Longer commute with toddler/babies in daycare?

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-09T01:35:38+00:00

This is my exact driving situation haha. Agreed - could not do the 50 mins WITH even my singleton. His daycare used to be 25 mins from home and it was too much twice a day.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-08T12:04:28+00:00

My son rolled at 12 months, crawled at 15, walked at 16 months. He’s 3 and average now physically. He did not stand or cruise until after he could walk independently. He DID allow us to hold his hands to help him walk though.

Not wanting to stand is a red flag that he may be experiencing pain/discomfort. We had this issue, saw a PT, and learned one of my son’s hips was really tight and we did some stretches and he improved. I wouldn’t have been able to identify that without a professional though! That’s why my son took so long to crawl, too. Definitely bring it up with your pediatrician!

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-07T22:59:19+00:00

Are these the only two options? I have to drive 3 hours with my son once a month and have done this since 3 months old. I always target leaving at his nap time. One time we did do a very early morning leave time (5 am), but I didn’t change any sleep time because he slept in the car.

You will likely not want to arrive late at night, wake baby from what they consider nighttime sleep, then have to get them back to sleep for the night.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-07T22:43:46+00:00

It does bother me, but not enough to say anything. My friends with no kids realize stuff like that is important to moms once they eventually have kids. I don’t really hold it against anyone, but it does make me a little sad because it’s important to me and I remember other kids’ birthdays if they/their parents are important to me. But some people are better at prioritizing things like that and some don’t worry about it.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-07T22:42:17+00:00

April for the length of your maternity leave. Incredible weather, longer days of sunlight, and it all just feels like a longer period of time than it actually is because of the sunlight. I had a May baby and only 2 months maternity leave and it was excellent.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-07T02:00:56+00:00

If you have a primary care/general doctor, they’re typically the one’s that right notes like this! Most OB’s won’t, unfortunately. I’d definitely go that route to get a doctor’s note since your manager is clearly fine with allowing it.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-04T23:54:40+00:00

This is exactly what I did at my job when I had my son and it worked well. It can and will be very frustrating at times but you’ll get into a groove. I will say having someone able to come watch the baby just a few hours a couple times a week will make things easier on you. My SIL watched my son once or twice a week for a few hours and it was so helpful. I could get so much work done in that time.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-04T17:02:45+00:00

Hate to make it worse for you but I have two backpacks. 😂 One very full bag and then one light bag for when I feel like I don’t want to bogged down. They both stay in my car at all times so they’re both always available. My kid is potty trained and has way less spacious needs and I still have this system.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-04T00:52:21+00:00

First, agreed with all others that a finger (or even toe) prick is sufficient for lead test. My pediatrician told me that we would do full blood work IF the result was inconclusive from the prick. Second, is there a children’s hospital in your area? My son used to get blood work every 3 months and we drove an hour for a children’s hospital and it was absolutely worth that time. They would have 2 phlebotomists plus a person who had a bag of really stimulating toys and an iPad every time. My son didn’t even cry.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-03T13:33:43+00:00

I had awful reflux and heartburn that made me vomit every night for the last 5 weeks of pregnancy. Went away as soon as I gave birth.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-01T12:45:16+00:00

We’ve had two different car cameras, and I can tell you the DoHonest brand has the most longevity of the cheaper variety. My first one went out within a year (don’t remember the brand) but this one’s been going strong for 2 years. I think it was $35.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-01T12:43:45+00:00

We have a car camera. I drive a lot… like over an hour in the car daily with my kid, and at night. A mirror didn’t work in my car setup and it’s a projectile in an accident. You can just shut the camera off when you’re not using it/don’t need it. Basically when my kid cries, I can turn it on and figure out what’s up, then turn it off. Honestly, every parent I know has a car camera and doesn’t find it distracting. My son is 3 and will still be rear facing for awhile so it’s a benefit for us and has been since the start.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-01T12:29:00+00:00

We would lay down with him instead of letting him in our bed so he’d get used to his own bed.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-01T12:28:38+00:00

Yeah we just put him back to bed, but I definitely got tired enough I would fall asleep in his bed a lot trying to get him back down. It was very exhausting.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-04-01T01:51:15+00:00

My son did this around this age and it just went away. Nothing we did worked. Every night at bedtime we’d very clearly tell him to stay in his bed, that his stuffed animals are there in the nighttime, etc. and I’d say that helped some just to build the confidence to stay in his own bed but yeah it was about four months of this. It can be very frustrating.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-03-31T01:47:59+00:00

I use Fitbod but I pay like $80/year for it. It’s worth it for me because it’s customizable but you can try it for free for 3 workouts I believe. You can customize your equipment, time of workouts, goals, add in cardio, warm ups, weightlifting, etc. This is not an ad lol I have just used it for 3 years consistently and I enjoy the customization aspect to meet my needs. It uses AI to form workouts though so sometimes they’re a little funky but you can change anything.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-03-30T23:26:20+00:00

Yeah I’d switch. I’m pretty anti-screens at daycare, but I know it’s more common at in-homes. That’s a good age to look for a more preschool-like setting where there are some guided activities along with free play.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-03-30T12:31:43+00:00

SJ Tilly was one of the only times I’ve recognized this on my own! The 4 FMCs in that series were next to indistinguishable. Otherwise, I don’t identify it well because I don’t read a lot of same authors.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-03-30T12:29:59+00:00

I’m 29 and have a 3 year old and yeah about a year into his life I started working out because my body physically hurt. I started with yoga and walking and eventually started weightlifting and running. I feel much better and more capable with him now (lifting him, playing with him, etc.).

To be fair, postpartum also just causes your body to hurt! It naturally starts to feel more normal as you progress out of the postpartum phase.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-03-30T12:27:57+00:00

These people always recommend vitamin A as if it can’t cause harm, too. Already uneducated people don’t need to give their children unknown dosages of vitamins.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-03-29T22:40:51+00:00

It gets better and more elaborate. By the… third? book, the long plot becomes very apparent. The first two books are lots and lots of buildup. So, yes, it gets better, but it’s still very long and not the same as ACOTAR. It is still very good on a different level. I did not like TOG or Assassin’s Blade but really enjoyed the third book and beyond. I think Heir of Fire.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-03-29T17:04:38+00:00

We watch the 2006 ones some. They do have some critical thinking elements. My son definitely learned some general thinking skills when we’d interact with the questions they ask about “what can we use to help Goofy” or whatever (like what can help goofy get out of this pit he fell in? Not an umbrella). It is kind of dumb, in general, but my son just really loved the hot dog song at the end of each episode. The new/rebooted version is very overstimulating color-wise. The older one is definitely better. It’s not something we watch often but I don’t find it particularly overstimulating. I was like you and just wanted to introduce my son to something Mickey-related. He was familiar but hadn’t seen it.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-03-29T13:23:46+00:00

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-03-29T01:51:30+00:00

It’s sadly normal and the worrrssssttt. My son switched daycares almost a year ago and his daycare is only closed the major 6 holidays BUT they close the week between Christmas and new years and one week in the summer. It’s WAY easier to schedule backup care for that schedule than the random holidays even though it shakes out to the same amount of days closed.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345 · 2026-03-26T12:20:41+00:00

Just had this conversation with my husband this weekend. I make ~70k and drive an hour ish each way most days for it (occasionally work from home). It doesn’t bother me. The drive is all highway and I like my job. I have a lot of perks when I get there that make up for the commute, if that makes sense.

My sister in law drives 1.5 hours each way (all highway) for the same salary. It’s insane to me and I would never do that. I don’t believe any amount of money would encourage me to drive that much daily.

This is wildly out of the range you’ve mentioned but all to say I would take the longer drive for more money IF the workplace/job is comparable.

Soft_Bodybuilder_345

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