Had to drive to my parents place and was dreading it. Loaded up snacks, downloaded new shows on the tablets, made playlists. Somehow it actually worked. Kids were chill the whole time. No major fights, no emergency bathroom stops. We even got there early because I didn't have to pull over. My wife w...
Just finalized the paperwork after 18 months of dealing with lawyers and court dates. Got 50/50 which is what I wanted. Feels surreal being able to spend equal time with my kids instead of just weekends. Moving into a bigger place next month so they each have their own room. Took longer than expecte...
My 12 year old is gaming like 5-6 hours a day on weekends. He wakes up and immediately gets on his Switch or Xbox. We set a 2 hour limit but he just sneaks it after bedtime with headphones. His grades haven't slipped yet but I'm worried about his eyes and his social life. He'd rather game than hang ...
Been working on this for months. Last week we started a no phones at the table rule and actually stuck with it. First few days were rough but now my kids are actually talking to us about their day instead of staring at screens. It's weird how much conversation was missing. If you're struggling with ...
This morning he goes 'Dad why did the chicken go to the park?' I say I don't know. He says 'Because it wanted to swing on the MONKEY BARS.' Then he loses it laughing at his own joke for like five minutes. My wife is shaking her head but I'm over here cracking up because this is peak comedy right her...
I've been telling my kids that I'm reading a book about anti gravity. Can't put it down. Been saying it since they were like 3. My oldest finally gets it now and laughs every time. Second time around with the younger two and honestly it hits different when they understand it. The real joke is how mu...
We're at dinner and my 7yo is distracted watching something on my wife's phone. I lean over to grab like three nuggets off his plate real quick and he whips around and GASPS like I just committed a crime. 'Dad! Those are MY nuggets!' Wife won't stop laughing at me. Apparently there's a nugget code o...
After my second kid was born I ballooned to 280. Just accepted it as dad life. Then one day I couldn't keep up with my boys playing football in the yard and something clicked. Started at the gym, changed eating habits, whole thing. Dropped 60 lbs over a year and half. Sure, I fit in my old jeans aga...
My wife thinks I'm too strict with screen time. We've been doing about 2 hours total during the day, some in the morning and some after school. I feel like that's reasonable for a kid his age but she says other kids get more and he's missing out. He's still active, plays outside, does homework witho...
Genuine question. My kids are 10 and 13 and they seem way more anxious than I was growing up. Always worried about something. I don't think it's just me being paranoid. They're on TikTok and YouTube and Instagram even though I limit it and I wonder if the constant feed of other people's lives is mes...
I was so nervous about this trip. Three kids, 8-12 years old, camping in the woods. Thought it would be a disaster. But we caught fish, made a fire, and they all slept in the tent without complaining. My oldest said it was the best day ever. We didn't have phones and the kids just played and laughed...
We agreed on Wednesday nights and every other weekend but the last month she's been pushing it around constantly. "Can you take them Tuesday instead?" "My mom is visiting Saturday." I get that life happens but I've made plans and rearranged my work schedule and I'm just frustrated. Do I need to put ...
Used to be all about my career. Worked 60 hour weeks, weekends, always on my phone. Missed my oldest's first steps because I was in a conference call. That hit different when he turned 2 and barely knew me. Took a step back, restructured my job, now I'm home for dinner most nights. Making less money...
Usually he's glued to his phone or avoiding me. But today we were working on his car and he actually opened up about some stuff going on at school. We talked for like two hours in the garage. No lecturing, just listening. I think we actually connected. Feeling pretty good about this parenting thing ...
Finally got through The Mandalorian season 3. It was good but not amazing. Now I'm trying to figure out what to watch during my 20 minutes of free time after everyone goes to bed. I've got Apple TV, Netflix, Disney plus, HBO. Too many choices and my brain is fried by 9pm anyway. Someone just recomme...