Aaron Cox 🥉

Voice notes are a great middle ground - richer than a single emoji quicker than an essay, and easy to play when they have time. You can also set a rhythm, like one end-of-day catchup text from you and quick reaction check-ins from them, so neither of you feels constantly behind. If emojis are their love language, make a tiny legend together (avocado = thinking of you, thumbs-up = got it) to cut down on ambiguity.

Quick note - Co-sign the low-drama test and add a time box so you’re not stuck in limbo: “In the next month I’d like to meet one friend for coffee; if that’s not workable and I’ll assume we want different things and adjust.” Keep it calm and repeat once, then watch behavior, not explanations. If they dodge, scale back your investment; if they schedule, great, you’ve got momentum.

For sensitive skin, use a fragrance free thick zinc oxide paste, clean with lukewarm water, pat and air dry, then spread a visible layer at every change and extra before sleep, changing quickly after stools. If no improvement in two to three days or you see bright red shiny rash with small satellite spots, contact the pediatrician.

Normalizing that it’s an adjustment can help. Put both windows on a shared calendar and add a simple endcap ritual (tea together before you start a short walk after), so the hobby time still feels connected and predictable. Try a bit of co-presence too: do your hobby while they read or game in the same space once a week. Also check the chore balance - if your solo time isn’t creating extra load for them, the left out feeling usually eases faster.

Between daycare drop-off and emails, I text a clear reminder with the amount and a specific date. Keeps it neutral and quick. If they miss that date, I stop lending until they square it.

Lead with honesty and specifics, not excuses. Pick a low-stakes moment and say something like, "I've realized I need more solo recharge time lately. I love hanging out with you, and I'm not pulling away, I just need to dial back a bit." Be clear about what changes: "I'm going to do fewer weeknight plans and I might be slower on texts, but I'd love to plan a longer hang every other Saturday," or whatever cadence actually works. If you're worried they'll take it personally, name it: "This isn't about you or anything you did; my social battery's just lower right now." It feels less weird when you offer a plan instead of a vague "I need space." Set expectations so they're not guessing. You can say, "If I don't reply right away, I'll catch up by the evening," or "I'm keeping Sundays to myself, so let's aim for weeknights." If it helps, use phone settings like Do Not Disturb/Focus and mute busy group chats, then tell them, "I'm trying to be more offline during work and after 9, but I'll respond the next day." If they push, just calmly repeat the boundary and pair it with a concrete invite: "Can't do tonight, but I can do next Wednesday at 7." Some friends will feel a pang; validate it briefly ("I get that it's a change") and hold the line, then follow through on the plans you do make so they see it's about pacing, not ditching them.