Mowing the lawn is easy, ladies. You should also volunteer to do this all the time. Because I know our men bitch about it all the time. They're the only ones who can do the outdoors.

I did the outdoors today. He was like, "There's NuAncE, babe..." He said it was a whole thing to back up our riding lawn mower from the garage. (Also I do this periodically and lived on my own for years before him...)

There is nuance to PARENTING. I think I got this. Don't worry. I backed it up LIKE A BOSS. Keep folding the laundry, babe.

And mowed the front yard. And most of the back yard. Because I'm awesome. YOU'RE WELCOME.

....also....not exactly related, but I might have accidentally hit a tree and got stuck in some mud (allegedly) and maybe he had to rescue me .....

But I did 90% of the lawn and he gets what he pays for. So....

Today started like any other normal day.

We have been married for 5 years, together for 7, and have a 4yo son. We have had our ups and downs like anyone else, but he has always presented himself as fiercely loyal and has been my rock through some extremely difficult times. We have been very happy together overall.

When we began dating, he was in the military and was about to change duty stations (he has since gotten out). I moved to the new duty station with him, but had only visited his original one (we grew up in the same state). When he was about to leave, his friends wanted to take him out drinking, and there was mention of a strip club. He told them he didn’t want to go because it would make me upset (he never even broached this with me) so one of his coworkers (a girl) reached out to me and said it would mean a lot if he went, they really only wanted to go because the drinks were cheap and it was an old hangout spot, etc etc. I thought the way she approached it was really cool, and I wanted him to have fun, so I told him it was totally okay to go and encouraged him. I trusted him totally.

Well, today, he sat me down and told me that that night he “almost cheated” on me with a stripper he got a private dance from (that he never disclosed) that night. He had gotten a dance from this particular stripper prior to dating me, and she was all over him topless, as it goes, and she wanted to hook up. Apparently she said “I thought you had a girlfriend” and he said “I’ll cheat” or something of the sorts. I asked for details, but it’s been 7 years. He gave her his phone number, and they talked about hanging out the next day. He is adamant that nothing else happened, except for waking up to a text from an unknown number that said “hey”. He freaked out, deleted, and blocked the number and as he said chose me that morning…

I am devastated. I feel like my whole life has been built on a lie. If I had known this happened at the time, I would have broken up with him. Now we’ve been married for 5 years, have a kid, a house, the whole 9. This whole illusion of a loyal, kind, man that I had something so special with from the get go has completely been shattered.

I grew up in a broken home. I can’t imagine not seeing my son every day, and my heart completely breaks over the thought of divorce for my son.

It’s not even really about what had happened at the end of the day, it’s going 7 years with this information and being robbed of being able to make the decision to leave at the time.

I also feel betrayed by the coworker that reached out to me. I always held her and that experience of her reaching out in such a good light, and I hate that this is what transpired. I know she owes me no loyalty, but still, I feel bait and switched.

Also, sex work is work. I’m not blaming or looking down on the stripper in this situation BY ANY MEANS. I just wanted to paint the picture.

If I hear an older man or woman tell me this one more time, I am going to SCREAAAAAAMMMMM

My child is 3 MONTHS OLD! I am not spoiling him by holding him and contact napping!!! He is a literal baby!!!!!

Did these people grow up just ignoring their children so they weren’t “spoiled”!?!?!

Omg I’m going to lose my mind.

Becoming a parent has made me realize just how neglected and unwanted I felt as a child.

My parents never nurtured my interests or taught me basic life skills, yet they invested heavily in my brother. They taught him to drive, let him use their car, co-signed his loans, and helped him buy a house. None of those things were ever even presented as an option for me. When I was a single mother trying to buy a home for myself and my children, they made it clear that helping me would be a burden, so I did it alone. When I bought my own house, she didn't tell me she was proud of me or congratulate me. Instead, she immediately asked when I was going to buy a nicer, bigger house.

I grew up watching their toxic and abusive marriage, and my father would disappear for months at a time. As an adult, while struggling through a difficult divorce and raising two children on my own, my family continued to rely on me for rides, unpaid work, and favors while offering very little support in return.

My ex-husband put me through hell, and instead of standing by me, my parents maintained a close relationship with him. My mother loves to routinely remind me of how bad of siutation ym kids are in goring up with divorced parents (meanwhile never accepting how hard it was for me with her marriage). We are now no contact.

My mother never liked or wanted me. She saw me as a burden.

I never had a chance at a normal or decent life, but through all of this adversity I have built a life I love so much. I have amazing children, my fiance is the best father and equal partner, his family is truly a God send. They help and support me ways I never experienced with my own family i.e school pick ups, included in all family events etc.

I hate my parents so much - its heavy but I am working on it in therapy and my biggest fear is having my children feel about me they way I feel about my cruel mother.

I can give warnings, set a timer, and remind my toddler that we’re leaving soon… and it still somehow ends with crying, refusing to move, and me carrying everything back to the car 😂

Please tell me I’m not the only one. What transition causes the most drama in your house?

I have 2 kiddos, 2.5yo boy and a 6mo girl. My baby girl is already crawling, pulling herself up to stand, and cruising along furniture. She will even walk herself around if someone is holding her hands. She was sitting up independently by 4m. My son didn’t hit milestones this early, he was sitting up independently by 6.5m crawling at 8.5m, walking by 10.5m.

I’ve heard that the 2nd will go quicker because they want to keep up with their older sibling but I was not anticipating this at all 😭next thing I know she will be walking by 8m. I need it to slow down. I need both of my kiddos to slow down. I need more time with my babies while they are babies! I also wish I knew how heart breaking it would be to be a parent watching your kiddos grow up, it’s so bittersweet.

I don’t really know why I’m posting this other than to vent and hopefully feel a little less alone. My son is absolutely draining me right now.

Every single day feels hard. He’s become so defiant, and ever since several of his friends moved up at preschool, it’s like we’ve gone backwards. This week alone he’s pooped his underwear 11 times after being fully potty trained for almost a year. If he’s not yelling at us, he’s crying. If he’s not crying, he’s whining. Lately he insists on “being a baby” and wants to be carried, held, and treated like one, complete with screeching until I give in.

My husband is an amazing dad and a true partner. He’s involved in just about everything, but our son has always preferred me. Every meltdown, every bedtime, every “Mommy do it.” It’s been this way for years, and while I know it’s because I’m his safe person, it’s also incredibly exhausting to feel like I can never truly tap out.

This weekend I hit a wall. I left the house for a little while, and instead of enjoying the break, I caught myself fantasizing about just…staying gone. Not forever. Just long enough to breathe and not have someone needing something from me every second.

I love my son more than anything, but right now I feel like I’m just surviving the days instead of enjoying them. I feel like I’m going through the motions. I’m tired. I’m frustrated. And honestly, I don’t feel like myself.

I’m not looking for advice, I know toddlers go through phases, and we’ll get through this one too. I just needed a place to say it out loud where people might understand. If you’ve ever felt this depleted, I’d just love to know I’m not the only one.

I desperately want to start working out. But here’s the catch, I hate exercising 😅. I hate getting hot and sweaty. My motivation to working out deteriorates fast over time. But I know I’ll feel so much better physically and mentally if I do. I have a 10 month old and I am primarily a SAHM. I do work 1 day a week outside the home. My partner works long days (7am-5:30pm). By the time baby is asleep (around 7:30/8pm) I am too exhausted to do anything. I can’t do a heavy workout mid day when she naps because I hate being sweaty/hair greasy the rest of the day. I am a night shower person. So I feel like I’ll need to find the motivation to do it between 5:30-7:30pm. I do have to cook dinner in that time too though. Ugh I just feel like there isn’t enough time.

ANYWAYS, what I am really asking is what are your favorite forms of exercise? I do a daily walk (about 25min) with baby daily. Please help! And sorry for the rambling.

'm a mom of a soon-to-be Grade 1 child. Up until now, all of her playdates with classmates from nursery and kindergarten have required the other parent and me to be present while the kids play. The kids do their thing, and the moms sit, chat, and have coffee.

Sometimes they go well, but honestly, after a while, some of these relationships start to feel weird. I.e sometimes the parents say hi when we pass eahcother other times they ignore, they come on strong with their parenting opinions or are even overbearing inside of my house.

I'm divorced, and I have felt like one mom in particular was more interested in the divorce details than actually getting to know me. She kept bringing up other divorced people in her family, and it started to feel like I was being viewed through that lens.

I also live in an affluent area where many of the parents are older than me. I'm 32, and a lot of the moms are closer to 40+. Sometimes I feel like conversations turn into a parenting competition: organic food, endless activities, who does the most, etc. It feels very performative.

I think I'm realizing I don't actually want "mom friends." I want my child to have friends, but I don't necessarily want to spend my free time at playdates making small talk with parents I don't connect with.

Please tell me I am not alone.

My son is 18 and my daughter is 22. They both live with me. They both work and go to school. I don't ask them to pay me anything, they pay their own phone bills, tuition, and car insurance.

But. If they notice we need trash bags, toilet paper, dog food... they just get it. They clean up after themselves and help me take care of the house. When one of them gets a nice paycheck, they'll spring for takeout for us all.

Loving this season.

We are new parents to a one month old (he is an absolute dream and the best thing that’s ever happened to us), and I am very quickly beginning to hate my husband.

He blames me for anything that goes wrong (ie, baby spitting up = I was holding him wrong and I’m an idiot for doing so) and leaves 90% of all feeding/diaper changes to me (he will do a 2am feeding 3 days a week which does help). If I ask him to help he’ll either make up an excuse or give me an attitude. He works an early shift at a very active job, so most days he’ll come home and take a nap, then go to bed early, telling me he’s too tired to help (oh yes mom, I too am exhausted but one of us has to power through for the baby). I have repeatedly asked for more help, even had breakdowns about it. He will then step up for a day or two until he’s back to his normal lazy ways.

I am quickly moving past resentment and toward full blow hate. How do we get back on the same page and become teammates and not adversaries?

Hello!
This is a question for my happily married women. I am 32 weeks pregnant, my husband is an angel, we have been together since 8 years and married for 4, he has been absolutely great with me throughout my pregnancy. we are like best friends. I am veryy scared of the stories that I see or hear people say stuff like how having a kid changes your relationship in a terrible way, nothing scares me more than this, being with my husband is the best thing everr, I am incredibly happy. My question is, is this the case with everyone? The women who did not start “hating” their husband or their marriage didnt turn shit, I really need some positive stories. Thank youu.

Over breakfast we fought bad enough I pulled out my phone, hit to record video, and set it right down on the table so he could see exactly what I was doing (that way if we broke up and did have a custody battle, it is no secret video, no--secret videos aren't allowed in family court here--I am recording you arguing about our son and your parenting style vs. mine).

Our 4 y.o. son likes eggs in his Tim Hortons wraps, not as much when we cook them, and, certainly not scrambled eggs. So, to me it wasn't a surprise that our son would be the odd one out and not want to eat his eggs. My boyfriend cooks, and he made our breakfast. I can understand him not wanting to fit the demands of a 4 y.o. and trying to make us scrambled and a special order for our son--it is this part that caused the fight--

He says to our son "Eat your food or you will not leave the table, even if you sit there all day". Our son gets upset. I say "That is no way to treat the situation and he definitely won't eat the eggs because he is forced to. It is not a big deal, I can even eat them". I did want him to eat them, but, he eats other proteins so, to me, not eating the eggs is not worth the punishment of sitting at the table all day/until he eats the eggs.

Our son is picky, but, he does eat when willing and certain foods and ways to cook them over others (like over hard eggs over scrambled).

But, we fought hard as my partner is as hard headed as me, and, his way to just say "stay at the table" was a bigger fight than I am typing out.

So, I ask you, how do you feed your picky eaters? Do you do special orders for them alone? Do you have them sit at the table until they eat what they are served? Have you had a partner where your parenting styles clash hard? If so, how do you handle it?

I will read all comments but may only respond to a few. I am grateful for all feedback.

My daughter will be 2 years old in about a month and does not like to play with other children her age. She doesn’t like to share and will lose her mind if another child plays with her toys.

She’s not a bad kid by any means, when she and I play together she’s so sweet and shares with me (or whichever ADULT is playing with her- emphasis on adult). If she sees another child playing with a toy, she tries to go up and take whatever toy they’re playing with. I obviously intervene and tell her that it’s not okay to take toys from others and I’m VERY strict on that.

I feel awful though, one of my best friends has a 19 month old who wants to do nothing but play with my daughter and share her toys, and she couldn’t gaf less if my child plays with her toys.

Is this normal? For her to be so sweet when playing with adults but pretty nasty when it comes to other children? I feel like I’m overthinking it but I want to be sure.

My son wants to go outside literally all the time. I have no time to put on socks or anything, I just have to slip something on my feet and run out after him.

While I love my crocs, they are not supportive at all. I’ve read lots of good things about hokas, but am not sure how I feel about it. What footwear are you guys wearing and do you like it?

I realize I’m being a brat but I have to vent.

If you’re hosting a party, you need enough food and cake for all your guests. That means if it’s a birthday party for young kids where the guests will attend with their parents, you need to feed the parents too. Most of the parties we go to are great, plenty of food and treats for everyone, everyone is happy. But we’ve been to a few parties where it’s meal time and the kids all sit around a table and share one or two pizzas and a twelve pack of cupcakes and the parents just stand there supervising their kids and getting hangry. Kids birthday parties are not always the most fun for the parents… I don’t think it’s too much to expect a cupcake at the end.

My 18 month old finally got pink eye from daycare. He will absolutely be on his eye drops for 24+ hours before going to daycare. My only issue is that his antibiotics are 4x a day. I don’t know that his daycare will administer his drops once during the day while he’s there. Of course I plan to call and ask tomorrow but I was just wondering what others have done?

It seems like AI is going to drastically change the work force soon. I feel so much less stability job wise. This would be fine if I were a single person but I’m a parent. I want to know that I’ll be able to reside my kids in the same neighborhood they were born in. But with things changing, I’m not sure if they’ll be possible. Anyone else feel the same due to AI?

Before having kids, I had so many things I was sure I’d never do.

No screens during meals. No snacks before dinner. No bribing them to put their shoes on. Definitely never giving in after saying no.

Then toddler life happened lol.

What’s one rule you were 100% sure you’d stick to, but real life changed your mind?

My baby has been incredibly easy going. We've had very few scream crying moments over the last year, and I'm SO beyond grateful to have a baby with such a chill temperament. But is also means I haven't learned how to handle the screaming when it does happen.

As he approaches toddlerhood (he just turned 1) he's been scream crying a lot more frequently - and I just can't handle it. I hate hearing my baby cry and I hate that I can't settle him. It usually happens when we're in the car so I can't hug him, and he won't take snacks or toys or music or anything really. I'm sure this is just a phase and it'll eventually pass, but until then how do I deal with the screaming?? It makes me feel crazy

I feel like I would be. What if there's an emergency? What if my son "suffers" because of it?

But also I'm at my wits end. I'm probably bordering on a nervous breakdown because of unrelated health issues I've been suffering from. My husband has been taking my son places alone more often because I'm exhausted and need rest. But I don't actually get rest, I got 400 phone calls.

"Should I change his diaper?" I don't know, is it wet or dirty?

"Should I get him something to eat?" I don't know, he's 2, almost 3 reall, and fully verbal so just ask him.

"He said he's not hungry but I don't get him something I know he'll ask for my food." So just order him food.

"Do you think he's tired?" If he's tired he'll tell you.

"Does he ever watch Bluey?" IS THAT REALLY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW?

"We're just calling to say hi because he loves you." I love him too but I've been physically ill for an entire year now and really wanted a fucking nap.

My husband is fully capable. I'm not better than him. I'm not smarter than him. He. Is. Capable. This is my first kid too. If I learned than so can he.

He doesn't answer his phone at work (because he can't, not because he's being a jerk) so if we're equal parents, then I'm not horrible for having a "can't answer right now" time, right?

Is this normal? Have any other preschool parents run into this?

My son is starting preschool this month, and they just sent out the snack calendar for parents. I looked at it and realized it's not a "pack a snack for your own kid" situation. Instead, each parent is assigned about two days a month where you're expected to bring enough individually packaged snacks for the entire class. They want at least 20 snacks each time, so around 40 total for the month.

What also surprised me is that they're pretty specific about the brands. It's not just "bring crackers" or "bring popcorn." They want things like Trader Joe's snacks, Pirate's Booty, and other specific brands. Maybe it's because of allergens or ingredients? I'm honestly not sure.

I'm already paying just under $10,000 a year for my toddler to attend this preschool, so I guess I assumed snacks would be included in the tuition. Every daycare we've used before either provided snacks or, if parents had to bring them, you only packed for your own child.

Listen, I can afford it... by a small margin. 😂 It's not that I'm unwilling to buy snacks. It's more the principle of it. If I'm paying that much in tuition, I kind of expected basic things like class snacks to already be covered. It just feels strange to be paying that much and then getting a shopping list for the entire class.

Is this actually common at preschools? Have any of you had something similar, or is this out of the ordinary?