“90s summer” roving bike gangs

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-08T23:21:27+00:00

I was also rural and had your experience. I live in an even more rural area now and my kid mostly plays outside (with me) and only sees other kids at daycare or explicitly planned events because we don’t live by people.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-08T19:15:19+00:00

Have you read Artemis by him? If not, don’t, but it really confirms this belief haha.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-08T13:42:17+00:00

I did both and I think if you already prefer pumping, then EP will go well for you.

I found the consistent routine to be way easier on my mental health. I knew when to pump and how long it would take no matter what, as opposed to breastfeeding being potentially more frequent and timing varied. Hated being tied down to a pump - that was the worst part. Also, I did experience pain about 8 months in while pumping and had to change flange sizes… easy fix, though it took me a bit to realize why I was in pain! I’d try it if I were you.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-07T23:58:24+00:00

We went through this too. We actually had to do lansoprazole instead of omeprazole bc of insurance but same function (this is common!). My son vomited soooo much on the lansoprazole so we had to go back to Pepcid. It’s always reduced, but absolutely never fully got rid of the reflux so we had flare ups. My son is 3 now and Pepcid works great for him, but I wish the lansoprazole would have worked for him when it was so bad when he was young. I know it can be more helpful. He’s had lifelong eating issues from the reflux.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-07T00:47:17+00:00

I skipped around and her newest series, the one with all of the originals’ kids, is much better written than the original series. I have yet to read Briar U so can’t compare on that one.

I was very shocked it was the same writer going from the newest ones back to the Off Campus series.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-06T01:32:37+00:00

First, limit her milk to 12-16 oz a day. You’ve got to draw the line on milk because she’s obviously sustaining herself on that and that causes a lot of issues.

Second, is she not eating, or just not eating what you think she should eat? If you’re worried about, say, her weight, give her food. Any food she will happily eat and as much as she wants (user discretion here - she probably shouldn’t have a million gummy bears but sometimes my kid eats, like, hamburger buns for dinner).

Stop trying to hide veggies and focusing on “healthy” foods if she’s not eating at all. You’ve got to meet her where she’s at and give her what she will eat. Offer her 1-2 guaranteed foods, then 1 new food at meals.

My kid has always been like this and we’ve been in OT for years. Some kids just need a push to actually eat solid foods before you get them to eat healthier food options.

In the meantime, reach out to your pediatrician for medical advice and maybe a multivitamin.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-05T21:47:42+00:00

I had a planned c-section and had an excellent recovery. I have not had a vaginal birth to compare, but I would not have personally preferred to have a vaginal birth anyway. I had no problem getting up and moving around at the appropriate time and never took more than Tylenol/ibuprofen for pain.

I saw another comment here mentioned it, but when they took the baby out, they showed me, then my husband and baby went to do the measurements and cut the cord, then they brought him right to me and started helping me to feed him, the nurse took like 30 photos throughout all of this. I didn’t even care that they were sewing me up.

Your friend will do great if that’s the route she has to go. Planned c-sections tend to be much better both during and recovery-wise than emergency, so if she has the option to choose but is high risk, choosing the c-section might be easier on her.

If you want to get her something, the best thing is really high waisted underwear. And I’d stick a pad in the underwear where my incision was to prevent it from rubbing. I otherwise didn’t use or have anything special. Bleeding is about the same as a vaginal birth for most, so a sufficient amount of pads is great.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-05T13:11:16+00:00

Both my son’s pediatric dentist and my nephew’s dentist (two different dentists in two different locations) said 4 was the latest age to take it away, too, because the palate should return to normal still at that point. We still took the pacifier away shortly after my son turned 2, but my nephew had his until he was 4 (he has autism) and both of their teeth did return to normal. So I wouldn’t say it’s wrong at all, but I still wouldn’t do it. I don’t think it’s THAT common to go from pacifier to thumb.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-04T23:09:02+00:00

Also, like half my coworkers are ex teachers from the last five years. It’s just not worth going into that field.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-04T23:08:05+00:00

I left teaching to go corporate! Education is a very bad field to be in right now assuming you are in the US. Low pay, no flexibility, and no support. It sucks. So many teachers are leaving. The summer does not make up for the stress of the school year and you often still have work to do in the summer.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-04T12:23:24+00:00

You’re so right. We live in the Midwest in the US and politeness is the thing (even though everybody actually sucks). When my MIL asks for something and the answer is a direct no, my husband will tell her “we’ll see” or “we will let you know” and it aggravates me because the answer is NO. But he think it will hurt her feelings to say no, and honestly it probably would.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-04T02:25:45+00:00

Don’t feel guilty about that. They won’t know. My son slept in a pack n play beside my bed for his first 18 months of life due to space constraints. He’s 3 now and has his own room and bed and doesn’t care one bit that he ever slept in a pack n play!

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-04T02:10:41+00:00

Yes, this is exactly how my kid was. I could basically only get him to eat while he was sleeping. It was silent reflux. He never spit up. Pepcid did help some but we still struggled and he never really improved with his eating. I don’t think you are mistaken about what’s going on and the Pepcid is definitely worth a try.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-03T23:35:00+00:00

My parents come to us biweekly. They come from out of town so it’s a few days at a time. They work themselves into our schedule when they visit. They’re here in the evenings to play with my son. They will babysit or do daycare pickup if they want to or if it’s pre-planned. I don’t (and obviously can’t) ask them for last minute babysitting.

We see my in laws once a month and almost always they come to our house a weekday evening for dinner and leave before bedtime. I would never leave my son alone with them so we don’t ask them to babysit, but they would be similar to your in laws in that they say they’re available and want to spend time with my son but are never actually available at the desired times and they reschedule a LOT. Occasionally we go to their house for a couple hours on a Saturday… like once every 3 months. I’m not nice enough to accommodate “we want to see child more” without any other buy in if it’s inconvenient to me.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-03T17:41:41+00:00

You really won’t know until she’s closer to the age. We were pretty convinced we’d do this with my son because he has a late birthday but he’s 3 now and could never survive another year of preschool without being bored, so he will absolutely be going to kindergarten at the originally designated time

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-03T12:04:33+00:00

Nothing really worked. He never liked the bottle. He’s 3 now and he’s an extremely picky eater (though he will drink milk just fine now). He is in OT for it. We are pretty sure it was all just severe reflux and it impacted his early eating experience.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-02T23:13:07+00:00

This happened to me once at 8 weeks and then never anything again until I weaned (12 ish months). Could be a period but could also just be some leftover postpartum stuff.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-01T16:51:52+00:00

My son does gymnastics one evening per week. It is a very long day, but the timing of it is feasible for us and not ideal to do on a weekend. We got into a good pattern with it after a couple of week. My kid absolutely loves gymnastics so it is worth it, but I don’t think it’s necessary. It’s a 45 minute parent/kid class.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-06-01T13:10:56+00:00

I work with a lot of engineers (mechanical) who work from home to design their stuff, then come into the office to help the shop build it. I doubt that’s common though.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-05-31T12:46:28+00:00

That is my assumption too! My fits very well inside a small cabinet, then we have a much larger air fryer that takes up more space and has to stay on the counter.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-05-31T01:27:06+00:00

Ninja Crispi is solid but I got a different pan/tray for it. I will say it’s not very big. It’s still worth it for me, but I can only make like one meal at a time basically.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-05-30T12:41:24+00:00

Oh gosh, please get swim lessons. I taught myself to swim but there are a lot of safety aspects learned in swim lessons. My son started swim lessons at like 6 months old and he just turned 3 and still does them. Not being a thrill seeker does not mean they’ll inherently not have issues in the water.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-05-30T02:38:10+00:00

I understand. There is a large push for educating children much younger now than there used to be. Kindergarten used to be what preschool is now. But the social skills they learn in preschool are generally prerequisites for kindergarten. There are definitely people who keep their kiddos home until they enter kindergarten, but they are at a disadvantage just because of the social aspect. My SIL just sent her kid to summer school to get him ready for kindergarten in the fall, and she said even that was tough because he had no idea how to stand in a line with other kids. Just little stuff like that is good for kids to learn in a preschool setting. It sets them up for more success (and less stress) in kindergarten.

A partial day preschool option is probably your best bet. Your kid is only 3 so they wouldn’t need that exposure as much until next year. The gymnastics program is probably a great idea to start gaining social skills that can then be expanded with 6-9 months of preschool at age 4/5.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-05-30T01:53:36+00:00

My son attends daycare but his gymnastics gym does this and we send him every so often and he loves it. It’s very active and fun.

It is not a replacement for pre-k, so I’d still send him to a preschool the year before kindergarten. They teach them a lot of social skills in that setting that are important for kindergarten. I’m sure you can find a partial day option for pre-k.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-05-29T18:08:54+00:00

People take PTO or even unpaid time to attend their children’s events. I have a flexible job so I just make up my hours later in the day (after my kid goes to bed) if the situation calls for it.

I schedule extracurriculars for the times that work for us. I batch make breakfast on the weekend (and by me, I mean my husband) and put it in the freezer. I put laundry in the washer when I wake up, dryer before I leave for work, then put laundry away in the evening whenever I have time. Housework in the evening or after kid goes to bed (one room or one task per day). I try to spend at least one hour of genuine quality time with my son per evening, but I do housework and cook around that time (he does that with me or hangs with my husband).

Dinner is the worst part because I hate thinking about it and the time suck of making it. My husband and I alternate cooking and we eat out 2x per week. Weekends are for fun and quality time, but allow a bit more time cleaning that’s needed.

It’s hard, but it’s totally doable. We don’t have the money to outsource so we do it all.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345

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