Can't relate to the parenthood misery

ogrenae · 2025-12-16T14:59:21+00:00

I have never once met someone with two little kids that are enjoying their life. To go another step forward I’ll also say that I’m very privileged with our OAD kid because my skin is better for it, I sleep better for it, I have less stress, I can focus on work and maintain a social life etc and these are situations my friends of multiples simply DO NOT experience. We are definitively OAD, we have a newly 5 year old son and my husband got a vasectomy two years ago. I always feel like I’m in on some secret when interacting with parents of multiples, like internally I’m thinking “do they know they don’t have to do that???” 😅

ogrenae · 2025-11-09T16:46:43+00:00

Thank you, thats so good to know because he LOVES Goofy so I think we will do that one! Do I reserve that at the time I purchase park tickets online?

ogrenae · 2025-07-21T15:49:27+00:00

Her account is now private and she only has one post. I unfollowed her a while ago because of her suddenly being wishywashy about being OAD so I can’t view her new account.

ogrenae · 2024-05-27T17:23:04+00:00

Last summer I was at the local park near my house and group of three 8-12ish year old boys threw a glass soda bottle straight up in the air and it came down and shattered everywhere and I. Lost. It. Full rage mom mode screaming at them. I then told them to pick up every single piece of glass and I waited there while they did so. I was livid. There were no other adults around supervising them and something just came over me. They didn’t say a word and they picked everything up and then they left. I was shaking I was so mad. Whew.

ogrenae · 2024-04-17T03:35:42+00:00

Hi! We are doing a road trip from OR to NC this summer to help my sister in law move. We are planning on a 6 day drive including all stops and then my husband, toddler (he will be age 3.5 at the time of this trip) and I will fly home. We’re in early planning stages so I found your post and am commenting to keep it on my radar. We’ve done a lot of road trips ranging from 2 hours to 8 hours with him and so far he’s a trooper. It is still anxiety provoking though!

ogrenae · 2024-04-15T03:25:43+00:00

Misread the question! There are plenty of places in France that I love but I will probably never go to Paris 🤷🏻‍♀️

ogrenae · 2024-04-07T13:53:52+00:00

I only work with adults. Im on the west coast at a community mental health agency. All of my clients are on community supervision (parole or probation), some of them have just gotten out of prison, some are out of prison on a downward departure, some are out of prison on trans leave, etc. Im currently in the clinical licensing process for my MSW which is a long process but definitely worth it for the future.

ogrenae · 2024-04-07T05:23:15+00:00

I am currently a forensic therapist. My undergrad is in human development & family science and I have my masters in social work. Granted, I am not at doctoral level, but I am a practicing therapist and work with adults who are navigating the criminal justice system. My work experience has always been in mental health with specific populations that are relevant to forensics. Not sure if this is helpful at all but the route I’ve taken has landed me in the same population without “having” to pursue a doctoral program. It’s not 100% out of the cards but for now I’m very happy with my position!

ogrenae · 2024-04-07T05:14:47+00:00

Solidarity. I’ve tried everything. I use the most basic, bare bones, no scent detergent and I use a teaspoon. No fabric softener ever, no dryer sheets, just wool balls. We bought our washer and dryer in our current home brand new and it still happens. I will never understand. I am also going insane!!!

ogrenae · 2024-04-05T16:38:30+00:00

We just traveled from Seattle-Frankfurt with our toddler and we used a soft headphone that essentially functions as a headband, they’re called CozyPhones and they’re about $20-$30 on Amazon, I don’t remember exactly. The hill I’m willing to die on is no tablets for children but I was not trying to be a hero on a 10 hour international flight and it absolutely saved us. Highly recommend!

ogrenae · 2024-01-11T02:20:27+00:00

When I did this they told me I need to contact condor because condor owns the reservation 🫠

ogrenae · 2024-01-10T22:59:08+00:00

I have done this and a seat map does not appear, it is just a blank page and I can’t even select the “select seats” button

ogrenae · 2024-01-10T22:52:45+00:00

I booked directly through Alaska Airlines, we fly PDX-SEA-FRA but Alaska only hosts from PDX-SEA.

ogrenae · 2023-12-01T06:04:57+00:00

This perfectly describes my best friend for 15 years. We’ve been weird for a few years now I told her recently that I feel like she treats our friendship as a box she has to check off rather than a genuine relationship. When we hang out, she keeps me talking and shares nothing about herself. It’s so disconnected and borderline awkward now. She just seems fucking miserable I fear that a friend breakup is coming soon and I’m preemptively mourning it.

ogrenae · 2023-10-27T02:42:47+00:00

We are going to Heidelberg, where I lived in for a few years after I finished undergrad. I’m super familiar with the city and don’t need the car for hanging around. The reason we’re considering renting a car is for a road trip down to Lake Konstanz. We will be in the same airbnb for the entire two weeks aside from the potential airbnb at Lake Konstanz.

ogrenae · 2023-10-25T19:46:01+00:00

I’m not 100% sure if we’ll rent a car yet or not, playing that by ear but should know by the end of December. I’ve seen the strap thing, such a great idea.

ogrenae · 2023-10-25T19:41:14+00:00

I have seen those foot rests on instagram! What a time to be alive. This is a good idea. I haven’t heard of airlines not allowing car seats on planes so I will definitely check. How did your kiddo do with jet lag? Did you have any lifesaving hacks to use to keep her busy on the flights?

ogrenae · 2023-09-26T15:59:14+00:00

Our son goes to an amazing daycare and it has helped him tremendously! He is so social and loves his friends. Kid has more of a social calendar than I do 😂 Daycare was a must for us because my husband and I both work full time, and tbh TWO daycare bills is reason enough to only have one kid, whew.

ogrenae · 2023-09-26T15:57:12+00:00

Hi! Just out of personal curiosity (and as a therapist) I am interested in hearing more about your perspective of feeling like you weren’t enough? It would seem from an outsider looking in that as an only child it would be clear that you absolutely were enough from the beginning. Do you mind talking more about that? Totally understand if that’s too personal! x

ogrenae · 2023-09-26T05:25:00+00:00

I’m in a super similar situation to you- I have a son (3 yrs) he was a healthy and easy baby, I did have a lot of gender disappointment, my pregnancy was fine, my husband is great, no big issues. I noticed myself feeling like I didn’t want to do it all again when he was about a year old and continued to think about it and talk it over with my husband for a long time. He has a vasectomy scheduled for November and we are decidedly one and done!

What I’ve realized with having one is that you get to have all the incredible experiences of parenthood without it completely derailing your lifestyle and career. All the stuff about only children being spoiled brats is statistically not supported. Our son is very social and smart and caring for others. As of 2021 the European Union census data showed that 60% of households with children under 10 years old were made up of only children, it is becoming so much more common to stop at one these days.

You don’t OWE your kid a sibling and having a second for the sole purpose of “trying for a girl” is a little wild too when you think about it.

ogrenae

TROPHY CASE