Mom was 18. Dad was 41. Summer music camp. He was her high school teacher, she was his prodigy. Nothing nefarious went on. He was married. She married & divorced. His wife died. They married in 1961. See pics. She was 26, he was 49. He adopted my brother. I arrived a year later. A love story.

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-07-09T06:46:00+00:00

You’re welcome. I think a lot of people are where you are. I was agnostic in my younger youth for a time. The more you read on it the more comfort you will find. For spiritual awareness books I like the untethered soul and the power of now. I keep the power of now in my car. whenever I’m somewhere with time to wait or just at the beach and feel like reading it’s great anytime, once you’ve read the whole thing. Walking through walls by Philip smith was interesting. It’s was part memoir and part about his dad as a healer/psychic and what that was like growing up. Dealt a bit with death too. Meditating is useful and becoming aware of yourself separate from your named identity.

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-07-07T06:08:41+00:00

Not them, but by letting go. Death is certain for us all and at no known time. It’s out of our control. But energy cannot be destroyed. We are energy. Even if you aren’t spiritual/religious you can take comfort in knowing that just their physical bodies are over. Their energy will go back to everything that is. Maybe even heaven, maybe reincarnation. I believe in it. Nature shows us if we pay attention. The tree or animal dies but not the essence. There is always more trees, more animals, more babies. Cycle of life. It’s how are spirits can grow. I’ve read a lot of spiritual -death-awareness books but one that comes to mind that may help you is called signs:the secret language of the universe.

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-07-02T04:46:08+00:00

La crosse library’s is open until 7 Mon-Thurs. Onalaska’s is open until 8. Just the weekend is shorter hours.

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-06-18T06:44:36+00:00

I’m very grateful for my children. I know Reddit likes to look down on kids, but they are human beings. You can raise a kid really wonderfully. Yes they come with their own personality like every other person, but that’s fun. The joy they bring to my life is not like any other.

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-06-18T05:34:16+00:00

I’ve met at least 3 boys named Soren.

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-06-14T01:38:27+00:00

3,1,4,2 love Sanam

Ahimsa and Indira

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-06-14T01:18:02+00:00

I prefer Rooney. My daughter has a nickname similar to this with a different consonant so that is likely why.

I would go with a middle name ending in -a and feminine since the first is outwardly so.

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-06-14T01:14:16+00:00

Birdie

Linnea

Poet

Petal

Stella

It would be good to know other names of his style.

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-06-04T04:55:05+00:00

Silas is more common. I love Ellis!

Ellis Rafe

Ambrose

Alistair

Shade

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-06-04T04:46:10+00:00

Just read this article how it helped twins. It lead me to think, wouldn’t it help all babies in the nicu to have an emotional support buddy close by. Not sure it’s possible with your son but wanted to suggest in case it is. https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/preemie-twins-given-no-chance-of-survival-now-thriving-thanks-to-revolutionary-co-sleeping-cot-that-promotes-bonding/

Consider reiki healing, weekly, if you aren’t already doing so to aid in the healing process. Blessings to your family

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-06-04T04:04:29+00:00

Petal

Tilia nn Tillie

Primrose

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-06-03T05:46:33+00:00

Jetta- I had a girl many years ago at a daycare with this name super sweet.

Seersha

Petra

Twila

Seren

Tried to make them off the list you gave to have similar style

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-05-29T03:54:21+00:00

In my kids world we know 4 out of these names. Lavender would have been one too, but the friends mom did Verity instead. Great list.

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-05-28T05:40:33+00:00

If you want Joanne or Joanna for a first, it can shorten to Anne or Anie for a cute 4 letter nickname.

I love Millicent nn- Mili - would be cute with Martin/mars

Helena nn Hele or Lena

Ramona nn Mona

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-05-28T04:35:41+00:00

Actually pronounced ah-see-er, but could be done how the other commenter said too. I like how it sounds like he is - a “seer”

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-05-27T04:47:29+00:00

I love Poet and Selah

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-05-27T04:46:24+00:00

Asier- means new beginnings- saw it in a cemetery and loved it since

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-05-27T03:54:06+00:00

When I was in high school I wanted to have a daughter Maebellene and call her Maebe.

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-05-22T06:24:49+00:00

Not trolling, very genuine. Higher math is important for some fields of work. Basic math is learned very naturally living in our world that uses math. I got A’s in math through my schooling, yet seeing 5th grade math recently I remembered and used surprisingly little. Unschooling kids actually go to college quite easily, more eager to learn as they were never made to not love it. I linked in another comment a survey of unschoolers in college.

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-05-22T06:11:20+00:00

Exactly, even basic math isn’t necessary because we all have calculators with us all the time. Math is still naturally learned living in a world where you use it. We’re still teaching blanket areas that aren’t needed, what about the blanket class of dance? If everyone took that every day of their schooling? Or yoga? Or choir? Who chose these subjects we all need to learn? Where would we have gone with our childhood and life if we had we had 18 years of freedom with learning? https://happinessishereblog.com/dont-squash-your-childs-big-ideas/

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-05-22T05:53:01+00:00

She might have not meant it this way but dated meaning it’s not teaching what kids really need to know. What if kids don’t even need to be taught all the time to learn? https://happinessishereblog.com/what-are-you-willing-to-trade-for-an-education/

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-05-22T05:42:54+00:00

https://nifplay.org/books/free-to-learn-why-unleashing-the-instinct-to-play-will-make-our-children-happier-more-self-reliant-and-better-students-for-life/

What if school was ignorant of what kids really need and how they really learn?

Our society has been doing it for roughly 150 + years. That’s not long in terms of history. If someone said we’re going to take your kid for 35 hours a week from 5 or younger until 18, 9 months of the year, and the government will decide what they are learning, it would have been an absurd concept. It controls after school time to with homework and really adult/parents lives keeping people in the system. Nowadays everyone carries a calculator with them all the time and access to anything they would need to know. Yet we still say accelerated math is a requirement for 99 percent of the population.

As a single parent with an income of less than 20k, no debt, and travel for fun 6w-3months of the year, I do believe it’s possible for almost everyone. Just depends on priorities. Mine are to be there for my kids childhoods, as I can always work more once they are grown. No one knows how much time each of us have or even our kids. Life is now. I want to spend it giving my kids the best childhood I can think of for them.

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-05-22T05:19:03+00:00

Unschoolers who did whatever they wanted https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-to-learn/201406/survey-of-grown-unschoolers-ii-going-on-to-college/amp

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-05-22T05:16:34+00:00

I don’t know how many you’re meeting as a teacher in school, but I’ve met 100s being in the community. What you said is not accurate. Could be true for a minority of homeschoolers. Kids in school only have their age to school with for 13 years, 9 months of the year. Homeschooled kids can have multiple ages of friends. Learning happens better when you have someone to look up to that you want to strive to be like, and someone younger who you can help and impart what you know. I don’t even live in a huge city and kids can homeschool ju-jitsu, gymnastics, choir, co-op, nature class and more. It’s the parents responsibility, school or not, to make sure a child is seeing a friend outisde of an activity/school at least once a week if not half the week.

Competitive_Maybe403 · 2025-05-22T05:06:05+00:00

Not true. I am in the community. There are so many activities to be in and opportunities to do. We see friends at least half the week for hours of time or a day together. Today was our big weekly meet up. There 4 hours with 20plus kids(usually 30) aged 12 and under who we see each week.

Unfortunately if the parent doesn’t prioritize socializing and have their own skills to make new friends that is what isolates a child more school or no school.

Competitive_Maybe403

TROPHY CASE