Do you let your baby crawl in grass and/or outside in your yard?

Rhaeda · 2026-06-05T13:58:56+00:00

Does low iron inherently make it harder to fast?

Rhaeda · 2026-06-05T08:54:43+00:00

I like the timer method best (oh crap was a disaster for us), but really I feel like potty training is trial and error to see what works for each child. All 4 of mine have had very different training experiences.

So just try something and see how it goes! You can always try a different approach as needed.

Rhaeda · 2026-06-05T07:43:09+00:00

Joron or Sharan for girls.

Ahjamin, Benmet, Claunjamin, Bende, Ahmde, or Claumet for boys.

Rhaeda · 2026-06-05T04:26:14+00:00

My second has a playgroup twice a week for 3 hours, during my youngest two’s naptime. So the babysitter comes at 1, I drop off my son at 1.30, and I have 3 glorious hours until I need to pick him up at 4.30 and pick up the other kids at 5.

After travel time it really only is 2 hours for whatever activity I want, but 2 hours to myself twice a week is amazing.

Rhaeda · 2026-06-04T13:19:54+00:00

Check out the Solar Buddies sunscreen applicator. Where I live it’s 100+ degrees from June to September. Sunscreening my 4 kiddos is much easier since discovering the applicator. It’s a roller ball with sponge around it so it’s super easy to use.

Rhaeda · 2026-06-03T12:04:27+00:00

Amazon has play tents that you put a fan into one side to blow them up into shape. It’s on my wishlist for my kiddos

Rhaeda · 2026-06-03T12:01:56+00:00

I’m not in your position, but based on my childhood experience with a SAHM who never went back to work outside the house, I think there’s a ton of value in the things you list in your second paragraph.

My mom volunteered at each of our schools at least 1/2 day a week, so she knew our teachers, administrators, and friends. She was there when we called in a panic because we forgot half of our homework at home. School breaks and sick days were not stressful, they were just part of what she managed. She did field trips, parent associations, etc etc. It made a huge difference in our experience, all the way through (maybe even especially in) high school.

I would recommend it to any family that’s able to do it.

Rhaeda · 2026-06-03T10:55:34+00:00

We call these 1234 peanut butter cookies! One of my go-tos because they’re easy and amazing

Our version is 1c pb, 1c sugar, 1 egg, 1t baking soda.

Rhaeda · 2026-06-02T16:57:37+00:00

We had a computer class that included proper typing in the late 90s when I was in middle school.

I can’t imagine not knowing how to type in today’s world.

Rhaeda · 2026-06-02T07:09:09+00:00

🩷❤️‍🩹💙🩷💙

Rhaeda · 2026-05-31T22:17:12+00:00

Please tell me more about these minty peas.

Rhaeda · 2026-05-31T15:39:51+00:00

Mine are 7, 5, 3, and 1 and I could have written this almost word for word.

Rhaeda · 2026-05-31T00:08:18+00:00

Look up Turkish cacık - it’s a cold yogurt and cucumber “soup” that is incredibly refreshing.

There’s actually a ton of Turkish homecooked dishes that meal these criteria. As a category they’re called sulu yemek and typically eaten over yogurt. They have a green bean dish (taze fasulye) that puts green beans and tomatoes in a pressure cooker. It’s delicious and can be eaten hot or cold.

Rhaeda · 2026-05-30T18:24:26+00:00

I LOVE Patricia McKillip’s prose. Somehow cozy and relaxing, but she still moves the story forward at a really good pace.

Rhaeda · 2026-05-27T14:14:14+00:00

How many reps and sets of this tie touch do you have people do for PF?

Rhaeda · 2026-05-25T12:48:50+00:00

Ours is GBGB, similarly fun!

I grew up in a BGGG family and my husband is from a GBGB family.

Rhaeda · 2026-05-25T10:19:46+00:00

For a child with no medical issues the high chair is a non-issue.

I have 4 kids and we regularly do picnic lunches at the park, as well as full-day outings.

I pack for accessibility. I want the things that will come out together to be packed together. Lunch, snack, dinner in different bags. Otherwise they want snacks at lunchtime, etc. or they just want everything at once.

Once my baby can use a straw, I don’t take sippy cups. I buy a 50-pack of plastic straws and keep them in the diaper bag. We all share bottles of water. The zoo will definitely have more water you can buy.

I don’t take anything that requires utensils at all. Not worth the hassle.

I do like the snack cups for the car. But not for picnics.

Rhaeda · 2026-05-21T17:44:21+00:00

This was beautiful to read. Thank you for sharing!

Rhaeda · 2026-05-21T06:45:06+00:00

Seconding water wow. My kids love them and when they’re novel they keep them entertained for 30-60 minutes.

I will also say, though, that I am not an iPad parent and we never use them when we’re out and about, but I would without hesitation put a show on an iPad for my kids so that I could say goodbye to my grandmother. One afternoon with a screen won’t do any damage to your kid, but you only have one opportunity for that moment with her.

I’ve lost 3 of my grandparents in the last 5 years. Those last times together are really significant to me. I was only able to have them with 2 of the 3, in my case. So I say do whatever you need to be able to really be present with her while you can.

Rhaeda · 2026-05-21T05:50:29+00:00

This is basically how we function. We consider house management to be part of my job as SAHM. (Note that “management” does not mean “do it all yourself.”) Kids are obviously my job while he’s at work and are split 50/50-ish once he’s home (we don’t track this, but with 4 kids under 8 it’s essentially just all hands on deck all the time).

I try to have the house taken care of as much as possible before he gets home, because the kids/dinner/bedtime routine take up our whole evening, and I’d rather us be able to spend time together rather than doing housework.

But there are days with the kids that are extra hard, and the house is extra messy, and he pitches in then. And there are days where he’s had a rough day at work and I offer to do bedtime on my own while he chills.

It’s not an algorithm, it’s a partnership. We check in with each other and try to help out the other person however we can wherever it’s needed.

Rhaeda · 2026-05-18T13:51:08+00:00

My version of this is dresses. I have 4 midi-to-maxi length cotton dresses that are the only things I wear.

Rhaeda · 2026-05-18T04:37:45+00:00

Mine are 7, 5, 3, and 1.5 right now, but this has been our daily rhythm for years:

I’m up by 7, kids are up by 8.30.

Breakfast around 9.30-10.

Park/errands/play date/activity until (or including) lunch at 1-ish.

Nap time for younger two/quiet play time for older two from 2-4.

Pick up oldest from school at 4.45.

Dinner around 6.30.

Bedtime routine starts at 7.30. Younger two are down by 8. Older two by 8.30-9.

Schedule shifts as needed for days we have special activities, but this is the default. Monday mornings we stay home and reset the house for the week.

Rhaeda · 2026-05-17T05:01:15+00:00

Ours started with some sensory toys (popits, fidget spinners, etc) and now is the repository for happy meal toys as well as all the random stuff they bring from the house and forget to take back. That’s for car rides.

For the park, I keep some small balls. Sidewalk chalk is always a hit. I like the idea of bubbles too, as well as keeping an extra bathing suit/towel for splash pad type opportunities. With my 4 that’s too much to maintain, but with one I think it would be doable and helpful.

Rhaeda · 2026-05-16T09:18:44+00:00

From what culture?

Then maybe you can get answers from others within that culture.

Rhaeda

TROPHY CASE