u/CountOk8572

I’m honestly at a loss and hoping someone here has dealt with something similar... But also sorry if you have been through it.

Assurant is charging me nearly $800 for a phone that I returned. I followed the return instructions I was given, and I personally handed the package to my USPS carrier. I have the tracking information and documentation to show that I did, in fact, send it back.

Despite that, Assurant is saying they never received the phone, and I’m being held responsible for an almost $800 charge.

I’ve been trying to get this resolved, but I feel like I’m getting bounced between T-Mobile, Assurant and USPS. T-Mobile points me to Assurant, Assurant says they don't have the device, and now I’m having to prove that I did what I was instructed to do.

I’m currently escalating this with USPS Consumer Affairs to see if they can provide additional information about the package and tracking history.

Has anyone been through this with T-Mobile and Assurant? If you successfully got a charge like this reversed, what finally worked? Did you escalate with T-Mobile, Assurant, USPS, the FCC, BBB, or somewhere else?

I’m really frustrated because I did my part. I returned the phone, and I have proof that I mailed it. I just don’t want to be stuck paying nearly $800 for something that I already returned.

Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Lately I've (39F) been struggling with how often I find myself raising my voice with my son (11). Every time it happens, I feel awful. I catch myself sounding like the kind of parent I swore I'd never become

I'm a single mom, and my son has ADHD.. I didn't plan to be a single parent. His dad left when he was four and has been largely absent ever since. My parents live far away, so it's really just me. I work hard to hold our little family together, but some days it feels like I'm carrying everything by myself.

Parenting him can be incredibly overwhelming. He's an amazing kid, but we've had behavioral challenges at school, and when we're dealing with difficult days, I sometimes lose my patience. That's not the kind of mom I want to be.

I recently started therapy because I know this isn't who I want to be.

I grew up in a home where yelling was constant. Everything felt volatile, and I was physically punished with a belt until I was 18. As a little girl, I promised myself that if I ever had children, they would never grow up feeling the way I did.

And yet, here I am catching myself yelling when I'm overwhelmed or frustrated

I'm not abusive. But I hate that my default stress response sometimes sounds so much like the environment I grew up in. I always apologize afterward, but I don't want to keep apologizing for the same behavior. I want to change it.

Therapy is a start, but right now I feel like I can recognize what's happening without having the tools to stop it in the moment. I'm trying to unlearn decades of conditioning while also trying to be the mom my son neeeds.

Has anyone else been here? Especially if you grew up in a home full of yelling or physical punishment. Have you actually been able to break the cycle? What helped you pause before reacting? How long did it take before it started feeling different?

I love my son more than anything. He deserves a childhood where he feels safe, supported, and deeply loved. I'm trying so hard to give him that. I just really need to know that this can get better.

Maybe this is petty, but does anyone else get irritated watching American fashion brands turn cultural traditions into aesthetics to sell?

This ad pushed me over the edge. A company called "Quince" is now selling "100% Leather Huarache Flats" (https://www.instagram.com/p/DavTEYYgW9R/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==)

Huaraches aren't just a trendy woven shoe They're a traditional Mexican sandal with Indigenous roots that has existed for centuries. The word "huarache" itself comes from the Purépecha language, not English or Spanish.

And the brand name "Quince" is hard to ignore too. To millions of Latinos, "quince" isn't just the Spanish word for fifteen. It immediately evokes quinceañeras and a huge cultural tradition. Seeing it used as branding while simultaneously selling products tied to another culture just feels... super weird

I know companies are legally allowed to sell huaraches. I'm not saying nobody outside of Mexico can wear them. What bothers me is how often American brands taake cultural names, styles, and traditions, strip away the history and the people behind them, then repackage them as "timeless luxury" or "quiet luxury" for profit

It feels less like appreciation and more like extracting the aesthetic while the culture itself becomes invisible.

Am I overreacting, or does anyone else feel this way?

I'm(38F) looking for some advice from people who have owned high-mileage Toyotas

I have a 2013 Toyota Highlander Limited V6 (FWD) with about 192,000 miles on it. It's honestly been an amazing vehicle. I originally bought it thinking I'd have a big family, but life had other plans, and now it's just me and my son (11). This SUV has taken us on so many adventures over the years, and I'm pretty attached to it

As I'm getting closer to 200k miles, I'm realizing this is the first "newer" car I've ever owned. Before this, I only drove older classic vehicles, so I'm not really sure what the right move is at this stage.

My original plan was to keep this Highlander for as long as possible. The engine has been rock solid and hasn't given me any major issues. I do know I'll need to replace the suspension soon, and there are a few age-related maintenance items that are starting to come up. Someone recently told me I should expect transmission problems at this mileage, which made me start second-guessing whether it's worth continuing to invest in it.

So I'm torn. I was hoping to put off a car payment for as long as possible

Do I keep putting money into maintenance and repairs and try to get another 50,000-100,000 miles out of it? Or is this the point where it makes more financial sense to trade it in while it's still running well?

If I did replace it, I'd probably stick with Toyota—maybe another Highlander, a Tacoma, or a similar SUV. I'm not looking for anything fancy. I just want something dependable and safe that will last for years because it's just me and my son. He loves camping. We're in SoCal, and have lots of trips planned for the future.

For those of you with 200k+ mile Highlanders or Toyotas, what would you do? Keep it or move on? I'd love to hear your experiences.

My (38F) son (11) loves hockey. It's the only sport he's stuck with and genuinely loves to play. We're California and back when he started in 1st grade or was about $1,200 a season and now that he's entering 6th grade the cost per season is $1,750. He was making great progress year-to-year.

I used to be about to register him year round. Two seasons a year. It's how I justified the cost, but last year his Dad (who really isn't involved) let me know last Fall that he was no longer going half with me on the cost. He bought a new truck and didn't want to stretch himself too thin...

Anyways. I'm bummed for my kid. It was really the only contribution his Dad was helping me make. He never came to see him play, but at least I could get help with the registration costs. I knew I'd never be able to manage it on my own year round.

Now, I've only been able to register my son to play one season, in the Spring/Summer.

I noticed dropping Fall/Winter definitely affected his progress. He still really loves it and missed it. I will say it did help with school and the demand of the holidays.

I guess I'm wondering... How many families only play one season a year? Is that pretty typical? Should I be worried if he plays recreationally? I know I couldn't afford a travel team (the ones closest to us are $4,500 just to play one season).

Any tips for how he can condition through the Fall/Winter?

Just trying my best to see if I can keep up with what he loves.

I am trapped in this five-part romantic drama movie series. I was looking for something fun to watch. Nothing serious. Well... I found it lol

This is the worst writing but it's pretty entertaining. The storyline doesn't really make much sense. It's giving Hallmark erotica hahah.

The feelings are so hot and cold. The relationship is so toxic.

I have no idea why I'm three movies deep but I can't stop! I am hoping it gets better but for now, it's nice to have on while I'm folding laundry.

Here is the series:

⁠After (2019)

After We Collided (2020)

After We Fell (2021)

After Ever Happy (2022)

After Everything (2023)

If you've watched me know your thoughts.

A few years ago I (38F), a single mom, was introduced to another mother at school. As I went to shake her hand, my friend said, oh this is [xx] and she's a single mom too. And the look of panic on her face. She swiftly put her hand out to shake mine and said, "oh but I'm a single mom by choice. I chose this."

I didn't know how to respond.

That has always stayed with me. I appreciate that more women (recently even a few celebrities) are making the decision to become more through surrogacy, IUI, IVF and other methods. Very cool

It's so interesting to me that they all make sure that they all want to make sure that they're labeled as single moms by choice. Not to be confused with moms who... didn't choose it? Single moms by force? Single moms by mistake? Poor single moms? Outcast single moms?

Or just underscores that the term "single mom" holds so much stigma still. Don't you dare confuse the by choice moms with the other ones that didn't really choose that version of motherhood?

If they don't want to be called single moms, why not create a whole different term? Maybe duo-moms? Or momads? Or rich moms? Intentional mom? Mom by choice? Mom by high tax bracket?

In a conversation with someone, they said well it's not as sad. It's more posh. They planned it and outcomes are shown to be better for kids. Regular single moms get left or are surviving. It's a very different experience for them and the impact is different for their kids.

I've been trying to process that.

What is the differentiator? If I left on my child's dad on my own free will, does that mean I qualify to be a single mom by choice? Is it how much you make? How many resources you had when you walked away? What if I'm a widow? Guess that's not choice either.

I wish we could just celebrate all mothers. Regardless of how we got here. I didn't understand why society cloaks single motherhood ("not by choice") with so much shame.