She's had TikTok for like 3 months and I barely understand what she's doing on there. She's not showing me the "bad stuff" obviously. I try to ask but she just rolls her eyes. I've seen some scary stuff about predators and algorithm addiction. Do I need to go full monitoring mode or am I being para...
So I get the kids June 15-22, and she just texted saying she booked a beach trip for June 16-19 and asked if I "could maybe take them those days instead." Like no, that's literally the one week I had blocked off. She knew about it 3 months ago. This happens constantly and I don't know how to set a b...
6 weeks approved (using up PTO + some unpaid time). My first real chunk of time at home since my youngest was born. Wife's going back after 12 weeks, so I'll have both kids for a few weeks before oldest starts kindergarten. Honestly terrified that I'll come back and my team will have moved on witho...
Remember when I posted about starting sourdough like 3 weeks ago? Well I haven't killed it yet. First loaf is in the oven right now and it actually looks like bread, not a dense brick. I may have found my pandemic hobby replacement lol. Will report back with results in like 30 mins. Wish me luck.
Hear me out: add a can of diced tomatoes, some garlic, and a little cream. Game changer. My 8yo actually asked for seconds which never happens. Still cheaper than actual cooking and tastes decent. Anyone else have secret box food hacks?
We've got maybe 200 sq ft of usable space and I'm tired of staring at an empty yard. Too small for a proper swing set, not interested in another sandbox. Was thinking about a small obstacle course or maybe one of those PVC pipe climbing structures? My kids are 5 and 8. What's everyone doing that doe...
Looking at options right now - need something for 2 kids (ages 8 and 13) across iPhone and Android. We've been using iCloud Family Sharing but feeling like I need more granular control on Android for my older kid. Heard mixed things about OurPact, Bark, and Qustodio. Budget isn't really an issue. Wh...
Literally trying to plan one measly camping trip for August and everything within 2 hours is booked solid. State parks, private campgrounds, national forests - all gone. I get that everyone wants to camp in summer but this is ridiculous. Started checking sites at like 6am when reservations opened an...
11yo is starting 6th grade in the fall and I'm being weirdly emotional about it. He won't want me picking him up from school anymore, definitely won't want to be seen with me at the mall, and I'm realizing I'm basically entering a new phase where I'm less "essential" to his day-to-day. Logically I k...
Our oldest is turning 13 next month and we're trying to figure out when to actually let him have privacy online. Right now he shares a computer with his sister and we can see what he's doing. He's begging for his own device with actual privacy. I remember getting that freedom at his age and it felt ...
We just had our second kid 2 months ago. Wife's doing great, seems happy, adjusting well. But I feel... empty? Detached from the baby even though I wanted him so badly. I keep thinking about all the things I messed up with my first son and how I'll probably do it again. At night I get these intrusiv...
So my wife has been on maternity leave and I'm back at the office. She's asking me to do at least one night feeding during the week so she can get a solid 4-hour block of sleep. I get it, I really do, but I'm already running on fumes and my job is... demanding. The commute alone kills me. Has anyone...
I've been using this app to actually SEE where my time goes when I'm trying to work and parent simultaneously. It's kind of eye-opening seeing that I spent 1.5 hours yesterday on actual work tasks across a 9-hour day at home. The free version is solid enough. Highly recommend if you're struggling to...
My wife can listen to our 4-month-old cry for 10 minutes troubleshooting what's wrong. I last about 90 seconds before I'm internally screaming. She's not acting superior about it or anything, it's just biological I guess? It makes me feel a bit inadequate tbh. Like she's the natural parent and I'm j...
Lost my temper at the grocery store over something stupid. My kids saw the worst version of me. Didn't handle it with grace, didn't model Christ at all. The worst part is they're watching. They're always watching. How do you recover from moments like this and actually teach them about repentance and...