Parenting Contents Archive

“It’s important to remember that not only have our students suffered pandemic trauma — our educators have, our principals have, too,” says U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. @BySamanthaWest https://t.co/gA9BegdgN7

Happy TWOSDay, parents! 2/22/22 is a PALINDROME - which is a word, phrase or date that reads the same way backwards and forwards - like MOM and DAD.

Who says socks are just for wearing?? 😀 Here are six fun and active games kids can play with a pair of socks! https://t.co/AAWFSpjLBU https://t.co/LvM6jZMvwL

Update: in-laws want newborn to travel 14 hours to them

Earlier this week, I posted about my in-laws wanting us to bring our two-month old to see them. They live about 14 hours away from us. Everyone agreed that traveling that far was crazy, so I talked to my in-laws. They agreed to meet us halfway, so about a 7 hour drive for us. This would happen when the baby is 5 months old. Is this more reasonable? Is a 7 hour drive with a 5 month old doable? Or should I just insist they come here or don’t see the baby? Flying isn’t an option (it would require two flights and about 2.5 hours of driving). We also really can’t push the trip back or up. Our next option for travel would be when he’s a year old. Any thoughts? I want to accommodate the grandparents (they keep saying my father in law might not have long left, although there is no medical diagnosis to support this), but I also don’t want to torture the baby or us.

How young can you start this? Bring it on strong around 5 years. The toddler is doing it too though, like when they pull over the chair to crawl up on the counter. https://t.co/LZbIuLRMaz

Mountain walks with the children: what to take with you https://t.co/syNdDz6yV9 #travelblogger #traveltips #adventuretravel RT https://t.co/cdPM281v5K

Kids knocking on neighbors' doors to come out and play - acceptable at 8 years old?

Am I out of line for thinking it's acceptable for an 8 year old kid to be able to knock on the door of another 8 year old kid to ask if they want to come outside and play? My wife thinks so and just got extremely upset with me for encouraging my son to go ask his friend if he wants to play. She said we have to arrange that with his mom. Her response was legitimate concern that I would even consider it, and she can't believe I would ever send him over to just knock. That I should at the least go with him. They've played a number of times before. They're six houses down from us. It's a quiet, safe street, and there is plenty for them to do outside. We know the parents and have spent time with them on numerous occasions. And it's not a covid thing. It's a "that's not something people do" thing. That's how I grew up. I just told my mom I was going over to so-and-so's house, and we'd play. I did that at a very early age. Am I in the wrong?

Partner refuses to gentle parent

My partner refuses to use gentle parenting. He says it doesn't work and refuses to try anymore. Am I wrong for not budging? I feel like he doesn't try hard enough, losses patients. His childhood was very traumatic and I think that plays a big part. I don't want my kid to grow up in a house hold where we yell at each other. Like today, our 2 year old is always really excited about our cat and isn't very nice to her, chases her and picks on her. It's a hard stage, I know. But I don't think it was appropriate to aggressively state "alright were going to your room!" And snatched him up and proceeds to his room, where our 2 year old then refuses to listen and continue throwing his fit and calling for me. My SO gets upset leaves him in his room and closes the door! Please tell me I'm not the only one who disagrees. Am I wrong for wanting to leave? Some days I feel like he tries and it's okay but other times, some of the things he says to our two year old is flat out not okay.

Funniest thing you’ve said while sleep deprived in the dead of night

I woke my SO up the other night because my arm fell asleep underneath my head and was tingly and doing that thing where it’s all loose and bent sorta. He said I tapped him and showed him and said “look at my ahm” in a Boston accent and immediately fell asleep; that it was all bent and the creepiest thing I’ve ever done

A guide to winter plants https://t.co/dVBeOkTNDU #winter #gardens https://t.co/lxTbr1WvB9

Oops...

We had to grab groceries earlier today. My husband always tries to park where we won't have a car on the passenger side, because carseats are made infinitely more difficult by his little two door car. We parked in the back today, with no cars on either side. When we came out from shopping, a large white truck had parked by the passenger side and barely left room to open the door, let alone put the carseat in. Of course it's windy and snowing, too, so I don't want the baby outside longer than necessary. Upon seeing how close the truck is, I say, "Are you for real?", very loudly. Little did I know the person driving it was standing right behind us and heard me be a total jerk. He told us he would move without even hesitating, and I tried to shout an apology to him but I'm not sure he heard me. I still feel bad. :(

I know it doesn’t come naturally. I get that, I really do. It’s just not your thing, and really, I believe most kids your age feel the same way, especially boys. #tuesdaytips via @sheryl_gould https://t.co/VRDJMTyU3p

How do you feel when you have the flu? How do you manage to take care of your baby while so sick?

My daughter had the flu. Now I might have it or my anxiety is tricking me into thinking I do. I’m tired and I have chills. I also get that with anxiety. Anyway, I’m expecting the worse. How can I continue to care for my exclusively breastfed 9 month old while sick? What if I get too sick to even get up out of bed?

What’s the funniest accidentally true thing your toddler has said to you?

A scene from my life (and everyone wonders why I'm constantly on the edge of sanity)...

Scene: laundry room. Me bent over a basket of clothes trying to find my wool ball that likely got stuck to a sweater. I just spent 30 minutes digging my husband's work shirts out of Mt. Washmore in our bedroom and I am cranky about basically all of it and grumbling probably a little loudly, definitely cursing the existence of dryer balls and laundry in general. Husband comes in: what's wrong? Me, still bent over basket: I just hate laundry. It never ends, I'm the only one who does it, it's just a fucking pain in the- Husband, seeing pile of his work shirts on the floor: -did you look through my shirts for my collar stays? So... who's got time and land?