Mama's Safe Space

Hello lovely!

Oo that's a hard question.. it's tricky to say without knowing the subject matter, I think dms are preferred (even if you make a burner account) but if you send an ask with warnings right at the top then maybe if I mark mature and tag correctly it'll be okay? Again, it'll be easier to know if/when I see the ask! I think worst case scenario I'll decide that it's not something I can talk about here and make a post saying something like "dear anon that sent me an ask starting with '[quote here]' just wanted you to know that I got your ask but sadly don't feel comfortable responding to it here... etc." just so that you aren't left in suspense or anything! I think that sounds reasonable.. I do think all questions like that deserve to be talked about and answered, it's just a matter of keeping this a safe place for all guppies!

I hope that's a good answer and that we can find a solution that's comfortable for everyone! Sending big hugs, know that your questions matter!

P.S, should have asks back up again soonish! Tuesday absolute latest but likely before that

-mama shark 🦈

I hasnt been here in while. I at home now and is okay I haven’t been proper small yet just weird between. I also decide to stay homes next year cuz mental health but that means drop out cuz far and I don’t really like that but I made decision and can’t go back. Parent think it good so that good spose. I don’t really know people here which is sad but is okay. I wishes I could proper small but hard at home cuz don’t feel completely safe cuz no by myself. I also feel like I feel more kiddie in general cuz home and idk is weird, is like I 13 again and want small but teen but I 19. I also look young and dats eh, I went to my brothers swim race where adults pay entry and lady laughed and says I look like kid and didn’t charged. Is a bit weird when I don’t feel like adult, I don’t look like adult and people don’t believe I adult but like I amm. Other day I go to voluteer and lady hesitate cuz she don’t think I old enough but require 16 and I just laugh and she too but awkward.

Dis a bit long ramble… How is mama doing?

-🌸🌱

Hello my friend!

It has been a while!! I know exactly what you mean by that weird in between feeling.. it's like both sides of your brain can't agree on whether it's tiny time or not! We often associate dropping out as a negative thing, but if you need to look after your mental health then I think that's actually a really good and important thing to do- you can always go back, what matters is taking care of yourself in the moment. Who knows, maybe you'll make some friends on your year off, anything can happen and I always think the best friendships happen accidentally!!

Regressing when you're not alone is hard.. doing things with your devices is generally pretty safe when you have headphones, and doing things before bed or before everyone wakes up is often good cause they're less likely to come check on you if they think you might be asleep! It definitely takes some time to get more comfortable with your surroundings though. Being at home can definitely make you feel more kiddie-like, even if you want to regress even younger! Having people always think you're a kid could definitely be weird and awkward at times.. not having to pay sounds great but I imagine in some situations it must be really hard or tiring to have to say that over and over!

You're so sweet for asking! I'm doing alright, super tired.. lots of studying to do but not enough energy to stay focused! I'm going to try my best to get stuff done tomorrow and then maybe as a reward I can take my kitty outside if it's not raining again.. she loves being out there! It's silly because indoors she's really twitchy and anxious cat but outside she's the calmest I've ever seen her.. and then with my other kitty it's the opposite! Most carefree cat I've ever seen but outside he slinks around and always gets spooked by his leash so we don't take him out nearly as much, even if he pretends like he really wants to and meows at the door.. but I took him out a few weeks ago just to see what would happen and I think he's getting slightly better! But I still won't take him out too much to make sure he's alright

Sending big hugs, I'm really so proud of you for doing what you need to keep yourself happy and safe! Big love!!

-mama shark 🦈

-🍓🌹

Hello lovely!

I'm so sorry to hear that you're sick- make sure you get lots of water and rest!! Cuddling with your fuzzy friends sounds lovely, and the simpsons is so fun! I forget what season I left off on.. there are so many! Hopefully it can keep you preoccupied while you rest!

I hope you feel better soon! Big love!!

-mama shark 🦈

It been a while. Things have been hard for me lately. 😓 I don't like having depression, and severe anxiety. And being overly sensitive makes everything worse.

But how have you been?

- ✨☔

Hello friend

It has been a while! I'm so sorry life hasn't been treating you well.. living alongside those things is really hard, please remember to look after yourself as best you can! You deserve love and care!!

You're so sweet for asking! I'm doing alright, I keep getting distracted while trying to study.. (hopefully saying that out loud here will help me lock in) but right now I'm sitting on the couch with one of my kitties for cuddles before getting back to work! He says hi!!

Sending warm wishes, I hope the sun smiles on you with the sunshine you deserve! Big hugs!!

-mama shark 🦈

Though I do feel loved by those who have wished me birthday wishes, especially my partners, I love them so much. Anyways <3

Some questions I have for you: Have you ever thought about your dream birthday day you’d like to have/happen someday? Do you like surprises? If you were a dessert, what would you be and why? What are some color combos you like/love? Do you have a favorite hero(it can be fictional or someone in real life (like a parent, friend, etc))? I don’t know if I or anyone asked you this but do you have a favorite book? I think that’s all for now hehehe sorry lots of questions. OH just remembered, speaking of birthdays, mind me asking what’s your birthday baba?

Have a great wonderful rest of your day/night!! Reminder you’re sooo soo loved by me and everyone here! Take care of yourself and take it easy! If something is hard or you’re struggling, it’s okay to ask for some help!

- 🐦‍⬛

Hello friend!!!

Happy belated birthday- I wish I saw this sooner!! I definitely know what you mean about it feeling like a regular day, but I hope you still take the time to treat yourself just because, you've earned it! And there's nothing wrong with treating yourself on just a random day either, we all need it sometimes!

I'm so glad your partners are making sure you feel loved, you deserve to feel cared for! I'm so glad you all found each other, they sound so sweet and so are you!

Ooo fun questions! I don't think I really have a dream birthday.. though I guess getting build a bears with my partner is on my bucket list, and they're so expensive that I could only really do it on a birthday as a fun excuse! I also love rollerskating so going to do that with our new friends would be so fun!! I do think I like surprises but it depends on what they are... like not telling me about a vacation until the day before is a lot but there are tons of other fun surprises! And jumping ahead to your last question, my birthday is February 26th!

Dessert is a hard one.. I love chocolate fondue but I'm not sure if that reflects much about who I am! Though I guess it's the best answer I can think of.. so yes, chocolate fondue because it's warm and comforting, like how I love doing same comfort routines and keeping things calm, but there's always new things to discover when you try different fruits so it's not closed off to adventure! I love exploring and learning new things! As for color combos I love love love primary colors!!! I'm not sure if I have a favorite hero- most shows I watch are mystery or comedy, not much superhero stuff! My mom recently rescued a wasp from inside the house and brought it outside.. I think I'll count that, I love bugs- even the spooky ones! I haven't had the time to read for a long while but AGGGTM and A Series of Unfortunate Events have always been some favorites!

Thank you for all the fun questions, I'd love to hear some of your answers too! Especially the dessert and favorite book ones, I really need to get back into reading!! I hope you treat yourself, even if it's just for the sake of mental health of not your birthday, you deserve it! Remember to get lots of rest and water!!!

Sending big love

-mama shark 🦈

mama :[ I weally want to try artfight, but I'm scared of being perceived! I'm also scareds of my art getten stolen :{

I've wanted to try artfight for 2-3 years at this point, but I'm still scared..maybes I can try next year when I feels more confident ?

-🦦🐾

Hello you! Thank you so much for the warning, I always appreciate it and I'm sure the guppies do too!!

I've been looking into artfight myself this year (though I'm not joining because I don't have many OCs and I'm limited to traditional for now), it looks so fun but I can understand where the nervousness comes from! There's a lot of different artists and a lot going on.. it's easy to feel overwhelmed or for your brain to focus on all the big what ifs!

It's a-okay to wait until you feel more comfortable to join in, but since you've already been putting it off for a few years it might be worth pushing yourself just that little bit to make sure you're ready instead of just hoping the fears will dissipate! When it comes to art theft I think it's important to remember that there are sooooo many artists using this game, and I doubt many of them are looking to steal art so the chances of a thief finding you among all the hundreds of thousands of account is slim- but that being said it never hurts to add a watermark! It's a good practice in general and helps calm your nerves because you can easily prove it's yours!!

As for the being percieved part, I really understand that one.. if you have any friends doing artfight it can help to focus your first attacks on them just to get used to how everything works and the idea of others seeing your art before going to attack new people.. but if you're not joining this year then I'd also recommend uploading some of your art (with a watermark!) to relaxed places like art subreddits, tumblr, or even an art channel in a discord server.. or, if we're talking baby steps, even just making a habit of showing friends your art in order to warm up to the idea! It's a scary thing to try and face, but people are generally super nice and supportive, sometimes it just takes putting yourself out there to see it

It's important to go at your own pace, but confidence doesn't just appear! Artfight looks like a really fun experience and I'd absolutely love to experience it alongside you next year, even if we both need to take little baby steps to get more comfortable first! You're not alone in these worries, I'm sure almost every artist that participates has gone through the same thing at the start

Sending huge hugs, stay creative!

-mama shark 🦈

-🐱💜

Hello little kitty!

I'm so glad to hear you're doing well, ninjago is so fun!! I've been meaning to watch it, I think I've seen the movie and I remember it being super silly and awesome!

You're so kind for asking about me! I've been doing alright, lots and lots of studying.. I had one exam today and it went alright, my grade dropped by 2 percent but it's still good so I can't complain- just happy to be done! I have 2 left and 4 days to prepare.. but I'm taking a break tomorrow to visit some family and their kitty cats so that's exciting!

I hope you have an amazing timezone, remember to take care of yourself!!

-mama shark 🦈

ladybuggies for good luck for mama! 🐞✨️🩷🐞✨️🩷🐞✨️🩷🐞✨️🩷🐞✨️🩷🐞✨️🩷

you gots this!!! 🌟🌟🌟

~Magnet

Hello Magnet!!!

You're so sweet, thank you so much! I have 2 more but they're the spooky ones.. I'll definitely make sure to rest between studying! I took my cat outside a few days ago as a break and I've really wanted to do it again, she seemed so excited hehe

So many ladybuggies.. I'm sure that's just the luck I need! Thank you!!!

Sending warm thoughts and high fives your way, stay kind!!!

-mama shark 🦈

💜🐾

Hello there!!!

Thank you so much, I have 2 to go! They're the hardest ones yet but I think we'll manage okay!!

Sending big love, thank you for your kindness!

-mama shark 🦈

Is 🌞🐶 fweee?

-🌞🐶 (maybe)

Hello Puppy!!!

Using a signoff is a great idea! I'm super excited to hear from you more, that one is all yours now!

Big love!

-mama shark 🦈

I got lots of stuff to remember an other people aren’t bringing as much but they’re gonna be soooo grateful for me when I have all the stuff they need that they didn’t think rhey needed. Gonna make fun of my big bag of trakl mix till it changed to “hey tigerrrr can I have some trail mix O~O” >:)

Oki ily!! Gonna try to sleep nini I’ll send another ask sahin how it went ^-^

-🐯

Hello little tiger!

Ooooo celebrating pride sounds so exciting!! Having to drive can be a lot, I'm glad to hear you wont have to worry about that! 5 hours isn't much sleep, I hope you can get lots of rest on the way there to start the celebrating off right! I'm so proud of you for being so organized.. it's always so good to be prepared, I love taking safety pins with me everywhere! Super underrated tool hehe, and goldfish and trail mix sounds so yummy! It's so nice of your friend to make you a tiger tail!!!! The "do not pet" belt sounds like it would go really well with that.. as much as I'd love to give scratches to big cats sometimes! The umbrella is perfect for pride too- especially if you need a break from the sun! Being in a car with a new person can be spooky, but if they're your friend's partner then I think they'll be nice! And you have your other friend to talk with too!!

You can never be too prepared, it's really reassuring when you're on the road for a few hours! I bet your friends will appreciate it hehe, good thing you have enough trail mix to share hehe! You sound like a great friend and an amazing person to go on a trip with!!

I'm so excited to hear how your trip went!!! Hopefully I'll have asks back up soon so I can hear all about it! I hope your friend's partner is super fun to be around and that you all have an amazing time together!

-mama shark 🦈

He told me my interests were "conservative coded" because I like country music and fishing and im religious. An i dont understand why thats a bad thing. I dont like guns and I dont like fighting or hurting people and I want everyone to be safe and cared for everywhere!! I dont want anyone to have to struggle or be in danger or anything. I dont know why he would say that to me. He said I dont come across as conservative and I dont look conservative but my interests are and I dont know why he would comment on that but he said I have "the taste of someone who wears red hats" (direct quote if you get what he means)

Im sorry mama I keep sayin heavy thinfs. An i hope this isnt too political. It hurt my feelings a lot an i dont know why he would say that to me. If this is too political that's okay you can ignore it an i wont be offended or upset mama I understand. I wanna make sure all tbe guppies feel safe here

-🐅🐾

Hello little tiger

I'm sorry to hear your brother hurt you, that does sound like a mean thing to be told.. you're allowed to like whatever makes you happy, and I know mean things like that can sometimes make you feel insecure about your interests. None of those are bad things at all, in fact they sound really peaceful to me, and they have no correlation at all to any political stance- nor should any activity outside of politics! Like what you like and be who you are. It sounds like your brother was connecting your interests and values to a political stereotype, and that can be really hurtful and uncomfortable when it's a label we don't identify with. Plenty of people like country, fishing, are religious or all three.. yes some of those people can be conservative but many can also be liberal, anything that falls in between or even no category at all. Interests are not a political membership! I like what you said about wanting everyone to be safe and cared for- that shows your values more than anything.

It's possible that he just meant it to be teasing, but you're allowed to feel hurt by it. When people say "you seem like the type of person who.." it often feels like they're telling us who to be rather than listening to us for who we are. Humans (and tigers) are not just stereotypes, you're your own person and you can be whoever you want. Your interests do not dictate who you are, that's found in how you treat others and what choices you make, and I can already tell you're a brave tiger with a lot of love to give.

You're allowed to talk about heavy things, those deserve to be heard just as much as the positive and light ones! I'm so sorry that you feel so hurt, I hope your brother can come to realize what impact that had on you.. you deserve to feel loved and seen for who you really are, not lumped in a stereotype for something you're not.

Sending huge hugs, don't let anyone tell you who you are or who to be 💙

-mama shark 🦈