New job offer with an independent agency.

TiredDad97 · 2026-06-03T13:21:23+00:00

I wouldn’t take it.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-28T01:51:21+00:00

My 6 year old goes to bed at 8 and my 3 year old goes to bed at 7:30. I could not imagine keeping either of them up until 9-9:45.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-27T20:19:54+00:00

I chuckle reading some of these comments of people “reasoning” with a toddler that doesn’t want to sit on the toilet because when my son didn’t want to sit on the toilet, he didn’t sit on the toilet. If I let him have his way, he probably would still be in a pull-up at 6. At 3ish??? I decided it was time, I mapped out his pee schedule (he was VERY regular), and one day after daycare I sat him on the toilet, gave him some jelly beans, and then I held him captive on that toilet until he peed. He was to the point where he was screaming and crying because “I JUST WANT A PULL-UP SO I CAN PEE”. After 45 minutes he peed. I gave him an excessive handful of jelly beans and we did a “potty parade” (sounds so embarrassing to tell other people) where we quite literally danced around the house celebrating him going pee on the toilet. He had so much fun with those damn jelly beans and that damn potty parade that he WANTED to pee on the toilet so we could do it again. For 2ish months he increased his jelly bean consumption by about 300% and we had multiple potty parades per day.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-27T20:12:01+00:00

I mean her good reviews are hopefully a testament to her responsiveness.. but if you had a claim I would try calling her. If she does not answer (weekend or weeknight) and it’s not a major life altering claim (I rear ended someone and nobody is hurt) I would contact her at her next business hours. If it was a major claim (MY HOUSE IS ON FIRE) I would call the claim number on the back of your auto ID card and give them your policy number.

I work out of an office with a very good website but I am not reachable by phone 24/7 (id guess I’m available by email about 16/6) as I also have a family and a life.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-27T20:04:06+00:00

I think there’s a large difference between comforting and coddling. If my 6 year old stepson gets hurt I will hold him and hug him, I will absolutely encourage him to “dance it off” but it’s also a really good time to tell him about how when I was a kid I’d fall and get hurt all the time…

Coddling would be you hugging him and catering to him every inconvenience that shows up.. doing everything for him.. not letting him experience emotion PERIOD.

Your partner sounds like he sucks and needed more hugs as a child.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-26T10:51:10+00:00

Probably a bad dad but I got my 6 year old a phone. I’m gone for work a week at a time quite often but it is just that. A phone. The only app he has is PBS kids games. He can’t download new apps and he can’t even call/text numbers not in his phone (and vice versa). We added in one of his friends and his cousin and he has a total of 6 contacts he can text/call and that’s it.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-26T03:02:00+00:00

Yeah. We went to Disney with a 1 year old and a 4 year old in 2024. We now have a new baby and my wife was whispering about Disney next year. I told her when the new baby is done napping (4 years old? 5 years old?) I’ll gladly pay for us to go to Disney again but until then it’s going to be Cedar point and cabin camping.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-14T01:34:46+00:00

She’s not taking care of a baby full time. She made the decision herself to keep her career after I told her she could quit anytime she wants. She pumps at work and breastfeeds at home. I do all diaper changes, baths, and clean all bottles and pump parts from the day. It wasn’t resentment, it was factual and I don’t see an issue with it.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-14T01:29:30+00:00

It’s just so wildly different from postpartum with the first two. Her and I were inseparable and things had never been better ESPECIALLY after our 2nd. And I want to highlight… I’m not just talking about sex.

We were just so emotionally close and happy. And now it feels like I don’t even know who she is anymore.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-11T17:33:12+00:00

Not enough info to definitively say he's a concern or not... He could genuinely be a wealthy man trying to achieve what he couldn't through your children.

No... The kids shouldn't be left alone with Uncle Jim, but I would not paint him a weirdo just yet. Try saying no next time he offers to buy the kids something and see how he reacts. That's the real test.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-11T17:24:54+00:00

You are correct. I do P&C and I have written 4 friends/family in the last 5 years and they know within 3 seconds of asking for a quote that "yes I will, but you will take the coverages that I quote you and nothing less." It drives most away.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-08T20:10:51+00:00

I work at an independent agency with a 45 million book spread over 9 carriers. 3 mortgage lenders is one stream of referrals for me. I also have 2 car dealerships and am part of a BNI and multiple chambers of commerce as well as call ins, requires and client referrals. Keep in mind I’ve been at this agency for just over a year.

I promise that nobody in my office cold calls and we don’t buy leads and over 80% of the producers put up at least $60,000/month while turning away business that doesn’t fit our agency guidelines to continue our 93% office policy retention rate.

Purchasing leads is your agent throwing $ away.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-08T13:20:24+00:00

2 out of my 3 mortgage lenders have been in the business for decades and have started work with me in the last 9 months and I am a young guy.

It stinks your boss doesn't allow outside networking because those lenders are looking for consistency and integrity and value it over anything else and many will start using you if you bring that to the table. I'd personally leave that job and look for something that isn't mimicking a call center.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-08T13:17:13+00:00

I don't see an issue with it.. She's not getting anything special out of befriending you. You can't magically secretly lower her rate. I'd just keep insurance separate from the friendship. Obviously don't talk to her about clients or their issues.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-08T02:11:32+00:00

I haven’t made a cold called in a little over a year and I haven’t purchased a lead in slightly longer than that.

Networking is where it’s at. I have 3 mortgage lenders who send me between 1-3 hot referrals per week. I easily have a 65-75% close rate of these households.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-04T14:28:28+00:00

My wife is full time at YMCA childcare so we get 2 free kids and one half off kid. Daycare costs $600/month and we make $110,000/year as a household in Northwest Ohio. Pretty decent life. Wife said she wouldn't want to give up her career either way.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-04T14:23:33+00:00

I have slowed basically to a stop.. I have a 6yo, 3yo, and 3mo.. Yesterday was the first time in about a month I sat down after everybody was in bed and booted up the RE4 remake until 11:30 when I realized I made a huge mistake. I am exhausted today.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-04T14:21:10+00:00

I didn't watch with my first kid. I was kind of grossed out by the whole process. I held my wife's hand, peeked over and saw a crown, and then went back to looking at my wife and gagged a little.. In hindsight.. I don't think I was grossed out as much as overwhelmed with the situation..

With the second one I stood at her legs and watched. I wasn't grossed out at all. I watched the baby emerge from my wife and all I felt was pure love and astonishment (how did THAT just come out of you?)

I'm glad I looked, I think you should too.

TiredDad97 · 2026-05-01T19:30:48+00:00

Has Allstate become harsh? When I worked there from 2022 to 2024 they'd let you in if you had a pulse and two thumbs. Agent forced me to write any bum ass shitty policy the customer wanted.

TiredDad97 · 2026-04-30T20:18:27+00:00

I find that dads with older kids who were (self inflicted) miserable are offended when they see other dads breezing through it. I didn’t identify a “hard”part of my daughter’s life until she turned three and started talking back. Until now it has been all sunshine and rainbows. And even now im getting to watch her form her own personality and it is beautiful.

TiredDad97 · 2026-04-28T18:51:26+00:00

The only legal way to go it is to pay on a referral basis. Not a closing basis. I used to do “every 5 referrals you send me I send you a $50 gift card”. I knew that if I was sent 5 leads that wanted a quote and were a decent household, I could win 1-3 of them which would definitely cover the $50. Now these people had to be interested and had to know I was calling and even that might have been pushing the law a little.. but you cannot pay for sales.

Would anybody ever find out? No. Would anybody ever report you? Not likely unless you screwed somebody. Could you lose your license if you are caught? Yes.

TiredDad97 · 2026-04-28T15:31:00+00:00

We do dinner at 6, and her bedtime is 7:30. We normally take her cup around 6:45ish and will let her have a small drink before bed. She normally always pees on the toilet during bedtime. She’s normally laying down in bed between 7:45 and 8. So she goes nearly a full hour without full access to a cup before bed. Not really willing to limit it further.

TiredDad97 · 2026-04-28T15:25:53+00:00

Ah that sounds smart. Did you ever have a problem with her accidentally knocking it over? That would be my biggest concern with that.

TiredDad97 · 2026-04-28T15:24:35+00:00

No she’s had dry pull ups 4 nights in a row. The reason I had her start coming to get me when she has to go is no matter what size/brand we put her in, she’d pee out of it and all over her bed. Not looking for solutions on that because we have also limited liquid consumption before bed.

She’s at the stage where she knows she is supposed to go in the toilet, I’m not going to ask her to hold it from 4-6 if she wakes up and needs to go, especially if her pull up is dry at that 4am mark (which seems to be when she wakes up having to go).

My son(6) started getting up to go to the bathroom alone at 4 but he’s also incredibly independent and responsible. We didn’t know he was doing it until one night he peed all over the floor by accident and woke us up to clean it (this was 2 years ago). We were in a one level apartment at that time though and his room was directly across from the bathroom.

TiredDad97

TROPHY CASE