Your Parenting Wins and Woes

What’s got you down (and up) this week? Contribute your own here.

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The simple things

—Joanne Ruelos Diaz

Last week, my two kids had spring break. While my husband and I were working, it felt like “everyone” had a big trip planned after a long period of no travel due to Covid. I had a little FOMO seeing the pictures stream in on Instagram of friends and their families on white sand beaches, and in front of Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, and the Disney World castle. When we got home from spending a few days at my sister’s house, I unpacked my younger son’s backpack and his school Take Home folder. He had filled out a worksheet: “What I Want to Do on Spring Break.” His answers: (1) I want to go to my cousin’s house. (2) I want to eat chocolate chip pancakes. (3) I want to play video games.

It was a good reminder that the Most Magical Place on Earth is sometimes simply your cousin’s basement playing on an old Wii together, then coming upstairs to eat pancakes.

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Picky eater

—Mighty Righty

My daughter refuses to breastfeed off my left boob. There is no medical reason for this, she just doesn’t like it. We’ve tried every position. Looked into ear infections, tummy trouble, teeth, slow flow ... there’s just no reason for it. She’s six months old, so of course my boobs have learned about her preferences and I’m now walking around with one enormous boob and one mini tiny boob. Maybe when she learns to talk I’ll ask her what the deal was.

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I see you

—New mom and trying my best

We found out that my seven-month-old daughter is very farsighted and needed glasses. I did not know how she was going to handle wearing these, but so far, she’s done a wonderful job! I thought she was going to rip them off her head every five seconds, but she keeps them on. She’s never pulled them off, and I think it’s because she realized she can finally see. It’s been a little bittersweet, wondering what she could and couldn’t see and how she now reacts to toys and books, but I know it’s the best thing for her. Plus, she looks adorable in her little pink glasses!

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