Babysitting is no simple task, that's why we pay babysitters and nannies the big bucks. Children, especially toddlers, can be notoriously difficult to wrangle. You need the right amount of patience, level-headedness, and willingness to tire yourself out. Not to mention it's a huge amount of responsibility. If something goes wrong, you need to be ready to snap into action. This is why it's no fun to ask someone to babysit at the last minute. Unless you're a seasoned pro or a parent yourself (eve…

This isn't true friendship

Sometimes a grudge comes up for seemingly no reason . Someone just starts to treat you differently and you have no idea what happened. You rack your brain for reasons you might have spited them and you come up empty. Did you fail to wave back at them on the street one day? Did you accidentally say something off-color at a party? Did you just happen to look at them the wrong way and now everything is different? You may never know. It's especially hard when this happens in your own family because…

That's not his decision

He sounds like a real winner

As any parent can tell you, parenting is a full-time job . It may not pay the bills, but it sure takes a lot out of you. It doesn't stop when you go to sleep, or when you're watching TV, or even when you're on vacation. You're a parent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You don't get to choose whether or not you're ‘on duty’ if you're a parent, you just always are. And for couples parenting together, it's important that you both understand that. Otherwise, conflicts are bound to arise. That's what…

Babysitting is a profession for a reason . It's not easy work. Sure, millions of mothers do it without being paid, but that's because it's their kid. If you're tasked with watching a child you are not responsible for, that's skilled work. You need to know what to do in an emergency, how to get them to go to bed, how to clean them, and how to keep them entertained. And if you've ever been a kid, you know it's not easy. That's why parents pay good money for babysitters and nannies. They deserve t…

Gender reveals are always a dubious idea . At worst, they literally start wildfires. At best, they're random celebrations. I sort of understand wanting to event-ize finding out the chromosomal makeup of your baby, but if that's the case, then you have to prepare yourself for either option. You can't be disappointed in the news if you're going to find out in a public setting. You're setting yourself up for failure. Crying at your own gender reveal is like crying at your own vow renewal. Nobody t…

Ah yes, that's the problem.

It's nice to do favors for your family now and again . It's what they're for. We all need each other in order to survive, and we have to come through for each other. For example, if your beloved sister just gave birth, you might offer to come over to her house and help clean, or take care of the baby while she goes and gets a massage. We do this because we love each other, and because we hope they would do it for us in return. But, as with anything, there is a line . It shouldn't interfere with…

Birthday parties should be all about the birthday haver. It's their day to do whatever they feel like doing. They get to choose what food they eat, what activities they do, and who is around them for it. It's the one day of the year when you get to be utterly selfish . But, you'd expect, that your wife is one person that you'd like to include in that selfishness. Not that you can't enjoy time with friends as well (you should), but it's probably not a sign of a healthy relationship if you want t…

He started it

Sharing the same as someone can be a huge form of respect . New parents often name their babies after a relative who has passed or someone in their lives who they want to honor. That way the child can carry on their legacy. However, having the same name as a peer can be confusing. I remember being in grade school with 4 different Olivias in my class. One of them had to go by Olive and the rest of them scrapped it out, using the first initial of their last name. It was a logistical mess, especia…

When you're staying at someone's house , you don't get much say in what they do with their space. They're doing you a huge favor, so you don't get to chime in about what they're doing or not doing. You're a guest in their space, and what they say goes. You may not love that Urban Outfitters tapestry they have hanging in their living room, but it's not your living room. You might hate the fact that they only keep one-ply toilet paper in their bathroom, but it's not your bathroom. And you might n…

Favoritism is not something you want to get accused of as a parent. If you have more than one kid, you should do your best to love them and support them equally, since they're all your kids. And it's just a good example to set for them. But it's also incredibly common that parenting styles change from kid to kid. When you're on your first kid, everything is new and untested, and you have basically no idea what you're doing. By the time the second kid rolls around you're more of an expert, you'v…

Incredibly bleak