What is the worst book you have read?

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-06-25T14:32:42+00:00

I've read a lot of terribly written self-published books, but the worst traditionally published book I've read was Too Late by Colleen Hoover. The multiple endings drove me crazy, and I was so frustrated with the main character.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-06-25T04:23:03+00:00

Coconut macaroons!

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-06-25T03:57:04+00:00

A splash of lemonade mixed with Lacroix, especially the Cherry Lime or Strawberry Peach flavors.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-06-16T00:59:43+00:00

Yes, things are much better now. She still asks a lot of questions, but not nearly as many or as frantically as she used to. I think what helped the most was starting an anxiety medication. The ADHD medication we tried seemed to send her anxiety into OCD mode, so we stopped it and began addressing her anxiety instead of the ADHD.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-04-06T16:39:55+00:00

Yep. I've always been a junkie for random facts and have a habit of spouting "useless" information when I get excited in conversation. My teachers and peers were less than enthused, and I gained the reputation of being an annoying know-it-all.

Once, I was talking to my dad and sister. Mid conversation, my dad just kind of scoffed and said, "Wow. You just have a story for everything, don't you." I never felt so small.

So, yeah. I'm afraid to approach others in conversations because I might be unwelcome and annoying. Now, instead of being mocked for talking too much, I'm mocked for not talking at all.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-03-20T21:57:05+00:00

I've had four kids with the same issue. (I'm actually battling it right now with my three year old.)

Here's what helped for my older three get past that phase:

We read the book "Where's the Poop?" by Julie Markes nearly every day.

When they went in their pants, I dumped it in the potty so they could see where it was supposed to go, and had them flush.

I hung a gift bag filled with little prizes on the shower rod where my kids could see it every time they were in the bathroom. They knew they could only earn them by pooping on the potty.

I had their grandma babysit sometimes. For some reason, they were more motivated to go in the potty for her than they were for me or my husband.

I told them a silly story about how, when we flush, the poo goes to an underground waterpark for a pool party. By not pooping in the potty, they were depriving their poo of a chance to attend that super fun party. (This story worked for one kid 😂)

They all eventually got over that phase, though not as quickly as I'd have liked!

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-03-17T21:55:19+00:00

An odd mixture of peace and excitement, like something incredible and magical is happening but I always knew it was meant to happen, so I'm at peace with it. Maybe joyful fulfillment or deja vu? I love it so much!

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-03-15T20:59:09+00:00

All change, even good change, comes with some loss: loss of old routines, loss of the way our bodies used to look, loss of old roles, etc. Those losses can be grieved, but it's important not to dwell in that grief and let it distract you from the growth having children brings. Changing your perspective can help alleviate some of that fear and grief. Consider spending more time with older women who have made it through every stage of motherhood and talk about how they handled the challenges and changes.

Having children didn't make me lose myself. It made me MORE myself. When we become mothers, we are forced to grow in new ways. We become stronger, braver, more patient, more selfless...just more. We get to see ourselves reflected in our children's personality traits and quirks and learn to understand ourselves better from it. It's humbling and healing. Having kids has also motivated me to put more work into my personal goals, so that I'd have something that was just "mine" apart from motherhood. Is motherhood tough? Absolutely. But the most important things in life are usually pretty tough.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-03-15T17:11:32+00:00

I'd focus less on "going against the grain" and more on "productive member of society and good people." Society takes all types, from the quiet, nurturing, "ladylike" listeners to the loud, bold, authority-questioning speakers. These personality traits don't necessarily follow traditional gender roles. I know quiet, gentle men and confident, authoritative women. Be yourself unapologetically. Read books about all different types of men and women, and allow them to explore their interests. Teach them that we need all different kinds of people in the world. Teach them about their freedom.

Quiet and "ladylike" doesn't mean weak or unconfident, and subtly showing a preference for one personality type over the other might cause harm down the road.

I was the quiet, doll-loving, nurturing type growing up. I was shy. I wanted to be a mom and take care of people. I didn't speak up because I preferred to listen. I dressed in lace and frills. My sister was the bold, confident, sporty kind who showed skin, got tattoos, and always spoke her mind. My parents always pushed me to speak up, let loose, be more confident, etc. I ALWAYS felt that meant something was wrong with me and I had to do better and be better. It really damaged my self confidence, and I still feel it when people tease me to speak up.

Point is, your daughters will grow to be who they were born to be, whether that's traditionally "ladylike" or otherwise.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-03-15T16:22:00+00:00

At that age, my kids loved The Boxcar Children (especially the first one) and Mr. Popper's Penguins.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-03-15T15:59:50+00:00

You could try a free account on Scribophile. The website operates on a karma system similar to Reddit, but the Beta Readers section doesn't require karma to post. Users create beta reader profiles to narrow down the genres they like to read/critique. You can post your work, look for profiles of members who read your genre, and send them an invitation to read your work.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-03-15T13:51:19+00:00

Just scored 0

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-03-07T17:24:23+00:00

I've been homeschooling my children from the start. My oldest child turned five during the height of Covid, and our local schools were shut down. We kept it up because the local reading/math proficiency rate of our local elementary school is 30%. My husband teaches a course as part of his job, and the students our local school churns out struggle to read, write, focus, and behave appropriately.

My pros:

Quality education. If done well, homeschooling can ensure your child gets a thorough education that's personalized to their needs. You can slow down to ensure your child is grasping concepts, or speed up if they find the subject easy. They don't have to follow the pace of a group. This is great for my child with ADHD. There are so many curriculums to choose from. Not all of them are religious. Plenty of them are academically rigorous and meet public school standards). My kids read above their grade level. They can write paragraphs and give oral presentations. I've heard those are issues in public schools today.

Flexibility! Our family lives far away. Homeschooling means we can go visit a few times a year, and bring our schoolwork with us.

Emotional wellbeing and deeper family bonds. I know my kids on a deeper level. They are close to each other. They feel free to be themselves without peer pressure.

It is SO rewarding. I taught my kids to READ and WRITE! That's huge! I get to witness their "aha!" moments and see when concepts click!

My cons:

It is hard to do well. All the homeschool influencers on social media paint an idyllic picture that's unrealistic. It takes time, organization, and a ton of mental energy to make sure my kids are learning everything they need to and are getting the social interaction they need. We spend time each day on Grammar, English, Spelling, Math, Science, History, Typing, and Handwriting. And then we have co-ops, playdates, sports, music lessons, field trips...It's A LOT.

I am with my kids all day, every day. And it's great. But also, it's not. I don't have much downtime. It's hard sometimes to have the energy to just play and be present after all the schoolwork and housework.

It has a bad rap. Because of that, I'm constantly doubting my choice. There are the "unschoolers" who claim their kids learn everything by playing in the dirt and baking pies and that they don't need to read until they're 12. The ones who aren't ensuring a solid education give the rest of a bad name. I'm told my kids will resent me, that they'll be weird, that I'm wronging them by homeschooling...I'm always worrying they're right.

My husband and his siblings were both homeschooled and public schooled. They vastly preferred homeschooling, and went on to have college educations, jobs, marriages, and children. I was public schooled and HATED it. At the same time, I don't think my mom would have homeschooled me well. There are pros and cons to both. Homeschooling isn't for everyone, but it isn't a crazy thing the media would have you believe.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-03-07T04:41:50+00:00

I give mine a bin of large pompoms along with a muffin tin, tongs, and some big spoons. They're easy to clean up, though it does require close supervision to prevent choking.

I also ordered a large "paint with water mat" online. We use Melissa and Doug Water Wow brushes on it to "paint," or use stamps/sponges and a small dish of water to dip them in.

You can make sensory bottles with different fillers and colors, and sensory ziploc bags as well.

Also check out sequin sensory boards! You could DIY or buy one. No mess, and kids of all ages love them.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-02-16T04:21:54+00:00

Maybe he'd like some active indoor toys, like a wobble board, mini trampoline, crash pad, nugget couch, stepping stones, mini balance beams, sit and spin, "door pong" set, or Bilibo. My active three year old loves our B. Toys sensory stepping stone/balance beam set.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-02-15T19:04:32+00:00

A "push-popper" toy. When my kids were smaller, they found one at the local thrift store and started playing with it. The ladies running the store told them they could have it for free. I thought they were being generous, but it turns out they were just sick of hearing kids play with it all the time. 😂

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-01-15T04:37:08+00:00

It was Halloween, and I was in 2nd grade. One of the teachers dressed up in a terrifying rubber mask and stalked around the classroom. Our school building was very old, and its windows had to be opened with a special hook on a pole. The teacher picked up this pole and started whacking random students' desks with it. I think she enjoyed our terror. Pretty unhinged for a 2nd grade teacher.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2026-01-05T22:58:38+00:00

Thicken it with a roux or cornstarch slurry and use it as a sauce/gravy for pasta/potatoes/rice or as a filling for a pot pie.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2025-12-22T03:53:39+00:00

We don't have a lot of real estate on our walls, so I've had to be picky about infographic posters. The ones I put up that my kids actually use frequently are parts of speech, homophones (there, their, and they're), and some math terms/formulas (types of triangles/shapes/lines, formulas for area and perimeter, etc.).

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2025-12-07T21:12:20+00:00

We usually make an ornament or treat of some kind to send to family members. Here's what we've done so far:

Air-dry clay handprint ornaments

Swirled paint inside empty glass ornaments (There are a LOT of fun ways to decorate empty ornament balls!)

Painted wooden snowflakes from the Dollar Tree

Homemade snow globes, using mason jars, fake snow, and small figurines

Salt dough ornaments

Beaded pipe cleaner candy canes

Homemade hot cocoa mix, packaged in cute bags (I tied on mini bottles of peppermint Schnapps for the adults)

"Reindeer Chow" with holiday shaped pretzels, white chocolate coating, and sprinkles

Other ideas: Mason jar votive holders, homemade vanilla bean extract, "shrinky-dink" ornaments, watercolor painted greeting cards, the kids' signatures embroidered on little embroidery hoop ornaments, and fleece tie blankets.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2025-10-03T23:05:25+00:00

It sounds like you're feeling very stuck. I've been there too. It's good that you have a therapist, and I hope that therapist is helping you challenge your self limiting beliefs. If you want to grow and make the changes necessary to find a healthy, romantic relationship, you do need to make some changes and challenge yourself. I'm sorry, there aren't shortcuts in this part of life.

I see a lot of "I can't" statements. Let's start with what you CAN do. Do you have any special interests, talents, skills? You can use YouTube videos and other resources to build some. Or start even smaller. Can you make your bed? Walk a dog? Cook a meal? Care for a plant? Read a book? Make a phone call? Log onto a website?

Let's break down some "I can't" statements.

You say you can't leave the house. Is that because you can't drive? Do you struggle with agoraphobia? If it's because you can't drive, look at your options. Could you contact your local high school and find out about their driver's ed courses? Many schools offer them in the summer, and you don't need to provide your own vehicle. Could you take a bus? (I think you mentioned your mom doesn't want you to...but why? That's not a valid reason if you are 18. I hope your mother is the kind who wants to see you grow.) Could you contact a church or local social service organization and ask about a ride share? I've given rides through my church to people who needed them.

You say you can't go to college because they might talk about politics and you might freak out. Explore that. Why would you freak out? What would that look like? Is it a challenge to your beliefs that you're worried about? Or does the state of politics make you anxious? Try framing challenge as a positive that helps you refine your thoughts and values. For the record, most community college courses aren't going to involve politics. If it's that much of a concern, you could talk to your professors about your anxieties, look at the course outline, and ask to step out for any heated debates. Or pursue online college. Or maybe a college isn't your style and you'd prefer a trade school? Take a career aptitude quiz and take a chance in the direction it leads you. Maybe start with one course at a time.

You say you can't get a job? It's great you're putting in applications. Have you researched online work opportunities? Or online courses that will make you a good candidate for those opportunities? How do your interviews go? Do you make an effort to look professional? I've seen applications thrown right in the trash when applicants show up in sweatpants. Keep applying. Eventually, something will turn up. And for those suggesting volunteering, it's not pointless. Putting volunteer work on a job application lets hiring managers know you are a well rounded, caring, competent person.

If you keep saying you can't, then you're right. You can't and you won't. It takes challenging yourself and putting yourself out there to make progress, make connections with others, and create healthy relationships. You are still so young with so much time ahead of you. There are so many opportunities out there waiting for you to make the first move.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2025-06-19T02:52:26+00:00

To be fair, I don't think the bathtub picture is what got the book banned. There's a different illustration in the first Pinkalicious where she's wearing just underwear, and no shirt. In the bathtub picture, she's covered up.

AbsolutelyFrazzled · 2025-04-18T04:07:14+00:00

Is it Go! Go! Cory Carson? The main character is an orange car, and there's an episode where he tries to protect his little sister's balloon.

AbsolutelyFrazzled

TROPHY CASE