ILX Parenting 5: I'm a big kid now

ha I should try that. I seriously have no idea why he glommed onto Man-Machine, it feels totally random. He flails his little arms like he's doing the robot when he wants to listen to it.

I second the call for a new thread.

:/

I had a hunch and tried to get my littlest one into Bow Wow Wow one day, but she didn't go for it.

I thought Shonen Knife would be a little kid's dream band, was wrong about that

worked for us, my daughter loves Shonen Knife

am attempting to wean son off of Man-Machine and onto Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat, so far so good

The first time Stet played Oxygène to F it blew his mind.

This one's also popular.

So... anybody have any tips on how to ameliorate the total shit show that brushing teeth/putting on clothes has now become? I basically have to put the poor child in a leg lock, then hold her arms down with my forearm to brush her teeth, and putting shirts is clearly torture as she has become screamingly ideologically opposed to clothing in general.

She had another fit this morning about getting dressed so I had to eventually physically restrain her so I could dress her.

― Immediate Follower (NA), Monday, July 6, 2015 12:56 PM (4 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

So no.

Get her dressed while she's still sleeping.

Charts have worked to help us encourage some behavior. A list of things she needs to do (brush teeth, get dressed, etc.) and if she does a good job on all those things for a week or two, she gets a reward. I don't know if this is "good parenting" though because the desired behavior often tapers off once the reward is given and the chart is no longer being updated.

Ivy's too young for charts, or reasoning such as, "You can't go to daycare without a shirt on. We are not hillbillies."

F was totally refusing to have his teeth brushed until I changed up how we did it. Now I take him through to the bathroom and hold him in my arms while we do it at the sink like grown-ups. Now he comes toddling over to me at bedtime doing the "brush teeth" sign and looking excited.

He also went through a phase of hating getting dressed; I think a big part of that is because apparently when teething lying on your back makes it much worse. Trying to keep him upright as much as possible during dressing definitely seemed to help.

Now that you mention it, Ivy does better at teeth brushing when we do it in the bathroom. Although she has screaming shit fits whenever I try to wash her hands and face so I don't know.

huh dunno Judah loves gettin his teeth brushed. have yet to use actual toothpaste but it's clear he just wants to do what his big sister/parents do which is stand in front of the sink, look in the mirror, etc.

P-q

how do i make it sleep for 3 consecutive hours

Still not entirely sure you do.

Nora did 7:30 to 11:30 last night, then until 1:30, then approx 4am, then 6:45. That's a good night. She's in her own room now.

my sympathies.

both my boys have discovered headphones. much hilarity at the broken acapella singalongs. "but the chair is not my son!!"

that's how that song goes, though

...what?

F has done one of those sudden physical and mental leaps that leaves you looking at him going "who has taken my baby and left this broadly similar kid in his place?".

Pro: he seems to be sleeping massively better. Con: I can see the terrible twos brewing.

http://www.tomheroes.com/images5/COMIC%20flaming%20carrot%205.jpg

Yesterday when I was FaceTiming with my wife and kids, J started saying "book" and began crying when my wife gave him the wrong one. Meanwhile, D gave the phone a fist bump when I asked him for one. These are astonishing little dudes IMO.

Oh man, that's adorable.

outis made a new parenting thread btw. ILX Parenting 6: "Put Some Goddamn Pants On Before You Go Outside!" is a thing I say now