A Kids Show Just Gave Me Apocalypse Anxiety! – Ep. 329

Shanna

Hi, and welcome to Big Fat Positive with Sean and Laura. On this week's episode, we have our weekly check-ins. We have our special segment, OMG, I'm freaking out, where we dive into horrors big and small, and we wrap it up with our weekly BFTs and BFNs. Let's get started.

Laura

I am better now that I'm talking to you, Shanna.

Shanna

Yay, me too, me too.

Laura

Though things have been good, I don't have a lot to complain about this week. This week, I basically just wanted to do a quick little check-in about a fun adventure I had with Sebastian this weekend. So on Sundays, Sebastian and Augie both have parkour class, but they're back-to-back. So Sebastian's is at 10 and Augie's is at 11. And sometimes one parent will take both of them and the other kid will just sit off to the side and do an activity or look at the iPad, which by the way is not a good plan. We learned that one pretty quickly because the kid in parkour class just wants to come out and look at the iPad.

Shanna

Of course, of course.

Laura

So we find some quiet activity for them to do, but you know, I've talked about how they've had a waning interest in participating in parkour class and it's been harder to get them out the door. Yeah. And so Corey and I are like, okay, how can we address this? And our new tactic is whenever possible, whenever both parents are available, that we tag team, that one of us takes one kid and the other takes the other kid. And they don't cross paths. They don't get distracted by the other sibling being outside of the railings at Parkour class, you know? And they just don't have to worry about that, right? It's just their time.

Shanna

Smart. OK, so how's it going?

Laura

So we tried it for like the second time this week, and it's definitely better. It's significantly better, at least for Sebastian. First of all, Corey tends to take Augie, so I haven't seen what's been going on, but he said he's still having some. focus issues and whatnot. And we're considering trying to find an earlier class for him because I feel like 11 o'clock is a tricky time for young kids. It's getting close to lunch. Their energy is flagging. But the actual like going back to back and the kids not meeting has been better, right? Good. But what that means is that usually I take Sebastian and we're done by 11 and we kind of have to kill some time, right? Before like we go back home for lunch or whatever and sometimes to go to home Depot, because it's right there. Sometimes I go to Costco, because it's right there. Ooh, those are good options, okay. Great options.

Shanna

Oh, I know. All the Halloween decorations, and they're massive.

Laura

They're massive. They're legitimately scary, some of them. I mean, it's daytime in the middle of Home Depot, so they're less scary. But for a little kid, it's so scary. He's so cute, though. He goes, I'm wave, I'm wave. And I'm like, okay, he's like, I want to see, I want to see. I'm like, okay. And we start wheeling towards him. I don't want to see, I don't want to see. I'm like, okay. So I'm just like the long way around the Home Depot just to avoid them.

Shanna

To be fair, these things are like 40 feet tall skeletons and like they make noises. So yeah, I feel him.

Laura

And they're on motion sensors. So like as you walk by, they make the noise. So yeah, I totally get it. It's just funny because he wants to and then he changed his mind very quickly. He's very hot and cold. But this week after parkour class, he ran out of class. He had a great class. He was so happy. He was like sweaty. He was just had a great time. And he goes, mama, I won't go see dinosaurs. I won't go see dinosaurs. And I was like, okay. I'm like, what do you mean specifically? Like he wants to see some dinosaur toys. drive out to the desert and see the big dinosaurs that are on the way to Palm Springs that we saw this spring. Those are the ones from Peewee's Big Adventure, if you recall. I was like, that's not going to happen. He's like, no, I won't go museum with dinosaurs. And I was like, oh, the Natural History Museum. That's what you're talking about.

Shanna

Like a big activity with just mom.

Laura

Well, just at that moment, Corey and Augie walk in so that Augie can do his class. And I tell them, I'm like, so Sebastian wants to go to the Natural History Museum and see the dinosaurs. And the first thing out of Augie's mouth was like, I don't want to. I want to stay home. I was like, okay. I was like, so we'll just go then? And he was like, totally fine with it. And Corey's like, you really want to just go? That's just the two of you? I'm like, yeah, why not? We can have a little mommy son date, you know? And so that's what we did. We drove down to the Natural History Museum. I re-upped our membership. And it was a really, really fun time. Like it's been a long time since I've done anything like that with just Sebastian, you know? Yeah.

Shanna

It's how big are we talking here? Like, as big as your hand?

Laura

Yeah, like you're stretched out hand. What? Yeah, they're really big. They're very cool.

Shanna

And they're just hanging out above your head and you guys are just looking up and chill with this?

Laura

Pretty much. The woman in front of me was not so chill. She was having a hard time, but she was in there for her son. I was like, you're a good mom. You're a good mom. But I would send you a picture except I left my phone in the car.

Shanna

So true.

Laura

Yeah. So I had a little adventure with Sebastian. We saw some spiders. We saw some dinosaur bones or fossils, I should say. I've been reminded that they're not actually bones. They're like the sediment that settles into the cavities where their bones once were. The more you know.

Shanna

Yeah, I guess the bones disintegrate, right? Exactly.

Laura

Anyway, it was fun. I highly recommend trying to find a time to have a spontaneous one-on-one adventure with your child.

Shanna

Does a shopping trip on the way home from school with CECE to target count? Because that's like the best I've been able to accomplish.

Laura

Honestly, I think it does. I think it does. That is my usual.

Shanna

Elle got jealous about it, so I guess it does mean something.

Laura

You can go to the Natural History Museum and look at dinosaur bones. You can see some cool spiders. You can do all that stuff, but if you go to Target without the other child, uh-oh. Uh-oh. You have committed a sin.

Shanna

I have. I have. Well, that sounds so fun. And I'm so glad that you guys did that. And you went with the flow and you made some magic. That's awesome.

Laura

You know, my membership includes another adult and up to four kids. So just say you should come sometime. We should go together.

Shanna

Yeah, that sounds fun. Yeah, let's do it.

Laura

But that was my check-in for the week. Shanna, what have you been up to?

Shanna

Well, there's a new development in our family schedule this week that, of course, I had to report on.

Laura

Okay.

Shanna

You know that this is my season of doing less. I really didn't want to get involved in extracurricular activities this semester. And I was kicking myself for signing up for an activity that had a year-long commitment. So I've learned so much about activities and kids, right? Yeah.

Laura

I'm guessing from your tone that you have not.

Shanna

I have not. I signed the girls up for a year-long choir class.

Laura

Oh good.

Shanna

Yes. It's different from the one I did with Cece last year. That was an utter disaster and very expensive.

Laura

That was mostly kids practicing lining up.

Shanna

Yes, exactly. Half the class, like learning to stand. It was absolutely bizarre. So this one, I actually had wanted to do this one last year, but our schedule didn't allow. So this year, we have Saturdays open because we're not doing softball. And it's so affordable. It's like $40 a month. And I'm like, oh my God, that's amazing. And I have a feeling the quality is going to be a little bit better. So I just went for it. And so I signed them up spontaneously.

Laura

OK. I love it. You got to go with the flow. You got to follow your heart. OK. So have you had your first class? I'm so curious what it's like.

Shanna

Yes, we had our first class. We're late signing up. I guess the program started a couple of weeks ago. So we came in this Saturday and the girls were excited. They really wanted to do this. You know, they had a lot of singing experience over the summer with their musicals and they were into this idea. It's held at a church in a neighborhood nearby. Side note, CECE now calls it going to church, which I think is hilarious.

Laura

I mean, you are going to the church, so.

Shanna

Yes, yes, exactly. So we go to the first class and immediately I could tell that this was a much better quality program. The teacher seems to have years of experience teaching children. There was actually a piano accompanist that came in and played piano with them for a while with their songs. They started off playing like icebreaker games. Then they did warm-ups, vocal warm-ups. Laura, the last choir class didn't even do warm-ups. They were singing on cold voices at age four? Cold voices. Yes, unbelievable. They have a couple songs in their repertoire, and then at the end of class they play like a fun musical game. Oh, it was just awesome. And the girls had a blast. And yeah, so I'm feeling really good about it.

Laura

Do you know what songs they have on deck to learn?

Shanna

Yes. One is called The Pirate Child, which is like, I long to be a wealthy pirate child. And then.

Laura

I feel like you can you send me the sheet music for that because I really just want to play it for Augie. He loves pirates and singing and sea shanties. Oh my gosh.

Shanna

Yes, yes, absolutely. Sea shanties are really having like a moment, right?

Laura

Yeah, it's TikTok. It's because of TikTok.

Shanna

Oh, is that what it is? Yeah, the girls are always asking me to play Wellerman and it's a great song, but like, okay. And then the other one is, I was born to make music. I was born to sing out loud. So yeah, just cute little stuff and a great group of kids. I love it. Yeah.

Laura

So is there going to be a performance at the end of the year or something? Or how does that work?

Shanna

They actually have a performance showcase on October 24th or 5th and probably more to come after that. Wow. Fun. All right. Well, I can't wait to hear more about it. Yeah. But that's our big news for the week. I think we're ready to move on to our special segments. All righty.

Laura

We are back and our special segment this week is OMG, I'm freaking out where Shanna and I get to share some things that we're freaking out about that is related to parenting. And Shanna, you get to go first. I don't know about you, but every time I do this segment, I have to whittle my list down, you know? Like there's... There's a lot to be freaked out about, but I would like to know what your curated OMGM freaking out is.

Shanna

Yes, I will tell you. My OMGM freaking out this time is about a show that the girls have started watching. It is currently on Peacock. And it is called Colossal Questions. Have your kids ever watched this show?

Laura

No. I was going to say they should, or maybe they shouldn't. I don't know. It remains to be seen what you have to talk about.

Shanna

Yeah, you can decide at the end of this segment. It is a show about sharing facts, like answering kids' curious questions, basically. Like, what would happen if you never brushed your teeth? And they go on to tell you. It's animated and narrated by a very upbeat, fast-talking gentleman who spews facts very quickly.

Laura

Okay, I know the type. I might be one of those types, also.

Shanna

I'm gonna do an impression in a few minutes, okay, when I get to something else. Now, at first, when they started watching this show, I was like, oh, that's kind of interesting, but also annoying. It's just annoying. It's the driving speed and tone of this guy's voice. The animations go quickly, and it's just like a lot of audio input. It's just a lot. I don't really love watching it, but the girls love it. I let them watch it.

Laura

Sounds like sensory overload.

Shanna

It's totally sensory overload for me. But I did recently sit down and watch a few episodes with them. And really, you do learn some interesting information, right? The cover topics like why it is skin wrinkle. And they talk about, I don't know, whatever the reason is skin wrinkles.

Laura

You didn't re-up your Botox recently?

Shanna

Yeah, they get real deep into Botox.

Laura

They're like, you're using the wrong serums. That's why.

Shanna

You need to use Trenton Owen.

Laura

Okay.

Shanna

What if I never took another shower, dead skin, dirt, and all kinds of bacteria would slowly build up all over your body, causing an obnoxious odor? Well, how about brown clumps that would start growing on your skin? Dirt, dust, or other disgusting microbes would slowly start to collect on your skin, causing brown growths. And on and on, just describing, you know, like gross things. Yeah, that's gross. In a very upbeat voice.

Laura

Yeah, the chipper delivery of like, you'll have bacterial overgrowth on your skin is just chef's kiss, you know?

Shanna

Exactly. So because of this upbeat tone, I was really unprepared for the segments about the end of the world, which... What I'm reading out about and I can't handle one of the segments is called what would happen if the oceans disappeared? It's like, oh, okay. Well, that's something to ponder. Yeah. Without oceans, the sun's rays would cook the equator, animals and plants would dry out and die fairly quickly. All that dead plant life would cause massive fires that would stretch for thousands of miles. It would be pretty grisly. Gee willikers! Famine and death! Gee willikers! Meanwhile, there's animated imagery of all this happening. animals drying up and like fires conflagrations and he's just like narrating like he is Blippi's older brother or something. And I don't often think about horrific potential disasters. I know

Laura

You know, you kind of have that bent. This is where we're very different people. Right, yeah. Yeah, this is where we're very different. I have thought about all of them.

Shanna

Well, maybe this would be your kind of show. I live in sweet, sweet denial, Laura. I do not think about what would happen if the oceans dried up. And it literally never occurred to me that it might cause animals to dry and desiccate, turning into ash, leading to worldwide fires. I never thought about that. And now I do because of colossal questions.

Laura

I feel like colossal questions may be pointing you in the wrong apocalyptic direction, though, because if this makes you feel any better, like the oceans totally drying up is really not high on the list of things that are probably going to happen. Take it from someone who's worried about everything. Okay.

Shanna

That's good. That's good. At the very end of that segment, he does say, don't worry, this won't happen anytime soon. It's like, that's not too placating after everything you've just said, but- Not to mention that young kids have no concept of time.

Laura

So like, so next year. Yes.

Shanna

Yes, exactly. The other thing, of course, that makes me freak out is like, oh my gosh, are my kids gonna start worrying about this stuff? Are they gonna think the oceans are gonna dry up and animals are gonna dry into dust and stuff? I don't really love that.

Laura

Yeah, you know, I've had to restrain myself from discussing stuff like this with both my boys because they like to ask these sort of big outlandish questions. And because I have a messed up mind, my first thought goes to like the reality of it. So like, for example, Augie the other night was like, mama, what if the sun was 10 times bigger than it is? And it was so big, it took up the whole sky. And of course, I'm like, well, if the gravitational pulled and suck us into it, we would all probably break and fry. And like everyone would, you know, all the water would disappear off the planet Earth and we would all die instantly. You know, I'm just like, so that's what's going on in the back of my mind. But I'm just like, wow, that would be. Crazy, wasn't it? Yeah, what if?

Shanna

Yes, exactly. Yes, my girls asked similar questions. CECE the other day out of nowhere was like, Mama, what if all the food in the world was poisoned? And I'm just like, what? Of course I want to be like, we would probably all get sick and die. But you don't wanna tell that to your little kid.

Laura

But not before major societal collapse made our lives even worse than it was before. We'd all be scrounging around Target fighting over the last can of peaches. Oh, but I mean, no, oh, it's fine, honey. That would be, yeah, they'd be so yucky. It would be yucky.

Shanna

Yeah, so definitely they think about these things. So like I said, the show runs the gamut, some other disaster type topics that it covers is what if the ice caps melted? That one really freaked me out.

Laura

Well, yeah, because it's like, hmm, that might be more possible if the ocean's going away. I can't make the sound effect, but like pulling at your collar thing.

Shanna

Let's make a nice sweat. Could robots take over the world? Which is like... Very 2024 question, yeah. Yeah, exactly. But the one that freaks me out the most, and I'm going to share a little bit more of the narration of this one, is what if a super volcano erupted?

Laura

Oh yeah, that's scary.

Shanna

I don't love volcanoes to begin with. I also did not know there was such thing as a super volcano. I was not pleased to learn that.

Laura

You were probably not pleased to learn where it was either.

Shanna

Allow me to continue, my friends.

Laura

Oh, yeah. Yeah. I'm very well versed in the Yellowstone Superfolky. It was disturbing when I first learned about it. And now I'm just sort of at peace with, like, well, yeah, if it happens, it happens. Like, can't really do much about that.

Shanna

No, you can't really. But Chat can tell us exactly what would happen if it did erupt. So I'm going to share this with you. So, what would happen? Ah, the lava is the least of our problems. Ash, though. Several feet of ash would cover cities. Buildings would collapse. Wind would blow. Large dunes of ash would cover roads. Ash clouds would create a year-long winter, block the sun, and devastate farming. Lakes and rivers would be clogged with ashy muck. Global temperatures would plummet by 20 degrees for more than 10 years. It only erupts every 600,000 years. But it's been 640,000, so we're 40,000 years overdue. Last time it erupted, it started the ice age. Now you know what would happen if a super volcano erupted. I'm just like, Chad, go fuck yourself.

Laura

I mean, that is a kind of insane thing to have in a kid's show. That's something that would really have spiked my anxiety, something fierce as a kid. I mean, it spikes it as an adult, but I have coping mechanisms, you know? Yeah, wow. What did your kids think? Did they even clock it or were they just like, cool info chat and then just go on with their day?

Shanna

The latter, thank goodness. I honestly think that the speed and the input of this show puts their brains on some kind of alpha wave where they're just kind of like, just watch, stuff goes in and out. I don't know, because no one has mentioned a fear of super volcanoes to me or tornadoes or hurricanes, all of these things this show covers. They haven't mentioned it, so I guess they're okay with it, but it really freaked me out.

Laura

Oh boy, yeah. Step away from the apocalyptic kid's shows. Okay. Gets her bluey back on or something.

Shanna

Oh, honestly, I need a good palette cleanser of bluey, maybe the rain episode, you know?

Laura

Oh, yeah. Just quiet. You should do that, yeah.

Shanna

Yeah.

Laura

Well, the world is full of horrors and wonders and chat can go fuck himself.

Shanna

I'm glad you agree with me. All right. Well, I feel better having gotten that off my chest. Thank you. How about you? What are you freaking out about?

Laura

Okay, my OMG, I'm freaking out. It's not this big global catastrophe stuff. It's not like stuff that's actually scary, but this is something that's scary to me. And I'm going to ask for understanding of my own personal phobias. I feel like it's a safe space for me to talk about it. Absolutely. So this week, the boys had their annual dentist checkup maybe every six months. I don't know. I can't even keep track of what we're going in with them. I feel like we were in there less than a year ago, but whatever. They were ready for their checkup. So we brought them both in and it was adorable. Like absolutely adorable. They actually were getting their exams side by side. And like, it was so cute. Sebastian, as usual, just makes like the best patient. He just sat there with his like mouth open the whole time. And the dental hygienist even was like, wow, he's so patient.

Shanna

Oh, really?

Laura

Yeah. And because he says that the plastic piece that you put into like, I don't know, block the x-ray from going through or whatever, right? Like, it's like a little shield. It hurts his mouth.

Shanna

I 100% agree. I just came from the dentist who took my x-rays and she was having a hard time with me because I kept being like, ow, ow. It's like pushing into my skin. Yes.

Laura

Okay. So I have a small mouth. I don't know about you, but I've always had a small mouth and it's like they always have a hard time like opening my mouth wide enough to get them in and then they put them in and they're like sharp edges. And it hurts and they scratch up the inside of your mouth. So I get it. I was like totally on Auggie's side of on this. And I was like, look, they hurt. Like we kind of just have to do some things that hurt sometimes, you know, just a little bit. If it hurts really bad, you can stop. But we, again, only were able to get one angle of his teeth. And the dentist was like, it's OK. Like, he's, you know, whatever. We got we got to see enough. Like, I don't see any cavities. Otherwise, he's he's probably fine. Right. And I also wanted to make sure no one was gaslighting him about it hurting because they were like, oh, I know it's uncomfortable.

Shanna

Yeah.

Laura

It gives me the chills just thinking about it. The worst nightmares I have, like actual nightmares, not just theoretical nightmares, like I fall asleep, my eyes are closed, I'm having a nightmare. The worst ones involve my teeth falling out or breaking. I have so much anxiety about teeth falling out, teeth breaking, all this stuff. And I've noticed that my friends' kids who are in the same mommy and me cohort, right? We're all still Instagram friends, so I see all their kids' updates. Their kids are starting to lose their teeth.

Shanna

Kindergarten is the time.

Laura

I know. And they have these happy kids with their gaps in their teeth and like they're a little bit bloody and they're holding up their lost tooth and the chills that run down my spine when I see these I'm just like this is a horror show like this is awful what it's it's bad like I don't like why are you posting this on Instagram this is triggering and I get i get that people are excited by it my friend steve posted his daughter like them like yanking out her tooth because she wanted it yanked out you know like it was like on its last leg and she they posted on private i should say like just friends only but like and again it's a big milestone in your children's life but i was horrified i was just like i can't watch it i can't watch

Shanna

Yeah. I'm glad I didn't come across that video, because yeah, I don't think I would like that either.

Laura

Yeah. Oh, chills. And I was the kid who I let my teeth hang on until their last leg. My mom would beg me to let her pluck the tooth out of my mouth. It was like barely in there, and I would flat out refuse. I was so freaked out by it. I was just like, no, no, no, don't pull it. It's gonna hurt. Like the idea of tying a piece of floss or string around it and slamming the door or any of those tricks that people do, like make me want to die. Do people really do that though? That sounds like some kind of old wives tale. I saw a family friend like I can't remember what it was. Was it a paper airplane that wouldn't have been heavy enough? She like tied something around it and then threw a ball so that it like or like a remote control car or something. It was like something like that. I was just like, what is happening?

Shanna

I don't understand how you can even get in there to tie something around a tooth that is the size of a grain of rice. They're so small.

Laura

I was noticing that the other day when I was spiraling about this, I was just looking at his little baby teeth.

Shanna

I was like, these are itty-bitty. They're so tiny. They're so tiny. Well, you have to think about they came into their head when they were like six months old. I know. No, man. It is wild. It is definitely traumatic, which is why I think the whole Tooth Fairy legend exists to try to just gloss everything over and make it seem nicer. I don't know because it's it's kind of a horrific process.

Laura

Like if you describe it in non cutesy, non hopeful terms, you're like, well, your initial teeth are just baby teeth or your milk teeth that will eventually get pushed out by larger teeth that are pushing up through your gums. and displace your teeth, which will then dangle, get loose in your mouth for a period of time, and then dangle, and then fall out, possibly bloody. And then you have a gap with a little itty bitty tooth that's still growing in for who knows how long. And then you have to repeat this, what, 20 times? Like, do the molars? I don't even know.

Shanna

Yeah. Yeah. No, I think 20. Yeah. It's I hope it's more magical when it happens to your kids.

Laura

This is going to have to be Corey's domain, honestly. They do look cute with gaps. Oh yeah, once the teeth are out and it's not bloody anymore, I'm okay with it. It's the moment of extraction that I just can't do. The other thing that kind of freaks me out is the concept of shark teeth. Have you heard of these?

Shanna

The fact that they just like constantly fall out and replenish?

Laura

No, no, no. That's what shark teeth do. But no, this idea of have kids having shark teeth. So some kids teeth adult teeth will grow in like it behind their baby teeth. So for a period of time, they will have two sets of teeth. And it's apparently normal and fine, except for I would not be fine. I will not be fine if that happens. I mean, I will be okay. I will manage my own emotions, but I will need to talk to my therapist about it is what I'm saying.

Shanna

Do you have to floss between the tooth that's in front and the tooth that's behind?

Laura

Oh God, Shanna, probably. I mean, but you're also assuming that I am successful at flossing my children's teeth often, which I kind of figure. that this is the rehearsal, you know, like this is like the, you get a do over with the adult teeth. So like, I'm trying to get in good habits with them with flossing, but I'm like, if it doesn't work out this time around, I know the gums are important, please. I have so many dentists in my family, dentists, listeners, you do not have to write in unless you have really good tips about how to get your kids to floss. Okay. Ooh, see, I'm getting anxious just talking about it. I just, I just want to skip it. I just want to skip it. Oh, and in other news, his adult molars are coming in. Oh, is that hurting? Apparently not. I've asked him, I said, does it hurt? Like, he has, like, half of one out. And I'm like, does that hurt? He's like, no.

Shanna

Could be either. Now wondering the same about CeCe. How does Augie feel about the idea of losing teeth?

Laura

He seems kind of excited by it. Slash doesn't really understand it. Like, I think he sees his friends losing their teeth. So he kind of is primed. Like, thankfully he's not the first one, you know? So he knows what's going to happen. I don't know. I'm curious because he has, he's not the best at like, you know, he's freaked out about shots and he's not always the best patient. So I'm not sure how he's going to handle this whole situation. But yeah, I just, I also just thought I had more time, Shanna. Where did my baby go?

Shanna

I know. It's upon us. I think Elle lost her first tooth toward the beginning of kindergarten. So it is the time. Cece has not lost any yet. She keeps telling me she has wiggly teeth. She's like, I have four wiggly teeth. And I'm like, oh, let me see. And she's pointing to like teeth on the side and the back. You know, I like put my finger on it. I'm like, oh, yeah. That's so wiggly. I haven't felt a wiggler yet, but she's excited. She's very excited.

Laura

Good for her. I'm so glad she can have that attitude for all of us. Anyway, I'll be checking in when it actually happens.

Shanna

And in the meantime, make it a dad duty thing, you know?

Laura

Yeah.

Shanna

Cory can handle it. And you don't have to look at any yucky loose teeth.

Laura

Yeah. Yeah. Hopefully we'll see. We'll see how that pans out. Anyway, it does feel good to talk about it because it makes me feel more normal.

Shanna

Let's do it.

Laura

All right. So if you remember two episodes ago, episode 327, I checked in about my general sense of overwhelm and how I could not get a grasp on like the clutter and the mess and just felt totally bogged down by all of it. Mm-hmm. And I'm happy to report that I have made some progress towards feeling a little bit more in control this week and better about the whole thing. So I just wanted to give a little update on that. So, all right, so here's what happened. I complained to you about it. I was feeling down in the dumps and overwhelmed. And you know how like it just causes you to spiral, you know, like you see all the things that need to happen and it makes you kind of want to curl up in a ball and do nothing because you're just like, it's too much stuff. I can't do it. I can't do it all. So I'm not going to do any of it, right? Like that's where I was at.

Shanna

Right.

Laura

Maybe the moral of the story is that Cory's not the problem. The kids are.

Shanna

Yeah. They're a big part of the problem. Well, isn't it like that quote that you share often? Maybe it's Gretchen Rubin, like action is the antidote to anxiety or something like that, right?

Laura

Yeah. No, that's exactly it.

Shanna

Taking action is so beneficial, especially when You look around, you're like, oh, there's so much I need to take action on. I'm going to do nothing. And that just feels gross. Like you're just wallowing and you feel more anxious. But if you can just do one thing, it kind of kick starts you sometimes.

Laura

Yep, it sure does. So yeah. So I'm happy to report that. I'm sure venting about it on the show helped too. So thank you all for listening to me. We got some good feedback from listeners saying like, thank you for talking about this because it was very relatable. So I appreciate hearing that from everyone that I'm not alone.

Shanna

Not at all. Yeah.

Laura

So that is my BFP. Shanna, do you have a BFP or a BFN?

Shanna

I have a BFP.

Laura

Yay.

Shanna

It starts out as a BFN because this week's CECE got sick and she was not getting better, lots and lots of coughing. And I'd heard that walking pneumonia was going around and so I took her to the doctor. And the doctor was like, I don't know if it's walking pneumonia. She's got something going on behind her ear, maybe in her sinuses. But I'm going to give you a prescription for a Z-Pack, which covers walking pneumonia anyway because it's really going around in the community right now.

Laura

I just saw a TikTok from a pediatrician saying it's like running rampant.

Shanna

Yes, so fun. It's like stressed about everything in life and then walking pneumonia is going around. So she may or may not have had walking pneumonia that were causing her symptoms, whatever. The point is she was given a prescription. And anytime that CECE is given a prescription, my insides twist and turn and quiver and quake. Because if you've listened to this show, you know I have had the worst time trying to get CECE to take medication. I mean, ugh. It really triggers a deep level of anxiety for me. Mom's shame of not being able to get my kid to take medicine when she really needs it. And so I instantly was like, okay, is that a liquid or what is that? And she's like, yeah, it's a liquid. It's only five days though. And I was like, that's good, because I have a really, really hard time getting her to take medication. Is there any other options?

Laura

Yeah, just hold her down and shove it in her mouth and violate all her bodily autonomy. It's fine.

Shanna

Yeah, so fine. So we pick it up and bring it home and we're talking about how, oh my gosh, we're going to make it taste delicious. We're going to put it in chocolate syrup, chocolate milk I got, like the richest chocolate milk from Trader Joe's. girl would not touch it with her tongue. She took one sniff and was like, gross. You know, actually she did try it with her tongue. Like she like stuck out her tongue and put it into the chocolate milk and was like, no, we tried different concoctions. I used up almost the whole bottle of medication trying to put it in different things to convince her of this. And it was not happening. And I'm like, I don't know. I don't know what to do. So I messaged the doctor and the next day she gave me a bunch of options. And the first option was, well, it does also come in a tablet. You could like try to get her to take a tablet. I'm like, yes.

Laura

What a miracle.

Shanna

Oh my gosh. So yeah, and then she continued the rest of the course the next few days, and she's done with the medicine, and it was no big deal.

Laura

Oh, thank goodness. That's such a good outcome.

Shanna

Yes, I'm so happy. You must have been so relieved. So relieved, so relieved, because now this is a solution for the future, too.

Laura

Well, yeah, that's amazing. You got to go back and thank Julie for that advice.

Shanna

I do. Oh, Steve did. He went back for something. He went back for something recently. And Julie was like, how is the little one doing? And Steve's like, oh my gosh, she's great. Your advice worked perfectly. Thank you so much.

Laura

So thank you, Julie. Big hat tip to the local pharmacists. They are a wealth of knowledge, and they don't get enough credit. They don't just dispense our medicines. They know a lot.

Shanna

Absolutely. So that is my huge BFP for the week. And that's it for me. And I think that's it for our show. I think you're right. Listeners, thank you so much for listening to our show. Would you please do us a favor and share this episode or another one of your favorite episodes with one of your friends. Let's spread the word about Big Fat Positive. And make sure that you are subscribed or following the show and whatever podcast app that you are listening in. And as always, If you haven't had a chance yet, head on over to Apple Podcast, leave us those five stars, say a few things you'd love about the show, and we might read your review on an upcoming episode. If you have any OMGs I'm freaking out that you want to share with us, we would love to hear them. Laura, where can everyone find us?

Laura

We are on Tiktok, Instagram, and Facebook at BFB Podcast. We have a website, bigfatpositivepodcast.com. And if you want to send us an email, you can always throw a voice memo in there. We love those. Just send it to contact at bigfatpositivepodcast.com. And finally, you know you want to do it. You know you want to join the coolest group of people on the interwebs. If you do, just search Facebook for Big Fat Positive Community. It's a private group, so you got a request to Julian and answer those two membership questions. But once you do that and you prove to us that you are not a robot, you will be sent straight through to the amazing conversations we're having in there.

Shanna

Our show is produced by Laura Birek, Shanna Micko, and Steve Yager. Thanks for listening, everyone. Have a Big Fat Positive Week. Bye. Bye.