u/Claire_1988

Lately I’ve noticed how common tablets have become during restaurant waiting time for toddlers.

And honestly…sometimes we do it too 😅

No judgement at all because eating outside with young kids is hard.

But I’ve been wondering:

what are realistic alternatives that actually work in public?

Do your kids:

- use sticker books?

- colouring activities?

- toys?

- snacks?

- just watch cartoons and survive the meal?

I feel like there’s a difficult balance between: wanting one peaceful meal versus not wanting kids to completely zone out into passive videos every time.

Curious what’s working for other parents.

Recently I noticed something while eating out. Almost every table with young kids had a tablet or phone playing cartoons during mealtime.

Honestly no judgement at all. Sometimes parents just want to survive one peaceful meal.

But it made me wonder if there are actually any realistic “middle ground” options between passive cartoons and expecting toddlers to sit still for over 30 mins outside.

For parents here, what do you usually do during waiting time at restaurants or hawker centres?

Books? Sticker books? Small toys? Snacks? Just screen time and accept reality? 😂

Do interactive activities actually work outside, or is mealtime already chaotic enough that cartoons are just the most practical option?

Curious how other parents in Singapore think about this.

I've always liked the idea of journaling more than I've actually been able to stick with it.

Buy a nice notebook. Write for a few days. Decorate a page or two. Abandon it for months. Feel guilty.

Apps didn't help either. Streaks, notifications, all of it felt like pressure, not support. Like I was failing at something that was supposed to be for me.

I've been thinking a lot about how self-care has become this thing you have to get right. Like if you skip a day, you're not trying hard enough. There's this quiet guilt that creeps in when you can't keep up with the routine you set for yourself.

So I built something small for myself. Nothing fancy. Type when I want. Record a tired voice note when I don't have the energy for sentences. Prompts change depending on how I feel that day...tired, overwhelmed, grateful or I just ignore them. No streaks. No guilt.

A few friends tried it and actually liked the lack of pressure. That surprised me.

I'm just genuinely curious, has anyone else here felt like self-care became another thing to feel guilty about instead of something that actually helps? And do you think a no-pressure approach works, or do people secretly need the structure to stay consistent?

Mostly just wondering if I'm weird or if this resonates with anyone else.

I've always liked the idea of journaling more than I've actually been able to stick with it.

Buy a nice notebook. Write for a few days. Decorate a page or two. Abandon it for months. Feel guilty.

Apps didn't help either. Streaks and notifications, all of it felt like pressure, not support.

So I built something small for myself.

What it does:

· Write when you want

· Record a voice note when writing feels like too much

· Prompts change depending on how you feel that day (tired, overwhelmed, grateful, etc.)

· Or ignore prompts completely

· No streaks, no notifications, no guilt

· Private and encrypted

It's still in beta. A few friends tried it and liked the lack of pressure.

What I'm looking for:

· Beta testers who've also struggled with the guilt side of journaling

· Honest feedback on what sucks, what's missing, what feels good

· Just curious if a lower-pressure version actually helps anyone else

How to try:

Link is in my Reddit profile.

Completely free.

Just want to know if I'm weird or if this actually helps people.