sparkles

I want to say never. My career is now 2-5 years and I really enjoy helping pick out toys and seeing what they do, and sharing that with my littles. I had a classroom full of toys at one point for different needs. Toys are cool. I like “grown up” shit too like my computer and video games but I will absolutely go into a tree house and slide down a slide or ride that little roller coaster thing we have in the clinic. Not everyone is going to understand in the same way people give side-eye for riding the shopping cart across the parking lot. Like what you like, just be aware those reactions are conditioned into people over a lifetime.

Pet hair is no joke. I haven’t lived with an animal in over a year and I’m still finding their hairs randomly.

It has been several decades since I was in a position that I was doing more than making magic for others. I’m exhausted. But I want to keep giving my kids core memories because they deserve them. But there is no joy. Just obligation/financial burden/mental exhaustion. I hate it.

I complete maintenance items daily. I live in a small place so I can even mop/vacuum daily if need be. I dust and do deep cleaning once a week as well as laundry. It’s really not time consuming if you stay on top of things (like 15-30 minutes a day). I do not have pets so that helps a lot. I also don’t have a second adult in the home, which helps a lot. Historically I’ve found it’s a lot easier to keep my home clean without multiple adults. I need a nice tidy place to feel comfortable, but I don’t judge anyone else for their choices.

Oh yes. I’m a professional at this.

Not really sure if inverted shrimp counts but it’s how I usually end up. That or 9-10.

Just gotta wait till 8pm

Overall, men benefit from marriage. But you can definitely find unhappy people, or people who will vocalize their unhappiness, even while reaping the benefits. And then there are shitty marriages of course. I encourage you to do a quick google, there is a lot of research on this topic.

Have seen it a couple times in a school building, yeah.

“Shit if that’s what the outside looks like, can you imagine the inside?”

…new idea, I need 2 duckies. They face each other like the guardians in The NeverEnding Story.

Oooh I want one of the cute, soul-harvesting duckies

Popcorn dresses are back! (Ugh)

I’ve turned into the work mom for the younger ones. Guess it’s all the tattoos and piercings that make me more approachable. I have a collection of young adults. I want scream “I’m not old enough to be your mother yet” except…well, 38. :/

Maybe look into working for a school system/university?

Leaving behind a workplace with a really cushy schedule and commute because I didn’t want my professional license attached to the people and things within that place.

“I think it depends on the environment”.

I like the job I’m doing now at 40 hours. I would not want to do that mind numbing job at 40 hours.

The context is important.

A lot of 9 to 5 jobs are pretty terrible. The worst work I ever had was behind a computer all day (reservations type of gig). It was incredibly mind numbing.

35-40. My new work gives me such a healthy balance of activities and incentives to work, as well as a home day. My previous work it was closer to 30, with summers off (unpaid). I needed the downtime to recover mentally. The home day does that for me and now I get paid all summer.

I think it depends on the environment.

No matter what, don’t alter meds without taking to your provider.

Just like how Idaho ensured people with Medicaid can’t receive EIBI recently. Private insurance will still pay out. What this does for (poor) kids who need behavioral services or consults to other providers in Idaho is kick the can down the road, to the point where they are older and interventions have less impact, require more intense/restrictive treatment, if they get treatment at all. This is how many red states will be going most likely. Ultimately kids who would have been successfully integrated into typical k-1 will end out outplaced at the cost of the public school…and denied (only the poor ones) full inclusion. Thats after enduring years of trauma from not receiving care.