The older kid thread

[kgb18]

We had that problem, too, beth. I tried sneaking them out, but she noticed. Finally I told Avery her doctor said there were too many guys (That's what she calls her stuffed animals, her "guys") in her bed, and the doctor said she couldn't sleep with so many. We emptied the whole bed and I let her pick a few. It took some adjustment and a bit of whining, but we're down to 6 from about 20. I blame a lot of things on the pediatrician, but it seems to work!

Lately Avery keeps saying she wants to go hunting with her daddy. I told her no. DH said, "We agreed when they get older they can do the activities they want." I don't remember making that agreement. I told him when she realizes what it is, she won't want to go. It came up again this morning. I asked her if she wanted to hurt animals. She said no. I told her hunting hurts animals. She didn't ask any other questions. DH wasn't very happy with me. But she's going to have to know the truth. I'm not sure how else to handle it.

[Wisconsin Beth]

I probably would have stuck with "you're not old enough to hunt" because I think here you need to be 12.

But I might try that. Cabe's sleeping with a huge tiger pillowpet type thing, a panda pillow pet, a huge stuffed dog, a med. stuffed dog, Rex, Woody and Buzz from Toy Story, T-Bone from Clifford, 1 sockmonkey, 1 reg. monkey and 2 Daleks. He recently found his glow worm and that's in there too. T-Bone and Rex are his favorites. Keira's got so many I can't keep track.

[Chocolate Lover]

Holy stuffed animals Batman!! I don't have a clue how many DS has though.

kgb, I do ok with blood but I was thinking, since he's a step child, that his mother is never going to let me forget this. DH was home but still.....

[Wisconsin Beth]

[steph08]

Jan 2, 2013 15:39:04 GMT -5 kgb18 said:

Lately Avery keeps saying she wants to go hunting with her daddy. I told her no. DH said, "We agreed when they get older they can do the activities they want." I don't remember making that agreement. I told him when she realizes what it is, she won't want to go. It came up again this morning. I asked her if she wanted to hurt animals. She said no. I told her hunting hurts animals. She didn't ask any other questions. DH wasn't very happy with me. But she's going to have to know the truth. I'm not sure how else to handle it.

I'm in PA too, so I know there is no age restriction on youth-mentored hunters anymore (though the latest Outdoor News says they might place one back in effect...).

My 5-year-old nephew goes hunting with BIL. But, it isn't too crazy. They go out to the wooded area behind their house and sit in a blind for a few hours or until nephew gets tired. I don't think BIL has shot any deer with nephew there. I think he has been going since he was 3 or 4. It's more of a "sit in the woods with daddy " kind of outing. But nephew also understands what hunting is and has seen BIL's bucks after he shot them.

[973beachbum]

I am pretty sure my 9 year old son would need therapy if he saw someone shoot and gut an animal. My DD would need therapy if she was forced to camp in the woods. ;D

Does anyone remember when boys start puberty? I think my 9 yr old son has a pimple. I remember my Dd getting her first period in 5th grade but I don't remember her or anyone in her class getting pimples until middle school. It is also weird to me because he is the least mature kid emotionally and yet he would have to be the first to physically mature.

[Sam_2.0]

beachbum - my 7 yr old nephew gets pimples sometimes, and he's not going through puberty. I had pimples starting around 9/10 and didn't start puberty for a few years. Maybe he just needs some new face wash

[Chocolate Lover]

Or to just wash his face at all. I have to be VERY specific with DS about what I expect to get washed while he's in the shower.

[973beachbum]

Jan 3, 2013 15:37:43 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

Or to just wash his face at all. I have to be VERY specific with DS about what I expect to get washed while he's in the shower.

He is better about washing etc. I tried looking up puberty and with boys it is a little harder to tell when it starts. 9 does seem to be the start of puberty for boys and 8 for girls. Puberty actually starts 2-3 years before girls get their period and boys get things like adams apples and the facial hair. The thing with boys that is hard it is is supposed to start with their testicles getting bigger. No way am I going to examine his testicles!

Girls are so much easier for me with this. Then they turn into teenagers.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Keira picked out her clothes today. Striped pants - pink, red, white I think. And a teal/turquoise long sleeved shirt. Mismatched socks and her "sparkly shoes" (black with slight amount of shine/silver shot though them) for school. ;D

[Deleted]

Sounds like one of my DD's outfits, Beth!

The only fight I have about clothes is that the kids have to dress appropriately for the weather. Other than that, they can wear whatever combination of patters and colors they desire. ;D

In fact, DD came home from kindergarten and asked me who Lady Gaga was one day. It turns out the kids were calling her that because of some of her outfits. So I told her that Gaga is a very talented singer and she should be proud to be compared to her! ;D

[Wisconsin Beth]

Jan 4, 2013 9:09:16 GMT -5 @beerwench said:

Sounds like one of my DD's outfits, Beth!

The only fight I have about clothes is that the kids have to dress appropriately for the weather. Other than that, they can wear whatever combination of patters and colors they desire. ;D

In fact, DD came home from kindergarten and asked me who Lady Gaga was one day. It turns out the kids were calling her that because of some of her outfits. So I told her that Gaga is a very talented singer and she should be proud to be compared to her! ;D

Yeah, if she wants something completely weather inappropriate, I insist on a sweater. She refuses to pull the short sleeved/sleeveless shirts out of her dresser. Even though she's not wearing them. Kids are weird.

She did ask about Shooby's avatar over Christmas. ;D

[Wisconsin Beth]

Cabe was really well behaved at the library on Sat. He stayed by me while we paid for the book he ripped up. He whispered "sorry" to the clerk when I prompted him. And he was comfortable enough to pick out books and stay in the picture book area while I did a quick scan of the new fiction area.

He didn't listen anywhere near as well when we went to the Domes on Sun. though. And he squished a poinsettia plant. Oops. But he did sit nicely in the double cart at Target. And was pretty decent at Culver's for lunch.

[Wisconsin Beth]

I guess Cabe had a bad day at dcp yesterday. DH said they told him Cabe was regressing on the potty front and behavior. I thought he'd been better lately on the behavior.

[973beachbum]

Beth my mom had a saying about potty training. The older people's kids get the younger the kids were when they were potty trianed.

I wouldn't worry. He will get their in his own time when he is ready. ;D

[Wisconsin Beth]

Jan 8, 2013 9:35:30 GMT -5 973beachbum said:

Beth my mom had a saying about potty training. The older people's kids get the younger the kids were when they were potty trianed.

I wouldn't worry. He will get their in his own time when he is ready. ;D

Yeah, I'm not real concerned about potty training. He's probably trying to hold it longer and misjudged his control. He's at the age to do that. And overall, he's been better, in my opinion at home behaviorally (is that a word?)

[Deleted]

Sure! ;D

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Thought some of you might like this blog.

Josie Loza: Stuff my kids ruined – just about everything
Josie Loza Omaha World-Herald

* * *

Every time my mom visits my house, she asks the same question.

“When are you going to get new furniture?”

Her question annoys me about as much as the crayon scribbles on my daughter’s bedroom walls.

I refuse to buy anything new — or really nice for that matter.

My three little terrors (and I say that with love) have ruined my gorgeous home.

The glass panel on the hutch is missing — and for good reason or so says my 9-year-old. Spider-Man shot across the living room and accidentally smashed into it.

“It’s like the commercial with the birds,” he explained. “He didn’t see it coming… and then BAM. He went down.”

Uh, so did the glass now shattered across the wooden floor.

The big screen TV has scribbles and initials carved into it.

“I didn’t do it.” “Me neither.”

Really? The letters “B” and a wonky”A” just so happened to appear overnight.

Ninjas. Yep. Those sneaky ninjas must have done it.

My once formal couches that were designated for guest tooshies only now wear juice-stained badges.

Is it really a couch if no one can sit on it?

Now that they’ve been colored on and jumped off, my answer: Yes. Oh, heck yeah. I regret ripping the factory plastic off of them.

And I won’t even begin to go into the time my kids “made it snow” in my bedroom — as if the Larry the Cable Guy apology was enough.

So, I’ll continue to give my mother the same response: Nope. Not going to do it.

I will not buy new furniture Sam-I-Am. I will not buy a sofa or lamp. Not in a box. Not if it came with an adorable fox.

I’ll wait. I’ll be patient. Once the kids get old enough to learn how to sit on them properly I might entertain the idea.

Accidents happen. I get it.

I remember the shaggy blue couches my mom had when we were younger. When she finally upgraded to a tapestry-styled sofa, we weren’t allowed near it. After the backsides started to sag, she bought a green-and-white striped set. Again, we sat on the floor an arms length from them.

But when she wasn’t around, we Superman-ed off those hideous stripes. Wielding solo cups filled to the brim with Kool-Aid, we’d toasted to good times which were often followed by pillow fights. Decorative pillows? Ha!

OK. So may be I’m exaggerating about the toast, but lord knows we had good times. And, of course, drinks were spilled.

The inevitable happens. Sofas get sat on.

It’s apparent that this house (like my mom’s) is being lived in, and I’m loving that.

But I’ll admit that I was tickled with joy this past Christmas when my sister and her significant other gave me a book titled “Sh*t My Kids Ruined”.

Finally, I thought. Someone gets me.

The book is a gallery of crapped-up possessions, decimated laptops, yogurt-stained lamp shades, warped cabinet doors and broken window blinds (Yep, I have those too.)

[Wisconsin Beth]

Ok, I started a discussion on this on the decluttering thread but thought I'd bring it here.

What do you do with your kids' handouts they bring home, completed? DD brings home at least 1 a day. They do a letter of the day handout at her school. It's the letter and a couple of items that start with that letter. I don't really consider it art or an art project. But I can't keep EVERYTHING. How do you decide what's art and what's not and what to save and what to toss?

[973beachbum]

Jan 10, 2013 10:05:38 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

Ok, I started a discussion on this on the decluttering thread but thought I'd bring it here.

What do you do with your kids' handouts they bring home, completed? DD brings home at least 1 a day. They do a letter of the day handout at her school. It's the letter and a couple of items that start with that letter. I don't really consider it art or an art project. But I can't keep EVERYTHING. How do you decide what's art and what's not and what to save and what to toss?

I throw 95% out. By the time they hit 3rd or 4th grade it does slow down considerably, but it can get overwhelimg real fast. For most things I put them in a pile on the table for at least a week then look at them again. Most of the time it is easier to toss them then, even for the kids. Then I only keep the things I really like or find funny.

I should say we live in a 3 bed/1 bath rancher. If i kept everything they brought home we would be sleeping in a tent in the back yard. ;D

[Wisconsin Beth]

We've got a 4 bed/1.5 ranch. It's overflowing with paper, toys and books. I have issues purging books but I'm going to take a whack at the kid books this weekend. We inherited another book shelf and a bunch of books from my younger sister (her kids are all teens) and I need to bring them into the house, God help me.

[Deleted]

I take pictures of their pictures. They are filed in the computer for posterity!

ETA: Except for the things they make using their hands or feet. I still have the "hand turkeys" they made in preschool and I hang them up with the rest of the decorations.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I leave all Gwen's stuff in the back of my car. I REALLY need to throw it all out. My dad commented he can't even see the seat cushions I have so many papers back there.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Jan 10, 2013 10:23:45 GMT -5 @beerwench said:

I take pictures of their pictures. They are filed in the computer for posterity!

At the risk of sounding like Doxie with an excuse for everything- we suck at uploading photos/backing up the computer. We have 4.5+ years of photos in the camera waiting to be dealt with. The thought of taking pictures of art is kinda frightening because I know damn well we won't keep up with it. And our laptop is on it's last legs.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Jan 10, 2013 10:23:45 GMT -5 @beerwench said:

ETA: Except for the things they make using their hands or feet. I still have the "hand turkeys" they made in preschool and I hang them up with the rest of the decorations.

And I consider that art/stuff to keep too. But do I really need to keep the handout with the letter H on it and Keira's coloring of Der Hound?

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Get one of those scanner thingys I see advertised on TV that claims it can cut your amount of paperwork in half. Then you can just scan the paperwork into the computer.

[Deleted]

DD would keep every thing she has ever colored or created if I let her. So I go through their paperwork when they get home from school & then "file" it in the recycle bin once they go to bed.

[saveinla]

Beth,

Collect everything for the year and at the end of the year, make a small booklet of really great or weird things and throw everything else out - or do this as you go. My son's 3rd grade teacher did this for all her students. At the end of the year, she gave the parents a memory book. I did this for all his elementary school stuff.
For middle school, we kept one big project from each year and maybe a couple of cool stuff. My son had to pick what he wanted to keep.

In high school he threw away everything after the year was over and just keeps his yearbooks. I saved some English and Science projects in his computer.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Jan 10, 2013 10:30:56 GMT -5 @beerwench said:

DD would keep every thing she has ever colored or created if I let her. So I go through their paperwork when they get home from school & then "file" it in the recycle bin once they go to bed.

I think Keira would toss some of it. She usually surprises me when we sit down to weed though toys, her clothes, etc. with what she's willing to get rid of.

[Deleted]

DD has declared she is going to be an Artist when she grows up, so I guess I should be saving it all for her museum.