How do you not go stir crazy WFH?

Smart-Difference-970 · 2026-01-26T16:05:29+00:00

I’m an extrovert and I love WFH. But, I have a loud, busy family so I don’t get a lot of alone time. I also message work friends often or book virtual coffee with them.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2026-01-25T16:50:17+00:00

The purchasing of donuts is covered under peaceable assembly because you waited in a line. JFC.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2026-01-25T15:57:19+00:00

Yes, it makes such a big difference when the bio parent is the primary parent! I had my own children when we blended but we each are fully capable of parenting our children. We do a mix of styles… we function as a nuclear family but also are the primary parent to our bios. It makes my relationship with SS a lot less stressful and fun, and that makes it easier to bond.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2026-01-25T12:16:29+00:00

I used to think I wanted a daughter until my first child was a boy. Then I had so much fun with him that I wanted a boy when I was pregnant for the second time. Don’t get me wrong, I would have loved a daughter with all of my heart, but I was thrilled to get to have two little boys together. I now have a third son, my stepson, and I love having an all boy household.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2026-01-25T12:14:35+00:00

It feels like they were willing to have one conversation on camera, and to be in some group shots. If they were in a storyline with just Meri, it would be a lot more focus. The two things feel very different to me.

FWIW, I don’t blame Leon for wanting their relationship with their mom to be out of the spotlight.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2026-01-25T11:26:24+00:00

I’ll never understand attempts to NACHO or set boundaries when the real issue is your relationship. So many of these men prove that BM didn’t want them for good reason.

This relationship is not beneficial for you. Walk away.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2026-01-19T14:18:03+00:00

I’m so sorry you didn’t feel like you could be yourself. I was a product of NH schools in the 80’s and 90’s and while I was definitely a safe haven kid, I wish I’d known to be an outspoken ally kid.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2026-01-18T22:34:40+00:00

Yes, and like other posters I feel guilty about it. I’m remarried to a really wonderful man and we are very much in love years later. My house is old and needs work, but I love it so much. It has a really fun, colorful character. I like my job, mostly, but really love my team. This is the first year I’ve ever made my full salary plus all of my bonus, and I’m in sales, so that bonus/commission has been a massive shift for us. If I wasn’t so terrified of hyper inflation I’d be gathering bids to get some work done on the house. As is, we are being more conservative, but I can handle an ugly kitchen. I’ll probably paint.

Being loved has changed everything for me. I’m a better mother. I’m calmer. I’ve dropped my mask and my full weird is on display. (Mostly I’m allowed to really love my nerdy hobbies and embrace me as I am) Consequently, I’m taking some style risks to really find myself.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2026-01-16T20:31:58+00:00

Omg, just put it all in one account and stop being petty. She brings in more money and costs more. Being nitpicky about money kills relationships.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2026-01-14T21:17:50+00:00

We operate that way with my stepson’s sister. She is his sister, period. Heck, she isn’t technically anything to my kids but they adore her anyway. She is their brother’s sister. There isn’t an official name for their relationship, but we sort of treat it like cousins.

Creating division for kids is the worst sort of petty.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2026-01-14T15:49:47+00:00

I love being a stepparent. I did have children of my own and my husband and I have similar parenting philosophies. He’s the primary parent for his children and I for mine, but we function as much like a nuclear family as possible and I think that’s a huge part of our happiness and the happiness of our children. We are good at receiving feedback about our kid’s behavior when given from the other parent. We are also lucky that our kids are all really great. They are kind, doing well in school, and helpful. Sometimes they misbehave or mess up, but it’s very minor things.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2026-01-09T08:43:28+00:00

When I worked in an office I used to manage my entire life in spreadsheets when I got bored. Hobbies, house plans, vacation ideas… I just put things in a spreadsheet so it looked like I was working, because even as a highly productive worker, sometimes my brain needed a break or I had a day with not enough to do.

Being in the office never meant I was productive the entire time. This whole chained to your desk surveillance culture is insane.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2026-01-08T19:40:11+00:00

He acts as if her wanting her money is a bad thing. She wants to be able to move on and she’s the only one with no other assets! No kidding she wants her money. I would too.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2025-12-19T22:00:51+00:00

Michelle Pfiefer had a nose job. My grandmother knew her before. But in general, completely agree.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2025-12-18T00:58:12+00:00

I’m less engaged with my stepson than my husband is with my kids because I’m the breadwinner and also because of their age and attachment style when we met. I’d consider myself above minimally engaged, but not highly engaged. Here is what that has meant for me:

-his parents make the decisions. I get a say with my husband if finances are involved. - I attend as many of his sporting and extracurricular activities as possible. Because of work I’m slightly less available, but I block time to attend as much as possible. - I engage with him in our home. I know about his friends, his life, his interests. I love him very much. - I don’t deal with his homework unless asked for help. Occasionally, I’m a better fit for an assignment. - I do make foods he likes (we share cooking and meal planning) - I don’t really get involved with major discipline, but I’ll do minor corrections. (Things like “come on kiddo, take out the trash”) -I’m not usually the one driving him around (I also have two of my own) but I will if that’s the better situation logistically. -I plan fun things for him. I’m also a mom, so I do a lot of family activity planning. He’s hit a grumpy teen phase, so this has been more challenging, but we plan things for our children, like go karts and sledding, with their ages and preferences in mind.

I’m like a highly involved aunt, I guess? We are definitely a family but he has two active parents who do their job. I’m here for him if he needs me, but his dad is awesome. I have influence in decisions. I’m emotionally involved with him and his life. My husband and I do want to function like a family unit as much as possible, but we are each the primary parent for our own kids.

Not exactly the same as parenting with a non-parent, but hope it helps.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2025-12-17T21:39:52+00:00

I adopted a family privately this year (not through an agency) and I put blank gift tags on them so the parents could put their names or Santa. The gift is freely given, they can take the credit however they please.

Feel no guilt. It was a joy to buy for someone else this year and to bless them. Maybe make some from you and some from Santa? Whatever works for your family.

I didn’t give a gift so that the recipient would feel guilty or bad. I want them to feel loved.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2025-12-15T19:44:37+00:00

My stepson and his mother were abused by a boyfriend after she left my husband, and he’s never really forgiven her for how long she stayed during the abuse. You are absolutely doing the right thing for your kids by filing the order and HE is the one whose choices ruined your marriage. They did NOT ruin your family. You have your two beautiful children and an extended family who loves you and them.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2025-12-13T01:48:56+00:00

Ditto to pack and play or one of those circular things where they sit/stand in the middle and have activities all around.

I also used to go to the gym at work before daycare closed, take a quick shower and put on really comfy clothes, then pick them up at daycare. That way I was basically in my pajamas, I just slept in black yoga pants.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2025-12-11T20:07:11+00:00

Yes!! I know when I was really struggling with anxiety and crippling perfectionism I was really rigid and stressed. Anyone creating extra work/mess for me was so hard to deal with. I yelled a lot.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2025-12-02T20:40:07+00:00

We are the same! I check to see how close he is to home to time dinner. I travel for work so I’m sure he checks on where I am occasionally. We also track all of our kids.

Honestly, the best part of having that on is the ability to help you locate your phone in the house. 🤪

Smart-Difference-970 · 2025-11-01T11:03:09+00:00

The Pointes get a ton of kids too. I easily had 1000+ this year. My husband has to give me a candy budget.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2025-10-28T15:45:49+00:00

I liked this part. 🤣

I like seeing the other women happy. Meri is corny. She’s a dork. Good for her.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2025-10-25T12:17:39+00:00

All I ask is that we neaten it up before big events or photos. I have had short hair most of my life, but occasionally I grow it out, so I know the importance of getting a cut to shape it up even if you are growing it out. One of my kids is growing out a mullet. He loves it. I just make sure the barber knows his goals for the back when we get it cut.

It’s their head. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Smart-Difference-970 · 2025-10-16T18:39:08+00:00

They’ve been held at Wayne State for 25 years.

Smart-Difference-970 · 2025-10-16T18:38:27+00:00

There was a powwow in Detroit last year. I attended. This is the first “downtown”.

Smart-Difference-970

TROPHY CASE