I looked for some kind of grandmothering sub and came up empty, so I thought I would ask here.

I have a 2yo grandchild who is being raised bilingual, but they lean more heavily on their local language, which I barely speak. He understands my language to an extent, and repeats words, but doesn’t really speak it yet. My adult kid does speak our language with my grandchild, but the default language in their home is the local one. They live in a relatively diverse culture where some people do use my language, so I think it will just take time.

But meanwhile, I live too far away for easy visiting — I see them in person every 2-3 months. We Facetime with his parents’ help maybe 2-3x a month. I often read little books over Facetime in my language, and he likes that and asks for it using his very limited vocabulary.

He is a lot like my kid was as a toddler! I feel close to him, but also not connected as much as I wish, if that makes sense.

I am just wondering what other ways I can build a connection with him. I love being a grandparent, but sometimes I feel sad that it isn’t easier.

I am trying to learn his first language, but it is slow going. And his other parent (my kid’s spouse) would strongly prefer I speak my language well with their child rather than their language poorly.

It feels extra hard that his other grandmother lives local to them and speaks their language. So she is naturally closer to him. Also, she is retired and I am not. I live far enough away that visiting them is a vacation sort of thing, which I can’t afford more often.

Anyone in a similar situation? Any advice?

Makes perfect sense; probably a combo of the DNAse and protease, right? Plus it’s liquid, so it’s super easy to rub in. Just wanted to mention it because it was so simple and effective. The blood had been on the garment for 2-3 days. I wet the fabric before rubbing in the detergent.

I stockpiled some 365 Sport liquid before I discovered better powder options for regular laundry. But this seems a very easy and useful reason to keep some 365 Sport on hand.

I am sharing this so that anyone else who has this delivery issue will know what to try.

I mailed a package on 6/25 from the US to IRCC Digitization Centre, 3050 Wilson Ave, New Waterford NS B1H 5V8 Canada.

Tracking proceeded as expected, with a strange twist: It was put "on a Fed Ex vehicle for delivery" at 11:52 am on 6/29.

But then at 3:12 pm that same day, 6/29, it was marked "Ready for recipient pickup" at the Walgreens in my US town where I originally shipped it from.

It is geographically and temporally impossible for a package to get from Nova Scotia to my local Walgreens in under four hours.

I went to my local Walgreens to pick it up as directed. Predictably, it wasn't there.

Then I called Fed Ex.

IF THIS OR SIMILAR HAPPENS WITH YOUR PACKAGE:

You will need your Fed Ex tracking number AND the precise recipient & address you addressed your package to.

If you are in the US, call FedEx at this number: 1-800-463-3339. To (mostly) bypass the phone tree, first say "Main Menu" then "Technical Assistance" then "More Options" then "It's Something Else."

You should be transferred to a live person. You will need to give them your name, then explain that you need help tracking a lost international package and immediately offer the tracking number. Ask them to transfer you to the International Shipment Department.

The ISD agent confirmed by email that my package is being held at FedEx Ground Facilities, 25 Vulcan Avenue, Sydney NS B1P5X1 Canada.

He said that I would have to ask the recipient to pick the package up there.

I told him this was unacceptable.

I explained that the recipient is a giant government processing center that receives hundreds or thousands of FedEx shipments daily, and that I do not have any way to contact someone there directly.

I also pointed out that I expected FedEx to deliver my package to the recipient, which is what I paid for.

He backtracked at this and said they "would be happy to schedule a reattempt." I said yes.

I was told to expect an email confirmation from FedEx within 24 business hours confirming the new estimated delivery date.

I have had easy-peasy experiences with FedEx for three other IRCC deliveries, so I have not lost faith in FedEx. But it's awful to think applications might be lost, and it's super annoying that the agent wanted to place responsibility on ME for getting IRCC to pick up the package from their warehouse! Not possible.

I hope this is helpful to someone. I will update as things unfold. Hopefully within a few days, my package will be confirmed delivered to IRCC.

Edited to say that when I sent my first package to IRCC one year ago, the overwhelming consensus on this board was to never use UPS, because a number of folks had had UPS lose their applications or take much longer than promised, and of course that you need to use a courier (not USPS) ensure that any Canada Post strikes or delays won't have an impact. That was just a year ago. I have continued to use FedEx based on that extremely strong anecdotal data in its favor, and my own positive experiences thus far. So I find it very interesting to hear a small number of anti-FedEx voices. Maybe you weren't around a year ago when we discussed this in depth as a group. Maybe things have changed. Maybe it's just luck of the draw. But my use of FedEx for this specific purpose was based on strong info from this community.

Super frustrating! I can’t seem to get anything done. It’s not quite hot enough to get the AC going, but we are looking at several 90F+ days in a row starting tomorrow. Heat makes me feel sick and lethargic. It’s like my meds aren’t working today. And my MCAS seems to be in overdrive. Anyone else?

I might just have to get out of bed and install the AC just to convince my nervous system that we’re going to survive it…

Applied last July. Received certificate in March. I was planning on applying for my Canadian passport in the next couple of weeks.

Given the surrender situation and Minister Diab’s assertion that all certificates will be reassessed, does moving forward with this quickly seem like a waste of time or a good idea?

(Please forgive the cross-post. I realized too late that I posted this in a smaller sub when I intended to post it in this sub. I think this is important for all who might have info to see.)

It is my recollection that IRCC promised FIFO for IM applicants. The general buzz here was to the tune of, don't reapply, your IM application will be first in the new C-3 queue and processed in the order they were originally received (FIFO).

I feel like there was a quote in a press release or article or interview from someone high up in IRCC promising this, but I can't find anything. I wish I had saved it, if it existed. Did any of you?

Alternately, I am wondering if we all just convinced ourselves and each other that IRCC would obviously prioritize IM applications because it clearly would have been the right thing to do.

With so many of us still stuck in PSU, feeling like we were lied to by IRCC, I'd like to find evidence of that assertion. I am sure anyone who is looking to amplify the PSU situation in the media would find this extremely helpful, if it exists.

What do you remember of this, if you applied during the Interim Measure and were watching things unfold in November/December 2025?

It is my recollection that IRCC promised FIFO for IM applicants. The general buzz around here was to the tune of, don't reapply, your IM application will be first in the new C-3 queue and processed in the order they were originallyi received (FIFO).

I feel like there was a quote in a press release or article or interview from someone high up in IRCC promising this, but I can't find anything. I wish I had saved it, if it existed. Did any of you?

Alternately, I am wondering if we all just convinced ourselves and each other that IRCC would obviously prioritize IM applications because it clearly would have been the right thing to do.

With so many of us still stuck in PSU, feeling like we were lied to by IRCC, I'd like to find evidence of that assertion. I am sure anyone who is looking to amplify the PSU situation in the media would find this extremely helpful, if it exists.

What do you remember of this, if you applied during the Interim Measure and were watching things unfold in November/December 2025?

This link has been shared already (post linked below, thanks to u/Awkward_Tangerine988). But the statistic is worth knowing and sharing widely, because the hype from conservatives is significantly overstating these numbers, and it is important to have accurate information to share when disinformation surfaces.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Canadiancitizenship/comments/1u8nev9/answer_provided_to_parliamentary_q1189/

The conservatives continue to parrot that "tens of thousands" of people who did not qualify under the First Generation Limit are now certifying ("gaining") citizenship. THIS IS NOT TRUE.

Only 2,690 worldwide. And only 1,290 Americans within that 2,690.

CORRECTION: My original post gave the reporting date of 6/17/26, but others have helpfully pointed out that THE DATA ITSELF spans only December 15, 2025 to February 28, 2026.

Still, that's "a couple thousand" (thus far). Not "tens of thousands."

I realize it may come as frustrating news to the many (legitimately tens of thousands) whose applications are "in process" or still sitting at the AOR stage, to hear that only 2,690 G2+ folks have gotten their proof certificates since C-3 came into effect.

But the link above confirms that the overwhelming majority of proof certificate requests are G1. The number of proof certificates being granted to G2+ (all generations, second and later) is quite small relative to the massive number of G1 proof certificates being requested and granted.

I want to be sure this important statistic gets its due.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/proof-citizenship/apply.html

I'm posting this even though the information has effectively been shared here in other ways, because I think the precise wording and location are important, and I don't believe this specific link or exact text has been shared yet in this form. This is further evidence of a hasty set of edits made quickly in the aftermath of the Surrender Letters.

Apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate: How to apply

Documents proving Canadian citizenship of your parent, grandparent and parental ancestor

Your application must be supported by authentic, reliable and verifiable documents for every generation in your application.

 Your documents must

• be issued by the original authority that created or keeps the record
  • This includes documents issued by a civil registry or a vital statistics office.
• clearly show who issued the document

 Your application can’t be supported solely by third party records.

• If you find records like these, official documents likely exist. You should request them from the original authority.

What we accept

You must include proof of parentage and Canadian citizenship for your Canadian parent, grandparent and parental ancestor as applicable. For each person, you must provide 1 or more of the following documents issued by the original authority:

• provincial or territorial birth certificate If you’re missing any birth certificates If you don’t have a birth certificate or birth record for yourself or for any of your parental ancestors, you must send other documents to show parentage and Canadian citizenship. These must be issued by the original authority and can include
  • hospital record of birth
  • record from a physician or midwife who witnessed the birth
  • certified baptismal certificate or record (baptism must have taken place within a reasonable time after the birth)
  • census records
  • boat manifest
• birth certificate from another country that shows the parent-child relationship in each generation
• Canadian citizenship or naturalization certificate
• Certificate of Registration of Birth Abroad or Certificate of Retention of Canadian Citizenship
• British naturalization certificate issued in Canada or Newfoundland and Labrador
• proof of British subject status before January 1, 1947 (or April 1, 1949, for Newfoundland and Labrador)
• proof of landed immigrant status in Canada before January 1, 1947 (or April 1, 1949, for Newfoundland and Labrador).

If you can’t provide official documents issued by the original authority

You must

• explain in writing why you can’t provide the documents, and
• show proof that you tried to get them
  • For example, include emails or letters with issuing authorities or confirmation saying that the records are not available.

We consider all the documents and information you submit when making a decision.

I understand this forum is not for support questions. I am just wondering if anyone has encountered this and if the fix is maybe something stupid simple. I'm new to Mercor but certainly not to tech. I feel like I'm missing something extremely obvious here...

My mic is on. My camera is on. Both show up correctly in the left and right drop-downs. The middle drop-down says "No device selected" and there are no drop-down options. The "Test mic sound" link below it is inactive. I sent a message via the troubleshooting link, after restarting and trying multiple browsers. Is there a better way to get support at the first interview stage?

Kind help would be welcome.

In digging through the many informative recent posts, both before and after surrender letters entered the conversation, I took another look at IRCC's AI strategy:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/transparency/artificial-intelligence-strategy.html

One specific quote about how AI is now used: "Inform decision makers by: [m]aking assessments and recommending options: Flagging straightforward, low‑risk files for expedited officer decision".

So for those of us who have been discussing and revisiting whether it's better to include minimal effective documentation vs. thorough supporting documentation in your proof certificate application, IRCC's AI strategy shows quite clearly that "straightforward, low-risk" files more likely to be processed quickly.

Apparently the use of AI was rolled out in late February, and yes, there have been hiccups:

https://archive.ph/2026.03.25-091708/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/canada-rejected-her-permanent-residence-application-her-job-duties-were-made-up--by-immigrations-ai-reviewer/article_3f1ea5be-0b3d-4541-ac00-0a1b8484d877.html

It remains to be seen whether this "surrender letter" debacle was the result of AI error or human error or both, but I think it's worth noting that the simplest applications (with certified documentation) are more likely to be expedited under the above strategy.

I am guessing, based on what we've seen, that applications containing simply one official, certified birth document for each person in the line of descent are the easiest for AI to recommend approving.

The AI strategy linked above implies but does not explicitly state that human officers make the final decision on all applications. I hope this is the case, but I would love explicit public affirmation of this from IRCC.

Based on personal experience, I suspect that applications containing non-certified printouts/copies or placeholders (as in, "here's a printout from Drouin; we are still waiting on the certified BAnQ version") are not considered straightforward.

Just wanted to create a thread specifically for this because the timing of AI rollout and the approvals impacted by the surrender letters do not appear to me to be coincidental.

I noticed that load after load, I wasn’t seeing suds, even with good detergent (365 powder, 365 sport). I tried doubling, tripling the detergent but it hardly made any difference.

I ordinarily fill the fabric softener dispenser with citric acid solution. One day, I carelessly slopped some into the drum. Oops…

Voila! When I checked the load after it got going, there were plenty of happy looking suds!!

I have municipally treated water, so I just assumed it would be moderate ph. I guess it must be slightly on the hard side.

So now I add a wee bit of citric acid directly to each load. Problem solved!

I'm 2.5 months into taking this and still have a pervasive unpleasant taste and dryness in my mouth. Still hoping it will pass eventually, but meanwhile, it's super annoying. I've been sucking on maple flavored hard candies, which helps to a point, but I'm getting overwhelmed by the sweetness (which also seems to be a side effect, more averse to strong sweetness), so after the initial relief, I have a terrible sugar taste in my mouth that isn't much better. Just wondering if anyone has come up with other things that are working for you?

Here is the study: https://transformer-circuits.pub/2026/emotions/index.html

I am a casual user so far, but I am about to launch into some urgent and intense job searching and professional development. The stakes are high, as I am completely broke and stressed, so I want to optimize for efficiency, accuracy, and useful depth in Claude’s responses.

I am having some trouble wrapping my head around what tone or words to use to get Claude to cut to the chase right away. I have already set it to only provide neutral, factual answers; never flatter me; always provide sources; and always do a self-check loop to ensure it didn’t miss something.

I understand from the study above and some other Reddit posts that if you can communicate that the stakes are very high, you might get better results, but if you convey desperation, Claude will try to manage your emotions, or something like that. Maybe there are other hacks for Claude’s emotional vector algorithms?

Can anyone help me understand this better, and its practical application? Or of there are other threads or resources you could point me to, I would be very grateful. Surely someone has made practical sense of this?

I confess, I was a bit deflated after reading about other people hearing “Welcome home!” as they crossed for the first time with their new certificate.

My adult daughter (July 2025er, still stuck in PSU) and I crossed two days ago. We handed the guard our US passport cards and my Canadian citizenship certificate. He asked us where we lived; we answered honestly with two different cities within a few hours of the border.

He looked my certificate over and asked, “Was your parent born in Canada?” “No, my grandfather,” I replied. “That’s 2nd generation; it’s not allowed,” he said. I said, “No, the law changed,” and he asked, “What law?” and I said “Act C-3…” He paused and gave me a look that to me looked incredulous. Then he asked, “When did it change?” and I said, “last year,” and he said “No, on what date?” and I said, “December 15, 2025.”

I cross every couple of months to visit my son in Canada, which should show in my record, right?He asked the purpose of our trip; “We are visiting my son and his family in Montreal.” He asked where, and I told him the name of the neighborhood as I didn’t have their new-ish apartment number memorized. He then asked which street.

Then he paused for another moment and waved us on.

What the heck? I thought as a citizen I wouldn’t find border crossings so stressful, but if the Canadian guards don’t even know about the changes to the Citizenship Act that they are supposed to be enforcing, I don’t know what to think.

Is this normal? Has anyone else with a new certificate gotten pushback or encountered a disbelieving guard?

I have had a 13 mini since they came out. I am on a tight budget, so I recently got the battery replaced, hoping it will last me at least a few more years.

On Monday, I charged it, pulled the charger out, and part of the charging port came out stuck to the charger. I could not get them apart. I could not charge my phone. There was no way out of this. It was dead. I was bereft.

I went online and ordered a refurbished 13 mini (excellent condition) from Back Market, plus a cute case and screen protector from Casetify (yes, they had 13 mini cases in stock).

(The only excellent condition one available was 256, same as my current one.)

On Tuesday, my smart daughter suggested I go to the local computer store and get a magsafe charger so I could keep using my old phone. I hadn't thought of that! So I went.

I told the guy what happened, and he insisted on looking at my phone. I knew it was useless, but I humored him. He pulled out a dental pick, picked at the port, and pulled out a piece of metal. Turns out a piece of the charger had gotten stuck in the port, not the other way around. I was wrong.

My phone was alive again! I didn't buy a magsafe charger. I went home, relieved.

Now it's Thursday. My new phone will arrive today. I have 30 days to return it if I choose. I am not sure whether to keep it or send it back. I only need one phone, right?

Here are some questions I would love help with:

~ Do we have any idea when Apple will stop supporting the 13 Mini?

~ Do we have any idea how long a non-refurbished, recently-battery-replaced 13 mini might last before it dies?

~ Do I hold onto the new 13 mini as a backup, because my old (battery-replaced) phone will probably die before Apple stops supporting this model?

~ Do I hold onto the new one because 13 minis are getting harder to find and I won't likely be able to replace it with another in a year or two or three if needed?

~ Do I return the new one, because my old phone will probably last long enough that I won't be able to use the backup because the 13 mini will become obsolete before I need to replace it?

~ Do I reach out to Back Market to let them know I was wrong about having a dead phone for trade-in, my phone actually DOES work, and see if I can trade my old one in for more credit, keeping only the refurbished one?

WWYD and why?