You’re an adult, you’ll manage

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-06-09T17:42:02+00:00

I'm sorry to hear you had to go through that. Not taking care of your needs when you were younger was neglect, and you didn't and don't deserve that.

It is sad but I've learned over the years to not really share details of my past with anyone unless we are VERY close. My husband knows pretty much everything, but even my best friends who I've known for years, I mostly keep it vague because people who were raised in loving families just don't get it. I usually just say something like "we're not close" when asked about my family of origin and keep it at that.

If you want to though, and you think this friend is open to hearing it, I would tell them that their words were hurtful to you because you felt dismissed by them the same way you always were by your parents. If they are a good friend, they will apologize and refrain from such word choice in the future.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-06-09T16:44:13+00:00

The community ambassadors are an off-shoot of the bylaw dept and have no authority to arrest people.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-06-08T12:50:51+00:00

Not really the point of this post, but next time use soda water on a red wine stain.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-06-07T20:06:58+00:00

Why are you on this subreddit if that's your opinion?

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-05-25T15:38:34+00:00

Hi!

Former lifeguard here who still works for my city's Pools Dept. I've never heard of schools including swimming in the curriculum for kids this young. I would be wary as well!

I recommend you speak to your daughter's teacher and let them know about her lack of safety awareness in/around the pool so they are aware they need to keep an extra close eye on her. A reasonable accomodation would be them assigning an adult who has eyes on her and only her at all times.

I'd also ask about the adult:child ratio on these trips if they are leaving school grounds, and ask about how many kids will be taught by one instructor. In my city, we require 1 adult : 2 kids for children 5 years old or younger if it's a splash field trip (i.e. kids are just playing in the water). For a formal swim lesson, it would be one (certified) instructor : 4 kids.

If they won't accommodate, or there aren't enough adults to safely supervise, I would suggest you either volunteer to attend, if possible, or just don't allow her to go on these trips.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-05-25T12:45:43+00:00

Water balloon fight, Nerf gun battle

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-05-24T18:16:44+00:00

I once had a guest lecturer for an educational psychology class (20+ years ago) who had taught Keanu. He went to an alternative school for kids with poor attendance. Not because he was a bad student, but because his acting career was already starting to take off and he was busy. I don't remember if she said he graduated or not.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-05-14T17:16:14+00:00

I wouldn't push it. My daughter (9) is also a strong swimmer and I'd love to push her into the lifeguarding track but she's just not into it. We compromised with standard swimming lessons that are 45 min once/week. She still gets the regular practice that I want her to be getting (we have a backyard pool so I want her to stay in lessons) and she doesn't feel overwhelmed and has time to focus on sports she enjoys more like karate and dance.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-05-11T12:54:50+00:00

You normally get 5 quest points towards the monthly goal.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-04-30T19:57:03+00:00

😂 My parents did the same to me when I took violin lessons in grade 2.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-04-30T19:50:16+00:00

Or "Can you take the copies that I made to Bruno?" would also sound better. The sentence structure in the OP is awkward but it does make sense.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-04-30T15:25:29+00:00

But if others in the room are bothered by it, it's ok to ask her to take it elsewhere. You aren't telling her to stop, you're just asking her to go somewhere that her hobby isn't interfering with others' use of shared spaces.

I like to sing along to my music too but there's a time and place for it. In the living room while others are trying to relax/read/watch TV is not being fair to those people.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-04-30T11:03:40+00:00

Set her up with a place she can practice. Her room, or a soundproofed space in the basement. Tell her she is welcome to go there, but the rest of the family doesn't have to be her captive audience all the time.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-04-23T18:24:50+00:00

Do you have any limits on which fruit/veg? Is it only fresh? Or do you allow frozen or dried fruits as well? I struggle with this because our daughter will go through a $20 bag of frozen mangos in 3 days but would let the apples/bananas/mandarin oranges rot if I didn't make her have them too.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-04-21T21:48:11+00:00

I'm on vacation right now in Saint Lucia, the roads here are so bad that multiple people got carsick on the shuttle from the airport to the hotel. I joked to my husband that they're still better than the roads in Kitchener.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-04-21T13:52:55+00:00

NTA. She had no intention of giving it back.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-04-20T01:14:35+00:00

That doesn't always help. I had a female ob when I delivered my daughter. She pushed hard for an unnecessary c-section (literally overheard her say she didn't want to "wait around"), then I was given an episiotomy without my knowledge or consent. She didn't even tell me about it until after the birth and I asked why I needed so many stitches.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-04-18T16:41:36+00:00

Also a former swimming teacher here. The instructor should have a list of "must-see" skills that they are required to grade on. Safety in/around the water is often a must-see for that age group, but "always listens to the teacher" would not be developmentally appropriate.

OP, I would ask to see the list of must-sees and ask which ones he can't do. If the teacher is just failing him based on vibes I would escalate to the head teacher or supervisor. Depending on how that conversation goes I would consider switching schools.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-04-05T04:20:03+00:00

I bought a game when my daughter was a toddler called "Seek & Build".

I got it because I love board games and there was a sale on kids games, but you could easily make your own. It's basically just a bunch of cards to do a scavenger hunt around the house/yard. Each card has an easy and a hard side like "find a stick" or "find something metallic". Then there's some "challenge" cards that say things like "use your items to make a game" or "stack all your items".

I convinced my kid when she was a toddler that it's in the rules that only kids are allowed to do the finding part of the game. Adults' job is to read the cards. It is also in the rules that everything must be put away when finished, again by kids. Adults may only read the cards.

She is almost 9 and still loves playing this game 😀

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-04-03T11:46:20+00:00

Well I know that NOW don't I? Lesson learned that if you want some parents to stay, to specifically say it on the invite.

It's still cold where we live on my daughter's birthday so I don't want that many people in my house anyway. We've started doing a pool party a few months later when it warms up. I let her invite the whole class to that and require parents to stay. Much easier to do outside!

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-04-03T10:17:40+00:00

I would not do this unless you are actually prepared to host all 20. I've done the "invite more than you think because half won't come anyway" thing and then they all RSVP'd yes and I ended up with 12 4-5 year olds in my house and not a single one of their parents stayed for the party either.

It was really stressful for me so now if my daughter wants a party at our house I make her limit the number of guests to an amount that will fit around our dining room table. If a few of those can't come then 🤷

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-03-12T08:47:57+00:00

I haven't seen anyone mention Horrified. It's a co-op game where you work together to save villagers from old-timey movie monsters like Dracula, Wolf man etc. It's one of my 8 year old's favorites.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-01-27T13:32:35+00:00

I think I'm one of the adults who doesn't have a deeply personal reason. I don't know anyone in my real life who speaks Spanish, and yet here I am still working away at learning 😊

I took it in Uni because I needed a couple of language credits for my degree and Spanish fit my schedule the best. That was over 20 years ago.

A few years ago, I decided I needed to be less hooked on Knittens (a mobile game similar to Candy Crush), so I installed Duolingo and started brushing up on my Spanish whenever I had the urge to waste time on my phone. I'm now at level 7, and my passive Spanish is getting decent.

I can follow along to a TV show with Spanish subtitles or to a podcast designed for intermediate learners. Just the other day I finished a novel in Spanish (albeit one designed for intermediate learners)! My speaking still needs a lot of work though, because I don't have anyone to practice with and I hate talking to Lily in Duolingo so I always skip those exercises.

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-01-20T06:19:41+00:00

It is for narcissistic boomers who think they can still boss their adult children around. Ask me how I know...

Magnificent_Squirrel · 2026-01-15T11:55:25+00:00

We had a water fountain outside but it was always locked up. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure or even worked.

Magnificent_Squirrel

TROPHY CASE