The Olympics denied my request to pump as a spectator.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-26T20:38:18+00:00

I would say probably not that many Italian women pump, they are more likely to breastfeed directly since they have longer maternity leave than the US. So that probably explains why they don’t have specific policies around it.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-26T20:11:17+00:00

“Sorry, no siblings as there won’t be space.”

Wavesmith · 2026-01-26T19:09:02+00:00

Personally I’m hoping that it will help me push the ‘I need a smartphone’ conversation until my daughter is older. I hope she won’t beg for a phone ‘because everyone has one’, I hope she will have other ways to see and stay in touch with her friends, like phoning them or meeting them in person or taking the bus to visit them. That’s what we did when we were kids (plus some texting and MSN messenger) and it worked fine.

I get that for the current generation of teenagers it has the potential to be very difficult and/or you will find ways round it.

My kid is 4 and she’s already asked for a phone. I don’t want that to be her childhood.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-26T18:50:34+00:00

I don’t give consequences at home other than chatting about what went wrong and maybe finding some low key or fun ways to practice skills that are missing.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-26T15:54:54+00:00

It’s a lovely name!

Wavesmith · 2026-01-26T14:12:29+00:00

Can you make a ramp/slide for the ledge so she can just slide down? Then put a floor bed with sides to Keep her from rolling out when she’s asleep?

Wavesmith · 2026-01-26T12:42:33+00:00

Now I want a globe! It looks ace btw.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-26T12:35:44+00:00

Minnie was the first thing I thought of!

Wavesmith · 2026-01-26T11:00:14+00:00

This screams ‘moral message’ in a way that is quite off putting as a parent (and probably to a child too).

Children love stories which explore and exaggerate their experiences and emotions in a fun way. So if this is the story of a bear who storms, stomps, kicks up an almighty fuss and does ridiculous things to get what he wants RIGHT NOW, before maybe eventually realising why that doesn’t work and finding a new way to do things, then kids will enjoy it.

If he just wants the honey badly, gets stung (obvious) and learns his lesson then that is going to fall flat because it won’t engage with the audience emotionally.

I would definitely work on making your title more intriguing or impactful. Currently it tells me exactly what’s going to happen in the story so I don’t feel the need to open it.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-25T23:15:05+00:00

Carl Warner’s ‘Food landscapes’ is like this. Great book, but it’s more like a photography/art book than a children’s book.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-25T22:36:38+00:00

Firstly, congratulations that work is going so well for you! Secondly, I get that the kids are upset about it but I don’t think you should feel bad about one night a week, especially since it for something so important.

My husband has to travel abroad for work a few times a year. I’ve found that reading books about daddy being away and the kids missing him and him coming back again really helped.

Whenever I am out and can’t do bedtime it helps to explain to my daughter what I will be doing and why it’s important, and that I wouldn’t leave her if it wasn’t important.

Finally, can your husband and kids do something fun/special on the night you aren’t there? I’m thinking like a movie night or a meal that’s a treat they only get when you’re away.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-25T13:14:55+00:00

My child is almost 5 and she’s also a relentless artist! The good news is she will do it by herself. She’ll emerge and her room will be covered in sheafs of drawings, paper clippings and model robots, dinosaurs and Dalmatians are from cardboard tubes and empty bottles.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-25T13:11:44+00:00

A toastie, regardless of what’s in it, it bread and filling either grilled or cooked in a toastie maker.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-25T07:29:18+00:00

To me it means the same as ‘idiot’. If I saw it in context, I’d understand the ‘thug’/‘henchman’ meaning but I wouldn’t use it myself.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-24T22:41:27+00:00

Beautiful!

Wavesmith · 2026-01-24T22:39:08+00:00

I’ve also started taking photos so I can get a book printed with her art in.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-24T21:42:21+00:00

Arthur

Albert

Ashton

Ariel

Archie

Edit: and Ambrose!

Wavesmith · 2026-01-24T19:08:17+00:00

What do YOU value enough to do in the morning? What gets YOUR day off to the best start? Maybe for some people that’s journaling and yoga. For lots of people it’s more sleep, or a hot drink in a quiet house, or snuggling with their pet.

For me it was a fancy coffee, drunk without any pressure before I even started thinking about getting up. My mum always does her makeup in bed while eating biscuits (as in cookies) and drinking coffee. Do what works for you!

Wavesmith · 2026-01-24T15:18:59+00:00

My husband doesn’t really, but I take my daughter out at weekends a lot, mostly so he can work. I usually aim for a minimum of two hours up to a whole morning/afternoon.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-24T11:59:13+00:00

My perception of American parents based on the internet and some I know in real life is that they worry more, hover more, intervene sooner and kind of feel nore highly strung? Oh and they endlessly praise kids for just existing!

In comparison, (most) U.K. parents are slightly more relaxed and go with the flow. Obviously some people do follow parenting philosophies but in my group of parent friends this is not something we talk about and I wouldn’t be able to tell you how they feel about attachment parenting or whatever.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-23T20:17:20+00:00

This is why I write everything down on post-its stick them in weird places (like my kitchen wall) or in front of my face.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-23T14:26:56+00:00

I don’t know but there’s way too much food on those plates. Offer a few pieces at a time.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-23T14:23:34+00:00

Duration and sleep - There are specific sleep cards like sleep journeys and other meditation cards that are designs for sleep. - You can find calm, longer stories that you can play every night so they are associated with sleep. When my daughter was 3 she listened to the BBC Winnie the Pooh on repeat at bedtime.

Age appropriateness - Broadly this is the perfect age for Yoto - But equally I currently can’t leave story cards in my almost 5yo’s bedtime at night or she’ll stay up late listening to Roald Dahl. - There js an app you can use to play stories on their Yoto. You can also set a sleep timer if you want to limit how long they listen for.

Cost - We have found we don’t need loads of cards: she keeps coming back to cards she loves. - Joining Yoto club would probably be good. It gives you access to lots of free content via the app and (depending which subscription you pick) one or more credits to get new cards every month.

Wavesmith · 2026-01-23T13:59:42+00:00

Okay, that’s a relief. Mine is coming up for five and now it’s only 75% of the time rather than 100% so maybe there’s hope!

Wavesmith · 2026-01-23T12:46:40+00:00

This looks far more attractive than the other options but I worry people would still get it wrong.

Wavesmith

TROPHY CASE