Filed under: 5 years, Emotions

Growing up, my family had a full-size van, a green 1974 Chevy SportVan 20, if I remember correctly. When I got my license, I pretty much did all the driving, so the van, named Sweet Pea, kinda became my vehicle. At some point, my folks gave her to me as a birthday gift; with the kids growing up, they could get by with my mother's Citroens. So, Sweet Pea was mine.

I had a lot of adventures in Sweet Pea. My friends and I did a lot of camping, traveling, and basically just hanging out and getting into (or staying out of) trouble, thanks to that van. When I was in my twenties, however, she broke down and, lacking the wisdom that comes much later in life, sold her. I regretted it almost immediately, of course.

Country singer Dan Seals recorded a song that really meant a lot to me called My Old Yellow Car, about someone who fondly remembers their first car and wishes they could trade their fancy chauffeur-driven Mercedes to have it back again. Thursday evening, I played that song in the car with the kids. I stopped to explain it to them and to tell them about Sweet Pea.

Jared asked if he could see a picture of Sweet Pea and I told him that when we got home, I'd see if I could find one. Sure enough, I had an old scan of a photo on the computer and showed it to him. We looked at a few more old pictures and then it was bedtime. Jared went in his room to get ready and started crying. Rachel and I both went to comfort him and find out what was wrong.

"I miss Sweet Pea!" he wailed. For some reason, he was heartbroken that I had gotten rid of Sweet Pea. For some reason, he really felt a connection with the vehicle that had been such a big part of my younger days. Eventually, we got him calmed down and into bed, but he was really upset. We did end up kinda promising we'd get another van, though.

Jared is indeed a very empathetic little boy, but Rachel thinks that the stress and excitement of starting the new school year may have contributed to his emotional state. What do you all think? Have you ever had a kid get so upset about something like this? Does starting school affect them that much?

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Preschool, Elementary school, Public school, Going to school, 3 years, 5 years, Preschooler

Normally, people like Fridays. For those with a Monday-to-Friday work week, it signals the end of the time period where we've sold our days to our employer, freeing us for more pleasurable pursuits. A full five days of work can take a lot out of you too. And, it seems, this phenomenon is not limited to working stiffs.

Even though Jared really, really likes school, it was noticeably more difficult to get him out of bed this morning. The same was true for Sara, who really digs her knew caregiver and her two daughters. I think a week full of busy play combined with five consecutive days without a nap got to them both. I suspect they'll be sleeping in a bit tomorrow, which is always a good thing on a Saturday morning.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Lifestyle, Dads, Books, ParentDish Book

A while back on ParentDish, there were several discussions about Conn and Hal Iggulden's The Dangerous Book for Boys. Some readers felt the title excluded the girls, and there will be a second title released in November called, The Daring Book for Girls. But the second book's publication doesn't address the central fact of the discussion: are boys and girls really so different that they need separate books?

I recently read something that made me think yes. The book's title is, It's A Guy Thing: Awesome Real Innovations From the Underdeveloped Male Mind, by Scott Seegert. I can say this: I honestly don't "get" this book. In searching about for reasons why (maybe I'm too tired? maybe I'm cranky? maybe I have no sense of humor?) the thought crossed my mind that maybe I don't get this book because I'm a girl.

Chapter 8 is titled, "Things for Guys With Kids." A sampling of inventions from this chapter? Bill's Groin Protector. Tom's Baby-Patting Machine. Dick's Daddy Saddle.

So now I'm thinking, who's going to write its counterpoint? With a title such as, It's A Girl Thing: Awesome Real Innovations From the Intuitive Mama Mind? Any thoughts on what it might contain?

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Moms, Diaper bags

What's in YOUR diaper bag these days? If you're like I was when my first son was a baby, your bag is always completely stocked, with enough stuff to prepare you for an immediate evacuation. And then you drag all that stuff with you when you go to the post office or the mall, and you wonder why your back always hurts.

Plus, you're probably carrying a Special Diaper Bag, because isn't that what moms carry?

How about ditching the 40 pound duckie bag and replacing it with something cool and grown-up and light?

Look for a water-resistant nylon bag, one that can be wiped clean; a dark color will show fewer stains than a light color. Steer clear of fabric bags, which will be dirty after the first time you leave the house. Choose a bag with interior pockets, for your cell phone and keys and any other things you don't want to scramble around in the bottom of the bag to find. And think about a bag with a convertible strap, something that you can wear across your body like a messenger bag OR tuck under your arm like a tote. Pictured: Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Lifestyle, Pregnancy and Birth, Moms

I read this article on CNN with some interest. I've been a mom for over 25 years now and I am still learning things. But for new moms, the learning curve is huge and while you may get more advice than you ever wanted, nothing can fully prepare you for what is about to happen to your life.

Paula Spencer, of Parenting.com, has compiled a list of eight not-so-bright-sides of being a mom. While she does include the silver lining to each cloud, her points are well-made. Some examples: Once you have children, using the bathroom alone becomes a treat. You are going to mess up and make mistakes. Your kid is going to hurt your feelings. But the one that resonates the most with me is the fact that you won't know for sure whether you've done a good job or not for 20 or 30 years. Oh, you will get clues along the way, but you won't know for sure until your child leaves you. Speaking of leaving you, that's a trauma that should be on the list as well.

A very few moms find the downside of parenting to be more than they can handle. But for those of us who are not completely self-centered, the good and the bad even out , and at the end of the day it is all worth it. What surprised you the most about being a parent?

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Moms, Aunts and Uncles, Eating, 4 years, 8-9 years, Likes and dislikes

"Mama, I lurrrve my choco-milky. It's soooo nummy." This is the latest from Bennett, and he means it. He loves his chocolate milk, loves loves loves it.

Partly, he's copying his older brother Carter, who loves it too (it's 2% milk with a tiny drop of Ovaltine in it. The Ovaltine came from my sister-in-law, who introduced it to her kids and mine fell in line, too. But that's a subject for a different post: how do you handle people feeding your kids things you might want them to eat?)

Back to the love. Bennett's twin, Avery, dislikes milk...but he's crazy for yogurt. Maybe my boys come by their love of dairy through my side of the family: growing up, I can remember my little sister eating bowlful after bowlful of Kraft Macaroni N' Cheese (the cheesiest!). And me? I think just about everything is improved by the addition of a nice slice of aged cheddar.

What do your kids lurve? What foods can't you live without?

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Media, Parks, Adventures in Parenting, Exploring, Outings

Halloween came early to Wills Point, Texas this year. Spiders spookified 200 yards of trail in Lake Tawakoni State Park by cloaking trees, shrubs, and even the ground with a giant spider web.

Experts say the unusual size of the web might be the work of social cobweb spiders or a case of nature urban-sprawl with spiders spinning webs in an effort to disperse from one another gone awry.

"At first, it was so white it looked like fairyland," said Donna Garde, superintendent of the park about 45 miles east of Dallas. "Now it's filled with so many mosquitoes that it's turned a little brown. There are times you can literally hear the screech of millions of mosquitoes caught in those webs."

This amazing trick with mosquito-reducing treat might turn the people of Texas into big spider fans!

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Moms, Emotions, Celebrity parents, Making a Difference

This week, a post at the Silicon Valley Mom's Blog, about John and Elizabeth Edwards taking their children with them on the campaign trail, had everyone buzzing. The blogger took issue with Mrs. Edwards' choice, and in the original post, called Mrs. Edwards a "terrible mother." (She has edited the post to retract that.) The issue, for most SVMoms readers, came down to this: Mrs. Edwards has terminal cancer; her time with her children is limited. To say that the doesn't have the right to spend that time with her kids, even if it is on a campaign bus, is inappropriate.

Of course, the post was about more than that; it was about politics and the media and the scramble to find a good Democratic candidate for the Presidency. But that idea of time with your children struck a chord. At Notes from the Trenches, Chris wrote an impassioned response:

"Sure if I were dying I have a vision of how I would my children to remember me. Perfectly patient. Perfectly happy. The singer of songs, player of games, skipper of ropes. The mother who served up perfect meals, that were always enjoyed, and did so with a smile on her face. The mother who always had a dessert to put on the table. A home made one, not tossing a box of Little Debbie snack cakes in the center and yelling, 'Every man for himself.'

"Apparently I want them to remember someone else. Because I have no plans to actually become that new person."

This morning, I heard a clip of Prince Harry talking about how he and his brother remember their mother, the late Princess Diana. He described her as genuine and fun, which seems like the most a parent can hope their children will remember. Most of us don't live lives that are as public or embattled as Elizabeth Edwards or Princess Diana; we have ample opportunity to shape how our children will remember us, without the interference of the media or well-meaning bystanders. But it does bear thinking about.

How will YOUR children remember YOU?

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Health and Safety, Potty training, 0-3 months, 3-6 months, Infant / First year, 12-18 months, 18-24 months, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, 5 years, Diapers

When Ellie and I go to our neighborhood pool, I always see a few diapered kids wading in the shallow end or floating in tubes. I admit it grosses me out just a little. I mean, if a kid is wearing a diaper, that means that kid doesn't use a potty. Not using a potty means going whenever and wherever the urge strikes, including the pool. I guess the diaper would keep anything solid from escaping into the water, but you know there is going to be some leakage.

Apparently, this leakage has become such a concern in Utah that some counties have banned children under five years of age from swimming in public pools. This year, that state has had 422 cases of swimmers contracting the parasite cryptosporidium, which causes severe diarrhea. The parasite is found in soil, food, water or surfaces that have been contaminated by human or animal feces.

Experts blame the unusually hot summer for the outbreak. More kids, more poop, I guess. And little kids, besides being more likely to poop in the pool are also more susceptible to the illness. But this temporary ban has me wondering why kids in diapers are allowed in public pools in the first place. The parent has no control - sooner or later, the kid is going to poop in the pool. And if this puts other swimmers at risk, why is it allowed?

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here

Filed under: Newborn, 0-3 months, First trimester, Seconds trimester, Third trimester, Blogs

Choosing your child's name is one of the very earliest challenges of parenthood. It seems so important: as if by choosing the right name, you'll be choosing the very best future for your child. Some parents know even before conception what their name-choice will be; others go the opposite way, waiting until the baby is actually born to pick the name.

For my first child, we'd picked out two names, Carter for a boy and Kate for a girl, and with my second pregnancy, we knew right away that the baby would be named Avery, boy or girl.

But, surprise! We found out there were two babies. With twins, the doctors name them Baby A and Baby B for keeping track in utero; since we already had a Baby A name, we chose a B name for Bennett. (Complete goofs that we are, we thought all parents of twins did this. As you can tell by the lack of A/B twin name combos, we were wrong.)

Now, we are long past the naming-the-baby phase of parenthood, but I often find myself at a loss for ideas when each wooden train car needs a name, or each Matchbox car. (You can only go so far with "Brownie" and "Bluey." ) If you need some inspiration, for babies or any other naming project (goldfish?) there's a new website called Cute Baby Names. Check it out for alphabetical lists of names, their origins and their meanings.

Thanks to Brian for the link.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Read the Full Story Here