At what age do people start reading chapter books to their kids? I have so many books I'm anxious to start reading to DD, but she's only 4. Any book recs?
We just started Stuart Little and A is a little over 3. He's not super into it, but I thought it was better for them than Boynton.
Hey! Hippos Go Berserk is a fine work of literature. Even if I'm sick of reading it.
Post by downtoearth on Mar 5, 2015 13:44:38 GMT -5
lg28 - Good news on the internet, but bad news on pink eye.
mockingbird - It sucks when you and DH can't be on the same page - especially when both of you need support and you're both not at a place to give a ton. Also medical billing sucks - I am disputing an emergency room bill right now - one bill and our only bill this year and it's messed up.
My only kid issue is that I am trying to figure out summer camps/nanny/daycare for the three boys and my DH is ZERO help. He thinks this stuff just sets itself up and that complaining that "school holidays and breaks area ridiculous!" is actually help.
This is going to sound terrible, and ungrateful, and all the bad things, and make you all judge me, I'm sure, but I have to let it out. I realized yesterday that I had no business at ALL giving birth at 23. I shouldn't have had my kid. I have failed as a parent. Seriously. It was like a giant a-ha that the reason we are so fucking miserable is because I'm a fucking terrible parent. I actually said out loud that I can't wait for her to move out next year, and I wasn't kidding. I'm trying to work through this, though, because I owe it to her to not give up. *sigh*
You are NOT a terrible parent, and you are NOT alone. This is very typical behavior, and you haven't failed her. My 16 year-old daughter sometimes says she can't wait to move out, and at those moments I can't wait for that, too. The reason you are all so miserable is NOT because you are a terrible parent, but because your child is going through a perfectly normal "stage," which nobody talks about like they talk about the "terrible twos."
I was going thru our taxes and the amount we spent on childcare last year makes me weep. No wonder people find it impossible to get ahead in this fucking country.
On a CUTE note - the boys have been watching the third Harry Potter now for almost 3 hours. I gave them a bowl of chocolate for when it gets scary, you know to keep the dementors away.
The movie turned into a whole day activity because they keep pausing it to act out the scenes. I love my Potter heads.
DD: We talked about mouses and rats at school today. Me: Cool. I had a pet rat when I was little DD: What? ::laughs:: Me: Yup. And hamsters. Lots of hamsters. Maybe someday you can have a hamster. DD: I didn't want fish. I just wanted to play the game. Now I have to feed them. If I had a hamster I would have to feed it too. That's a lot of food. (<-- last year she won gold fish at a fair) Me: Well, when you play games where you win live animals there are consequences. Maybe we should wait until you're older before we get a hamster. DD: Yeah, we should wait.
In my head I was wishing I could tape this conversation or say "Remember this when you're 14 and are thinking about having sex. It's all fun and games until you have another mouth to feed." :-p
Post by StrawberryBlondie on Mar 5, 2015 14:35:50 GMT -5
DH and I are having a tiff over food for baby H's birthday party. I want a taco & nacho bar from Qdoba. He thinks it's "not worth it" since the only meat options are chicken & steak. He's already vetoed my suggestions of pizza, BBQ, and a Subway tray. He is thisclose to being put on food duty.
DH and I are having a tiff over food for baby H's birthday party. I want a taco & nacho bar from Qdoba. He thinks it's "not worth it" since the only meat options are chicken & steak. He's already vetoed my suggestions of pizza, BBQ, and a Subway tray. He is thisclose to being put on food duty.
DH and I are having a tiff over food for baby H's birthday party. I want a taco & nacho bar from Qdoba. He thinks it's "not worth it" since the only meat options are chicken & steak. He's already vetoed my suggestions of pizza, BBQ, and a Subway tray. He is thisclose to being put on food duty.
What does he want instead?
Hehe. He's given no suggestions.
He has one more veto before I either refuse to come up with any more suggestions or just order what I want.
This is going to sound terrible, and ungrateful, and all the bad things, and make you all judge me, I'm sure, but I have to let it out. I realized yesterday that I had no business at ALL giving birth at 23. I shouldn't have had my kid. I have failed as a parent. Seriously. It was like a giant a-ha that the reason we are so fucking miserable is because I'm a fucking terrible parent. I actually said out loud that I can't wait for her to move out next year, and I wasn't kidding. I'm trying to work through this, though, because I owe it to her to not give up. *sigh*
The fact that you care that you could be failing says to me most assuredly that you are not. Every parent I have ever talked to has said that the teenage years is what biologically prepares you to live without your kids after doing it for so long. It becomes impossible to parent them because very soon they dont need you to parent them. Hang in there.
Ha! I found out yesterday that the Tiny Tyrant's preschool plays musical chairs to "We are the Champions."
Sadly, it seems as though they just play the refrain, "we are the champions" over and over, and then remove a chair. "No time for losers" doesn't seem to be a part of the champions game.
This is going to sound terrible, and ungrateful, and all the bad things, and make you all judge me, I'm sure, but I have to let it out. I realized yesterday that I had no business at ALL giving birth at 23. I shouldn't have had my kid. I have failed as a parent. Seriously. It was like a giant a-ha that the reason we are so fucking miserable is because I'm a fucking terrible parent. I actually said out loud that I can't wait for her to move out next year, and I wasn't kidding. I'm trying to work through this, though, because I owe it to her to not give up. *sigh*
The fact that you care that you could be failing says to me most assuredly that you are not. Every parent I have ever talked to has said that the teenage years is what biologically prepares you to live without your kids after doing it for so long. It becomes impossible to parent them because very soon they dont need you to parent them. Hang in there.
taratru I was about to post basically this same thing. My mom always said this when I was a teen - that you are SUPPOSED to feel like you can't wait for that kid to get out of the damn house and that you can't actually help them at all - because otherwise their leaving the nest would just be too hard. And I'm pretty sure she felt like a total failure with my brother at times too. (not me, I'm perfect. ) She had him when she was a teenager. He was kind of a mess for a long time...but he eventually figured his shit out and even through those periods he was still my awesome loveable charming smart brother. Doesn't hold shit against mama either, though we do joke that our younger sister is version 3.0 and he was a beta test. Mama had all the bugs worked out by then (she was in her early 20's when she had me. Lil sis is 5 years younger than me, 14 year younger than older brother).