Thought it would be a nice change of pace to bring Athena to the play place in the mall, except there's a bunch of other kids that are more around 5 and I don't know if anyone told you guys but kids can be pretty hyper
Dear eight month old, you definitely already won your bingo card with "interrupt every attempt at intimacy my parents make to within thirty seconds" this week. Please don't feel the need to go for the *full* blackout by continuing with "wake up at a some random fucking time in the night for three full hours", "insist on making eye contact throughout a meal and crying whenever you chew", and "screaming like I'm being murdered by rats because you thought you could sneak off to the bathroom for just five goddamn seconds to just be alone without me noticing"
I know there came a point with my second one where I decided it had all been worth it, enough to have a third one, but for the life of me I can't remember when it occurred now. And I'm really trying!
I think my son is proof fusion exists:
9 am - birthday party at play gym starts (think 15 foot tall maze of stuff and slides+gymnastics and pretend areas. 20+ kids
11 am - party ends, does errands with me
1230 pm - 30 minute break for lunch and 1 show
1 pm - commence hour of running and playing in the snow
It's now 620 and I don't think he's taken more than a half hour break for anything. Currently playing Legos and testing his safety glasses.
I long for the days of naps.
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lonelyahavaCall me Ahava ~~She/Her~~Move to New ZealandRegistered Userregular
Ok parents.
Ellie will be 3 in February. I'm canvassing for opinions.
What kind of dance? What kind of gym? At that age it's probably more about the environment than the specific type of movement. Any way of checking prior which one is more supportive and healthy?
Both work well as a starting point since they will both help her be more flexible and coordinated. If she doesn't like one, a lot of the physical training will carry over to the other.
Leah is 5 soon. She started ballet at 2 1/2 even though the classes usually started with 3. She loves it ever since. We signed her up for gymnastics this year too and she definitely enjoys it as well. Same teacher does both classes though so that helps with the consistency since Leah loves her.
Dance is fun because there is the recital at the end of the year, whereas gymnastics doesn’t have anything like that. At least here.
Thought it would be a nice change of pace to bring Athena to the play place in the mall, except there's a bunch of other kids that are more around 5 and I don't know if anyone told you guys but kids can be pretty hyper
Those play areas are a nightmare. My kids got sick almost every time we let them play at one, nobody pays attention to the posted age limits and the bigger kids inevitably trample the smaller ones and sure parents of older kids need a break too but it makes the whole thing inaccessible to the little ones it was intended for in the first place, and the only time the parents of the bigger kids are paying attention is if you ask their kid to stop pushing your two year old out of the way.
There aren't any gymnastics places within walking distance, so we defaulted to dance with our little ones. Our dance place doesn't do the uniform thing, so as long as you wear tight clothing you're fine.
Didn't stop my daughter from begging for gymnastics as well. I lucked out that her after-school program offered tumbling this year. Currently our Saturdays are swim, then ballet. Come spring, we get baseball on Sundays.
Her little brother just does dance for now. As he gets older, I can see our weekends getting messier. I'm crossing my fingers that we will be able to keep our after school program next year, as they offer swimming (didn't try for this year as it cost $$, the time saving may be worth it)
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
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mosssnackYeah right, man, Bishop should go!Good idea!Registered Userregular
It will never stop amazing me how much little ones change after not seeing or hearing them for 80ish days.
Instantaneous ugly crying as soon as they saw me and yelled “daddy!”
We were looking at stars and the moon tonight in our telescope that we received from last year’s D&D Secret Santa and my daughter was asking about the moon. So I was telling her the stuff I know off the top of my head. Told her how it was quite far away but not so far that no one hasn’t been there and back. So naturally she says she wants to go and I tell her that’s awesome, she’ll have to aim for being an astronaut and all that that entails. I tell her it helps to become a pilot so she knows how to fly. “Okay dad.”
A moment passes, looking at the moon.
“And I want to go past the moon. But I’ll have to shoot down all the asteroids in my way first.”
First day of full-time preschool today. She's a picky eater, but ate everything they served for breakfast, lunch, and snack! Had 3 potty opportunities and did it once! No pushing or shoving?! AND THEY GOT HER TO TAKE A NAP?!!
The wife and I agree we should have done this a long time ago.
Need a voice actor? Hire me at bengrayVO.com
Legends of Runeterra: MNCdover #moc
Switch ID: MNC Dover SW-1154-3107-1051 Steam ID Twitch Page
Who is it does those really elaborate hunts at Easter?
How old were your kids when you started doing them and how did you start?
That's me, I think? And we've been doing them, let's see, since 2013, so kids would have been 6 and 3. The first one was a lot simpler -- that year was just "find puzzle pieces", "do puzzle" (and it was a pretty simple puzzle):
then "there's cheese in the puzzle, so where would you find cheese?"
and that was as far as it went.
[*] Needed to borrow money from us in June to finish purchasing her apartment. This is after already buying two 5+ room houses in the area. "I need 15k to close. Will pay you back in one month after my house sells!" We cave and get her the money. Two weeks later, "The closing costs are higher, do you have more money? Will pay you back right away!" End up loaning her $24k. Finally paid us back last week after we brought it up...almost 6 months later. Her reasoning? Oh, I had the money to pay you back in an investment. If I pulled it out early, I wouldn't have made this extra $160. Which of course she kept.
sigh I hear you on this one. My father in law is putting us into such a fucking huge awkward position. We're gonna end up letting him borrow 200k for two years because he owns too much property and doesn't want to sell any of it yet cause it's not worth 'as much' as he thinks it should be and since he has so much going on the bank won't give him a new loan for as good a rate as he thinks he should be able to get. So instead he wants us to give him a huge loan at our loan rate plus a little more (we pay prime + 0.2 so he has offered prime + 0.5). Basically he wants to be able to easily buy new inventory for his ship and wants to save like maybe max 2 grand over the next couple years by going through us instead of a bank.
This is a big hassle, I don't want to deal with it but we're gonna end up doing it cause "what if we need something from him in the future" or some garbage.
What are you going to do if he defaults on that loan?
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FishmanPut your goddamned hand in the goddamned Box of Pain.Registered Userregular
Who is it does those really elaborate hunts at Easter?
How old were your kids when you started doing them and how did you start?
That's me, I think? And we've been doing them, let's see, since 2013, so kids would have been 6 and 3. The first one was a lot simpler -- that year was just "find puzzle pieces", "do puzzle" (and it was a pretty simple puzzle):
then "there's cheese in the puzzle, so where would you find cheese?"
and that was as far as it went.
Excellent, thanks!
I have a 6 and a (almost) 3 year old and was thinking about doing a thing for Xmas. I was curious where you started to see how you got to where you are now.
Well, I'm not getting Anya a 2DS for Christmas anymore. Last night we took her Kindle away because @Janson had asked her to clean up and she just went upstairs and played on the Kindle, and then when we asked her to stop, she just completely ignored us. So I took it away, and a total screaming fit ensued.
To be fair this isn't entirely on her, since I've been kind of inconsistent on enforcing stuff like that (mainly giving her back the offending item a lot sooner than I say I will), but obviously I don't want to give her ANOTHER thing that distracts. She's still getting presents, of course, but yeah, no 2DS.
To her credit she was okay after a bit of screaming/angst. But I do need to be better about enforcing the boundaries we set for her.
Well, I'm not getting Anya a 2DS for Christmas anymore. Last night we took her Kindle away because @Janson had asked her to clean up and she just went upstairs and played on the Kindle, and then when we asked her to stop, she just completely ignored us. So I took it away, and a total screaming fit ensued.
To be fair this isn't entirely on her, since I've been kind of inconsistent on enforcing stuff like that (mainly giving her back the offending item a lot sooner than I say I will), but obviously I don't want to give her ANOTHER thing that distracts. She's still getting presents, of course, but yeah, no 2DS.
To her credit she was okay after a bit of screaming/angst. But I do need to be better about enforcing the boundaries we set for her.
We've experimented with different things as far as access to iPads and TV are concerned. Consistency is really the toughest part of it.
As far as tantrums are concerned, as much as they suck, they really simplify decision-making on our part. In short, if they're screaming because they can't have a thing, they're too dependent on that thing and they're going to get less of it.
I struggle with the hypocrisy, since Mori and I do like to unwind after a day at work by playing on our Switches/PS4, so either we set a strict example and deprive ourselves until after they’re asleep (in which case we’d never get gaming time ourselves!) or we set boundaries but then constantly deal with the kids trying to challenge those boundaries. That’s why we only took it away after she hadn’t helped clean up and ignored me.
+4
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Drake ChambersLay out my formal shorts.Registered Userregular
I struggle with the hypocrisy, since Mori and I do like to unwind after a day at work by playing on our Switches/PS4, so either we set a strict example and deprive ourselves until after they’re asleep (in which case we’d never get gaming time ourselves!) or we set boundaries but then constantly deal with the kids trying to challenge those boundaries. That’s why we only took it away after she hadn’t helped clean up and ignored me.
I think setting boundaries and having them challenged is basically the quintessence of the parent/child relationship. It's no fun, but it's going to happen - so have it happen at home where you control the boundaries.
I've plugged them before but the Kindle Fire Kids editions have really good robust parental controls, including overall time limits, limits on types of media, and start and stop times (my kids' don't work before 8am or after 8:30pm, for example). They also come in nice robust cases and the Amazon Freetime service is great. None of that is going to exactly solve your boundary pushing issues but it at least can give you a nice automatic framework for them.
Also if you have Xbox Game Pass, the Pixar game that's free on there is friggin great. It started life as a Kinect game, but you can play it with a controller, but that means it has very simple controls and no real fail states in the levels. It's the first game I can genuinely just let my kids play and know that they won't fight or get frustrated by it because it's basically impossible to.
Anya is a very good arguer so sheesh, maintaining boundaries with her is exhausting. I was a very compliant child (detrimentally so; it’s been exceptionally hard for me as an adult to stand up for myself and it has cost me time and real money), so it’s taken some adjusting to this stage of child development. It’s sooo much easier to be ‘whoops! The kindle’s lost’ for a few months. We need to play with the parental controls...
I've plugged them before but the Kindle Fire Kids editions have really good robust parental controls, including overall time limits, limits on types of media, and start and stop times (my kids' don't work before 8am or after 8:30pm, for example). They also come in nice robust cases and the Amazon Freetime service is great. None of that is going to exactly solve your boundary pushing issues but it at least can give you a nice automatic framework for them.
Also if you have Xbox Game Pass, the Pixar game that's free on there is friggin great. It started life as a Kinect game, but you can play it with a controller, but that means it has very simple controls and no real fail states in the levels. It's the first game I can genuinely just let my kids play and know that they won't fight or get frustrated by it because it's basically impossible to.
Thanks much for posting this. We've been eyeing the Kids Kindle as a gift for my youngest. Knowing there's a start and stop time setting has sealed the deal.
Also I need to set the time limits on Anya's kindle again, hah. One of the things I definitely forgot was that I had disabled it for whatever reason (maybe I was just trying to get more sleep?), but yeah, setting time limits is a good idea.
I've plugged them before but the Kindle Fire Kids editions have really good robust parental controls, including overall time limits, limits on types of media, and start and stop times (my kids' don't work before 8am or after 8:30pm, for example). They also come in nice robust cases and the Amazon Freetime service is great. None of that is going to exactly solve your boundary pushing issues but it at least can give you a nice automatic framework for them.
Also if you have Xbox Game Pass, the Pixar game that's free on there is friggin great. It started life as a Kinect game, but you can play it with a controller, but that means it has very simple controls and no real fail states in the levels. It's the first game I can genuinely just let my kids play and know that they won't fight or get frustrated by it because it's basically impossible to.
Thanks much for posting this. We've been eyeing the Kids Kindle as a gift for my youngest. Knowing there's a start and stop time setting has sealed the deal.
You're welcome! I've got some real problems with Amazon as a company but that product and Freetime as a service are just top notch.
My only problem with Freetime was setting an age for appropriate things and having a ton of stuff accessible for her which she would scream about not working when not on WiFi. I spent quite a bit of time in the settings trying to remove a ton of titles.
Checking out the new daycare/school for Kate. Looked good so the wife is filling out paperwork. 4.4 miles away though. I already miss her old one that was 2 blocks away.
If you put the tablet in Airplane mode it only shows what's been downloaded to the device. You've got to remember to do it but it does fix some of the shrieking.
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I know there came a point with my second one where I decided it had all been worth it, enough to have a third one, but for the life of me I can't remember when it occurred now. And I'm really trying!
9 am - birthday party at play gym starts (think 15 foot tall maze of stuff and slides+gymnastics and pretend areas. 20+ kids
11 am - party ends, does errands with me
1230 pm - 30 minute break for lunch and 1 show
1 pm - commence hour of running and playing in the snow
It's now 620 and I don't think he's taken more than a half hour break for anything. Currently playing Legos and testing his safety glasses.
I long for the days of naps.
Ellie will be 3 in February. I'm canvassing for opinions.
Dance or gymnastics?
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Yes!
She does swimming on Sundays.
So only Saturday available.
I guess I should have put that in the post.
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Whatever she likes better?
And she doesn't know which is better? She changes her mind all the time. Lol.
I'm leaning towards gym, mainly because if she wants to wear bright green, she can. Instead of needing to wear baby pink.
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Dance is fun because there is the recital at the end of the year, whereas gymnastics doesn’t have anything like that. At least here.
Those play areas are a nightmare. My kids got sick almost every time we let them play at one, nobody pays attention to the posted age limits and the bigger kids inevitably trample the smaller ones and sure parents of older kids need a break too but it makes the whole thing inaccessible to the little ones it was intended for in the first place, and the only time the parents of the bigger kids are paying attention is if you ask their kid to stop pushing your two year old out of the way.
Not that I'm still bitter or anything.
Both our kids have been going to gymnastics since they were 6 months old, and they absolutely love it.
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Didn't stop my daughter from begging for gymnastics as well. I lucked out that her after-school program offered tumbling this year. Currently our Saturdays are swim, then ballet. Come spring, we get baseball on Sundays.
Her little brother just does dance for now. As he gets older, I can see our weekends getting messier. I'm crossing my fingers that we will be able to keep our after school program next year, as they offer swimming (didn't try for this year as it cost $$, the time saving may be worth it)
Instantaneous ugly crying as soon as they saw me and yelled “daddy!”
bnet: moss*1454
We were looking at stars and the moon tonight in our telescope that we received from last year’s D&D Secret Santa and my daughter was asking about the moon. So I was telling her the stuff I know off the top of my head. Told her how it was quite far away but not so far that no one hasn’t been there and back. So naturally she says she wants to go and I tell her that’s awesome, she’ll have to aim for being an astronaut and all that that entails. I tell her it helps to become a pilot so she knows how to fly. “Okay dad.”
A moment passes, looking at the moon.
“And I want to go past the moon. But I’ll have to shoot down all the asteroids in my way first.”
That’s my girl.
The wife and I agree we should have done this a long time ago.
Legends of Runeterra: MNCdover #moc
Switch ID: MNC Dover SW-1154-3107-1051
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How old were your kids when you started doing them and how did you start?
Ellie eats everything at school, but barely eats at home. Well, she grazes.
You can do this, Dover.
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That's me, I think? And we've been doing them, let's see, since 2013, so kids would have been 6 and 3. The first one was a lot simpler -- that year was just "find puzzle pieces", "do puzzle" (and it was a pretty simple puzzle):
then "there's cheese in the puzzle, so where would you find cheese?"
and that was as far as it went.
What are you going to do if he defaults on that loan?
Excellent, thanks!
I have a 6 and a (almost) 3 year old and was thinking about doing a thing for Xmas. I was curious where you started to see how you got to where you are now.
To be fair this isn't entirely on her, since I've been kind of inconsistent on enforcing stuff like that (mainly giving her back the offending item a lot sooner than I say I will), but obviously I don't want to give her ANOTHER thing that distracts. She's still getting presents, of course, but yeah, no 2DS.
To her credit she was okay after a bit of screaming/angst. But I do need to be better about enforcing the boundaries we set for her.
Thank god its not just my kid who does this. Ollie barely eats anything at home, but like daycare cleans the plate. It's maddening!
pleasepaypreacher.net
We've experimented with different things as far as access to iPads and TV are concerned. Consistency is really the toughest part of it.
As far as tantrums are concerned, as much as they suck, they really simplify decision-making on our part. In short, if they're screaming because they can't have a thing, they're too dependent on that thing and they're going to get less of it.
I think setting boundaries and having them challenged is basically the quintessence of the parent/child relationship. It's no fun, but it's going to happen - so have it happen at home where you control the boundaries.
Also if you have Xbox Game Pass, the Pixar game that's free on there is friggin great. It started life as a Kinect game, but you can play it with a controller, but that means it has very simple controls and no real fail states in the levels. It's the first game I can genuinely just let my kids play and know that they won't fight or get frustrated by it because it's basically impossible to.
Anya is a very good arguer so sheesh, maintaining boundaries with her is exhausting. I was a very compliant child (detrimentally so; it’s been exceptionally hard for me as an adult to stand up for myself and it has cost me time and real money), so it’s taken some adjusting to this stage of child development. It’s sooo much easier to be ‘whoops! The kindle’s lost’ for a few months. We need to play with the parental controls...
Thanks much for posting this. We've been eyeing the Kids Kindle as a gift for my youngest. Knowing there's a start and stop time setting has sealed the deal.
You're welcome! I've got some real problems with Amazon as a company but that product and Freetime as a service are just top notch.