Parenting tasks you suck at

[Brie]

I am terrible at changing poopy diapers without getting it all over his feet/legs/the changing table/his outfit. (Even if I hold his ankles!)

I am also thinking of teaching him to use the cat's scratching post for his nails because there is no good way to trim or file them. He likes keeping his hands balled up into little fists.

Oh, and burping. He burps plenty on his own, but I cannot make him burp.

What do you suck at?

[dcn]

Swaddling and snaps. I always mess up the snaps and have to undo the whole leg or whatever and start over. Also sucking boogers out with the bulb thing. I really just cannot do it successfully.

[Brie]

Dec 20, 2012 18:51:58 GMT -5 dcn said:

Swaddling and snaps. I always mess up the snaps and have to undo the whole leg or whatever and start over. Also sucking boogers out with the bulb thing. I really just cannot do it successfully.

Get the NoseFrida! So much better than the bulb thing.

Plus, it is oddly satisfying to get lots of snot out.

[bunch]

Washing hair. I always get the water in her eyes.

[cjeanette]

Anything involving patience.

[Deleted]

Changing the diaper genie. I always screw it up, and then there is poo everywhere.

I let DH handle that one.

[mlvmd]

Buttons. They are normally down while he's squirming to run away so sometimes I miss one side and have to redo. He always gives me this exasperated look.

[scribellesam]

Ugh, sleep training, I give in and rock after about 2 minutes. He screams himself to sleep either way but I can't stop picking him up. So then I guess I suck at rocking too - DH gets him to sleep much faster.

[Saudade]

nails=torture chamber. I have to pin him down with legs so that I can do them. I would leave them but he scratches himself and me.

carseat. I make DH do it any time we're out together. I hate it.

Not getting water in his eyes during bath. I've started giving him like once a week baths because he tries to get out, faceplants, or screams because the h2o is his eyes. However, if I gave baths more often he would probably get better about the water in his eyes. He's too mobile!

[gibbinator]

Playing. I'm so boring compared to like everyone else who sees ds. I reuse other people's games. Haven't got an original bone in my body

[Saudade]

Dec 20, 2012 19:52:39 GMT -5 gibbinator said:

Playing. I'm so boring compared to like everyone else who sees ds. I reuse other people's games. Haven't got an original bone in my body

oh god I'm glad someone said it. I'm so bored. I totally suck at being a SAHM and there are *no* activities in town. I would have to drive 1 hr each way.

[knitty]

You do their nails while they're asleep.

You don't need to burp them after about two weeks unless they're bottle fed.

The key to being good parenting is avoiding as many tasks as possible. Or delegating n the name of encouraging independence.

[froggy76]

Dec 20, 2012 19:57:41 GMT -5 knitty said:

You do their nails while they're asleep.

You don't need to burp them after about two weeks unless they're bottle fed.

Liar! DD won't sleep through getting her nails clipped anymore, and she needed to be burped for a long time... otherwise we just had a screaming, gassy baby.

I suck at feeding DD. I never plan ahead, so she just gets whatever I can scrounge up- frozen veggies, beans, shredded cheese, plain cooked pasta, etc. Her diet is SO bland.

[Deleted]

I've been a Mom a lot longer than most of you guys & I'll say my list is pretty huge. Even stuff I thought I'd be good at...like doing the girls hair & dressing them cute (lol) I've lost steam doing. I'm a fun, affectionate & a good disciplinarian but everything else is a struggle.

[Willis Jackson]

Wrestling, playing, any kind of sports-like activity. Luckily DH is into it.

[Deleted]

Dec 20, 2012 19:57:41 GMT -5 knitty said:

The key to being good parenting is avoiding as many tasks as possible. Or delegating n the name of encouraging independence.

And I'll agree with this!!!!! I've recently embraced this wholeheartedly after reading how this encourages self-esteem/self-worth, a sense of being needed, independence in kids. My girls are doing amazing at it--they do chores & tons of self care now w/ little to no complaints. It's made my life easier & I really think its been great for them.

[Deleted]

Feeding him without getting food all over his face lol.

[luvmagoldn]

Dec 20, 2012 19:11:00 GMT -5 cjeanette said:

Anything involving patience.

+1

[Deleted]

I somehow manage to sharpen nails when filing them. I am constantly finding sharp edges!

I also suck and swaddling and burping.

[Deleted]

Brushing her teeth.

[knitty]

Dec 20, 2012 20:07:00 GMT -5 froggy76 said:

Dec 20, 2012 19:57:41 GMT -5 knitty said:

You do their nails while they're asleep.

You don't need to burp them after about two weeks unless they're bottle fed.

Liar! DD won't sleep through getting her nails clipped anymore, and she needed to be burped for a long time... otherwise we just had a screaming, gassy baby.

I suck at feeding DD. I never plan ahead, so she just gets whatever I can scrounge up- frozen veggies, beans, shredded cheese, plain cooked pasta, etc. Her diet is SO bland.

Condolences! I suck at lunch so badly. I should just make two packed lunches in the morning and crack one for my at home kid when noon rolls around. Bt I don't, because I hate lunch.

[lizlemon19]

Playing outside in the cold.

[cinco]

Oh, many things.

On the top of my list this week is dealing with puke. DH handles sick kids better than me.

Crafts. I send my kids to school for that shit. I just can't.

[huskymom]

I can't change the bags in that darn diaper genie either. The lid always gets stuck in the upright position. We don't put poopie diapers in ours though, so not messy at least!

[Mrs.Syntax]

Dec 20, 2012 21:33:23 GMT -5 lizlemon19 said:

Playing outside in the cold.

This! DD1 is so excited because we got like 2 feet of snow today. She keeps talking about building snowmen tomorrow. I hate being cold.

[pugz]

playing/entertaining her, I lack creativity Dh is so awesome at this stuff.

[shadyblue42]

Dec 20, 2012 22:18:05 GMT -5 Mrs.Syntax said:

Dec 20, 2012 21:33:23 GMT -5 lizlemon19 said:

Playing outside in the cold.

This! DD1 is so excited because we got like 2 feet of snow today. She keeps talking about building snowmen tomorrow. I hate being cold.

I have a 4 year old and a one month old. I can't take the baby out in freezing temps so I just dressed my 4 year old in his snowsuit and sent him out to play while the baby was napping. I watched him from inside the front door as he played in the front yard.

[zeewifeandmama]

Definitely cutting nails and sucking boogies.

[catbus]

I was terrified of swaddling--mostly that I wouldn't do it well enough and E would wake up in the middle of the night. Also that I'd somehow hurt him in the process. So H always did the swaddle when we were still using blankets. Since he's been in his foot brace, we've used the Halo SleepSack Swaddle, which I'm totally comfortable with.

Can't think of anything else at the moment, but I'm sure I suck at plenty of things!
Edit: OH! I totally suck at containing pee mishaps while changing E. OMG, I never remember to cover his penis. Or, I think about it but decide I don't need to because I'm going to have another diaper on him in a few seconds anyway... and E always manages to pee everywhere in that time. Apparently I never learn. :-(

[Deleted]

When he was tiny, I sucked at keeping his penis turned down. I could never remember to do it. So he'd roll onto his tummy in the middle of the night, pee, and soak his onesie :-( Poor boy. This has gotten much better since we switched diaper brands.