Virtual hugs to all who are affected by this horrible time. I have friends who’ve lost jobs, others who are working extra hours in the ER/hospital with very young children at home, others with family members in the hospital and a good friend who has a family member in hospice and all visitation has been canceled. They are all beside themselves.
I consider myself so fortunate.
Sending out prayers and positive thoughts we can all weather this storm together. 
I am overwhelmed by the people complaining about this. Complaining that their kids have so much virtual schoolwork they can’t go do family stuff or complaining that their kids are under foot with nothing to do. Complaining that teachers aren’t good at online learning. Or that it’s not worth tuition money.
Why oh why can people not see that teachers are doing their absolute best.? Why can’t people see that good enough HAS to be good enough right now?
We are all sleeping in separate rooms here bc of DH’s immunosuppressed status. This morning it dawned on me that it is probably for nothing, as our cuddle bug of a dog is just going bed to bed, getting his requisite love and scritches. He is a compulsive licker, too. Doggo is a horrible social distancer!
Doggo is loving this situation. First, it was fantastic to have his boy home, but now his people are paying him so much attention!
The only way to stop doggo from doing musical beds is to crate him. That would wreck DH, who is in bed a lot, with doggo right by his side most of the time. Me being out of the bed he can deal with. kicking the dog out? Never gonna happen.
@momof3nyc I feel for you - my DS has T1D and is home from Cate. I’m actually hoping our state implements shelter in place so I don’t have to keep explaining to my kids why they can’t see anyone and trying not to be too worried about him getting sick and going into DKA!
PS happy to chat about T1D and boarding school if that is relevant to anyone here…
@comtnmom hugs! That has to be scary. My DD is finally starting to understand and accept it. The only one leaving our house is DH because he must in order to work.
I have a wwyd question:
DH is high risk, and can’t drive. So I am the only driver. I have an autoimmune disorder.
Kiddo has his permit, but has only taken one lesson. I want to get him functional behind the wheel, just in case.
Driver’s training isn’t essential activity in California. So we would be violating the order if I were to take kiddo out to practice. But it seems prudent to do it. What would you do?
He turns 16 in a couple weeks.
Btw, in Cal, 16 year olds can donate blood with parental consent. He is donating on his birthday.
@CateCAParent as you aren’t putting anyone at risk, I would go for it. Now is actually a good time to get him on the roads as they are much quieter.
@Vegas1 - I have been helping kiddo practice parking in the now empty parking lots at the mall. The Driver’s License testing office is CLOSED since last week - was hoping to take the test during this break. Oh well…at least down here in swamp, we don’t really need cars. We can just drive ATV’s, motor boats and golf carts⛳️?.
You say that, but being in the passenger seat is putting me at risk of a heart attack! ??. Poor kiddo, it isn’t anything he is doing. I always thought I would be the cool mom. I most definitely am not. It would be so much better if he had a couple more lessons under his belt.
There’s a big parking lot behind a rec center near us. No one should be there.
@CateCAParent and @Golfgr8 empty parking lots are ideal! I was definitely not the cool parent teaching my kids to drive. I was literally the worst- my husband was so much more relaxed than me. His favorite tactic was to stand where another car would be parked in a parking lot and say “don’t hit me” and have them park. By the time our 4th learned - I had outsourced it all to a driving instructor.
@CateCAParent have him drive you on the essential errands. Last year when our son was doing his practice hours, I though for sure we would all die as my husband insisted he drive us back and forth to the mountains in ski traffic. All still here by the grace of God!
Just got back from the parking lot in one piece!
Omg, would never stand in a parking spot like that after the experience today! That’s very … trusting?
I think we need to work on parking a bit more before we do errands. Lol. I forgot how much there is to learn!
@CateCAParent DS was a horrible parker at first. Then, he caught on. After 6 months off…we’ve had some parking issues again. ? no one’s been hurt nor damaged, but a few gasps have escaped. Parallel parking is next. I think we will have him do the auto feature and study what the car is doing a few times before he attempts.
God bless you all! I remember this phase, and not with fondness.
You forget that so much is second nature to you but actually needs to be learned… how far to pull up to an intersection at a stop sign, the need to look for oncoming cars when you pass a cyclist, that a deer in the road will not step away simply because you are coming…
After you pass your written test in NJ, you need to do your first 6 hours with a professional driving school before you get a permit (and can drive with mom and dad). Can’t even imagine doing that without those 6 hours!
Isn’t it so much easier though today? I learned to drive on a stick shift and it took a long time to understand the concept…
@Golfgr8 I thought you’d just be riding alligators!
I KNEW we had a special connection @one1ofeach !
You and I both learned on a stick shift. I miss my old stick shift car! Does anyone have one on this thread?
There are gators all over… a while back a man made a beer run with an alligator under his arm
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/os-ae-florida-man-alligator-in-convenience-store-david-whitley-0730-story.html
When I learned, we didn’t even own an automatic transmission car. We did have a 1 ton truck with a 6 horse trailer- talk about diving into the deep end!!!
I also miss driving a stick. Two cars ago I insisted on getting a stick and there was ONE in the whole state and the dealers had to negotiate over who could sell it to me. After that car I gave up, they just don’t make them anymore.
And I feel like kids should know how. I don’t know why, I guess I have this image of the apocalypse and only old pick ups trucks with stick shifts still working…yeah, I might be loosing it 
I agreed with missing stick shift…not that you’re losing it @one1ofeach ?
One reason to know how is that there are many cars in foreign countries with standard transmission. Speaking of driving…I know that DH was hoping to go to that place out West this year, for his BIG birthday, where you can operate heavy construction equipment for fun. Has anyone done this?
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g45963-d2169633-Reviews-Dig_This-Las_Vegas_Nevada.html