Parenting Contents Archive

My neighbor's dalmatian just attacked my 5 year old daughter, biting her badly on the back -- I need advice on how to handle this

She's been wailing for over an hour now. She was already scared of dogs. The teeth marks are visible with dark red, it's quite swollen and severe bruising is already showing up. I can't tell if the skin is broken -- a few spots look like a tiny bit of blood showing, but the clothes aren't torn. I know I need to demand to see the dog's rabies vaccination. I know I need to confront them -- the dog was offleash in an unfenced yard. My husband was walking with my girls in the street and the dog ran out and attacked them. I don't know what I would have done if I was there! My pediatrician is out of town but maybe I need to take her to a different doctor. I don't want to start a feud with the neighbor or would file a police report. I'm so freaked out and angry... It could have bitten her face! The poor girl is inconsolable.

I just need to say this and I realize it’s a first world problem but I am not ok

We were supposed to go to Disney World in January 2022. This was supposed to be our reward for literally doing nothing since January 2020 when our youngest was born. We have an immune compromised 3 year. You see where this is going. The FDA has zero sense of urgency to approve the vaccine for this age group. We’ve been promised over and over and it’s just not going to happen. I just can’t stop crying today. This was literally what kept me going this last year. As we signed up for another fucking year of remote learning. As we saw NO ONE and did NOTHING. As we never set foot in a fucking store for any reason. My 21 month old has never been in a store. He doesn’t even know what strangers are he just knows us and nothing else. He was supposed to be turning two in Epcot and now it’s looking like January 2023 before we’ll get to take this vacation as a fully vaccinated family. I’ll just be over here bawling if you need me.

Toddlers Are Freaking Psychos!

This morning while I was getting dressed and hubby came upstairs leaving the kids downstairs for a few moments, he then goes back down and I hear him screaming. I come down to find what out what the 3 year old has done now. Turns out he of course got ahold of the scissors and was cutting up his older brothers very pricey fleece jacket and of course, older brother (8) didn't see any of it. Hubby yells at the top of his lungs and storms off upstairs. I then grab 3 year old to change his diaper and dress him and try firmly to let him know he can't touch scissors ever. Its bad. This whole time, the 3 year old just giggles and laughs. Then proceeds to start singing nursery rhymes. I'm telling you, f\*cking psycho!!

Is there a safe place I can ask about the MRNA Covid Vax

I really want to ask what is possibly a stupid question about the Covid Vax. However, every time I ask in a vax group I’m attacked as an anti-vaxer (which I’m most definitely NOT) or presumed to be a Covid or Vax deny-er (?) or a vax pusher and clever people think it’s a stupid question LOL. Help!!?!

Is there any rational explanation to why my daughter is scared of black balloons?

Now, it's not like it's a problem, really. It's not like she has to live with black balloons. I'm just a very curious dad. My daughter is 1,5yo, and she loves balloons overall. And she's not a scaredy-cat either, I don't recall seeing her scared of anything other than the regular "help me I woke up in the middle of the night and I'm alone". But today she saw black balloons for the first time, as we had some laying around after a Halloween party which she didn't have the time to attend. I have never seen her so terrified. She ran away to another room, cried, rolled on the floor, face red. I didn't connect it to the balloons at first, but sure enough, after I calmed her down and we came back to the living room, she started crying again, hugging me and pointing to the balloons. After I removed them from the room and assasinated them quietly in the bathroom, the problem was gone. Any idea why black balloons would be so scary?

Fake Blippi is upsetting the smalls

Anyone elses kids disappointed with the Blippi replacement? Mine are not impressed with 'fake Blippi' being on the TV and refuse to accept him! I didn't think I would ever say this, but I miss OG Blippi too, that annoying bastard was definitely less painful to watch than fake Blippi.

Marriage on life support

My marriage is in the shitter. I want to fight for it but dont have the energy to do so. I am sick of being the reason he is stressed out. The sad part is I really fight and try to be a better person but fail at every turn. He will never leave because he is traumatized from his parents divorce. At the same time I can feel his hatred towards me. I need too much from him, rely on him too much. I've basically pushed him into depression because I struggle with my own mental health. Despite years of therapy and being on meds that work well, it's the bad episodes that finally broke him. He is an awesome man and I destroyed his soul. Dont need advice just needed to get this off my chest.

I loathe watching other people’s kids.

I am a mother (duh). I have four kids. I love them but I also really don’t like children. How’s that for irony. I have a relative going through a hard time and I have been asked quite often to watch their littles so they can get their life together. That’s fine. I want to help another fellow breaking mom. I get it. But I also hate it. Most of my kids are older and are self-sufficient and can entertain themselves most of the time, so having toddlers over is a STRUGGLE for me. I paid my dues. I did that shit and yet at the same time I know how incredibly grateful I was to people who watched my kids when they were little. Sigh.

11 year old Daughter has INTENSE, regular tantrums. Curses, hits, etc. What to do?

Hello! My 11 year old daughter, who can be a real empathetic sweetiepie, has been having an especially hard time managing her emotions. Small things might set her off, she curses at us, she hits her little brother (9 -who loooves to annoy her and egg her on), she'll throw things. We feel like we're walking on eggshells, we've tried a weekly swear jar for a bit, but she didn't make it more than a day. I'll take her cell phone away in the evenings (she has extra curricular activities and walks home from school, so I don't feel comfortable taking her phone away entirely). This is nothing entirely NEW, but they seem to be more intense and more frequent lately. We're not quite sure what to do. It's a mess and especially draining on us with our 3 other children. Any sort of advice would be really great.

Belly-Rubbing test

Our twins needed to get their bilirubin levels checked, so my husband called the lab to schedule the test and told them: "Hi! I need to schedule my kids' belly-rubbing test". That was 2 months ago and I still cackle about it. 🤣🤣🤣

I’m afraid for my wife’s losing her mind being by herself

Hello I write this with rising concern for my wife who is by herself for the next 3 months with my children, I have a 11 month old and a 3 year old who she is with and for the past couple weeks it’s been extremely hard for her, our youngest is teething bad and our 3 year old is in the questioning stage so it can be overwhelming at times with both of them going off. I’m concerned because she says she can’t take it anymore and that she wants to check into a mental hospital. I am currently stuck on orders away from them until around Christmas. Of course I trust her and know she isn’t one to be violent but my concern is her mental health and the lack of family and friends to help her. I’m not sure what to do, our financial situation isn’t the best so babysitting is very hard. I’m just not sure what I can do

I need help!

Okay so I have a 12 year old boy and his life situation is a bit complicated mom is in and out all the time and there is no dad. He has collectively been raised by me(his aunt) my grandma and my mom. It’s been like this his whole life. He goes to therapy and honestly he prefers not to see his mother. The problem we’re having though is school. We have tried over and over again to get him to realize that school is his #1 priority and in the moment he agrees. We ask him every night are you done with hw he says yes. And we ask to check and he will show us some kind of work. Well today we looked up his grades and he hasn’t been doing his hw at all. It’s not a new problem. But On our end what else can we do ?? I’ve tried taking away video games, phone, laptop. Everything, but he just won’t do his hw and when I talk to him about it rather than yell or anything to see what the problem is, he just says he will do better he promises. Soo idk what to do. Does anyone have any ideas??

Scientists and health officials recommending the shot emphasize that vaccination could prevent many infections, as well as disruptions to schooling, hospitalizations and rare but severe complications of the disease. @NPR @AubreyNPR @selenasd https://t.co/aFu6tpjofL

How to travel with infant?

Flying 4 hours with just me and a 9 month old. The airline United only asked about traveling with kids over 2 so I had nowhere to indicate I was traveling with my infant. It’s four hours - am I supposed to just hold her in my arms that whole time. I’m not going to take stroller or car seat because my mom has one at her house that she’ll have when she picks us up from airport. Does that make sense? Anything to keep in mind about how to travel, what to bring and what to leave behind?

Positive mother/son relationships

I was wondering if any men would be willing to share if they have positive relationships with their mothers. I am pregnant with my second son, and I am hopeful that it is possible to have good, close (and healthy) relationships with them into adolescence and adulthood. I don’t personally know any men with good relationships with their mothers (or not enviable ones anyway) and only a couple of women who are close with their mothers. Thanks in advance!