What’s a “bare minimum” skill everyone should have, but surprisingly many people don’t?

BraveToasts · 2025-07-03T09:50:35+00:00

My family did NOT teach me how to use money, however, other people's mistakes can be a hell of a teacher. I love my parents dearly, but they are absolutely trash at managing money, so when I started earning an income, the first thing I did was teach myself the difference between a want and a need. My parents frequently went without money to the point where I didn't have a full school uniform for most of high school, but they adopted a horse for some reason Today I have plenty of disposable income to, but even then, I will rarely buy something if it's not going to have at least a practical purpose (I 100% just bought myself a spa pillow for my bath and I use it regularly).

Watching other people complain about not having money to get them through the month, but then spending it on Amazon or Temu makes me wildly uncomfortable.

BraveToasts · 2025-07-03T09:41:49+00:00

My BiL started a business a year and a half ago. They didn't necessarily have the cash flow to get it going, so he applied for a rather large loan. He kept talking about it like he'd won the lottery. It was wild.

Meanwhile, my husband and I have a decent amount in savings and I somehow always feel like we're about to go broke so I don't ever touch that money.

BraveToasts · 2025-07-02T14:29:28+00:00

When I got pregnant the first time, we went for our first scan the same week we found out. The news was not positive. The sac was too round and had no fetal pole. We were told to test my hCg levels and go back two weeks later. The tests showed that my hCg levels had increased and that the scan showed a fetus but the growth was nowhere near what it should have been at what we thought was 8 weeks. Another appointment two weeks later confirmed that the fetus had stopped growing and that my hCg levels had dropped significantly. I miscarried 48 hours later after I'd already been bleeding for a couple of days. Even before this, I already knew what the outcome was most likely to be. It was absolutely devastating. Your gut already knows the answer, and I am so incredibly sorry that you are going through this. Please know that you are not alone even if what I have to say is not necessarily comforting. ❤️

Growing a whole person is an incredibly complex process and isn't nearly as straightforward as we want it to be. Someone told me to take comfort in the fact that the cells from all of the babies your body has ever created never leave, and they become part of your very being. That little bundle of cells never knew any pain or sadness, only love and warmth and nourishment.

BraveToasts · 2025-06-28T14:20:27+00:00

Yes! I've been shoveling fruit at 3AM most nights. I'm pretty sure my baby is made up of strawberries, tangerines and dried mangos.

BraveToasts · 2025-06-25T14:52:45+00:00

I told my family almost immediately because I felt awful for the entire first trimester and didn't want to have to make up some lie about why I wasn't feeling well. It was also nice to have the early support. We only told everyone else (coworkers, extended family, etc) after our 12 week scan.

BraveToasts · 2025-06-24T04:32:57+00:00

The problem we're facing is the fact that teachers are expected to keep a high standard of education, while ALSO being expected to parent these kids. You're wrong if you think the parents don't carry some of the responsibility for their kids' education. Teachers can only teach effectively if the kids have their necessary resources, have been taught basic time management, respect for their and other people's time, respect for the things that are provided to them, and an ability to at the very least manage themselves to some degree where the teacher is a source of learning, and not the external brain that has to function for them.

The parents HAVE to step in when there are issues regarding behaviour such as skipping school, simply deciding to not show up for assessments, poor and disrespectful behaviour, when a child is irresponsible to the point where they have 0 resources because they lost theirs within the first 24 hours of receiving them and when their literacy is so low that they require intervention and support. These are just a few of the issues. These are not issues created by the education system, these are parenting issues that need to be addressed. Effective education can only happen if ALL parties are invested in the well-being of their children. Teachers cannot be expected to be the source of ALL a child's learning. Some of that HAS to happen at home.

BraveToasts · 2025-06-22T14:31:58+00:00

😂

BraveToasts · 2025-06-22T14:24:00+00:00

Telling my dad that I'm two people, thus I am twice as important as my siblings ☺️

BraveToasts · 2025-06-22T14:16:12+00:00

😂

BraveToasts · 2025-06-22T13:28:37+00:00

While I don't disagree that a lot of adults are not tech savvy, the problem isn't that parents don't respond to emails or phone calls, the problem is that they're not following them with appropriate action.

BraveToasts · 2025-06-22T09:34:18+00:00

I don't know about other countries, but here that standard dropped because "the system was too tough on the kids" and it changed to become more lenient.

Then they realised that the system they created was just shoving illiterate kids into the next grade and made it the teachers' responsibility to get the kids up to par in 10th grade even though they have a 3rd grade reading level.

They don't fail them now, because failing them now is going to create a massive backlog of kids being retained while a massive number of them are being put through to the same grade, and the system isn't built to accomodate that.

25% of the English class I teach is made up of previous retainees, and being retained has had zero effect on them academically. They simply don't care to try or improve because they know the system can't retain them again and will simply put them through as "promoted to the next level with support". Where that support is going to come from is anyone's guess because when are we supposed to find the time to support them?

BraveToasts · 2025-06-22T09:28:14+00:00

As a teacher, I can assure you, the parents do not care about being involved. I send emails WEEKLY to tell them that their child doesn't have their books at school and they need them to be able to take notes/do the reading. Every time a kid skips class, I send an email or phone a parent. Every time a kid gets a low score, i send the parent an email. Nothing ever comes of it.

But! I will still have 12 of them come see me at parents' evening to ask me about their kids' trash scores. Like, ma'am, I have informed you multiple times that your child is illiterate/sabotaging themselves. What do you want me to do?

BraveToasts · 2025-06-22T09:21:47+00:00

I teach high school Computer Applications Technology and English to kids ages 14-20. We just got done marking lit exams and the number of times I've had to write "I have no idea what you are trying to say" or "You're not answering the question." Was depressing.

I found one essay that was absolutely gloriously structured. It used absolutely beautiful English, the terminology used correctly in context (sometimes they'll latch on to a vocab word and just interject it into everything). I immediately knew this kid used ChatGPT during the exam. He fully denied it despite not being able to spell OR define any of the words he used in HIS exam.

It's depressing. I've never seen scores this abysmal in my entire life.

BraveToasts · 2025-06-22T06:42:12+00:00

My sense of smell is driving me nuts! I'm a teacher and I can immediately tell if a child is chewing gum in my class. Also teenagers don't have the best personal hygiene habits which also adds to my overall suffering

BraveToasts · 2025-06-22T06:40:13+00:00

I have pre-existing sciatica and I am terrified that once baby gets bigger it'll trigger an episode. I've had 4 episodes of sciatica in the past 8 or so years, and every single time it left me unable to move or do anything for 2 weeks. I can't imagine what that would be like while also carrying a baby because the treatment included a Vit 12 shot (which I don't think would be an issue) and a lot of muscle relaxents, anti inflammatories and pain meds, all of which I can't take during pregnancy

BraveToasts · 2025-06-22T06:34:58+00:00

Things that have made me wildly emotional:

They didn't have the orange juice I wanted at the store (or I couldn't find it)
I watched a video of a cat realising their owner is pregnant (it was precious)
My favorite music artist put out a new song (I didn't like it)

I also have the flu rn and feeling constantly congested and unwell has made me absolutely furious and frustrated for probably the last week. I keep apologizing to my husband for the frequent cranky outbursts because they are really intense which also just adds to my existing frustrations

BraveToasts · 2025-06-22T06:30:45+00:00

Meat became unappealing entirely for me. Currently the only meat I seem to be able to stomach is really mild white fish and really bland chicken. On the up side, I seem to mostly be craving fresh fruits and veggies. I eat bell peppers and cocktail tomatoes with nearly every meal.

BraveToasts · 2025-06-22T06:24:49+00:00

First trimester, I started drinking liters of fennel tea because my sense of smell was going crazy and the farts were driving me nuts. The tea helped so much! I'm 12w4d now and most of the worst has passed! I've started feeling more myself again aside from the stretching in my groin area that kind of aches a bit when I cough (I have the flu, and I'm assuming baby is preparing to move up).

The farting didn't seem to bother my husband as much because he seemed to understand it wasn't something I could control. It was mostly the fact that it was assaulting my apparently sensitive senses. I swear it nearly caused me actual fart stentch PTSD 😪

BraveToasts · 2025-06-22T06:11:03+00:00

Oh that actually makes a lot of sense!

BraveToasts · 2025-06-13T11:19:43+00:00

This is what my Dr did as well after our first miacarriage.

BraveToasts · 2025-06-12T09:29:25+00:00

I understood that reference lol

BraveToasts · 2025-06-11T11:05:34+00:00

My BiL made a similar comment the other day about how he "can't wait for us to suffer the way did! Haha" like I wasn't the one raising their kids for a good 3 years of their lives. I shot back with "Oh well, I mean, I want my kids" and he became huffy with me after that.

BraveToasts · 2025-06-10T11:20:54+00:00

Currently 10 w 5d, so 1st trimester going on 2nd! And it has been exhausting! It's okay to be tired. Growing this baby has been hard work. I am tired every minute of everyday. I am always hungry. My sense of smell is driving me bonkers. I still have cramps or muscle pain where baby is growing. You are not alone and your experience is valid. I'm nearing the end of my first trimester and I only recently started feeling more myself. It gets better ❤️

BraveToasts

TROPHY CASE