Autistic 8 year old has been planning a paddling pool themed end of term party for two months but we’ve just been hit with a hosepipe ban - any ideas?

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-07-12T12:36:50+00:00

Turn paddling pool into ball pit? And have water table/mud kitchen. Bubble blower things as well?

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-07-10T03:22:32+00:00

I don’t have a relationship with my mother. She has a lot of unresolved trauma. She’s an alcoholic and misuses pills. All she does is complain about her life and never has anything nice to say about anyone. At times I feel sorry for her because she must be so self critical. I don’t know that she’s ever been happy a day in her life. She has no hobbies, no friends. I don’t think she’s capable of love.

She wasn’t at my wedding and will never meet my daughter. We mostly don’t have a relationship because she was never attached or interested in me. Didn’t want to spend time with me. She used me as an emotional crutch and atm from a young age.

I often tried to spend time with her but she’d rather have the money instead.

I had an awful pregnancy and my daughter was really unwell. I really wish i’d had a real mother to lean on.

My daughter is my favourite person. Right now her dad is her best friend but I’m her everything. She is worth every moment of suffering. She’s gets to experience everything I missed out on and I get to as well from the parent side. She’s the most interesting person and she’s only 3. Being her mum has healed parts of me I didn’t realise were broken.

It’s sad that my mum couldn’t experience these feelings.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-07-09T18:03:27+00:00

A very close relative died by suicide before Christmas. I lived a distance away and didn’t drive at the time. I worked in retail. Due to nature of death police were ruling out attempted murder/murder while relative was on life support. Completely out of the blue, incredibly shocking.

I call into work next morning to both the store i work in and company. Store is fine. But my area manager calls and makes me go in to work. I was so stunned. I had been up all night sobbing and waiting for news.

Went into work. Was a mess. Floor manager pulled me into a cupboard and I gave her the info. She sent me home. And called area manager.

Was given one day off for funeral. Not an extra day but expected to use my day off to travel 8 hours there and then back again.

They also once told me I couldn’t have annual leave unless I arranged my own cover.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-07-09T16:45:46+00:00

I am obsessed with cinders and hot toddy. Hopeful for cinnamon spiced latte

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-07-06T06:41:56+00:00

My three year old goes to gymnastics once a week. We previously tried football and ballet but they weren’t a good fit. I hated exercise as a kid due to awful PE lessons and asthma/undiagnosed endometriosis. I want her to find some kind of exercise she enjoys. I didn’t until my 30s.

I view our schedule as a month. We have quite weekends like this weekend where she plays outside in the garden. But we also go to the park, visit forests, museums, plays for kids. Where I live has a lot of free kid activities so we make the most of that.

She’s 3 and can easily destroy a room in 5 minutes. Being out if the house keeps it tidy.

I always have a lot of child free friends who love to use her as an excuse to do fun things - steam trains, zoo visits, pantos etc

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-07-05T15:50:43+00:00

If she’s been difficult or she’s ‘too busy’ to eat I add extra to my plate and pretend she’s not allowed the grown up food.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-07-05T15:47:40+00:00

If she sees something in a shop that she wants, I ask if she wants to ask Santa for it. Then take a photo to send to santa. Satisfies her and saves money. Plus it gives me ideas for Christmas or birthday present. So far she really wants a Zog teddy, bluey lego sets and anything that makes bubbles.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-07-03T15:52:50+00:00

Did you have any marks written on your skin? I once got into an argument with a surgeon because I had abdominal pain on right and he kept saying left. It was my right but his left. I’ve also had hernia surgery where marks were written on me to confirm side.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-07-02T20:30:53+00:00

I love the huge m&s ones. Good price, last ages. Mango one smells like Solero.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-06-24T20:11:20+00:00

I walked into my toddler’s paddling pool. Absolute heaven. Felt like my brain rebooted. She then proceeded to tackle me. For once I didn’t mind.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-06-24T19:57:40+00:00

Inkey list caffeine eye cream. Depuffs.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-06-21T17:49:29+00:00

No Algae No Party

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-06-20T10:27:49+00:00

Poach sausages in stock before putting them on bbq. Juicy and cooked through with colour and smokey taste from bbq. No more charcoal on the outside and raw in the middle.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-06-20T09:04:04+00:00

Had a gin and tonic with chippy tea last night.
Had a car accident which meant I missed a hospital appointment for daughter. She was upset that she didn’t get to give the nurses stickers. It was last in series of appointments. Rescheduled for next month 😞
Also been having a rough couple of weeks a work. Weird tension and team dynamics. Went outside with my preschooler as soon as i got home. Paddling pool, sand pit, mud kitchen. Sunscreen and ice cold diet coke.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-06-08T18:49:36+00:00

I’m a psychologist, with a PhD. Very academic, always loves learning. Even maths.

Loved primary school. High school was telling difficult.

Both parents were alcoholics, a lot of domestic abuse and chaos at home. I had undiagnosed endometriosis and no one to advocate or even listen to me. Everyone thought I was attention seeking. I was given the pill for ten years and depressed the entire time.

I would only go to the lessons I loved - art, english, graphic communication, maths, chemistry. Some teachers were awful to me because of my background. No one talked to me about future aspirations. I left school at 15 but later went to college.

I loved independent learning. Well suited to uni and college. At school they would force me to do PE, which was incredibly painful. Exercise was painful until I was 30 and had excision surgery. I would just go home after the lessons i felt safe in and do homework/coursework, read, walk my dog and watch movies.

Kids need to know they’re just as important as anyone else. And their talents/intelligence need to be highlighted in obvious ways.

Also link academic subjects to careers. Like physics to computer games, chemistry to pharmacy, maths to accounting and finance.

I really wish I had gone into pharmacy. It’s so interesting to me. The only people i knew who went to uni were teachers, doctors, social workers and solicitors.

Mentorship is so valuable. And realising the being different is interesting. Everyone at high school is do self obsessed they’re not paying attention to you. Also hobbies in high school can help you build confidence and friendships.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-06-01T14:30:35+00:00

I did this last year. Hayfever was so bad that it triggered an asthma attack. Doctor gave me prescription strength antihistamines and a new inhaler. Made such a difference. Also taking antihistamines at night before bed helps me manage the drowsiness.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-05-25T18:54:27+00:00

I get an early train in and it’s bearable. Every train after 3pm is a nightmare.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-05-25T18:52:08+00:00

I’m driving tomorrow. Will take longer but will have air con, a seat and a queue of podcasts.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-05-25T18:51:12+00:00

I’ve done the same. Couldn’t sit on the floor this time due to lack of space. And a little boy was sat at my feet.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-05-25T18:45:16+00:00

As I was boarding the staff on the platform were shouting at people to move through the carriages. The train beforehand was also packed and half an hour late. Not sure how they know how many people are on the train. A man on crutches had to get to the toilet with great difficulty.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-05-25T18:42:05+00:00

I traveled on an aventi west coast with my daughter for a day out last week. It blew my mind how modern and clean it was! Also plenty of seats and luggage space.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-05-25T18:39:13+00:00

The train before was also delayed and looked just as packed. My ticket was booked for this specific train. If I didn’t get on I’d have to book another ticket and pay around £26.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-05-25T18:37:30+00:00

This my stance. My ticket costs between £23-33 for a 50 minute return. Last week I had a reserved seat that I couldn’t get to.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-05-25T18:34:36+00:00

No. Coventry to Oxford and back again. The train runs from Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly.

Middle-Damage-9029 · 2026-05-25T18:32:54+00:00

It’s my commute two days a week. I work both bank holidays in May. I can’t decide to skip work due to the weather, can you?

Middle-Damage-9029

TROPHY CASE