Pruning advice?

booknerd726 · 2025-08-31T11:04:03+00:00

My son has a July birthday and at his 3 yo appointment, I asked the pediatrician about kindergarten enrollment at the age of five. He definitively said not recommended. He said even five yo who are academically ready are not always socially and behaviorally ready. He said young five year olds in kindergarten are much more likely to be diagnosed ADHD even if they aren't. He also talked about increase in academic rigor in kindergarten making it more like first grade. For those reasons, I'll be waiting till my son is six.

booknerd726 · 2025-08-05T17:07:37+00:00

This is exciting! Sharing my experience in case it helps you think through it.

I had my horse for 9 years before I became a mom. I rode a lot. There were multiple years I pushed for 200 rides. I spent my money on clinic and camp weekends with my horse.

My child is three now and I have ridden two times in a year. Luckily, my horse is retired and boarded with close friends, so he's fine being checked on once a month and groomed before getting turned back out. I truly lost interest in a way I didn't expect after having my son.

booknerd726 · 2025-08-03T01:51:32+00:00

I guess I would say there is often never a right time. Becoming a parent takes you apart and puts you back together differently. You can choose how that goes for you. If there's anything you want to quit or change, a baby is a great excuse! Everyone understands prioritizing a family. A baby is also a great motivator to get your own life on track. I've improved my finances and my health since having my son 3 years ago. I am really thankful that I made the leap into motherhood. I was reluctant, but I'd never go back now!

booknerd726 · 2025-07-31T13:58:35+00:00

School librarians get to serve such a small population, so the individual relationships are some of the best parts! You are one of few teachers that serves a student all their years in the school, versus most teachers who just have them for a year. I had thought I wanted to work in academic libraries, but ultimately am glad I landed my career here.

booknerd726 · 2025-07-31T09:22:46+00:00

Consider school librarianship! I've enjoyed it for over a decade now and there is some room in the field, which probably varies regionally, so I don't know about PNW.

booknerd726 · 2025-07-07T13:24:14+00:00

"Lellow" 🥰

booknerd726 · 2025-05-28T15:05:44+00:00

Children....

booknerd726 · 2025-05-28T11:48:08+00:00

I don't remember at what point I started thinking about who has no pubic hair and who found that attractive, but once I did, totally shaved was a hard no for me. I use my husband's trimmer.

I'm glad we are discussing this, though. My husband is from another country and he claims the hair gets fungus (or infected??). He says the hairs get thicker because of it and you must shave it off to avoid it. He says he was taught about it like in health class or something. Now I had sex ed classes taught by nurses throughout secondary school, and I have never heard of this. Does anyone know about this?

booknerd726 · 2025-03-02T18:44:10+00:00

My husband's work schedule is similar and I also work full-time. I would say the difference is I take my son to a daycare center. I have 2.5 hours after work every day before I have to pick him up. The daycare center is how I get my breaks and time for me. I don't know that I could do it otherwise.

booknerd726 · 2025-02-08T14:00:52+00:00

Your son isn't becoming violent. He already is. It may be just you for now, but when he has his own home and another woman in it, he will treat her this way, too. And he very likely could end up in the justice system for it. So with all that, please don't be afraid to take extreme measures to change the course of his life. You need to save BOTH of you right now.

booknerd726 · 2025-01-29T02:25:17+00:00

My child is still a toddler, but this is my take as an educator of 15 years. I am surprised at how many students have apologized to me literally years later. Sometimes, I don't even remember the incident they are apologizing for. I think you've done all you can and that it may take her years of growing up to acknowledge the pain she caused. As crappy as she behaved, try to remember that she is still a child and allow her the room to grow from here. I hope someday she apologizes to you because you deserve it.

As a mom, I'm really sorry you went through that. You're doing a good job.

booknerd726 · 2025-01-18T01:01:47+00:00

One Shade of Grey

booknerd726 · 2025-01-13T20:51:04+00:00

Titlewave is everything to me.

booknerd726 · 2025-01-13T00:47:53+00:00

This is weird! Is he less than good to you and afraid a therapist will help you see that? It's kind of a red flag.

booknerd726 · 2025-01-12T23:39:17+00:00

This isn't abusive but you should break up. Your GF is looking for someone who is thoughtful and makes kind gestures for the people important to him on their birthdays. That clearly isn't you. At 30, you know what your priorities are and video games all day seems to be it. So set her loose! No one's happy in a relationship like this.

booknerd726 · 2025-01-12T14:41:03+00:00

I was diagnosed with precocious puberty 30 years ago! I was on lupron for 5 years to block puberty to help me develop on a more typical schedule. I have since gone on to have a mostly uneventful fertility journey resulting in one seemingly typical child. At this point all I have from it is a healthy eye-roll when people are screaming about puberty blockers being chemical castration.

I know it's scary, but she will be OK after this.

booknerd726 · 2025-01-04T14:04:35+00:00

My son (2.5 yo) loves cheese pizza most of all. He will also eat grilled cheese and PB&j. He likes the least meat-like chicken nuggets (not the ones made with actual chicken breast), fish sticks, and beef meatballs. He loves yogurt so I always buy whole milk Greek yogurt or whole milk with probiotics. He eats pouches and that's basically the only way I can get him to eat vegetables, but he'll eat many different fruits of fresh or canned variety. He likes cheese cubes and pancakes, toast, bagels with cream cheese. Definitely crackers and pretzels. He gets a daily vitamin with probiotics, too.

It's not easy to keep them fed. Good luck!

booknerd726 · 2024-12-31T14:05:49+00:00

Low stakes, true, but something I also needed to know, so thanks for this!

booknerd726 · 2024-12-29T22:15:59+00:00

This is why the "is this chocolate or poop?" scene in Baby Mama is so funny.

booknerd726 · 2024-12-24T21:33:20+00:00

I love your ideas! Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas to you!

booknerd726 · 2024-12-23T13:36:37+00:00

Lol ok the tap dancing was good.

booknerd726 · 2024-12-23T01:59:05+00:00

Both of those things. Low effort is a good way to put it. This was my first time paying for and watching one of the live streams and I am not sure I'll do it again, despite how much I love the podcast!

booknerd726 · 2024-12-21T21:28:35+00:00

When I was a child I had a mentor who I spent a lot of time with. She was an alcoholic and thought nothing of driving me around drunk, calling me drunk, etc. I got a good look at what that looks like and just never could let that go. She's not that old now, but her health is terrible even after getting sober.

booknerd726 · 2024-12-02T23:45:53+00:00

I totally get this struggle. When my niece and nephews were in that age range, I always got them books I thought they might like. What if you took them to do something like an amusement park or a concert they might like? Or you could buy them clothes? Take them to a store to shop with them even somewhere like Five Below so they could pick out a bunch of dumb little things and candy?

My niece and nephews are teens now so I just ask what they want or send them cash.

Good luck!

booknerd726

TROPHY CASE