u/MistressLibbii

Hey everyone! I’m 31, widowed and moved here from Pennsylvania last year. I have 2 year old twins, and honestly, making friends here has been a lot harder than I expected. I’ve joined the Facebook mom groups and tried putting myself out there, but it never really seems to turn into anyone reaching out or actually making plans. There’s a lot of “we should hang out!” and then nothing ever happens lol.

I know everyone has their own lives and responsibilities, so I’m not expecting someone to be available constantly. It’s just been lonely, and I miss having a friend I can text about something random or ask to go do something with. Sometimes you just want someone to grab coffee with or wander around a store with instead of always doing everything by yourself, you know?

A little about me: I love thrifting, antique stores, flea markets, and finding cool vintage stuff. I’m into horror movies, psychological thrillers, true crime, astrology, and video games, especially things like Dragon Age and Persona. I love older music and can absolutely get sucked into a conversation about some weird, unexplained rabbit hole 😂

I’m happy to take the kids somewhere together, but I’d also love dinner, a movie, or an actual night out without the kids! Not everything has to be a playdate lol. I miss getting out and having fun as myself, not just being in mom mode all the time. You definitely don’t have to have kids to be my friend either.
It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. I’d just really love a couple of genuine friends where we both reach out, make plans, and actually get to know each other rather than saying we should hang out forever and never doing it. Anyone nearby feeling the same way? Tell me a little about yourself and what you like doing 🤍

My recent iron results were:

Ferritin: 8 ng/mL
Total iron: 52 mcg/dL
Iron saturation: 15%
TIBC: 351 mcg/dL

I’ve dealt with heavy periods, so that may be contributing. As well as giving birth to twins two years ago. I recently started taking Nature Made ferrous sulfate 325 mg which my doctor told me to take which contains 65 mg of elemental iron. However I noticed it makes my stomach upset so I recently started taking Mega Food Blood Builder but I feel the dose is too low. I’m curious about what has actually worked for other people. What type or brand of iron did you take, what dosage, and did you take it every day or every other day? What was your starting ferritin, how high did it get, and how long did that take? I’d also love to know whether you took it with vitamin C, had any stomach issues, or eventually needed an iron infusion.

Okay, I have officially reached the "maybe my person is hiding somewhere on Reddit" stage of dating, so here we are lol.

I'm 31 and live near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I'm a widowed mom to two-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, and l also have a black Lab mix who is basically my third child. My life can be chaotic, but it is also full of love, snacks, toddler nonsense, dog hair, and someone always needing something from me.

I'm 5'4", curvy/plus-size, mixed Black and white, with blue eyes, short dark curly hair, and glasses. I'm happy to share a picture privately once we've spoken a little because attraction matters, but I'm not trying to lead with a full photoshoot for the men of Reddit lol.

Personality-wise, I'm affectionate, sensitive, sarcastic, a little awkward, and probably too honest once I feel comfortable. I can be introverted and definitely prefer being at home with someone I love over going out to crowded bars every weekend. I like meaningful conversations, laughing over stupid things, sending random thoughts throughout the day, and feeling like the person I'm talking to actually wants to know me.

Some of the things I'm into:
• Thrifting, consignment stores, flea markets, and finding weird vintage things I absolutely do not need
• Metaphysical shops, crystals, astrology, spirituality, and anything slightly mysterious
• Indie horror games and watching video-game playthroughs
• Games like Persona, Dragon Age, and Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
• Shows like The X-Files and Twin Peaks
• Horror, mysteries, weird internet rabbit holes, and conversations that go in completely unexpected directions
• Staying home, getting comfortable, ordering food, and watching something together while pretending we're going to stay awake

I'm looking for a genuine relationship with someone who is emotionally available and interested in building something meaningful. I'm not looking for casual dating, an undefined situationship, or a connection that never progresses beyond messaging. I want something intentional, monogamous, attectionate, emotionally safe, and serious. I don't do long distance so please be near SC, NC, or GA.

I'm most attracted to men who are kind, confident, protective, family oriented, loyal, emotionally mature, and comfortable taking initiative. I value clear communication, consistency, affection, and someone whose actions match his words. I want a relationship where both people feel respected, appreciated, secure, and genuinely cared about.

Okay, I have officially reached the “maybe my person is hiding somewhere on Reddit” stage of dating, so here we are lol.

I’m 31 and live near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I’m a widowed mom to two-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, and I also have a black Lab mix who is basically my third child. My life can be chaotic, but it is also full of love, snacks, toddler nonsense, dog hair, and someone always needing something from me.

I’m 5’4”, curvy/plus-size, mixed Black and white, with blue eyes, short dark curly hair, and glasses. I’m happy to share a picture privately once we’ve spoken a little because attraction matters, but I’m not trying to lead with a full photoshoot for the men of Reddit lol.

Personality-wise, I’m affectionate, sensitive, sarcastic, a little awkward, and probably too honest once I feel comfortable. I can be introverted and definitely prefer being at home with someone I love over going out to crowded bars every weekend. I like meaningful conversations, laughing over stupid things, sending random thoughts throughout the day, and feeling like the person I’m talking to actually wants to know me.

Some of the things I’m into:

• Thrifting, consignment stores, flea markets, and finding weird vintage things I absolutely do not need
• Metaphysical shops, crystals, astrology, spirituality, and anything slightly mysterious
• Indie horror games and watching video-game playthroughs
• Games like Persona, Dragon Age, and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines
• Shows like The X-Files and Twin Peaks
• Horror, mysteries, weird internet rabbit holes, and conversations that go in completely unexpected directions
• Staying home, getting comfortable, ordering food, and watching something together while pretending we’re going to stay awake

I’m looking for a genuine relationship with someone who is emotionally available and interested in building something meaningful. I’m not looking for casual dating, an undefined situationship, or a connection that never progresses beyond messaging. I want something intentional, monogamous, affectionate, emotionally safe, and eventually serious. I don 't do long distance so please be near SC, NC, or GA.

I’m most attracted to men who are kind, confident, protective, family-oriented, loyal, emotionally mature, and comfortable taking initiative. I value clear communication, consistency, affection, and someone whose actions match his words. I want a relationship where both people feel respected, appreciated, secure, and genuinely cared about.

Okay, I have officially reached the “maybe my person is hiding somewhere on Reddit” stage of dating, so here we are lol.

I’m 31 and live near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I’m a widowed mom to two-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, and I also have a black Lab mix who is basically my third child. My life can be chaotic, but it is also full of love, snacks, toddler nonsense, dog hair, and someone always needing something from me.

I’m 5’4”, curvy/plus-size, mixed Black and white, with blue eyes, short dark curly hair, and glasses. I’m happy to share a picture privately once we’ve spoken a little because attraction matters, but I’m not trying to lead with a full photoshoot for the men of Reddit lol.

Personality-wise, I’m affectionate, sensitive, sarcastic, a little awkward, and probably too honest once I feel comfortable. I can be introverted and definitely prefer being at home with someone I love over going out to crowded bars every weekend. I like meaningful conversations, laughing over stupid things, sending random thoughts throughout the day, and feeling like the person I’m talking to actually wants to know me.

Some of the things I’m into:

• Thrifting, consignment stores, flea markets, and finding weird vintage things I absolutely do not need
• Metaphysical shops, crystals, astrology, spirituality, and anything slightly mysterious
• Indie horror games and watching video-game playthroughs
• Games like Persona, Dragon Age, and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines
• Shows like The X-Files and Twin Peaks
• Horror, mysteries, weird internet rabbit holes, and conversations that go in completely unexpected directions
• Staying home, getting comfortable, ordering food, and watching something together while pretending we’re going to stay awake

I’m looking for a genuine relationship with someone who is emotionally available and interested in building something meaningful. I’m not looking for casual dating, an undefined situationship, or a connection that never progresses beyond messaging. I want something intentional, monogamous, affectionate, emotionally safe, and eventually serious.

I’m most attracted to men who are kind, confident, protective, family-oriented, loyal, emotionally mature, and comfortable taking initiative. I value clear communication, consistency, affection, and someone whose actions match his words. I want a relationship where both people feel respected, appreciated, secure, and genuinely cared about.

Last year I was 30 and my husband was 33 when he died. Thirty fucking three.

And I think one of the things that makes me the angriest is that we didn’t even get YEARS AND YEARS together first.

If we had been married for 30 or 40 years, if we had raised our children, watched them grow up, traveled, built decades of memories, annoyed the shit out of each other for half a lifetime and then one of us died when we were old, obviously it still would’ve been devastating. I’m not saying it wouldn’t have been.

But we didn’t fucking get that.

We didn’t get decades.

We didn’t even get to raise our children together.

Our kids barely got any time with their dad at all.

And yes, this is probably going to sound horrible, but sometimes I’m even jealous of older widows. At least they got all of those precious years. At least they have decades of memories to look back on. At least their children actually got to KNOW their father. They got Christmas mornings and birthdays and school plays and family vacations and graduations and stupid arguments and boring Tuesday nights and all the normal shit you don’t realize is precious until it’s gone.

I don’t have that.

My children don’t have that.

I have pictures. Videos. Stories. Memories that I’m eventually going to have to tell my own children because they were too little to make enough of their own.

Do you understand how fucking cruel that feels?

I have to watch couples my age living the life I was supposed to still have.

Women my age get to complain about their husbands being annoying, leaving dishes in the sink, snoring, playing video games too much, not helping enough with bedtime, whatever. And meanwhile I would give anything to be irritated with my husband again.

They get to bitch about him and then climb into bed next to him that night.

Mine is fucking dead.

And I know this sounds bitter, because it IS bitter. I am bitter sometimes. I don’t want to sit around pretending I’m above jealousy because apparently grief is supposed to turn you into some beautifully enlightened person who appreciates every sunrise and wishes everyone well.

Fuck that.

Sometimes grief makes you jealous as hell.

Sometimes I see married women and think, I don’t even want to be around this right now.

I genuinely feel more comfortable around single moms because at least they understand carrying a household and children mostly by yourself. And even then there’s still this massive difference because most of them have an ex somewhere. Maybe he’s useless. Maybe he’s an asshole. Maybe they hate each other. But he exists.

There’s at least the possibility of him showing up.

There’s potentially every other weekend.

There’s potentially child support.

There’s potentially another set of grandparents, another household, another person who can answer a fucking question about their child.

I don’t have an ex.

I have an urn.

And dating after all of this has honestly made me feel even worse.

Because sometimes I look at widows my age who don’t have children and I think, as fucked up as this sounds, at least dating is probably easier for them.

At least somebody can meet them and just see a woman.

I feel like men look at me and see a giant flashing warning sign.

Widow.

Two toddlers.

Dead husband.

Grief.

Responsibilities.

No spontaneous weekends.

No disappearing for three days.

No pretending my children don’t exist.

No pretending my husband didn’t exist.

No carefree little blank slate relationship where the biggest complication is deciding whose apartment to sleep at.

Sometimes I genuinely feel like I’ve been shoved to the bottom of the fucking barrel in the dating world.

Like why would some man choose me when he could choose a woman with no kids, no dead husband, no grief, no complicated schedule, no trauma, no massive life story attached to her?

And I KNOW my children aren’t “baggage.”

I know that.

I love them more than anything on this planet.

But I’m talking about how dating makes me FEEL.

Because that is absolutely how some people look at you.

They don’t see everything you’ve survived.

They see complications.

They see two toddlers that aren’t theirs.

They see a woman who is always going to love a man who died.

They see responsibilities they didn’t create.

And there are times when I’m sitting there thinking, who the fuck is ever going to willingly sign up for this?

Who is going to want the widow with two small children and all of the emotional shit that comes with losing your husband at 30 years old?

People constantly say, “You’re young, you’ll find somebody else.”

Okay.

But do you understand how different dating is now?

I’m not 21 with no responsibilities.

I can’t just meet somebody and spend every weekend together.

I can’t casually stay over somewhere.

I can’t revolve my entire life around getting to know a man.

I have two toddlers who need breakfast, diapers, baths, daycare, doctor appointments, cuddles, structure, attention and a mother who is somehow supposed to remain emotionally functional through all of this.

And I’m not interested in some half assed relationship where a man wants me but tolerates my kids.

I’m not interested in someone who gets insecure because I still love my husband.

I’m not interested in somebody who thinks they need to replace their father.

I’m not interested in explaining why certain anniversaries destroy me or why sometimes something completely random reminds me of him and suddenly I’m crying.

And I sure as hell don’t want another emotionally unavailable man who thinks texting me twice a week is “consistency.”

Dating was hard enough before.

Now I feel like I’m interviewing people to see whether they’re emotionally equipped to walk into a life that was blown apart.

And sometimes I’m fucking exhausted by all of it.

I’m exhausted watching people my age build the lives I already had.

I’m exhausted watching husbands pick their kids up from daycare.

I’m exhausted seeing family pictures.

I’m exhausted seeing dads carrying toddlers through parking lots.

I’m exhausted hearing women casually say “my husband” when I used to say those words too.

I’m exhausted hearing “you’re so strong.”

I didn’t want to be strong.

I wanted my fucking husband.

I wanted the father of my children.

I wanted somebody next to me saying, “We’ll figure it out.”

Instead everything is MY problem now.

Bills.

House.

Daycare.

Appointments.

Sickness.

Tantrums.

Work.

Money.

The future.

Every decision.

Every emergency.

Every bedtime.

Every morning.

Every fucking thing.

People talk about losing a spouse like grief is the only thing you lose.

It isn’t.

You lose your partner.

You lose your coparent.

You lose your best friend.

You lose your future.

You lose the person you were supposed to grow old with.

You lose the second adult in the house.

You lose somebody to laugh with at 11 PM when your toddler does something ridiculous.

You lose the person who remembers things about your children that nobody else does.

You lose the person you could look at across the room when your kids were losing their minds and silently say, “What the fuck is happening?”

And then somehow the world expects you to just keep functioning.

Your husband dies and the fucking electric bill still comes.

The kids still wake up hungry.

The laundry still piles up.

The house still needs cleaned.

You still need money.

You still need insurance.

You still have appointments.

You still have to figure out what your children need.

You still have to get up every single morning whether you want to or not.

And the worst part is the world keeps moving.

Other people celebrate anniversaries.

Other people buy houses together.

Other people have date nights.

Other people complain about their spouses.

Other people get pregnant.

Other people take family vacations.

Other people kiss their husband goodbye in the morning without ever seriously considering that it could be the last time.

And I’m standing there thinking, I used to be one of you.

I used to think I had time too.

I used to assume my kids would grow up with their dad.

I used to assume we would get old.

We didn’t.

He died at 33.

I became a widow at 30.

My children lost their father as babies.

So yeah.

Sometimes I’m jealous of married women.

Sometimes I’m jealous of older widows.

Sometimes I’m jealous of childless widows.

Sometimes I’m jealous of divorced women whose ex husbands are still alive.

Sometimes I’m jealous of literally anyone whose life wasn’t ripped apart this fucking early.

And I’m tired of feeling guilty for admitting that.

Jealousy doesn’t mean I want somebody else’s husband to die.

It means I desperately wish mine hadn’t.

Bitterness doesn’t mean I hate happy couples.

It means watching them reminds me of exactly what I lost.

And being angry doesn’t mean I’m “not healing.”

It means something unbelievably unfair happened to me and my children, and sometimes I am fucking furious about it.

I’m 31.

I should be complaining about my husband getting on my nerves.

I should be raising our twins with him.

I should be taking family pictures with four people in them.

I should be wondering what we’ll look like at 40, 50, 60.

Instead I’m wondering whether another man will ever look at everything that comes with me and decide I’m still worth choosing.

And that fucking hurts.

I applied for a remote Document Reviewer – Cyber Incident Response position with Integreon and was originally scheduled to have a phone interview tomorrow.

This morning, I received an email saying they had an urgent data-breach document-review project potentially starting tomorrow. They said it would be a temporary contract lasting approximately four to five weeks, paying $19 per hour, fully remote, and that I would need to use my own computer. The email also said applicants were being selected on a first-come, first-served basis.

I replied that I was interested, and less than 20 minutes later, the recruiter said they had sent me an offer through iCIMS and that onboarding would begin after I accepted it. I never completed an interview, phone call, video call, or assessment.

The confusing part is that I really did apply for a position with Integreon, and the offer appears through an Integreon-branded iCIMS portal. The recruiter’s signature also contains an Integreon company email address. However, receiving an offer without any interview feels suspicious, especially because the job would involve reviewing documents containing personal and medical information.

They have not asked me to send money, purchase equipment, deposit a check, or communicate through Telegram or WhatsApp. However, I do not want to provide my Social Security number, banking information, or other onboarding documents until I know whether this is legitimate.

Has anyone encountered this specific hiring process or worked on one of Integreon’s temporary document-review projects? Is this normal for urgent contract work, or are there signs that this could be an impersonation scam?

My husband passed away last summer, and afterward I moved from one state to another with my toddlers so we could be closer to his family. We stayed with my in laws for a little while, and then I bought a house nearby for myself and the kids because my MIL was causing me hell. I’m grateful that they love the twins and want to be involved in their lives, and I understand that losing their son was devastating for them too.

At the same time, I sometimes feel like there’s an unspoken expectation that I’m supposed to plan the rest of my life around his family because they’re grieving. I’ve recently thought about possibly moving to another state at some point, depending on jobs, schools, childcare, and what would give my children and me the best quality of life. I’m not saying I’m definitely moving, but I already feel like certain family members would become dramatic, guilt trip me, or act like I’m taking the twins away from them.

I care about them, but I’m also starting to realize that I’m not responsible for healing my father in law, my husband’s aunts and uncles, or anyone else in the family. I lost my husband, became a solo parent to two toddlers, moved to a different state, and had to rebuild an entire life that I never expected to be living. I have to make decisions based on what is healthiest and most sustainable for my children and me, not solely on what keeps everyone else comfortable.

Sometimes it feels like because the twins are a connection to my husband, his family believes they should have a major say in where we live or how often they see us. I absolutely want my children to know and love their dad’s family, but I also don’t think that means I have to remain in the same town forever or give up opportunities because other people are afraid of losing access to us.

Has anyone else dealt with overbearing in laws after losing a spouse, especially when children were involved? Did you feel pressured to stay nearby or make decisions around their grief? How did you establish boundaries without creating a huge family conflict or being made to feel like the bad person?

I’m hoping someone here can point me toward job titles or career paths I may be overlooking because my job search has been incredibly frustrating.

For some context, I’m in my early 30s raising two year old twin toddlers completely on my own. My children and I live alone in the South Carolina area, and I don’t have another parent (he passed away last year) in the household to split childcare, sick days, appointments, pickups, or emergencies with. I’m not saying that for sympathy I’m explaining it because my schedule and need for stability are real factors in what kind of job I can successfully maintain.

My children currently receive a South Carolina childcare scholarship, but the coverage is scheduled to end in October. The state has paused any new applications and renewals. Paying the full cost for two toddlers would be extremely expensive, so I’m trying to find stable employment before I’m potentially left without affordable childcare.

Because of this, I would strongly prefer a remote job. However, I’m not refusing to work outside of the home. I’m open to remote, hybrid, or a quiet office position in the SC area if the schedule is predictable and the pay makes childcare financially worthwhile. I just can’t realistically accept a job with constantly changing shifts, mandatory evenings and weekends, frequent last minute schedule changes, or an attendance policy that treats a sick toddler like a personal failure.

I have a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and an associate degree in General Studies. My experience includes high volume data entry, billing and rebilling, HR assistance, employment verification, onboarding documentation, customer service, healthcare, and handling confidential financial, employment, government, and medical information.

A lot of my work has involved reviewing records, correcting discrepancies, entering and verifying large amounts of data, following strict procedures, maintaining audit ready documentation, and protecting sensitive information. I also have training or certifications related to background screening and criminal research, FCRA compliance, risk and compliance, cybersecurity, data analytics, payroll, HR, fraud examination, and forensic accounting.

What I’m looking for is:

• Structured work with clear procedures and actual training
• A predictable Monday–Friday schedule
• Remote, hybrid, or quiet office work
• Data entry, document review, records, compliance, billing, payroll, HR operations, background screening, quality assurance, fraud review, or similar back-office work
• Minimal phone calls and very little direct interaction with the public
• Decent pay, benefits, and some level of work-life balance
• Something that doesn’t require years of additional schooling or thousands of dollars in certifications

I’m not against interacting with coworkers or occasionally speaking with customers. I just don’t want a job where I’m chained to a phone all day, dealing with an endless queue of angry callers, while also being expected to complete several other responsibilities. I’ve done customer-facing work, and I know that my strengths are much more aligned with records, research, accuracy, documentation, and behind-the-scenes operations.

I’ve applied for jobs involving compliance, background investigations, data entry, billing, HR support, legal support, banking operations, healthcare administration, fraud prevention, and remote processing. I keep running into automated rejection emails, “entry-level” positions requiring three to five years of highly specific experience, remote listings with hundreds or thousands of applicants, and local jobs paying so little that childcare would consume most of my income.

I’m not expecting someone to hand me an easy, high-paying remote job simply because I’m a widowed mother. I’m willing to work, learn new systems, and prove myself. I’m just trying to find something sustainable that won’t put me in a position where I lose my job the first time one of my children gets sick or their daycare closes.

Based on my education and experience, what positions should I realistically be searching for? Are there less-obvious job titles, industries, staffing agencies, government positions, insurance companies, banks, background-screening companies, or healthcare organizations that might be a good fit?

I’d especially appreciate honest advice from recruiters, hiring managers, widowed or single parents, or anyone who moved from data entry, HR support, billing, customer service, or background screening into a stable back-office career.

I have 2-year-old twins, and my son recently had a speech-language evaluation because he isn’t talking yet. He understands a lot, follows many directions, uses gestures, and imitates actions, but he isn’t using words yet. His twin sister is much more verbal.

The evaluating SLP recommended speech therapy once a week, and he’ll be starting private therapy next week. I also referred him to our state’s early intervention program, but our intake appointment isn’t for another month or so.
I’m mostly trying to understand how the coordination between private speech therapy, early intervention, and daycare typically works.

He attends daycare full-time Monday through Friday, so he spends most of his waking hours there. His daycare does allow outside therapists to provide services, although providers have to meet certain requirements before they can come onsite.
For those of you who work in pediatrics or early intervention:
During daycare visits, do SLPs typically work one on one in another room, observe the child within the classroom, or does it vary by provider? Is communication with daycare teachers typically part of the process so strategies can be carried over during the week? If a child is already receiving private speech therapy, how is that usually coordinated with early intervention? Do both services sometimes continue, or does one typically replace the other? If you’ve worked with daycares, do centers usually have an approved provider list, or is it common for an outside provider to go through an approval process?

I’m not looking for advice about my son’s treatment plan or a diagnosis I’m just hoping to better understand how these systems usually work together so I know what to expect and what kinds of questions I should ask the providers involved.
Thanks in advance!

I have 2 year old twins (boy and a girl) and my son had hia speech evaluation yesterday because he isn’t talking yet. He understands a lot, follows directions, copies gestures but he currently hasn't said any words. His twin sister is talking much more, so I wanted to have him evaluated rather than continue waiting to see what happens.

The speech therapist recommended therapy once a week, and he is supposed to start next week. I also referred him to our state’s early intervention system for infants and toddlers under 3 who have developmental delays or conditions associated with developmental delays. Our intake appointment with them isn’t for another month or so, and I’m honestly confused about how early intervention is supposed to work when a child has already been evaluated and is already beginning speech therapy.

He attends daycare full time Monday through Friday and spends most of his waking hours there during the week. Because of that, I feel like it would be much more helpful for him to receive speech therapy at daycare instead of being taken out of his normal environment and brought to a separate office every week. He is already comfortable at daycare, and the therapist would be able to see how he actually communicates around his teachers and other children.

His daycare allows outside speech therapists to provide services at the center, but apparently providers have to meet certain requirements first. I asked the director for the names of the speech therapy providers who are already approved to come into the center so I could compare my options and see whether his current therapy office was included.

Instead of giving me the list, she asked for his current provider’s contact information so she could contact them and find out what they would need to submit in order to provide therapy at the daycare. I do appreciate that she is willing to contact them. Is this normally how daycares handle outside therapists? What kinds of requirements do they usually have, such as licensing, background checks, insurance, or agreements between the therapy office and daycare?

I’m also wondering what speech therapy at daycare normally looks like. Does the therapist usually take the child into a separate room for the session, or can they observe the child in the classroom during the normal routine? Are they allowed to communicate with the teachers and give them strategies to practice throughout the week? That is one of the biggest reasons I would like him to receive therapy at daycare. The therapist could see how he communicates when he needs food, toys, help, or attention, how the teachers respond to him, whether he participates in classroom activities, and what could be incorporated into his day to encourage more speech.

Part of me also wonders whether some daycare teachers are uncomfortable with an outside therapist coming in because that therapist would be observing what happens in the classroom and possibly recommending additional things for the teachers to do. I’m not accusing the daycare of refusing services because the director did offer to contact his current provider, but I’m curious whether anyone has experienced a daycare being hesitant, delaying the process, or making on-site therapy more complicated than expected.

Then I started overthinking the actual speech evaluation too. The therapist asked me a lot of questions about what my son eats, what he does at daycare and home, our daily routine, whether I read to my children, and what bedtime looks like. I answered honestly that I don’t regularly read books to them. After daycare, our evening is usually dinner, brushing their teeth, going into their rooms, and bedtime. I don’t normally do bedtime stories or a long routine. Their bedrooms are also very minimal basically only their beds because they are two, they climb on everything, and I don’t want them getting hurt or getting into something overnight. Their rooms are childproofed, I can hear and monitor them, and their doors are not locked.

I’m raising two toddlers by myself, my husband passed away last year so by the end of the day I’m honestly just trying to get both children fed, cleaned up, and safely into bed. Now I’m worried the therapist was judging me or thinking I was a bad mom because I admitted that I don’t read to them regularly or have an elaborate bedtime routine.

I know reading can help with language development, and I’m open to adding simple things like looking at a short board book, singing a song, giving choices, naming foods and objects, or talking more while we brush their teeth. I just didn’t want to lie and pretend we currently have some perfect bedtime routine when we don’t lol.

For anyone who has gone through speech therapy or an early intervention program with a toddler: Did you feel judged by any of the evaluation questions? Did your child receive therapy at daycare or at an outside office? Was the therapist able to observe the classroom and communicate directly with the teachers? How did early intervention work when your child was already receiving private speech therapy? And did your daycare give you a list of approved providers, or did they insist on trying to approve your current provider first? This is all completely new to me, and I’m just trying to understand what is normal, how everything is supposed to coordinate, and what I should be asking for.

Okay, I have officially reached the "maybe my person is hiding somewhere on Reddit" stage of dating, so here we are lol.

I'm 31 and live near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I'm a widowed mom to two-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, and l also have a black Lab mix who is basically my third child. My life can be chaotic, but it is also full of love, snacks, toddler nonsense, dog hair, and someone always needing something from me.

I'm 5'4", curvy/plus-size, mixed Black and white, with blue eyes, short dark curly hair, and glasses. I'm happy to exchange pictures once we've spoken a little, because attraction matters, but I'm not trying to lead with a full photoshoot for the men of Reddit lol.

Personality-wise, I'm affectionate, sensitive, sarcastic, a little awkward, and probably too honest once I feel comfortable. I can be introverted and definitely prefer being at home with someone I love over going out to crowded bars every weekend. I like meaningful conversations, laughing over stupid things, sending random thoughts throughout the day, and feeling like the person I'm talking to actually wants to know me.

Some of the things I'm into:
Thrifting, consignment stores, flea markets, and finding weird vintage things I absolutely do not need
Metaphysical shops, crystals, astrology, spirituality, and anything slightly mysterious
Indie horror games and watching video-game playthroughs
Games like Persona, Dragon Age, and Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines
Shows like The X-Files and Twin Peaks
Horror, mysteries, weird internet rabbit holes, and conversations that go in completely unexpected directions
Staying home, getting comfortable, ordering food, and watching something together while pretending we're going to stay awake

I'm looking for an actual relationship. Not a situationship, secret hookup, "let's just vibe," or a married man who is allegedly leaving his wife sometime within the next three business years.! want something intentional, monogamous, affectionate, emotionally safe, and eventually serious.

I'm most attracted to men who are kind, masculine, protective, family-oriented, loyal, emotionally mature, and comfortable taking initiative. I appreciate a traditional/provider-minded man not because I expect to contribute nothing, but because I'm happiest in a relationship where the man genuinely enjoys leading, providing stability, and making his partner feel cared for. I'm not looking for a roommate-style 50/50 relationship where we Venmo each other for toilet paper.

You need to be comfortable dating a mother and understand that my children are a permanent and very important part of my life. I'm not expecting anyone to immediately step into a father role, but I am only interested in someone who could eventually embrace being part of a family. Please be genuinely single, emotionally available, and done entertaining multiple women.
I'm not looking for a pen pal who lives across the world. Ideally, you're somewhere in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, or within a realistic driving distance. I'm open to talking online first, but the goal would be to meet and build a real-life relationship not message forever while pretending distance is irrelevant.

Send me a message with your age, location, what you're looking for, and a little about your life. Please give me more than "hey" or "wyd." Tell me your favorite strange, creepy, nerdy, or completely random interest so I know you actually read this.

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping for recommendations from people who have lived in different parts of the South.

I’m a 31-year-old widowed single mom to 2-year-old fraternal twins and a black Lab mix. I’m originally from the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania.

In June 2025, my husband was tragically killed while working underneath our car when the jack failed and the vehicle collapsed on him. Our twins had just turned one. After losing him, I made the difficult decision to relocate to the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area to be closer to his family. They’ve been incredibly supportive, and I’ll always be grateful for them.

I’ve now been here for about a year, and while I enjoy the warm weather and being close to family, I’m starting to think about where my children and I should build our long-term future. This isn’t an immediate move. I own my home, so I’m in the research phase, but I want to make the best decision possible.

I know I want to stay somewhere in the Southern US. I don’t want to move back north because I really don’t miss the snow or long winters. Nor would I move far out west.

A little about me professionally: I have a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, along with certifications in cybersecurity, data analytics, HR, payroll, risk and compliance, and background screening. My work experience has mainly been in administrative support, HR, data entry, employment verification, billing, compliance, confidential records management and customer support. I’m hoping to build a career in administrative, compliance, government, banking, insurance or other behind the scenes office roles rather than hospitality or tourism.

These are my priorities (in order):

1. Safe, family-oriented community.
2. Excellent public schools.
3. Plenty of parks, libraries, playgrounds and activities for toddlers.
4. A strong job market for administrative, government, healthcare administration, banking, insurance or other office careers.
5. Affordable daycare.
6. Housing around $2,500/month or less for a detached home or townhouse with a fenced yard for my children and dog.
7. A welcoming community where it’s easier to make friends as a single parent.
8. A decent dating pool for professionals in their late 20s to late 30s. I’m not interested in casual dating I’d eventually like another serious, long-term relationship.
9. Mild winters and generally warm weather.
10. Access to shopping, healthcare and everyday conveniences without living in a huge, congested city.

I’ve already looked into places like Greenville, Columbia/Irmo, Rock Hill/Fort Mill, Greensboro, Winston-Salem and some Charlotte suburbs, but I’m very open to other suggestions anywhere in the South.

If you were in my situation, what Southern city or suburb would you recommend, and why? I’d especially appreciate recommendations based on raising young children, finding stable career opportunities, and building a community after starting over.

Hi everyone! I’ve been living in the Myrtle Beach area for about a year, and while there are things I enjoy about it, I’m starting to wonder whether it’s the best long-term fit for my family. ( I’m originally from PA )

I’m a single mom in my early 30s with two toddlers and a dog. I’m open to either relocating to another part of South Carolina or moving to North Carolina, depending on which areas offer the best overall quality of life.

The main things I’m looking for are:

• Strong public schools
• Safe, family-friendly neighborhoods
• Housing around or under $2,500 per month
• Good job opportunities, especially administrative, healthcare, government, data-entry, or remote-friendly work
• Parks, libraries, playgrounds, and activities for young children
• A welcoming community where it’s easier to meet other parents and build friendships
• A better social and dating scene for someone in her early 30s who wants a serious, family-oriented relationship
• Dog-friendly neighborhoods and homes with fenced yards
• A garage, central air and heat, dishwasher, and washer/dryer
• Preferably somewhere without extremely harsh winters or constant severe weather

I don’t have to be directly on the coast, although being within a reasonable driving distance would be nice. I care more about finding a stable, affordable, family-oriented area with good schools and opportunities.

For anyone familiar with both states, would you recommend moving to another part of South Carolina or relocating to North Carolina? What specific cities, towns, or suburbs should I seriously consider? Are there any areas you would avoid?

I’d especially appreciate hearing from parents, single parents, or anyone who has lived in both states. Thank you!

Did anyone else experience really bad memory problems after losing their spouse?

My husband passed away suddenly and very traumatically last year and I found him like that and ever since then I feel like my memory has gotten noticeably worse. I’ll think of something I need to do and forget it literally a minute later, walk into a room and have no idea why I went in there, lose my train of thought in the middle of talking, or completely forget things I was just told.

I’m not getting lost, forgetting who people are, or anything extreme like that. It’s more like my brain constantly feels overloaded and foggy, and I have a hard time holding onto small pieces of information.

Since he passed, I’ve also been raising our two toddlers by myself, handling the house, appointments, work, childcare, finances, and everything else alone. I know grief, trauma, anxiety, stress, and probably not getting enough mental rest can all affect your brain, but sometimes it honestly scares me because I feel so much more forgetful than I used to be.

Before he died, I never remember my memory being this bad. It really feels like something changed after the trauma happened. I’ll know I was about to do something, and then it’s just completely gone from my head. Sometimes I have to retrace my steps or stand there thinking until it comes back to me.

Has anyone else experienced this after losing their spouse, especially after a sudden or traumatic death? Did it eventually improve with time, therapy, better sleep, medication, or anything else? I think I just need reassurance that I’m not the only person whose brain feels completely different after something like this.

I moved to Myrtle Beach last summer after my husband passed away because I wanted to be closer to his family. I’m a single mom with two toddlers and a dog, and I really do love being close to the beach. I also absolutely love my house and care a lot about my husband’s aunt and uncles who live nearby.

But now that I’ve been here for about a year, I’ve started noticing some things that make me question whether South Carolina is really the best long-term fit for me and my children.

One of my biggest concerns is childcare. South Carolina stopped allowing most parents to apply for the childcare scholarship last December unless they qualify under extreme circumstances. Mine is supposed to be renewed in October, but if they do not reopen the program, that likely will not happen. I am absolutely not paying over $2,000 a month out of pocket for daycare when that is basically the same amount as my mortgage. There is just no way.

It has also been much harder than I expected to find decent work here. On top of that, I’ve had a difficult time making genuine friends and building a real support system outside of my husband’s family. Dating has been difficult too because Myrtle Beach is such a tourist heavy area, and it feels nearly impossible to find stable, local men around my age who actually want something serious and family-oriented.

At this point, I really do not want to stay in South Carolina, so I’m seriously considering North Carolina. For those familiar with different areas of NC, where would be best for a single mom in her early 30s with two toddlers and a dog? I would ideally want somewhere with more affordable childcare or better childcare assistance programs, good schools, decent job opportunities, family-friendly neighborhoods, things to do with young children, and a better social and dating scene than Myrtle Beach. I would still prefer to be within a reasonable driving distance of the coast if possible, but that is not an absolute requirement.
What cities or towns in North Carolina should I seriously look into, and are there any areas I should avoid?

Hi everyone! I recently accepted a float front office/medical receptionist position with CenterWell Senior Primary Care. I was told I’ll have a “home base,” but I may float between multiple CenterWell locations as needed.

My manager already let me know that I’d be reimbursed for mileage and that I should usually know my schedule/location about a week ahead of time, which is helpful. I’m mainly wondering what the float setup is usually like in senior primary care or Medicare-focused clinics.

For anyone familiar with CenterWell, senior primary care offices, or front office float roles: Do floats usually stay within a certain local area/region, or can the travel be pretty far? Should I expect to float mostly to nearby offices, or could it involve traveling to other cities within the state? In my state there are 4 different offices, so I’m trying to understand what “float” realistically means.

Also, do floats mainly cover callouts/PTO and help with check-in/check-out, phones, referrals, scheduling, and insurance verification? Is it usually a good setup, or can it feel chaotic?

I’m excited about the job, but I’m new to this type of clinic setting and just want to understand what I’m walking into. Any advice is appreciated!

Hi everyone! I recently accepted a float front office/medical receptionist position with CenterWell Senior Primary Care. I was told I’ll have a “home base,” but I may float between multiple CenterWell locations as needed.

My manager already let me know that I’d be reimbursed for mileage and that I should usually know my schedule/location about a week ahead of time, which is helpful. I’m mainly wondering what the float setup is usually like in senior primary care or Medicare-focused clinics.

For anyone familiar with CenterWell, senior primary care offices, or front office float roles: Do floats usually stay within a certain local area/region, or can the travel be pretty far? Should I expect to float mostly to nearby offices, or could it involve traveling to other cities within the state? In my state there are 4 different offices, so I’m trying to understand what “float” realistically means.

Also, do floats mainly cover callouts/PTO and help with check-in/check-out, phones, referrals, scheduling, and insurance verification? Is it usually a good setup, or can it feel chaotic?

I’m excited about the job, but I’m new to this type of clinic setting and just want to understand what I’m walking into. Any advice is appreciated!

Hi everyone! I recently accepted a float front office/medical receptionist position with CenterWell Senior Primary Care. I was told I'll have a "home base," but I may float between multiple CenterWell locations, and I'm trying to understand what that usually looks like. For anyone familiar with CenterWell, senior primary care offices, Medicare focused clinics, or front office float roles: Is being a float usually a good setup, or can it be chaotic? Do floats usually help cover callouts/PTO, work check-in/check-out, phones, referrals, scheduling, insurance verification, etc.? Should I expect to move around a lot, or mostly stay at my home base unless needed? Also, what questions should I ask my manager about mileage, schedule notice, training, travel expectations, and day-to-day responsibilities? I'm excited about the job, but I'm new to this type of clinic setting and just want to understand what I'm walking into. Any advice is appreciated!