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NEVERENDING ♾️ The NEVERENDING Raising Children Thread

For those with with multiple children, how did the oldest take it when you first told them they were going to be a big brother or sister?

I'm asking for a friend.
Well, my first was 14 months old when #2 came.

#1 was 26 months old and #2 was 12 months old when #3 came, so....they pretty much know nothing else than having the three of them together.

Good luck and congrats to your friend. :D
 
For those with with multiple children, how did the oldest take it when you first told them they were going to be a big brother or sister?

I'm asking for a friend.

My oldest had twins coming, so he thought it was cool. Not sure he thinks that anymore...

Congrats to your friend :) ;)
 
A guy I work with just recently added twin daughters to his 5yo daughter and 3 year old son. Shortly after the twins were born, the son turned to his dad and said "Okay, put them back".:-c:D
 
For those with with multiple children, how did the oldest take it when you first told them they were going to be a big brother or sister?

I'm asking for a friend.

He was excited for it. It was nice because it was a transition period for him from being in the nursery to a big guys room and he loved it. After our second was born, he became super protective of him (and every baby for that matter) and got into a couple fights at daycare because the bigger kids were not being nice to the babies. I think it might have also been because our #2 was born premature and was super tiny.

Our second son did not understand that mommy was going to have a baby when we found out that our 3rd was on the way. He was about 10 months old but was developmentally delayed, but our oldest was excited for a new baby.

With 3 boys, we are done. Our younger two might as well be twins as they are on the exact same development level.
 
Has this ever happened ?

ch10_12.jpg
 
The Girl played in the year-end soccer tournament this weekend and in the 2nd match she was fouled pretty hard from behind and fell hard. She hurt her knee pretty bad. She said she had all her weight on it when hit, twisted her knee and heard a 'pop'. I really didn't like the sound of that. We iced it over the weekend, it wasn't swollen too bad and it didn't hurt when she bent it, but did hurt to put weight on it and twisting it.

Went to the ortho this morning with no appointment. They were able to work her in, took x-rays, etc. My worst fears (ruptured ACL) did not happen. Thank goodness its just very badly sprained. So she needs to stretch and work it out over the next month. Soccer is over and doesn't start again until January (but she'll miss a couple dance rehearsals).

...and that's how I spent the morning of my birthday.
 
Just had professional family pics done. Turned out nice. It was by the same woman who did our engagement and wedding pics, too.
 
The Girl played in the year-end soccer tournament this weekend and in the 2nd match she was fouled pretty hard from behind and fell hard. She hurt her knee pretty bad. She said she had all her weight on it when hit, twisted her knee and heard a 'pop'. I really didn't like the sound of that. We iced it over the weekend, it wasn't swollen too bad and it didn't hurt when she bent it, but did hurt to put weight on it and twisting it.

Went to the ortho this morning with no appointment. They were able to work her in, took x-rays, etc. My worst fears (ruptured ACL) did not happen. Thank goodness its just very badly sprained. So she needs to stretch and work it out over the next month. Soccer is over and doesn't start again until January (but she'll miss a couple dance rehearsals).

That sucks man... Was there at least a card issued? My daughter made our local soccer youth league all-star team will begin competing in tournaments throughout the coast and socal. For those that follow me on the book of faces, my rant from a large retail sporting goods store:

The sexism displayed in the sporting goods store irritates me. They had a ton of boys training gear.. Thermal and dry fit.. Girls? Nada..just stupid girly prints and other shit.. Alana may be a girl but she trains hard like the boys

Still pretty PO about it. She tried on the boys medium dry-fit i bought here.. fuck.. it is 2x bigger than her. :-@
 
Parental housing choices

Last weekend a very few members of my HS graduation class got together, and we were discussing housing neighborhood amenities. I mentioned my parents' housing selection (dream house, ravine lot...zero neighborhood, youngest kids were isolated). Completely missing the point, my table neighbor said, "someday you'll get over it." Not really -- that's why I got into this field.

Walk scores
House I grew up in: 35
House moved to during teen years: 6

Some 25 years ago I participated in a demonstration for sidewalks along the latter's two-lane 40mph access roads. We convened at the county road commission offices and moved up and down the sidewalk out front of the building, turned around and went back. Of course the local media went to the most secluded houses fronting the roads to gain insightful opinions from fearful elders, who all stated that they didn't want "strangers" walking nearby.
Per the aerial, the high school has enhanced its driveways.
 
Last weekend a very few members of my HS graduation class got together, and we were discussing housing neighborhood amenities. I mentioned my parents' housing selection (dream house, ravine lot...zero neighborhood, youngest kids were isolated). Completely missing the point, my table neighbor said, "someday you'll get over it." Not really -- that's why I got into this field.

Walk scores
House I grew up in: 35
House moved to during teen years: 6

Some 25 years ago I participated in a demonstration for sidewalks along the latter's two-lane 40mph access roads. We convened at the county road commission offices and moved up and down the sidewalk out front of the building, turned around and went back. Of course the local media went to the most secluded houses fronting the roads to gain insightful opinions from fearful elders, who all stated that they didn't want "strangers" walking nearby.
Per the aerial, the high school has enhanced its driveways.

I know that location well as I live just to the north and east of there and drive that stretch of road quite frequently. I always find it amusing that the road commission's HQ is right on that very same 40mph road and even they cannot get sidewalks up and down that entire stretch of road. I was once talking to the road commission's head of operations at my office after a transportation meeting and mentioned that I live right near there and would be ecstatic if they would ever extend the sidewalks along both sides of the road from that city just to the south of the HQ, through the Village, and all the way up past my neighborhood. He replied that the residents that live in the area (and he is one too) overwhelmingly tell him the same thing but these days there's no money - such is the case with road/transportation funding issues throughout the state. It would be interesting to see how much the attitudes towards sidewalks in the neighborhood have changed over the years.
 
What is it that never ends? The thread, or raising children?

I mean, my 28-year-old finally moved out so I would say we're not raising him anymore. His old room is now my man cave. Can I call him done?

Still working on the 25-year-old. He finished his bachelors in music, started a masters of library science, dropped that when he had to take the database course, and is now working part time while he takes some post-baccalaureate courses to become a public school teacher. He still lives at home, but I can't say we're actively raising him anymore. He's just another adult in the household- someone else to feed the dogs and do the dishes.
 
What is it that never ends? The thread, or raising children?

I mean, my 28-year-old finally moved out so I would say we're not raising him anymore. His old room is now my man cave. Can I call him done?

Still working on the 25-year-old. He finished his bachelors in music, started a masters of library science, dropped that when he had to take the database course, and is now working part time while he takes some post-baccalaureate courses to become a public school teacher. He still lives at home, but I can't say we're actively raising him anymore. He's just another adult in the household- someone else to feed the dogs and do the dishes.
At the risk of being harsh.

Dude...? What the...? :-{































:D
 
What is it that never ends? The thread, or raising children?

I mean, my 28-year-old finally moved out so I would say we're not raising him anymore. His old room is now my man cave. Can I call him done?

Still working on the 25-year-old. He finished his bachelors in music, started a masters of library science, dropped that when he had to take the database course, and is now working part time while he takes some post-baccalaureate courses to become a public school teacher. He still lives at home, but I can't say we're actively raising him anymore. He's just another adult in the household- someone else to feed the dogs and do the dishes.

Does he refer to you as a roommate to his dates?
 
I always tell RT that she's on the 25 year plan. She's 22, but since she has a big girl job she pays me $450 in rent. She decided it was a bargain after doing the math of how much it costs to live independently.
 
I introduced my boys (6, 7 & 8) to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure today. They watched it this morning while I was getting ready for work and they loved it.

Which is excellent. This was the first movie I saw with friends without a parent when I was 11. I loved it then and love it still now. And it holds up awesomely.

I encourage all of you with similar aged kids to do the same. :D
 
A telephone call that starts with "I am Mr. Smith, vice principal at . . ." is never going to be a good call, is it?

It wasn't so bad this time. My son and some other kid were rough-housing and it got a little out of hand and my son's arm got scratched. Neither kid got more than a lecture from the vice principal and then sent back to class. Apparently the other kid was very sorry it happened and my son bears no ill will.

It fits with my son's pattern. Seems like every other year I get a call from a principal or a vice principal. This is the boy who went AWOL on the first day of kindergarten and eluded the crack security of the elementary school to end up being apprehended four or five blocks away, heading for my wife's place of work. The rest of my calls were for fistfights.

He's a good kid. Makes excellent grades. He is polite and respectful. Social and talkative. Follows the rules (for the most part). He is a kid any parent would be proud of. An ocassional phone call from the principal or vice-principal isn't so bad. Boys will be boys. By which I mean "stupid" sometimes. :p
 
What do you do with a child that is interested and naturally inclined toward sports/athleticism, but doesn't want to try too hard or join a team?

Also, he's only 6 right now, so...:p
 
my daughters do tennis lessons for fun. They aren't interested in doing any competitions, but they like the lessons. I also think it's my wife's way to live vicariously through them since she never learned a lot of tennis and loves watching tennis. If not, take him bowling. Go ahead and teach him a sport that isn't very athletic.
 
Go ahead and teach him a sport that isn't very athletic.
Ha!

My 8 yr old, who is...let's say, the least athletic of the three (aka not very athletic at all) loves bowling. :D

And to add to the irony, he is the biggest (comparatively) and will likely be 6'1"+ as an adult.

But my 7 yr old, with some minor muscular/skeletal deficiencies will likely outpace the other two, because he was blessed (or cursed) with a hard working personality. He wants it more than the other two.
 
Ha!

My 8 yr old, who is...let's say, the least athletic of the three (aka not very athletic at all) loves bowling. :D

And to add to the irony, he is the biggest (comparatively) and will likely be 6'1"+ as an adult.

But my 7 yr old, with some minor muscular/skeletal deficiencies will likely outpace the other two, because he was blessed (or cursed) with a hard working personality. He wants it more than the other two.

I think you're right on about the wanting being more important. My oldest son is athletic naturally, like his mom, but has my demeanor (by which I mean everything is a joke to him, and he has a lazy streak a mile wide). He loves to play, but he's just not a competitor.
 
I fancy myself part of the VOLUNTARY HUMAN EXTINCTION MOVEMENT.

But, should I get a woman "in trouble" (as teens said in the early 1960s) by time I am living in Seattle and am pushing 40, I'd hope to have a daughter. I'd name her Genevieve, teach her French and raise her to be a radical feminist, punk rocker and a riot grrl (but not a femi-nazi). She would grow up learning how to skateboard, would get jiu jitsu classes instead of ballet classes and instead of Barbies would get 45 RPM records and learn how to fix Daddy's collection of cool old cars. I would hope she would grow up to be a true bohemian like I wanted to be at age 16-21 and not a Planner, even though I have come to comfortably settle into and truly enjoy my chosen career. If this theoretical daughter turned out to NOT be Punk and turned out to be a normal, well adjusted human being, I would hope her professional direction be an Engineer or Environmental Scientist.

That being said, no desires for reproduction now. Any fellow planners here purposely not reproduce?
 
What do you do with a child that is interested and naturally inclined toward sports/athleticism, but doesn't want to try too hard or join a team?

Also, he's only 6 right now, so...:p

He's only 6, so you don't push him.

I signed my youngest up for basketball when he was 5 or 6. He really wasn't too interested in it, so I never had him join a team again. Come 8th grade, he came to me and asked to join a team, and turned out to be a pretty good player. But it was his idea, not mine. Just make sure he has plenty of opportunity for pick-up play.
 
What do you do with a child that is interested and naturally inclined toward sports/athleticism, but doesn't want to try too hard or join a team?

Also, he's only 6 right now, so...:p

Running, swimming, gymnastics, something that doesn't lend himself to "letting down the team" if he really doesn't want to try too hard. On the other hand, he may discover one of them is "it" for him and take off with it. But yeah, show him the many sporting options there are but don't push him. He'll fall into what he's best/most comfortable with.
 
AIB FB posting

which is louder an all girl birthday sleepover or an all boy birthday sleepover ? :lmao:
 
rt found a small American flag in the living room over the weekend. She said "Look Mommy it's a flag! I pledge allegiance to the flag....." Got most of it right. Pretty good for 4 years old and happy about our preschool choice.
 
Do children not have birthday parties at their houses anymore?

We just received an invitation to a party for a classmate of my daughter and it's at a local ice skating rink. So far this year we've done parties at a robot building place, gymnastics facility, roller rink, indoor trampoline park, Chuck E. Cheese. Nobody does anything at their house?
 
We're doing the roller rink next week, but my kids LOVE roller skating and how can you not indulge them? Unless of course you have a leap year baby that you only get to indulge once every four years. You'll have to have birthdays at super fancy places!
 
Do children not have birthday parties at their houses anymore?
I asked this same question about 4 years ago when Junior wanted to invite some of his kindergarten classmates over for cake, piñata, egg toss, a three legged race, and running through the back yard sprinkler. Evidently 95+ % of parents do the hosted parties nowadays at venues like Chuck E Cheese, Bounceland, or lazer tag places. We figured we could save some money hosting it ourselves and, honestly it was more akin to what we experienced as kids. As it turned out several of the parents raved about how 'fun and novel' it was to attend an old school birthday party in the back yard.
 
Do children not have birthday parties at their houses anymore?

We just received an invitation to a party for a classmate of my daughter and it's at a local ice skating rink. So far this year we've done parties at a robot building place, gymnastics facility, roller rink, indoor trampoline park, Chuck E. Cheese. Nobody does anything at their house?

The Girl is having a sleepover as her party and there are some games with modern technology she wanted to do. Activities include a selfie scavenger hunt, Google this, & a truth or dare game app type thing she has seen at another friends house.
 
It's not really a new thing. I had a McDonald's party one year and another year had one at the skating rink and that was in the 1978-1981 timeframe.
 
It's not really a new thing. I had a McDonald's party one year and another year had one at the skating rink and that was in the 1978-1981 timeframe.

We were too poor to go out for a party. In fact, my birthday often falls on Memorial Day weekend so my parents would have a bbq that included pot luck. ;)

Those were the days...
 
Evidently 95+ % of parents do the hosted parties nowadays at venues like . . . Bounceland, or . . .

I once attended a kid's party at an indoor bouncy house venue. As I watched my son and the other kids playing I thought these bouncy houses would be great for an "adult party." Lots of tequila, naked twister, etc. Keeping in mind we totally wouldn't be getting the deposit back. :-c But it might be worth it.
 
The Girl is having a sleepover as her party and there are some games with modern technology she wanted to do. Activities include a selfie scavenger hunt, Google this, & a truth or dare game app type thing she has seen at another friends house.

What, no "Murder in the Dark"!?! I am outraged on behalf of the 1970s! :) Sounds like good ideas, selfie scavenger hunt. I'll have to remember that.
 
... I thought these bouncy houses would be great for an "adult party." Lots of tequila, naked twister, etc. Keeping in mind we totally wouldn't be getting the deposit back. :-c But it might be worth it.

You know, this is intended to be the raising kids thread.....Although now that I think about it, I suppose one could argue that the whole 'begetting' thing is a necessary initial component to any raising of kids so it is kinda topical in that sense..... please carry on.

BTW co-ed naked Twister sounds fun in principle, but chances are when the spinner comes up with 'left hand blue' that'll put your face mere inches from some guys hairy butt (NTTAWWT if that's one's thing) ;):a:.
 
You know, this is intended to be the raising kids thread.....Although now that I think about it, I suppose one could argue that the whole 'begetting' thing is a necessary initial component to any raising of kids so it is kinda topical in that sense..... please carry on.

BTW co-ed naked Twister sounds fun in principle, but chances are when the spinner comes up with 'left hand blue' that'll put your face mere inches from some guys hairy butt (NTTAWWT if that's one's thing) ;):a:.
[ot]Thread split, thread split![/ot] :p
 
My son is turning 8 this weekend and is having a sleepover with 4 of his friends (3 are his age, 1 is in kindergarten). I don't want to plan a whole bunch of stuff for them to do, but I don't want them to end up asking to play video games and watching TV either (although we'll put on a movie when it's winding down time). Any words of wisdom on how to manage them all? Batten down the hatches and hope for the best? :p
 
My son is turning 8 this weekend and is having a sleepover with 4 of his friends (3 are his age, 1 is in kindergarten). I don't want to plan a whole bunch of stuff for them to do, but I don't want them to end up asking to play video games and watching TV either (although we'll put on a movie when it's winding down time). Any words of wisdom on how to manage them all? Batten down the hatches and hope for the best? :p
Nerf swords.
 
My son is turning 8 this weekend and is having a sleepover with 4 of his friends (3 are his age, 1 is in kindergarten). I don't want to plan a whole bunch of stuff for them to do, but I don't want them to end up asking to play video games and watching TV either (although we'll put on a movie when it's winding down time). Any words of wisdom on how to manage them all? Batten down the hatches and hope for the best? :p

Is your yard/neighborhood safe? I say turn them loose outside and let them burn off energy and creativity! Or take them miniature golfing or something where they can be kids. Other than that I think planning for no sleep for the rest of the household is a good idea.

I can remember being at a friend's sleepover party and at 3am screaming "DAVVVVVYYYYYY!!!" at the top of my lungs because we were watching reruns of The Monkees. Somehow I managed to get invited back to that house. Those parents must have been saints.
 
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