Rayschicky AMA!

[Ray]

G'day!

AMA! Some tidbits GKU-style to get started:

I work an an elementary French teacher.
MH is in the Canadian military.
I love sports.
I love/am pretty good at event planning.

And GO! Lol

[acorn99]

Do you drink you milk from a bag?

[acorn99]

Do you love poutine and hockey?

[lostinfaith225]

Is the school you teach at a fully French school?

Have you lived all over Canada?

Favorite book?

[Ray]

@acorn

We usually buy bagged milk unless we're going camping, then we'll buy a 1 or 2L carton.

Who doesn't love poutine? Hockey is life. Go Habs but also Oilers lol

[Ray]

@lostinfaith

Here there are 4 school boards covering the same geographic area. Public, French Public, Catholic, French Catholic.

My kids go to the French catholic school (which is all day French with 40 mins English) whereas where I work in the catholic board it's the opposite - all day English with 40 mins of French. We're a small school of only 6 classes so I teach the whole school. I would LOVE to teach as a classroom teacher in an extended French or French Immersion school - much less resistance to learning the language.

I have only lived in Ontario in my home town, and a city a few hours away, and the Anappolis Valley in Nova Scotia. DH used to live in BC interior before he met me.

This one is tough: To Kill A Mockingbird and Hart's War were excellent, as was The Book Thief. I generally whip through and enjoy YA fiction. "It's Kind Of A Funny Story" by Nick Vizzini is also excellent especially if you have any connection to mental illness.

[lostinfaith225]

Mar 9, 2016 8:48:00 GMT -5 Ray said:

@lostinfaith

Here there are 4 school boards covering the same geographic area. Public, French Public, Catholic, French Catholic.

My kids go to the French catholic school (which is all day French with 40 mins English) whereas where I work in the catholic board it's the opposite - all day English with 40 mins of French. We're a small school of only 6 classes so I teach the whole school. I would LOVE to teach as a classroom teacher in an extended French or French Immersion school - much less resistance to learning the language.

I have only lived in Ontario in my home town, and a city a few hours away, and the Anappolis Valley in Nova Scotia. DH used to live in BC interior before he met me.

This one is tough: To Kill A Mockingbird and Hart's War were excellent, as was The Book Thief. I generally whip through and enjoy YA fiction. "It's Kind Of A Funny Story" by Nick Vizzini is also excellent especially if you have any connection to mental illness.

That's so interesting! So is English or French your first language?

I wish they did language immersion schools here!

[Ray]

Mar 9, 2016 8:56:32 GMT -5 lostinfaith225 said:

Mar 9, 2016 8:48:00 GMT -5 Ray said:

@lostinfaith

Here there are 4 school boards covering the same geographic area. Public, French Public, Catholic, French Catholic.

My kids go to the French catholic school (which is all day French with 40 mins English) whereas where I work in the catholic board it's the opposite - all day English with 40 mins of French. We're a small school of only 6 classes so I teach the whole school. I would LOVE to teach as a classroom teacher in an extended French or French Immersion school - much less resistance to learning the language.

I have only lived in Ontario in my home town, and a city a few hours away, and the Anappolis Valley in Nova Scotia. DH used to live in BC interior before he met me.

This one is tough: To Kill A Mockingbird and Hart's War were excellent, as was The Book Thief. I generally whip through and enjoy YA fiction. "It's Kind Of A Funny Story" by Nick Vizzini is also excellent especially if you have any connection to mental illness.

That's so interesting! So is English or French your first language?

I wish they did language immersion schools here!

My first language is English. My mom's family is French Canadian so I was around it growing up and I took it all through school and in university.

The school systems here are pretty cool. You could do straight English with 40mins for French (what I do) Extended French, where you get min. 80 mins French daily, French immersion where your school is English, but your particular program is French and they assume you're anglophone (generally gym and art are given in English) all in the same school board. Or, because we have two official languages you can do French school where they'll assume you're francophone. There are private schools in Ontario, but none within a 2 hour drive of where I am. Not sure how it works there.

[lostinfaith225]

Mar 9, 2016 9:06:42 GMT -5 Ray said:

Mar 9, 2016 8:56:32 GMT -5 lostinfaith225 said:

That's so interesting! So is English or French your first language?

I wish they did language immersion schools here!

My first language is English. My mom's family is French Canadian so I was around it growing up and I took it all through school and in university.

The school systems here are pretty cool. You could do straight English with 40mins for French (what I do) Extended French, where you get min. 80 mins French daily, French immersion where your school is English, but your particular program is French and they assume you're anglophone (generally gym and art are given in English) all in the same school board. Or, because we have two official languages you can do French school where they'll assume you're francophone. There are private schools in Ontario, but none within a 2 hour drive of where I am. Not sure how it works there.

I am amazed! I took 4 years of French in high school. Haha

I have learned a lot today! Thanks!!

[lostinfaith225]

Where did you get your screen name?

Do you like chicken?

[Ray]

@lostinfaith25 My screen name is from an old email address when I was 12 lol I use it to register for online crap because then I don't care about spam

I love chicken if people know how to cook it properly lol

katelou I think everybody's experience as a step-parent is different depending on how long you've been together, how long the parents have been apart, what that relationship is like, and how old the kids are.

TL;DR the kids are amazing and I love them, it's hard not being in full control of raising your children.

When DH and I got together the kids were 1.5 and 3.5 so I've pretty much always been in their life as long as they can remember. I have an amazing relationship with them, and I really think they view me as a second mom. They'll ask to come visit/go to my ball games even if DH is away. They are amazing - super respectful and responsible, so funny, complete opposites, and I love them more than anything. I tell people this my first pregnancy but not my first kid.

the relationship with DHs ex is tricky. When we first got together they were going through separation and I was only 18. Needless to say she loathed me, said some pretty horrible things, and refused access to the kids if I was around. The first three years I'd have to leave our home for the weekend if DH wanted to see the kids. Now that I'm older and we're married and she's moved on we're in a much better place. I can see her and have coffee or shoot the shit at hockey practice and it's no big deal. Her parents are wonderful and I have a great relationship with them.

The hardest part is not being fully in control of raising your kids. She has 7 at home with her now and were they only ones paying child support so I know our 800$/month isn't being spent solely on our kids. I can't blame her really, on her end it wouldn't be fair for our two to have brand new stuff all the time while the others get hand-me-downs just because their parents aren't in the picture but it still sucks. She doesn't work so I have a really hard time with how she spends that money. Our youngest has come with falling apart shoes while her new baby has a brand new Sens Jersey. Their house is a mess and they aren't allowed to have baths very often because 9 people + well. That bothers me.

It also sucks having no rights. There was a point DH and I were having a rough go and I was terrified of losing "my kids". I also have zero say in their school, activities etc, besides what DH and I discuss but even then she has primary custody so she technically doesn't have to give a shit what he thinks either.

ETA: also, the school never bothers to keep us in the loop. We never get called for interviews, no notes for concerts etc. that might just be the school but I think it's fairly common.
Sorry novel lol.

[beebe918]

Ray, wow, some aspects of your step parenting seem so hard. It's funny because as a step child I never really thought about how it affected my step-parents.

I can't get past the not allowed to have baths very often thing, I feel like that's not OK. I didn't realize wells had limitations like that? So if there's 9 people living there I assume she has an SO at least helping her a bit with the 7 kids?

[melody330]

Were you born in Canada?

If you were not, where were you born?

[tootsie]

You mentioned you may be moving, right? Will you try to find a new teaching job after your maternity leave?

[melody330]

Does Canada do private & public schools?

How do they handle kids with learning disabilities?

[beebe918]

Are you familiar with the American military at all? I'm curious how the American military is different then the Canadian military? Sorry this has turned into a "I'm a Canadian" AMA lol.

What's your favorite YA book?

[Ray]

beebe918 yeah it really bothers me. They'll have one, maybe two bath/showers a week so when they come here we let them have as many/long/hot baths or showers they want.

She has a son from high school, the two from when she was married to DH, her boyfriend has 3 kids and then they just had a baby last year.

melody330 yup! I was born in our Capitol because I was 6 weeks early.

tootsie

If we sell we are just moving one town over so I could stay at my job. That being said, I'm really unhappy where I currently am so I applied for a transfer within our board to literally any other school and will be watching the postings within our board during mat leave and applying or other positions.

There's still a chance we could be posted out West this year or next. If that happens I'll look for a job teaching high school science again but ultimately will take what I can get. If push comes to shove I'd tutor and waitress until I got on the sub list. Both are good $$

melody330 there are both public and private schools here. Depending on the province there are also publicly funded catholic schools (Ontario yes, Nova Scotia no)

Canada has a really strong inclusion policy. There are special needs private schools in some bigger cities but in the public schools children with physical, mental, developmental, or behavioural challenges are in regular classes with education assistant support for at least part of the day (could be all day or one-on-one depending on severity). It's the teacher's job to implement the Individual Education Program if they're on one and/or make lessons that are differentiated for everyone. In severe cases we do have a special school in our board for kids who really can't be successful in the regular schools (usually this is behaviour related or if there's a pregnancy or illness or something)

I wish they referred to it more though. I have to wear Kevlar sleeves and chaps at my school to protect myself from one student which I think is a bit ridiculous. It made me uncomfortable especially once I got KU. If I go back, I will probably refuse to work in that classroom (kindergarten). He really is a sweet little boy. I just don't think it's safe for students or staff to have him there at this point.

[Ray]

@ beebe918 I don't know much about the American military other than your deployments are longer, it's easier to get out, and there's something called TriCare lol

Here when you get in you sign a 2 year contract I think. Then you resign a 5. You can retire after 20 but the pension isn't great. postings are nearly every 3-5 years or when you get promoted and we have all our moving expenses paid for if that happens.

DH did 4 tours in Afghanistan and they ranged from 7 to almost 11 months each. This will be DHs first baby since he was deployed when they boys were born/young. That's all I can think of right now lol

I really enjoyed the hunger games. The maze runner was a frustrating series to read because you don't know what the hell was going on the whole time but I thought it was good writing because that's what the characters must've been feeling like. I think the movies completely butchered it.

[lostinfaith225]

Have you read the divergent series?

[Ray]

Mar 9, 2016 10:45:03 GMT -5 lostinfaith225 said:

Have you read the divergent series?

Yeah! I liked that one too. It really surprised me and I wasn't expecting what happens in book 3 at all. I was angry at the ending bot because it was bad just because.. Because lol.

[beebe918]

Mar 9, 2016 10:38:25 GMT -5 Ray said:

I really enjoyed the hunger games. The maze runner was a frustrating series to read because you don't know what the hell was going on the whole time but I thought it was good writing because that's what the characters must've been feeling like. I think the movies completely butchered it.

So funny!  My sister and I argue over The Maze Runner series constantly.  I hated the books because I felt like the author described the same things over and over, and I LOVED the movies.  My sister feels the same way you do, it's one of her favorite series.

[Ray]

Mar 9, 2016 11:11:44 GMT -5 beebe918 said:

Mar 9, 2016 10:38:25 GMT -5 Ray said:

I really enjoyed the hunger games. The maze runner was a frustrating series to read because you don't know what the hell was going on the whole time but I thought it was good writing because that's what the characters must've been feeling like. I think the movies completely butchered it.

So funny!  My sister and I argue over The Maze Runner series constantly.  I hated the books because I felt like the author described the same things over and over, and I LOVED the movies.  My sister feels the same way you do, it's one of her favorite series.

I was just so sad that they were SO completely different from the books. Kind of like World war z, except that movie was excellent lol.

One thing I really liked about the hunger games movies was how true I felt they stayed to the books.

Also do not like the divergent movie. Not even going to bother with the second and third.

[jewelsofthenile]

How old is your husband and how did you meet?

[beebe918]

Mar 9, 2016 11:21:57 GMT -5 Ray said:

Mar 9, 2016 11:11:44 GMT -5 beebe918 said:

So funny!  My sister and I argue over The Maze Runner series constantly.  I hated the books because I felt like the author described the same things over and over, and I LOVED the movies.  My sister feels the same way you do, it's one of her favorite series.

I was just so sad that they were SO completely different from the books. Kind of like World war z, except that movie was excellent lol.

One thing I really liked about the hunger games movies was how true I felt they stayed to the books.

Also do not like the divergent movie. Not even going to bother with the second and third.

I hated the book World War Z, I think I accidentally listened to the abridged version or something, I did really like the movie though.

Loved the Hunger Games movies, I'm embarrassed to say I haven't see Mockingjay part 2 yet though.

I loved the first Divergent book but didn't love 2 and 3 so I'm going to see the movies in hopes that they change things up a bit.

[Ray]

Mar 9, 2016 11:36:44 GMT -5 jewelsofthenile said:

How old is your husband and how did you meet?

MH is 7 years older than I am. He actually lived down the road from me with his first wife when I was 13 (we didn't know each other obviously lol

We met when we both played on my brother's ball team in a tournament at the local summer festival.

He had recently gotten back from Afghanistan and didn't know everyone so my brother was pointing out the new people and introducing them. He introduced me as "this is my kid sister (I was 18) don't touch her. " lol we hung out that summer and started dating just before he left for his 4th tour. We've been together since then!

[mcktymck]

When you say ball team, what sort of ball game are you playing? Baseball?

If you were to move out West, where would that be? Vancouver?

[glaze]

What sports did you play in school?

What sports do you play now?

What's your favorite sport?

[tikoberry99]

Favorite color?

Favorite musician?

[mcktymck]

I was going to ask you this in randoms but then figured why not here:

Did you teach yourself how to crochet? What all have you made so far?

[Ray]

Mar 9, 2016 13:01:08 GMT -5 mcktymck said:

When you say ball team, what sort of ball game are you playing? Baseball?

If you were to move out West, where would that be? Vancouver?

DH and I both play slo-pitch.

Two most likely places right now would be Edmonton or nearish Victoria.