Dear Wannabe Diary,

Wait, is it Friday already? This week flew by, which is wild considering how exhausting it was. You’d think the days would drag on when 90% of your energy is spent tending to a sick toddler. But somehow, I managed to accomplish a surprising amount—at least the bare minimum to keep this blog and my sanity afloat.

The good news? My daughter finally broke her fever, and I couldn’t be happier. Watching her struggle was heartbreaking, but seeing her back to her cheeky, mischievous self feels like the best reward. Although, let me tell you, toddlers are way too smart for their own good. Today, when I refused to put on cartoons, she dramatically clutched her stomach, whimpered, “Ouch,” and fake-cried. I mean, give her an Oscar already.

A Productivity Win Amidst the Chaos

For the first time in days, she took a solid two-hour nap, which meant I had uninterrupted time to catch up on work. And what did I find when I logged in to update the blog? Comments. Loads of them.

At first, I didn’t know whether to cry from joy or sheer panic. People are actually reading my blog! And not just reading—they’re commenting. My mind raced: What if they hate it? What if they’ve figured out who I am? What if it’s all negative? But after a deep breath (or twenty), I dove in.

The Good, the Bad, and the Hilariously Absurd

The overwhelming majority of comments were positive and uplifting:

• “Social media fakery is the worst. I love that you’re just putting the truth out there.”
• “As a mom who also dreams of financial freedom, this post really spoke to me. It’s tough, but we’ll get there.”
• “This post made me laugh and cry at the same time. You’re so relatable. Keep writing!”
• “Girl, I love your writing and sense of humor! Just subscribed to your newsletter!”

Cue happy tears and mild hyperventilation. It’s one thing to write your truth, but to have people get it? That’s next-level validation. Of course, this also means I need to figure out how to send newsletters now. Baby steps.

But of course, not everyone is here to hold hands and sing kumbaya. A few comments were... less than encouraging. And here’s where the plot thickens because how you handle negativity says a lot about you.

Responding to Hate with a Touch of Love

One gem read: "Noooo not the scrn time, it will fry ur babyes brain. Don’t u love ur baby??" First of all, let’s not pretend that Miss Rachel for a sick toddler is the same as parking them in front of a screen all day. Balance is key, and honestly, I’m not losing sleep over the occasional cartoon. Kids are resilient, Karen.

Another classic: "Why are u a parent if it’s soooooo hard to have ur kid home? Some couples would kill to have a kid and ur over here complaining." My heart goes out to anyone on that journey—I’ve been there. My daughter is an IVF miracle after years of infertility struggles. Loving her doesn’t mean I can’t feel exhausted or overwhelmed. Being real about parenthood doesn’t make me ungrateful. It makes me human.

But here’s the thing: responding to hate with hate gets us absolutely nowhere. Sure, I could fire back with sarcasm and a few choice words (trust me, I’ve got a list), but does that make anyone’s day better? Nope. As Martin Luther King Jr. so perfectly put it: "Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it." And honestly, he’s not wrong. So instead of matching their energy, I choose to respond with love—or at least with semi-polite sarcasm. Let’s call it progress.

The Irony of Social Media Negativity

It’s funny, isn’t it? The same people who complain about social media being fake are often the first to tear down anyone brave enough to be real. Instead of supporting authenticity, they nitpick and criticize, making creators second-guess every post. But here’s the thing—I didn’t start this blog to win everyone over. I started it to be honest, and that includes showing the messy parts of life.

Ending on a High Note

Today reminded me why I started this blog—to share the highs and lows, the laughter and the tears, and to show that life isn’t always Instagram-perfect. And guess what? That’s okay.

So here’s to embracing the mess, ignoring the trolls, and celebrating the tiny victories (like nap time). If someone doesn’t like it, they’re free to scroll. And if they want to leave a snarky comment? Well, I’ve got plenty of love (and a healthy dose of sarcasm) to send their way.

Signing off,

Wannabe Chill (but Still a Little Salty)