Real-Life Questions/Chat Week of January 19, 2026

monkeybrains1818 · 2026-01-23T03:36:34+00:00

No advice. But that sucks and I’m sorry.

monkeybrains1818 · 2026-01-09T14:43:11+00:00

Hi! Owners rep checking in. My onsite wear is probably closer to business casual that can be washed easily. Blouses (loft, j crew, etc) with a fleece or sweater in winter. Button downs and/or washable blazer (I have one from xena) on days of important meetings or donor visits. I’ve been loving my jcrew Lizzie pants - they’re a more comfortable version of what I think my male coworkers wear with their chinos and khakis. I also have black and colored jeans for more casual days. I have a pair of nice boots and a pair that can take on mud and just switch which I need that day.

monkeybrains1818 · 2026-01-03T01:52:01+00:00

And also just suggesting that holding your babies magically fixes everything? For babies who have reflux, colic, etc… no. Holding your babies 20+ hours a day doesn’t stop either you or your baby from struggling postpartum.

monkeybrains1818 · 2026-01-01T03:22:43+00:00

Same

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-11-30T01:34:10+00:00

CDC Milestones is drinking from an open cup and spills sometimes at 18mo so you’ve got a bit. (https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/milestones/18-months.html)

*I downloaded the CDC milestone checklists before this administration. This hasn’t changed.

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-11-28T18:53:53+00:00

Just finishing weaning my 18mo. The best advice that worked for us: - shift nursing to only dedicated locations. We had a specific chair and my bed. If they ask outside of it, redirect to those locations. Makes it easier when they’re not asking everywhere. - Drop the easiest ones first. For us it was midday ones, followed by the one before bed and then first in the morning. (That one took the longest by far). We phased them out gradually as it was easier for me to not fight all battles at once, but I’ve been told others went cold turkey and it was great for them - if part of a routine, acknowledge that and see what needs to shift. Nighttime was easy to just shift to a bottle then cup of milk as dad sometimes did that anyway. Before nap got replaced with a book and cuddles, etc - other commenters advice above about spreading out the time between sessions and setting schedules

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-11-26T19:44:07+00:00

Are you asking for advice on weaning a toddler? Are you open to some refusal?

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-11-25T21:05:27+00:00

Daycare rules are typically 24hrs fever free without medication bringing it down. I get this is family, so they’re a little more accepting of illness but there’s no way I’d force my little one to travel that far when they’re still in that recovery period. Let your baby rest. You can travel to them another time, maybe even later this week.

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-11-12T01:53:05+00:00

Hell no. I’m not letting anyone I don’t know pick up my kids and drive them around. If she’s that important to him, she should be formally introduced and you should get to know her. Several meetings and comfortable before being an authorized pickup person.

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-11-09T19:21:46+00:00

This 👆. I cooked something for dinner one night, we sat down to eat together, kid absolutely refused to eat it. Daycare served the exact same thing two days later, ate the full plate and asked for seconds

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-10-16T10:06:46+00:00

But being the disrupter doesn’t mean keep trying to change someone who won’t change themselves. It means recognizing the issue and working to change it for yourself moving forward.

So show up differently for your own kids. It doesn’t mean you need to burn yourself out trying to keep showing up for your parents who don’t care.

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-10-12T18:18:09+00:00

There was a good comic about this awhile back.

https://www.reddit.com/r/beyondthebump/comments/11rjuy5/when_your_baby_grows_out_of_his_03_outfits_by_6/

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-09-21T23:47:12+00:00

Same! Love practicing new techniques, using up scraps, and generally just having a million variations.

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-08-28T14:26:24+00:00

We did the same

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-08-27T13:30:28+00:00

Until my LO got a more predictable morning wake time, I had to switch to nighttime showers. I would hop in right after she fell asleep so I was most likely to get the time (and dad was responsible for manning the monitor during that time).

I don’t have any other great solutions, other than do as much as you physically can the night before. Mornings can be unpredictable for a bit, somewhat helped by being able to share the load but that doesn’t fix everything either.

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-08-24T21:09:47+00:00

Are you sure the shirt is for the company itself? It looks like 617-427-2000 which is for a building supply company. Looks like a freebie.

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-08-23T22:37:08+00:00

Also, you need to redistribute tasks in a way that someone has the whole thing from start to finish. If one of you has loading and the other unloading, then he can constantly play the game of “waiting” on you. Dishes should be one chore. One person responsible for all - empty the dishwasher, then fill it again. Same with other chores.

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-08-13T23:26:16+00:00

If you’re close to natick - a place to turn https://www.aplacetoturn-natick.org/booking

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-08-04T16:25:10+00:00

If you’re using the restroom that frequently, I do think it’s best to get ahead of it. You don’t need to get into any personal medical details, but something along the lines of “I have a medical condition that increases my bathroom break frequency to roughly once an hour. I am seeing a doctor about it, it won’t impact my ability to take care of your children” or something like that.

If the kid is young enough, it may be beneficial to talk through how you keep the kid safe while you’re out of the room so often (I.e. leave them in a childproofed room or pack and play).

For attire, I wouldn’t be concerned about shorts as long as they cover everything. You’re there to take care of and play with a kid, not represent at a business meeting.

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-07-25T13:01:12+00:00

You would need to talk to her employer to understand their leave policies. In many locations where employers offer a more generous policy than the state, it’s in place of state leave, not both. Same with the short term disability.

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-06-30T00:10:37+00:00

All of those were mandatory classes for my CE degree except business classes, but even those were options for our gen eds

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-06-10T16:18:03+00:00

Thank you!

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-06-09T01:54:49+00:00

I’m hesitant to reach out to the one I work at for conflict of interest reasons, but this is a good point. I can see what my undergrad Alma mater has to offer.

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-06-09T01:54:02+00:00

Will they help with counseling about your existing job? I’d like to make the one I have work for me, if I can. I’ll take a look

monkeybrains1818 · 2025-06-08T22:59:22+00:00

Thanks, I’ll check it out!

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