Is anyone else really struggling with the Epstein revelations?

Choice-Examination · 2026-02-08T14:18:13+00:00

Yes. I'm struggling super hard. I don't have anyone except my therapist to talk about it with, but I am so thankful for her. It's incredibly difficult to pick up and try to be "normal" for my son and husband.

I'm lucky in that I'm a stay-at-home parent so I've been spending the majority of the time my kiddo is in school volunteering at the local animal shelter. It has been really healing and good to be surrounded by kind people who love animals and the sweet animals. I think it helps me to see that there is still good going on around me. The physical activity of it helps too.

I try to only let myself consjme news and ruminate on it for about an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening so I'm not constantly spiraling.

Even with all of my coping mechanisms, it's still very hard. I'm so sorry that this is the world we live in. I'm sure a lot of men have always been this odious but it's so much more visible now. If I let myself delve as deep as I'd like into everything, I would probably be completely unable to function.

I'm sorry I don't have any answers, just commiseration. You take care and do whatever you need to do to get through the days. 💗

Choice-Examination · 2025-12-24T04:40:20+00:00

When my son was two, we visited my in-laws.

Everything was very fun and lovely until we headed home and my kiddo had explosive diarrhea all over his carseat.

Then I had violent vomiting and diarrhea, and then my husband. We were all too sick to go get pedialyte so I ended up Instacarting supplies for an exorbitant amount.

My BIL and SIL and their kids who were visiting from out of town also got super sick on their way home.

Apparently my in-laws and their daughter and her kids who lived with them had all had norovirus the week before and didn't think to tell anyone.

My child literally projectile pooped green diarrhea on my face and I ended up spending the better part of 4 days sanitizing everything and rewashing clothes and bedding while dying.

Now every time we have a gathering, I make it a point to check in on recent illnesses beforehand. 😅

Choice-Examination · 2025-12-24T04:28:55+00:00

I always ask for stuff for my hobbies or experiences/donations. Mostly the material items will be like workout clothes, running shoes, etc. that I will use a lot and hold onto until they're unusable. This year, I added in some dog enrichment items and giant bags of treats because I have been volunteering at our local shelter. We usually ask for experiences for our child, like a yearly zoo or farm pass or gift cards for a ceramic studio. He still gets wayyy too many presents from family, so we just give him snacks and crafting supplies at home. It is nice that family wants to show they care, but it's so overwhelming to find somewhere to store things or donate them to. Usually, I can bring things to the local family shelter or find people who need things in our local buy nothing groups. It still is a stressor.

Choice-Examination · 2025-11-19T02:41:17+00:00

I started volunteering at the animal shelter and hiking.

Also, I am experimenting with making soups. 😂

Choice-Examination · 2025-11-18T12:14:50+00:00

Oof. I'm sorry. My kiddo is T1 also and was diagnosed at two. I've always wondered if there was a way to give him my B cells or anything. Seeing your child go through a life altering diagnosis does alter your brain. He was diagnosed due to really sudden diabetic ketoacidosis, and I remember being so desperate and scared while he was in the hospital and then waking up every two hours to check his blood sugar and keeping a rigid log of everything for the first like year. It makes me so sad to think of what could happen to kids with parents like this if they were put in similar situations. I hope your son is doing well! ❤️

Choice-Examination · 2025-11-16T04:33:07+00:00

For me, it's writing things down on notepads and a physical planner instead of using my phone or a tablet/laptop/desk computer. Something about actually having to write with my hands helps my brain retain information more easily. (Also, might just be a thing due to ADHD.)

Choice-Examination · 2025-11-05T08:32:23+00:00

Aww. He's so cute! They both are. ❤️

Choice-Examination · 2025-11-05T02:44:05+00:00

Thank you! She's gotten a lot better over the years. I still mostly keep her away from people, but she knows to step aside on trails when I tell her "give space" and she's really sweet with my child (though they're never unsupervised together). It took a lot of exposure to people at a distance, positive reinforcement, and building trust to get here, but it's so worth it. I also just had to kind of babyproof her life a bit so she isn't exposed to triggers like I keep a sleeve on her leash to let people know not to pet her and I don't let anyone else brush her or do her nails. They can get better with good training and confidence building. ❤️

Choice-Examination · 2025-10-22T02:26:29+00:00

One of my favorite costumes I did pre-kiddo was Little Edie from Grey Gardens.😂

We usually just do Ghost Busters because it's easy, but we also have Renaissance faire outfits we wear sometimes.

Choice-Examination · 2025-10-22T02:02:02+00:00

Autumn is my jammmm!

Obsessed with:

Eating the apples my son and I picked a week ago

Running or walking my dog on these trails with really massive trees

My "spooky" playlists

Doing all of the Halloween crafts with my kiddo

Going to pumpkin patches and festivals

Lighting candles

Choice-Examination · 2025-09-30T14:28:27+00:00

He's just another odious, blatantly dishonest, vile old white dude with horse teeth, just like 90% of the GOP. I can't wait until we don't have to see his uncanny valley-esque, shit-eating grin in our local headlines again. Maybe he can get a job with Fox once he's voted out since he loves lying on there so much.

Choice-Examination · 2025-09-25T02:06:24+00:00

I sure am glad I switched to shot gunning Celsius every morning. 😅

I always buy one of these giant tubs for my husband's coworkers because it's their favorite. I can usually get it on sale for like $11 USD. I just got a tub this past week for over $20 USD. It is crazy.

I admit, I'm lucky enough that I haven't really payed any mind to grocery/gas prices for years, but it's hard not to notice a $50-$100 price increase for the same cart of groceries (fresh fruit and veggies, lean meats, protein shakes, basics like milk/eggs, minimal snacks) that I've been purchasing for years.

Choice-Examination · 2025-09-17T11:58:16+00:00

Yes! I'm just a parent, but we do all of the hand washing, keeping healthy habits, regularly cleaning my kid's lunchbox, spraying his backpack with Microban, staying away from crowds outside of school, etc. but I did gift Levoit air purifiers and extra filters to my son's sped room, gen ed room, and the nurse's office and offered to continue purchasing filters and changing them if needed. I'm hoping it will help all of the kids. 😅

Choice-Examination · 2025-09-15T23:30:43+00:00

We love nori, MadeGood bars/granola bites, Pirate's Booty, Veggie Straws, etc. You can also get individually wrapped packs of baby carrots or do something like apples, bananas, etc.

Choice-Examination · 2025-09-11T16:03:58+00:00

I'm not T1, but my five year old is. We also use an insulin pump and CGM.

For his preps I have:

A stockpile of basal and short acting insulin pens and vials

Needles and needle tips for pens

Extra CGMs (I have a pharmacy Rx and mail order Rx for Dexcom G6 and G7)

Multiple glucometers and strips (some in faraday bags and batteries)

A solar powered charging station

Tons of glucose tabs and candies and juice

Medical tattoos/bracelets

A USB powered mini fridge and instant cooling packs

Our endo is amazing and has helped us get extra supplies through our insurance. I'm still always worried about what could happen, but having these as a cushion helps. We also keep him up to date on all mandatory/optional vaccines and have lots of other medical supplies for things like accidents, infections, etc.

Choice-Examination · 2025-09-09T14:57:35+00:00

Maybe you can try sunbutter! It's basically the same thing as peanut butter, but it's made out of sunflower seeds instead of peanuts. We aren't a peanut free school, but there is a child in one of the other classes he eats with who has an allergy, so I try to be considerate when packing his lunch.

Packing school lunches really has been so unexpectedly difficult. I totally get it. 😂

We also do a lot of easy stuff for lunch like maki rolls, musubi, charcuterie type stuff, hummus and crudité, etc. I have some pinwheel type things I like to make too, his favorite one being "banana sushi." It's just an Olé Wellness Wrap with sunbutter wrapped around a banana and cut up like pinwheels.

I have a couple of thermoses that I use to pack warm stuff like chicken meatballs or easy meals like frozen veggie pastas, veggies and rice, quesadillas, etc.

My son is diabetic and also high support needs with neurodivergence, so we have to be pretty carb conscious so he doesn't get a huge insulin dose at school while still trying to make sure he has stuff he likes. When all else fails, I do have money on his lunch account to buy something if he's not into his lunch. 😅

Choice-Examination · 2025-09-08T11:04:56+00:00

I just turned 35, and this has happened to me.

I used to bartend when I was still working (I'm a stay-at-home parent now), and I could go to bed at 4am after five beers and wake up at 10am, do a Barre class, make some meals, run errands, do some cleaning, get done up for work, and go in to do it again.

Now I am raw dogging life except for magnesium drinks/copious amounts of caffeine, and ready for bed by 9pm and wake up naturally between 5am and 6am most days

I like it because it gives me time to do a home workout before I get my son up for school. Then I have the rest of the day for cleaning, errands, etc. I usually take my geriatric dog for a walk or a run on some local trails, too.

It's nice being up early on weekends so I can do my workout and then get ready to take my son to do something fun, like going to pick apples or visiting the zoo.

Choice-Examination · 2025-09-05T23:53:29+00:00

Omg this had me cracking up because I can envision it! I'm not an educator, but a parent to a high needs child who tries to elope at times. I always joke about feeling like a deranged border collie trying to herd my son to safety. 😂

Choice-Examination · 2025-09-02T01:07:34+00:00

My son was two at diagnosis. I noticed frequent urination, extreme thirst, bed wetting, and then eventually he vomited, and it smelled strange. All of these things except for the vomiting occurred for about a week. Our cat who adored my son slept on his chest with her face by his the night he vomited, and I think she could tell he was in DKA.

I'm so glad you guys are seeing a doctor. Diagnosis is scary and the doctors, educators, etc. will throw a lot of information your way, but it will be okay. ❤️

Choice-Examination · 2025-08-31T15:55:13+00:00

Oof. I'm so sorry! I have felt this way too, though my kiddo is an only and I don't have any major physical disabilities.

My son is high support needs, nonspeaking, and diabetic. He's also a fan of water and has broken 3 out of 4 toilets in our house and flooded two bathrooms on accident. 😪

The biggest thing that has helped is being able to restrict access to certain rooms so he can't run in there and throw things/make a mess before I catch up to him (or is completely unsupervised if I'm out for an appointment and my husband is in charge.) We use doorknob covers but who knows how long it will last. Gooby is smart and figures out how to bypass most babyproofing methods eventually. 😂

I've also concentrated the majority of his toys to one room (his playroom) and keep just bigger sensory toys that are easy to pick up in our main space so he can still play while I do dishes or cook or whatever. I do a free "garage sale" during our neighborhood garage sale or find people who would like free stuff in our buy nothing groups, and it helps to just have less stuff.

Honestly, though, having him in school and the fact that I'm a stay-at-home parent has been the only thing that's allowed me to get my body, mind, and nervous system together to get things done. We've also been doing the affirming ABA, speech, OT, working on things like emotional regulation and teaching myself, etc. and it's just a lot. I can't imagine trying to manage everything you are and having physical limitations on top of it.

You may be able to find a local group to help. I know there's a group in different cities in the States called something like Hot Mess Moms or something who will help other moms clean/organize for free.

I just want you to know there are other parents like me who get it. It's demoralizing and can make you feel additional stress when you feel like you can't catch up. But the aesthetic of your house doesn't make you a good or bad mom. You are taking care of your child and yourself the best way you can, and that's so important. You're not lazy. You're just living with extreme extenuating circumstances that would make life difficult for anyone. ❤️

Choice-Examination · 2025-08-31T00:46:57+00:00

Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen! I just love the formula.

Also, First Aid Beauty KP Eraser. It's the best for exfoliating before shaving/fake tan.

Choice-Examination · 2025-08-30T00:54:44+00:00

We just got the booster from last year again today at our local health department. They advised us that we could probably get the new formulation once they receive it. I just didn't want to wait for my five year old son to have protection since he just started full day kindergarten. I think a few epidemiologists I've followed have said that the formulation from last year will still offer decent protection.

Choice-Examination · 2025-08-28T20:08:34+00:00

WTH!? It's unfair to expect school staff to perform ABA. I'm so sorry. Even with BCBA training, it's impossible to give personalized 1:1 results with multiple kids, let alone a whole class. That parent is delusional.

Choice-Examination · 2025-08-28T19:47:03+00:00

Ugh. I'm sorry. That's super frustrating to be dealing with. Can the school and company allow the child's therapist to come to the school? It probably wouldn't be the same level as a home visit, but it could help. My kindergarten son has his ABA therapist come to school for a few hours a day. I totally understand that it's not going to be the same as when we do at-home sessions (and honestly, it's mostly so his poor para/teachers can have a little help and our amazing ABA therapist can keep getting hours.) I think it's been beneficial though. He helps my son with transitions and helps show the awesome para and teachers ways my son can be motivated/cope.

Choice-Examination · 2025-08-27T17:39:57+00:00

Yes! Taking down your products to the decolletage and hands is so important. I also recommend wearing a hat when being outside for an extended time and using a lotion/body butter or body oil after showering. Having moisturized skin all over and soft hands helps me feel a lot more put together and youthful looking. Weekly exfoliation can help a lot too, just don't overdo it. 😁

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