So I banned my 12 year old from Fortnite for a month because his grades slipped. Thought it would motivate him. Instead he just plays on his friend's PC at their house after school now and I have zero visibility into what he's doing. Ended up lifting the ban but putting parental controls on our netw...
Spent the last 4 months converting our basement. Got a bar, comfortable seating, 75 inch TV, and my motorcycle workbench in the corner. Took way longer than expected because I kept changing my mind about layout but man it feels good to have my own space. Total cost was probably more than I told my w...
My wife thinks I'm being too strict. We let him do 30 mins on school nights which I think is fair, but on Saturday and Sunday she wants to bump it up to 90 mins so he can play Minecraft with his cousin who lives out of state. I get that it's social time but man, 90 mins just feels like a lot. What a...
I've got a smoker that I think about constantly. Like I'll be at work planning my weekend brisket rubs. My buddies make fun of me but honestly there's something therapeutic about low and slow cooking. Just spent 2 hours cleaning the grates and checking my temperature probes even though I just used i...
My ex will text me an hour before scheduled pickup asking to move it. She says it's just her schedule changing but my kids keep asking why their plans keep getting canceled. I want to be flexible but this is happening twice a week now. Do I enforce the court order or keep trying to work with her? Do...
Been a Christian my whole life but honestly going through a rough patch right now. Lost my job last month and I'm angry at God. My kids have been asking why we haven't prayed before meals lately and I don't know what to tell them. How do I lead them spiritually when I'm not even sure what I believe ...
My kids would literally stare at screens 24/7 if I let them. We set limits, we use parental controls, but it's constant fighting. They ask for 5 more minutes, sneak devices when I'm not looking, get angry when I take phones away. I feel like a bad guy but I also see how different they are when they'...
Before kids I was hitting the gym 5 days a week, meal prepping, had a six pack. It was my thing, my identity for like 15 years. Now with three kids under 8, I'm lucky if I get to the gym twice a week and mostly just do home workouts when one of them isn't sick. I'm definitely softer around the midd...
Taking my two kids camping at a state park about 2 hours away. They're 6 and 9, so this will be our first real overnight camping adventure. Planning to do some fishing, hiking, maybe a campfire cooking situation. Bought a new tent that fits all of us plus gear. Any tips for keeping kids entertained ...
First time doing a full competition style brisket smoke on my new offset smoker. Bought a 16 lb prime cut, brined it overnight, got up at 5am to prep. Wrapped it in butcher paper around hour 6, pulled it off at 203 degrees internal temp. Let it rest for 45 minutes and sliced it up. The bark was perf...
Just fired up the smoker at 6 AM in 28 degree weather to do a 12 hour brisket. Neighbors probably think I'm insane but honestly the cold weather smoking is way better. Less wind, better temperature control, and nobody bothering you because they all think you're crazy. Best way to spend a Saturday.
Been in the same league with these guys for like 8 years and we get weirdly competitive about it. Someone accused me of making a 'collusion trade' last year that wasn't collusion at all. This year I'm determined to actually read the mock drafts instead of just winging it on draft night. Also my kids...
So I quit my job at the warehouse 2 years ago when my daughter was born. Wife makes enough that we decided I'd stay home. Honestly I didn't know who I was without that job. My whole identity was being the provider, coming home tired, complaining about my manager. Now I'm the one doing school pickups...
Wife wanted more space for the kids so we moved to this suburb outside Denver last year. I was into the city life, quick lunch spots, concerts, whatever. Now I'm mowing a lawn every weekend and our idea of going out is Applebee's. First month I hated it so much I was looking at job postings back in ...
We got home yesterday afternoon and I haven't slept in like 30 hours. Every time we try to put our newborn down in the bassinet he screams. The moment we pick him up he settles right down. My wife and I are taking shifts but I'm exhausted and honestly a little scared. Is this normal? How long does t...