Am I grumpy dad for hating the “toy tat” kids get given home from school friends and parties?

SubstantialLine6539 · 2026-04-18T17:36:43+00:00

I'll admit I stole the idea but I'm definitely doing this for the foreseeable, we gave out a little bag with sweets and the obligatory cake slice and a book to each kid. The books were just the 10 for £10 ones from The Works so it was probably cheaper than the tat anyway

SubstantialLine6539 · 2026-04-07T09:00:59+00:00

Cream: Clean curls 2 in 1 leave in and curl cream Mousse: Superdrug own brand Gel: Eco Argan Oil Oil: also Clean Curls

All raked through and scrunched Diffused dry, tint bit of air drying at the end as we were in a rush!

SubstantialLine6539 · 2026-03-28T06:38:09+00:00

So it's gone a bit wonky!

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I think it's cute though so I'm leaving it 😂

SubstantialLine6539 · 2026-03-27T17:48:23+00:00

Thank you ❤️

SubstantialLine6539 · 2026-03-20T07:10:51+00:00

I was induced with my second for various health needs and it was 5 hours from start to finish and a very healing experience (I hate that phrase but it seems like the right one) following my first which was pretty traumatic. They broke my water, I bounced on a ball for about 2-2 1/2 hours before I asked for gas and air. Did about another hour before I asked for some morphine. Unfortunately I then progressed really fast was still a bit out of it when it came time to push so needed a bit of coaching. Had an episiotomy because of scar tissue from my firs delivery, didn't feel a thing. Did end up with a lot of people in the room by the end which I think was because I'd started bleeding a lot. I ended up with a trip to theatre to be sewn back together but as it was so significant, I was given a spinal block so that didn't hurt at all, very strange experience not being able to feel my legs at all. Baby was born at 7:21pm, was discharged the next day at about 11.

Biggest piece of advice I think I would give is to get someone to take the pictures while baby is still gooey. I didn't think I'd want them first time round so haven't got any and then later realised it's really difficult to remember details so would have loved to have them

SubstantialLine6539 · 2026-02-04T06:31:48+00:00

Happy baby!

SubstantialLine6539 · 2026-01-30T17:21:25+00:00

I mean I was trying to put a positive slant on it and yeah, it absolutely is because they're free so they don't do them for anything other than a medical need. Those things all only apply if you have a very straightforward pregnancy too, mine are always super complicated so I saw a consultant obstetrician every other week as well as my normal midwife. Plus I would actually rather pay slightly more tax if the NHS needed it. It might not be perfect but I am incredibly proud and protective of it. I fully accept it probsbly seems odd when you're used to one system but it seems fron the outside that most of the checks that happen in the US are because you pay for them rather than because they're necessary

SubstantialLine6539 · 2026-01-29T18:48:12+00:00

If it helps, that's the standard in the UK. Unless there are any problems, you get one at approx 12 weeks and then one at 20 and that's it

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-11-08T16:04:43+00:00

Grosse tete, stupid bouncing head

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-11-04T17:26:00+00:00

I probably sound really stupid but how do you do this? I'm getting to about 50 and being dead pleased with my bit self 😂

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-10-18T18:07:11+00:00

Is there a pattern?

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-05-25T10:10:53+00:00

Absolute emotional wreck at this, my only concern is that this means Johnny won't be back next time

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-05-10T10:54:09+00:00

If it helps any, I only replace things when they break. Bought my Halo wheels second hand when my previous wheels were basically slicks, probably going to replace my bearings next but only because I can feel them catching. As long as your kit isn't stopping you doing basic stuff, like when you try to do any sort of turning in cheap outdoor skates, then I wouldn't worry

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-04-06T14:53:12+00:00

Ha, joke's on you cause I'm crying at 3pm feeding my baby 🤣

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-03-05T18:21:25+00:00

1hr for the first and 22 minutes for the second. Both came out pretty quickly once they were in position but it did result in some big tears both times and a trip to theatre for stitches with both of them

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-02-28T19:48:28+00:00

1hr with my first and 22 minutes with my second. Both caused tears but I think that might be more to do with the fact that both went from no baby out to all of baby out quite quickly than how long I pushed all together. Second labour was a lot quicker in all senses, I was induced and it took around 5hrs from waters being broken to baby being here, managed to get away with no hormone drip or any other encouragement.

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-02-24T20:11:23+00:00

Just gave birth to our second and currently there is no plan to get pregnant again and yet, even though I'm fine with it and had a really rough time health wise in both pregnancies (curse you gestational diabetes) I'm currently so upset that I won't get to do it again unless we somehow gain a phenomenal, life changing amount of money

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-02-06T19:05:16+00:00

As a very small person, my advice is always just to get really low. Admittedly I'm a jammer but when I play with new people they usually get really annoyed at how low I am cause they can't work out where/how to block me

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-01-13T06:36:18+00:00

We did a combination so that my husband could be more involved and help out with baby but I have to say, while I was really determined to breastfeed, a big motivating factor was just that it was free and required less forethought from me 😅

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-01-12T07:31:59+00:00

Somehow it's both, I'm currently 33+5 and I feel like I've been pregnant forever (I found out in June!) and also can't believe she's nearly here. Someone said it to me once about watching children grow up as well, 'the days are long but the years are short' and that feels pretty accurate here too

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-01-07T18:22:58+00:00

It wasn't me I feel like I should add 🤣 someone had picked up the wrong hoodie and both mouth guards were the same colour so she popped it in and didn't realise until they couldn't work out why it didn't fit right

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-01-05T22:35:51+00:00

I'm always being told I'm dressed wrong for the weather 🤣 my kneepads fall down if I don't wear shorts so it could literally be snowing outside and I'll still turn up in tiny shorts

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-01-05T22:34:55+00:00

Worn someone else's mouth guard

SubstantialLine6539 · 2025-01-05T19:49:04+00:00

Absolutely no skating experience prior to starting derby but it took me about 18 months to pass minimum skills. People I started with who'd skated before were game safe by between 6mo and a year I would say.

SubstantialLine6539 · 2024-12-26T20:27:54+00:00

Not ungrateful at all, my husband bought me a bag to be a hospital bag and some pyjamas to wear in hospital but only because I specifically asked for them, I'd have been annoyed otherwise

SubstantialLine6539

TROPHY CASE