There's a wasp/yellow jacket (not sure which) nest through the circled crack (above it on the inside). My dad has tried to spray it, but can't angle the spray bottle in a way to fully get the nest, so they're still alive and well. Anyone have ideas to get rid of them? Three of my family members have gotten stung so far going through the door 😭
Disregarding the plastic packaging...do these still have a worthwhile amount of nutrients and antioxidants? Or does the processing just make them little better than sweets (especially with the sugar content being pretty high and fiber content being pretty low)? Anyone know?
I would assume the refrigerated ones like Once Upon a Farm are probably better - what about shelf stable ones like Peter Rabbit Organics? They're an easy add on for my kid's lunches, but wondering if they really are an extra fruit/veggie serving or if I may as well give him a cookie lol
My 6 year old son struggles whenever he makes a mistake. He starts talking badly about himself in general afterwards. Looking for books that help remind him that everyone makes mistakes, and that imperfection doesn't make him a bad person
My mom made lentil soup and put in these carrots that have a best buy date of over a week ago. Are they/the soup safe to eat? They're not slimy - if anything they're kinda dry. I don't have a great sense of smell but from what I can tell, they smell normal
My kid enjoys and is good at math. Any ideas for toys, games, or activities to do over the summer to help keep those skills fresh? Something fun - don't want to force him to do a workbook on his school break
Awhile ago, my friend's cat peed on my peacoat. I took it to the dry cleaners (not immediately so I guess the smell marinated), and the smell was still present after. I left it hanging out on a door, planning to try again to get the smell off, but my mom put it in a closet (one for stuff I rarely use) and so my ADHD self forgot about it. It's been awhile and now literally everything in the closet smells like old cat pee. How do I fix all this and reclaim my closet space? Not everything in it is washer machine safe, and I don't want to throw everything out 😭 not sure a simple wash would get rid of the smell anyway. There are other things in the closet too like shoes and bags, some of which also smell 😔
Redecorating my 6 year old son's room. Looking for a plain green rug (to look like grass, so no olive green etc) that is non-toxic (made of a natural material and/or has a certification like OEKO-TEX, GOTS, or Greenguard), relatively affordable, and pretty big (at minimum ~5x8). Having a hard time finding anything that meets these requirements. I'm willing to compromise on either natural material or a non-toxic certification (as long as it's from a reputable brand), but not both
Examples of some similar ones. The first picture is IKEA - it's basically exactly what I'm looking for and is only $70, but is definitely too small (~4x5) and is made of polyester (might bite the bullet and get it anyway if it was bigger). The second one is from Cold Picnic. It's wool/cotton, uses eco-friendly dyes/no chemical coating, and is 6x9, but is $1300. The third is a little more elaborate than I was thinking but I still like it - from West Elm, made of wool/cotton, and $400-800, but I feel like the flowers may be too "girly" (I love them, and I don't think my son would care at this age, but I don't want to spend that much just for him to get mocked for it in a few years)
Does a happy medium exist? Has anyone seen one like this? I've done some searching and can't find what I'm looking for. I feel like a plain green rug shouldn't be this hard to find lol
Hoping to get tickets to take my kid on a Polar Express train ride for the first time this December, and can't decide between the options (I know it's summer lol but tickets are going on sale soon). Has anyone been on both? Is one better than the other? He will be 7 years old this Christmas
I have this vintage 80s dress/shawl and want to wear it to an 80s/90s festival coming up. Any recommendations for hairstyles/hair accessories to go with it? I have very fine/thin hair and I don't usually do much with it (it gets greasy within a few hours of washing so I usually just wear a hat or something to cover that lol), so need something that would be doable for it and not too complicated. Also what would go best in it? I was thinking a big light blue or brown bow (possibly lace), or maybe a headband?
Would also appreciate any makeup/accessories/shoes (preferably not high heels) suggestions! I often go for a vintage-inspired vibe, but I'm hoping to make this fit actually period-accurate
My kid is 6, and we've been reading a lot of books about American history lately with the 250th coming up. I am a history nerd myself, and read a lot of historical books as a kid. Obviously, there are many dark things in America's past (and still some in modern times), such as slavery, genocide/displacement of Native Americans, discrimination against women and minorities, etc. I've lightly touched on some of these with him (nothing as dark as genocide, but a bit about racism and sexism, and he was pretty confused and saddened by why people would think that way). I want him to be able to appreciate history, but not whitewash it, nor traumatize him by introducing hard topics too early. I also find it difficult to explain (in a way he'd understand - I'm autistic, so not always the best at communicating things) the nuance of how people who did some very great things could simultaneously be complicit in atrocities (e.g. the Founding Fathers created a country uniquely built on principles of freedom, while denying that freedom to enslaved people)
It's also a bit personal because (while being a white male) he is a quarter Jewish, and anti-Semitism has been an issue both historically and currently (though thankfully not very much where we live). Most of his great-grandfather's extended family perished in The Holocaust
Then there are things like 9/11, which are historically significant and regularly receive public attention, but could be scary to a young child (I was 4 when it happened, and while I didn't find out about it until the first anniversary the following year, I remember being scared that it could happen again)
I know he's learned a little bit about this stuff in school - around MLK Day, he came home talking about how great MLK was and that he wants to be him when he grows up, lol - but trying to figure out how to treat it at home. Would appreciate any advice or input!
Just saw an ad for these and it looks like something my kid would love, but I can't find any ingredient lists. Can anyone tell me if they use artificial dyes/flavorings etc? If there's artificial dyes, are they mixed in separately (and thus could be replaced with natural dyes)?
Or, are there any other companies that do baking subscription boxes like this with clean ingredients?
For the past year or so, my son has really started to notice pretty girls/women. If we're in public and we pass by a pretty pre-teen/teen girl or young woman, he will say hi to them
He's also had a crush on a fifth grade girl in his school since October. We usually take him to play on the school playground right after school, and she's often there with her friends. He used to hug her multiple times, so I had to tell him he can only hug her once, briefly, and only if he asks first and she says yes. He's not quite as obsessed as he used to be (he used to talk about her constantly and ask me if I could set up a playdate with her), but he'll still go linger near her friend group hoping for their attention if he sees them lol
One time we were waiting in line at the airport and he started talking to a young woman standing behind us. I redirected him shortly (so she didn't get annoyed), and he told me he was going to marry her when he grew up
He's generally about older girls (he has a lot of girl friends his age he has normal friendships with), although his last year in preschool there was a new girl in his class that he seemed to have a brief crush on. His teacher said the first day she came in, he kept staring at her in awe and went over to gently touch her face
Of course I'm always keeping a close eye to make sure he is respectful/not bothering them, but it's generally pretty cute and funny. At that age, the only boy I ever noticed in that way was Legolas, lol
"Love You Forever" was my #1. It made me think about how my mom would die one day and gave me my first ever panic attack/existential crisis. I would get anxious every time I even thought about the book. I have a son now and refuse to read it to him, despite it being a "classic"
I loved the "Little House" books, but I stopped reading at the beginning of the fifth book when their dog, Jack, died. I remember crying hysterically to my mom about it (the fact he was a real dog is what made it so tragic). I tried continuing the series later, but just couldn't continue because I was so sad about the dog 💀
I was absolutely TERRIFIED of the ending of The Last Battle...it blossomed into anxiety about Christian eschatology as a whole. Narnia was one of my favorite series other than that
And I can't remember/find the name, but when I was about 7/8/9 I picked out what seemed a normal historical fiction book from the children's section at the library, and it turned out the main character learned about what sex is. I did not know about it before that book (I was a very advanced reader for my age), and the character had a prolonged very negative and disgusted reaction to it/adults in general for it, which rubbed off on me and gave me a very negative and distorted view of sexuality for many years (I assume the book ended with her coming to terms with it, but I was too upset to finish it)
I was a very anxious and sensitive neurodivergent child, if you couldn't tell already lol. Did anyone else have similar experiences?
He's one of my favorite characters. Do you think the show is hinting that he will end up a believer? Will he then give up his career with the Cohortes Urbanae, and all the power and prestige that comes with it?
I'm REALLY REALLY hoping he's the one who says "surely, this man was the son of God" at the cross. It would be a beautiful completion to his arc. But he isn't a centurion, so maybe not...
I am disabled and usually feel unwell in the mornings, so my dad helps with getting my 6 year old kindergartener ready for school. He usually puts on the TV for him as soon as he's up to watch while he eats breakfast. I don't want to burden my dad excessively, but I'd prefer my son to not have screentime first thing in the mornings...any ideas for alternatives to keep him occupied? There's about 45-60 minutes between when he wakes up and leaves. My son does have ADHD so it can be hard to keep him focused/on task
This will be a challenge since it's from the pre-modern Internet era (already tried searching it on Google lens with no luck) but I'd love to know what this shirt is. It's so cute
Video with slightly clearer view (including of the writing on the lower right) is here
My (20sF) calories have been significantly restricted for awhile now. In January/February I was on a liquid diet due to dysphagia and was getting 1000 calories a day max. That eventually went away and I was somewhat back to normal. I've had steadily worsening contamination OCD since then and have been getting probably about 500-900 calories a day, especially the past month or so. I am underweight (have been since the liquid diet and it's gotten worse since then). 5'5 at ~100 pounds. I am starting to come out of my OCD flareup and am slowly feeling safer eating again. Has anyone else been through this? Should I be concerned about refeeding syndrome? Since I haven't been tracking calories closely I am not sure how to slowly increase exactly. I am lowkey embarrassed to approach my doctor about this lol
Looking for recommendations to read with the 250th anniversary coming up. Especially interested in stories about the Revolutionary War era or earlier (including Native Americans) or about defining American symbols/events that are age appropriate
A couple of examples we've read recently:
-In 1776 by Jean Marzollo
-Let Liberty Rise: How America's Schoolchildren Helped Save the Statue of Liberty by Chana Stiefel
Bonus points if it's action-packed or funny (my son prefers these)
My 6 year old regularly stains his clothes. I carefully budget and search out deals for organic cotton pieces, and they inevitably get ruined, especially if they're not dark colors 🫠
Can anyone recommend an effective, minimally toxic stain remover to apply before putting clothes in the washing machine? Ones I've tried:
-Seventh Generation (helped a little)
-Miss Mouth's (did not help, if anything made it worse)
We use Ecos detergent. Willing to switch detergents too if there is a better one for this purpose
Side note, would appreciate any tips to prevent clothes from pilling in the laundry as well. That happens a lot too 😭 I use wool dryer balls but doesn't help too much