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Rachel Kramer Bussel's avatar

I’m a new mom of one and haven’t had to handle solo parenting yet but I appreciate this post a lot. And your son’s cat petting sign was adorable and I’m glad he got some takers!

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Kathryn Barbash, PsyD's avatar

My husband is a physician and during the weeks he is in the hospital I am the on duty parent 95% of the 7 days. He sleeps here and does try to help where he can but most of things fall on me. And over the years those mountains have gotten smaller for me, too. I was (still am really) often frustrated that even though this was our life from the beginning those weeks would deplete me in ways I hated.

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Sarah Wheeler's avatar

That's so interesting. I have some friends who have regular stints like that, and the experience is just so varied! Some people really love it, others dread it, and a lot in between.

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Janet's avatar

I'm still def on the rocky shores of emotion, ten years in! I feel youuuuuuu. <3 Also the Iman Mersal is v good, I second

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Leslie's avatar

ditto on the school lunches... though one of mine LOVED the school lunch from the cafeteria! And, LOVE Chistine and the Queens, so thanks for including that one. You probably know my fave of hers, Tilted. (since you are, of course, Tilted yourself).

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Sarah Wheeler's avatar

No! I'll listen to it now!

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sue wheeler's avatar

Consider letting them make their own lunches. (You could put a parameter or two around this.) The kids I spend Januarys with do that, ages 9 and 6. When I had one of those conflicts arose with my kids, decades ago, I said something like "If this keeps up you can make your own lunches!" the next words were "Oh could we Mom, pleeeease?" They did. No one suffered from malnutrition or major cavities.

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Sarah Wheeler's avatar

That's such a good reminder. Sometimes they're waiting for us to let them be more independent

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