Parenting Contents Archive

Got judged because my baby is "too active"

Took my 12 month old to a tot lot (baby specific playground) and got the dumbest mom shame yet. Baby's been walking about 6 wks now and is a fearless explored and lives to climb everything. The other mom had a just turned 2 yr old, who was more cautious. No judgement on my end, kids all grow at different rates and have different comfort levels. I let her climb the play structure, which again is for baby's so is about 2.5 ft tall at the highest and I'm right there supervising, but letting her do her thing. The other mom asked the ussual questions about age and such then said, "mine never was so reckless at that age. She seems too active aren't you concerned something is wrong?" "No." End conversation What the fresh pickle is "too active" in a newly minted toddler? She's not acting like a tasmanian devil, just climbing and toddling around!?!?! Man the week before she started walking my MIL kept describing her as "slow" because she wasn't walking yet. Now I'm grumpy😝

“One of the hardest things I had to do was learn how to change my ‘teacher’ language so that I could encourage and empower students on a daily basis,” says sixth-grade teacher Alyssa Nucaro. @edutopia @smerrill777 https://t.co/clDckaSf0H

Should i go to my cottage at 35 weeks pregnant?

I am 35 weeks pregnant, due date is in 5 weeks. For the labour day long weekend we always go to my cottage up north. It is about a 4 hour drive, then a boat ride across the lake to our cottage. There is no road access but the boat ride is only 2 minutes. I want to go to the cottage but my mom and sister, who are also going, do not think it is a good idea. They feel if anything were to happen, like me going into early labour, it would be difficult to get back across the lake to the nearest hospital. There is a hospital about 30-40 minutes away. My boyfriend says its up to me if we go or not hes good either way. Should i go? I feel like with 5 weeks until my due date there is a very low chance of anything happening. With my first baby I was 9 days early if that makes a difference.

Does anyone use blackout curtains for daytime naps?

Got this tip from another parent and am wondering if it works. Currently our baby can only nap on us, mostly done in the carrier. These naps range from as short as 20 mins, to a long as 2 hours. We want to start putting him down for naps in our Snoo during the day (at least once or twice) and want to know what experience other parents have w/ blackout curtains. Our concerns is that blackout curtains may ruin their development for night/day (creation of melatonin vs. serotonin). Any tips or personal experience stories would be appeciated! Our son is 12 weeks old for reference.

Newborn book for Dad?

My husband wants to read a book about newborn care, what to expect, diapers, feeding, any of that stuff. Any suggestions from new parents? Thanks in advance!

Poly-vi-sol

Parents with breastfed babies, has your pediatrician told you to give your baby poly-vi-sol drops (with iron and vitamin D)? Our pediatrician said all breastfed babies need to take them by 4 months old, but most other nursing moms I’ve talked to either have no clue what I’m talking about or only had to give them to their child when tests showed an iron deficiency. Of course, I ultimately want to do what’s best for my baby, so I will keep giving them to her if they’re necessary. But I just hate them so much! The smell is so repulsive to me that I really thought I was pregnant again for a hot minute. And they are staining all of her clothes. Even when I give them to her after undressing her, the consistency is so syrupy that it sticks in her mouth awhile, and she somehow still ends up with it on her clothes when I put them back on 5-10 minutes later. Are there any other options for Vitamin D + Iron besides Enfamil’s Poly-vi-sol?

9 month old will not stop slapping!

So I know babies don’t know their own strength at this point, but I’m getting super frustrated with my baby girl, who at any point when I’m carrying her, will slap my face. Not all the time, just when she focuses on my face. I can almost guarantee as soon as her beautiful big eyes make contact with mine, she will smack me. Or my husband. Or honestly, whoever is carrying her. I’ve tried redirecting her, I’ve tried grabbing her hands and saying “gentle”, I’ve tried saying “NO” (both gently and sternly), I’ve tried ignoring and nothing helps. Most times she will actually try hitting harder. Sometimes she will even try pinching and scratching. I know she’s still very little but this is getting old REAL fast. Is this just a phase or am I somehow creating an unruly flappy child?

Frankie Bridge (@frankiebridge) joins us this week, talking to hosts Annie (@_annieoleary) and Wendy (@wendygolledge) about what it's like living with depression when you're a mum. Listen and subscribe👇 https://t.co/u0qDN4vS4d https://t.co/g9aJkoZ2Ok

Pre-baby anxiety

We’re at 37 weeks and in the last week my wife has suddenly developed massive anxiety about being parents. She has anxiety in general and is off medication for the pregnancy (as she was on a low dosage and dealing well) In the last week though she’s been crying regularly and having a real panic about our lives changing too much, what if it makes us less happy as a couple/individually…then feeling guilt for feeling that way about the baby She says she knows she is ‘being silly’ and we’ll love the baby and we’ll make it through but can’t shake the terrified feeling. Up to this point she seemed calm/excited but as we’ve got up to the birth this wave of fear has just engulfed her. We talk about it and the panic goes away….then a few hours later she is ‘worked up’ again Any words of wisdom?/Any reassurance from your own experiences?

Baby monitor recs please?

I am looking for a baby monitor that has recording/playback and ALSO has a parent unit instead of on your phone. Does this exist?

6's dad's GF and kid move in, he only wants 6 for a few hours a week

Ex husband (separated only four months ago) told kiddo that he plans to have his new GF and her young son move in with him. He only sees our daughter for a few hours on Sundays, because he doesn't want any more time, and he's too lazy and apathetic to want her around. I've been telling kiddo that she can't have more time with dad because his schedule is too busy, to avoid telling her that he doesn't want to see her more. But now, the new kid will get far more time with him than our daughter does. What happens when she realizes that she's getting less time with her dad? What does this say to her about their relationship? She's smart, she's going to wake up one day and realize that he walked out because he doesn't care or want her...

9yo existential crises

My 9yo is asking some very deep questions like: “why did god make me/put me on earth to have me suffer”? For context we lost one of our cats last weekend due to old age and my 9yo kid is sad… Monday she didn’t want to get out of bed, and stay home from school. Today she woke up with the following question: “why do humans do that (work). I wish every day was the weekend. She’s not wrong, I’m just really surprised by all these deep thoughts. I think pre-teen hormones are definitely kicking in. Just wanted to share! Anyone else’s kids expressing similar thoughts?

My kindergartener keeps punching at school

I just got off the phone with the assistant principal and my son has gone to her office three times in the past week for hitting. I’m at such a loss. He never did this at preschool and sometimes he plays rough at home but not this bad. His teacher is doing a behavior chart with him where every fifteen minutes she checks in with him and gives him a check if he is listening and keeping his hands to himself. After 6 checks he gets a prize. He did okay with that yesterday until about noon when he didn’t get anymore checks after that. When I ask him why he is doing this he says he doesn’t know, gets really upset and says he’s doing his best. Any advice??

To a very great degree, school is a place where children learn to be stupid. -John Holt, #unschool

Do you let your baby sleep during the day?

My child is 4 months. Between 18.00 - 19.00 I’ll change his clothes and give him a bath (every other night) and give him a bottle. Keep him in a dark room with white noise. This is bed time. However - during the day, I’ll let him sleep as much as he needs to (As long as it’s 3 hours before 19.00). I’ve heard people say they don’t let their baby sleep at all during the day so I’m worried I’m spoiling him really. He wakes once a night. What I’m really asking is - is waking once a night at 4 months still acceptable? Or should I be training him to sleep all the way through?