Nap Time Trades: How I Manage Day Trading with a Toddler
When I first started trading, my baby was barely 6 months old.
Let me tell you — I lost $2,000 changing a diaper and $1,500 making my husband coffee.
Yes, you read that right.
Nothing humbles you faster than missing a stop-loss because you were elbow-deep in baby wipes.
But I kept going.
Because the beauty of trading from home is that you can build it around your family — even if your “office” looks like a playroom exploded.
Fast-forward to now: my son’s almost 4, a full-on climber, and I sometimes make trades with him on my shoulders or literally trying to scale my head like I’m a jungle gym.
It doesn’t even faze me anymore.
This is just my version of a trading floor.
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🍼 Survival Kit for Trading with a Baby
Here’s what kept me sane (and mostly profitable) in those early days:
Diapers & wipes within arm’s reach – I wasn’t running to grab them mid-trade.
Breakfast, juice boxes & snacks prepped early – the fewer interruptions, the better.
My Starbucks in hand by 9:30am ET – because I refuse to start trading without caffeine.
Multiple mini-activities set up – tummy time mat, play gym, bouncer seat. One activity never lasted long enough, so I had backups.
Pro tip: set everything up before the market opens so you aren’t scrambling once things get moving.
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👶 Toddler Trading Strategies (a.k.a. Chaos Control)
Trading with a toddler is a whole new level — they have opinions, questions, and the ability to climb.
Here’s what helps me now:
Independent Play Stations:
Rotating bins with toys he hasn’t seen in a while. Keeps him busy long enough for me to catch a setup.
Safe Climbing Options:
I gave him a foam climbing set so he can do his best Spider-Man can do his thing somewhere safe while I watch my charts.
Visual Timer:
Toddlers don’t get “five minutes.”
But they do understand watching a timer count down. I use a visual timer for “Mommy’s chart time.”
Music or Story Time:
Spotify playlists or an audiobook he likes = quiet trading session for me.
Snacks (Again):
A toddler with snacks is a toddler not hanging off my head — enough said.
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💡 Bonus: Naps = Power Hours
Nap time is GOLDEN. If your kid still naps, that’s when you can:
Do a deeper market review
Journal trades
Plan the next day
Breathe
Once my son dropped his nap, I started waking up earlier to get my pre-market prep done in peace.
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🧘 The Mindset Shift
The biggest change wasn’t just logistics — it was mindset.
Instead of getting frustrated that trading felt “distracted,” I reframed it:
This is why I trade — to be home with my son, to be here for the chaos, to sip Starbucks while watching him grow up.
So yes, sometimes a winning trade takes longer to catch because I had to change a diaper or rescue someone from climbing the bookshelf — but that’s okay.
Because I didn’t choose trading to escape my life.
I chose trading to live my life — with him right here.
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Your turn:
Moms, what’s the craziest thing you’ve done while trying to trade?
(If you’ve ever placed an order with a toddler on your head, we should start a club. 😂)
Tag: gig work
Implied Volatility ,Gamma, & Theta Decay
Options Greeks: IV, Gamma & Theta — Explained Without the Headache
If you’ve been trading options for a hot minute, you’ve probably heard words like implied volatility, gamma, and theta decay thrown around like everyone was born knowing them. Truth is, these are just fancy ways of describing how your option is likely to behave—and once you understand them, you’ll see the market in a whole new light.
Let’s break it down simple and easy so you know how to work with them.
Implied Volatility (IV): The Market’s Mood Ring
Think of implied volatility (IV) as the market’s “nervous energy.”
High IV = people expect big price swings. That makes options more expensive because there’s more “what if” baked in.
Low IV = market is chill, expecting smaller moves. Options are cheaper.
Here’s the kicker: you can be right on the direction of the stock, but if you buy when IV is sky-high and it drops after your entry, your option can lose value even if the stock moves your way. (Been there, done that.)
Gamma: The Accelerator Pedal ( and my personal favorite)
Gamma tells you how quickly your option’s sensitivity (delta) changes when the stock moves.
High gamma = your option’s delta reacts fast. Like pressing down hard on a gas pedal—suddenly you’re flying.
Low gamma = more of a slow cruise.
This is why at-the-money short-dated options can feel like a rollercoaster. Gamma is juiced, so small moves in the stock can make your option’s delta whip around dramatically.
Theta Decay: The Silent Thief
Options are like avocados: they get less valuable just sitting around. That’s theta decay—the daily time erosion baked into your contract.
Buyers feel the pain (your option loses value each day).
Sellers collect the theta like rent money.
And here’s the sneaky part: the closer you get to expiration, the faster theta eats away at your option. Which is why holding onto cheap lotto tickets at the last minute often feels like watching sand fall through your fingers.
The Takeaway
When you’re trading options, it’s not just about “is the stock going up or down?” It’s also about:
What’s IV doing?
Is gamma about to make my ride smooth or wild?
How much theta is chewing away at my premium while I wait?
Mastering these three Greeks doesn’t just make you sound smart—it helps you trade smarter. You’ll stop asking “Why did my option lose value when I was right about the stock?” and start understanding the hidden forces at play.
👉 If this made sense, stick around—I’ve got plenty more everyday-style breakdowns coming. Because trading is tough enough without the jargon.
Gigify 