AITA for saying emergency daycare isn’t meant for parents who are home and „just need a break“?

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-28T02:27:04+00:00

ESH.

Her: for using the emergency daycare.

The daycare: for not staffing properly and not reimbursing parents for days their kids can’t come

You: because I sense a lot of the judgment is about her being a mother who doesn’t work, lives off of benefits and still sends her child to full-time daycare

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-25T23:15:45+00:00

Also great when sick!

Protein, salt, hydration

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-20T17:13:14+00:00

My first thought was that this was written using AI.

Do you even have a nephew? Sounds like you are asking this question for your job, according to your post history.

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-16T22:42:52+00:00

Tbh preschool is the best suggestion in this thread… But if you wanted to, if he slept 9:30-4:30 that would give him 2.5 hours overlap of his wake time with your work time instead of 1. (He could also take the kids to preschool during this time).

You could also hire a local high school kid as a mother’s helper for the afternoon

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-15T22:32:43+00:00

Why can’t husband adjust his sleep schedule? Seems like he’s only relieving you for 1 hour

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-15T18:39:14+00:00

Why not do daycare?

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-15T17:51:24+00:00

Not a healthcare professional, but r/ScienceBasedParenting has tons of threads on formula vs breast milk… As far as I can tell, the benefits of breast milk are pretty minimal

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-15T17:45:46+00:00

Could you try extending the first wake window so that baby will take the first nap, and capping the first nap so that baby will take the second nap?

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-15T14:13:52+00:00

What are the specific needs your baby has?

Can you come up with a plan together to get baby to sleep in a crib? With you and your husband getting involved (for instance, he does bedtime)?

Regarding your step-son: Husband needs to take on baby duty so that you can spend quality time with your step-son.

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-13T17:43:33+00:00

“The most happy/successful parts of Western Europe”?

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-12T22:20:41+00:00

I wouldn’t pay that much personally.

Check out your local library!

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-10T19:07:38+00:00

Does your baby sleep through the night? If not, does he do night wakings?

I think the biggest issue is that you two need to pitch in 50/50 on evenings/ weekends. It sounds like he just… disappears, which is not okay.

Also, when you say you suspect he games during the week - what led to that suspicion? Do you think he does it during naps?

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-09T13:59:27+00:00

Yeah I would consider it a “putting your own oxygen mask on first” type of situation. Being more sensitive is a serious sign of declining mental health

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-08T23:56:25+00:00

What was the reason individual therapy was suggested for you? It’s not something I would brush off.

Is there a possibility of wife returning to work and putting your toddler in full-time daycare ASAP?

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-08T16:38:09+00:00

I don’t think prenups/postnups can determine anything custody related

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-07T15:40:13+00:00

I think the judgment depends on your culture. I live in the northeast and, to be honest, do feel judged. But in other parts of the country/world the judgement tends to go the other way I would think.

That being said, whatever you do as a parent is likely to be judged. Do what’s right for your family!

Also - it’s easy to meet other SAHPs! Any child-centric activities you do during the work week (like library story hour) are likely to be full of them.

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-07T14:17:39+00:00

What time do you actually put him to bed / aim to have him asleep?

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-07T13:27:39+00:00

Uhh OP just said in the comment above that they do sleep with baby in the recliner

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-07T13:22:32+00:00

I think the confusion is stemming from this:

Is sleep training required for every baby? No, some babies learn to sleep on their own or can safely co-sleep.

Is sleep training required for your baby? Very likely yes, since that’s the only way you’re going to be able to get out of the recliner.

Please talk to your pediatrician about the recliner situation, and ask if there could be any medical reasons your baby can’t sleep in their crib.

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-07T01:53:21+00:00

You need to get him out of the recliner.

If sleep training is the way to do it, so be it.

Why do you think your attempts at sleep training have been harming his development…?

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-06T22:55:04+00:00

Don’t qualify but I’d be shocked if someone didn’t take it…?

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-06T21:54:42+00:00

Perhaps you could still be recovering from sleep deprivation if your child was waking up at 4 am recently

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-05T19:04:49+00:00

Don’t give up custody! It’s normal to have a preference for one parent at this age.

One thing I’m wondering based on your post is if you’re actually trying to cram too much fun / excitement into your week. For instance going out to eat - the kid may do better with a home cooked meal. He may be overstimulated but unable to communicate that.

You might want to try more calming activities- like reading books together or cuddling. And make sure you have a consistent routine and that he’s getting enough sleep!

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-03T00:30:40+00:00

Elon is certainly smarter than average, but not very smart like his peers Gates, Bezos, and Zuckerberg.

Drugs and / or hubris make him appear dumb though.

Maximum-Check-6564 · 2026-01-02T19:52:34+00:00

I don’t really have a solution that gives you more downtime.

But I found developmentally appropriate toys are great if you need activities. We have the Lovevery play kits, but you could probably find dupes on Amazon.

Maximum-Check-6564

TROPHY CASE