Our 13yo has been dropping hints about 'everyone else has a phone' for like a year. Last weekend we actually sat down and I asked HER what she thought would be a good age and what she'd need to prove first. Turns out she had actual thoughts about it - wanted to start with limited texting only, worri...

Posted here a few months back about struggling with my 9yo's phone usage. We finally got serious about it and here's what actually stuck: - No phones in bedrooms (we literally take them at 8pm) - Trading screen time for other stuff (he gets 30 mins per day he reads for 20 mins) - Making boredom oka...

so I didn't follow the instructions and used WAY too much baking soda. My 6yo got excited and spilled the vinegar jug into the volcano we'd spent an hour making. Red food coloring EVERYWHERE. Kitchen looked like a crime scene. My wife was not amused. Kid thought it was hilarious though so at least ...

FINALLY. Been at this company 4 years and they just updated their policy. My third kid is due in 2 months and I'll actually get to take real time, not just burning through PTO. Plan is to take all 6 weeks - my wife will be dealing with recovery and adjustment, and I want to actually be there this ti...

Our school is advertising LEGO robotics club for middle schoolers and my 12yo is interested. It's $200 for the season which seems reasonable but I'm not sure if it's actually cool or just adult-organized LEGO stuff. Anyone have kids doing this? Do they actually learn something or is it just an expen...

Took my 10 and 12yo to the Natural History Museum in Denver last month expecting them to complain the whole time. Instead they got REALLY into the dinosaur section and spent like an hour reading everything. We ended up staying 3 hours total and they didn't ask about leaving once. Pro tip: let them p...

So my son seems to have a sixth sense for when I put him down. I can do the whole wake-window thing, swaddle properly, white noise, dark room... the moment his back touches the bassinet he's crying. But he'll sleep for 3+ hours if I'm holding him. Is this just how newborns are or am I creating a bad...

We're looking at $2,400/month for 3-year-old and $2,100 for before/after for the kindergartener. That's $4,500 a month. Our household income is like $180k combined and this feels impossible. I work in marketing, wife is an accountant. Staying home isn't really an option for either of us. Are these n...

Made the classic baking soda volcano with my 5yo twins on Saturday. Looked great in the kitchen. Then my daughter decided to "test" it with food coloring IN her lap while wearing light gray sweatpants. The red volcano juice went EVERYWHERE. Worth it? Absolutely. Would I let them do it inside again? ...

Just got back to work after 6 weeks with my newborn (baby #2) and honestly I'm already missing it. The first few weeks were chaotic - mom was freaking out, I had no idea what I was doing with the feeding schedules - but by week 4 I actually felt like I knew my daughter. Went back to the office yeste...

I'm not proud of it but I mark myself as in meetings when I'm actually at my son's soccer practice. My company says they're "flexible" but there's definitely a culture of 60-hour weeks. Ngl it stresses me out but I refuse to miss this stuff. Just wondering if I'm alone in this or if other working da...

Kid wants to do spring soccer (she's 7, never played organized sports before). That's practices twice a week plus games on Saturday mornings. Honestly that sounds like a LOT and we already have a decent amount going on. But also I don't want to be the parent who prevents my kid from trying something...

So my 7yo wanted to do the baking soda and vinegar volcano for his school project. Seemed simple enough right? WRONG. We made it too big, used too much vinegar, and it erupted ALL over the kitchen table, floor, and somehow the ceiling?? Now I have to explain to his teacher why his project is a 4x6 p...

Remember I posted like 6 months ago about having the kids during that freeze and our heat going out? Well, full circle moment: my ex's place lost power last week during custody time and guess what, my house was their backup plan. She asked if they could come stay with me and I said yes immediately. ...

After two seasons of Little League where he complained the whole time, something just clicked this year. He's 10 now and honestly practicing with him in the backyard has become my favorite part of weekends. We work on his swing for like an hour and he actually asks for it instead of me having to for...