u/OrderAggressive9432

How can I wean my 2-year-2-month-old off screens?

He was about 95% screen-free until a month ago. Before that, he’d only watched a few train videos and occasionally played interactive games with me. We'd also watch videos before dentist or haircuts, etc to learn about the experience.

Then we had one absolutely brutal week: I needed emergency abdominal surgery and a second surgery due to a complication, my mom started her second round of chemo, and my son got hand, foot, and mouth disease. The only predictable part was my mom's chemo. Childcare was a definite no and I wasn't set up with any babysitters (since changed that). My 77-year-old dad couldn’t manage a toddler on his own. My parents had a few people coming in and out, but they were mostly helping my mom, bringing food, or cleaning.

So, for about a week, my son ended up getting a lot of screen time. I still feel guilty about it, although I genuinely don’t know what else we could have done at the time.

Since then, I’ve been putting a lot of effort into getting us back to our old routine. I’ve stocked up on activities, introduced new things to do, and increased our outside time. But right now, all he seems to want is Blippi, Country Boy Kid/Train Trackers, and Little Bear and throws tantrums. I've tried just reducing the time but that backfires. I've bought the books, added new trains and little people to represent the little boy. We got the Yoto with Blippi. We've had evenings of just crying for hours.

Has anyone successfully gotten a toddler back to being mostly screen-free after a period of heavier screen use? Did you cut it out completely, gradually reduce it, or replace it with something else?

Hi! My family will be visiting La Crosse end of August. We have a toddler so planning ahead is important. I've found amazing breakfast and dinner spots via posts on here and elsewhere but need recommendations for quick, light lunch spots. Bonus if they're suitable for grabbing to-go and taking to a nearby park/playground.

(I had a list pre-Covid of daily deals. It was great. I've also pieced together some deals I found in Reddit but there's been nothing very comprehensive in awhile. I will update this as I confirm answers!)

Monday

Ulrichs: $3 off burgers

Crusens: Fried chicken dinner

Tuesday

Los Cabos $1 tacos

Crusens 3 for $5 tacos

Veterans tacos

Silver Dollar $9 Lunch Special

Wednesday

Silver Dollar $9 Lunch Special

Hoops 1 one slice, get 1 free, dine-in only

Thursday

Silver Dollar $9 Lunch Special

Veteran's spaghetti

CCBBQ: $1 Smoked Wings, limit 20

Crusens $.50 per wing (Have to buy in quantity of 8 or 16)

Friday

Silver Dollar $9 Lunch Special

Ulrich's lunch horseshoe

Saturday

Sunday

Kouri's Wing Deal, maybe $0.60/wing, need to confirm

Happy Hour

Everyday

Outside Peoria

520 Cafe daily lunch and dinner specials

I'm looking for a local custom frame shop to create 1-3 displays for vintage Marimekko fabric pieces, with a focus on preservation. One is approx. 7 feet long, the others are larger remnants but more normal frame sizes.

I worked in the Hobby Lobby frameshop 2 decades ago so don't get me wrong, they did quality work for a lot of things and I created displays for needlepoint and other fabrics but it seems a lot has changed and I was disappointed with my options when I stopped in.

I thought I remembered seeing custom frame shops around town but Google didn't really turn up anything.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

My son just turned 2. I can count on my hands the number of times he's slept through the night since birth. Lately, its become even worse. He won't fall asleep until 10pm or later and wake around 7am. Then takes a 3 hour nap at childcare. 12-3pm.

I can't stay up until 10pm. I'm drinking coffee at night to stay awake past 9pm and its still a struggle. I've always been a long sleeper and have a form of narcolepsy which makes my sleep more complicated and important.

I can't continue like this.

His pediatrician isn't concerned with his sleep and that's fine but I'm concerned about mine. I'm struggling to be an effective parent because I'm a zombie.

On weekends, we have a mid-day "rest" but rarely actually sleep. He goes to bed much earlier those nights. And its wonderful for us both. But I need better sleep during the week as well.

Can childcare limit his nap to 2 hours? When I initially mentioned it the response was that they don't wake the children. I know the naptime is required by regulations.

What can I do?!?!?!

Looking for a personal trainer to supplement my physical therapy.

I've been in/out of physical therapy for awhile all related to a spinal injury. Life happens and my physical therapy needs shift and I end up back in it with different exercises.

My experience has been that physical therapy is for movement and loss of use but never fully addresses the strength aspect. I'm hoping that by building strength, I can reduce my need for physical therapy and just all around feel better. I could lift weights at home I suppose but I work on computers, not bodies and need to make sure I'm not doing things that will make anything worse or that are pointless.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a great personal trainer that also paid great attention to your physical therapy?

Thank you!

October 2019: I got a temp job at Target during grad school. I loved it far more than I expected. It remains my favorite job ever. I eventually talked with the assistant store manager about the manager program, he said he would help me with it.

March 2020: COVID happens. I'm still there. Still loving the job. Still only have a sticker nametag.

June 2020: I have to leave work due to severe pain and have emergency surgery. I talk with the assistant manager and my direct supervisor. I returned on a schedule of up to 30 hours per week but no set hours. I had a lot of doctor appointments and I was redoing the entire back room inventory shelves as a project plus doing the toy department. So I'd come in at 5am, work, leave for an appointment, come back, etc. It worked out.

After 2 weeks of this, I woke up with a high fever. I called-in per the rules, stated I had a high fever, was getting a COVID test, and ended up getting admitted to the hospital. My doctor faxed over a letter and I also called and told a different supervisor I wouldn't be in the rest of the week.

I didn't have COVID but was dealing with an acute and curable illness that ultimately required 2 more surgeries.

Our HR girl had moved away and we didn't have a replacement yet. I called the store again and my supervisor and assistant manager and manager were all gone sick. My doctor faxed over another letter. I always spoke with the highest level person there.

I called corporate HR to learn my options for medical leave and learned that:

[1] I was still a temp employee after being there over 8 months,

[2] they didn't even have a record of me being in grad school much less undergrad and qualifying for the manager program, and

[3] I had been terminated automatically for being a no-call no-show the previous 2 days (despite not having a schedule, calling in, and a faxed letter from my doctor).

I was told that despite my calls and medical proof, it didn't matter because I was a temp and; therefore, had no time off, etc. The HR person did indiciate she thought it was odd that I had been there so long and not moved over to permanent employee. She suggested I focus on my health and return when better.

I was distraught and had another surgery scheduled that day and needed at least a month off to recover. I called the store a few times over the next week, requesting my supervisor call me (she never did), I even sent a thank you letter at one point because I truly valued their guidance and felt terrible that I disappeared. I ended up focusing on my health, finishing grad school, and moving forward in life.

I later found out the assistant manager went on COVID leave and never returned, my supervisor suddenly took a job elsewhere around that time, and the manager got fired. The fax machine was also broken.

I still think about that job and still want it. I never resolved my termination status since it seemed pointless at the time. When I left I was running the Toy, Books, and Sports departments mostly on my own. I also held "keys" for the tech area and covered their breaks and days off. I was trained in displays, freight, cashier, bike building, and the backroom inventory system. I had certification for all the vehicles and mechanical processes. I also filled-in at Starbucks and trained in the grocery area because I had and still do have all the food safety licenses. The only thing I didn't do was clothes.

Could I apply for the manager program now? Or even just a lead position? How can I best explain this on the application?

Am I taking surveys for nothing?

A few months ago my Sam's Club app showed a new community page with surveys. I've been dutifully taking them every day. They all have points. There was a thing saying Community coming soon or whatever. I emailed but they seemed confused and this is definitely different from the community where you get real items that has a website.

There is no where for me to see points accrued nor rewards...nothing.

Is the Community and points/rewards ever going to launch?