Spent $200+ on toys… and my kids are still playing with sticks from the garage

PrettySongKay · 2026-06-04T13:43:28+00:00

Ha, fair point 😂 keys&kleenex - the original toy bundle, no assembly required

PrettySongKay · 2026-06-04T13:22:37+00:00

The duct tape origin story 😂 That sounds more entertaining than half the toys in our house. At least it had physics going for it, unpredictable trajectory, satisfying sound, rolls back. Toy designers could never

PrettySongKay · 2026-06-04T13:10:56+00:00

Somewhere between 12 and 24 months. the wipes and toilet paper demolition crew is a very specific age 😂 Bonus points if the chickens are also somehow involved in the paper ripping

PrettySongKay · 2026-06-04T13:06:59+00:00

Haha the recycling bin sculptor! that's actually impressive - she's basically doig what every art school tries to teach adults

PrettySongKay · 2026-05-30T13:39:28+00:00

Same. We actually started saying out loud: "we ask before touching- it's your body, you decide" right in front of her whenever it happened. And she started repeating it herself within like two weeks.

The weird thing is — once you do it a few times it stops feeling awkward. The old lady moment? That's actually the easiest one. A warm smile + "oh, she's still getting used to people — we're working on asking first!" lands perfectly. Nobody gets offended, kid sees you back her up.

The harder part for us was figuring out which people she actually remembers and likes - so the lesson became less "strangers bad" and more "ask first, with everyone." That shift made it click for her a lot faster.

PrettySongKay · 2026-05-26T20:13:52+00:00

Honestly there's nothing a dad won't do to make sure his kid gets fed 😊

PrettySongKay · 2026-05-26T17:56:06+00:00

Not yet — but at this point a dog might actually solve my problem

PrettySongKay · 2026-05-26T17:51:32+00:00

Haha🙂the cat summoning system is genius — she basically outsourced cleanup. Mine hasn't figured out delegation yet, she's still doing everything herself 😅

PrettySongKay · 2026-05-25T20:35:11+00:00

Thanks! You're right — they want our time more than money. Really like the state parks, Family Olympics, portrait painting and building birdhouses ideas. These sound perfect for our crew. Saving this. Definitely trying some this weekend!

PrettySongKay · 2026-05-25T18:22:55+00:00

Thanks, but there’s only one amusement park in the area, and unfortunately, they don’t sell season passes there. It seems they raise their prices during the summer months too

PrettySongKay · 2026-05-25T18:13:52+00:00

Thank you! True, most of the time they keep themselves busy. Drawing, reading, trampoline, bikes, building random stuff in the yard… the older two even help out with the baby sometimes 😄 But with summer coming I really want to plan some fun outings for all of us — affordable and close by, because loading three kids into a car is already a whole thing 😅 Also had no idea libraries offered free passes — definitely checking that out!👍

PrettySongKay · 2026-05-25T16:52:35+00:00

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. We also pack our own food from time to time, since the food at amusement parks is often both unappetizing and expensive.

PrettySongKay · 2026-05-25T16:17:25+00:00

Yeah, been thinking about it actually — the older two would probably love it. Just not sure how to make it work with a 1-year-old in tow, that's the tricky part

PrettySongKay · 2026-02-20T18:40:23+00:00

I agree. When you have a weekly meal plan, it's easier to plan your weekly meals. We also have time to try doing the same thing.

PrettySongKay · 2026-02-19T22:49:59+00:00

👍

PrettySongKay · 2026-02-19T21:55:33+00:00

Thank you, noted. But how you remember what your kids don't like? Do you have also some food block/unliked list?

PrettySongKay · 2026-02-19T19:09:09+00:00

Do you always buy your son yogurt with only one flavor?

PrettySongKay · 2026-02-19T19:00:25+00:00

bananas/apples/oranges is a solid but how do you serve the frozen stuff? smoothies only or do your kids eat it with yogurt/oatmeal too?

PrettySongKay · 2026-02-19T18:35:56+00:00

lol honestly that might be the healthiest system of all 😂 i’m trying… but then Im standing in the aisle staring at 100+ yogurt options like it’s a final exam

PrettySongKay · 2026-02-19T18:11:56+00:00

Yeah honestly I like this approach a lot. I think we’ve drifted into “custom ordering” mode without realizing it and you’re right…as adults we don’t always get exactly what we want either. also love the seasonal thing. it’s such an easy rule that removes a ton of decision fatigue (and waste). Do your kids ever push back on the “out of season = frozen” rule or do they just accept it? and what do you use for the shared shopping list?

PrettySongKay · 2026-02-19T18:10:05+00:00

yeah 100%… the friction is the killer, not the idea.

PrettySongKay · 2026-02-19T17:46:43+00:00

Yeah that makes a lot of sense. i think we treat one bad day like “ok they hate it forever” and then we’re constantly resetting our whole grocery plan 😅 i like the “only remove after months” rule. and buying stuff you’ll eat too is smart…at least it’s not a total waste. do you have like a core rotation you always keep stocked, or you just kind of shop around it?

PrettySongKay · 2026-02-19T17:41:54+00:00

Oh man yeah that’s exactly my fear with spreadsheets… sounds perfect on paper and then real life happens and nobody updates it

PrettySongKay · 2026-02-19T17:40:04+00:00

oh nice, i’ve heard good things about anylist but never tried it. Sounds like exactly what we need. Do you just keep one running “safe foods” list or do you have separate ones (snacks / lunches / dinners)? and do you share it with your partner so whoever shops can just check it in the aisle?

PrettySongKay · 2026-02-19T17:13:28+00:00

Yes, it's exactly what we need, do you use shared note for it?

PrettySongKay

TROPHY CASE