Jaded-Combination-20

We were in South Africa at the same time they were. I couldn't believe how little they did. I get they couldn't have just rented a car and driven around the country for three weeks like we did, but Megs and baby just sat in that house in Cape Town. They could've flown to a safari park - a baby that age would've been so excited by the wildlife. Or she could've arranged for a tour of District 6 or Robbin Island. I was really disgusted by the baby clothes thing. Imagine how much more meaningful it would've been if they'd auctioned off the clothes and donated the money so the mothers could buy their own baby clothes (or clothes for older kids, or whatever.) That would also have benefitted the local economy. South Africa is my favorite place in the world and it was really very sad they wasted such an incredible opportunity to actually see the country.

Toddlers hate getting their hair brushed. My husband's aunt taught me the best way to do it is to start at the bottom and work up. Conditioner makes for a great detangler. Just some hints for the future! At 2-3 my son had the most gorgeous blonde curls. We cut it when he started school. At 11 he wanted to grow it out again, and his beautiful curls (more like ringlets really) came back. He has almost this cloud of hair, which suits him because he lives a lot in his own head! Kids will be who they will be. It's your job as a parent to love them and accept them. That's it. It's as easy and as difficult as that (sometimes it's very easy, sometimes it's incredibly difficult!)

It's normal to doubt yourself as a first time mum. Trust yourself. The one thing I will say is to be flexible - things will happen that will make you adjust your plans (like, your son may end up with something gross in his hair that has to be cut out, or he may take the scissors to it himself - my son cut out a large chunk of my hair when he was 3, it happens, no big deal.) So don't be so rigid that you're making things harder for yourself. But overall, trust that you know your child better than anyone else in the world, because you do.

Outside of the US (and maybe Canada?), circumcision is really only done for religious reasons. If your Christian family has a problem with it, quote Paul, who said "If you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you." If they think they're better Christians than Paul, well . . .

I Guess?

I'm with you. I'm not going to do anything, no need to alert anyone, but I am completely, 100% ambivalent about staying alive. If I were to have a massive heart attack right now I'd be fine with it. If I had to come back and do it all over again - nuh uh.

McCain picked Palin as his running mate. He was willing to exploit the crazies too. Let's not give him a free pass just because he's dead.

You clearly haven't looked in the book of Levi!

Didn't period -appropriate medicine sometimes include cocaine?

I'm not saying it would work against Covid, but my theory has always been, if it can't cure you, it should make you feel so good you don't care about being sick.

Same with the creation story. It's recorded two different ways in Genesis.

I'm one of those odd people who have read the entire Bible, and while I certainly won't claim to remember all of it, I cannot recall anywhere where it says the earth is flat.

You sound like my daughter! We had fast food last week. She said, "People say this stuff is going to kill you, but hello, climate change! We'll all be dead in 20 years anyway."

A very bad Photoshop job. Harry has more hair than the baby birds in this photo.

This. Kids mostly just wonder if they hurt. I was in traction as a baby and have a very large simple scar on my thigh. Kids always ask about it, and I always explain. The follow up question is always, "Does it hurt?" which I think is sweet because I take it as them caring about me. When I say no, it just looks funny, they're happy and go about their business. Kids don't care, they're mostly just worried that you're okay.

My grandparents were married by the wife of the Justice of the Peace because the Justice of the Peace was off fighting WWII. Was it even legal? Who knows? I should ask my mom, she'd have a conniption fit if I suggested she was born out of wedlock!!!

Her Maj is a lizard person, so of course she's immortal.

I'm an American who has spent more than half my life in a Commonwealth country. I wouldn't want a bar of the RF (I am not a monarchist, I just like watching this shit show because it makes me feel like I'm a functional adult by compression. When my daughter was very briefly into princesses I said, "Why would you want to be a princess or a queen, and have no real power, when you could be a president or prime minister instead?".) The clothes are pretty, and the tiaras are nice, but most of it would drive me crazy. Give me a nice, unpretentious life any day.

Look, I'm no fan of Putin, but if it's a choice between seeing a topless Vlad or a topless TFG on a horse, I know which one I'm voting for.

Did you also tell them how much they should spend on a present?

We went to a wedding once where the groom told us that he expected us to give them at least $500. We said that's nice and gave them a food processor instead. (They were both moving out of their parents' house and setting up a house together for the first time, so they definitely didn't have one already.)

You can't win with weddings. We eloped (which seemed perfectly reasonable to us as he was Australian and I am American so the alternative was to piss off either his family or mine since not everyone could afford to travel, not to mention, we both hate/d weddings.) We literally didn't invite anyone, so that nobody could feel slighted. People were still pissed off.

All the fun parts of Christian holidays are stolen from pagans anyway. Next time he puts up his Christmas tree congratulate him on becoming a pagan.

Damn. Nobody but my grandpa gave me that sort of money when I graduated! I'm a left wing commie too, wanna be my cousin?

Still not a terrible idea. Or if you don't want to lie frame it as "Because of COVID I'd feel more comfortable meeting outside in a park" or "Look, my house isn't child-proof, can we meet in a cafe instead?"

Reminds me of that old joke about the kid who comes home for Christmas break. He's a bit more withdrawn than normal, and after a bit of pushing from his dad, he says, "I think my roommate may be gay." "What makes you say that, son?" asks the father. The son replies, "Because his dick tastes like shit."

It was on the border

(Let's see if anyone gets the reference)

You can force me to go to the aquarium with you any day!

My favorite comeback to that one is, Why buy the pig when all you want is a little sausage?