The older kid thread

[Wisconsin Beth]

Last time I tried this, DD wanted to get rid of a lot of DS's toys and the stuff from DH's parents. Which he vetoed, mostly because he didn't want to deal with them on the issue. And then DD told them we were getting rid of toys and showed them the ones she'd put aside. Maybe that helped them learn the lesson of not to buy stupid Rock Star Mickey, Musical Elmo and Dancing Mickey....

[telephus44]

I asked him which toys he would get rid of - his first choice was the first one he saw - so I know he didn't put any thought into it - and it was a Christmas Angry Bird that DH got him last year. He's still wicked into Angry Birds so of course DH was mad that he would pick that. DS then spent the next 15 minutes playing with it.

[Wisconsin Beth]

We've got at least one obnoxious toy coming from them. MIL said they had a helluva time getting the batteries in it. Gee thanks.

[thyme4change]

I asked him which toys he would get rid of - his first choice was the first one he saw - so I know he didn't put any thought into it - and it was a Christmas Angry Bird that DH got him last year. He's still wicked into Angry Birds so of course DH was mad that he would pick that. DS then spent the next 15 minutes playing with it.

Does he think that the more toys he gets rid of, the more he will get for Christmas?

[formerroomate99]

My DS just turned 5 and has absolutely no interest in waking up to pee. And since he sleeps about 12 hours a night, he just can't hold it. Don't know what to do about it.

[swamp]

The Mae thing I do with my 5 year old, put a pull up on them and wait it out.

[kgb18]

I told Avery today we're going to clean out her toys before Christmas. She doesn't seem too enthused with the idea.

I picked a battle last night with Avery regarding dinner. We've been catering to her way too much and basically giving her whatever she wants (as long as it's healthy. I don't let her eat ice cream for dinner or anything like that.). I decided it's time she eats (or at least tries) what we're eating, unless it's something totally unreasonable to expect a kid to eat. She refused. She cried. She asked for cookies. I told her she had to at least try it. She went to bed hungry. And I know she was starving this morning because she asked for breakfast right away and she hardly ever eats breakfast at all.

[Deleted]

Stick to your guns kgb! I do the same with my kids; they have to at least take a bite of everything on their plate or no dessert and no bedtime snack.

Our parenting faux pas last night was forgetting to have the Tooth Fairy come!
The kids bedtime is 8 and sometime after 9 DD came out into the living room all excited because she pulled a tooth out. I helped her put it under her pillow and then fell asleep on the couch and TOTALLY forgot (then again, DS forgot too so I am not taking all the blame ).
I heard her calling this morning and she said the TF forgot to come (not that we could find the tooth, it fell off her bed sometime during the night and her room is a disaster area right now). So I told her that she either pulled it out too late to get on last night's list or that her room was so messy that the TF couldn't find her tooth.

So she will clean her room after school today and we'll tape the tooth to her bedpost so that the TF can find it tonight.

[taz157]

beer - What an "interesting" way to get your DD to clean her room!



Question - What is the going rate for the tooth fairy at your house?

[Deleted]

She got $5 for the first and $1 for each additional.
She also has the worst timing ever! She lost the first one at a Carnival and we ended up letting them play a game after we told them we were going home so that we could get change for a $20.

ETA: DS turned 6 in September and he doesn't even have a "wiggler" yet!

ETAA: I was pretty impressed with myself since it all happened before I had coffee! ;D

[Wisconsin Beth]

Well, Cabe didn't leak though last night. I bought Underjams for him, 38-65lb size. The kid's 3 year old and at least 40 lbs. Possibly closer to 45. So that's a help, at least on the laundry front.

Keira's outgrown the sneakers I bought her in Sept, like 2 months ago. So she needs sneakers and dress shoes. God help me. I swear, every weekend I have to go replace something that one of the kids has outgrown.

Keira was excitedly telling me about Santa last night at bedtime. I reminded her that Santa doesn't bring presents to the naughty people. That quieted her for like 30 seconds before she started up again.

[swamp]

I've stopped buying dress shoes for my kids.

Sneakers are it. In the summer, they get flip flops or crocs.

[Wisconsin Beth]

I'm actually going to try the resale shop for the dress shoes. Yeah, yeah, bad for the feet. But she's wearing them a couple of days = me being a bad mom and not worrying about it.

[telephus44]

When it rains, it pours. DS has had some aggressive behavior in the last week that is unusual, culminating in kicking a teacher yesterday. We have an IEP meeting on Friday and they want to either separate him from the class or move him down to K. He also lied to us for the first time ever this morning (about his bed being wet).

This is one of those day when I just want to wave my hands in the air and give up.

I just so totally do not know what to do at this point. I'm going to call his pedi and see if she can give us a referral to either a behavioralist or maybe another doctor to adjust his meds. I really just wish I had the answers.

This behavior came on the last week and a half out of nowhere. No big changes. No idea where it came from. He's been more aggressive at home too, so I know the school isn't making it up or exagerating. We've tried both rewards for good behavior and punishments for bad behavior.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Oh THANK GOD. We will be kidless from approximately 4pm Sat. to 9am Sun. We have bowling from roughly 6:15 to whenever we finish. We're kicking around ideas of what to do. I have FIRMLY nixed cleaning, which probably wouldn't have occurred to DH to do anyway. ;D

[Deleted]

I am sorry your DS is challenging you more than usual telephus.

Hookers and blow, Beth!

[Wisconsin Beth]

Nov 27, 2012 12:36:15 GMT -5 @beerwench said:

I am sorry your DS is challenging you more than usual telephus.

Hookers and blow, Beth!

I'm thinking appletini's...

[Deleted]

You're probably right....you do only have until 9am to recover.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Nov 27, 2012 12:39:46 GMT -5 @beerwench said:

You're probably right....you do only have until 9am to recover.

and Nancy's making them extra strong on EE for us. ;D

[kgb18]

telephus, Hugs. I would definitely talk to his pedi and see what he/she recommends. I hope the people at his school are nice, reasonable people who are working with you.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Nov 27, 2012 12:51:58 GMT -5 kgb18 said:

telephus, Hugs. I would definitely talk to his pedi and see what he/she recommends. I hope the people at his school are nice, reasonable people who are working with you.

[raeoflyte]

Nov 27, 2012 12:51:58 GMT -5 kgb18 said:

telephus, Hugs. I would definitely talk to his pedi and see what he/she recommends. I hope the people at his school are nice, reasonable people who are working with you.

I hate those behavior changes that come out of left field, and if you find that manual that explains what to do when--you have to share!

[telephus44]

And I just missed the call back from his pedi. Damn.

For the most part, the people at the school are very helpful and reasonable.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Oh that sucks. I'm sorry you missed the call.

[Wisconsin Beth]

So DD is 4.5 and excited about Christmas. This is the 1st one where she's figured out what's going on. She knows about Santa. Yesterday she and Cabe got a letter from Santa about their upcoming visit to see him. So she's excited about that. And when we're driving at dusk/night, she's watching for Christmas lights. I'm going to take her to see the Miller Valley lights (the ones Miller uses on their Christmas beer commercials) as I think she'll enjoy it. It's really fun to have her so excited. And it makes me more excited too. And more aware of what I'm saying. And I keep shushing DH. Got to work on that.

Cabe peed in our bed last night. He came home and wanted to watch Hungry Caterpillar. The only working DVD player is in our room. So I set it up, told him NOT to pee or poop in mommy's bed. When I sent DH to check on him, he'd fallen asleep and peed in my bed. Sigh. And was NOT happy about being woken up.

[telephus44]

Oh man, that sucks Beth.

So Owen lied about peeing in his bed yesterday morning. This morning he gets up at 5:30, takes off his jammies and gets one new ones. He's clearly wet the bed. I walked into his room and asked him how his bed was. He says "dry!" so I point to the huge wet spot on the sheets and ask him "what's this?" and he answers that it's just a shadow.

I am so beside myself I don't know what to do. He's never lied before. He knows it's more severe consequences. This is something he's just started to do in the last week or so.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Oh, I'm sorry telephus. Cabe lies but he's 3, he doesn't get that he's lying yet. If that makes sense. I ask if he's wet and he'll say no. I ask again and he says yes. If I ask again, I may get yes, I may get no and I may get him running away laughing. Sigh. No advice just hugs.

Yeah, at least we found the wet bedding around 6pm. So DH stripped the bed down and used a towel to sop up most of it. We have a Tempurpedic mattress and liquids are not supposed to absorb. I ran a fan and then did some Febreeze. And the comforter was dry when DH came to bed so he added it. I went to bed early last night. Slept like the dead too. I vaguely remember him coming to bed and then nothing until DD came in around 5:30/6am. I told her to go to the bathroom and DH handled her from there.

[Deleted]

I am sorry about the lying telephus. DS is 6 and I catch him lying about the silliest things lately, but he 'fesses up once I catch him.

He wakes me up when he's wet at night, which is why he's still in pull-ups. I NEED my sleep!!!

[kgb18]

At what age did you/or do you intend to let your children have pop on special occasions?

DH caught his sister giving Avery Pepsi on Thanksgiving. He stopped her, but she drank some. At home on a regular basis she gets water, organic milk and watered down organic juice. That's it. On special occasions like parties or holidays I let her have a juice box.

I had kind of picked an arbitrary age of 5 that I thought I would start to let her have pop (or soda, for some of you ) on special occasions. What are your thoughts?

[973beachbum]

Nov 27, 2012 11:48:37 GMT -5 telephus44 said:

When it rains, it pours. DS has had some aggressive behavior in the last week that is unusual, culminating in kicking a teacher yesterday. We have an IEP meeting on Friday and they want to either separate him from the class or move him down to K. He also lied to us for the first time ever this morning (about his bed being wet).

This is one of those day when I just want to wave my hands in the air and give up.

I just so totally do not know what to do at this point. I'm going to call his pedi and see if she can give us a referral to either a behavioralist or maybe another doctor to adjust his meds. I really just wish I had the answers.

This behavior came on the last week and a half out of nowhere. No big changes. No idea where it came from. He's been more aggressive at home too, so I know the school isn't making it up or exagerating. We've tried both rewards for good behavior and punishments for bad behavior.

Is he on ADD meds? I ask because the major side effect of them that the Dr told me is making the kids more aggressive. It is possible that he needs to change meds. I don't know but I would ask the Dr. My son is on ADHD med and his Dr asks me every visit if he is more aggressive or has more lying type behavior because that can be brought on or made worse by the meds.

Anyway I hope it gets better!