@Jarrod HoffmanThis is so interesting—thank you so much for sharing it, Jarrod! I hadn’t heard of the Fear Hierarchy before, but I love how it breaks things down into one manageable step at a time. I’m excited to dig into this more.

@Matty Shea That’s amazing. I really love that approach -- usable skills make so much sense, especially for kids at that age

Thank you so much for sharing! HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and your family!!

@Frederick De Santiago That’s awesome! Yes, please do. We’d love to hear any insights you can share about the other one too. Thank you!

@Frederick De Santiago Wow, that’s amazing — sounds like you’ve got a future pitcher or basketball star on your hands! 😄 It’s wild how naturally skilled they can be at this age. Totally get wanting to support his talent while also setting boundaries. Kids this age are so smart — the second they know it gets a reaction, they’ll test it again. You’re doing the right thing by staying consistent and separating the skill from the moment. You can cheer him on when it’s in the right context, and gently redirect when it’s not. He’ll get it! And honestly… those perfect “three-pointers into the toy box” are impressive 😅 but yeah, heavier toys make it trickier. Sounds like you’re handling it perfectly 👏 Thanks for sharing!

@Frederick De Santiago Totally get it — toddlers are wild with those big feelings. Throwing when they’re mad is super common at this age. You’re already doing great by staying consistent. A quick redirect like, “We only throw balls,” really does help over time.

@Frederick De Santiago Yes!! My little one is under two as well — such a sweet but intense age!! And I completely agree with you. In so many other countries, families have so much more support. For example, in Georgia where I’m from, it’s very normal for grandparents, aunts, cousins — everyone — to be involved. Here in the U.S., since I don’t have any family nearby, we really have to rely on just ourselves so much more, and it definitely makes things harder. I think it’s amazing that you made the decision to budget down and be present with your boys. That takes courage, and it says so much about your values as a dad. Even without the extended family support, you’re clearly creating such a strong foundation for them. And yes, definitely check out Erica Komisar’s work — she talks a lot about early childhood attachment and the importance of presence, especially in the first three years. I think you’ll really resonate with her perspective. Thanks for sharing all of this 💛

Georgia’s gotten super popular lately, so glad to hear that it is on your list and hope you enjoy it. I haven’t been to Azerbaijan myself, but I’ve heard great things. And yes, you truly are blessed to be able to be there for your kids like that. I’m a huge fan of Erica Komisar, so I think you’ll really enjoy her perspective. Definitely worth checking out!