Archive for the ‘Advice’ Category

Ah yes, The Birds & The Bees.
A talk most parents dread having with their children.
I am guilty.
I am one of those parents.
Last year when Zman, then just 10, had the Puberty Presentation at school, I sent his dad to join him.
For some reason I was uncomfortable discussing wet dreams and boners/erections, while listening to the chuckles and laughter from the peanut gallery of about 100 other 9, 10 and 11 year old boys.
Zman and his Dad (Sperm Donor #1) attended the presentation.
Zman received a bag containing a booklet, deodorant and I’m not quite sure what else.
That day was over and he never discussed it with me.

This brings us to yesterday.
The Drama Queen who is 9, attended the Puberty Presentation at school.
Alone.
She did not want anyone with her.
She refuses to talk about anything that was discussed in the video they watched or the pamphlets they received.
Or the fact that there was a huge diaper size maxi-pad in the bag with the deodorant she received.

For some reason, with her, it bothers me that the school presents this to the children at such a young age.
However, it didn’t bother me with Zman.
I don’t know if the thought of her going through puberty in the next few years bothers me or if I just feel that kids are learning about these things too soon in life.
To a point, I think it is both.
I had to go through the same presentation when I was her age but I didn’t go through puberty for another 3 years.

What are your thoughts?

Does your child’s school do a presentation with the kids? at what age? How do you feel about it?

How soon really is too soon??

I need a little help.
Zman, who is 10 (11 next month) is currently sharing a room with the almost 2 year old Tatertot.
This arrangement worked extremely well until this past November when the Tatertot was upgraded to a twin bed due to The Great Crib Escape of 2009.
Since the upgrade, Tatertot has adjusted well.
Maybe a little too well.
He loves his new freedom so much that it doesn’t stop him from exploring his surroundings, even if some of the shiny cool looking things aren’t his.
Yes.
He likes to get into his big brother’s stuff.
He pulls clothes out of the drawers.
Finds whatever he can to stand on to get at Zman’s books, wrestling cards or anything else on top the dresser that catches his eye.
And, if he happens to get up before Zman, you can usually find him turning the lights on and crawling into bed with his brother saying “Hi!”

Now, the boy’s are in the Master Bedroom of our home.
So yes, they have the biggest space in the house.
It’s decorated in Packer colors, complete with Lambeau Field on the ceiling.
That’s how it was when we moved in and since we rent, we can’t change it.

Today, we think we have come up with the perfect solution to our problem.
Zman and the Drama Queen would like to share a bedroom (what is currently the boys room) and give the Tatertot his own space to in all honesty, destroy.
Here is where I need help.
Is it okay for an almost 11 year old boy and his 9.5 year old sister to share a bedroom? For the most part the only thing they ever do in their bedroom is sleep.
My thought is as long as they aren’t getting dressed or changing in front of each other everything should be okay. They like to hang out together in there occasionally as it is now just to play on their DS’s or just to escape the Tatertot.

Tell me, what are your thoughts?
Do you think this situation would be okay?
(Now, this would only be happening until we move—which we are hoping is this Fall—into a bigger home.)
Help!!

Now, I’m not new to this whole parenting thing but I am new to the issue of biting.  Zman never bit when he was little (but was bit frequently while in day care) and the Drama Queen did it once and never attempted to do it again.

This brings me to child number 3, the infamous Tatertot who is 20 months old!

AKA—The Biter Extraordinaire.

Just when you think he is being the sweetest little thing ever and he’s all nice and snuggly….

CHOMP!

And we aren’t talking a little nibble here and there, we are talking a full on leave marks ohmygodthathurt kind of bite!

I swear, he can bite just as hard as I can.

He leaves marks.

He bites me, Hardworking Hubby, Zman and Drama Queen and usually it’s without any warning and for no reason whatsoever!

Now, we’ve tried redirecting him when he bites.

We’ve said No Biting! in that mean evil parent voice numerous times.

We’ve given him teething rings, teething toys and even suckers to give him something else to bite but nothing seems to work and I think we are close to holding him down and yanking all of his teeth out one at a time. ( Come on, you know this is something we would never do and is a total exaggeration!)

So my dear Mommy friends in the Blogosphere and Twitterverse, we need your help, advice and tips to get this kid to stop munching on us like we are his afternoon snack!

Please let us know how you’ve dealt with a biter and what worked for you.