Memorable moments in parenting

[fazstp]

My wife was trying to introduce the concept of charity to my son (5 yo). She had the idea of buying a goat for someone through World Vision or something. She began by explaining to my son that some children in the world aren't as fortunate to get so many presents at Christmas. He pretty much stumped her by asking "Why doesn't Santa go to them?"

[capitalj]

My six-year-old son lost a tooth for the first time. His older sister secretly placed a note under his pillow explaining to the Tooth Fairy that her brother was very excited, and asked that he be given something special so he would remember the day forever. Upon discovery of said note, the, ahem, Tooth Fairy felt compelled to take a late night trip downtown to the all night grocery for a small but over-priced trinket. The children's reaction made it worthwhile.

[cyanzachary]

Not yet on that stage of life but I can share some. I have a niece and a nephew, first was 2 and the latter was 3, and they are so cute. At that age they know how to sing, I barely understand the words though, and dance. Whenever I visited them they are like artist that always has a new performance to show. Those simple things make me forget my stress in life and I guess that’s the best part of being a parent, seeing your child learn things slowly.

[dzurn]

You hit it right on the head, cyanzachary. One thing that parents are afraid of telling childless people is just how much FUN it is having kids. After all the fever worries, self-blaming inadequate parenting, late-night sheet changes, etc. it's so great to just watch the kids dance to the silly songs on the piano. Makes it all worthwhile.

With kids, you never have to ask, "I wonder what pictures are on the camera?"

[edalzell]

Quote: Originally Posted by dzurn With kids, you never have to ask, "I wonder what pictures are on the camera?"

As my kids use our camera (iPhones)...it's usually blurry pictures of feet, the floor, teddy bears and food.

[fazstp]

Quote: Originally Posted by edalzell As my kids use our camera (iPhones)...it's usually blurry pictures of feet, the floor, teddy bears and food.

LOL. I get about twenty pictures like those every time I transfer my photos to my computer.

[dzurn]

On Christmas Day, after opening the presents from Santa and from Mom & Dad, we were walking outside in the nice weather. Santa's gifts were with different wrapping paper, different tags, and different handwriting, of course. And the Man in Red got the wishlists in person when we visited him at our local YMCA.

My daughter is 7 years old, and out of the blue she tells us that she used to think that gifts from "Santa" were really just bought by Mom & Dad and given to the kids. But now she knows that Santa is real.

What a treat!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!

[capitalj]

This morning, I found my nine-year-old daughter hunched over something on the floor by her bed. Assuming an iPod or DSi was delaying her, I asked what she was doing. She looked up, stammering with fear, and blurted, "I didn't do anything it just fell off I didn't mean it!" Then she held out the "Under penalty of law do not remove" tag.

[dzurn]

Quote: Originally Posted by capitalj This morning, I found my nine-year-old daughter hunched over something on the floor by her bed. Assuming an iPod or DSi was delaying her, I asked what she was doing. She looked up, stammering with fear, and blurted, "I didn't do anything it just fell off I didn't mean it!" Then she held out the "Under penalty of law do not remove" tag.

Next thing you know, she'll be ignoring the "machine wash cold, gentle cycle" on her clothes and just throw them in with the whites.

Mass hysteria.

[capitalj]

She was so frightened that I managed not to laugh until later. I remember a similar tag on a pillow irritating me when I was her age, but I was reluctant to cut it off, even after my mother explained that the customer could in fact remove the tag after purchasing the item. And I'm also finding myself on the other side of the "You may already be a winner!" argument.

[capitalj]

I gave my children a break from morning chores. My daughter went to the computer and my son played on his iPod. Later, when I said their break was over, my son suddenly claimed to be too sick to clean his room. Having heard this ploy many times before, I said that if he was too sick to clean, he was too sick to play board games with us after my wife got home from work. I went back to my own chores, expecting the usual rapid recovery.

I soon noticed that my daughter was tending to her brother, giving him a bell to ring, fetching pillows, and bringing drinks while he lay on the couch. She even took his temperature. It was keeping them out of my hair, so I let playtime continue.

When my daughter asked my opinion of her list of activities to entertain her brother, I asked if she was having fun playing nurse to him. She said it wasn't a game, that he really was sick with a fever. I checked. A little over 100° F. I guess he is excused from his chores after all.

[capitalj]

My son proudly announced that he learned to whistle in Spanish. To my untrained ear it sounds a lot like whistling in English, but I didn't tell him that.

[dzurn]

Quote: Originally Posted by capitalj When my daughter asked my opinion of her list of activities to entertain her brother, I asked if she was having fun playing nurse to him. She said it wasn't a game, that he really was sick with a fever. I checked. A little over 100° F. I guess he is excused from his chores after all.

Shoot, as a kid I could produce a 100° F fever on demand. But to get out of chores, I had produce either a broken bone or have active buboes.

Not like kids today, I tell ya.

[capitalj]

Quote: Originally Posted by dzurn Shoot, as a kid I could produce a 100° F fever on demand. But to get out of chores, I had produce either a broken bone or have active buboes. Not like kids today, I tell ya.

Yeah, nothing below 105° counted in my house, vomiting meant you would start to feel better, so get ready for school, and I once had to do my paper route on crutches in a snow storm because I was forbidden to ask for help with my responsibilities - true story, I got yelled at for asking my brother. So now I'm a bit of a softy.

And no good deed goes unpunished; my daughter caught her brother's cold and ended up with pneumonia.

[capitalj]

My son is used to boxer briefs with no fly, so was puzzled when he put on his new underwear. "What's this Dad? There's a hole… I think you bought me four-legged underwear."

[capitalj]

I brought my six-year-old son to the dentist today. The child who prefers fruit and raw vegetables over candy needed fillings. (No fuss, no complaints, he was very brave; the dentist loves him as a patient.) Oh, well …. At least they were in baby teeth, and will be gone within five years.

[NovaScotian]

Doesn't Plymouth fluorinate their water?

[capitalj]

Quote: Originally Posted by NovaScotian Doesn't Plymouth fluorinate their water?

Yes, but as the dentist warned us earlier, the problem is that his teeth are very close together, making it difficult to clean between them. We were flossing his teeth daily; now we do it twice daily. And he might have softer enamel, like me (6 fillings despite my efforts.) My wife can eat whatever she wants and be less vigilant about flossing - never had a cavity.

After my last post, but before the Novocain wore off, he managed to bite a chunk out of the inside of his mouth. We were in the grocery store and suddenly he looked like a vampire who had just fed. Alarming to see, but not fortunately not serious.

[NovaScotian]

Quote: Originally Posted by capitalj Yes, but as the dentist warned us earlier, the problem is that his teeth are very close together, making it difficult to clean between them. We were flossing his teeth daily; now we do it twice daily. And he might have softer enamel, like me (6 fillings despite my efforts.) My wife can eat whatever she wants and be less vigilant about flossing - never had a cavity. After my last post, but before the Novocain wore off, he managed to bite a chunk out of the inside of his mouth. We were in the grocery store and suddenly he looked like a vampire who had just fed. Alarming to see, but not fortunately not serious.

Personally, I always burn myself with coffee. Tooth enamel hardness and thickness is inherited. My three have great teeth (fluoride and care plus orthodontics later plus genes from their mother) as do their kids. My brother has teeth like a rock -- I don't have an unfilled tooth, alas

[capitalj]

My son explained to us that we had to be good today because it's Good Friday, and that you get the day off from school for being good, but bad kids have to go to school. Then he played Christmas carols while coloring eggs.