you're ethereal

me:

Pretty hummingbird pipe I got for my mom for Christmas 😋💕

>2018 is year of the dog

At the age of 11, you learned that perfection does not always mean a flat tummy and a thigh gap. Go on and eat that second piece of cookie that you crave so much.

At the age of 12, you learned that just because you call her “mom” and him as “dad,” it doesn’t mean they inherently know how to be that. Also, suicide poison is not the cure for everything, it’s not a cure at all.

At the age of 13, you learned the difference between giving up and taking a rest. You might have given it your all but not make it. Remember to disregard everything that comes after but.

At the age of 14, you learned that standing up for everyone else does not mean that all of them will stand up for you when you need someone. Not one of them would be the first one to defend you, that spot is reserved for your name.

At the age of 15, you learned that people rarely mean what they say even if as a writer, you deem each and every word important. Learn to know the voices that speak sincerity and the voices that are just trying to get into your pants.

At the age of 16, you learned that letting go of people that only brings toxicity in your life is never a crime. Thinking about your own peace of mind does not make you selfish. Neither does placing yourself above that last number on your priority list.

At the age of 17, you learned that giving yourself to everyone willing could only lead to one thing: your own’s deterioration. Dear, you are more precious than someone who can’t even look into your eyes in the morning.

At the age of 18, you learned that loving and accepting yourself are two different things. Placing yourself in situations you are well aware of your self distraction is never loving yourself.

At the age of 19, you learned that lovers are not the only ones that can break your heart. People stay and go for a reason. Remember to treasure the rightful ones that life allowed to stay.

You’re 20 now and life has never been what you expected and planned it to be and that’s possibly the greatest thing that can happen into your life. You’re a writer but life writes with you, know when to let it leave significant marks and know when your own pen should be the one doing so.

written by bleakfantasies,  writing prompt #62: list 10 pieces of advice you’d give yourself

Dad turns his son’s doodles into Anime characters.

Infants do not cry to upset you. They don’t have a concept of hurting others and they don’t have any reason to want to do so.

Infants do not have any other way of communicating distress or an unmet need. They do not have a choice about crying.

Do not ever yell at, shake, or punish an infant. They will not learn from this – but they will be upset and afraid and possibly harmed, either in the moment or via problems in brain development.

It’s okay to take a minute to set an infant down and go into a quiet room if you are having a hard time staying calm and comforting, and come back when you have more self-control.

The only way to get an infant to cry less is to meet their needs. If you spend a lot of time with infants you can actually learn to notice when they need something, before they cry about it at all. Most infants show signs of discomfort, hunger, or having a full/wet diaper, before they get upset enough to cry.

Infants whose needs aren’t usually met right away may learn to cry immediately. Regularly not responding to an infant’s crying teaches the infant to panic every time they need something, and the trauma of being so afraid so often as an infant can cause issues with healthy brain develoment.

If a baby is crying, they need something.

Is their nappy/diaper clean and dry? Even if it’s just wet, it should be changed right away.

Are they hungry? A quick way to check is to run your finger over their mouth and see if they try to grab it with their lips.

Do they have air bubbles? You may be able to tell if this is the problem by feeling the infant’s tummy for unusual firmness. Infants need to be burped right after they eat to help them get rid of air bubbles that may get trapped and cause discomfort. If it’s been little while since they last ate, it may be more effective to lay the infant on their back and move their legs in a bicycle motion.

Are they too warm/cold? Touch the infant’s hands and feet to see if they need more or fewer coverings.

Are they overstimulated? If it’s too noisy/bright or they’re being touched by too any people, etc., they may need to be held by one calm person with a blanket over their head. Like most people, infants tend to get more easily overstimulated when tired.

Are they able to breathe freely? Infants cannot blow their own nose. A nasal aspirator is an inexpensive tool you can use to help them clear nasal congestion.

Are they in pain? When an infant is sick or otherwise in pain, it may be beneficial to give them pain medication formulated for infants, such as baby tylenol. Always follow the instructions on the bottle and consult a doctor or pharmacist with any questions. If a cold doesn’t start to improve within a few days or the infant seems to be in pain but you don’t know why, consult a doctor. The infant may have colic, silent reflux or other issues which can sometimes be treated. If the infant is more than a couple months old, they may be teething. Baby tylenol will still help but a numbing paste, like orajel, on their gums may be more effective. They may also need teething toys to chew on or a cold wet (clean) washcloth.

Do they just need reassurance? Infants like being sung to, murmured to, and soothed with rhythmic “shhh”-ing. Calm and steady sounds help reassure them that they aren’t alone and help them relax. Another way to comfort an infant is to bounce them gently and rhythmically in your arms, and/or pat their back rhythmically. Some infants, including most newborns, may need to be swaddled. A tight swaddle helps the infant feel secure and warm. Ask a doctor, nurse, parent, or YouTube to show you how to do a proper swaddle.

Do they need to be held? The need for touch is the need most often ignored. Infants are significantly more likely to thrive with lots and lots of skin-to-skin contact. They also just need to be held, in general, a lot of the time. Being held (especially with skin to skin contact but even without it) helps the infant release hormones necessary for healthy brain development. Being close enough to feel an adult’s steady heartbeat is calming and beneficial for an infant. For these reasons and many others, infants need to be held - a lot. Our closest primate relatives maintain constant physical contact with their babies for the first year of life. Historically most humans have lived communally, which allows several people to take turns providing the necessary physical contact. Infants don’t need to be held every single moment, but the more they are held, the safer and more secure they’ll feel and the more likely they are to be healthy. A sling, baby wrap, or wearable infant carrier can help an infant get necessary contact time. If an infant needs contact to sleep, consider getting a cosleeper cushion to safely allow you or someone else to sleep next to the infant. If that isn’t possible, sleep training where you pick up and comfort the baby each time they cry, and then put them down slightly sooner each time that night, may help.