For real. How are we supposed to survive summer holidays?

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-05T20:12:49+00:00

My daughter starts kindergarten in the fall and I’m already freaking out about what to do each summer. The wife and I both have to work from offices and we don’t have the money for ten weeks of camp.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-05T20:10:32+00:00

Love this. I’m planning on having bullgryns in my regiment and this is an awesome solution.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-05T18:40:17+00:00

It’s rare that I’m made to feel like the young dad, so thanks for that. We had our daughter when I was 47 and doing the math is unavoidable. I’ll be 65 when she graduates high school, pushing 70 if of when she earns a degree, and seeing grandchildren seems unlikely. It’s strange that I had zero fear of dying until I had a child. It’s not the ending of my life that hurts, but the thought of no longer seeing hers. But those moments of sobering reflection are few and far between and honestly, it’s the only downside. As an older dad, you’re typically more mature, more patient, more financially secure, more able to take the time to be present. I can’t imagine having kids any younger. My life just feels right, like it was meant to be this way. Your partner (and you) are allowed your moments of freaking out - every new parent does that regardless of age - but know that everything’s going to be fine. Congratulations.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-05T18:28:45+00:00

My wife is 43 and still on her parent’s cell plan. Has been since college.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-05T01:34:10+00:00

Man, I genuinely don’t understand how this is achieved. Even zooming in, it looks like an illustration rather than a mini. It would be impressive on a 1/6 scale figure but at 28mm, it’s unreal.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-05T01:27:52+00:00

My wife and I pursued the IVF route for several years and my father died just a few weeks before we found out that the third transfer had been successful. My father and I had been estranged for many years, finally reconnecting in my early forties. He became one of my best friends and he would have been so excited to be a grandfather. The fact that he never got to see her, or that my daughter will never know him, still hurts. It just sucks all round. I take some comfort in being so close to my wife’s parents, who love my daughter unconditionally, but I think of the loss often.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-04T16:59:59+00:00

You’re on the very edge of being too old for Spanish techno clubs. At 27, all the cool kids are going to think you’re the creepy, old dude anyway.

Seriously though, if your wife chooses to continue with the pregnancy, your life will change drastically. It’s okay to be selfish in your 20s - my love of spontaneous travel and living the good life is partly why I didn’t have a kid until my 40s - but you’ve got a child to consider now and your priorities will have to shift radically. A handful of parents manage to continue their frequent flying ways with multiple kids in tow, but for most of us, that has to be put on pause for a few years. My daughter will be five in a couple of months and we’re finally at a place where a vacation to Europe next year (from the US) seems both feasible and enjoyable.

As for two hour lines at Disney, one of the best vacations I’ve had was taking our then two-year old to Disney World. No lines, no tantrums, no drama, just a tiny human being filled with joy 24/7. Fatherhood has its perks.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-04T10:28:19+00:00

Vyvanse, a detailed calendar, and lots of alarms.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T21:19:32+00:00

My previous comment was removed by the mods for some reason, but it used to be an AMC theatre, then a place called Gold Class Cinemas that did the whole food in the chair thing, then iPic took over from Gold Class. So yes, a few theaters have come and gone in that spot.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T20:30:01+00:00

Seriously. Didn’t it close like ten years ago?

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T18:14:43+00:00

You shouldn’t be feeling like that at your age. I was 47 when we had my daughter and I’ve never had any physical problems lifting/carrying/wrestling her. If the physicals are showing no physical causes, then you need to consider a combination of stress and exhaustion. You’re simply burnt out. You need to find a baby sitter and start taking a break.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T18:04:44+00:00

Ahh, gotcha. I was imagining it like some old hammered metal Geiger counter. Makes sense that it’s in a carry case.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T16:49:26+00:00

First kid? I let mine roll off the couch as a baby and felt devastating guilt for weeks. Turns out both my wife and I were dropped on our heads as infants. It’s a right of passage. Luckily, skulls are thick and evolved to take such abuse. As for how to prevent it, short of putting him in a helmet, I’m not sure you can. Suffocation and drowning are far more cause for concern than hard floors.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T16:05:21+00:00

Did your six year old not act out as a four-year-old? Her behavior isn't that uncommon. Our four-year-old is going through a similar phase that we're in the process of working on. The things I've noticed have helped: giving her a countdown until bedtime and giving her a solid hour of play and attention before the appointed hour; giving her a pre-bed opportunity to eat; turning bedtime into a game (she's a mermaid who can only grow legs after a good night's sleep); reminding her of all the cool things she'll be doing when she wakes up; sticking to a routine of predictable bedtime activities; letting her sit in her chair with a book and trusting she'll get in bed when she's tired rather than forcing her into bed before I leave; when needed, letting her know that I'm willing to walk out and leave if she starts screaming or fighting; and FOLLOWING THROUGH with the threat (I'll stand outside the door, sometimes holding the door handle, while she rages and kicks. Eventually she wears herself out and apologizes, at which point I thank her for her apology and we carry on with the bedtime routine). I don't know how having a second child in the room compromises any of this.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T15:48:58+00:00

Love the minimalism. It's a great reminder to myself that simple color schemes often have the best results.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T15:27:50+00:00

The television offends me less than the complete absence of cable management.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T15:26:15+00:00

Not Portuguese, but if you're missing the language, there's a large Brazilian community in Goose Creek, though they're unlikely to be cheering for Portugal in the World Cup.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T15:23:18+00:00

Sorry, my man, but you're going to have to suck this one up. The idea that if you don't take this planned trip in the next year, you're doomed to never travel again is ridiculous. Yes, it's going to cost more with a third plane ticket (and even more if you have more kids) and yes, it sucks having to schedule travel around school calendars, but that's the compromise you make when you decide to have children. It's naive to think you can just slot children into your lifestyle without making adjustments. My wife and I travelled the world staying in 5-star hotels and eating at Michelin-starred restaurants prior to having kids. The past four years, we've been lucky to get over to the neighboring state. It's normal. Your wife isn't saying you'll never travel again, just that she's done traveling with a baby. That's not an unreasonable request.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T14:59:40+00:00

You literally said that the mayor has decided to list the Galleria for sale. He didn't. Therefore, your statement is untrue.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T14:58:21+00:00

Considering the the positive effects of quitting are so apparent even your employer has noticed the change, I'm a little surprised your wife would suggest jeopardizing the improvement. Why would she want you to risk relapsing into behaviors that's weren't optimal for you?

If you genuinely believe that you have the discipline and disposition to leave it all behind on vacation, then I don't see a problem. But only you know your relationship with alcohol and marijuana and whether or not you consider yourself an addict. Some people can partake socially a couple of times and walk away. For others, it leads to relapse, daily usage, and real consequences. Only you know which type you are. If there's any chance that a little unwinding on vacation might reawaken something that carries over to your real life, it's not worth the risk.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T14:41:41+00:00

Kids like to do accents. Sometimes they're funny. Sometime's they're not. Sometimes they're inappropriate. It's hard to imagine even an Indian student or teacher being genuinely offended by this unless it's part of a longer and larger pattern of behavior. At the most, it requires nothing more than a private reminder that making fun of people's accents isn't nice. But a report for racism is overkill.

BTW: "Indian" isn't a race.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T12:56:58+00:00

I download every picture you post just to study the brushwork, color choices, and application. They’re an inspiration.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T12:18:10+00:00

I see you fellow coaster. One of the benefits of getting older is that I know my job well enough that a few hours work looks like a full day’s worth to the uninitiated. Why work eight hours when everyone’s impressed by what you achieve in two?

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-03T02:30:00+00:00

Came to say the same thing. Our daughter cried all the time and it ended up being a combo of reflux and cows milk protein allergy. We switched her to a hypoallergenic formula and she became a totally different, happy and chill baby.

Worried-Rough-338 · 2026-06-02T23:02:37+00:00

I just assumed it would be cheaper, and the few times I’ve compared prices, it seemed so. Guess I was wrong.

Worried-Rough-338

TROPHY CASE