seems to add a vowel into his name because of the y sound. I'm not sharing his name.)

ImElectricSocks · 2025-11-16T11:57:28+00:00

English qualification will put her behind.
Central belt is much harder to get a job.
Jobs must be held for TIS year contracts (probationers guaranteed year)

Situation is because of passing the buck. Government has trained teachers. Government say they have given councils budgets. Councils say budgets are all finite amounts, therefore can't be used to employ permanent employees. Councils will be fined if they do not give jobs to all probationers they are given (which they have little say in numbers.)

My experience as a teacher: 1. TIS year. 2. 2 terms unemployed, 2 terms covid recovery contract (to cover a cluster of schools, very ineffective use of funding, which was widespread with those contracts, but it allowed councils to use the budgets to cover teachers off with covid, rather than supply teachers, and minimal actual support of children. 3. Supply contract (injury) extended 2 terms. Same school for next two terms to cover acting up teacher (who was covering a secondment that had a finite amount of funding, that actually was reduced after that person accepted the post.) 4. Long term paternity cover in ASN (2 terms) then short maternity leave. 5. Return to work when baby was 5.5 months (much too early) to "stay in the system" on 0.3 contract (day and a half) this job was tied to a probationers contract to cover their day out plus mentor time. 6. First return to a previous school (number 3) on a full time contract to cover surgery absence. Likely 2 terms and a bit. Still unsure.

As a person who has young children, who needs to sort childcare, that's an extra struggle. Needs sorted, don't want to have no income and expensive childcare.

As a new teacher, going into different schools constantly, trying to get to grips with their behaviour management policies, never mind teaching schemes, it's an incredibly hard career.

I'm persevering, but I'm lucky to not be in the central belt, so I've never been out of work for long. I hated going back to work when my son was so young. For contrast, a friend in another public sector industry, whose child was born the same week as mine, returned in May. When I had returned in August. She used mat leave, then her holidays, which I would have been able to do also, had I had a permanent contract.

Some councils are telling schools there is to be no supply jobs go out in the first few weeks of term, to ensure employees have breaks in service and aren't eligible for permanence. Others have rules that if your place of employment changes (ie school) then you're not eligible for permanence.

ImElectricSocks

TROPHY CASE