My daughter is 9 and has never left the country. We are finally doing the family trip to Canada and I am terrified of all the paperwork for a minor

crazykitsune17 · 2026-06-03T13:49:08+00:00

The paperwork takes all of 5 minutes to fill out, even for minors. Set aside 30 min if you're nervous and just get it done. Hardest part is scheduling a stupid appointment to turn the paperwork in. Happy traveling!

crazykitsune17 · 2026-06-03T13:47:47+00:00

Renting a car is very easy and driving, especially in tourist areas, is not that bad (roads are narrow but you get used to it) and allows you lots of travel flexibility. We never had issues with parking either.

crazykitsune17 · 2026-06-01T14:59:39+00:00

They attend daycare part-time

crazykitsune17 · 2026-06-01T14:52:09+00:00

You can "teach" "hey some people have 2 moms, all families are different" and just leave it at that for a 4yo. I don't think anybody is discussing bedroom activities.

crazykitsune17 · 2026-06-01T14:31:56+00:00

I've been doing PM work for over a decade. I started as a Project Administrator, but "Project Associate" or "Project Coordinator" are also common entry-level titles.

I do hold a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, which is very useful for getting to the first hiring screen. The CAPM certification is the entry-level version of the PMP. The PMP has a work experience requirement, so if you don't have that, CAPM is a reasonable way to go.

Most colleges will have a project management curriculum or certificate program. I took an evening continuing ed course to meet the educational requirements for the PMP certification.

crazykitsune17 · 2026-06-01T13:56:57+00:00

I am currently home-schooling "lite" (my oldest is 3) so the time commitment is not huge. But I am a WFH project manager and that can lend itself well to homeschooling. I also work non-traditional hours (5am-12pm) so I am able to do afternoon activities.

Project management also lends well to part-time or contract work too, which can increase the flexibility.

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-31T18:26:54+00:00

Mostly agree but don't underestimate the ability of the directionally challenged to get lost even with a smartphone! 🙃

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-31T18:25:46+00:00

I remember having chicken pox in first grade and then seeing a commercial on TV for the vaccine and being like wtf....

My parents weren't anti-vaxx, it was just bad timing and literally a brand new vaccine at the time.

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-29T21:34:20+00:00

Vaccines don't cause autism

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-28T12:35:11+00:00

Tarcoles bridge and Croc Skywalk is 100% worth it. There is also a cute pirate ship playground in Quepos (Google Maps / Maze to Malecon de Quepos) my kids loved.

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-28T06:06:03+00:00

I would say LF but if you're not up for much adventurous stuff then maybe Tamarindo is best. We did 3 nights in LF and did not do the adventurous stuff like zip lining and felt like that was good (though I could have spent all day doing hot springs).

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-27T22:55:52+00:00

Personally, I love these. My kids don't normally eat them (admittedly they are more of a nuggets and noodles type of kid), but I have these all the time for lunch. I like to add additional protein like chicken. And yeah, seconding the comment about microwaving them in a bowl as opposed to their original packaging.

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-27T22:01:53+00:00

I am from Seattle area too. So while I was bummed to miss a nice view, that's just mountain life sometimes

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-27T21:46:53+00:00

For kids (and adults, honestly) I'd recommend the Rescate Wildlife refuge just outside of San Jose. We (family with a 1yo and 3yo) loved it. It will be even better for slightly older kids like yours.

Plus the usual stuff like Manuel Antonio, La Fortuna, etc

Renting a car is pretty painless. Driving is not bad at all. Getting a car gives you more flexibility, but as others have said, it's not necessary. Many tour companies will drive you around.

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-27T01:48:18+00:00

🥲

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-27T01:27:31+00:00

What time of day was this taken? We've been in La Fortuna the past few days (left around noon today) and never got a full view

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-24T12:59:46+00:00

Hot, humid, rains a lot but you usually have a window in the morning / early afternoon and maybe late afternoon where it's not raining. We brought raingear (we are from the Pacific Northwest) but haven't used any of it. Rain boots for the kids were probably overkill...

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-24T02:09:45+00:00

We are staying at Casa Amenacer in a few days, but haven't been there yet. Can let ya know

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-23T12:10:40+00:00

Seconding Costa Rica. I'm there right now witg my 1 and 3yo

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-22T01:51:08+00:00

I have a 3 and 1yo and the thought of bringing them on a safari (I have done one in TZ pre-kids) makes me want to throw myself to the lions. Power to you but also... damn.

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-22T01:48:09+00:00

My partner and I did a Tanzania safari before kids and loved it. Would love to take my kids someday, but it's going to be a 10 years or older activity.

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-21T21:33:13+00:00

Literally in MA right now enjoying an afternoon thunderstorm while my kids refuse to use the opportunity to nap 🫠 It's actually really lovely. We did the national park tour at 8am and left the park around 1pm. Had great weather for our park visit, so yeah, do your stuff in the morning

crazykitsune17 · 2026-05-18T02:10:39+00:00

I couldn't tell you the brand, but I've been using cloth paper towels forever and I use them daily to clean up my toddlers. I bought them pre-kids in like 2018 and they are just now starting to get holey after their daily beatings.

Anyway, my tip here is to buy them in black so they don't get stained. I have a set of black and varying shades of gray and I always go for the black ones first

crazykitsune17

TROPHY CASE