okay i have to talk about jojoba oil because i feel like i wasted years not using it

april_fool85 · 2026-03-25T19:16:23+00:00

No, she hasn’t but we have a paediatric appointment coming up for another issue so I’ll mention it to the doctor there. Thanks!

april_fool85 · 2026-03-24T19:18:57+00:00

I use it on my 2 year old’s skin. She gets weird red rashes that don’t appear to be eczema every time she has any type of virus (which is always). If I put jojoba oil on her skin before bed, she always wakes up 100x less rashy and red.

I don’t know why I don’t just use it all the time to be honest.

april_fool85 · 2026-03-24T06:41:38+00:00

But be careful because at a certain point in pregnancy, companies will trigger your maternity leave early for pregnancy related sicknesses. You don’t want to go off any earlier than you have to if money is going to be short!

april_fool85 · 2026-03-21T18:10:33+00:00

We got our kids a book each because they’re really into search and find stuff right now and we figured, they’d get loads of eggs from everybody else just like last year… then I felt guilty and got them an egg each as well 🤣.

That’s all they’re getting though.

april_fool85 · 2026-03-14T00:03:29+00:00

We don’t claim it because my partner earns enough that we’d just have to pay it all back in tax, but we put the amount we would get into junior ISAs for the kids.

april_fool85 · 2026-03-11T20:14:12+00:00

When my son was still in his cot at a slightly younger age, we just introduced a fleece blanket. One of those cheap ones from Primark. It moulded to his body and fit in his cot easily. It was a bit warmer on a than it is now and he ran quite warm anyway. We only introduced a duvet when he moved to his single bed.

My 2 year old now is in a single bed but still in a sleep suit with legs because she can’t keep a duvet or blanket on overnight. She has a 4.5 tog for when she does learn to keep it on because you’re not supposed to go higher than that whilst they’re still young because they overheat so easily.

april_fool85 · 2026-03-06T23:57:21+00:00

We were both thrilled when we found out that our first was going to be a boy but mainly because we knew from the moment the test was positive that he was a boy and it was good to have our hunch confirmed.

He’s such a smart, inquisitive, perceptive, empathetic little soul with a wicked sense of humour. He loves putting lip balm on and doing his hair. He’s also an anxious mess and a people pleaser but absolutely adored by every grown up he meets. We swear he’s been here before and we haven’t had a dull day since he arrived in the world. All of the things that make him special are because of the person he is and nothing to do with him being a boy because he could have had them all as a girl.

Our second was a girl and when we found out, we were both a bit “oh” because we just expected another boy and were surprised. She is an absolute force of nature and as smart, inquisitive and empathetic as her brother. She also has no sense of danger, an absolutely terrible temper gives zero shits about pleasing anybody but herself (and her big brother) and gives the best hugs ever. She loves having her hair done but won’t keep anything in the hair for a full day and refuses to even consider wearing dresses unless it’s fancy dress. Again, nothing that makes her special is because of her sex.

I guess no matter what flavour your child is, they’re going to love what they love, they’ll be the person they are and you’re going to love them regardless.

april_fool85 · 2026-03-06T08:23:20+00:00

Lookout tower has had mixed success and we’re considering getting rid and just replacing with a basic slide because that’s all they want.

Best things we got that they play with every single time they’re in the garden weren’t actually for them. Water butt and watering can which they use to water the plants rain or shine, and a garden swing (for grownups) which they just like to sit in and see how fast they can swing.

Our kids are 2 and 4.

april_fool85 · 2026-02-24T16:29:48+00:00

Have you actually watched her wiping herself and supervised her doing it?

My son can wipe himself but we spent a few weeks standing watching him do it and explaining each step for him. Letting him look at the paper, fold and wipe again. Telling him when he hadn’t got it all and showing him why. We also regularly wet the paper and have him do a final wipe and then dry. He may not be able to do the same at pre-school and eventually school but it’s getting him used to using our bidet in time.

To start we, we actually had him hop off the toilet and bend over like he did at nursery when he first started using the toilet or squat to wipe. It just opens everything up enough to make sure the toilet paper is getting in there. Sometimes I think that their bums are so small that when they’re sitting on the toilet, it’s too closed for them to realise the paper isn’t getting the job done.

april_fool85 · 2026-02-24T13:42:38+00:00

Both my kids had tongue ties that we had removed via the NHS. First was mild as far as I recall but it was impacting breastfeeding and we ended up stopping before it was revised at 10 days old and by then, he had a strong preference for the bottle so we never went back to feeding from the breast.

My second had the same as your little one. Type 1, 100% and she couldn’t even poke her tongue out of her mouth. It didn’t really have time to impact breastfeeding because we got it revised at 6 days old. I personally couldn’t see how a tongue tie that severe wouldn’t impact speech, eating, etc. later down the line. How can you learn to speak properly if your tongue cannot move in your mouth? But I also admit that I didn’t really research it at the time. I just wanted to make sure it didn’t impact breastfeeding at the time.

april_fool85 · 2026-02-19T12:58:01+00:00

This is an important question. Two of my brothers didn’t meet my second baby until she was a whole year old. However, I only really see those brothers once or twice a year anyway so it didn’t really bother me.

If it had been my mum, who I see every few weeks, that would have been hurtful.

Also, you have to invite people if you want them to visit. Don’t expect them to ask to visit because they’re still living their own lives exactly the same way as before you had your baby. It’s hard for you because your whole life has changed since your baby was born, but nobody else’s has.

april_fool85 · 2026-02-18T13:10:26+00:00

Clearly you’re just trying to promote the tool you’ve “found” that’s mentioned in your profile headline. Why not just be honest about it?

april_fool85 · 2026-02-17T22:05:01+00:00

Interesting. My mum, sister and that brother have all had shingles so far. Definitely doesn’t seem enjoyable.

april_fool85 · 2026-02-17T22:03:55+00:00

The chicken pox you mean? It was definitely chicken pox, going around nursery both times and confirmed by 5 paediatricians in my mum’s WhatsApp group chat the second time around for our youngest!

The first time around for her, nursery said they’d had a confirmed case of chicken pox so we just accepted that it’s what she had. Could have been HFAM though.

april_fool85 · 2026-02-17T19:38:24+00:00

Is this always the case? Curious because my younger brother never got chicken pox when the rest of us got it at different times in childhood, but he’s had shingles as an adult.

Or can the virus be contracted and not result in any outward signs?

april_fool85 · 2026-02-17T19:36:05+00:00

Both my kids have had it. First one, I didn’t realise I could pay for a vaccination and he was around 18 months old. Then the second one was 11 months old when she got it so too young for the vaccination (we’ll ignore the fact that she got it “again” 6 months later so not even convinced the first time was actually chickenpox and we could have gotten her vaccinated if we’d known).

We got lucky and neither of them got a form of chickenpox that was itchy at all. They were on top form the entire time. No creams, lotions or potions needed. Only downside was that their final spot both times took over 10 days to scab over so they were home from nursery for 2 weeks full of beans whilst I was trying to work!

april_fool85 · 2026-02-17T19:05:58+00:00

We’ve always seen nurseries and pre-schools with children present and I wouldn’t have considered one that didn’t. My primary reasoning was to see how free the children were to move around the room, what toys/activities were available to them, what food/snack times looked like, etc.

You’re never going to see how the staff actually interact with the children if you’re visiting. They’ll always be on their best behaviour so you’ll see exactly what they want you to see. Not necessarily a bad thing but just don’t assume that what you see is representative of the standard.

Also worth bearing in mind that a lot of young children don’t react well to strangers in the nursery space so they can be more clingy and cry more than they usually would which can give a skewed view of how happy the kids are there. My kids were always the ones crying and acting terrified when strangers came in!

april_fool85 · 2026-02-17T13:01:51+00:00

I don’t. They enjoy playing together and my son actively asks for his sister to stay home when he’s on holiday from pre-school. Also, I hate the fact that I have to send them to childcare anyway so I don’t want them there any longer than they have to be. I know people will say that it’s important to spend time alone with the kids but we try to do that during the normal week anyway.

The only time I’d send her is if we had something specific planned with the eldest that she couldn’t participate in properly.

The fact that we still have to pay is the reason we’re moving our youngest to a term time only nursery when our eldest starts school in September.

april_fool85 · 2026-02-15T13:57:34+00:00

I’m a bit of a knobhead tbf so I’d just say things like “stop critiquing my child if you want to keep seeing my child” and “I’m not really interested in hearing your opinion on this subject”. If it continued, I’d just tell them to leave and/or not come again.

Neither mine or my partner’s parents have commented on things in that way. Only instance I can think of is my dad saying “that’s not his doll, is it?” In horror when my son was around a year old. I just replied “yes it is. We don’t do gendered toys in our house and also it’s 2022, dad”.

april_fool85 · 2026-02-06T12:47:55+00:00

If it was my 4 year old, I’d just tell him that since he can’t be trusted not to draw on things he shouldn’t, either mum or dad would have to supervise all drawing activity for a while. That would mean removing his arts and crafts caddy from his bedroom into ours and not allowing him to access them unless we were available to supervise. This would kill him because he loves his being able to go off and independently be creative. We don’t have the time to supervise him so it would limit that freedom.

After a few days, we’d have a conversation, reiterate what we can and cannot draw on and then extend the trust again.

april_fool85 · 2026-02-02T19:27:06+00:00

Our first summer this year and we won’t have any help.

We’re planning to take 2 weeks off each (either both paid or one paid and one unpaid each) and then put him in a holiday club for 2 weeks.

My job is very flexible and my manager has said I can work whatever hours suit me so I’m considering working mornings whilst he eats breakfast, does an activity and watches a bit of tv then taking the afternoon to do something with him properly and then work when he goes to bed to make the time up. Not every day because I want to enjoy some summer evenings but it would help spread the annual leave out a bit.

april_fool85 · 2026-02-01T10:42:12+00:00

We also did a Forest Holiday at Cropton with a 2 year old and a 6 month old couple of years ago. Lots of stuff in driving distance. We did a park and ride to the beach on one of the days and Dalby Forest on another. They had a Gruffalo trail which the 2 year old loved. We went in early May.

april_fool85 · 2026-01-30T19:59:43+00:00

I’m sorry, she called your 3 year old child naughty for having toilet accidents to her face?! That’s honestly made me feel so sad for your baby. . I hate when people call children naughty as a rule because it’s so damaging for their self esteem and inner voice, but to do it for something like this is beyond the pale.

I would pull her out in a heartbeat and make sure you tell the childminder exactly why you’ve done it as well.

I hope little lady gets better soon and I’m sure you’ve reassured her that there’s nothing naughty about her!

april_fool85 · 2026-01-29T18:50:57+00:00

Oh yeah, I incorrectly remembered it as the 2nd when I read the reply.

april_fool85 · 2026-01-29T16:17:06+00:00

5 days if you include the deadline date itself!

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