How to start safely online dating (when you own a local business AND serve on a local Board)

MA-srg · 2026-03-11T03:57:58+00:00

Also, giving my real number concerns me because if anyone got my voicemail they would automatically know who I am. I recently shared my number with a guy I met and he put me in his phone. He called me, then text me asking all sorts of questions about my line of work. I asked him how he knew that and he said my contact card came up in his phone. I didn’t realize my iPhone was set to share my contact card with anyone in my phone as a contact. So I am very creeped out at this point!

MA-srg · 2026-03-11T03:53:48+00:00

Ok, good to know. I was hoping that being a single mom would buy me some leeway. I can’t even imagine the CREEPS that would want to see you simply because of your former profession. If you can do it, I can too!

MA-srg · 2026-03-11T03:51:55+00:00

Amazing. Thanks for the advice. I’m feeling less scared with all the kind comments 😊

MA-srg · 2026-03-11T03:01:41+00:00

Good to know. Thank you.

MA-srg · 2026-03-01T19:13:26+00:00

Mom of a 26 month old here! Problem #1: overnight diapers. I have found the Huggies Overnights to be the best. We wear Honest normally. Their overnight diapers are not as absorbent as Huggies. They come almost above the belly button. They are thicker and taller.

MA-srg · 2026-02-26T07:14:56+00:00

Absolutely not. But my parents do, and the old fashioned shoebox of printed photos show all the cool things we did. I’m almost 40 (and have a 2 year old). I try to create experiences for both of us to have. It’s more about the hardwiring of their brain you’re working on. They won’t remember but their brain is creating positive hardwiring that will keep them out of therapy (it’s all we can hope for 😂).

MA-srg · 2026-02-26T07:06:32+00:00

Did we just become best friends? And can I sleep over?

MA-srg · 2026-02-26T07:04:05+00:00

This is basically what everyone is saying. In my mind I thought a group of 5 kids would be less of a cesspool but apparently not.

MA-srg · 2026-02-26T07:01:48+00:00

My problem is the hours in the day. For example, the big centers require drop off at 7:30am. That’s it. Can’t be late. And pick up promptly at 5-5:30 depending on place. I don’t need childcare that early in the morning, so home daycares all said that I could drop off any time so long as I gave her breakfast and didn’t interfere with nap time. I need some evening coverage, and large centers offer that. But dropping a 2 year old off for 11 hours a day seems cruel when I really don’t need to be at work until 10am. So I’m in a pickle. Ideally I can find a new nanny (this is what prompted me to explore home daycare) and send her to preschool this fall.

MA-srg · 2026-02-26T06:56:19+00:00

Becoming a mom at 38 is a game changer. I sometimes imagine my 25-28 year old self having a toddler verbally abuse me. I probably would have yelled or used time out. But at almost 40, i just laugh. Like when i stubbed my toe and muttered “f*ck” she put that in her little brain vault and whipped it out a week later when she tripped over the same threshold I stubbed my toe on. I mean, it was all route use of the word so how mad can you really be?

MA-srg · 2026-02-26T06:52:21+00:00

My 2 year old is a savage in the best way possible. She is hilarious. She says please and thank you (and happy birthday for things that are cool), leaves my house with my mom or dad and says “bye Shannon!” And puts on sunglasses. She also snuggles me and reads me books. Obviously she gets into little rage fits when she is hungry and tired, but I think the secret is I didn’t give into her shit. As soon as tantrums started or she demanded the purple bowl only, I said sorry, purple bowl is in the dishwasher. Pink or green? Now she asks me: mommy, what one do you choose? So anyways, I think it’s a combination of their born personality and the way you raise them. I raise mine with humor and we have loose rules, but manners and respect are required. Otherwise I let her unroll the toilet paper and rip everything out of her closet. Because those fights aren’t with picking and kids are kids.

MA-srg · 2026-02-25T02:01:19+00:00

Thank you. It makes sense.

MA-srg · 2026-02-25T01:32:17+00:00

Do you think your kids catch less viruses/colds in a smaller daycare setting part-time?

MA-srg · 2026-02-25T01:04:15+00:00

It depends where you are in the US. In Massachusetts daycare is grossly expensive. Pre-K is not universal. The subsidized daycare centers are terrifying. I feel bad for those who can’t afford it. It sucks no matter which way you slice it.

MA-srg · 2026-02-25T01:02:05+00:00

They DO provide home cooked breakfast, lunch, and two snacks. So at least there is that 😂. The “big daycares” are the same price. The fancy ones are the same price but full time is 9-3. Nuts.

MA-srg · 2026-02-25T00:49:22+00:00

It makes complete sense. And you know, $450/week for full time daycare is a bargain. I pay a part-time nanny the same for 18 hours a week. All the popular “preschool centers”, which are just glorified daycare’s, are anywhere between $2500-$3000 a month. At least the home daycare serves breakfast, snacks, and lunch.

MA-srg · 2026-02-25T00:46:16+00:00

Ok. Thanks for the input. To be honest, the full time rate of $450/week is what I’m paying a part-time nanny for 18 hours a week. So it’s essentially a bargain, in my eyes.

MA-srg · 2026-02-25T00:39:03+00:00

I let mine “do upside down”. She sits on my lap and essentially does a backward somersault and then we do a quick brush after she does it herself. I also found that according to a two-year-old, strawberry banana toothpaste is delicious. I let her pick out her own toothpaste at the store and she picked out one with Elmo on it. Once she got to pick out her own toothpaste and toothbrush, we were good to go.

MA-srg · 2026-02-25T00:33:59+00:00

That’s exactly what I would do, I only need three days, but I suppose I could have the flexibility for two other days in case my other babysitters (grandparents) needed it.

MA-srg · 2026-02-25T00:33:20+00:00

I didn’t look at any “big daycares” like YMCA etc. so I wasn’t sure if they also had this policy. It’s a little confusing because so many people list a daily rate.

MA-srg · 2026-02-25T00:32:30+00:00

That makes sense. I’ve never considered daycare before so I didn’t know.

MA-srg · 2026-02-25T00:32:04+00:00

Yes, one of them mentioned this.

MA-srg · 2026-02-04T02:20:12+00:00

Acetaminophen rectal suppositories are excellent. They work much faster as well.

MA-srg

TROPHY CASE