Posts by Rachel Richardson

Some migrated to different platforms, some just aged out, and others actually had kids...
Look, if you don't have a steady stream of new blood coming in, the old guard eventually burns out 😁

Grace Mitchell87 said:I was born with plenty of dark hair—🕺 just a tiny thing at 5.7 lbs🕺
And I eventually made up for that weight later on. 😢

I had a similar experience—though I think I was closer to 6 lbs myself. 😁

Congrats on the new mode 🙂

I’d try to wire the code—but I have a hunch it would be


🍿

Jack Cook7 said:Who said I disappeared?

I was simply pointing out that what we’re really missing is a Ten Ten.
https://img.goglasi.com/img/81893738

P.S. — What exactly is the deal with these numbers?

Ten is quite charming. 😁
This space is reserved for those addicted to pointless numbers—so, yeah. 😬
Take a look.

Harold Adams19 said:I almost forgot about her—

69 !!

69 🤣

Grace Mitchell87 said:70
Why are we counting here—who is John Doe, and what's her deal? 🤔
And should I be counting forward or backward? 🤔

We're still deliberating, but we'll come up with something😬

Robert has gone MIA, and it seems like he’s the only one who actually knows John Doe🤔

Alex Carter said:71
Yeah, how does the counting work?
We're all basically John Doe when we hit those occasional rock bottoms... We've all been there.🙂 Hang in there, John Doe..

She's just confused—probably because 69 is the most common number out there.🤣

42 😁

hiddenmarlin14 said:the kid has quite the attitude—😍 I honestly think you could drop him off at daycare even after he turns one, and he’d probably run the whole place 🙂—or, if he doesn't take charge, he'll cause such a massive scene that the staff will end up begging you to just keep him at home. 😬

Healthy baby🧐

69, though certainly not with Ten 🤔

Nicole Myers said:Everyone who hired this nanny did so based on personal recommendations—and they were satisfied, some even went as far as being thrilled with her. I certainly agree that you can't just leave a small child alone with a complete stranger, regardless of how polite or charming she seemed during the interview. The price is the real issue here—honestly, who can actually afford that kind of expense?

During my college years, I worked as a nanny for two different families. They essentially split the shifts between them—they would handle the primary hours, and I would step in to cover the middle stretches. With the first family, I actually ended up pulling in more money than some people working full-time positions. However, that particular child was incredibly demanding—quite a handful, really—so I decided to move on before my second year. The second family paid a bit less, but the little girl was an absolute angel—truly a dream compared to the first experience.

Daycares are basically breeding grounds for viruses—colds, flu, and God knows what else. It’s easily the biggest downside to childcare, whether you’re looking at public centers or private ones. A lot of parents tell me their kids end up spending more time at home than actually in class—which usually means Mom is constantly stuck on sick leave just to keep up.

That’s true.
We have a colleague at the office who seems to be on medical leave quite frequently—it’s becoming a bit of a pattern. :/

To preserve, yes—that’s the goal.
Success in this endeavor requires a significant amount of luck—quite frankly, more than one might care to admit.

Grace Anderson3 said:Well... the postpartum period hasn't even wrapped up yet, and they’re already asking when we're going for round two...

Well... yeah. 😬
The little guy just wants some company.

It was quite an interesting phase with my oldest—she would suddenly go quiet, just observing everything with intense curiosity whenever there were babies around at the local farmstead. 😁
Younger kids just don't seem to have those kinds of reflexes anymore—it’s a different breed entirely. 😬

@Napy, you better watch out or Eros will get you 😁

@Grace Anderson3/">@@Grace Anderson3, we’re a bad bunch—no regrets 🙂

69 🤣

@Napy, maybe he was thinking of a different kind of 69—you know, like those Tena-pads? 😁

hiddenmarlin14 said:right 😬

😲
That doesn't sound great 🤣

Rachel Palmer56 said:What exactly does it mean to be restrained?😳

The numbers are repeating. 😁

hiddenmarlin14 said:
🤔

Tena-pads for men? 🤔

hiddenmarlin14 said:Life is simple—when there’s alcohol involved, the problems seem to vanish. It’s either that, or nothing at all.

Well, then. 😁

Harold Adams19 said:If you drink, you’re bound to encounter a catastrophic leak—it's practically a guarantee: mine looks like this:
How does one go about counting things here?

It needs to be divided. 😁

Those who believe Tena deserves a good smack are overestimating—and those who wouldn't even give her a nudge? They’re underestimating. It’s a simple matter of balance. 🧐

Harold Adams19 said:69 :zu bo:

Hmm. 😁

69

Harold Adams19 said:😬

Alcohol consumption is linked to a wide array of issues—health, social, and otherwise. 😬

Maria Wright62? 🤔

Grace Anderson3 said:Look, Great Hans—let's just hold off until we see how we actually manage things with Bebot.😁

That’s roughly the timeframe.😁
Just assume that every subsequent step becomes significantly easier—and by "significantly," I mean quite a bit.😁

Grace Anderson3 said:There are even more extreme scenarios out there. An acquaintance of mine was scouting for childcare in New York City—where the gap between demand and available spots is even more staggering. I am not entirely sure if she intended to enroll her baby at one year old or even at six months, but they actually suggested she apply for daycare slots while still in her early stages of pregnancy; otherwise, there is a very real risk of not securing a spot when the time comes.

When I was being recruited for my position, they emphasized that the company provides its own private daycare center.😁

Grace Anderson3 said:We have decided that I will take two years of parental leave, which means delaying daycare until the little one turns two. During that second year, I would request a part-time schedule from my employer during the afternoon hours—right when Hans finishes work.

That sounds reasonable; we arrived at a similar arrangement.
My wife will return to work after the New Year, leaving us with about a year and a half of part-time work remaining.

Keep in mind that if you plan on having a second child, the typical interval is roughly three years—and the baby will likely want a sibling close in age.😁

Nicole Myers said:I know a few acquaintances who stayed home with their babies for a full year before hiring a nanny until age three—just for a few hours a day—and they coordinated their work shifts to minimize the impact.

One relative of mine had to put her baby in daycare at just seven months old because her employer was sending those subtle, unmistakable signals that it was time to return to the office. She used a neighbor who watched several kids at once. By one year old, the child started preschool, but even then, it was a gradual transition.

There is no magic formula here—though there might be professional studies suggesting what works best. The problem is that every few years, some new theory pops up to claim the old ones were wrong. 🕺

As long as you are the one providing the hugs, the affection, and the love 😘 while they are with you, everything will turn out fine.

The idea that you have to sign up for daycare this early feels like a disaster—but when the choice is taken away from you, you don't really have an alternative. 🕺

Nannies can be a solid solution, but there are two main drawbacks. 😁
My brother-in-law and his wife tried them; they also received those "subtle" hints to get back to work after only six months.
To this day, his daughter hasn't quite forgiven him for it. 👎

Essentially, the first issue is finding someone you actually trust.
A couple I know hired a sweet elderly lady, only to discover after a few visits that she was teaching their oldest nephew to hit people in the head.
She was let go, and things improved afterward, but in principle, every caregiver has their quirks.
For instance, my kids are constantly trying to ride me like a horse 🤣—since I’m tall, they think it gives them a better vantage point to survey the room.
Nannies tend to be stricter; you don't get that kind of leeway with them—there is usually much more discipline involved.
That has its advantages, certainly, but also its downsides.

The second issue is cost. You are often looking at an 8 or 9-hour workday, and the price tag is at least comparable to minimum wage—it follows the old rule: you get what you pay for.
You often find yourself having to leave work early because the nanny has other commitments.
Realistically, the cost ends up being similar to childcare centers.

Then there are private preschools, which cost extra and might offer better service, but...
In the US, public daycare usually requires vaccinations. For private ones, maybe not.
Theoretically, they could become breeding grounds for all sorts of germs or unvaccinated kids.
That said, our godparents have a kid in a private preschool and say it's fine—mostly because the parents are a bit more affluent, and there haven't been any issues with bad actors. 😁

Goodness, when it comes to raising kids, there are endless variables and possibilities, but also endless ways to mess up.
If you can avoid daycare, it's recommended.
If you can't, well, life goes on.

The baby will be the king of their own little world at school; I think that part is indisputable. 😁

Grace Anderson3 said:Beyond the issue of separating them too early, I simply don't want my child catching every single cold that goes around just because they're spending so much time in a larger group setting. Plus, there's the likelihood we won't be allowed to bring them in if they—or any of us—show even minor symptoms.
Grandparent childcare in our family isn't an option—it’s a total non-starter.

Hopefully, we'll have more clarity in a few days—and frankly, how much my employer likes the decision matters less than whether my child actually feels comfortable.

Mine didn't get sick nearly as often, though that was largely because they spent more time at home than in daycare. 😁
We usually kept them home for most of December and a good chunk of January—especially once COVID hit...
When things really kicked off, my wife broke her arm; I ended up taking those two months of parental leave, and I utilized some sick leave through her as well—back then, they weren't going to daycare at all.
I'd estimate they were home maybe 30% of the time in 2019, and closer to 50% in 2021. Even if it's only that much, 😁

They might have only caught a cold once or twice in total.
Now we'll see what happens once the little one starts toddler daycare.

In principle, I recommend waiting as long as possible...
If you can't wait, well, you do what you have to do.

Grace Anderson3 said:When I caught that headline, it immediately reminded me of *Good Housekeeping*—which I've never personally read, though I suspect some might find it absolutely dreadful 😁

That was actually a magazine for kids—though, mind you, that was a century ago. 😁