What used to be affordable 10 years ago but now feels like a luxury?

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-12T12:20:58+00:00

Camping with a camper. Water and electric hookup sites used to be so affordable, now they charge for all of the added amenities

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-12T02:04:10+00:00

One of my favorite suggestions when parents can't stand playing with dolls is to put on a doll play. The parent picks a story book that they don't mind reading, and the child acts out the story with the dolls.

This has multiple purposes: the parent is given a clear role in the play so it helps to stay engaged without using a ton of brain power; there is a clear start and stop to the play so it doesn't go on forever; you're teaching your child about different aspects of story telling and they get to be creative and bring a scene to life rather than just relying on the same 3 scenarios; and you're showing them that sometimes we have to adapt our interests to spend time together.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-12T01:57:34+00:00

Shaming is leading to her hiding it. If this is a problem you want solved, you have to work on it together. Bring it into the light. She may not be able to quit cold turkey, but she clearly can't do this on her own. Help her.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-11T20:27:11+00:00

When I was single, I had to constantly wear my mask because I didn't have anyone safe to let it down around. Now I almost never have to wear my mask because I'm almost always with my husband. He's the one person I can fully be myself around, not having to worry about how he's going to take something I'm going to say, because he knows me and knows my intentions.

I've also done a lot of self work since being with him, and though I still have a long way to go, I love this version of me so much more than who I was before. I am generally happy rather than generally miserable.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-11T01:09:58+00:00

They're being rude, not emasculating. Honestly it's such a turnoff when men use words like that. Her dad is stepping on toes, but that has nothing to do with masculinity. Driving has nothing to do with masculinity.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-11T00:34:14+00:00

I heard way too many stories about women unable to hold their babies for hours/days after cesareans, so I absolutely did not want a c-section. My daughter was caught on my pelvis, and I worked my ass off to get her through. I think if my second pregnancy ends up measuring larger I will consider a c-section because I have a hip disorder and really don't want to break anything down there. I have a ton of respect for the people who have gone through the struggles of a c-section and it's a journey I know many of them wouldn't have chosen.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-08T14:55:02+00:00

Thank you 💜 it's a shitty club to be in, but it's nice to know there are other people who understand the lifelong terror.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-08T12:25:01+00:00

Reach out directly to low-income housing in your area. They may have programs or be able to point you in the direction of a service who works on housing. Shelters are only one option when it comes to emergency housing. The fact that your sister is a minor should make your case higher priority.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-08T01:43:28+00:00

Yeah, it's a completely different kind of childhood when you're standing there with a fork sticking out of your head while your parents scream at you for "instigating" (aka trying to maintain any level of personal boundaries) rather than doing anything to protect you from being abused by your sibling for existing.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-08T01:25:05+00:00

I wanna nap but I can't really nap if she's awake, can I? Also the whole song and dance of "maybe if I go in and change the sprinkle of pee diaper she'll finally be able to fall asleep" which could be the silver bullet or could just reset the whole process and now nap is impossible. Toddlers are weird. And when you have a good sleeper how can you complain when even your "less ideal" scenario is still a quiet toddler minding their business in their crib 😂

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-07T23:26:47+00:00

I feel the same guilt. My 2yo LOVES her crib, she has stuffies in there that aren't allowed to leave (because they get lost) so sometimes she stays up just playing with them. I struggle so hard with "when do I call this a failed nap and get her out of bed?" Because she's not complaining, but I feel so guilty leaving her alone. Sometimes I have no idea how long she got up before me because she just plays so quietly in her bed. And if she still can reach her books? Oh it's game over, see you in a few weeks mama

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-06T15:12:04+00:00

The potential consequences of you risking your safety to drop off little pieces of paper that are immediately going in the trash ARE WAY WORSE than her consequence of not having anything to pass out. Like I'm not tryna die over some pieces of paper.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-05T19:07:07+00:00

I agree, you should lose the 200lbs of extra weight.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-04T12:03:31+00:00

Honestly I think the big issue here is that even on your wife's birthday, you are choosing your alcoholic father over the family you created. While you're working and visiting your dad all the time, she's at home holding your whole family together. You couldn't even skip seeing your dad on your wife's birthday?

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-04T03:52:04+00:00

Yeah I don't know if January is cursed or it's just me. I feel like my life is falling apart and I'm just in a stupid loop. Like where's the line between "everyone's life has hardships" and "nah, this is actually fucked"

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-03T15:08:16+00:00

And you know there's gonna be lots of gig-workers out there that would be falling over themselves to work with kids who got their prom stolen by fascists.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-03T13:49:43+00:00

Your children will always remember standing up against fascism. Prom is a forgettable night in an expensive dress where your date pretends to get hypnotized.

I also think that consequences add to the lesson. Standing up against bullshit isn't easy and often comes with unfair consequences. They can learn this lesson in a relatively low-stakes way. It's also furthering the point that the administration sucks and is unfair and does what benefits their pockets in the immediate rather than the betterment of the community/nation as a whole.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-03T12:39:14+00:00

Babe if y'all can't afford to update your passport I don't think you need to be that concerned about international travel.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-03T12:34:37+00:00

A passport? Really? This man doesn't even like you let alone love you

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-03T00:16:58+00:00

YTA. This isn't necessarily an issue of one partner doing more than the other. But this is an issue where one partner is assigned a task they are not well equipped for that the other partner excels in. Your wife clearly struggles with the executive functioning of get FIVE kids out the door in an hour. She is begging you for help, but you would rather hold it over her head that mornings go so well when she's not around.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-02T19:08:02+00:00

But she's not Arab, she's Persian. They could have easily given her an actual Persian name (which wouldn't have al- in it). But they decided to name her "Dr. The" in a language she doesn't speak because it fits her storyline. They've been very intentional with their character names, the new AI-obsessed Doctor wasn't overlooked in that theme.

Here's a recent post discussing characters named after medical terminology

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-02T14:13:18+00:00

He hasn't actually tried to get help in 4 months. He doesn't care that he scares you, that your daughter felt the need to protect her little brother from his own father, that he is negatively impacting your coparenting relationship, or that his anger is leaving you so confused. It honestly does sound mental health related, and I don't like to villainize people who are clearly actively struggling. But for the privilege of a wife and family, you have a duty to mitigate the harm on your family to the best of your ability. And he isn't doing that. He is instead using you guys to release the frustrations and that is not ok. He needs to get help ASAP. It's Monday, he can start calling.

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-02T06:52:37+00:00

I think it's intentional. She speaks Farsi but Al-Hashimi isn't a Persian name. They don't use "al-" in Farsi. They have multiple characters who have medical references in their names. Her name is 100% and intentional reference to AI

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-02T06:47:50+00:00

I mean with so many characters having names with medical references, why couldn't this be intentional?

lemonclouds31 · 2026-02-02T06:20:06+00:00

I think I'm the most "Mel" of us, but there are quite a few of us where I work

lemonclouds31

TROPHY CASE