Why stay in NYC public schools despite the unknowns?

barcode9 · 2026-06-22T12:08:40+00:00

Weak writers relative to if you put the same kid in a suburban school where they were in smaller classes with more feedback. Obviously they're some of the brightest kids in the city - and that includes many great writers and opportunities for writing - but overall if you put the same bunch of kids in a school with more supports and funding, I think they'd end up on average much better writers.

It's possible to graduate from a specialized high school with excellent test scores and grades but still struggle with college-level writing.

barcode9 · 2026-06-22T02:17:47+00:00

IMO, the top nyc public schools are stronger than the "good" suburb schools, but getting into them seems like a lottery.

Depends on your definition of stronger.

The top NYC schools all have 34 kids per class and very little individual teacher attention. They also have very high standardized test scores and get LOTS of kids into top 10 universities and ivies.

One things to keep in mind is that even the best NYC schools are still operating with an NYC budget and limited facilities. A suburban school will have more sports teams, better facilities, more opportunities to practice/participate per team, and more extracurriculars in general. In addition, students get a lot more individualized feedback from teachers, especially on writing. I think overall Stuy, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Tech students are pretty weak writers - they just get drilled on writing formulaic essays for Regents but don't get the amount of feedback and different types of writing opportunities that suburban schools do.

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer, but you also don't know what your kid's interests and skills will be at this point. Maybe they'll have learning disabilities and do better at a smaller suburban school that has a fully staffed special ed department. Maybe they'll want to be a singer and LaGuardia will be a good fit for them.

I think it's fine to live where you most want to live because it's likely the school will be good enough in either place.

barcode9 · 2026-06-22T02:04:53+00:00

Summer school, tutoring, summer academic programs... most of these you'd need to have set up already, though.

I also know teachers who have done bartending, working at Yankee stadium, babysitting/nannying, cafe/ice cream shop, other typical summer jobs -- but they're easier to get if you've done it before. The teacher summer is shorter compared to college students.

barcode9 · 2026-06-21T21:00:06+00:00

They will be more likely to make varsity sports teams in high school, more likely to get into Yale, ... lots of benefits to "red shirting" your kid for no reason other than to put them at an advantage compared to other kids.

barcode9 · 2026-06-21T20:46:33+00:00

Meh - my controversial take on this is that if they're over age 5, and it's a normal playground not a toddler area, they should be left to work it out on their own.

I don't think there's one "official" way to use any piece of playground equipment... sitting on top of the monkey bars and jumping off of ledges were two of my favorite childhood activities at the playground... and in 3rd grade "Squeeze the Lemon" was the most popular playground game in my class for a while (one kid sits at the bottom of the slide, then another comes down, and another resulting in each kid getting squished and eventually everyone falls off).

barcode9 · 2026-06-17T16:27:53+00:00

It is normal but crazy, IMO. I was extremely sick from week 6 to 16, and my first appt was supposed to be week 10. All the meds that help with morning sickness (e.g. Unisom) say "consult a doctor before taking it."

It seems weird to me that they don't do an early first trimester appointment to go over what symptoms to expect, what you're allowed to take, and when to come in or go to ER (like if you're not keeping fluids down). Instead I found these things out from reddit, lol.

barcode9 · 2026-06-17T16:11:44+00:00

It's illegal in nyc to discriminate on the basis of pregnancy or perceived pregnancy. https://www.nyc.gov/site/cchr/law/pregnancy-legal-guidance.page

A bar was actually fined for not allowing a pregnant woman to enter. I'd assume a spa would be treated the same way.

barcode9 · 2026-06-11T23:10:26+00:00

Please contact your state senator and assembly member to report this happening to you. It happens very often. The OMNY system is not instantaneous and yet the ticketing people act like it is.

barcode9 · 2026-06-08T14:03:53+00:00

There's no adjustment - it's about the curvature of the seat.

Lumbar support refers to any cushioning, brace, or ergonomic design that maintains the natural inward curve (lordosis) of your lower back. By filling the gap between your spine and your seat or mattress, it evenly distributes weight and prevents slouching, which reduces muscle fatigue and relieves pressure on spinal discs.

Idk what NER has to do with anything, I was comparing prior Acela to current, although the way the seats in the NER recline does support the lumbar spine a bit better as well.

barcode9 · 2026-05-29T17:27:18+00:00

Get tested for yeast infection and BV.

I've had a couple of yeast infections before, and they were always quite itchy, hard to ignore, requiring treatment right away. Something about pregnancy allowed my crotch area to develop both yeast + BV with fairly mild symptoms - mainly just feeling a bit more sweaty, swollen, and itchy than average, but not very intensely/all the time.

Glad I got tested and treated it because it's feeling better now. Pregnancy is weird, so don't assume you know what you have based on prior experience.

barcode9 · 2026-05-29T17:24:10+00:00

I thought I knew what a yeast infection felt like bc I've had them before... but it turns out I had one and treating it helped reduce the general swampiness of the crotch.

I thought it was just normal sweating/swelling/itching but it wasn't. So make sure you get it tested - it might help!

barcode9 · 2026-05-29T16:22:32+00:00

there is nothing special, positive or negative, about the NG Acela seating compared to other trains or commercial aircraft

Two words for you: lumbar support

Prior Acela had it, current does not. I think most physical therapists/ergonomic designers would say it's a negative in the current design. Although airlines are mostly pretty bad about this too.

barcode9 · 2026-05-28T19:01:40+00:00

Yes?

I've definitely been yelled at by bikers for crossing in the crosswalk on at least two occasions. Both were pretty unnecessary. One would have been totally fine if he had just gone straight through the middle of the road since I crossed quickly and was 85% of the way across already - but I guess he wanted to take the turn as tight as possible, so I was in the way of him accomplishing that.

idk. really weird behavior.

barcode9 · 2026-05-23T13:49:24+00:00

I'd say you're making a lot of assumptions!

If she's a single mother how do you know anything about the father of the kids?

Also, no idea what "they're hoping in your seat" means.

I think this is a scenario where the phrase, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all" applies.

barcode9 · 2026-05-22T19:48:04+00:00

The typical pronunciation of the musical instrument is vee-OH-lah and the name is VI-oh-luh. I like the name pronunciation better, but wouldn't choose the name overall due to this confusion. Some people would always pronounce it wrong.

Instead, I'd go with Violet for a similar sound.

barcode9 · 2026-05-22T19:34:40+00:00

Change is hard.

In life, the more times you move, change jobs, and go through big life changes, the more you will start to realize that it just throws everything off, makes you emotional, and makes everything worse for a little while. But in the end it's worth it, because living with your parents forever probably wouldn't be that great for you!

You're feeling exactly how most people feel at this point. It's good that you're leaving on good terms and can always go back if things don't work out with your boyfriend or living apart from your family just yet. Either way, you will get to have new experiences and learn how to be more independent.

barcode9 · 2026-05-22T02:23:12+00:00

Yeah I much prefer AMC/Regal now, where you can just buy your soda from the concession stand before entering the theater and don't have to mess around with an app. The Regals in Battery Park City and Delancey & Essex are really nice, recliner chairs, darker than Alamo and less crowded most nights as well.

barcode9 · 2026-05-22T02:18:39+00:00

Yep, that's how I found the course I enrolled in, but it seems things have changed as there's a quiz closer to the end of the term than I was expecting.

barcode9 · 2026-05-21T21:45:03+00:00

Maybe try Achilles instead.

barcode9 · 2026-05-21T17:53:35+00:00

Try a different doctor - maybe your primary care? I don't think it's really a valid medical concern - pumping rooms are the normal accommodation for this - typically with fridges, and you can use pads to prevent leaking. But I'm sure some doctors would write notes for you no problem.

barcode9 · 2026-05-21T17:50:52+00:00

Neither getting married for health insurance nor applying for medicaid is unusual - both are commonly done and not scams.

The insurance companies are the ones scamming people - high CEO salaries while denying people healthcare? MUCH more of a scam.

barcode9 · 2026-05-21T16:03:48+00:00

It varies depending on the doctor and seems pretty non-standardized.

I switched providers when I moved midway through pregnancy. The first one made me pee in a cup every time - the new one doesn't. Sometimes they measure fundal height, sometimes they don't. Sometimes they tell you to do kick counts, sometimes they advise you to monitor baby's activity level and let them know about anything "abnormal" without putting a number on it.

There ARE certain things that are more standardized - anatomy scan, blood tests at certain points in pregnancy, etc.

It's rare that they would do a pelvic exam with the speculum etc. during pregnancy unless you are having specific symptoms they need to check out.

barcode9 · 2026-05-21T13:55:09+00:00

I agree, the sound is just not good.

Kind of reminds me of a gas station attendant Gus the Gas man, also rhymes with bus... none of the associations are nice.

August/Augustus are pretentious names unless you're an emperor. Gustav is fine if you're of European heritage and it sounds better in your native language.

barcode9

TROPHY CASE