Parenting Contents Archive

Would you expect food at a 10am birthday party?

Title says it all. It was a 5 year old’s birthday party at an outdoor skating rink with about 30 kids (yes, 30) in attendance, along with parents and siblings and whatnot (no drop offs). I mistakenly thought that they’d have pizza or whatever around 11ish and then do the cake after, but when they cut the cake at 11am I realized this is it. After googling this out of curiosity, it seems that some people think a 10am birthday party is in the “no food zone” and the kids will all eat after they get home. Others say that most birthday parties are a 2 hour block so if you’re there from roughly 10am - 12pm, lunch should clearly be provided. I personally think you should always feed the people you’re hosting, including the parents. I was starving, and drop off wasn’t an option! Am I on the wrong side of this debate?

Another depressing weekend.

We have a 13yo with many social issues... he seems intent on burning every friendship he has because: 1) he's completely socially unaware 2) he's smart (gets good grades) but somehow still has bathrooming accidents and doesn't care. (We've seen many specialists on this - not looking for help on this one) 3) he looks for any attention, good or bad, as long as he gets it. This includes making friends or girls he like feel uncomfortable by making lovey or creepy sexual comments. Despite this I feel so sad for him when he spends all weekend alone. And despite therapy and our constant guidance nothing changes. And I feel sad for him, but at the same time if I were a kid I would definitely keep my distance. Sigh

Tired of bad mouthing scouts

Took my daughter to a girl scout event today at the council. He came with us. My husband's first time on site. Constant disparaging remarks downplaying girls and how roughing it is not sleeping in platform tents, boy scouts taught him everything. Ugh. She's 6. She doesn't need to go full on camping. And seriously, he hasn't put his phone down in years. I don't think he's up for roughing it either.

Parenting Question

Let me set the scene: You're bed sharing with a toddler. After nearly 2 hours, they have finally fallen asleep...upside down...one foot resting on your head...intermittently kicking you. You had chili for dinner, and it has been percolating inside you for hours. It currently feels like Satan is stirring your guts with a pitchfork. If you move, the toddler will wake up. There is an enormous heater of a fart welling up inside you. You're clenching your sphincter as hard as you can, but you're losing the battle. Do you move and wake the toddler? Or, do you stay still and just release what is surely toxic gas on their head? Asking for an...ummm...friend

I Don't Remember The Last Time I Was Happy

Ever since COVID started. I was pregnant and miscarriage April 2020. My rainbow is now 9 months old. I honestly think about killing myself everyday. I can't do anything right. I can't stay focused on a task. I spend too,much money on my daughter. I apparently remember things incorrectly. I'm on my phone too much. I don't drive correctly. I can't wash the dishes well enough. I can't even vaccume up to standard. I try so hard to keep up with household chores like cooking and cleaning. I have little to no time to do the things I enjoy. I can't remember if I felt this way before I had a baby, or if it's just worse now. I'm just really thinking if I'm so terrible. Maybe my daughter would be better off without me. As she's the only thing keeping me off the ledge. I dont think I'm going to ever change who I am or how I do things. I have little pockets of joy with my daughter. But I'm just so lost.

Nobody:

Men: *completely ignore or "don't hear" when you communicate a request* Also Men: *do an utterly unasked for thing that creates MORE work for you and have the nerve to be bewildered when you express frustration over gratitude* But ESPECIALLY men, after you lose your patience for stupidity, weaponized incompetence, and selective hearing: "jUsT AsK fOr HeLp, GeEz...." 😬 I can't with this.

Let's talk about the privileged people in our lives

Seriously, it's getting out of hand. I mean I drink too much and throw up all over myself and I "have a problem", my four months old does it and he's just "happy spitting" Or My wife starts yelling out loud, for seemingly no reason, and everybody looks at her like she's crazy, but our six-month-old is just "finding his voice" It's giving entitled 😂

A national group that seeks to curb student absenteeism is sounding an alarm after finding that the number of chronically absent students continued to surge even as pandemic closings abated. @jillbarshay @hechingerreport https://t.co/tSYI4yTd9X

I may have been unintentionally poisoning my baby with spices containing lead

I have a 14 months old, and since we started solids, except for the first few weeks, I’ve been feeding her exactly what we eat with the exception of salt, sugar and honey… But since I’m moroccan, we use different spices in our food, and until now I didn’t know that especially turmeric and paprika can contain lead. And I’ve used them plenty! So I came across this report https://journals.lww.com/jphmp/fulltext/2019/01001/a_spoonful_of_lead__a_10_year_look_at_spices_as_a.11.aspx And it states that spices from Morocco (and other countries) contains lead. Now im stressed and worried I poisoned my baby. I wish i knew beforehand maybe i could have sticked with spices I grind myself. We have an appointment with the pediatrician on Monday, and he may just assure me its okay or we may test her blood. I don’t know! I would appreciate any advice and input. Thank you!

Ok I’ve had it, I need help getting this baby to take naps.

He’s three months. He will only sleep while being held. Result is basically he doesn’t nap. I have a 3yo and things to do, I really cannot spend all day holding him for naps. This is my second kid and I’m trying everything I know but he wakes up as soon as he’s put down. Hoped it was a phase but it’s been weeks now. The most irritating part is that he could do “drowsy while awake” when he was younger but not anymore. What do I do? Taking Cara Babies course? What has worked for you? Gentle approaches only, I don’t like to leave them to cry at this age. I am trying pick up put down over and over and over to no avail. Paying attention to wake windows and tired signs. I’m lost.

Desperately need help with car seat

Hi Every time we have to remove the car seats it takes us several hours to reinstall them. They are still rear facing. The issue is trying to pull the strap to tighten the seat. We try the push down on the seat and pulling the strap, but the strap does not actually tighten. I'm pulling so hard that my hands are bleeding. But the seats still move like 6 inches. I really hate installing the car seats. We don't know anyone else with kids that could help us. Is there a trick to this? Edit: we have multiple brands of carseats and have the same issue will all of them, leading us to believe it's the technique.

Do antibiotics given during csection affect baby?

I'm looking for some studies that will help me understand the potential risks of a cesarean birth. I understand that a surgical birth option often means your baby will not have the same gut bacteria as a baby born vaginally, but I don't know how big this impact is. Or if this is due to the antibiotics given to the mom via IV shortly before the surgery begins. My twins were born by csection about a week ago, and this has been something my husband and I have been thinking about since we are in the middle of cold and flu season. Currently my babies are formula fed because I couldn't handle how painful it was to nurse by the 3rd day. (Cluster feeding twins is no joke) I know breast milk does expose them to beneficial bacteria, but I'm not sure if the benefit is overblown, or worth me pushing through the pain.

Which avengers movie is best for a 9 year old?

Movie night for my son and I tonight. He wants to watch his first avengers movie. He is sensitive to extreme violence but is ok with light violence. Neither him nor I know anything about the series or where to start. We were at Disney last weekend and he rode the avengers ride so maybe one of the movies ties into that?

There are endless ways to help kids cope.The trick is to find what works for THE CHILD.Then practice the skill in different situations til she/he can use the healthy stress reducer anyplace wout you! It's 1 more way to build #resilience. https://t.co/NIfNQtzCu8

Mom rage is real. It's about time we normalize it and adopt practices—both individual and societal—that will help us navigate our anger in ways that are healthier for us and for our kids. https://t.co/NQb7YUmdcC