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I took my oldest son at 3 yrs to see Toy Story 3 and he was excellent, but he can focus for extended periods on "tv" like things.
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NEVERENDING ♾️ The NEVERENDING Raising Children Thread
- Thread starter Queen B
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Go! You'll have so much fun sharing the experience with her.
ursus
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WSU MUP Student
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Too late. They were planning to go at 1:45 but I just got a text that they are at the theatre already and are going at 11:30 instead.
I'll survive. I know my daughter will enjoy it, but my dislike of Disney movies of the past 15 years or so is pretty strong (and even watching the older ones now, I'm not really too impressed).
btrage
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Believe me, you'll survive. I couldn't stand going to the theater with my daughters when they were younger. In fact, I would get so frustrated at them squirming around, my wife just started taking them by herself.
I usually go with them now that they're older, but it's more to build up brownie points with the wife, so that I can do/watch what I want later.
By the way, I couldn't stand Frozen.
Planit
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On rainy weekends I occasionally take The Girl and one of her friends to the movies. They have a great time and I sit there, eat some popcorn, drink some soda and watch. It's really more about getting them out of the house and I get brownie points for taking them. They have told me how much they like me doing this for them too so it makes me feel good whether I enjoy the movie or not (mostly not). I know very soon they will want me to just drop them off and that will be fine too.
Today they don't have school so both The Girl and her best friend are here at work with me. They are coloring (or is it rendering) right now. I just hope IT won't be mad if they see my computer has been watching Disney Channel during work hours. Heading to lunch and them leaving/RJing about 2:30 with them.
Today they don't have school so both The Girl and her best friend are here at work with me. They are coloring (or is it rendering) right now. I just hope IT won't be mad if they see my computer has been watching Disney Channel during work hours. Heading to lunch and them leaving/RJing about 2:30 with them.
SW MI Planner
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Sure....Disney *finally* makes me a movie about an independent girl that doesn't need a man or parents to take care of her and of course a man doesn't like it.
DVD
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Sure....Disney *finally* makes me a movie about an independent girl that doesn't need a man or parents to take care of her and of course a man doesn't like it.
Admitting you like Disney movies might be a man card violation. Especially if it has an independent girl. You can say you saw it, or your kids liked it (mine did), but men can't admit to liking them. Other than Old Yeller, everyone loves that movie.
My 7 yo has a new attitude to give me that I can't help but laugh at. If you present something she'll give you a look and say if it's not tennis, cats, or country I'm not interested. She's so focused. I need to record it sometime to show her when she's older.
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Really bad weather today and tonight. So bad in fact that I will be unable to take Junior to go see the Nuclear Cowboyz show. We got complementary tickets yesterday to see the show. Apparently they were giving them away because no one would buy them.
So who and what are the Nuclear Cowboyz you ask?
You have no idea how disappointed I am that we will not be able to watch some motocross guys jumping over martial arts guys doing ninja rolls as fireworks and loud alternative hip hop blares. Entertainment just doesn't get any better.
So who and what are the Nuclear Cowboyz you ask?
You have no idea how disappointed I am that we will not be able to watch some motocross guys jumping over martial arts guys doing ninja rolls as fireworks and loud alternative hip hop blares. Entertainment just doesn't get any better.
DVD
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My daughter would LOVE to see this. Ever since I took her to the Shrine Circus in town where they had motorcycles doing jumps she's obsessed with them. Along with tennis, cats, and country music.
WSU MUP Student
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The daughter loved going to the movie theatre this morning. She has re-enacted Frozen for me about 6 times since I got home from work this evening. Even without spending the $6 on the movie ticket, I'm pretty sure I know the entire storyline now.
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So yesterday Junior brings home a respectable report card. To reward him we go out to dinner at his favorite diner where he orders himself some quesadillas, Sprite, french fries, and a cup of hot crab soup. After dinner I tell him we need to get home so he'd have enough time to study spelling words. He protests that he should get dessert first, so figuring the whole point of the evening outing was to reward his hard work I relent and take him to the ice cream place where he orders a a double dark chocolate truffle waffle cup with gummy bears blended in+o(. my wife and I just stared at each other when he ordered it, but hey, it's his reward and if this is what motivates him then so be it. He scarfed the entire thing down in record time and we head back home to work on spelling words. It was immediately apparent he was not focusing at all on spelling and after about a dozen words he says "my tummy feels funny" and he runs off to the bathroom to ! He didn't quite make it and hurls the contents of his stomach all over the bathroom wall and floor. Maybe 10% actually made it to the toilet.
Man, was that ever fun to clean up. I'm not sure who was more traumatised by the experience. Moments like that really make for great parenting memories that last a lifetime.
! He didn't quite make it and hurls the contents of his stomach all over the bathroom wall and floor. Maybe 10% actually made it to the toilet. Man, was that ever fun to clean up. I'm not sure who was more traumatised by the experience. Moments like that really make for great parenting memories that last a lifetime.
Veloise
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And you didn't invite Skis and moi? We both live pedestrian distance away from the subject venue.
michaelskis
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I think that is a great idea!
On a related note I took the oldest to see a family friendly Domestic Problems concert and a local venue near the arena. He is always impressed with horn lines knowing that they don't plug those in. He did ask why they don't have a tuba...
btrage
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My 10 year old daughter is much better behaved at home when she spends less time at home. As in, I think she needs to be out of the house doing things with school, sports, etc.
Halfway through 5th grade this is becoming easier to do. She's currently involved in Science Olympiad, Girls on the Run, swimming, etc. Her time away from the house makes her time at the house much less frenzied and she is less inclined to stir shit up with her younger sister.
Halfway through 5th grade this is becoming easier to do. She's currently involved in Science Olympiad, Girls on the Run, swimming, etc. Her time away from the house makes her time at the house much less frenzied and she is less inclined to stir shit up with her younger sister.
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That was always my tactic with RT, although she didn't have a sibling to provoke. We got along better through her teenage years when she was busy with school activities and sports plus her little part time job. Kept her out of trouble as well.
Planit
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The Girl forged her Mama's name on a permission slip and was subsequently caught yesterday. Teacher made her sit alone at lunch (silent lunch is one of the meanest elementary school punishments) and miss recess (the second meanest elementary school punishment). Her excuse was "other kids were did it" She was very upset she got caught, and after she and her mom talked The Girl was upset that she actually did it.
I talked to her this morning (because I had a late meeting)she was still pretty upset this morning too. She doesn't get to go on the field trip either.
We will continue the conversation tonight
I talked to her this morning (because I had a late meeting)she was still pretty upset this morning too. She doesn't get to go on the field trip either.
We will continue the conversation tonight
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It happens. Wait until high school
At this age though, she was caught-had to sit by herself at lunch, missed recess, and will not be going on the field trip. More importantly she's feeling bad (you have to worry when they don't). Did she give you a reason why she just didn't bring home the slip to be signed? Sounds like a weekend of having a privilege taken away is sufficient punishment enough apart from missing the field trip.
terraplnr
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So my son is in kindergarten, and his school has this "policy" that if a child has a birthday party, you should either invite the whole class, or only the girls or the boys. I understand the intention of the rule, to not make children feel bad for not getting invited. But my problem is that I don't want to invite the whole class, and his friends are evenly mixed between boys and girls (his best friend is a girl). Am I a bad parent if I just send out Evites to his friends (boys and girls) and ignore the school's rule? I think the only enforcement action they could take would be to make me feel guilty. Do any of your childrens' schools have this "rule"?
arcplans
As Featured in "High Times"
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Yes.. my daughter's school has the same "policy" and yea we ignored the policy and no you are not a bad parent. We handed out birthday invites to the parents after school or sent them via snail mail since they are typically special cards that we make. It is crock of crap policy. I know the whole everyone is "equal" and their shouldn't be winners or losers, but the last party we did was a "bowling party" at our local bowling alley and we had to limit the amount of kids we invited. And to be quite honest, my daughter has some frienemies, so best we weed them out for various reasons.
WSU MUP Student
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This makes me glad my daughter has a summer birthday so we wouldn't have to deal with silly policies like that.
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What a crock of shit. Invite who you want, but send the invites directly to the parents via snail mail or evite. What is the school going to do to you?
I was a single parent most of the time raising RT which meant resources were limited. So if she had a party it was often a simple affair with 6-10 of her friends. I could simply not afford to pay for more children to attend. So under the guise of your school's policy my choices would be to throw a party I could not afford or not have one at all which would punish the child because some other kid in the class got their feelings hurt? Wow.
I was a single parent most of the time raising RT which meant resources were limited. So if she had a party it was often a simple affair with 6-10 of her friends. I could simply not afford to pay for more children to attend. So under the guise of your school's policy my choices would be to throw a party I could not afford or not have one at all which would punish the child because some other kid in the class got their feelings hurt? Wow.
arcplans
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Even this isn't allowed my kid's school. Why? Well heaven forbid someone in her class has a damn peanut allergy :-@
My son is now deprived of his favorite sandwhich. The PB&J. Peanut allergy for someone at his pre-school.
No wonder we have a society of unicorn believers and reach for the stars :-@
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Or......since it is well documented that peanut allergy are intense and very dangerous and since peanut originating allergens are easily spread it is best to limit exposure in communal settings. I think your son will make it through the day without his sandwich.
My middle son is has a severe peanut allergy, so I have a vested interest it preventing an easily preventable scenario.
But don't get me started on seatbelt laws........
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Or......since it is well documented that peanut allergy are intense and very dangerous and since peanut originating allergens are easily spread it is best to limit exposure in communal settings. I think your son will make it through the day without his sandwich.
My middle son is has a severe peanut allergy, so I have a vested interest it preventing an easily preventable scenario.
But don't get me started on seatbelt laws........
[Honest question] How did kids manage before we limited these things so much? Are peanut allergies worse now? My father has a deadly peanut allergy, but he made it through school just fine. Just wondering why/if they are worse now. [/Honest question].
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Probably through slow and early exposure over an extended period of time.
You build a tolerance from an early age and can "handle" it, but you will probably have slight allergic symptoms (stuffyness, water eyes, rashes, etc) during that time, but maybe not full on anaphylactic reactions. Your Dad may have not consumed much or something. Plus, it's that schools are much more sensitive to they liability exposure (for better or worse) now versus when you Father was in school.
arcplans
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Make sense. My daughter's school has an "peanut free" table but it seems like ostracizing the kids that have this condition, and that's no fun.
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Makes sense.
[ot]As an aside my Dad had soybutter for the first time a couple weeks ago. He had never had peanut butter and my Mom was so happy that he could finally taste what it tasted like (essentially) as she thought soybutter was a pretty close substitute. My Dad eats it and says, "Eh". He didn't feel like he missed out on much over the last 60 years.... lol.[/ot]
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We use Sunbutter as the substitute and have for the last 4.5 years. It's made from sunflower seeds and a pretty good substitute. You should have him try it.
I'm glad we have this substitute because how else am I going to teacher my boys about the 5 slice "PB&J" when they're voracious, bottomless pit teenager eaters like I was.
michaelskis
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My oldest has severe allergies but they have been getting better the past few years. He is still allergic to peanuts and milk, but we noticed that is reactions are less and less. We have gone a few places were they cook things in peanut oil and his skin will get warm and itchy, but it is not as bad as many others and we are slowly working on it to help him grow out of it.
The milk is a strange one though. It is a protein allergy and he is ok with small doses, like a bit of chocolate or something. But milk out of a container will cause his lungs to lock up and he breaks out in hives. However, raw unpasteurized milk has no effect on him at all. His allergist said that this allergy is increasing and something in the pasturization process changes the protein.
The milk is a strange one though. It is a protein allergy and he is ok with small doses, like a bit of chocolate or something. But milk out of a container will cause his lungs to lock up and he breaks out in hives. However, raw unpasteurized milk has no effect on him at all. His allergist said that this allergy is increasing and something in the pasturization process changes the protein.
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They don't know why, but here in the US the rate of kids with peanut allergies has more than tripled since 1997.
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RT's 13th birthday was the last party we had. After that I'd take her somewhere for a weekend. We've kept that tradition ever since except her 18th birthday when there was a massive storm rolling through with flooding so all transportation was suspended and she was stuck at school. We made up for it a few weeks later. Often the cost of a pair of cheap weekend airfare tickets or a few hours driving plus a Hotwire hotel deal worked out to be the same or less than a party would have cost. Best trip was 5 days in Turks & Caicos when she turned 16.
This year she turns 21 and is having a difficult time deciding on where we should go. Surprisingly she does not want to spend it with her friends doing a bar crawl or club hopping. If she doesn't decide soon I am going to decide for her and go somewhere neither of us has been too.
btrage
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In lieu of a party we usually just let the girls invite a friend over for the night and make it a 2-day thing with the friend.
78rpm
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E-Cigarette vaping (smoking) is on the rise among teens and 'tweens. What's a parent to do?
Article:
"What Parents Should Know About E-Cigarettes":
http://www.diablomag.com/education/October-2013/What-Parents-Should-Know-About-E-Cigarettes/
Article's recommendations:
Based upon my ongoing experiences in helping to raise relatives' children,
here some more recommendations:
- Start e-cigarette education EARLY. Grade school is not too early.
- E-cigarette education should be an ongoing process.
It's not enough to talk about it once or twice, and then assume that the education is complete.
- Please never think: "That's something my child would NEVER try."
You wouldn't believe how many parents' "good girls" and "nice boys" have tried vaping--or worse, have become addicted.
- On the computer(s) your children use, try to find a way to block e-cigarette ads and vaping images.
Vaping is being marketed as glamourous/sexy to girls and "the cool thing to do" for boys.
- Children who are particularly rebellious, troubled, secretive, etc., should be monitored even more closely for e-cigarette use, (as well as other substance use).
- If you and/or your SO vape e-cigarettes: try to never do it in front of your children. Or take the challenge of quitting e-cigarrettes altogether.
- Join a parents' community group that's concerned about this issue and other substance abuse issues.
- Get your pre-teen or teen to join an anti-smoking/anti-vaping group.
This could be tough because it may seem "uncool", but there are ways to turn the tables around. (Feel free to ask me more about this.)
- Make sure that your children never have too much "money in their pocket." It should be a in piggy bank, a regular bank, etc.
"Money in my pocket" sometimes to brings on mischief or trouble.
- Make it known that if, despite all precautions, they somehow become addicted to e-cigarettes, or any other substance, they can tell you and not be punished. (Instead, they will be enrolled in an appropriate rehab.)
Article:
"What Parents Should Know About E-Cigarettes":
http://www.diablomag.com/education/October-2013/What-Parents-Should-Know-About-E-Cigarettes/
Article's recommendations:
Based upon my ongoing experiences in helping to raise relatives' children,
here some more recommendations:
- Start e-cigarette education EARLY. Grade school is not too early.
- E-cigarette education should be an ongoing process.
It's not enough to talk about it once or twice, and then assume that the education is complete.
- Please never think: "That's something my child would NEVER try."
You wouldn't believe how many parents' "good girls" and "nice boys" have tried vaping--or worse, have become addicted.
- On the computer(s) your children use, try to find a way to block e-cigarette ads and vaping images.
Vaping is being marketed as glamourous/sexy to girls and "the cool thing to do" for boys.
- Children who are particularly rebellious, troubled, secretive, etc., should be monitored even more closely for e-cigarette use, (as well as other substance use).
- If you and/or your SO vape e-cigarettes: try to never do it in front of your children. Or take the challenge of quitting e-cigarrettes altogether.
- Join a parents' community group that's concerned about this issue and other substance abuse issues.
- Get your pre-teen or teen to join an anti-smoking/anti-vaping group.
This could be tough because it may seem "uncool", but there are ways to turn the tables around. (Feel free to ask me more about this.)
- Make sure that your children never have too much "money in their pocket." It should be a in piggy bank, a regular bank, etc.
"Money in my pocket" sometimes to brings on mischief or trouble.
- Make it known that if, despite all precautions, they somehow become addicted to e-cigarettes, or any other substance, they can tell you and not be punished. (Instead, they will be enrolled in an appropriate rehab.)
Last edited:
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Both my parents were smokers. Hated it. When I moved out and they visited my house they were required to smoke outside. My father ultimately passed due to emphysema and my mother had an aortic aneurism, which was caught in time and she survived surgery but she healed poorly due to all the years of smoking as well as being a type 2 diabetic.
I will never do this to my children. If RT were to ever tell me she smoked cigarettes I would break her face. She knows it.
78rpm
Cyburbian
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kjel, what exactly does the expression "break her face" mean--that is, in your locale, or in your particular household?. . . ...If RT were to ever tell me she...
I ask because in the locale and the particular households in which I grew up, that expression had a rather unsettling meaning.
kjel, what exactly does the expression "break her face" mean--that is, in your locale, or in your particular household?
I ask because in the locale and the particular households in which I grew up, that expression had a rather unsettling meaning.
Why would you ask this in this way? Have you never used an expression just to make a point?
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http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/jessa-duggar-chaste-courtship-kids-too-183000802.html
Not sure where this belongs, but I think parenting is about the right place. How has everyone dealt with sex with their kids? Is it a priority in terms of expectations?
I think it is amazing to think that you can shelter your kids so much that they wouldn't even kiss before they got married. I kissed a girl in 5th grade for the first time. My parents had no idea. I don't think I turned out so bad....
Pushing your kids to have a chaste courtship is insane to me. I think education and understand is the best way.
How did you go about educating your kids about sex, or how do you plan on doing it?
Not sure where this belongs, but I think parenting is about the right place. How has everyone dealt with sex with their kids? Is it a priority in terms of expectations?
I think it is amazing to think that you can shelter your kids so much that they wouldn't even kiss before they got married. I kissed a girl in 5th grade for the first time. My parents had no idea. I don't think I turned out so bad....
Pushing your kids to have a chaste courtship is insane to me. I think education and understand is the best way.
How did you go about educating your kids about sex, or how do you plan on doing it?
Planit
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We actually have just had a workshop sponsored by our regional presbytery. It was a mother/daughter one day event for rising middle schoolers where they talked very openly and factually about sex and relationships. I asked The Girl if she learned anything when they came home and her response was "interesting & kinda weird" We also have talked in the home when a question came up.
I basically learned from my older brothers and friends. My oldest brother told me where his stack of magazines were and that I could figure it out from those. Oh course that was in the early 70s and a much different time. My parents never had the talk.
BTW - if you haven't seen Julia Sweeney's routine about The Talk, it's hilarious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry-LwxR746s
DVD
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For the smoking thing, I do that outside or in the garage. Never inside (it causes A LOT of damage) and I avoid smoking near people - part because it's bad for the other people and part because I don't want to be around you. The kids are smart enough to just walk away because it stinks (I hope they keep that attitude).
For the sex talk, haven't done it yet, the kids are old enough. My wife and I both go for the nothing till your older, but if you're gonna do it, be smart and know the facts of life.
Right now I'm proud of my kids, they seem to get things right despite my best efforts. If I could just get them to return he scissors and sharpie when they're done playing with them I'd have a perfect world.
For the sex talk, haven't done it yet, the kids are old enough. My wife and I both go for the nothing till your older, but if you're gonna do it, be smart and know the facts of life.
Right now I'm proud of my kids, they seem to get things right despite my best efforts. If I could just get them to return he scissors and sharpie when they're done playing with them I'd have a perfect world.
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kjel, what exactly does the expression "break her face" mean--that is, in your locale, or in your particular household?
I ask because in the locale and the particular households in which I grew up, that expression had a rather unsettling meaning.
It means exactly what it means. Do you have kids? If not, please exit the thread.
For real. While I've never hit RT, the threat of doing so is enough of a deterrent to her.
Zoning Goddess
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When my son was 10 or 11, I got him a well-reviewed book for boys about puberty, and told him I would answer any questions he had about puberty and sex (to the best of my ability, anyway); or, if he was more comfortable talking to a guy, his uncle was there for any questions. He never asked me anything, and i don't know if he ever talked to my brother.
I slipped in a few more things over the years, like "No means no" or even better, make sure you have a clear "Yes", girls who want babies and will lie about birth control, the stupid things guys do to get laid, STDs, etc. And also that I would buy condoms for him on request, no questions asked.
My mom never talked to my sister and me about sex. It was all she could handle to explain menstrual cycles. In junior high, a friend and I went to the newsstand in the mall and got a copy of "All You Ever Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask". :-c8-!:-$
78rpm
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kjel, what exactly does the expression "break her face" mean--that is, in your locale, or in your particular household?
I ask because in the locale and the particular households in which I grew up, that expression had a rather unsettling meaning.
Do you mean, why do I ask if the question is literal? And why so I ask it sadly?
It's because when I was in 7th grade, an older female relative broke part of my face. (I wasn't doing anything wrong; she has always had serious anger management problems.)
Then five years ago, an older male relative "accidentally" broke part of my face. (He, too, has always had serious anger management problems.) He has since zoned out on the fact that I have face contusions and disfigurement; neither he nor his wife will financially compensate me for most of the damage.
The upshot:
In that particular locale, (which BTW is not New York City), when people threaten to "break your face", they may well eventually do it.
I was never able to bear children of my own and I've never adopted a child. But for most of my life I've raised children of relatives who were not up to the task. In some cases I had temporary legal guardianship.
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Do you mean, why do I ask if the question is literal? And why so I ask it sadly?
It's because when I was in 7th grade, an older female relative broke part of my face. (I wasn't doing anything wrong; she has always had serious anger management problems.)
Then five years ago, an older male relative "accidentally" broke part of my face. (He, too, has always had serious anger management problems.) He has since zoned out on the fact that I have face contusions and disfigurement; neither he nor his wife will financially compensate me for most of the damage.
The upshot:
In that particular locale, (which BTW is not New York City), when people threaten to "break your face", they may well eventually do it.
I was never able to bear children of my own and I've never adopted a child. But for most of my life I've raised children of relatives who were not up to the task. In some cases I had temporary legal guardianship.
Thank you for sharing. I am sorry that this happened to you. I understand that this colors your perspective, but please understand that I personally do not appreciate what you had implied (intentioned or not).