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We're all just doing our best for our [Kids]

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Posts

  • Drake ChambersDrake Chambers Lay out my formal shorts. Registered User regular
    My wife had followed a site / app that gave updates on the comparative size of the fetus. "This week, he or she is the size of a cantaloupe."

    Both our boys were two weeks late. Our joke then was "This week, he or she is the size of a human baby or bigger."

  • djmitchelladjmitchella Registered User regular
    A book recommendation that we still use years and years after the kids were born: If Your Kid Eats This Book, Everything Will Still Be Okay: How to Know if Your Child's Injury or Illness Is Really an Emergency.

    The author's an ER pediatrician so she knows what she's talking about, and it is very reassuringly written. Heck, in the last couple of months (and our kids are 8 and 11) we've used "so your kid hit their head _really hard_. How can you tell if you need to go to the ER?" and "which shades of green mean that vomiting is serious?", it's not just for babies.

  • SmrtnikSmrtnik job boli zub Registered User regular
    Baby 411 is excellent, seconded

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  • PeenPeen Registered User regular
    Happiest Baby on the Block is half hokey bunkum, half extremely useful strategies for getting your baby to chill. We recommend it very highly, with the caveat that you may or may not buy his reasoning and you don't have to because his suggestions totally work.

  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    yeah, I've found most books like to insert their shitty philosophy into things. Read stuff for techniques, not non-science stance on why it works.

  • SyphonBlueSyphonBlue The studying beaver That beaver sure loves studying!Registered User regular
    Peen wrote: »
    Happiest Baby on the Block is half hokey bunkum, half extremely useful strategies for getting your baby to chill. We recommend it very highly, with the caveat that you may or may not buy his reasoning and you don't have to because his suggestions totally work.

    Happiest Baby on the Block didn't do shit for either of our kids.

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  • SmrtnikSmrtnik job boli zub Registered User regular
    Every baby is different (even every pregnancy is different), what may work for one person and their child may not for the next person, it even same person with two different children.

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  • MuzzmuzzMuzzmuzz Registered User regular
    edited May 2019
    Just left for my first kid free vacation for a couple of days. Went to give her a goodbye hug, and she started crying......


    ... Because I was blocking her view of a Paw Patrol episode.


    Thanks kid.

    Muzzmuzz on
  • MNC DoverMNC Dover Full-time Voice Actor Kirkland, WARegistered User regular


    Ok, not get to get mean here, but I gotta disagree with this tweet. I often take both kids with me to the grocery store and always return my cart. The trick is to park as near as I can to the cart place so that the kids can stay with me the whole time.

    I mean, am I wrong in this one?

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  • kimekime Queen of Blades Registered User regular
    Not returning carts is just.... such a minor thing. Get over it, people who complain :P

    That said, also don't leave your kids in a hot car unattended?

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  • JansonJanson Registered User regular
    Yeah, I would just park close enough to the cart place so I could dash over. Leave the baby in the car with all the doors open, it’s only going to be for a few seconds.

  • SharpyVIISharpyVII Registered User regular
    Today's been quite a bad day for our little one.

    He's been quite grumpy and irritable all day.

    It's been quite a warm day (for the UK at least) and he's seems to be very sensitive to hot weather. This means he's fussy having a feed or trying to nap.

    It's better now as it's evening and cooling down.

    We've bought a fancy fan to help cool the house down and tonight were sleeping downstairs which is cooler.

    Just quite tiring trying to figure everything out. We'd managed to have two good night's sleep wise but then last night was rubbish because of the warmth.

    As soon as we brought him downstairs at around 0100 he was fast asleep so hopefully tonight is better.

  • JansonJanson Registered User regular
    Oof, yeah, my brother was born in May during a heatwave and he was literally in just a nappy for the first six weeks of his life!

    Niko runs hot and very rarely uses covers, and sometimes he and Anya sleep topless.

    I wish I could do that. :P

  • SmrtnikSmrtnik job boli zub Registered User regular
    What stops you?

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  • MorivethMoriveth BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWN BREAKDOWNRegistered User regular
    Niko still comes into our bed and is still very grabby.

    At least having a shirt on dissuades him on the rare occasion

  • PerrsunPerrsun Registered User regular
    kime wrote: »
    Not returning carts is just.... such a minor thing. Get over it, people who complain :P

    That said, also don't leave your kids in a hot car unattended?

    I have had a car door damaged due to a runaway cart, and I’ve spent whole days retrieving carts while working at a grocery store. For me, it is beyond a minor thing. I always return them to a cart corral.

    And in addition to “park as close as you can to the cart return structure” I never find it a problem because I unload the food into the car, and then the kid... so I just leave the kid in the cart until it’s at the corral, then carry the kid back to the car and strap them in.

  • kimekime Queen of Blades Registered User regular
    Perrsun wrote: »
    kime wrote: »
    Not returning carts is just.... such a minor thing. Get over it, people who complain :P

    That said, also don't leave your kids in a hot car unattended?

    I have had a car door damaged due to a runaway cart, and I’ve spent whole days retrieving carts while working at a grocery store. For me, it is beyond a minor thing. I always return them to a cart corral.

    And in addition to “park as close as you can to the cart return structure” I never find it a problem because I unload the food into the car, and then the kid... so I just leave the kid in the cart until it’s at the corral, then carry the kid back to the car and strap them in.

    That's actually what I do too. But I don't begrudge someone leaving their cart out if they have kids as long as they leave it somewhere safe. Just in the parking lot where it can roll and hit a person/car is not OK to me.

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  • SyphonBlueSyphonBlue The studying beaver That beaver sure loves studying!Registered User regular
    MNC Dover wrote: »


    Ok, not get to get mean here, but I gotta disagree with this tweet. I often take both kids with me to the grocery store and always return my cart. The trick is to park as near as I can to the cart place so that the kids can stay with me the whole time.

    I mean, am I wrong in this one?

    I mean....both?

    Sure, it would be nice for people to be considerate and return carts

    but also it would be nice for people to be considerate and offer to take the cart for you if they're heading that way and see you struggling with a couple of kids (especially if they're Being Kids [you know what I mean])

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  • MulysaSemproniusMulysaSempronius but also susie nyRegistered User regular
    I can't remember the last time I took a car to go shopping. I'd like to think I'd return the cart, though. I know my kids well enough to be able to handle them through something as mundane as returning a cart. I walk with them to the store and walk home with them all the time. Walking through a parking lot might actually be easier.

    If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
  • SporkAndrewSporkAndrew Registered User, ClubPA regular
    I unload the shopping with child still in the seat, then push the trolley back and unload the child, before walking back to the car together

    It means you get to play the game "how far can you push the trolley into the one in front before your child can escape from the seat"

    Last time I left child alone in the car he climbed into the front seat getting his muddy shoes everywhere and stood up pretending to be driving

    The one about the fucking space hairdresser and the cowboy. He's got a tinfoil pal and a pedal bin
  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    I start the car with climate control on (heat/AC), buckle them in then return the cart. You can leave your kids for a moment, and with the AC on they'll be fine if I get run over.

  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    SharpyVII wrote: »
    Today's been quite a bad day for our little one.

    He's been quite grumpy and irritable all day.

    It's been quite a warm day (for the UK at least) and he's seems to be very sensitive to hot weather. This means he's fussy having a feed or trying to nap.

    It's better now as it's evening and cooling down.

    We've bought a fancy fan to help cool the house down and tonight were sleeping downstairs which is cooler.

    Just quite tiring trying to figure everything out. We'd managed to have two good night's sleep wise but then last night was rubbish because of the warmth.

    As soon as we brought him downstairs at around 0100 he was fast asleep so hopefully tonight is better.

    Rule of thumb is to have your baby in one more layer than what you consider comfortable, but we quickly realized during a heatwave that that rule was written with lower temperatures in mind.

    Whatever you do, do keep an eye on the temperature in the night, sometimes it gets way colder and you need to find another blanket for the lil'one.

  • kimekime Queen of Blades Registered User regular
    Aldo wrote: »
    SharpyVII wrote: »
    Today's been quite a bad day for our little one.

    He's been quite grumpy and irritable all day.

    It's been quite a warm day (for the UK at least) and he's seems to be very sensitive to hot weather. This means he's fussy having a feed or trying to nap.

    It's better now as it's evening and cooling down.

    We've bought a fancy fan to help cool the house down and tonight were sleeping downstairs which is cooler.

    Just quite tiring trying to figure everything out. We'd managed to have two good night's sleep wise but then last night was rubbish because of the warmth.

    As soon as we brought him downstairs at around 0100 he was fast asleep so hopefully tonight is better.

    Rule of thumb is to have your baby in one more layer than what you consider comfortable, but we quickly realized during a heatwave that that rule was written with lower temperatures in mind.

    Whatever you do, do keep an eye on the temperature in the night, sometimes it gets way colder and you need to find another blanket for the lil'one.

    Yeah, I've heard that "extra layer" thing is often pretty bogus :P

    We definitely did some "sleep with only a diaper" nights during the summer haha

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  • JansonJanson Registered User regular
    Anya loved being swaddled, it was the only way she would settle at all as a baby, so even when it was warm I’d swaddle her (with her being naked apart from a nappy/diaper) and just turn fans onto her.

    But Niko made it verrrrry clear that he was not to be swaddled. He liked to lay with all his limbs splayed out and he would also kick off any blankets (nothing heavy, and I would place them low-down as per proper sleeping procedures) I placed on top of him. But it did mean that keeping him cooler at night was easier!

  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    Aldo wrote: »
    SharpyVII wrote: »
    Today's been quite a bad day for our little one.

    He's been quite grumpy and irritable all day.

    It's been quite a warm day (for the UK at least) and he's seems to be very sensitive to hot weather. This means he's fussy having a feed or trying to nap.

    It's better now as it's evening and cooling down.

    We've bought a fancy fan to help cool the house down and tonight were sleeping downstairs which is cooler.

    Just quite tiring trying to figure everything out. We'd managed to have two good night's sleep wise but then last night was rubbish because of the warmth.

    As soon as we brought him downstairs at around 0100 he was fast asleep so hopefully tonight is better.

    Rule of thumb is to have your baby in one more layer than what you consider comfortable, but we quickly realized during a heatwave that that rule was written with lower temperatures in mind.

    Whatever you do, do keep an eye on the temperature in the night, sometimes it gets way colder and you need to find another blanket for the lil'one.

    Unless you're my daughter in which case you want 1-2 layers under.

  • ceresceres When the last moon is cast over the last star of morning And the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderator mod
    Sometimes you can't park that close and some places don't have a ton of cart returns to park next to. Sometimes in order to return the cart I need to be out of view of my car, and I can't leave two small children like that in the sun here. I'm not trying to avoid cardio, but my kids will freak out if they can't see me and I don't like having them sitting in a car out of sight. If I am uncomfortably far from a cart return I will place it so that it won't roll or get in the way of another car. It's one of the many things I used to be judgy about and I'm not anymore.

    And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
  • KalnaurKalnaur I See Rain . . . Centralia, WARegistered User regular
    edited May 2019
    Janson wrote: »
    Anya loved being swaddled, it was the only way she would settle at all as a baby, so even when it was warm I’d swaddle her (with her being naked apart from a nappy/diaper) and just turn fans onto her.

    But Niko made it verrrrry clear that he was not to be swaddled. He liked to lay with all his limbs splayed out and he would also kick off any blankets (nothing heavy, and I would place them low-down as per proper sleeping procedures) I placed on top of him. But it did mean that keeping him cooler at night was easier!

    I could not swaddle Toby. Like, I didn't have the skill. I thought I did, but every time he'd get his arms out and I'd ask what the hell and he'd laugh his head off. Angela could swaddle him in such a manner that he stayed in for a while, but he'd still find a way to Houdini his way out of the swaddle, and he more or less hates to be restricted like that for long. Interestingly enough, once his arms were clear, he'd be all set to sleep, usually with one or both of his arms lifted up around his head, which is entertaining because that's most commonly how I sleep. In fact, I have a photo from about two years ago when he was around 6 months old that shows how he and I usually slept, taken by my wife:
    czwvw13e78ln.jpg
    Fun fact, laying almost exactly like this is still the quickest way to get him to nap, regardless of if I fall asleep or not.

    Kalnaur on
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  • SharpyVIISharpyVII Registered User regular
    edited May 2019
    Turns out I spoke too soon and our plan for tonight didn't work.

    So we had two good nights in a row in the main bedroom upstairs.

    Last night he wouldn't settle and was very warm so we decided to go downstairs to the living room where he promptly slept like a log for about 7 hours (except for feedings).

    So tonight we though we'd get the windows open and cool everywhere down. We went to bed in the downstairs bedroom thinking the cooler room would help, but he had the same issue as last night.

    So we brought him in to the living room and he fell asleep straight away despite the rooms being the same temperature.

    I'm not sure why the living room works so well for him. Is it because he has most of his daytime naps in there and is used to that room? But that wouldn't explain why he slept perfectly fine upstairs for two nights.

    He's only 8 days old but I don't want him developing bad habits!

    SharpyVII on
  • KalnaurKalnaur I See Rain . . . Centralia, WARegistered User regular
    edited May 2019
    SharpyVII wrote: »
    Turns out I spoke too soon and our plan for tonight didn't work.

    So we had two good nights in a row in the main bedroom upstairs.

    Last night he wouldn't settle and was very warm so we decided to go downstairs to the living room where he promptly slept like a log for about 7 hours (except for feedings).

    So tonight we though we'd get the windows open and cool everywhere down. We went to bed in the downstairs bedroom thinking the cooler room would help, but he had the same issue as last night.

    So we brought him in to the living room and he fell asleep straight away despite the rooms being the same temperature.

    I'm not sure why the living room works so well for him. Is it because he has most of his daytime naps in there and is used to that room? But that wouldn't explain why he slept perfectly fine upstairs for two nights.

    He's only 8 days old but I don't want him developing bad habits!

    Provided he's human, bad habits will happen. Right now the most important thing is that you, your wife, and your baby are all getting rest and the baby is safe. Past that, it really doesn't matter (in my opinion) where the sleep happens right now.

    Edit: also note that while certain tricks may or may not work some of the time, there's nothing that I've found with my own kid that assures that he'll do what I want, and that includes sleep where and when I want him to.

    Kalnaur on
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  • BrodyBrody The Watch The First ShoreRegistered User regular
    SharpyVII wrote: »
    Turns out I spoke too soon and our plan for tonight didn't work.

    So we had two good nights in a row in the main bedroom upstairs.

    Last night he wouldn't settle and was very warm so we decided to go downstairs to the living room where he promptly slept like a log for about 7 hours (except for feedings).

    So tonight we though we'd get the windows open and cool everywhere down. We went to bed in the downstairs bedroom thinking the cooler room would help, but he had the same issue as last night.

    So we brought him in to the living room and he fell asleep straight away despite the rooms being the same temperature.

    I'm not sure why the living room works so well for him. Is it because he has most of his daytime naps in there and is used to that room? But that wouldn't explain why he slept perfectly fine upstairs for two nights.

    He's only 8 days old but I don't want him developing bad habits!

    At this point he doesn't really have habits, he's still booting up. At this points its all about making sure he's happy, and doing whatever you can to survive the process. Once he gets a little older you can start working on sleeping patterns.

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  • jgeisjgeis Registered User regular
    I was just standing in line at McDonald's behind a man and his two kids, probably around age 5 or 6, when one of them wanders away to look at the toy display. I'm looking at the menu and feel a tiny hand grab mine, it's the kid that walked away and she's still sort of idly looking at something else and didn't realize that I wasn't her dad. The look of sheer confusion when she looked up to see me instead had both me and her dad dying.

  • JansonJanson Registered User regular
    edited June 2019
    Also 7 straight hours of sleep at 8 days old is very unusual... it’s great if he keeps it up, but don’t be surprised if that changes, especially as he hits growth spurts!

    Janson on
  • MegaMan001MegaMan001 CRNA Rochester, MNRegistered User regular
    Just to double back to the milestone conversation, Ripley went from the occasional attempt at crawling to standing up and taking her first step over a three day weekend when she was thirteen months.

    No joke I had thought we were going to need an MRI because I was convinced she had some kind of neurological disorder.

    On the other side my cousins kid started walking at nine months unassisted.

    Kids are fucking weird, man. Just embrace it.

    I am in the business of saving lives.
  • JansonJanson Registered User regular
    It’s better to be aware of when to actually be concerned, I feel.

    Yes, the average kid walks at 12 months or so - but there’s no need for concern until you reach 18 months (and even then, no need to panic - definitely consult with a doctor, but I’ve known some kids who were just genuinely super-late walkers!)

    The average kid has a handful of words at 15-18 months... but I definitely wouldn’t be concerned until the kid was at least 2, unless there were other indications (a lot of kids are very communicative in other ways. I barely spoke until I was nearly 4, but I could communicate in other ways).

    Average is such a meaningless word at a young age.

    And by school age most kids have caught up!

    In fact, some of the kids in Anya’s birth group who were talking/counting before a year of age ended up repeating kindergarten...

    In all cases your pediatrician is usually the one to consult.

  • Devlin_DragonusDevlin_Dragonus Gorgeous Dallas, TXRegistered User regular
    edited June 2019
    Peanut talks a lot, very few actual coherent words.

    However he uses gestures and pointing to communicate.

    We just this week used flash cards (purchased for coaching) to test association with specific words and thier respective item.

    Discovered that when asked for a specific item on the cards (watch, apple, tooth brush, ect) he was able to pick out 2/3 of the cards.

    Devlin_Dragonus on
    I got nothing for you now. Try again later.

  • Devlin_DragonusDevlin_Dragonus Gorgeous Dallas, TXRegistered User regular
    Speaking of development at different paces

    Here is peanut at 2 months, 22 days refusing to do tummy time.

    https://youtu.be/NgjdX0HWsM4

    I got nothing for you now. Try again later.

  • Devlin_DragonusDevlin_Dragonus Gorgeous Dallas, TXRegistered User regular
    Peanut talks a lot, very few actual coherent words.

    However he uses gestures and pointing to communicate.

    We just this week used flash cards (purchased for coaching) to test association with specific words and thier respective item.

    Discovered that when asked for a specific item on the cards (watch, apple, tooth brush, ect) he was able to pick out 2/3 of the cards.

    Omg you guys!! So momma bear sent me this video, what I was just talking about she ran him through more drills.

    https://youtu.be/r30qBzwgfX4

    I’m soooo proud. (Also as you may have guessed he is obsessed with cars)

    I got nothing for you now. Try again later.

  • ceresceres When the last moon is cast over the last star of morning And the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderator mod
    edited June 2019
    My daughter couldn't quite walk when she wanted to, so she said nuts to that and started "walking" on her knees. I think that was around 10ish months? That sounds ridiculous, and it looked ridiculous, but man she was fast. It could be harder to keep up with her sometimes than her older brother. Then one day she took a step forward, and another step, and never looked back. She's going to be 3 in August.

    She is something else, I love her so much, she is sweet and has a delightful personality and is so smart and determined. She can change her own pull-up and sometimes insists upon doing so. In random acts of defiance she will walk over to me, stomp her feet, say "I'm NOT going to bed. OKAY?!" and walk away, and it's usually at around 11am. I spend some time with her watching My Little Pony each morning, and it's easily the best part of my day. I could go on about this kid forever and part of me just can't believe I get to have her in my life.

    ceres on
    And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
  • SyphonBlueSyphonBlue The studying beaver That beaver sure loves studying!Registered User regular
    SharpyVII wrote: »
    Turns out I spoke too soon and our plan for tonight didn't work.

    So we had two good nights in a row in the main bedroom upstairs.

    Last night he wouldn't settle and was very warm so we decided to go downstairs to the living room where he promptly slept like a log for about 7 hours (except for feedings).

    So tonight we though we'd get the windows open and cool everywhere down. We went to bed in the downstairs bedroom thinking the cooler room would help, but he had the same issue as last night.

    So we brought him in to the living room and he fell asleep straight away despite the rooms being the same temperature.

    I'm not sure why the living room works so well for him. Is it because he has most of his daytime naps in there and is used to that room? But that wouldn't explain why he slept perfectly fine upstairs for two nights.

    He's only 8 days old but I don't want him developing bad habits!

    8 days old? You let that kid sleep wherever the fuck they want, if they're actually sleeping there

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  • MuzzmuzzMuzzmuzz Registered User regular
    Orientation day is coming up fo JK, and I’m slightly nervous. Due to work schedules aligning perfectly, mini muzz never had to go to daycare, and while I tried to bring her to community programs, the fact that we live in a predominantly ‘senior’ community, and my social anxieties, she really hasn’t had much exposure to kids her age.

    She’s much more outgoing than me, and I hope she’ll fit in perfectly with the other kids, I’m still nervous that she’s been ‘held back’ by her lack of experience.

    On the bright side, she has decided that aside from nighttime, diapers are not for Big Girls. She also announces loudly what she’s going to do on the potty, regardless of whether we have company or not.

This discussion has been closed.