South Carolina BS thread under new MANAGEMENT and lives in SC

This all of this. The only advise I'll give you is follow your instincts and YOU and YOUR WIFE make the decisions try not to let others influence what ya'll feel should be in raising your child. Also second the 2nd hand stuff I mean that shit get's expensive and they grow out of it so fast it's almost pointless to buy new.

 

Don't go cheap is all I gotta say!!!! Personally I'd go and check out the crash data on car seats and get one of the top ones. Also NEVER buy a used one. Remember it's your most precious cargo it's not the time to cheapen out and not get the best you can afford with the best crash test results. Sadly they are all YUGE and are hard to fit in most every vehicle.

 

Yeah I know. We’ve already gotten a shit Ton of clothes from our moms and some stuff from like Walmart and Burlington that’s cheap stuff

 

Out of everything we’ve gotten so far these are my favorite things my mom got us for her. I wouldn’t be taconoles with getting my little girl some FSU stuff. Start em young raise em right!

 

Yeah, I read about that. I'm sure there's boys youth programs that satisfy a similar market without getting too in-depth with the PC cancel culture movement.

With car seats, in order to sell a car seat in the American market, it has to go through rigorous crash testing. So what you end up paying for are "features" and niceties. I don't see the exact infant car seat that we bought, but it was something similar to this. I think it was about 99$. You'll be doing a lot of holding the car seat so getting the ergonomic handles really helps, especially since you can loop it over your forearm and rest it on your hip. I installed the base in the middle using the latch system and it worked just fine. When the kiddies moved from infant car seat to rear carrier, we went with something like this. Cup holders were nice for holding snacks and collecting junk. Our boy has moved into a convertible booster seat. Our youngest sits in the middle and the boy sits behind the passenger seat with the passenger seat slid forward. It's a tight fit but everything fits.

This. I found a few cheap pairs of baby shoes on FB marketplace where the previous baby wore them like twice. One scuff and I didn't care, it was like 15$. Second hand stores for clothes or hand-me-downs. We bought a second hand crib and second hand furniture for most of the room. We were gifted an extremely comfortable easy glide chair for mom during feedings and that would be on of those things that you should try before you buy. Momma's gotta be comfortable.

-J

 

Currently using a Graco rear facing car seat for my 3mo and a Nuna Rava front facing for my 3yo, both work great but the tacoma is just too damn small in the rear...hence why I'm buying an SUV.

Take peoples advise with a grain of salt...we didn't do any of the classes or read any books for our first...it's all scare tactics

 

I cried like a baby for both of my girls, and I'm man enough to admit it...

The first one was an emergency c-section, at 35 weeks...she came out lifeless but quickly took her first breathe after they got her on the table and did CPR and bagged her for 15 seconds.

Our second came 2 weeks early, emergency c-section...mamas water broker, we got to the hospital, they gave her some sort of med to speed things along, 30 seconds later the babies heart rate tanked and in less than a minute they had mama unhooked and wheeling her into the OR...luckily the baby stabilized last minute where they didn't have to put mama under...she came out kicking and screaming.

needless to say, while they had mama opened up for #2 she told them to go ahead and "fix" her plumbing...no more babies for us.

 

Kids are crazy resilient, somehow mine made it to 15.

Now, if he makes it to 18 I’ll be surprised because I may kill him.

 

I feel that. My parents say I’m a miracle. 15 weeks early 1 pound 10 ounces. Stage 4 brain bleed. Doc said I would be blind, deaf, wheelchair bound, cerebral palsy. Had funeral arrangements cross country. God is amazing and here I am 26 years old on this earth. About to be 27. Made it through HS with a normal deploma on time with a few learning disabilities and some what shit eyesight but thank god for contacts haha also had both lung collapse so had chest tubes on both sides that’s left scars on my chest. I use to tell girls at the beach it’s a shark bite hahaha

 

My kid (current HS senior) is leaning towards ROTC, looking at schools currently. He's got the smarts, he wants to fly choppers. If I had it all to do over again, I may have went military, something about that 20 year retirement and then get into the private sector and do your thing, while collecting that retirement is very appealing to me currently. So many paths can be taken to be successful, you just have to have the drive and motivation to do so. If someone has drive and motivation, that sets them apart from 90% of the rest, in my opinion. My sister and bro in law went ROTC, then both became attorneys, he eventually retired not too long ago as a colonel / judge in the Air Force. She got out long ago, and has been private sector for some time.

 

Yeah TrailLife is the biggest and fastest growing it was founded by Ex BSA guys. It's sister which is older and work together is American Heritage Girls.

I built my crib/convertible to toddler bed. I also got a killer glider with matching foot stool from a used place. Rocked the kiddo to sleep every night in that thing. It was a huge bonding thing for us.

 

My biggest regret is not doing the military route. Have buddies from school that pulled their 20 and living the good life right now.

Private sector, free healthcare for life plus all the government benefits that go shopping with it.

 

This...

My uncle did 20 yrs in the Air Force, retired, did 20 more years as a goverment contractor, retired again, now works private sector...all while collecting two fat ass retirement checks each month.

His daughter is active AF and is now a surgeon...her husband is retired AF and an attorney...they also live the good life.

I'd probably have went that route right out of HS if I didn't have my parents telling me to go to college (which I hated and dropped out after 2yrs).

 

Bingo

 

*Scouts, BSA.

I am still in as an adult leader- over 10 years now. Just getting my youngest son through to Eagle, now.

With this upcoming re-registration, our unit is expected to drop appx 65% or so from two years ago.

The separate girl troop novelty has worn off. The local all girl unit is dropping from 23 a year ago to 11-12 now. Adult leaders left too.

OA had a MASSIVE drop nationally last year.

Z-Man earned his Eagle 2 years ago- went to World Jambo, and an epic Sea Base sailing/snorkeling trip; memories he will keep forever. He is now out too- wants nothing to so with it.

I am out as soon as my youngest earns Eagle, hopefully only a couple more years.

 

Yeah that's something big to add is the military you can become a DR, lawyer, pilot, IT, etc. while getting paid to learn how to become one. Yeah you may have to sign a contract for x number of years but why not get paid to become a Dr vs pay someone else to teach you. I agree with you that drive is probably the biggest driving factor in anyone's success.

If he wants to become a chopper pilot get him looking at the AF acadamy. One of my scouts just graduated and he did their pilots program and is fast tracking now that he's "active" to becoming a fighter pilot.

 

We've considered the academy's, not in the cards at this point though.

 

Z-man is looking at this too. For the Army- your son can compete nationally for a 4 year ROTC scholarship (40k for tuition PLUS books, etc AND a monthly stipend). If not successful- he can earn the same through the College program itself or a similar 2 or 3 year scholarship.

Also- to branch Aviation in the Army- one of the most competitive. I am sure same is true in Navy and AF.

Loved my time in ROTC!

 

That's my plan. I have a little over 6 years before I hit 20. Then comes the big decision, do I stay or do I go now? While I've been in I've got my A&P, my FCC with GROL, and I'm working on my Green Belt cert right now. I'll have to see what else I can pull before I get out, still don't know what I want to do after I get out. I'd like to work for myself if possible, like lawn care or wood working or trim carpentry I dunno. Possibilities are endless. Realistically, I'd like to stay as a GS employee and work contracting. That would be nice.

-J