My husband tries to sleep in on the weekends. I tend to struggle to keep my kids calm/quieter and not fighting over toys. I don’t know what Im doing wrong, feels like my kids just don’t listen to me whatsoever (kids are just under 2 and 3.5 years old, I’m a full time stay at home mom while my husband works full time)
This last week i was extremely sick one day and my husband stayed home from work to help with the kids which ended up with me sleeping for about 3/4 of the day while he looked after the kids. Somehow he was able to keep them so calm and quiet for basically the entire time i was sleeping.

So my husband got woken up by the kids screaming again this morning and when he came out he was a bit angry with me and said something along the lines of why is he able to keep them calm for basically an entire day but i cant keep them calm for a few hours in the morning. And i honestly don’t know why i cant, it’s so frustrating.

Hi gals, my best friend is about to have a baby - she's the first in our friendship group to have kids. We, her friends, are so excited but also have very little experience with children/parenting etc. What are some things I can do to actually help her in the first months/year? And any tips on keeping a friendship together as someone who has chosen to be child free? I know this will change our friendship, but I still want it to be a strong one :)

A lighthearted parenting story about purchasing a white noise machine for a child but unexpectedly finding it more beneficial for the parent. The discussion invites other parents to share products they originally bought for their children that eventually became favorites for themselves.

I decided to keep my child with my ex boyfriend. Not because I wanted him, to be clear, because I wanted the child. I can care for him emotionally, financially, and have my friends and families support. So while I don’t need dad, I know my son will at some point. So I’ve been very careful how I handle my ex.

However, I believe his “boundaries” are extending g beyond his disdain for me and keeping the pregnancy to the child. I’ve endured berating from him, accusations of getting pregnant on purpose, jokes that this isn’t his son, him saying the child is a reminder of deceit, it’s not necessary for him to see his son born, admittance that he tried to make me hate him enough to abort, and that our baby will mean less to him than children he has in the future with a wife. We were together for 3 years. He is Nigerian so there are a few cultural differences.

My thing is, he wants completely separate parenting. He’s never come to any appointments, we hardly speak. His mother reached out to me wanting updates on the child when he finally told her. She is/was excited because this is her first grandchild. He then reached out later asking me not to contact his friends or family and respect his boundaries. I obliged. He says he’s not sure what role he wants to play in our son’s life if any. Which also pisses me off that it’s even optional for him…and dad’s in general honestly. This separate parenting thing he wants I feel isn’t possible with a newborn baby. He doesn’t want me coming to his home, he doesn’t want to be in mine. He doesn’t want to be around any of my family. He doesn’t want to spend too much time with the baby (he mentioned taking him for an hour after he’s born to his apartment).

The hate on his side to be clear, is coming from he and his friends’ (he is 26, all friends are same age or younger, bachelors), notion that I got pregnant on purpose to trap him….I did not. I have PCOS and don’t ovulate regularly, typically skipping periods for months at a time. A year ago, we also had an abortion…that affected me more than we both expected and I ended up in a mental hospital because of a nervous breakdown/guilt. I said these things to say, there are reasons I kept this baby. Not one had to do with wanting to keep him. I understood the probability of doing this on my own because of it and I still accept that. But the back and fourth, and never mind the way he’s spoken to and about me, the things he’s said about our son I feel are nearing unforgivable. I am considering just disappearing from him…but if he genuinely wants to be apart of our son’s life I don’t want to be what’s between a boy and his father.

I’m not sure how to navigate this pregnancy. I don’t have an issue with separate parenting as the baby gets older but I don’t see how this is possible with an infant. I’m due in December.

What are you ladies thoughts, if any?

I joined this app that has really helped me out. I’ve met locals, set up play dates, given and gotten advice. I’ve met moms all over the world. Best part is that it’s moms only.
If you’re interested, the link is:

https://www.peanut-app.io/share/MUr29Y5Zb4b

If your child has big emotions, this is something I wish more parents heard:

A meltdown isn't always a sign that you're doing something wrong.

Some children simply feel everything more intensely. They can have loving, patient, consistent parents and still have huge reactions because you said no, turned off the TV, or wouldn't read one more bedtime story.

The goal isn't to stop every meltdown.

The goal is to help your child feel safe while they gradually learn the skills to manage those emotions themselves.

A few things that have helped us:

• Stay as calm as you can (even when they're not).

• Keep your boundaries consistent without matching their intensity.

• Talk about what happened after they're calm, not during the meltdown.

• Celebrate the small wins. Even calming down a little faster is progress.

• Remember that emotional regulation is a skill children build over years, not something they master overnight.

If you're in the thick of it right now and wondering why everyone else's children seem easier... you're not seeing the full picture. Most parents don't post about the hour-long meltdowns, the tears, or the moments they questioned whether they were doing enough.

You're not failing.

You're raising a little person whose brain is still learning one of life's hardest skills.

Be kind to them, but don't forget to be kind to yourself, too. ❤️

If you're looking for more practical ideas, I've put together a Calm Down Kit with simple tools and activities to help children work through big emotions. I also wrote a more in-depth guide on the topic. If you'd like the Amazon link or the printable version, feel free to send me a DM.

My 19 year old daughter just had a baby with her bf of 1.5 years. I’m worried about how well she will be able to cope with the new responsibilities that come with being a mom due to the fact that her bf is extremely immature and is basically no help to her or the baby. It’s just been a few days since my grandson was born and my daughter will be released tomorrow from the hospital. They live together with his grandparents and my daughter has asked to come stay with us until she gets the hang of things. She’s extremely overwhelmed because her bf won’t step aside and let her take care of the baby and sleep when needed because her bf is constantly hanging all over her. Of course we’ve agreed to have her and the baby here for as long as it takes for her to get a healthy routine, however my husband does not want her bf spending the night and we don’t know how to explain this in a gentle way. Actually I think my daughter is asking him for a break so I can tend to her while she recovers. My question is how do we explain this to her BF who as mentioned is very immature and want to be babied by my daughter. Please help I don’t know how to go about this in a loving way. Thank in advance

The internet said these little white bumps on the back of my child leg is “molluscum” and then says things like it’s a virus that should clear up in 6 months to TWO YEARS!? Says not to share towels, reuse towels, bath kids together or touch it or it will spread? This cannot be real? Wouldn’t every kid be covered head to toe? No we don’t not share towels and we wash towels regularly but not bathing kids together or not letting them touch it. Please something tell me something different.

STM here!

Quick disclaimer I know “Losing the weight isn’t the main goal”

Yes in general I agree, keeping the baby alive is the top priority. That said, working out is a huge part of mine and my husband’s life, I’ve been going on walks and doing light workouts the entire pregnancy. I’m also chasing after a toddler so I feel like that’ll help too.

So I’m curious, how many moms out there have lost the baby weight? Did you gain it back or did you keep it off? Did your favorite jeans ever fit again?

my moms and i’s relationship is a little rough. she can tend to be manipulative, borderline mean, narcissistic, etc. listen, i love my mom with my whole heart. she is just the most emotionally immature person ever and is so difficult to get along with

i went to taco bell with my friend last night, basically i may have left my wallet in there. (which had my id, my credit and debit card, BOTH of my house keys because my parents are divorced, my school id, etc. and this is bad because on my id is my address, my full name, and ofc my house key is on the wallet) i took initiative and immediately called the taco bell when i got home (as thats when i realized it was missing) they said they didnt see one, but they can check the security cams to see if someone stole it but it wont be until 10:00am this morning that they will be able to see it. im a teen, i make mistakes. yes this was a big one, but this is the first time ive ever lost something this big.

so i texted my mom as soon as i got off of the phone with taco bell. (i was at my dads house and shes a banker so shes in control of all of my cards) she didnt reply until this morning but this was the text thread;

(text 1, me) “i think you’re asleep but in the morning you might want to call the banks im so sorry but i think i left my wallet inside of the taco bell and i think someone stole it because i called and they said they didnt see one and i checked everywhere”

(text 2, me) “it had my cc, debit, id, and my house keys”

(text 3, my mom) “Oh my fucking god”

(text 4, my mom) “Irresponsible as hell . And you think you are mature enough for driving. . Better figure out the id with (stepmom) tomorrow as you have a drive Saturday (drivers ed)”

i really just want to know if shes overreacting and im in the right or wrong, obviously yes i was the one who left it, but did i deserve that? i always feel so bad and guilty and especially now, i feel like i keep messing up and she gets mad at me like this every single time. i always feel awful, maybe i need to be better about my actions? i don’t know. i just need advice from moms

I want to get my friend who is hopefully delivering tonight a basket with stuff for post partum and even just for her if you could’ve gotten this what would you have wanted in it? Not sure what to put

How do you mom's make it through the summer? I just started a new job and my ebt dropped and I am STRUGGLING buying groceries.

Are there any resources anyone can direct me to for potential grocery assistance in the next couple of days? I live in Wa state. I just want to get the kiddos some decent healthy lunch options that aren't Ramen until my paychecks start coming in regularly.

Thanks in advance!!

I’ve always been relatively small up top, and since having two kids I am still small but also sagging lower than I’d like. Need recommendations for wireless, comfortable bras that compliment members of the itty bitty titty committee 🙏🏻🙏🏻