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#parenting
Brianna Hernandez

🤔 My Husband Wants to Take Our 5-Year-Old to NHRA… Am I Nuts for Thinking It’s Too Early?

So my husband is a lifelong drag racing nut (like wakes up at 6am to watch qualifying replays kinda nut), and he wants to take our 5-year-old son to his first NHRA national event this summer. I love that they bond over cars — our kid already knows what a “blower” is and thinks Top Fuel is the coolest thing ever. But I can’t help worrying… isn’t 5 a bit young for that kind of noise and intensity? I’ve seen videos of people literally flinching from the nitro hits. Adults with tears running down their faces from the sheer violence. How does a little kid handle that? He says we’ll get the best ear protection, maybe even double up with muffs and plugs. Still — part of me wonders if we should wait till he’s a few years older, when he can really appreciate it (and not just be terrified). Am I being overprotective? Would love to hear from other parents who’ve brought young kids. Was it amazing for them… or did they melt down before the second pair even fired up? #NHRA #DragRacing #Parenting #CarFamily

🤔 My Husband Wants to Take Our 5-Year-Old to NHRA… Am I Nuts for Thinking It’s Too Early?
JJ Soto

Took my 10-year-old to his first NHRA event… he didn’t close his mouth for two hours

Finally pulled the trigger and took my 10-year-old to his first ever NHRA Nationals this past weekend. He’s grown up watching racing on TV with me — mostly NASCAR, sometimes F1 — but I told him straight up: nothing prepares you for Top Fuel in person. We’re standing by the fence at zMax, he’s got his little foam earplugs jammed in. First pair of dragsters line up, stage, and launch… and he just turns and stares at me with this pure shock on his face. Mouth wide open, eyes saucer big, like he just saw a T-Rex crash through the wall. Didn’t even flinch, just stood there trying to process what the hell just hit him. Then he starts giggling like a madman. “Dad, I FELT that in my feet!” Damn right you did, buddy. Rest of the day he wouldn’t shut up about how he wants to build a junior dragster. Guess this is how the addiction starts. Worth every overpriced funnel cake we bought. Can’t wait to do it again. #DragRacing #FamilyTime #RacingLife #TopFuel #Parenting

Took my 10-year-old to his first NHRA event… he didn’t close his mouth for two hours
JJ Soto

Still geeking out over clutch dust and blower pops after 25 years of watching NHRA

I’ve been an NHRA nut since I was 17, standing behind the chain-link at Gainesville with borrowed earplugs and zero clue what was about to happen. One throttle whack from a Funny Car later, my chest cavity was permanently rewired. Fast forward a couple decades, and yeah, I’m still that guy who will spend an hour explaining clutch dust or why the burnout matters more than half the casual fans realize. It’s not just “go fast, blow up.” It’s watching crews hustle in 35 minutes to rebuild a car you’d swear was dead — changing pistons, redoing the heads, packing fresh clutch discs, resetting the blower overdrive like it’s normal Tuesday shop work. I’ve stood at the ropes and heard the idle of a nitro car literally slap my pant legs. Seen old dudes take out their hearing aids on the starting line so they don’t fry them. Sure, it’s violent. But it’s also delicate. Watching a crew chief dial fuel by hundredths of a gallon, reading spark plugs like tarot cards. It’s art. If you know, you know. If you don’t… come stand with us at the 330 mark and let it hit you. You’ll get religion real quick. #NHRA #DragRacing #TopFuel #Parenting

Still geeking out over clutch dust and blower pops after 25 years of watching NHRA
Marcia Flores

My 14-year-old thinks he’ll go pro in CS2... meanwhile he’s skipping school

I’m genuinely at my wit’s end. My 14-year-old son is absolutely hooked on CS2. He talks non-stop about “grinding Faceit to get noticed,” watches tier 1 matches every night, and genuinely believes he’ll make it as a pro someday. I love that he has passion, but I also know he’s, well... average. It’s painfully clear. Problem is, he won’t hear it. He’s started skipping homework, lying about assignments, and even cutting class just to play or watch streams. I’ve tried to limit screen time, even had long heart-to-hearts about backup plans, college, real life. He just shuts down. Anyone else dealing with this? How do you keep a kid’s dream alive without letting them totally derail their life? #Parenting #CS2 #TeenLife #Games #RealTalk

My 14-year-old thinks he’ll go pro in CS2... meanwhile he’s skipping school
William Wright

Turns Out, It’s Not About NASCAR or IndyCar — It’s About Us

Me and my teen watched another Indy race documentary. My son was glued to every pass. I caught myself less focused on which series was “better,” and more on him — his grin when a car dove three-wide into turn one, how he elbowed me in disbelief during a pit blunder. That’s when it clicked. My dad didn’t drag me to NASCAR races for the decals or the crashes. He did it because it was time together, shoulder to shoulder, letting engines drown out life’s worries. So if my kid loves IndyCar more? Fine by me. The magic isn’t under the hood — it’s in the moments we share. Watching him live what I once did, just in his own way, feels like coming full circle. Maybe that’s the real victory lane. #Parenting #RacingFamily #IndyCar #NASCAR #FullCircle #Parenting

Turns Out, It’s Not About NASCAR or IndyCar — It’s About Us
William Wright

My Dad Raised Me on NASCAR. Now I’m Raising My Son on… IndyCar?

Some of my best memories are dusty afternoons in the stands with my old man, watching Dale Jr. charge through the pack. The roar of stock cars, that smell of burnt rubber mixed with cheap hot dogs — it’s stitched into my childhood. So imagine my gut punch when my teenage son recently told me NASCAR was “kinda slow” and he liked IndyCar better. At first, it felt like a betrayal, like he’d traded our family tradition for some flashy open-wheel circus. But we made a deal: I’d take him to an Indy race. Honestly? The speed was unreal. Those machines flew by so quick it rattled your chest. Different than NASCAR’s thunder, but thrilling in its own right. Still, part of me missed the chrome horns, the door slams, the payback at Martinsville. I left that day torn — proud to share racing with my boy, but quietly longing for my own golden era. #NASCAR #IndyCar #Parenting #RacingDrama #RacingMemories

My Dad Raised Me on NASCAR. Now I’m Raising My Son on… IndyCar?My Dad Raised Me on NASCAR. Now I’m Raising My Son on… IndyCar?
EchoEcho

My Partner Acts Like a Teenager—While I Do Everything! 😩

Fifteen years together, a nine-year-old son with special needs, and yet I feel like I’m raising two kids—my partner being the second. Since the pandemic hit, I’ve been working part-time, juggling bills, and caring for our son, while my partner barely lifts a finger. He claims he can’t work because of safety concerns, but somehow finds time and money for his hobby, even going to parties! When I finally confronted him about his selfishness, he twisted everything, making me out to be the bad guy. He even cried in the kitchen, expecting me to comfort him instead of apologizing for his behavior. I’m exhausted, frustrated, and honestly, at my breaking point. Has anyone else felt like they’re carrying the whole family on their back? How did you cope? Please share your stories—I really need to know I’m not alone. 🥺 #FamilyStruggles #RelationshipProblems #Parenting #FamilyRelationships

My Partner Acts Like a Teenager—While I Do Everything! 😩
PapayaPal

My Lazy Partner, Overbearing In-Laws, and a Family Torn Apart! 😩🏠

Lately, I feel like I’m drowning in my own home. My partner and I have been together since we were teens, but ever since our second child was born, he’s become a total stranger. He barely helps with the kids or housework, and spends most of his time glued to his phone while I juggle everything alone. To make things worse, his parents are always pressuring us to let them take our 3-year-old son out by himself. I just can’t shake the feeling that they’re trying to separate him from us, especially since they barely pay attention to our baby daughter. My partner refuses to stand up to them, so I’m left to be the “bad guy,” which only causes more fights between us. If it weren’t for my kids, I honestly don’t know if I’d stay. But the thought of splitting up our family breaks my heart. Has anyone else felt trapped like this? I’d love to hear your stories and advice. You’re the only ones I can talk to about this. 💔 #FamilyDrama #RelationshipStruggles #Parenting #FamilyRelationships

My Lazy Partner, Overbearing In-Laws, and a Family Torn Apart! 😩🏠
ZestZenith

My Partner Won't Fully Quit Smoking Before Baby Arrives 😰💔

I'm 8 months pregnant and feeling so overwhelmed right now 😔 My partner promised he'd quit smoking completely before our little girl arrives, but now he's saying he'll just switch to vaping instead. I told him I don't want him holding our baby after vaping because we don't know how those chemicals might affect her tiny lungs. But he thinks I'm being overly paranoid and says vaping is "totally safe." 🙄 This has caused so much tension between us lately. I just want what's best for our daughter, but he acts like I'm controlling him. Am I being unreasonable here? Has anyone else dealt with a partner who wouldn't completely give up nicotine for your baby? I feel so alone in this struggle and could really use some advice from people who understand 💕 #pregnancy #relationships #parenting #FamilyRelationships

My Partner Won't Fully Quit Smoking Before Baby Arrives 😰💔