u/Missing-Caffeine

(Please read this as an immigrant navigating parenting life in the UK and curious about other families, every person is doing their best etc etc)

I come from a country where we keep children nearby us in any day activity - so they are always around and people don't bat an eye when you are in a restaurant or the supermarket or anything. We also spent LOADS of time with family, so kids always grew up together sort of and this was what we usually did on weekends: spend time with family. Especially because we work long hours so there's not much wiggle room during the week.

Now, I keep seeing mum groups that ALWAYS have activities planned for the kids all weekend long. They go visit a farm, taking them to collect seashells, taking them to the soft play (when the weather is bad), going for a "coffee date" with the kids, taking them into this and that. I see parents planning going to Disney with their 4yo and camping, Center Parcs etc etc. And then the birthdays where they invite the whole class (!!!) so there's like 20+ birthdays per year for the child to attend??

This is all on top of week day activities - my neighbour was telling me her son has 2 after school classes (basketball and football). Her daughter does gymnastics and piano lessons. They are 5 and 7.

I appreciate that as parents we want the best for our children and to give them experiences andwhatnot, but is that the norm? I was telling a mum friend what we did on the weekend (just ran some errands, went to the post office etc) and she said "oh so not much" (???) so I don't know - is that just how things are and I should be preparing for all that? 😅

Since cutting some nursing during the day, my hormones are all over the place - mood & period. I was hoping it wouldn't last more than a couple of weeks but alas it's being happening for months. Every time I try to step away from my 2yo to have a 5min break she bawls and screams even more. I am at lost, my partner tries to support her or even distract her, but she gets worse when he talks to her??? The other day he tried to give her a cuddle and she threw herself from his arms, luckily he was close to the bed otherwise it would be a dive head down on the floor.

I keep repeating to myself that my brain is the developed one, that I am the grown up of this situation and try to breathe but more recently I have shouted at her and things get even worse 😩 I am a loss, she is still nursing to sleep and waking up overnight to nurse, we bedshare, I spend hours trying to fill her cup but I am running on fumes after 2years+ of broken sleep and little to no time to myself. I spoke to a friend and she said I created this myself as she is not independent but I dont know, it just feels wrong to not be there for my daughter when she needs me, especially when she is so young?

I could swear that you used to collect a key when you claimed a treasure. So essentially you had to shop 4x only + claim to reach 5. So you would earn another key just for keeping an eye on the number of keys you had. Has this been changed? Couldn't find anywhere in the website.

Hiya, as the title says we have received a communication asking parents to send toddlers with "loose fitting long sleeves tops" during the warmer days.

Now, I come from a tropical country and we never did this sort of thing, instead, you would send kid with short sleeve/tank top on days that it was really hot. So is that normal in the UK? I assume it's because of sunburns, but my daughter (just turned 2) runs on warm and it's a sweaty little thing, so just concerned about her 😅

Hiya! I was wondering how did you all cope with having a second baby when the first one is full on. We try to practice attachment parenting and being responsive the best we can and she is very caring - loves cuddles - but this means that she loves being carried around and being near us. I still nurse her to sleep and we share the room with her (sometimes she sleeps on the mattress near us. Sometimes she takes the bed). Me and my partner don't have a problem with that, but now that we are trying for a second baby I wonder how this will affect her.

For context, she goes to nursery part time so I can work and stay with grandparents sometimes. But when we were in baby/playgroups she is very shy and sometimes doesn't even leave our lap. We don't like to call her "shy" or "clingy" in front of her, so we just tell her to take her time and when she is ready she can join the play. But often this doesn't happen 😅

I am getting old and it took us quite a while to conceive the first time, so I don't feel like waiting for her to become full independent will be the best choice but then I worry how she will cope 😞 any experiences are welcome! Thanks x

Hi! So finally after 2 years, it reached a point where I was just tired of my boobie barnacle nursing 10+ times a day so we day weaned. She took it surprisingly well and we are still nursing for naps and bedtime/overnight (which I am happy about).

Now, why do I feel like I am so angry ALL THE TIME? I swear, it's like a never ending PMS rage these past 2 weeks since we day weaned. I assumed it was a PMS as my period (whIch I have been having regularly since 12 weeks pp) was late, but nope, bleeding and still angry.

Did anyone feel like that during weaning? Does it last long? 😅