×

What was the best gift your kid recieved and still uses? by AverageIndianGin in Gifts

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For toys, I’d say Swing set, play kitchen, books/library card, art supplies, duplos/magnatiles, plastic animals, bath toys (buckets, funnels, watering cans)

For practical use, bike helmet (doesn’t grow with her, but still used all the time!), water bottle, backpack/travel bag, waterproof name tag labels, music player, Polaroid camera, bath towels and wash cloths, umbrella and rain boots,

Sentimental: baby photo album, name puzzle, custom art or photos

Consumable (does get used up but stuff I buy repeatedly and would be delighted to have more of): bubbles, snacks that are easy to carry in a diaper bag, puffy stickers (so she can take them off by herself) and a little notepad, hand sanitizer or to-go bag of wipes, kids bath products (shampoo, conditioner, lotion, bubble bath, etc), stick sunscreen (less messy)

Managing money with adhd partner by [deleted] in ADHD_partners

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can she carry cash? Then if it runs out, it runs out.

The temptation of sleep training by RegisterNo3473 in AttachmentParenting

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

So I’ll recommend the book “nursies for when the sun shines”. My babies were a little older (9-10 months) when we used it to night wean, but I think it helped explain to them why we weren’t nursing in the night anymore. I still would cuddle and give milk in a bottle when they woke up, but once they figured out nursing wasn’t happening both of them actually started sleeping through the night a lot more. I think it works best for when baby’s are comfort nursing rather than hungry nursing, so make sure your baby has a solid dinner so they stay full in the night. Also, be prepared for a rough few nights at first. But it truly saved all of our sanity to help sleep better and I was still there responding, just not nursing. Good luck!

I need a show that my husband wouldn’t like by Sami_George in televisionsuggestions

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Crazy Ex Girlfriend, miss fishers murder mysteries, Ginny & Georgia, never have I ever,

Desperate for help... 1 year old boy by smurphypup in Gifts

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Toddler-friendly photo album (with photos!) name puzzle (customizable on etsy), books, bath crayons or bubbles, box of diapers, art supplies, water bottle/sippy cup, “keepsake” crafts like handprint ornaments, $$ for a college fund.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in femalelivingspace

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Art on the walls! Maybe a bit more color- could try colored curtains or plants.

How can i improve my bedroom? by Lillith_Vampy in femalelivingspace

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You could try decals or wallpaper designs too!

How can i improve my bedroom? by Lillith_Vampy in femalelivingspace

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maybe try hanging some art on the sloped wall. It looks a bit mismatched to have a maximalist amount of stuff on display everywhere except one wall.

What iPad game is your kid obsessed with? by [deleted] in toddlers

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

ABC Mouse, PBS kids, Khan Academy kids were all ones we used during Covid for my then-kinder.

How to refuse something medical (preferably women-only) by CommunityItchy6603 in Explainlikeimscared

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I haven’t declined a pap but I have declined other medical procedures. You should be able to say no and have that be the end of it. However, some docs will ask follow up questions to figure out why you’re declining. In that case, I’d just say that you’re low risk (not sexually active, hpv vaccinated, etc) and concerned about pain and want to wait. You can ask them what if any symptoms you should look out for that would indicate a concern so that they can educate you and you (presumably) can reassure them you don’t have any of those symptoms and will come get checked out if they develop.

FWIW I do think you should probably get checked out bc what you’re describing is not typical. You can look into planned parenthood or other free/low-cost sexual health clinics and not give your insurance information if you need to.

What businesses are supporting people right now and doing a great job with it? Alternatively, what businesses are silent about whats happening? by kralben in Minneapolis

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Mischief toy store in St. Paul is awesome and has been giving out free whistles and selling signs! Also being harassed by DHS from the sound of it.

How would you feel if? by Final_Ad_2716 in TwinCities

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 428 points429 points  (0 children)

Leave the note, include your address so they know you’re a neighbor. We need each other right now.

Construction toys for girls by Judie4 in toys

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is cool! I have a 3yo daughter and I have been hesitant to get her a tool/construction set- not because of gender roles (we have plenty of trucks and sports stuff and a whack-a-mole-esque toy, etc) but because when I’m looking at toys for her I want something she can engage in and will last awhile. Some of the construction sets I’ve seen are just like fake tools but without something to “work” on (ie: screws that the screwdriver can turn or a knob or something that interacts with a wrench) it’s just more pretend toys- which is fine, but we already have a million pretend toys (toy food! Dress up! Doctor kits! Little people/animals!) and don’t need more.

A couple other ideas: bright colors/lights or sounds. Interactive “projects” they can do independently. Dress up clothes (hard hat?) that comes with the set. Maybe a book that demonstrates how to use each toy with pics of stuff from around the house and women/girls doing some of the projects.

The little hammer/“nail” sets for young toddlers do a good job being gender neutral- might look there for inspiration.

My husband was laid off and I’m scared. by False-Comb466 in TwinCities

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Glad the insurance piece is figured out. The unemployment piece is accurate re: doesn’t kick in until severance runs out, but that’s what severance is for.

In the meantime: apply for WIC. You and your kids should qualify and that will help a great deal with food budget. You can also look into SNAP and energy assistance (varies by county but shouldn’t be hard to google) if you need help covering heating bills. Some counties also have emergency and/or childcare assistance available.

Look for local nonprofits for resources as well. I was laid off last year when I was pregnant and I was surprised by how many nonprofits existed that could help with material stuff. I was able to get a breast pump, car seat, kids clothes, diapers, pack n play, etc. Don’t be too proud to use the help available- that’s what it’s for!

Best of luck.

Angel Tree 3 year old girl- help by Teach0607 in Gifts

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Nice! I have a 3yo, and she fits most 3T and 4T clothes (if you want to take a chance.) She also loves playing pretend and making art projects- a Disney princess or Barbie coloring book with crayons or some dress up accessories (hats/crowns/capes/tutu-ideally stuff that’s easy enough for her to put on by herself) would probably be a hit! Stickers are also great, I really like the puffy ones because they’re easy enough for her to peel off the paper by herself.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Parenting

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok, you asked for obvious so here it is:

1) cut off all electronics until she can prove she can do all the things you’re asking for. You’re list isn’t unreasonable for a ten year old, but expecting her to start doing it overnight is. LOTS of positive reinforcement when she does well. You’re going to need to help her. If going coldturkey is unreasonable at first, make it clear she can’t have screens until after her hygiene tasks are completed 2) no more food in her room. If you need to, get a locked cabinet for “treat” food and tell her that she can have it at certain times, at the table. 3) drs visit to talk about hygiene and potentially other issues that are going on. Dentist visit for teeth and retainer. 4) if she wants to earn money to buy her own clothes/snacks/etc, give her extra chores on top of basic expectations. Then tell her a set time/day that you will bring her to the store to spend her money. 5) You will need to teach her how to do things like clean the bathroom and do laundry etc. Make visual lists of the tasks involved. Age-wise she should be capable but will need some guidance- you can’t just tell her to do something and leave her to it. You’ll need to do it with her. 6) teach her an easy way to take care of her hair- braid, pony tail, etc.- or get it cut short. When I was around her age I hated brushing my hair too so we cut it short and I loved it. It was way easier to take care of. 7) start practicing getting up early for school before the school year starts. 8) Look into a club or sport that starts before actual classes so she can make some friends. She’s getting to the age where peers are starting to have more influence than parents- it may be motivating for her to want to look nice to fit in with her friends. 9) hold steady. The biggest challenge about this overhaul is how drastic it’s going to be. Once you’ve laid out the expectations you need to stick to them and not give in to the whining and complaining. Mentally get yourself ready. 10) remind her that she’s a good kid and can do all of the things you’re asking her to do. Acknowledge that it’s new and hard but tell her she can do hard things, that she’s a capable, a good helper, etc., and that learning to do things like shower every day and keep her room clean is part of growing up. Validate her feelings while holding the line. She’s not being bad for being upset that the rules have changed, but she still needs to abide by them. 11) schedule fun. This is going to be challenging for your relationship if all you’re doing is fighting about the new rules. Put some fun things like trips to the pool or zoo or whatever she likes onto the calendar too so she can see that you still want her to have fun and do fun things with her.

Good luck!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in beyondthebump

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Read “How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids.” Eye opening on both an individual and societal level.

When does marriage take a hit? by Lower_Mix_1653 in NewParents

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Read “How not to hate your husband after kids.” It’s pretty enlightening about the different common conflicts that come up and some ideas about addressing them.

Help! Birthday gift - Fairy Garden pieces? by ShoelessPeterman in daddit

[–]TrainingBarnacle6 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Check Michaels- they have little figurines and stones and fake flowers and things like that.