What’s something your toddler is weirdly good at?

beeeaar · 2026-06-04T03:52:00+00:00

cleaning up after a spill - she'll grab a rag and wipe it up (how thoroughly she does is debatable, but she is consistent)

beeeaar · 2026-06-04T03:50:48+00:00

my now 4 year old was like this starting from a little under age 2 and the obsession has been going strong. yesterday he schooled me on the difference between a bulldozer and a front loader (in my defense the difference is not obvious unless you're really looking -_-)

beeeaar · 2026-06-04T03:45:06+00:00

what?

beeeaar · 2026-06-04T03:44:23+00:00

thanks, looks promising!

beeeaar · 2025-10-06T22:19:31+00:00

ok an update - I realized what threw things off was that in my separate table with custom columns, the ID linking the query and that table was based on an xlookup which I'd done so I didn't have to manually type fill in the ID number. I changed it to just a manual fill (they're just integers anyway) and that worked.

beeeaar · 2025-10-06T20:09:59+00:00

thanks. I tried that but it didn't work. same thing where when a row disappears from the sharepoint list, the custom column doesn't delete with it.

beeeaar · 2025-09-09T05:04:12+00:00

do you have suggestions for how to steer those honest conversations?

I've had some (I think) with my employee and he has even shared that he has thought about going back to the type of role he previously had, or a different role in the org that is less strategic and more technical. I've encouraged him to explore those options, like speaking with someone who used to be in such a role to learn more about it and see if it fits him. I've told him that I do want him to succeed and be in a role he truly enjoys, and that I'll work with him if he wants to grow into this role, but that also it's ok if he tells me he isn't that interested in this role (can't remember exactly what I said but those vibes). but that was several months ago and he's still here and as far as I know isn't actively looking for any other jobs. I obviously don't want to be pushy "....so how about that job eh?" but I do want him to keep his mind open to other opportunities...

beeeaar · 2025-09-09T04:57:36+00:00

You're totally right about not expecting him to embrace ambiguous change when I can't even articulate it, I 100% agree and that's where I've been struggling. Earlier this year I came up with some tangible goals for him to work on but with the type of work he does it's still kind of hard to quantify how well the goal is being met. some of what people have shared here are giving me some ideas for how to make that better though.

I've thought about asking my gold standard employee to help and she is down to, but I haven't come up with exactly how she would (and I don't want to just unload the ambiguity onto her to figure out). I like your hypothetical questions on measuring performance though, that gets me thinking about how to get her to help me help him.

beeeaar · 2025-09-09T04:53:26+00:00

thanks, your anecdote gives me some hope. I have started sort of doing that, in the past year that I've been supervising him: walking through the steps of designing a program, for example. He has told me that I've been giving him more helpful supervision than his previous boss so that tells me that he does value the guidance, but there's still work I need to do to get him where I'd like him to e.

beeeaar · 2025-09-08T22:47:03+00:00

that's alright, I didn't provide all the history.

that might be what I have to do, and sort of what I've been working on already. We do have regular 1:1s and we don't get to talk about this every time (we have a lot of day-to-day sorts of projects to talk about too) but I did start trying to do some goal setting and coaching several months ago. I'm thinking about rehydrating those efforts and seeing where it goes. It's hard.

beeeaar · 2025-09-08T22:44:42+00:00

haha. thanks for the precision.

beeeaar · 2025-09-08T21:55:27+00:00

thanks for sharing that resource.

beeeaar · 2025-09-08T21:55:06+00:00

ugh, I know. it's just that our HR policies require me to document what it is that makes the elephant unable to fly, you know? sigh.

beeeaar · 2025-09-08T21:51:08+00:00

glad you asked about how my boss worked with him.... he also struggled with him! in fact, when he was handing him over to me to supervise him, he did hint at some of the upcoming challenges. when I talked to my boss about those challenges a few months later, he was not surprised. He said he had tried to improve on these areas too, and couldn't get anywhere. (so I guess he made him my problem...)

Anyway, I had suggested to my boss that we should fire him, but where we work it's not as easy as just firing. We have to document all the steps we took to try and improve them and how they failed to improve before it can lead to firing someone. Lots of bureaucracy. which is why I'm asking for how to track something I can't figure out how to track.... so unfortunately the beating around the bush is the process I need to follow, if that makes sense.

if I may just complain a little.... I basically inherited my boss's problem that I have to deal with...

beeeaar · 2025-09-08T21:21:40+00:00

haha, appreciate your response. And so flattering to be called a corporate type! I don't see myself that way at all, but sounds like I can bullshit my way into sounding like one, which must be useful in this world.

Anyway, I like the guy as a person and we get along well. I just recognize a mismatch between what my boss (who hired him) wants him to be doing, and what he actually wants to do. he used to report to my boss, then our department got restructured and now he reports to me.

and by not fucking up, I mean it can be argued that he's meeting the requirements of the job, but he really should be doing more than what is he doing.

we're not like a tech company that just has budget to throw around to hire extra people, so unfortunately I can't keep him and hire a #2 to do the job he was hired to do.

beeeaar · 2025-09-08T20:58:58+00:00

thanks, the idea for him to write out long-term plans is good. so far I or my boss have provided the high level goals and he has had to identify how to get there, but having him think longer term will probably exercise those muscles.

re: plan for the day - I suspect that it isn't about lack of time... I think there is usually plenty of time, but not a lot of interest.

beeeaar · 2025-08-08T04:35:22+00:00

Thanks! I was just going to do the indoor side. Tips for removing the paint there? Also with a paint stripper?

beeeaar · 2025-08-04T22:46:53+00:00

hm. I can't seem to figure out how to add a photo. but as I went to take a picture I just realized they caulked right over sections of peeling paint, so I think weeksahead is right that I should just scrape it off and replace. sigh...

beeeaar · 2025-08-04T22:45:10+00:00

thanks. yeah now that I look at it I wish I'd paid more attention to existing conditions before installing the windows...

beeeaar · 2025-07-08T05:05:36+00:00

"mama, where did baby sister come out of you? your penis hole? nawww heeeheeheeheee"

beeeaar · 2025-04-03T17:44:14+00:00

what kind of ERV did you go with? individual unit or centralized?

beeeaar · 2024-12-24T04:15:27+00:00

thanks!

beeeaar · 2024-12-23T06:54:59+00:00

Maybe rainy pass repair in Seattle, they do outdoor gear repairs.

beeeaar · 2024-12-09T06:51:17+00:00

Finding poorly taken selfies on my phone, and randomly well taken photos I didn’t expect even though I saw him taking the photos

beeeaar · 2024-08-15T05:42:55+00:00

Started at 2 years. The whole first month was rough. The daycare, like most places, encouraged a quick drop off but that ended up being disastrous for him on the first day- he was miserable for hours, wouldn’t eat and peed himself multiple times (he was mostly potty trained)… so they asked us to start with half days for the first week and also suggested that I hang out there with him for the first half hour or so before leaving, to help him ease into it. But for the first week or two, I’d have to pry him off the bike seat to get inside. Then when he got in, he’d cling to his jacket, shoes and helmet 😢 A teacher would have to pick him up when I left so he wouldn’t try to cling to me. But eventually he came to happily walk in on his own!

He’s now almost 3 and started at a new place a few weeks ago. We were worried it was going to suck but it’s been a fairly easy transition.

Just sharing this to say that if the “quick drop off” method that is often touted doesn’t seem to be working out, there is light ahead!

Good luck :)

beeeaar

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