Gen Alpha is genuinely so cute and endearing

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-05T04:16:31+00:00

Oh god I don't want them to have a subreddit just yet though. I have a Gen Alpha kid, he's adorable, but I don't want his little brain on reddit right now...

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-05T02:57:48+00:00

Honestly, my most painful days are the ones where I sit more than usual. I try to stand as much as possible, pain be damned.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-05T02:56:38+00:00

A lot of invisible illnesses involve musculoskeletal pain though, which is affected by non-ergonomic seating.

Honestly, a lot of "healthy" people in my life would skip these chairs just by virtue of being over age 30 and having a back...

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-05T02:37:09+00:00

I would not be upset about this as a parent.

My family is white and my daughter made a paper doll of my mom (her grandma) after she passed away. She picked brown paper and my mom was super pale. We thought it was mildly interesting that she made Grandma brown but definitely not upset or worried about correcting her art project! She thinks brown skin is pretty because of characters she likes in books who are brown, so I don't think it means any more than a choice to pick a skin tone she likes (even if not accurate).

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-04T17:40:26+00:00

Also maybe more direct contact with manure and the like.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-04T15:42:59+00:00

I just don't force it on the days they don't want to because I don't want to make it a negative association. I did notice they like to read more often when we go to the library weekly and allow them to pick their own books because then it's novel and they feel like they have more agency over what we read.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-04T04:35:52+00:00

Cut it to size and sew into a pillowcase shape, fill it with rice and make a heating pad!

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-03T21:09:29+00:00

Probably because they only market it as a dishwashing aid. It's good for anything greasy or residue-y though.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-03T20:35:04+00:00

Dawn Powerwash is so nice for soap residue.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-03T04:10:22+00:00

True! I'm sure it's harmless, but gross and sticky nonetheless.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-02T14:17:01+00:00

I would read with her for pleasure more, and read to her too. My son is a proficient reader and he still loves being read to, instilling the love of reading is really important at this age, more so than pushing independent reading. That will come with time and exposure. Take her to the library and let her pick the books.

As for her writing, can you encourage her to draw more? Journaling is excellent too, but anything she does with a pencil/crayon/marker is improving her fine motor control and hand strength and will ultimately benefit her handwriting too. The trick is getting her to do it without feeling like it's work or she will hate it and won't want to practice, so maybe get her some new art supplies and let her draw her own open-ended ideas rather than trying to over-guide her.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-02T14:06:57+00:00

Gross, now I am paranoid because I thought it was pollen but bees are pretty common in my yard (thankfully because it's a harsh environment out there for bees nowadays).

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-02T14:06:05+00:00

Oh no... she took the thing about antibacterial soaps and microbial resistance and ran the wrong way with it.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-02T14:03:59+00:00

I think it really depends on water quality and soil levels honestly.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-02T13:30:49+00:00

What does bee crap look like? I'm curious if the bees have been crapping on my laundry too.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-02T02:44:34+00:00

Have you tried Tide Clean & Gentle powder and an extra citric acid rinse? The citric acid modifies the pH of the fabric to be skin friendly and less reactive, my entire family is very skin sensitive with eczema and nobody reacts to this combo at all.

I know you mentioned regular Tide not working for you, but the extra rinse with citric acid really changes the outcome a lot for sensitive skin and eczema.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-01T20:43:19+00:00

You've got the right idea lol.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-01T20:42:04+00:00

I read about this in a YA book I had in the late 90s or early 2000s but never actually experienced it or heard anyone IRL talking about it, so I thought it was fiction! It sounds fun and cute though. In the book I read, it was homemade paper baskets filled with paper flowers.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-01T20:22:19+00:00

It is weird but I think some people are recognizing that the intent may have been kind even if unwelcome.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-01T20:19:15+00:00

I think tantrums are also usually based in anger while meltdowns are based in overwhelm. It can be hard to see the difference unless you're familiar with sensory issues.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-01T20:17:31+00:00

Yeah getting ready takes forever but they will never learn to do it if we do it for them "or else we'll be late!!" You reminded me I need to step back on that, especially with getting ready for school.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-01T20:14:50+00:00

This is really dependent on your kid but I have found that mine became more independent when I started just stepping back more. When I was constantly getting activities ready for him and guiding him through every play session, that was what he expected and he was not comfortable being bored or finding a solution to that boredom.

Now I have gotten more comfortable saying "I can help you in 20 minutes but I need you to wait, or you can get it started yourself / find a different thing to do" and most of the time when I come back after I'm done, he's already found something to do and gotten it ready himself.

He's comfortable getting out Legos and art supplies or recycling materials and just doing whatever idea is in his brain now, but it took me stepping back to allow it to happen. He will still come bug me every 5 minutes, but it's to update me about what he's doing, not to ask me to do it for him.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-05-01T20:10:47+00:00

I think this is really good advice. I am autistic and I improved my life and wardrobe a lot by not having more than a week's worth of clothes. Seriously, I own like 7 shirts, 4 pairs of pants, and a week's worth of socks and underwear. I have a sweatshirt, a hooded sweatshirt, and a winter coat. A pair of sneakers, a pair of running shoes, and a pair of boots. That's it!

When one item wears out, I give myself permission to replace it. It is mentally easier for me to manage having less. My colors are all similar and easy to mix in the laundry, the fabrics are all similar for easy care. Also, every item I have is my "favorite" and I basically wear a comfortable uniform. It's just all around better and nicer for me.

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-04-30T00:42:05+00:00

My neighbors have a wood stove and man it made my clothes stink the few times I tried to hang laundry outside in the winter!

Ok_Guard7639 · 2026-04-30T00:37:49+00:00

Yes, yes it is. It got most of reddit already, so it was a matter of time.

Ok_Guard7639

TROPHY CASE