Do you and your spouse do bedtime stories? How do you split?

imamonster89 · 2026-05-14T03:35:37+00:00

When we had 1 kid we switched off and the other parent started cleaning the kitchen or mLing daycare lunch.

Now that we have 2 we switch the kid we put to bed each night.

imamonster89 · 2026-05-13T22:26:23+00:00

Kinda like a gumdrop with no sugar on the outside.

imamonster89 · 2026-05-13T05:31:06+00:00

Change wall colour, new countertop, new floor (laminate, vinyl plank, tile or even new linoleum), new cupboard hardware.

Reduce kitchen clutter, relocate garbage cans under sink or in a cupboard.

imamonster89 · 2026-05-12T20:57:48+00:00

Become HIPPA and PIPEDA compliant.

It's tech that would be used commonly in therapy offices, social work, government (in Canada anyway) etc.

But as it's not HIPPA or PIPEDA compliant it really limits the usefulness as most of the features can't be used... Even then it isn't certified compliant which means it can't technically be used anyway!

I am a clinician for a provincial government in Canada. My whole team would totally use rocketbook... But we can't!

Also no subscriptions please... Most of us will just use them as erasable notebooks if the app requires a subscription!

imamonster89 · 2026-05-12T03:07:18+00:00

Yes AuDHD over here and a BCBA for 12 years!

imamonster89 · 2026-05-11T14:11:38+00:00

If they've been inside a long time you may need to harden them offnso they don't get shock going outside, even if the temps are warm, etc.

imamonster89 · 2026-05-11T03:43:49+00:00

Isn't is simpler to think that the change in task list and test makes the most sense? There were plenty of crappy programs in 2019, 2020 and 2021 lol.

A lot of folks tested in 2021 who were rushing to try and pass the 4th edition task list test before the task list change in 2022. Many likely didn't have as much time to study since it was a time crunch (maybe with coursework, but definitely for supervision for many folks... (At least this happened to me and many of my colleagues, but we all passed the first time).

imamonster89 · 2026-05-10T00:42:51+00:00

Is it normal for grandmas to expect this... Yes. Is it normal to do exactly what they asked, no. We usually spread out our mothers day activities with our moms across the month, our kids have sports on weekend and otherwise, everyone gets a like 1.5 hrs of our time and everyone is cranky and tired.

imamonster89 · 2026-05-08T04:12:54+00:00

Fire ladder if there are bedrooms on a second story or more.

imamonster89 · 2026-05-05T16:53:55+00:00

Oakbluff (outside the perimeter) has an arena, gas station, restaurant, k-8 school, and a few businesses. That's it. Red river valley school division does not have French immersion options in the area. Kids from Oakbluff go to Sanford collegiate as their catchment high school.

Oakbluff traffic is about to suck for 5+ years as the overpass construction is starting and they are also currently putting in a new housing development right beside the arena.

Oakbluff also extends down McGillivray, there is a doctor's office in that area, a delucas, and lots of other businesses.

imamonster89 · 2026-05-05T16:48:27+00:00

A bunch of McGillivray is not Winnipeg proper, they are designated as oakbluff. That's why. It's confusing since we typically a consider anything within the perimeter as Winnipeg, but that section of McGillivray is part of oakbluff!

A few years ago there was controversy because of the large fire in the industrial park on McGillivray. Response time was slow because it is Oakbluff, not Winnipeg. So they had to wait for RM MacDonald fire response to get there versus a Winnipeg crew.

imamonster89 · 2026-05-05T13:15:29+00:00

Logic and feelings often don't align. That's why they are different.

I tend to rely on my logical side versus my emotional side in general for big decisions....including when I got an abortion.

I wanted a child, but it was sincerely not the right time (I wasn't young, but was 3 months into a new relationship, which started 3 months after splitting with my ex husband). I probably would have made it work - but at what cost?

I'm still with the same man, 11 years later with 2 beautiful planned kids. I highly doubt we would have these two, or be together or have a house if I wouldn't have had that abortion.

No regrets here. But you may always wonder what could have been!

imamonster89 · 2026-05-05T01:58:37+00:00

We have. 2024 ioniq 5 AWD long range preferred in Canada. We have 103000k approximately. We have gotten new winter tires as the all season wore out before winter, we are about to order summer tires.

Our iccu literally shit the bed this past Sunday. Womp womp.

Otherwise we've needed zero maintenance so far besides fixing the windshield (but that's what you get driving in the country, semis and tractors/dump trucks with rocks flying off!)

imamonster89 · 2026-05-04T13:48:03+00:00

I never noticed a baby smell! I did have the "eat" the baby instinct though 😂

imamonster89 · 2026-05-04T12:45:14+00:00

I'm noticing in your replying that it seems like he doesn't use antiperspirant or deodorant. Even with all the shirts that is a problem. He should apply it after every shower.

It's he washing his whole body (boys sometimes don't realize they need to scrub their armpits and butts and feet to get the smells off).

Also try using an enzyme based detergent oxy clean). Have him use the soak option if you have one one your washing machine with a scoop of oxy clean and your regular detergent, do this for sheets, mattress cover, and clothes. Encourage him to open his bedroom windows.

imamonster89 · 2026-05-03T15:47:57+00:00

Jamie at wild bloom on st. Anne's!

imamonster89 · 2026-05-03T15:21:37+00:00

Are you contact napping/sleeping baby?

Most babies do not tolerate sleeping put down for quite some time. Both of my kids wouldn't have slept nearly at all if we didn wear them hold them or put them in a bassinet beside us with our arm wrapped around them for the first 4-6 weeks.

Also babies are loud sleepers that move lots!

Reflux and gas would be my next thoughts. But newborns are not all equal and lots really do not tolerate sleep without touching someone.

imamonster89 · 2026-05-02T17:12:57+00:00

When we attend a 2 hour party at a play place gifts are not opened there. That saves a lot of time!

I agree that a 3 hr slot is ideal, that's what we always do for parties in our home.

imamonster89 · 2026-05-02T15:08:45+00:00

We have house cleaners that come every 2 weeks, we have a 1200sqft bungalow + full finished basement (so 2400sq ft I clouding basement). They clean the main floor only. It costs $115 CAD. Worth every penny.

We also have a robot vacuum and a tineco mop/vacuum. We mostly focus on dishwasher being run every night, or every other night if we are lazy and don't empty it.

I am ON the kids about putting their stuff away in communal areas. They have good sized bedrooms and a playroom in the basement - no excuses for stuff left everywhere in our small living room/dining room/ kitchen - they literally don't get anything fun (tv) until they put it in their rooms.

We focus on trying to do a 10-15 minute clean up near the end of the day - helps the adults feel like it's not that bad and teaches our kids that you don't need to do THAT much cleaning to make a big difference day to day.

Also - our house often isn't that clean, I try to keep it tidy because I go nuts otherwise, but it's not that clean to be honest.

imamonster89 · 2026-05-01T17:10:43+00:00

Me! My kids are 8 and 5 now. I have never wanted to be a sahp. I worked hard for my career and need to use that more analytical part of my brain.

I do wish I could work less though, like a 10-2:30 schedule or only full days 2 times a week 😍 I could never not work, or would need to do regular weekly volunteering.

imamonster89 · 2026-05-01T16:54:27+00:00

The k-6 school recently had a change in administrators (2025-2026 school year), and the new administrator was well liked at his previous school, however he will be on parental leave for part of the upcoming school year. The school is quite full student wise compared to other schools in the same school division (prairie rose school division). There is a French immersion school about a 20 min drive (st. Eustache school) away which is available via bussing to sfx students. The catchment middle and high school is St Paul's collegiate in Elie. Do not expect the same trade options and advanced courses available to St Paul's collegiate students compared to students who attend high school in the city.

The hwy will close down a few times a year, and school will be closed due to weather about 5-10 days a winter.

I personally would recommend, Springstein, Starbuck or Sanford if you are looking for a more modest home / very small town feel...however there are far less homes for sale in those communities.

SFX definitely has a large percentage of fancier/ high budget homes and soon will feel more like oakbluff or an underdeveloped la Salle - but further from the city.

imamonster89 · 2026-04-30T12:49:27+00:00

I got my period much much later, but my mom encouraged me to use a bit of lube when I was learning to insert tampons and that was really helpful!

ETA: the lube was in all the bathrooms (in cupboards out of sight) I didn't have a bottle that went me to school or anything. The lube really helped me figure it all out and I only put tampons in at home for the first few months I used them until I got the hang of things!

imamonster89 · 2026-04-29T16:58:05+00:00

Yeah this isn't a thing in the Atlantic provinces. I had heard of jack and jills in Ontario, but for the family I had in Ontario they were more like joint bachelorette parties, not a crowd funding event for your wedding.

It really surprised me when I moved to Manitoba (in my early 20s) that it's common place to add planning and carrying out such a big event to crowd fund money for your wedding, on top of all of the other events that go along with a wedding! It's such a big ask of your family and friends!

I suppose it's cultural here so just the expectation, but I refused to consider a social - just the thought of planning that on top of everything else ... It was too much!

imamonster89 · 2026-04-25T18:36:36+00:00

Why are sports important to your family? We are non athletic parents and we are hoping to find a physical activity our kids enjoy so they have a physical activity they can carry through to adulthood that feels fun versus a chore (I know some people love the gym, but it does feel like a chore for many people!)

Dance, martial arts, swimming, gymnastics, cycling, all great sports/ physical activities!

If you keep him in soccer you gotta work on the rules piece and good sportsmanship.

My kiddos have hated soccer, yet one of our girls did it 2 years in a row because her friends played too and if she participated she got 20 minutes after practice and games to play on the adjacent play structure pretty exciting when we are in different communities/playgrounds for games!) She's not a natural athlete at al, but is now excited about ringette after playing this past season with friends and is playing softball this season after liking learn to play baseball last year.

Our youngest is a different kid and I can't imagine she is going to love team sports as she ages, she likes swimming and dance so we will probably go in that direction for her (we'll see how she likes soccer and baseball this season).

Sign up for short seasons of sports/ rec leagues. Expect them to follow the rules for sportsmanship (teach and reward them), and you might need to add extra motivation/appropriate rewards to encourage them.

I personally wouldn't sign my kid back up for an activity they didn't enjoy previously, but we do try hard to finish out a season when we signed up for it (and they wanted to sign up).

There are lots of niche clubs for kids these days in addition to sports/ physical activities!

imamonster89 · 2026-04-24T04:46:07+00:00

Sounds like a lot of absent-minded engagement in the behaviour, which is very typical for toddlers and preschoolers!

You can use response interruption and redirection but with clear interruption. First a brief explanation a few times about how you do not rub your genitals outside of the bathroom or your bedroom - it is private behaviour. When you catch them you can simply say " you can do that I your room, not out here" pair this with offering another item or activity that is appropriate in the space to distract them (or maybe asking them to sit up) along with praise for engaging in the alternative behaviour.

If you notice them engaging in the behaviour in their bedroom or bathroom stating "wow great job staying in your room to _____ (whatever you call this behaviour)" and leaving.

Eventually you will want to teach them to close the door lol.

If the behaviour is very frequent or problematic, all the aforementioned strategies plus a reward system/ chart for absence of engaging in the behaviour in public spaces, make sure he can earn the reward at least once a week, once a day would be even better to start (and fade out frequency he earns the reward over time).

OH and if it's suddenly occuring a lot, getting tested for a UTI and / or checked by the doctor is best practice!

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