Am I overprotective or others too relaxed?

[whoami]

Feb 20, 2013 11:44:35 GMT -5 swamp said:

My kids used to lick the dog.   I guess they thought since she licked them, it was OK. 

Mine used to eat dirt in the back yard. 

[zibazinski]

[Deleted]

Feb 20, 2013 14:48:18 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Feb 20, 2013 12:21:55 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

don't you think your teens are old enough to decide if they want to wear a coat?  and suffer the consequences if they get cold?  I bowed out of my teens' clothing decisions long ago

Why watch them walk outside when it's single digit temps without a coat?  Then I'll get to hear the bitching and moaning when they are sick.  No thanks.  Anyway, if I say to do something, I expect it to be done.  In my house when I say to do something, you do it without question.  

I don't control what they wear.  Hell, I even let my oldest dye her hair blue once.  I don't care if you want to go out looking like you got dressed in the dark.  But I do mind when you get sick because you're a dork and you thought it'd be acceptable to go out without a coat on. 

you don't get sick from not wearing a coat when it's cold outside....if you did, my kids would have been sick for the past 5 years or so

[andi9899]

Feb 20, 2013 15:05:53 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

Feb 20, 2013 14:48:18 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Why watch them walk outside when it's single digit temps without a coat?  Then I'll get to hear the bitching and moaning when they are sick.  No thanks.  Anyway, if I say to do something, I expect it to be done.  In my house when I say to do something, you do it without question.  

I don't control what they wear.  Hell, I even let my oldest dye her hair blue once.  I don't care if you want to go out looking like you got dressed in the dark.  But I do mind when you get sick because you're a dork and you thought it'd be acceptable to go out without a coat on. 

you don't get sick from not wearing a coat when it's cold outside....if you did, my kids would have been sick for the past 5 years or so

Whatever. I still don't see why I would let them go outside without a coat on. That's just stupid.

[Deleted]

Feb 20, 2013 15:17:24 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Feb 20, 2013 15:05:53 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

you don't get sick from not wearing a coat when it's cold outside....if you did, my kids would have been sick for the past 5 years or so

Whatever. I still don't see why I would let them go outside without a coat on. That's just stupid.

why?  just  because you're cold doesn't mean they are.  as a teen, they should have enough sense to put on a coat if they're cold or suffer the consequences.  I've suggested to mine that they may want to wear their winter coat or wear a hat or gloves but ultimately it's their decision.   if they're cold standing at the bus stop today, they'll wear those items tomorrow.

[lynnerself]

My DS wore shorts all winter long when he was in middle school.
Granted we are in Oregon so it wasn't that cold.

[Deleted]

There was a guy in my college campus that would wear jean shorts and tshirt summer or winter (midwest so COLD winters) and NEVER wore shoes (or socks)! 

[Pants]

Anyway, bunnysmom, I think the answer is probably yes, you are overprotective, and yes, others are too relaxed.
I, on the other hand, am just perfect.

[muttleynfelix]

Feb 20, 2013 15:50:34 GMT -5 @bunnysmom said:

There was a guy in my college campus that would wear jean shorts and tshirt summer or winter (midwest so COLD winters) and NEVER wore shoes (or socks)! 

  Since we went to the same school, I think I knew that guy.

My brother went to college in the UP of Michigan, on the shores of Lake Superior. Anything above 32 degrees and and he was in a t-shirt and possibly shorts.   

[midjd]

Feb 20, 2013 16:13:25 GMT -5 muttleynfelix said:

Feb 20, 2013 15:50:34 GMT -5 @bunnysmom said:

There was a guy in my college campus that would wear jean shorts and tshirt summer or winter (midwest so COLD winters) and NEVER wore shoes (or socks)! 

  Since we went to the same school, I think I knew that guy.

My brother went to college in the UP of Michigan, on the shores of Lake Superior. Anything above 32 degrees and and he was in a t-shirt and possibly shorts.   

Was it this guy?

[Deleted]

"Since we went to the same school, I think I knew that guy."

No way! did you live in TJ Hall? He lived there. There was also 1 guy with long hair and disgustingly long and when I say long I mean LOOOOONG finger nails (think 3 inches)

[andi9899]

I dunno.  But this morning when it was 19* outside and my kid was trying to walk outside in a hoodie, you better believe I told her to get a coat.  She doesn't have to like it, she just has to do it.  We are in the midwest, so it gets really cold here.  When it's below freezing, there are no options given.  If it were 50* and she was wearing a hoodie even though I'm freezing my ass off, to each his own.   

[muttleynfelix]

Feb 20, 2013 16:47:08 GMT -5 @bunnysmom said:

"Since we went to the same school, I think I knew that guy."

No way! did you live in TJ Hall? He lived there. There was also 1 guy with long hair and disgustingly long and when I say long I mean LOOOOONG finger nails (think 3 inches)

LOL. No I lived in the Quad and maybe the guy you knew was gone and his body double was there when I went there.   

[Deleted]

I think you are younger than me aren't you? I was there 94-99.

[muttleynfelix]

Yeah, I was there from 2000-2004.  The guy I'm thinking of was there from 99 to ?? (I think he was still there my senior year). I don't know where he lived his freshman year. But he was in the Christian Campus house when I was there.

[Sam_2.0]

Aly prefers to eat her raisins & cheerios with a healthy dose of "floor seasoning" on them. Bonus if she can snag a few dog hairs. Whatever. I am not fighting her over it & she's not really been sick ever. AS for the clothes, I am sure I've taken her out in outfits not quite appropriate for the weather. At home, where we keep it at 68 degrees, she wants to just run around in a diaper. Could be the little girl spilled milk on her tights in the car and all she had in her bag was a pair of little socks. If she's just going from the car to daycare it's not a big deal. Most of the time I don't even put a coat on Aly, just a blanket in the car that goes over her seat after she's buckled in.

[Deleted]

I very, very rarely wear a coat. I did put on a hoodie when I went to yoga this morning. It was 24. I just don't get cold, especially running from warm place to warm place. 

[formerroomate99]

Well, there are some children that are incredibly hot natured.  So that might be the reason.

But if the kid isn't a little furnace, then yes, you're right and the other mother is wrong. 

[motherto2]

Mid, I was ok with that guy til I got to his ashy knees

DD had such a strong will about what she was and wasn't going to wear from a very young age.  Christmas time she was 18 months old she fought me on wearing a cute velveteen pant outfit.  Really?  When I was pregnat with DS and she was about 3, the ex and I had a huge run in with her about what she was going to wear one day.  I got so frustrated and the ole blood pressure was elevated I told him I just had to get out of the house.  I'm pacing wondering why in the world I was letting a 3 year old dictate to us and letting it get the better of me, then all of a sudden the ex came banging out of the door and shut it and held it shut - DD was inside banging on the door!  God I wish I had that on tape!  We would surely have won the $100,000 Funniest Home Videos award .  And boy did we fight over her going potty before we left the house in the morning to go to the sitters.  It was at least a 30 minute trip, and I didn't want to deal with accidents.  Well, after fighting with her for a few months, it finally dawned on me, she didn't have to go first thing in the morning when we were home on the weekends.  She must have a bladder twice the size of most humans.  I finally realized that some things just aren't worth fighting over.  We also did the years where the hair had to be up in a pony tail, and then switched to years of hair had to be down.

Seriously though, my kid was the one that everyone was probably going ewww.  She was so sick as a baby she had it coming out of both ends for months.  Couldn't get it to stop.  Then she caught EVERYTHING that came along.  Much pain and grief a few years later, we found out she was allergic to pretty much everything she ate and drank.  I still blame the pediatrician for most of that.  I kept asking if she could be allergic to the formula (at the time she started getting sick she wasn't really eating foods) and the answer was no.  And, since she was at some doctor's office every 2-3 days for something or other, I feel he should have paid more attention to what we were going through.  Hindsight, I should have found another doctor.  But the first is always the guineau pig .

I guess my point is, sometimes it's just not worth it.

[Deleted]

Feb 20, 2013 17:41:40 GMT -5 formerroomate99 said:

Well, there are some children that are incredibly hot natured.  So that might be the reason.

But if the kid isn't a little furnace, then yes, you're right and the other mother is wrong. 

That's my 10 year old.  He is always burning up.  It will be 10 degrees outside and he heads out to the van wearing nothing but sweat pants and a tee shirt when we're going somewhere.  Our basement, where he sleeps, gets COLD at night (like low 50's) and he'll be in bed in just his underwear with no blankets.  I've given up preaching to him to put more on unless he's going to school.  They're required to have a hat, gloves and coat or I get a phone call.

My brother was the same way and a couple years ago he decided MN was just too warm for him and headed to Alaska.  He lives in a remote cabin outside of Fairbanks and chops wood in the winter wearing shorts and a tee shirt.

[thyme4change]

In my neck of the woods, wearing pants is totally uncool for elementary aged boys.  This morning it was 35 degrees and my son asked what the weather was, so I told him "very cold" and when we got to the bus stop another boy was laughing at him for wearing pants.  I heard him say "They made me" as they pointed to me and Dad standing there.  I'm so glad I'm not a kid anymore.  If I'm cold, I will wear pants and sweater, even if everyone else is standing around in a bathing suit.  I don't need your approval people.

[kgb18]

I don't even think of an improperly dressed kid in terms of getting sick, but in terms of their overall comfort. Being too hot or too cold is kind of miserable. I try not to overdress my LOs, but I wouldn't want them to be cold either. I usually dress DD for school in a short-sleeve t-shirt with a sweater or hoodie or something over top. If she's hot, she can take a layer off. If she's got bare legs, it's usually pretty warm outside.

[quince]

My husband is fond of acclimatizing to the ambient temperature, so unless it's both below freezing and windy, he will be wearing a sweatshirt. I expect our kids will be the same. I like being comfortable, so I wear a coat. He still seems more comfortable than me most of the time, so he's probably on to something.

I also expect that most of the time our infant will be in a diaper and t-shirt, and only have layers added if they are actually cold- neither of us think loads of clothes are a big deal unless temperatures are actually dangerous. Low temperatures don't make you sick- they make you uncomfortable, and if they are low enough, other complications- but they don't give you colds.

[kgb18]

I had to laugh. I went to our local convenience story on my dinner break awhile ago. Some mom was in there with a little girl who looked like she was about 5, and she was wearing shorts. It's 38 degrees here. I was cold in jeans, boots, a winter coat and scarf. I immediately thought of this thread.

[Malarky]

I wouldn't worry too much about it.  I used to get calls from the school because DD would drop her sweater in the lost and found on the way into school and by the time she got to her classroom she'd be wearing a bathing suit top and a pair of overalls.  All winter.  I told them to just let her be, if you put your hand on her shoulder you'd find that she was plenty warm.  And she'd go get her clothes if she needed to. 

She also refused to wear a winter coat.  Yes, it made me look like a slacker parent, but I'm tough, I can take it.

[Deleted]

It is fine for a high school kid to go out half naked in the middle of winter. It is okay for even a 5 year old. But this little girl was 1! It is not like she can tell someone or put on socks if she is cold. Thats what i was thinking. But it is not my place to worry about her. I will just dress my son weather appropriate, always with layers so they can be taken off if he gets hot.

[Deleted]

How does your son indicate to his Caregivers that he is hot?

[Pants]

Funnily enough, I dropped DD off at daycare this morning wearing jeans, boots and a long-sleeve tshirt. Her teacher was 100% convinced she was cold (note: no evidence of this - the room was a little chillier than normal though) and went and got an extra long-sleeve shirt from her spare clothes and put it on her. DD really didn't seem to mind either way.

[milee]

Feb 21, 2013 22:24:50 GMT -5 motherto2 said:

Mid, I was ok with that guy til I got to his ashy knees

The knees were what caused you grief?  Those are a pretty quick and easy fix, slap some moisturizer on 'em and good to go.

But the toenails... oh, my...  I have no words.  And the words I have are not good.  Can't.  Look. 

[Deleted]

<---- not gonna go back and look at ashy knees and yucky toenails.....















DAMN YOU motherto2 and milee!