Anyone with grown-up children who were very difficult as preschoolers?

My 3.5yo son has been a challenge since the day we brought him home from the hospital. He's bright and unique in so many ways. He's always been well ahead of his milestones... but he's also extremely difficult. I don't mean this as a negative thing necessarily, the boy is just extremely strong-willed and knows what he wants (and how to get it).I'm curious, for any of the more experienced parents on here with a teenage/adult child who was overly difficult as a preschooler:How did things turn out as they got older? Was everything always a struggle?(I'm totally aware that any infinite number of unique circumstances will affect the outcome of a child's future, but I'm really just curious if kids who have a challenging temperament as preschoolers end up carrying that with them into adulthood.)Thanks!EDIT: Should have emphasized...Assume for the purposes of this question that we're talking about a kid who's far more difficult than your average preschooler via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2zImVIk

How to get our 2.5 year old sleeping in her own bed

Okay, so we were doing great up until Hurricane Irma a couple years ago, then with the power out and no A/C and lights for a while, she starting sleeping with us. Then life got busy, and we never got the time to retrain her to sleep in her own bed again. We kept kicking the can down the road and said we'd do it "eventually".Well... now is eventually. We are really trying. At first we tried to rock her until she's tired then put her down. She then wakes up immediately. I have to be physically holding her for her to fall asleep. If I get up and leave, she follows me out.... every...time. I am now sitting next to the bed, holding her hand every night until she falls asleep. Then I sneak out. The problem with this is, when she wakes up at 1 am, 2 am, 3 am, whenever, she can't go back to sleep by herself. I feel like we've tried everything. She's just a wonderful happy little girl, but this part is just so difficult.It would be great to get our nights back. Any help from those that have gone through this would be appreciated. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2HCXiNE

Please have “girl time” with your daughters

Gosh. I’ve never posted before but something amazing just happened tonight.I have a 4 year old daughter who I’ve been fighting with everyday for the last two years. I’m always the disciplinarian in our house so she’s always been “daddy’s girl”. When I say fighting I literally mean hour long tantrums because she doesn’t want to brush her teeth because brushing teeth is “too hard”, or screaming because she doesn’t want to get dressed, or eat dinner, or go to school, or do chores. Literally any of that.Recently shes getting in trouble at school, hitting other kids. She’s been bullied and been one to bully back; she’s not sharing and not really getting a long with anyone. NOTHING I say gets through to her no amount of talking, empathy, punishment, sympathy— nothing has helped! I’ve even asked the teacher to contact the school counselor to ask about therapy for all of us or just her; or if they could recommend a professional outside of the school system anything!By a stroke of LUCK my husband got two tickets to go see a baseball game and my son wanted to go to his first game so my husband suggested we have a girls night. Immediately my daughter JUMPED on the idea and asked if it was just me and her and if we could do whatever we want and I totally when in on it to! The boys left and I have NEVER had SO MUCH fun with just my daughter and I.I told her tonight was about doing whatever we wanted. We went and got our favorite take out for dinner, set up all our drinks and snack and I gave her full reign of the remote. We ended up cuddling with a big cozy blanket and binge watching the entire series of the new She-Ra on Netflix, and had a blast!And what do you know? Tonight after girls night was done I told her it was time to brush her teeth, and she stopped moving sitting there thinking and then she goes “Ok mommy!”Not only was there no tantrum, but she ended up FLOSSING her teeth AND brushing them.I’m literally sitting here crying because I was terrified that I was raising an apathetic child that would grow up to be selfish and a terrible person, who was always angry. I was at my wits end. I had no idea how to reach her and for the first time in both her and my life we connected.We did something together and we loved it. I’m not sure what this means but I can FEEL that this is going to help BOTH of us; and that she won’t grow up to be unkind.I feel so dumb for not doing this with her sooner, but I’m so happy that we did this because I know it’s a step in the right direction. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/32kdGKY

Unexpected pregnancy. What would be the best for everybody?

I just recently discovered that I was 8, now 9 weeks pregnant with a guy that I have only been dating for about 2 months or so.Initially, I knew I wanted an abortion when I took a pregnancy test, and it came out positive. My partner is also leaning towards an abortion, but tells me that he will support me in whatever choice that I make to the best of his ability. Then when I went to get an ultrasound, I saw the little fetus growing inside me and heard the heartbeat. My thoughts about the abortion went from 100% to 90% and I felt just a slight bit of attachment to the baby. I asked my partner how he felt about it and he said that if the situation was different, he would be so happy and we would have a chance to raise the child together.So things are a bit complicated. When I initially started dating the baby daddy, I only expected a summer fling considering he is not from the US (where I live if that wasn’t really clear) and is only here for 4 months on a business trip. Not to mention I am only 20 years old and am still in the process of healing from my father’s death earlier this year and it took about 4 months after my father’s passing to get back out there and start dating just for fun. I admit I wasn’t the most responsible and should have been more careful. It only takes one night to make a baby and we found out from the ultrasound that the approximate moment of conception was actually the first night my partner and I got together.Right now I am still leaning towards an abortion but I am getting attached to the baby very quickly and I imagine what my life would be like as a mom. I think about how difficult it would be not just me but also my family. I have about 2 years left, maybe 3 at most, to finish school. My mom is 65 and on the brink of retiring. I wouldn’t want to be a burden on her and give her more reason to keep working for me because I already feel indebted to her despite how independent I try to be in my family. I starting working at the age of 15 and took responsibility for myself in whatever way I could (car, paying for my own clothes, food whenever I go out to eat, phone). In whatever way I could rely on my mom a bit less, I did just that. I am currently not working and holding off on that for a bit while I take this time with my gap year from school to heal, work on my anxiety, rediscover myself and what I want to do in the future, instead of living up to my family’s expectations.I tried talking to the baby daddy, who is 23 and working btw, on what our future would look like if I kept the baby. Since he is from another country, I don’t want him to move his whole life over here, leave his family and friends and be tied down to a baby that he didn’t expect on having at all. He told me that at most, what he can guarantee right now is that when he goes back home, he can send some money, and possibly visit about 2-3 times a year. Maybe somewhere down the line when he finishes school, he could take the big leap to move to the US, but that wouldn’t be until about another 4-5 years down the line. When we were talking about this, both him and I felt very overwhelmed having to talk about 4-5 years into the future when we had only been dating for 2 months and aren’t even 100% sure if it’s worth being in a long distance relationship yet. To be honest, if I decide to keep the baby, I fully intend on being a single mother since he isn’t bound by any US laws for child support and I would want him to keep going on with his life, finishing school, work on advancing his career, and if he wants to be involved in some way, he can. But if it gets too hard with the distance, I’m not going to force him to be involved in the child’s life. Although not without hardships and struggle, there are plenty of single moms out there who were able to raise amazing, beautiful children who turn out just fine for the most part.Adoption has also been brought up as a possible choice, but I don’t think I can bear with going through an entire pregnancy and giving away someone that is supposed to be mine. My older brother has also mentioned open adoption, where the child will know who I am and know that I am the birth mom. This way, I would give this child a chance at life and still be able to be involved in some way. It just still feels unsettling to me because I want to be able to have a full on relationship with my child. I want to teach her or him about their background, have her/him learn Vietnamese and about my culture. I want to be the person that will be a shoulder for them to cry on, offer guidance, travel together, meet my extended family, maybe even learn more about his birth father and meet him if he’s still in the picture. I know that I can still do some of these things with an open adoption, but it won’t be the same. My involvement would be very limited and I can imagine butting heads with the adoptive parents because of the amount of involvement I want. But what can I do if I’m not able to parent just right now, but will be able to in a few years?The last thing I want to do is make a decision I regret. Deep down, I want to keep this baby, but I will have to sacrifice so much to even attempt at giving this child a financially stable upbringing during the early stages of childhood. I don’t want to abort then feel an immense amount of guilt and become more depressed since it wasn’t too long ago that I lost my father, and now I would be losing a child that could have changed me and maybe even the world for the better.At the same time, I don’t know how my mom would handle it. She is very Catholic and traditional. She has no idea that I was sexually active, and I am incredibly scared of her disappointment in me. I felt as if I had done almost everything right up until this point. I figured if I was finally going to be sexually active and don’t want her to know, it would be safe and protected to prevent any of this from happening but I had a pregnancy scare before and I turned out okay. It was foolish of me to not learn my lesson but what’s done is done and now I have to figure out what the next step is. She would have to put a pause on her retirement, and I’m sure that we would have to move to get help from one of my aunts while I’m in school/working. There’s no way that I can raise a child with 4 people living in a 2 bedroom apartment, which is our current living situation right now.Deep inside my heart, I want to keep this baby and am determined to make it as a single mom. I know that my child will motivate me in school while I’m pregnant. I know that even if the baby daddy isn’t in the picture, I am willing to love the child enough for the both of us. But I am scared to rely on so many people to help me out because let’s face it, I can’t do this COMPLETELY on my own. I am scared of confronting my mom, especially since she hasn’t had the best year either considering I wasn’t the only person who lost someone. She lost her own husband too.What are your guys’ thoughts on the situation? In my eyes, the semi-selfish choice is to keep the baby because I know that it’ll be hard for my loved ones to help me. With the other option to abort, it’ll be mostly me that suffers the consequences with healing physically and emotionally. Ironically, I would choose the abortion for my mom, and without her knowing. For her sake, I would give up this opportunity to have THIS child that is growing right now so that she doesn’t have to keep working for me and face the toxic gossip from the family about how she raised me and how I ruined her life like this. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2ZDTRwo

Sweetest daughter

My (23f) daughter,2, is the sweetest little girl I know. She makes me so proud. I know I've raised her right.First we were at a family event and she saw my cousin sitting under a tree alone and went up to her and asked her if she was ok and gave her big hug.Besides that shes always asking me if I'm ok and to be happy and not be sad.Today my boyfriend made me upset and I started crying and she looked at me with her arms out and said "come here hug me come here hug me come here come here" it was the sweetest thing so I went and gave her a hug and she said "I'll wipe your tears mommy" and started wiping my face off. Almost made me cry even more.I love how caring and kind she is and I cant wait to see how she is when shes older. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/30Nwem9

I told my daughter the truth about my drug use

My daughter is 10 years old and the topic of marijuana came up, I'm not really sure how. She then asked me if I have ever used drugs. I didn't want to lie to her and I told her yes. I currently do not do drugs and when I did it was very minor. I told her I smoked marijuana a few times in the past. I told her it is legal here (Massachusetts) but it's important to remember your brain is still developing until you're in your young twenties and smoking marijuana before then can cause issues.I tried to make it sound like alcohol. I didn't want to get into the medicinal use cause I didn't want to overwhelm her. I was just trying to keep in mind that it is legal, and trying to be realistic about her future exposure to it. I think I did the right thing with her about my past. I don't want her to ever feel worried about coming to me and I think if I lied and sounded stern I'd just be creating that cycle of the horrendous Just Say No and D.A.R.E program over again.So reddit did I do the right thing? Anything I should've changed? via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2LhZlYj

My FIL is the greatest grandad, and I’m so happy and relieved

Mostly just gushing here, sorry! So my FIL is a very stoic, commanding man who rarely ever expresses emotion. I was kind of worried about what kind of grandad he’d be when my wife was expecting. My MIL is the sweetest lady and I had pretty much no doubts that she’d be a wonderful grandmother. But I definitely had some doubts about my FIL. He was a strict but loving parent with my wife and her siblings, with high expectations and standards for them academically. He’d brag about how great his kids were to anyone who’d listen, but would rarely ever compliment his kids to their faces. Don’t get me wrong, he’s not a bad or unkind man at all, I simply worried that he might not want to have an infant dribbling on his suits and he might not really connect with my kid.Never have I been so wrong.My FIL has changed drastically since my son was born. He laughs when my son laughs, and has to leave the room whenever my son cries, despite our constant reassurances that he’s completely fine and just being a dramatic little shit. He cuddles my son all the time and always volunteers to feed him and change his diapers. He lays on the floor with him in very uncomfortable positions just to play with him and reads everything from Peter Rabbit and Paddington Bear to serious law textbooks aloud in funny voices to my son as they both sit in FIL’s favourite armchair. My son had a fever a month ago and my FIL was on the verge of tears listening to him cry. It’s like he’s softened since my son was born, and he’s more willing to crack a joke or a smile. Last week, we were visiting my in-laws’ house, and he laid on the floor with my son most of the time, listening to him blabber and giving serious answers with a straight face. It was the most adorable thing I have ever seen. He got out a very old, very expensive fountain pen of his, and put it into my son’s chubby fist. He then watched him wave it around and drool on it and blabber excitedly, and he smiled and laughed and clapped the entire time. He later told me that my son would be a great orator one day.I’m just incredibly relieved that he’s been completely the opposite kind of grandad that I’d been expecting. Sorry this is so long, I just had to share this somewhere! via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/32o1k4x

Now that my almost 2 year old has learned how to open a door, I no longer have my quiet coffee time on my porch on the weekend.

On the weekends, my toddler wakes up around 7am. I change her and give her some juice and she plays in her room. I make my coffee. Her older siblings start to wake up and interact with her around the same time. Dad is up at this time, but still in bed(browsing reddit I presume). I usually take my coffee outside and spark my morning cig (don’t judge me). But now. She’s tall enough to pull the handle on the door. Within minutes of me settling on my porch for my morning coffee and smoke, she’s opening the back door. “MOMMY!! I play outside!” sigh. I’m sad to say I think my 10 minutes of mommy alone time is forever diminished. So, I put out my smoke and play with her on her slide....and wait for nap time. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2LiQIwT

First time parent and I'm terrified

Today, my wife and I had our first child, Orion. Beautifully healthy at 6lb 6oz and 18.5 in. We are now 13 hours postpartum and most of the excitement from earlier has finally wore off, I find myself staring at our new baby almost constantly, terrified at the idea that I may not be emotionally ready for what just happened. We now have a small tiny human being that requires us to do literally everything for him to survive. Every tiny noise begs my attention to make sure he is alright, every cry rings guilt inside of me because I feel like I'm not doing the right thing, I am downright scared to do anything for fear or doing something wrong. I have never felt this lost and afraid in my life. The thing about it is I know it's all in my mind but I can't shake or move past these thoughts and feelings. I'm hoping I just need to vent this out and that something will click because this is weighing heavily on my mind. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2zFRzSY

Doctor time....

So yesterday we had to go to the doctor to get some blood taken (for visas) including my nearly 4 year old girl. So all is good I told her the night before, no issues. I go first she gets some bippity bippity boo cream on her arm so she won't feel the needle. And she watches on with those big brown eyes. Her turn comes, she isn't overly keen (obviously) but, she soldiers through it, no tears, excellent behaviour. You can't imagine how chuffed I was as I thought oh boy this is never going to work. A bit later in the day, we are at the shops and my mum asks her if the needle hurt, she says no, not at all, I felt nothing. Before turning to her with a serious death stare and says, but I am never, ever EVER seeing that WOMAN again.... Alright kid fair enough. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2PucHGk

My daughter is afraid of a special needs kid who has hit her multiple times. The school isn’t doing anything about him because his father is the superintendent. I don’t know how to handle this, and I’m in desperate need of help.

Throwaway account because I don’t want this flooding my main account.My daughter is 14 years old. She is in the marching band with the superintendents son. They play the drum set and he is next to her.She’s complained to me several times that he is rude and hits her with drum sticks, and that the teacher won’t do anything to him cause he’s autistic.I called the school and got an appointment with the band teacher and the principal. They both assured me it wouldn’t happen again. She said he stopped for a couple days, and that the teacher even made him go away from her.It wasn’t long until I repeated all this.Eventually I learned that the kid is the child of the superintendent, who used to be a special ed teacher. He was even a teacher at her school.For the sake of being honest, I was never bullied in high school. I wasn’t exactly the coolest person but I never thought this stuff happened. If anything I was a huge dick, so I don’t know much about handling bullies.I’ve told her everything you possibly tell a child whose being bullied. Stand up to him, hit him back and don’t start it but finish it. She says she’s against it because he’s special.She’s so tired of him she wants to quit band.Tonight was the first football game of the season. I went and watched and was recording her play. I was so happy until I got on video, him touching her and aggravating her. I controlled myself and asked her while they where on the 3rd quarter break if what I saw was real.She told me it was.When we got home I was so fucking mad. I went and cooled off and came back and sat her down and asked her why she hasn’t stood up to this boy like her and I talked about doing.She told me she was afraid he’d hit her again and that it hurt a lot last time.I swear to god I’ve never been more mad in my life. Not at her of course, but at this fucking kid and parent and teachers who won’t do shit about this. I’m at the end of my rope. I want to haul off and beat the shit out of his father, which of course is terrible and would put me behind bars.I’m so angry and sad I don’t even know what to do. I can’t think straight. She’s off in bed and I’m pacing in the living room because I’m at my whits end. I’d like her to stand up to this kid and beat his teeth in one good time but she won’t do it. I don’t know how else to solve this.I’m thinking of writing an email and demanding something be done to the superintendent. I’ve got video evidence I’m going to send him. I don’t know what else to do.I’m sick of my daughter coming home and telling me he’s done something and if he does something in front of the entire field again, I don’t know how I’ll handle it.Please someone help me. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2Looxwi

Crazy spy app used on me during playdate

I have a close friend who can be a little crazy sometimes. I guess I just never thought she’d direct her crazy at me. Her teen son and my teen son are pretty close and hang out regularly, although they’re starting to grow apart as my son shot up in height, voice dropped, likes “cooler” stuff, and her son is still ready for play dates. Just different levels of development. Well, anyway, he came over early one morning when his mom had to leave early for work, and I planned to take them to some activities later in the day. I let them play and went about my business. The kids left their phones in the kitchen, where I paid bills, called my marriage counselor and talked in depth about an issue that I was seeking some clarity on, called church to talk about a purchase for the memory of my deceased mom, paid bills by phone because I couldn’t remember my login, and watched TV. It was a productive morning for me. I fed the kids, and then we went to the planned activities. Generally, his mom checks in when he’s over all day. She didn’t that day. I messaged her at the end of her work day and asked if she wanted to meet us out to eat. She said yes, she’d see us there in awhile. I bought the kids dinner. When she arrived, she joined for dinner. I paid. As she’s eating, she tells me that oh btw she installed a new app on his phone. First, she said it was because he lost his old phone and she wanted to track it. I asked, like Life360? She said no, it was a “parenting app.” I asked what that meant and she grinned at me. This is her evil grin, her “I know I’m doing something devious” grin, and I knew exactly what it was for. It was to spy on her ex-husband while her son was with him. I asked how, like a tracking app? She said yes, but better. Whatever it was, she could “tune in” at any point and get an audio recording of whatever is in the area of the phone. She shared that she tuned in several times that day. At that point, she got a little cold. I thought about the ramifications of what she said. His phone had pretty much been with us (and near me) all day. I was perfectly pleasant to her son all day. But if she had “tuned in” several times, I had no idea what she could have heard regarding my marriage, my grief, and my bills/credit information. Although she and I are/were close, this is not information I want people to have ready access to. I had nothing to hide, but this felt like a huge privacy violation. “Several times” throughout the day?! It wasn’t even just once?! I should get to CHOOSE what I share with my friends. I didn’t want to share this with her, but had no choice as she was testing her ex spy tool on me. I’m the kind of person who walks away to make phone calls and gives someone my full attention. This was like she just dropped in and hid in the closet while I talked about a ton of personal information. I’m so ANGRY and hurt and embarrassed. This WAS a close friend. We haven’t spoken since, which makes it so much worse.Parents, don’t do this to your friends. I would never, NEVER spy on a friend or close family member like this. I get if you don’t trust the person babysitting your child. I get if your kid is too young for a device and you’re trying something out. This??? I don’t understand. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2Unbwrc

I made supper at 5pm, then my two year old and I spent the next four hours lying in bed.

She watched The Backyardigans and Paw Patrol while I read a memoir of a boy soldier in Africa in the 90s.At one point, I was so relaxed that I twisted and cracked my back the whole way up which felt amazing.Maybe now, after a good, solid night of sleep, I will actually feel human for the first time in months. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2Ptb6Rc

Feeling burnt out.

I'm going to say this now, I had a post earlier on venting in a totally different matter and people took it the wrong way. I DON'T REGRET HAVING A CHILD, I DON'T REGRET BEING A MOTHER, I'M NOT SAYING I DON'T WANT TO BE A MOM ANYMORE. IM SIMPLY JUST VENTINGI'm a SAHM with of a two girls, a 1 year old who is my biological, and a 12 year old who is my stepchild.I've only been doing this for about 5-6 months, I decided to stay home so my SO can work full time and advance in his work. Also because daycare is super expensive and if I was to work I wouldn't be making me because of daycare alone.This is literally the hardest job I've ever had. I'm so burnt out and exhausted.So, to anyone out there who has done this a lot longer than I have. My hat is off you! via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/34bY6Tf

I wanna scream right now.

I’ve been with my teen in the hospital for a week. Meanwhile her three siblings have been at home with my husband trying their best to live life as usual. My daughter was transferred to another hospital that won’t allow me to stay with her, so I’m back home.That’s a good thing because I need to make safety adjustments before teenager returns. But I came home to the house a MESS! My sofa covers are off, baby toys have gone missing, floor doesn’t look like it’s been swept all week, and I’m pretty sure only “needed” dishes have been cleaned all week. Don’t even get me started on Mount Wash-me.Best part, husband is making dinner, right? That’s good. He cooks very well. The kid walked past him to walk into the bathroom THAT I AM USING, to ask me what he was cooking!GoooosssseeeffffrrrraaaaaabbbbbaaaaaaOh, but husband says “I don’t know how you do this!” Which makes me feel like a badass considering how the house looks. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2NJ4XO8

Am I putting my kid through too much?

I teach at a bilingual school and I always knew that once my son was old enough to start kindergarten I wanted him to attend. Him learning Spanish is very important to me. The only thing is that it is an hour drive to get there and an hour back, sometimes more if traffic is bad. School has started and we’ve been at it for about a little over a week. I do everything I can to make it comfortable for him. Snacks, neck pillow for naps, coloring books. I think it’s having an impact but not a huge one. He seems a little more crabby than usual and his attitude flares up a little more than usual. Is this too much for a 5 year old? Anything else I could do to make the commute better for him? via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2Zo3Z0S

Can't get it right

My dad recently moved down the road after getting divorced. It's the first time since I've been married that family is nearby. Been married 13 years, have a teenaged son, son in kindergarten, and baby daughter.I asked my dad to watch my middle child so my wife and I could go out for the first time in 13 years almost kidless to a dinner.He said yes. My wife reminded me his big dog bit the neighbor last month so I asked if the dog would be a problem.Rather then assure me everything would be ok, he seems to have taken offense and said he won't watch his Grand son.This is why I tiptoe around when talking with my dad, everything sets him off.This is why I never have my kids go anywhere without us. It's like it's a problem to have worries about safety.I'm just annoyed, sorry.Convo:Me: Can you watch [kid name] for a few hours tonightDad: Yes I canMe: Would be at like 5 or 6 I'm guessingDad: OK just let me knowMe: [Dog name] won't bite [kid name] rightDad: Has [dog name] bitten beforeMe: The neighbor guyDad: No I mean [kid name]Me: I don't think so. I just worry about my kids is allDad: Yeah you're right, maybe I shouldn't babysit himMe: Oh. Ok then via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2Pq50kF

Zero waste public school

My son’s school is now “zero waste.” They are not composting nor are they recycling, they are just denying the children access to the trash can. All their lunch refuse must go home with them in their lunch box. They can throw away half eaten yogurts, apple cores, and banana peels only. Everything else stays In the lunch box to come home.They are doing this to save money on the trash service.I am unhappy and feel they are abusing the term, in addition to also denying my child basic services. I can use a trash can for free almost anywhere I go. Many days we have activities after school and an extra snack. It seems gross to put trash and used napkins in with your food for later. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2zvF9wG

Stranger on the bus who endured a 10 minute bus ride with my son having a tantrum told me what a great job I was doing in keeping my calm and it was refreshing to see him with out a tablet (he is only 21 MO) honestly made me feel so good , just goes to show how a strang kindness goes a long way.

So my 21 MO was having one of those day's, he is normally very easy but he is at this stage where he has so much energy and doesn't like being confined, he was having a proper scream on the bus and I was sorry for the other passenger's but I didn't give in, I kept my cool , just kept trying to distract him, singing to him, making funny faces and briefly it did make him laugh.I think it's important to note I don't give him any tablets or smartphones to distract him with, I can see the temptation and I am not judging parent's who do , everyone has their ways but in this day and age they are going to be exposed to it all their lives, so what's the rush ?? And also it's a fact that it hinders their development so even though sometimes I wonder if I am doing the right thing and even if it's worth it only time will tell and I will know I did my best or at least tried.This day has been a hard one but he is my all and he makes me such a stronger person, also today I had to buy a pregnancy test ( he was having a little melt down today in the pharmacy as well while I was purchasing it ) I may add this pregnancy would not of been planned I am only 4 day's late and I am in a state and also at the same time if it comes back negative I may be disappointed. Taking it tomorrow morning so at the time I am sitting down on sofa with a beer still happy with out knowing the answer and I have another 2 to go. ( The little one is in bed ) Thanks for reading, just wanted to share and say to all you out there what a great job you're doing and your children are very fortunate to have you. ❤️ via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2PpasUA

Nurse demanding doctor examine my thin 8 y/o... for obesity

I just got a very interesting note from my sons school nurse. My son is 8/3rd grade and fluctuates between “bony” and “thin.” He does hour-long sports practice (a very active sport) 5-6 days a week.He’s on the taller side too if that makes a difference.I was shocked to find a note in his backpack (personalized to him) stating his BMI is “between 85th-95th percentile” and “medical evaluation is highly recommended” as he’s at risk for heart disease, diabetes, etc.There’s a nice little sidenote, admonishing us to have our kids play sports, not sitting In front of the TV all day, sucking down sugary beverages. 🙄We have to provide a note back to the school, but he is being evaluated by his pediatrician. I spoke with the doctor this morning, and she was flabbergasted, as my son has always been thin. She also expressed concern of what message a letter like that might send to Kids regarding body image etc.To say nothing of the fact, that type one diabetes, congenital hyperinsulinism, are not the fault of the patient.But we’re getting him evaluated in a couple of weeks. If the School Nurse wants to play this game…I just want to know if this is normal?Frankly some of the staff at my kids school have been very snotty to me/my family because I have a physical disability and a stutter, and I hate that I’m wondering if this note is just an extension of that. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/32eU4HT

Talk to your kids about sex, please.

If your kid is 8 or 10 years old and you haven't at least started to talk about sex with them, it's time. They're going to learn about from some kid at school if you don't. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2HBS7O1

What do you tell your 4 year old who lost his friend in a tragic accident.. help..

Crossposted:We woke up to a text on Monday telling us that my son’s neighbor/ friend who’s younger than him had drowned in a pool on Sunday, and is on life support with no brain activity, which means at some point, the parents will have a very difficult decision to make.When we found out our world crashed. My S/O was his nanny.. I played ball and rode bikes with this kid and loved him like my own. We could not keep our composure upon finding out. We both instantly bawled. Through phone calls and us discussing it, our son knew something wasn’t right.. he didn’t see the boy on Tuesday, or Wednesday, or Thursday.. and he knows that his friend is sick.. but how do we tell him that his friend isn’t coming back?I think I’m asking this, because I don’t even know how to feel about it, or what to say myself.. it was senseless, and tragic, and I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. I haven’t talked to anyone else about it.. my wife is inconsolable right now, and understandably so. She was a big part of his life, as much as he was ours..I’m sorry for the rant, but I wasn’t sure if anyone else has had this issue before. Our son is mature for his age, is very empathetic, and can read our faces well enough to know something is really wrong.And I suppose my follow up question would be.. how young is too young to attend a funeral? I still can’t believe I even have to ask this.Thanks in advance for you time. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/32k6ApN

4 year old destroying us. We feel so helpless

Our 4 year old is literally destroying us. My wife and I feel we are on the verge of separation. We had a great marriage before our daughter was born. In fact, the first year or two was pretty great, considering how bringing in a child into this world can be very stressful. Our marriage at the time was strong.Then our daughter turned 2.5 years old. She slowly started getting night terrors, nearly every night, that would last between 30 minutes and an hour. Her daytime meltdowns were bad but seemed to improve over the years. But, she's nearly 4.5 years old, and my wife and I are severly sleep deprived. Each and every night our daughter wakes up from night terrors. These last for 30 minutes on average and come around about two hours after she goes to sleep. We have tried naps in the day and tried keeping her awake during the day, but it made no difference.Then we have the daytime meltdowns. Which are another thing completely. These can last for an hour or more, several times per day. We thought maybe she was dealing with stress at the sitters, so we moved her to another sitters but there was no change. I will be taking Monday off to look for a child psychologist, as recommended by our pediatrician.We feel so helpless. Our daughter single handedly destroyed our marriage and is slowly dissecting us both apart with sleep deprivation. We are so lost and don't know where to go from here. A child psychologist is our last hope. That being said, is there anything we should know about finding one?I apologise if I am all over the place. Last night was the fourth night in a row of getting 4 broken hours of sleep.Any advice is greatly appreciated. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2Lbwepu

Had a major mom win this week

My 16 month old has been learning more and more words. With this comes a lot of joy for all of us as she can communicate better and for her, it also comes with a good amount of frustration when there are things she still can’t quite communicate clearly.This trial and error has led to an increase in tantrums this last month. Tantrums that involve flailing her arms/smacking things indiscriminately and screaming.Well recently we taught her how to high five and count to 3 and I had an idea earlier this week during one of her tantrums. I put out my hand for a high five and instead of smacking the air or me, she focused on high fives instead.Once her arms chilled out we counted to three, taking a deep breath after each number. And... the tantrum stopped. She was all smiles and was incredibly proud of her counting!I’m so happy we found something that works (for now) and it also helped me stay calm and not get overwhelmed which was an absolute win-win. And it’s really clicked! Now when she starts getting frustrated she runs to me and pulls up my hand so she can give me high fives and repeats 1, 2, 3 on her own.With baby number two only two short months away, I’m so grateful we were able to find a good and constructive way for her to cope with these big emotions before her sister is here.Now to work on getting her to help me pick up her toys... via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2ZsLZSW

My son is causing a lot of mayhem at school and home

My son is 6 and in first grade. He started riding the bus this year because the pickup and drop off twice a day all year was becoming very gas expensive and hard on his baby sister. He is a very loud, determined, active child. He’s already been placed in a seat belt, we’ve had talks with the driver, and just this morning I got a call asking what his electronic earmuffs are, because he’s whacking kids with them, and does he have a tablet that he can use to play games on to distract him during the ride? Wednesday his behavior was so disruptive that the driver had to pull the bus over to go talk to him. At school he’s messing with water fountains, toilets, lights....he’s throwing sticks and insulting teachers, he’s giving us tude at home. I don’t even know what advice to ask for, I’m so overwhelmed right now. His dad doesn’t want him to be the “special kid” so he hates that I’ve limited dyes (which means that when the rest of the kids get birthday treats or candy he can’t), that he has those electric earmuffs (sound bothers him a lot). But just letting him do whatever clearly isn’t working because he’s becoming THAT kid. We have rewards systems in place but he is quite capable of adjusting his thinking so that losing the rewards doesn’t hurt as much. My mother tells me I was the same way, but I was in no way as chaotic and disruptive as my son. My husband was moreso and he ended up on Ritalin, which was a bad experience and has now ruined his opinion of meds altogether. I’m not fond of meds either but something’s gotta give. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/34f5xcs

Tips on eliminating screaming/unhappiness when almost 2 y/o doesn't get her way?

My daughter is 21 months old. She's generally very sweet, very intelligent, and very physically capable in terms of running, climbing, etc. However, in the last couple of weeks, any small thing she's not allowed to do results in a very, very high-pitched scream and some tears. Very rarely does she go into a full meltdown, but it's pretty startling behavior nonetheless. Basically, once the redirection starts (e.g. taking the thing she grabbed away from her, or needing her to go somewhere she isn't inclined to), she begins the behavior. The redirection takes the form of gentle/firm verbal, and taking her hand and trying to lead her away as needed. Definitely never any rough handling or the like. I have tried some compromises with her on things I want vs. things she wants, and very occasionally I have reconsidered my position and given her the ability to do something I was trying to stop if I realize it wasn't a huge deal (I know this is probably not ideal, sorry...).I know that the screaming/tears aren't related to true pain or terror because they pretty quickly cease, so my sense is that it's just drama at the expense of others' ear drums and sanity. FWIW, she has done the high-pitched thing with various levels of anger before and then dropped it in subsequent days/weeks, almost like it was a phase where she wanted to test out some vocal range.Though I hesitate to call it the terrible twos or full meltdowns/fits, I know I'm probably describing a pretty common thing for a lot of you. Any tips for keeping this behavior in check or, if it's a phase, getting through it as quickly as possible? It has taken on a small bit of exigency recently because she has started at a new school and we want her to do as well as possible, obviously.Thanks in advance! via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2Ur3P3j

Chores are the best

Our 5 year old wanted an allowance, so we made it clear she still has to do regular jobs like keep her room clean, put her dishes away etc. She won’t get paid for these, they are part of being in the family, but now her and our 3 year old can do extra jobs to earn allowance. I just sat on the couch on Reddit while she unloaded the dishwasher... life is good! via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/347CkjD

My 6yo caught her dad and me "in the act"

Last night, my 6yo caught my husband and me for the first time, and I'm unsure whether to talk to her about not telling anyone or if I should just leave it alone.We leave the door cracked because of the baby, keep very quiet, and always check that the 6yo is asleep first. In 6 years, it's never been a problem.Well, we were, um, repositioning ourselves, my husband looked up, and there's our daughter standing there. She said we were being too loud (it was the neighbors; idk what they were doing, but they must've dropped something big in the parking lot), then just turned around and went back to bed. My husband and I couldn't help but giggle from embarrassment for a bit.As a family, we're very open and honest about everything. When I got pregnant with her brother, we told her the truth about how it happens, just leaving out the fun part. The problem here is that I don't want her talking about it at school and have the school think we just engage in sexual activity in front of our children. Any advice appreciated. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2UjrUJi

When you want more babies (kids) and literally cannot.

I have nothing really groundbreaking to say but it's the weekend before my son, who we were blessed to be chosen to parent, starts first grade, and when my daughter would have started middle school in 6th grade if not for cancer, and every moment is slipping away and fleeting. I always said I wouldn't be one of those moms who cried as my son grew up and reached milestones because it is such a joy that he gets to grow up. But I want more children and cannot have them, and as he grows older and more independent the knowledge that these are my only chances to cherish these moments, it's too much. I always wanted four or five kids and I am so thankful for the child I bore but lost and the child I didn't bear but received. My children are not not-enough but also I love children and wish I could parent more of them. Everyone has a great heartbreak I guess. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2ZtgU1y

My 11 y/o son won't stop lying. He gets in trouble at school for acting out, I'm at my breaking point

This might be long, but I'll try to keep it short and to the point. I'll start with a little background... TLDR at the bottomI had my son when I was 20, still living at home with my parents. His biological father is, to say the very least, a class a a-hole, he was in and out of jail the entire time I was with him, I was young and stupid, ended up pregnant, he hasn't seen him since he was about a year old.I have been with my now fiance (I'll call him F here) for about 4 years. My son and I moved after we knew it was a serious relationship, which was about 6 hours away from home. He was 6 when we moved, so he grew up for most of his 'developement' years in my parents house.My parents have a very different parenting style than I would have liked to have while we were living there. Everytime I would be in a situation where my son would need discipline, I would end up getting a 'come on, leave him alone'. So really during his first 6 years of life, he was never actually disciplined.We moved, everything seemed fine, he's a good kid, doesn't lie, does his school work, etc. sometimes needs a bit of guidance, but nothing major that I'd say. I had my daughter about 2 years after we moved, and just had another a few months ago. I don't think his behavior has anything to do with his sister's, he has never acted out toward them or anything like that, but I could be wrong.During his second year of school, his teacher was always telling us that he couldn't sit still, couldn't focus, never got his school work done, was distracting and distracted by other kids, etc. She told us in a round about way that she would recommend putting him on some meds, because she thinks it would help his ability to focus and stay on task, she has the same experience with her kids, and it helped them. That was a hard decision for me, but after weighing everything, we decided to do it, he was put on stratera (non-stimulant/non-narcotic). It didn't seem to help at all, and after that year, we stopped and tried other methods, nothing worked. This passed summer we started him on Adderall, it doesn't seem to help a ton, but I think the dosage is so small, that it doesn't do anything. His doc said he seems to have add/ADHD but she doesn't seem to think it's serious, despite all these things happening.Through all of this, he has been lying CONSTANTLY about basically everything...from brushing his teeth to who spilled ink on his new carpet. Even after he's caught in the lie, he doesn't give it up, he insists he brushed his teeth with his toothbrush, even though it was downstairs in his overnight bag.He also was peeing in his closet for months and we didn't know about it, we ended up having to replace the carpet. We have no idea why he was peeing in there, we could never get it out of him, he always said that he didn't want to wake anyone up and get in trouble by going to the bathroom, so he just did it in there. I don't know if that's the truth or not, I'm inclined to say no, but I have no idea.For the lying, we have tried various punishments, praise for only good behavior, ignoring the bad, making him do more chores, sitting in is room, taking away electronics, etc. Nothing seems to work. We even put him in karate (which he is still doing) in hopes it would teach him some lessons and ways to focus. He's failing 2 of his classes.Yesterday I got a call from the dean of the school. She said him and his friend thought it would be funny to knock over a rack that had water bottles on it. They had to stay after and clean it up, and today are having lunch with her today to watch a lunchtime ediquette video. I asked why he did it, he said his friend told him if he made him laugh, he'd buy him a water. He didn't think about cleaning it up because 'that's the lunch ladies job'When F found out about the dean calling, he was livid. This isn't the first time the school has called, he got in trouble for making sexual motions with his hands, snorting pretend cocaine, and dropping f bombs last year. Last night his punishment was running a mile with F and doing a bunch of push ups and sit ups, until F found out about the ink spill on his new carpet (that he lied about and said his friend did, which I know is a lie because he said it happened last weekend, I saw it in there a couple weeks ago), by which time F was so fed up, he just gave up, gave him a speech about not caring about what he does anymore, if he doesn't care, then F doesn't anymore either. If he's not going to put in the effort and try to help himself, then neither are we.He's turning into a bad kid. I dont think he WANTS to be a bad kid though. He just has no brain function to tell him if what he's doing is bad or good, he has no common sense whatsoever, he's very very easily influenced by others around him and he is a habitual liar. He has a doc appt today and I'm going to up the dosage on his medicine, but I don't think that will help him care, and I don't know how to make him care.Is this something we need to let run its course? Will the lying ever stop? Do we try to intervene and make him see? Do we not and let him get held back? Do I bring him on a little trip to a detention center? To the jail?TLDR: my son (11) is a habitual liar, failing 2 classes and is turning into a bad kid and I don't know how to help him or make it stop. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2ZzCw7P

I have autism and my three year old is too much for me

I have autism and suffer from sensory overload, the thing is everything my son does contributes to sensory overload. I go in the bathroom in the quiet to try and prepare myself for the day and he comes along and bangs on the door like a maniac and turns the light on and off, both of which trigger sensory overload.He never does as he is told so when you ask him to stop doing something that triggers it, he screams ”NOOOO” and start being as loud as possible.Will my son ever understand that I’m different or is parenting going to be a living hell for me as long as I live?It's really effecting my mental health also as I feel I’m an awful father and parenting for me is torture. I’m constantly on the verge of an overload and always exhausted.I don't know what I am to do, I think he’d be better of without me. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/30KoEZz

My baby is growing up!

Tomorrow is my baby girls first day of preschool! I’m so excited and nervous for her. I am a young mom and don’t have many friends to talk about this with so I just decided to post this on this sub. It feels like just yesterday my lil Bebe was born and now she’s a sassy little preschooler. I want to cry but I am so proud of her and happy for her! Sorry for this pointless post but I just needed to tell someone. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/349gIDn

Wife drew instructions on the shower wall to explain the order to wash to the kids

Thought it was Cute and and interesting idea to share with the community. A lot of fun for the kids to draw on the tiles!https://ift.tt/2MJd3XB via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2NGJcyK

13 YO with strange ( and expensive) interests

Ok, so my 13 year old son has some strange hobbies. Basically, he's obsessed with graphing calculators. He'll research them for an hour or 2 a day. He'll look at ebay listings for another 30 minutes.For his birthday in a month, he says all he wants is a TI 84 Plus CE ($150). We have already bought him a cheap used other calculator for 20 bucks. Now he says he wants to collect them.Is this abnormal? Have your kids gone through anything like this? What should I do? via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2LdrcsK

Dancing with my baby

I just turned on music for my son (4months old) while he was in his little baby swing. We were looking at each other smiling like we do, I decided to pick him up to dance with him and as soon as I had him in my arms I was hit with a huge wave of emotion, tears were coming completely unexpectedly and unstoppable. This little boy brings me so much purpose and joy. There is also a fear that comes with having your heart outside of your body. It all hit me at once. I just love this little human so much! via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2ZsFJe0

I think my dad has been sexually harassing my sister for years.

Hi, I am aware that this might not be a very parenting related cry for help but I really need help with something. I assumed that posting it here with the perspectives of other parents I might get the advice I need.This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to admit to myself and to others but, I think my dad has been harassing my 12 year old little sister for years. He is always very inappropriately touching her and my sister is too afraid to speak out. He isn’t verbally or physically abusive in any other way, he is actually our better parent. My mom is diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, so that makes her not be a very good mother figure for anyone. Anyway, this has been happening for a long time now.Ever since we both were little he always touched us like that, and in a way I think he considers it to be normal. When I was about 10 or 11 I finally told him that it made me uncomfortable and that he needed to stop, but my sister never did. Today I spoke to her and asked her wether she was okay with my dad touching her in the way that he did, and she said it made her super uncomfortable but she didn’t know how to tell him.I gave birth to my firstborn about 4 months ago, and ever since then I’ve had this sixth sense with things that might cause her harm. And because of that very protective sense I began to notice that my dad has this weird thing for little kids. Every time we go out and a little child walks by or is standing in front of us in line he starts talking to them in a really weird way you just don’t talk to other people’s kids like. This makes me really concerned not only about my own child’s safety, but of those of others. It also makes me terribly concerned about my sister’s situation.I want to confront my dad about this, and even though I am almost sure that this declaration is true, I am scared that it will wreck the only relationship with a parent that I have. But a part of me knows that I can’t just ignore this anymore. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2Ldr8Jw

F U inconsiderate parents

To the parents of the sick kids at daycare-Seriously, fuck you. You knew your children were sick and throwing up but still brought them in. Now my baby is at the pediatric urgent care with an IV line while I’m at home with my oldest throwing my guts up. Our vacation holiday this weekend is ruined and my kids are sick. You fucking suck.Signed, A pissed off parentI need to vent this in between throwing up . My youngest was sent home from daycare because he threw up twice. No biggie I thought, probably just something he ate. My DH and I were both home getting the car ready and packing for the long weekend away . Once the baby got home he was throwing up every 15-20 mins, lethargic and couldn’t even sip water( all over the next 2 hours). When I picked my oldest up the Director came up and apologized saying that two other kids ( from the same family) were sent home as well and the mother told them she knew they were sick as they spent all night throwing up but she “had to work”.First off who the hell does that or even admits it?!?I’m vivid. I know it’s not the daycare’s fault as they didn’t know but when we drop our kids off we have to fill out a form that asks if they were sick. I’ll be asking the Director to talk to these people as this can’t be a regular thing.Now excuse me while I go die. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/32hmxNw

How to manage 6 year old sons entitlement to toys

We adopted him about a few months ago but have known him and his family for longer. His parents are not in the picture so he was raised by other family members until we adopted him. Prior to living with us he lived with his grandparents who essentially let him have and do whatever he wanted ie getting whatever toy he wanted, staying as late as he wanted, even deciding if he wanted to go to school that day. Fast forward to today and me and my wife have tried to make him realize that he can’t have anything he wants and it has been a battle. If we take away a toy he screams and cries, tells us he hates us, etc.Today was the straw that broke the camels back. We told him if he was good at school all week we would get him a piggy bank for his money. We went to the store and the whole time he screams and cries about how he wants it right now. This is a regular occurrence. I’m at a point where I want to bag up all of his toys and let him earn them back but the voice in the back of my head is saying that may be a little extreme.TLDR: my son throws a tantrum whenever he doesn’t get a toy or whenever we take one away. I’m about to go nuclear and take all his toys to show him that they are a privilege not a right. I’m looking for ideas or input to help manage this via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/32h9HPk

I just have to share a funny thing my baby is doing now

So my daughter is 8 months old and has been smiling back at us for a few months now, but recently she's started laughing back too. One of us will chuckle and she'll chuckle back, and we'll go back and forth until she's cracking up for no reason and we're cracking up from her response. Even if she's in tears the second we make a little laugh sound at her she's laughing back. She also laughs if she hears a loud noise or someone yells, which is still cute but also weird..why isn't she scared? It's just always funny. I'm loving this stage of baby lol. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/32h3Fhh

Daughter just spit in my smoothie and I’m annoyed.

Really ridiculous mini rant so be prepared for that.I have 3 small kids and I find it difficult to get through the day, just on an emotional level. Therapist is telling me I need to take more time for my self, focus on self care, things like that. To treat myself, I got the ingredients for a cherry almond smoothie that I found in a cookbook. I made it once and it’s totally delicious. Halfway through the day I managed to get it made (in between dealing with their insanity) while holding a crying baby who is ready to nurse. Smoothie is finally made and I’m so excited to drink it. I put it in a tall glass with a glass straw. I settle down in a comfy seat and take a sip of the delicious smoothie while I nurse my baby. 3 year old daughter appears and asks for a sip of my smoothie. “Sure” I answer and age takes a sip out of the straw. Almost immediately after taking the sip she spits the mouthful back into my cup. I’ve already got a baby attached to me gulping milk so I can’t go scoop it out. I am still drinking the smoothie (it has almond butter and avocado in it, I’m not wasting that!!) but definitely not enjoying it. Because....spit. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2LtRg39

The Contigo Water Bottle Recall

There were multiple (helpful) threads popping up - but we only really need one. It's easiest for me to highlight my own posts - so I'm just reposting for the sake of ease of use.Government info on recall. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2ZqC943

Do you take your shoes off while inside??? Huge fights over this.

So I have an 18 month old child that drags her toys all over the floor, wipes her binkie on the floor, eats things off the floor that she finds, and spits water out of her sippy cup onto the floor and proceeds to then lick the water off the floor... you get the picture. So I’ve made a no shoes in the house rule and ask every one to take there shoes off at the door. This is a huge issue between my husband and myself, he doesn’t want to take his shoes of while inside, and continually walks around the house with the shoes he has been wearing out and about all day. It causes countless fight and I’m at the end of my rope. He says that I am a crazy ocd person, and that I can’t control what happens in our home, and that the germs are good for the baby, and that the only reason I’m so crazy I’d become I grew up in a very poor home that was never clean.Please help me. Am I in the wrong or is he? via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2Lh1HqA

I just got shamed in a mom group for sending my kid to daycare... help me feel better?

I’m a solo mama and my kid needs health insurance, so staying home isn’t an option.I’m in a Facebook group of usually awesome moms. I let them know I’ll be putting my 2yo in childcare for the first time 3 days a week (she has been with my mom while I work up until now). I received so many comments from people saying that my kid will have separation issues, that daycares are horrible, that they could never LEAVE their kid, and so on. Close to 100 comments about how bad daycare is. Now I’m just feeling an immense load of mom guilt and not sure what to do? via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2ZlTTxw

When Mom becomes a kid.

So my mom is a 61 year old lady with a charm of her own. She hardly socializes with any one in the society we live in but she likes to sit in open so have made quite a few friends of her age and older. (I am an Indian and it is common for ladies her age to do this). So a group of old ladies had a plan to go to old temple by Bus yesterday but postponed it to today due to heavy rains. Now my mom also takes care of my niece when my sister is working. So she was already worried about leaving my niece for a day for this trip. We pushed her to go and she finally agreed. Yesterday night at 11, when we came from dinner, she was all tired yet excited for her picnic. She kept coming to my room for smallest of things asking questions and suggestions about which bag to take, or what snacks to pack for everyone. She was not able to sleep till 1-1:30 am and was just browsing her phone. She asked me to keep an alarm in her phone of 4:00 am; 2 hours before the scheduled departure which was proned to delay as it always happens. As a contingency i kept an alarm in my cell too.What i later realized that she was just excited for her picnic. She was just displaying behaviour which i used to show during my Picnics in primary school. Too excited for tomorrow. Too anxious to sleep the night before because you are scared to miss the bus. Too confused what to put in bag, which chewing gums and mint to pack and whether to keep an extra paur if there’s a lake there to enjoy. Too worried about alarm not buzzing on time. Repeatedly asking my parents to keep a buffer in case someone does not wake me up.Just. Too. Excited. About. Small. Things. In. Life. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2Zy9byw

Parenting is hard

First time mom here. I don't know what I was expecting parenting to be before I had my little bundle of joy, but I didn't expect it to be like this. It's amazing and draining and I have become a different person because of it, a better person I'd like to think. Parenting is hard, I can only imagine it's going to get even harder. So for all you parents out there - you're awesome. You're fantastic people who chose to put little people before yourselves and love them unconditionally. You're amazing each and every day and I think nobody hears that as often as they should. You rock! via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2NFXtM6

A stepdad moment I will remember for the rest of my life.

TL;DR at the bottom.Background: I'm a 36 year old stepfather to a 8 year old girl who's biological father stepped out when her mom was 7 months pregnant. Her mother and I have been married for about 1 1/2 years now but we have been together for about 3 years. The marriage and family have really come together nicely and everyone is happy with their new found lot in life. My wife is now 5 months pregnant and the inevitable talks about genetics and where babies come from have occurred. I try to steer away from talks about the baby looking like me or mom or how tall the baby will end up being (I'm 6'5" and an relatively athletic 240lbs).The talk: My step daughter and I were driving home and for the first time in her whole life she asked me (of all people) about her biological father. She said, "I have a weird thought, I don't know who my father is or if I will ever meet him." I have a total "oh shit" moment. Like I need to get this right and nobody can help me. So I tell her, "There may be a day when he calls to meet you or when you're older, you may want to find him. The decision to meet him is totally up to you and I will support you no matter what. I don't know who he is and I've never really asked mom about him. Just remember this is a guy who knowing full well he got your mother pregnant, chose to walk away. He has never met you and left you and your mom to raise you alone with no help at all. He missed his chance to have a beautiful family and an amazing daughter and I feel sorry for him" (Or something like that, I can't remember exactly)Then, like an unimaginative panicking man, i channel a quote from Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and say "Whoever he is just remember, he may be your father but he's not your dad." Then she says the best thing i have ever heard in my life. She says, "Well I don't think i want to meet him. I already have a dad and I don't want a different one."Everyday I worry I am going to do or say something wrong and I'm still learning the ropes of being a dad but i think I did pretty well on this one and wanted to tell someone about it.TL;DR: Stepdaughter asked about her biological father who she has never met. I quoted Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and told her, "he may be your father but he's not your dad." And she agreed. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2zwJ900

Two year old climbing fiend

So some background: My two year old daughter loves to climb. Like nobody's business loves to climb. At ten months old this child started climbing out of her crib and has not stopped climbing since.Recently we moved and decided to get her a loft bed. It's not to high, but has a little ladder she can go up and down and she loves it. I thought this would focus her climbing energy, which it did until today!Ugh, my child has a small built in closet in get room. When you open the door there is three pull out drawers, then the rest of the way up it has open shelves. So while I'm out of the room, she opened her closet and climbed up the pull out drawers and got stuck in one of the shelves - within 5 minutes she managed to do this.So long story short I'm looking for suggestions on how to curb this or fun builds y'all have for your kiddos. Did you have a toddler like this? What did you do? Any fun ideas of something we could build on/attached to her loft bed that could focus in her climbing? (Bonus would love some funny stories y'all have about your crazy climbers to know it gets better lol thanks! via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/32bXpYb

Contigo Recalls 5.7 Million Kids Water Bottles Due to Choking Hazard

I think people should be aware of this since I know a lot of parents have these spout water bottles for their kids -- they've been recalled due to a choking hazard: https://ift.tt/2ZqRVat via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2ZtlEPW

Is it okay to watch tv around my toddler?

Ok, so this is 100% serious question. I am a sahm, I've dealt with a lot of postpartum mental health issues and tend to be too harsh on myself due to it, and I'm having a hard time with tv related decisions. Prior to pregnancy, I watched so so much tv, too much. Then while pregnant, I was on bed rest and basically read about infants until I made myself sick over it, giving myself panic attacks over not knowing it all about babies, and the guilt of wasting my time on tv was too much to handle.Fast forward 20 months, I'm doing much better with my mental health issues and I am starting to enjoy life again. I used to watch this dumb show on bravo and there's a new season I would like to watch, not all at once, but my mom's guilt is back in full effect.I'd appreciate any feedback, you guys. Thank you for reading. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2ZtlDeQ

Early intervention is there a support sub?

So my child has qualified early intervention services where we live. Is there a sub for this? Mainly I'm curious about how to best utilize their services to help my child. For instance when the specialist asks what are my goals for my child I'm never quite sure what to say and when they ask how often I would this or that service I also don't know. I do not want to be guilty because my sign seems to have a minor delay but on the other hand I have found the sessions with the speech therapist to be quite beneficial. Anyone want to share about your experiences with ei in your state via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2L3NxKE