https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:52:18 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/schools-w-masks-or-outdoor-lunch-2024#post-2928460 Thu, 01 Aug 2024 16:56:35 +0000 Dynamite 2928460@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ChitownRo: I hope this finds your family well during the current summer surge. </p> <p>Chicago has aton of resources for people who are trying to avoid Covid. Their mask bloc is on Insta and they can probably steer you to some local resources. </p> <p>I have heard stories about people getting outdoor eating added to an IEP, but mostly for older kids. Doesn't hurt to ask. If nothing else, you can check wastewater data from wastewater scan and check him out to eat during surges. </p> <p>I buy my kids KF94's from kollecte or Posh Mask. Kollecte is cheaper, but Posh is cuter. </p> <p>I can yap about Covid all day, so feel free to reach out if you have any questions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/schools-w-masks-or-outdoor-lunch-2024#post-2928447 Wed, 17 Apr 2024 15:25:59 +0000 ChitownRo 2928447@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bakingdoodle: @JJ2626: @Chuckles: Thanks so much guys. Thankfully he suddenly woke up last week and declared "I feel normal!" The pulm doc is keeping him on an adult dose of inhaled steroids for another month, then will stop and repeat spirometry a month later to ensure he's ok without it. I also made an appt with an immunologist to strategize for the next time he gets covid (and like should we continue to boost bc my perception was that he was having like autoimmune symptoms once his rapid test turned negative). </p> <p>Pulm thought paxlovid+prednisone for the next time he gets covid (though paxlovid is only officially approved for 12yo+). He didn't want to think/strategize about covid precautions bc "we're entering spring/summer with low virus levels." I'm still not sure what we should do long term. He was sick for 7 weeks post covid in 3rd grade and 6 weeks post covid in 4th grade. That's a lot of the year sick, even if there aren't long term sequelae. It's so hard! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/schools-w-masks-or-outdoor-lunch-2024#post-2928446 Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:13:44 +0000 bhbee 2928446@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Regarding lunch - we live in TX where no one is masking much but in the year after covid (21-22), there was a group of kids with concerned parents who ate outside every day (this was public elementary). Parents were allowed to provide permission for a different parent to check their kid out - so it was a rotation of which parent went each day and signed the kids out. Maybe something like that would be possible where he could have his friends come some of the time and they might like the change of scenery? Of course our weather is much better for that but wanted to throw it out there as an idea.</p> <p>I also think looking into a 504 is a good idea. I don’t have personal experience on the process but I know people have them for a lot of situations and it forces the school to take it seriously. Worth some research at least. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/schools-w-masks-or-outdoor-lunch-2024#post-2928444 Wed, 10 Apr 2024 14:10:19 +0000 Chuckles 2928444@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm so sorry that you may be dealing with long covid. It sounds awful. I'm also in a liberal suburb just north of Chicago (interestingly with a 10yo son - maybe they're classmates?? :happy: ) I work in a school district nearby. I see some people masking when they aren't feeling well, and there are a few kids in DD's daycare, my school, and DS's school who mask pretty consistently. But otherwise it's definitely back to normal. It's tricky because even if other kids or adults wouldn't give your DS a hard time about masking, you're right - what do you do about lunch? If you are able, could you pick him up for lunch daily and eat at home? Could he eat in the office? In terms of virtual options, we do have one student at my school with long covid who was offered virtual, at-home tutoring because he was missing so much school from being ill. But I don't know of any school that would offer a true virtual or hybrid option at this point. Even my previous district, which was a specialized school with several classrooms of medically fragile and complex students was no longer offering it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/schools-w-masks-or-outdoor-lunch-2024#post-2928443 Tue, 09 Apr 2024 01:34:59 +0000 JJ2626 2928443@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ugh I’m sorry. At my kids school in the sf Bay Area, a few kids/teachers will still mask when they are sick but that’s it. I do know of schools here that do lunch outside most days since the weather is good. I’d think your best bet is looking for a private or progressive public school in a temperate, liberal area. So basically SF or LA I guess! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/schools-w-masks-or-outdoor-lunch-2024#post-2928442 Mon, 08 Apr 2024 13:39:02 +0000 bakingdoodle 2928442@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ChitownRo: You need to do what's right for your family. If you feel hybrid is the best for your family, fight for it. Mothers know best.<br /> wouldn't this qualify under a 504 plan? Just asking... because our school wanted us to make one for our daughter that is allergic to peanuts.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/schools-w-masks-or-outdoor-lunch-2024#post-2928441 Mon, 08 Apr 2024 10:23:24 +0000 ChitownRo 2928441@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bakingdoodle: oh yah, I can quit my job (I’m not the breadwinner at all) and homeschool. Or go sit with him outside at lunch if the school allows that. He’d be the only one masking - and tbh we did one way masking indoors from like Feb 2022-Sept 2022 and it worked.<br /> My MIL lives in a good school district in Florida and apparently they allow hybrid for athletes, so maybe they would in this instance too. Like have my son take core classes and then I supplement at home. My DS’s first pulmonary appt is tomorrow so I’ll see what he thinks </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/schools-w-masks-or-outdoor-lunch-2024#post-2928440 Mon, 08 Apr 2024 07:39:32 +0000 bakingdoodle 2928440@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>it's tough. I was masked until June 2023. Then I went to a adult tennis camp ( mandatory vaccination... but who will check? that's what COVID taught me... people can just lie...) then I went back and have not masked since then. i see families still masked ( I am in MA). Nobody gets the booster shot now. ( we do). Do you have the capacity to homeschool? I understand the social aspect of 'regular' school. There is no school that is going to enforce lunch outside or masks... they would get sued. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/schools-w-masks-or-outdoor-lunch-2024#post-2928439 Sun, 07 Apr 2024 20:15:22 +0000 ChitownRo 2928439@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Lahela017: @LadyDi: thanks for the replies. Yah, that’s the same here. I work at a cancer center so that’s the only place that requires masks - everywhere else people are back to normal and have been for 2 years. But it doesn’t seem like normal is working for my DS… of course he’s a typical 10yo with his best friends and enjoys the socialization part of school. He’d really resist home school, but I think he even realizes that his body’s reaction to Covid is bad. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/schools-w-masks-or-outdoor-lunch-2024#post-2928438 Sun, 07 Apr 2024 15:32:29 +0000 LadyDi 2928438@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Same, there are a couple kids and teachers in our elementary school who are maske but otherwise it's back to normal everywhere. Maybe homeschooling and looking into being part of a homeschool co-op would be an option? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/schools-w-masks-or-outdoor-lunch-2024#post-2928437 Sun, 07 Apr 2024 13:57:10 +0000 Lahela017 2928437@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I live in Minnesota. Even in the most liberal areas, we don't really see any Covid precautions anymore. Once in awhile you'll see someone with a mask at a store, but that's about it. Masks aren't even required in medical settings anymore. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/schools-w-masks-or-outdoor-lunch-2024#post-2928436 Sun, 07 Apr 2024 07:11:57 +0000 ChitownRo 2928436@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 10 yo son gets so sick w covid. He’s had it at least 3 times since taking off masks in the last 1.5 years. He last tested + on 3/1 and has really struggled with cough/wheezing (new asthma?), falling asleep at school, dizziness. We are waiting for his pulm appt but I’m sorta spiraling about long covid - looking into moving vs homeschool vs staying put but making us be the only masked people in our community (liberal Chicago suburb).<br /> Do you know of any schools (private etc) with covid caution circa 2021- masks, outdoor meals etc? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-ever-had-lyme-disease#post-2927399 Thu, 18 Aug 2022 13:35:50 +0000 caitcat 2927399@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's so good that you caught it early! My husband had Lyme disease as a teenager, but he never found the tick or bite. He says he just started developing debilitating symptoms and it took a really long time for doctors to figure out what was going on because Lyme disease wasn't common where he was grew up at that point in time. Antibiotics totally cleared things up once they figured out it was Lyme disease though. He didn't have any long term effects from it either. (Interestingly, my FIL didn't have lyme - but he developed a beef allergy that his doctors said is connected to tick bites. Kind of crazy.)</p> <p>I've read lots of scary stuff about lyme too, so I empathize with your anxiety about it. My kids play in the woods all the time, and they know to expect an obsessive tick check when they come back in. Ticks are awful! </p> <p>I hope the antibiotics continue to do their thing and knock it out for you. Hang in there! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-ever-had-lyme-disease#post-2927398 Wed, 17 Aug 2022 21:24:19 +0000 Cait1 2927398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Long story short, I was bit by a tick a few weeks ago and just diagnosed with Lyme disease. I feel okay and my only real symptom is a huge bullseye shaped rash. The antibiotic should be very effective at clearing it up. But, for some reason, I’m having such terrible anxiety about it. My mind is just spinning as a read about it - What if the antibiotic doesn’t work? What if I develop long term neurological issues and can’t keep up at work? What if one of my kids was bit and it’s gone undetected? I’d love to hear other experiences if anyone has dealt with this before. I’m usually extremely rational about this stuff but can’t stop worrying. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tech-neck#post-2927300 Thu, 28 Jul 2022 12:58:04 +0000 hellobeeboston 2927300@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@agold: EPABO Contour Memory Foam Pillow Orthopedic Sleeping Pillows, Ergonomic Cervical Pillow for Neck Pain - for Side Sleepers, Back and Stomach Sleepers, Free Pillowcase Included ( Firm &amp; Queen ) <a href="https://a.co/d/1IpfWen" rel="nofollow">https://a.co/d/1IpfWen</a></p> <p>This is the one I’ve been using for about 3.5 years. It’s been great. </p> <p>Took me 3 or 4 tries to find one that worked. This one is harder than I was used to so it took a bit to get used to it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tech-neck#post-2927298 Thu, 28 Jul 2022 12:44:08 +0000 agold 2927298@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hellobeeboston: Can you recommend a pillow? I'm always on the hunt for new pillows. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tech-neck#post-2927293 Thu, 28 Jul 2022 09:46:04 +0000 hellobeeboston 2927293@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had to physical therapy a few years back due to neck pain - caused by looking down at my phone, sitting at a desk all day, and the way I carry stress/tension in my neck/shoulders.</p> <p>PT helped a little --- But I found regular yoga REALLY helped me out. Even just gentle yoga....along with a supportive neck pillow to sleep on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tech-neck#post-2927284 Tue, 26 Jul 2022 20:01:03 +0000 Lowell 2927284@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Another vote for physical therapy! Due to increased typing (vs being in the office and actually talking to people) I have been struggling with tennis/golfers elbow muscle pain and tendinitis. Dry needling with a physical therapist has worked wonders! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tech-neck#post-2927283 Tue, 26 Jul 2022 13:04:16 +0000 agold 2927283@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jennlin821: I will definitely consider that. I have previously been to a chiropractor weekly for a couple of months, but I was very unimpressed. A girl I know did "gua sha" on me in my living room. I'm going to consider trying that routinely for a bit of time, too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tech-neck#post-2927279 Tue, 26 Jul 2022 10:08:02 +0000 jennlin821 2927279@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>See a physical therapist!<br /> they can adjust you to make you feel better, but will also work with you to fix your body mechanics and strengthen muscles! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tech-neck#post-2927278 Tue, 26 Jul 2022 09:47:33 +0000 MommySLP 2927278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@agold: only about 2 weeks! Make sure you place it correctly, there are directions. It felt weird the first couple days. But I do think it’s helped a lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tech-neck#post-2927277 Tue, 26 Jul 2022 00:21:14 +0000 agold 2927277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MommySLP: Thank you! I've seen this on amazon and didn't know what to think about it. I just ordered it. How long have you been using it? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tech-neck#post-2927275 Mon, 25 Jul 2022 21:15:48 +0000 MommySLP 2927275@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@agold: I got this (skeptically) and after using it for 10 minutes per day, I’m seeing significant improvement.</p> <p>Neck and Shoulder Relaxer, Cervical Traction Device for TMJ Pain Relief and Cervical Spine Alignment, Chiropractic Pillow Neck Stretcher(Blue) <a href="https://a.co/d/8mexW3l" rel="nofollow">https://a.co/d/8mexW3l</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tech-neck#post-2927271 Mon, 25 Jul 2022 14:36:43 +0000 agold 2927271@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is anyone experiencing, or has anyone experienced, tech neck? I'm dying and a chiropractor didn't totally help me. Just curious if anyone has any tips on how to treat it? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/and-were-masking-again#post-2927112 Wed, 08 Jun 2022 12:26:27 +0000 Chuckles 2927112@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are very similar to @Alexandra603:. I'm close to Chicago, with high rates of vaccination and a Democratic governor. We are still in a surge with high transmission rates that started in early May. For a couple of weeks during the second half of May, more people started masking again voluntarily, but that seems to be tapering off again. And no changes to requirements or protocols for summer camps. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/and-were-masking-again#post-2927108 Sat, 04 Jun 2022 23:20:55 +0000 Alexandra603 2927108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in the Seattle-area, which has always taken covid very seriously. That said, we had a huge surge in May and people seem like they've given up on preventive measures. Masking rates are low and they are definitely not going to be shutting down any kid activities. The most that happens now is places will "recommend" you mask. Our summer will be normal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/and-were-masking-again#post-2927107 Sat, 04 Jun 2022 21:47:36 +0000 karenbme 2927107@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Lowell: Ugh, I’m so sorry you’re going through it again so soon. Hope it passes quickly! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/and-were-masking-again#post-2927106 Sat, 04 Jun 2022 16:01:18 +0000 LadyDi 2927106@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Lowell: Oh no! Ugh, hope you all recover quickly </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/and-were-masking-again#post-2927105 Fri, 03 Jun 2022 19:56:11 +0000 Lowell 2927105@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just got COVID for the second time in 6 months (I had it in January too); fully vaccinated and boosted and was just booking booster appointments for my kids when they tested positive. I don’t see any summer activities being changed here (DC area); camps are sending out notices to stay home if kids have symptoms and I would be surprised if there was loud objection to indoor masking again. Seriously doubt that will happen though as our new Republican governor was super happy to revoke mask mandates… </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/and-were-masking-again#post-2927104 Fri, 03 Jun 2022 13:43:32 +0000 LadyDi 2927104@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our county went from low transmission levels to medium recently but as far as I can tell the only thing that changed was our local children's museum putting their mask policy back in place until levels are low again. I would say about 10% or less of the people I see out in stores are wearing masks at this point and as far as I know the county isn't plan on putting a mask policy back in place. I really hope kid activities aren't affected over the summer! Hopefully rates decline since schools are letting out? </p>