I love that Stephen has kept his job and you’re not an influencer family. I think you’re both great parents and I really enjoy hearing you talk about how/what you do with Grace. My sister is expecting her first child, due in June, I have a feeling it’s a boy but she finds out on the 17th of June.
I completely agree. I like having small parts of your family life, but not it being everything. It’s nice that you’re not relying on your family as your main source of income.
It would be so irresponsible financially for Stephen to quit his job for vlogging. He is gaining skills, advancing in his career, and (hopefully) receiving pay raises. Family vlogging may be lucrative for a few years, but none of these people are going to make lifelong careers out of it. It is wise of him to stay in his good job with security and benefits. He's got a good head on his shoulders.
Sierra staring at Stephen smiling while he gets into the specific languages of computer programming reminded me so much of me and my electrical engineering husband. He tells me stories and I'm like 😃
You can really really tell how much you both love each other, it’s so clear in the way you both look at the other! Also I started tearing up at Sierra’s answer about Steve’s parenting 🥹🥹
My dad used to play the board game "Pretty Pretty Princess" with me when I was little, where you would put on fake jewelry as the game went on, and my mom will forever give him so many points for that 🩷✨ seeing Steven want to play games with Grace is so special and reminded me of that 🩷 and does anyone else remember that game from the 90s/early 2000s ?!
I love how respectfully you communicate with each other. It reminds me of how my husband and I communicate with one exception. Sierra, I love that when Stephen starts saying something that could be misconstrued, you don't jump in to correct him. You just give him space to clarify and are supportive. That's something I can work to improve. And I appreciate that you follow different diets in a really respectful way, especially when that isn't always modeled in our culture. This was a great Q&A!
Yes, I grew up with stockings from Santa, that contained chocolate coins, stationery, lip balm, socks, a small game/book. Big presents were from parents and relatives and were under the tree. The writing on the tags from Santa’s present was identical to my mum’s, so the truth was easy to work out.
Same in my childhood family, and that’s what we’re doing with our kids. Also, when the kids are bigger, we acknowledge that it’s a fun game we play and keep doing it.
About the video games - one of my best memories of being a kid and spending time with my dad (also a dad of two girls) was playing Zoo Tycoon with him. I sat on his lap, told him the animals I wanted, the little exhibits I liked...it was great! Now we're both currently playing Baldur's Gate 3 and we text about it together and it remains a big bonding thing for us. I am sure Grace will treasure memories of gaming time with her dad
Such a cute video you guys. Parenting is hard, but loving your child is not. Everything you guys do and show us in the clogs inspires me to be more patient and thoughtful when trying to parent my 2 year old. ❤ Hope everything is going smooth with peanut number 2.
Grace & her sister (& any potential future kids) will be sooooo loved! As a child of a narcissistic, emotionally abusive mother, it warms my heart to see other children live the childhoods I've always wanted. Loving them is truly all you need to do
This was adorable, you two. This is what has drawn me to your channel for years - just Sierra and Stephen. That's all I need. So pure and sweet. Please make more of this content on IRL.
You two are just perfect together aren’t you? I see so much admiration and respect for one another. Grace and girl #2 are very fortunate to have parents like you.
Sierra! Love your answer about what you would do differently and not just calling every toy “he”. Such a coincidence, I’m currently reading ‘invisible women’ by Caroline Criado Perez and she talks about this topic. How from the very beginning of life everything in our world is male dominated even down to the language we use, I would really recommend this book to you :)
My husband and I are planning to start a family next year, and this video brought me to tears multiple times. A lot of what I see online on becoming parents seems rooted in “losing your identity” and how hard it is, and this video feels like a breath of fresh air. THANK YOU for sharing this! ❤️
You two inspire me more than words can explain. As a mid 20s engaged woman, the way you two show each other mutual respect and understanding is such a pure example of love and what it should be. Your girls are beyond blessed to have such a shining example of love, hard work, and respect. Keep spreading that example loud and proud for the world to see ❤️
Not to get all sappy or anything lol, but I’ve followed you guys since 2018 (though I went back and watched from the beginning) and my respect and admiration for you both grows every year. For me I tend to lose interest in content creators as their lives and personalities naturally change over the years (especially as their lives become entirely reflective of the monetary success of their channel growth), but you guys are incredibly grounded and have navigated success on RU-vid with so. much. grace. (Pun intended). Of course no parent is perfect- and we only see a fraction of your life and how you parent- but in a reality where parents are crucified for every little thing online, I swear somehow you guys are the exception to the rule and do it flawlessly. Over the years your content has never failed to make me think “if everyone was more like them, the world would be a better place.” It’s an honor to witness the parts of your life that you show us, including how you’re bringing more good humans into the world. Not only that, but I genuinely just have so much admiration for you as individuals. Sierra, I am also a lifelong, diehard Swiftie, and in a way your content brings me similar comfort as her music does. I’m 10 years younger than Taylor (4 years younger than you I believe) so everything I’ve ever gone through in life, she already has a song for to guide me and bring me comfort. In a similar way, whenever I watch your content, I continuously think “when I reach that phase of life or go through something like that, I want to be just like Sierra.” And in the way Swifties often speak highly of Taylor by saying “we made the right person famous,” I think “we gave the right person a platform on social media.” Thank you for the safe space you’ve created and all the joy you bring to the internet (and to me, personally, through the good ol parasocial relationship 💀).
I love watching the two of you interact as just the two of you (and don't get me wrong, I love the Grace content, too!). The way you look at each other, the way you're both genuinely listening to the other's answers, it's all very sweet. Merry Christmas to your whole fam :)
My son is 6 and has a bit of anxiety in general but he’s expressed worry over if he’s on the nice list and that almost made me tell him the truth. I just assured him that he’s on the nice list for sure and he feels better but it broke my heart. He’s the sweetest kid ever.
I remember having some moral panic about if I was naughty at all during the year around Christmas. Esp bc adults would jokingly ask if I had been nice or naughty
I just love how clearly in love you two are 🥹 the way you look at each other is just so frickin sweet.. you guys inspire me to be a better parent and a better partner 🫶🏻✨
My mom played video games with me when I was around 2 years old! They were mostly learning games back then 30+ years ago but I have such fond memories of playing those computer games. My mom now plays Disney Dream light Valley with our 2 year old daughter and also a zoo game. My daughter absolutely adores them!
My son and my husband bonded over the Atari Jaguar when he was little (followed by Nintendo, SNES, X-Box etc etc) and 30 years later they still play games together (online mostly) but it’s something they truly enjoy together. I remember many weekend nights that they’d stay up late and “beat hard bosses” together. They’re very close to this day and as much as I wasn’t always a fan of every game they played together, I did love how it brought them closer (and yes, they also did other things together - mountain bikes, dirt bikes, fishing etc) but they’re is a special type of closeness that comes from problem solving a puzzle together.
You are both such beautiful people. As someone who didn't have a very loving upbringing, it does my heart good to see Grace be so adored. Thanks for sharing some of your life with us.
I also felt upset and betrayed when I discovered that meat comes from animals. It’s great that you’re educating her. Sometimes kids don’t really understand until around age 7-10. They might understand that meat comes from an animal at a young age. But they might not understand that they are alive or feel pain. Death is a very complicated thing for kids.
How you both look at each other and compliment each other is so beautiful ❤. Grace is such a cool kid and she's going to be such a beautiful big sister ❤. Baby #2 is going to have a blast with the 3 of you. Blessings from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷🫂❤️
I love that when you had Grace you didnt become a family channel. You dont hide Grace and your family life but it hasnt been the focus of your videos. Its a healthy middle ground in my opinion for your family. Grace is never in a position she needs to perform or believing the people on the other side of the camer are her friends as that can be really confusing for a developing child who is learning relationships. I think you have navigated the transition from being a couple/individual that vlogs to parents that vlog really well ❤
My husbands response when I asked him how we were planning to do Santa was the same as Stephen, like “oh I hadn’t thought about it like that”, where I had over thought it just like Sierra, it’s interesting hearing another couple talk about it in the same way
That’s a really good point about eating meat. My daughter Eleanor is 5 and I’ve told her since day one where meat comes from. I never even thought about the fact that not telling a child would mean something in their future
I love you guys as a couple it feels so real and natural. It’s refreshing to see in an online couples/family. I was cracking up at the video game part. My husband is also a CS major and big time gamer. One day I went to get a facial, and I came home and my husband said “she (our 6 month old) was fussy so I tried getting her to play Smash Bros. with me” obviously she couldn’t play it but she did love chewing on the controller. I definitely see that as their bonding time in the future
When Steve was talking about programming i got kinda excited because I have some understanding of what he's talking about as my bf does programming as a hobby. I feel like you may go with a name that is a feeling/concept similar to Grace, like Faith or Hope.
I love the insight on becoming a vegetarian and how you approach that. I had a very similar introduction to where my food came from as Grace did at a very very young age. And it definitely made the connection between farm to table easier. I think the way you introduced her was perfect and over all I truly appreciate that you always strive for balanced nutrition.
You guys are an amazing couple and great parents. I was smiling the whole time listening to you. Grace and her sister are lucky to have two compassionate, smart and loving people as their parents.
This felt like sitting down and talking with my own husband, who is a software engineer lol. Idk what it is but all the software engineers I've met kind of talk basically the same way and its so comforting!
I appreciate that stephen has finally told us his job. Your family is very blessed that steve has not lost his job like many have. He seems to be easy going and that helps alot.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
omg LOVE that stephen has a noah kahan shirt! love that hes a fan, also i really enjoy these q&as its nice to hear ya'lls opinions on these topics as a parenting unit!
I love your little family it’s been so wonderful to see it grow! I love your family decision with giving Grace the deciding factor for her diet, I just wanted to mention that you might want to look into the ages where children start to understand the concept of an animal passing away, or what that means for food. I only say that because of uni and research papers we had to read not from a negative place! I am a pescatarian too 😊 happy Christmas to your little but growing family!!
Aw I love these! I can just see how well you guys parent together and your kiddos are doing lucky to have you both. The naming thing is SO difficult. My husband chose the name for our first kid and I got to choose the name for our second, neither child goes by their name that we gave them and it's extremely difficult for my husband to wrap his head around. For me, yes I mourn it but it's also just a name and if they don't feel connected to it, I understand that. I don't really feel connected to my own name...so yes naming kids is hard but I feel like people get so stuck on names that might not actually turn out to stay. ❤ Much love to you guys!!
I make all characters female by default while raising my daughter. I think language influences us way more than we realize and since the larger world almost always defaults to "he" I figured I'd balance it out at home. I don't want my daughter to subconsciously internalize the idea that men are primary participants in life and women are secondary. The funny thing about my little defaulting to "she" language experiment has been bumping up all the places in myself that balk at the protagonist being a she, as if that's unnatural. Seeing that in myself has made me glad I'm defaulting to "she" even if my brother-in-law gives me a weird look when I refer to Santa as a she - lol!
My son is 5 and he's just started getting the Lego games. Last year, he didn't really get it and couldn't help with the missions, but now he does and it is so much fun!
There are a couple Disney Princess games on Steam. FYI. My four-year-old also LOVES Animal Crossing, but she makes me read her all the conversations. She likes exploring the island and shaking the trees.
Stephen I wish I would have had a chance to ask if you leverage OpenAI or Copilot add ons for work? My employer embraces it and encourages us to use it to expedite getting to a solution quicker. Honestly there's applications everywhere! Like in the Letting AI control the day video lol
AHHHHH!!!!! I was the video game question!!!! Hi, love you guys! I am a gaming girlie, and that is all thanks to my dad. Around the age of 7-8 I was introduced to the world of video games and have loved it ever since. The main focus behind my question had to do with balancing strangers on the internet in online gaming and simply the concept of video games/screen time. I started with Nintendo DS, and it was great. Love y'all's answer!!!!
My daughter is 4 and when she was 2.5/3ish we got her a kids tablet. She has ABC mouse and Kahn Academy kids on it. She loves the apps and she has learned so much in the past year. I'd strongly recommend something like that if Grace is interested in that. Turns learning into a game while still being safe for kids. Plus the tablet has really strong parental controls which allow peace of mind.
I'm pregnant with my second baby (my husband's first). We did the name game a little, he wanted something LOTR, I wasn't the biggest fan of the band he loved, but we are giving her my late grandma's name as her middle name and that's all that matters to me.
I grew up watching my dad play video games and when he would play open world games (red dead and Skyrim) he would let me roam around in the world I was probably around 8 when he started to let me roam in his games but I remember sitting next/behind him and watching him play fall out, sports games, racing games, GTA, etc. And now I love watching video game play through/commentary like Jacksepticeye, Markiplier, D&P games, Caryn and Connie, etc.
Oh my gosh haha I had this video on my tv and I wasn’t watching just listening to it and putting laundry away and I heard the question “how do you do santa” and I literally just started singing and dancing crazily while trying to find the remote to turn it off cause both kids were of course hanging around me 🤦♀️ I’m not even sure how it was answered so I’ll have to watch when kids aren’t around haha 😂 I was laughing hard though. My kids thought I looked ridiculous I’m sure
Sierraaaaaa, you have to let us know you are about to talk about Santa, lol! I was watching this while doing the dishes, and my kids were eating. I almost threw my phone in the water to make it stop, lol
