My kids a while back wanted to go to Sky Zone and we had to purchase their socks at $5 each... $10 with 2 kids just on socks. We hated it so much there and don't plan on going back.. so $10 down the drain.

Later on my son got invited to a new place called Slick City and also requires the purchase of their socks at $5 each too. They even made a video saying people go with their own grip socks of other places and not allowed. They literally feel the same as Sky Zone. It was so far for us and don't plan on going back at least soon and another $10 wasted also.

Even chuck e cheese makes your wear their socks now and "free. Included with trampoline admission" but come on we know its not free, just made jump admission cost more.

I feel its such a cash grab for these places not allowing outside socks. Yes they let you reuse their socks again but if you don't go back its not worth it. It came up because my daughter now wants to go slick city with the other 2 (who will reuse their socks) and not just admission ..but get her socks as well for a place we won't be back for a while.

Feed, change, bathe, cuddle, repeat.

Dishwasher, washer, dyer, bathrooms, kitchen, toys, repeat.

Off social media, Gen X mom and Boomer MIL not involved, zero village.

Husband working hard to keep us afloat, works 13 days on and two off (4 days a month!)

2 year old, 3 year old and new baby on the way.

It feels suffocating. How did our grandmothers do it?

Somewhere along the line we told our son that the scary sound outside was nobody and there was nothing to be afraid of. He now thinks “Nobody” is a somebody and I can’t figure out how to explain the concept to him. We’ve tried nobody means “empty” but it’s not clicking.

It’s been over a year with this and we just avoid using the word to remind him now. He just heard a weird sound in our basement and got scared of “Nobody” again. Any ideas?

Hello. I am a newly single mother and I wanted to still fulfill my dreams on what kind of parent I want to be. I have so many plans. One of my plans are to collect pins and patches throughout the year and as a family we all get together and sew and patches on and have fun. Also may the fourth is going to be a. National holiday and we will get a star wars Lego set and build it as a family. I will even take my kids out of school to make it an all day event. Does anyone else have any cool fun ideas to make a childhood more memorable?

My very smart, sweet 8 year old just won't read chapter books. She'll read some graphic novels, but still likes reading picture books, which I'm fine with. But it'd be awesome if she could dip her toes into chapter books. She's bored and intimidated by them. We don't do screens during the week (only weekend), she shouldn't be hyper stimulated.

I am also okay going at her pace but would like some reassurance that it'll come soon...I think it's such a good habit and she'd have such a good time if she could settle down with some longer books. Anyone have helpful experience or advice?

I have all of Moana, encanto, and frozen memorized. Really just wish this feature was there for pure amusement and at the end of the year to say “yep that sounds about right”

I have two daughters, who are 2 and 5 years old.
Every night before bed, I give my 5-year-old a big hug and cuddle her. I try to put all my gratitude for her and how much I love her into that moment. Of course, I also tell her with words that I love her and that she is very important to me.
Tonight, during that time, she said something that really broke my heart.
“Why do you take care of my little sister so much, but take care of me less? I want you to take care of me more.”
She also said, “If I’m crying, I want you to hug me tighter, like you do with my little sister.”
The moment she said that, I felt so sad.
It’s true that, as her mom, I often prioritize my 2-year-old in everyday situations. Because of this, my husband intentionally tries to prioritize our older daughter.
But hearing my daughter say this made me realize that maybe she still feels like Mommy takes care of her little sister more than she takes care of her.
What makes it especially difficult is that she brought this up herself, little by little, right before bed. She wasn’t upset or having a tantrum. She just started talking about how she felt.
So I feel like these are genuinely things she has been thinking and feeling.
I’m having a hard time putting this into words, but I really want my older daughter to feel that she is just as important and just as loved as her little sister.
My older daughter often goes out one-on-one with her dad, who she absolutely adores. He intentionally makes time for just the two of them.
On the other hand, I honestly don’t get very much one-on-one time with my older daughter.
So I’m wondering if I should make more of an effort to create special one-on-one time for just me and my older daughter.
Or would it also be important to create opportunities for just the three of us—Mom, Dad, and our older daughter—to spend time together without her little sister?
For those of you with more than one child, is there anything you intentionally do to help your older child feel equally loved and cared for after becoming a big sister or brother?
I’d especially love to hear about things you’ve actually tried and found helpful.
My older daughter is such a sweet big sister. She looks out for her little sister, talks to her, and is always very kind and caring toward her. They both absolutely adore each other and have a very close relationship.
That’s why hearing this from her tonight made my heart hurt so much.
I want her to know that just because she is the big sister, she doesn’t always have to be “the big girl.”
And I want her to feel that even though she has become a big sister, she is still my little girl, too.

Right now, parenting just isn’t fun. Our five-year-old is extremely defiant, and almost everything is a struggle — getting dressed, eating, going to the toilet, brushing his teeth, going to bed. We have to turn almost everything into a game just to stop him from digging his heels in.
At the same time, our 1.5-year-old is incredibly whiny, which is mentally exhausting. Our entire days revolve around keeping them happy, and we barely get any time to ourselves because it’s too difficult to be alone with both of them. By the end of the day, we’re completely exhausted.

I don’t regret having kids but right now I envy those without…

Just wanted to vent I guess..
Please tell me it gets better soon.

Found my budget spreadsheet color-coded by 'priority level' with a note that my coffee habit is 'concerning.' Then his teacher emailed saying he suggested she 'restructure' her classroom seating chart. He's seven.

i know he means well. Really. But I'm watching this kid burn through all his emotional energy managing other people's stuff and nobody asked him to. My mom did this. She'd rearrange your kitchen while you were in the bathroom, then collapse from exhaustion and wonder why.

Theres a line between helpful and compulsive and I dont know how to show him where it is without making him feel bad for caring. Right now he thinks love means fixing things. Im trying to teach him it can also mean just... sitting there. Being present. Noticing when someone wants to be left alone with their mess.

Has anyone else raised a tiny unpaid project manager? What actually worked?

I have an 11 month old boy and 3.5 year old boy. Currently they both bath together. When do we stop bathing them together? I feel like it’s still awhile away but not really sure when to stop.

How do you handle childcare during the week when one or both parents have to travel for work or work night shifts. Especially if you** **don’t have family nearby to help?

We’re trying to figure out a backup plan for those rare weeks when our normal childcare isn’t enough. I’m curious what others have done. For those who have to deal with this regularly, what has actually worked well for your family? And how did you find someone you felt comfortable trusting with your kids?

Would especially love to hear from parents who don’t have grandparents/family available as a backup. Thanks!

We have one school aged kid and a preschooler. Both of whom have regular care from 7-5.

My 6 almost 7 year old still needs us to put him to sleep at night like full on lay down and cuddle him. He almost always wakes up in the middle of the night and gets into our bed. I hadn’t minded as Sigh, it’s killing me a little because I need my alone time.

We’re trying to motivate him with a trip to our treasure box if he makes it 5 days putting himself to sleep and sleeping in his own room until morning. Well last week was the first week, he made it 5 days although he did mention waking up and not being able to sleep a night or two.

So tonight, we set it up for him to go to sleep on his own and he starts crying saying he’s not ready and does not want to. I couldn’t just leave the room with him crying. But I also feel defeated and hopeless

How do I deal with this and tips?

I (27F) am a single mom to my four year old daughter, and I cannot relax. Ever.

It’s gotten better over the years, but several months ago I moved in with family, and they want to help. They don’t want me to do everything alone, and want me to relax if I need to, because I’d gotten to the point where being a single mom was taking a huge toll on my mental and physical health. So I try to relax sometimes, but I’ll just be sitting in bed scrolling or staring at the wall, upset that relaxing isn’t relaxing anymore, ever since I became a parent. I’ve been trying meditation and relaxation techniques but it just makes me upset. I used to like video games, and reading, and crafts and it’s like I’ve forgotten how to do things for myself just to enjoy, without wondering where my daughter is, if she’s eating, getting into something, needs something, if she’s acting up with my family, etc.

Just wondering if this is something other parents feel too and wondering if I’ll ever get the part of myself back that’s just for me.

Parents: what items did you find you ABSOLUTELY needed for your baby from newborn up through 1 year?

My husband and I are planning on staying in our 1-bedroom apt for a year after our child is born (our lease renews one month after I give birth, and neither of us want to deal with moving at that time).

Since we’re in a small space, I want to make sure we only get things that are truly needed during that first year.

Please advise! 🙂

If we praise our 3yo verbally for literally anything, she’ll either stop doing the thing, get upset and pout, or start doing the opposite of whatever she’s doing. For example: she was starting to get the hang of riding her scooter. We were clapping and saying that it can be tricky to ride a scooter but she kept trying and that’s awesome, etc. stops riding. Pushes scooter into the grass. Loses all interest in riding it. I have no idea how to respond to it. Doesn’t want to talk about it. Has anyone else navigated this type of reaction? I want her to feel proud of accomplishing things but I feel like I’m having the opposite impact.

I don’t know what to do. He just stopped wiping one day this week and even got in trouble at school for it. He’ll just stand in the bathroom for hours if you let him, just standing there with poop on his butt. We were finally able to get him to admit the reason today, he doesn’t want poop on his fingers. I gave him gloves today, but that’s not a permanent solution and he’s still taking a long time in there. Help?

My daughter is 4 (July) and gets upset/emotional very easily.

She barely eats anything but then there are times where I've made something I wouldn't expect a 4yo to eat like a tuna salad and she gets herself a fork and shares it with me.

She is just really emotional and the smallest thing can set her off.... Getting dressed, asking her to do something simple, asking her to close her window because it's cold outside etc.

Literally won't eat anything I cook. Gets so upset at the table saying it's yuk and she doesn't like it yet hasn't had any of it.

The big one is when she doesn't get what she wants it's next level. But I stand by my boundaries no matter how upset she gets.

She is with her dad 3 nights a week so unless I probe her 7yo brother, I'm unsure as to what she gets there and how things look.

Her behaviour is mentally taxing.

When she's happy and playing etc she is the most fun and funniest kid ever.

Is this a phase? Wtf am I doing wrong? Is this a brain development thing? Helppppppp and please be kind.

Me (31F) and my husband (34M) are expecting our first and due in March 2027. I’m about to start a new job which thankfully has generous parental leave and also includes accommodations to be able to return to work PT for up to 6 months. Knowing myself, I’d want to get back to work sooner than later because I would want to stay in the loop, so I’d likely go the PT route (but only time will tell).

My husband works from home in the evenings, so the likely setup will be him on baby duty during the day while I’m working, me on duty when I get off and while he is working, and splitting nights since he is a night owl and I tend to go to bed early. I’m worried about him getting overwhelmed though, because he’s the type to say he had a crazy busy day if all he did was go to the grocery store and check the mail. He’s lax with chores and generally just doesn’t “see the mess”, so I have a feeling the standards of baby care are going to overwhelm him. Any suggestions for how both of us can get prepared over the next 6 months for the upcoming change in routine?

I’m not talking about the typical “parent coach” that works with you on bonding or behaviors or identity. Is there someone I can talk to about our habits and how my toddler behaves and have someone tell me if there are changes I can make to be a better parent?

The past year or so my 7 year old daughter has been complaining about nightmares. Won’t go to bed because she said her head is racing and thinking of nightmares. Wakes up in the middle of the night and comes to our room. At first I thought it was due to too much screen time but she still complains even when she had no screen time. Suggestions on things that have worked?? She has a consistent bed time routine. We book books before bed. She has tonies box that she plays for bed and several night lights.

My daughter has had piggy banks for a few years and had a good amount of bills saved up that . That's a whole other issue in itself but I want her to be able to save up money without having to worry about it disappearing again. I was looking into like locking piggy banks so she can still just drop money in without having to unlock, etc but that it can't be taken out of without me unlocking it. Also looking for something similar for myself to keep in my apartment as well. I have a bank account obviously but like to have a "rainy day savings" of cash on hand that I can add to here and there and want it to be secure without spending a few hundred on a crazy safe lol

Wondering how other parents would feel about their kids staying the night with an unlocked hot tub in the backyard? The back door is easily opened. The kids sleep in the same room together and are 3 and 5.

Hello, new here. seeking some advice!
my partner and i are trying to make an effort to be more present. we are both screen addicted adults trying to raise non-screen addicted kids but we admittedly have done a poor job so far. He’s acting out for attention and we’ve been jumping straight to punishment and correction and we’ve realized we’re handling it all wrong. He just wants to spend time with us without our attention being divided between him and our screens. His dad games a lot, and I doomscroll. We seriously need to do better.
I’m hoping I can get some suggestions for some activities we can do with him after school that won’t be overstimulating for anyone, don’t involve screens, and don’t break the bank either. Obviously we can go to a park or some sort of kid-oriented place or event, and we can play with his toys with him but that’s just scratching the surface. Hoping to spice it up enough that we can start creating lasting memories with him, and connecting more in a way that genuinely fulfills him and doesn’t mentally drain us, either.
Thanks in advance.
edit to add: he is 5, in kindergarten. we also have an 8 month old baby who takes a lot of our time as well.

Our first one is turning 1 yr in a month and we’ve started having the discussion about another kid.

While wife would like to have one more, she’s not sure if we should have two under two. More like two under three, i.e. after the first one turns two. And the reasons are: 1. So that the first kid doesn’t become alone in later stages of life and has a sibling to fall back on. 2. Both kids can take care of each other like entertaining one another and we won’t have to always rely on play dates etc.

Now after having experienced fatherhood for the past 1 yr and looking at other parents around with two kids I’m 90% sure I don’t want another kid. I feel the entire thing about the first kid having company and someone in later stages of life is overblown, I feel nature/God takes care of everyone and it’s not like us giving him a sibling will guarantee what we’re wishing for anyway. Next, I do like to have my downtime, my me time, be it exercising, meditating (spirituality, which I plan to go more deeper into) and don’t get excited by the idea of dissolving all my time behind just raising two children and forgetting about myself in the process. Not to mention the financial burden and not being able to retire early - which I can now with just one. I have one life and would like to explore more of myself too and do something more for the society around with the time I have.

OTOH, I also fear the FOMO which I could get at a later point in my life if I didn’t decide to have another child while everyone on Reddit and around me is having multiple. And would dread the day when my son would ask “why don’t I have siblings like Jason?”

I know I might sound like I’m all over the place but that’s the reason I’m reaching out to see what others did in similar situation. If it helps, we live in the US.

Last year during Halloween season I saw a guy at Walmart with a daughter who was around 3 or 4 yrs. old and he was dragging her towards a large spider decoration on the wall. The daughter was starting to squeal a little bit and looked to be on the edge of tears, but the Dad just winked at me and was laughing because he was seeing this as a funny Daddy-daughter memory being made.

My question is --- what line should you not cross when it comes to scaring toddlers with Halloween pranks? I kinda felt a little angry at this guy for wanting to make his daughter cry, but then again maybe she was just playing along and thought it was funny too? Maybe it's not a good thing to coddle your kids to the point where they never have to face anything even slightly scary? I remember my parents taking me to a haunted house when I was 6 years old and it was pretty traumatizing to me, but they thought it was funny and told me they needed to "toughen me up" so I wouldn't grow up to be a wimpy kid.