(Many thanks to my friends for the below exchange. This is why we ALL need a support group of other moms to rely on!)
Q: Any tips for handling a 3yo boy who likes to call everybody silly names? (pumpkinhead, pottyhead, poopoohead, boogerhead. I could go on… LOL) We’ve spanked, we’ve done timeouts, we’ve taken away toys, we’ve ignored it, we’ve laughed at it, and we’re all out of ideas. We even resorted to calling him the same name he calls us, (that was short lived as he thought it was the funniest thing he ever heard) and nothing seems to work.
A: We’ve set the rule of no name calling at all, just in case you hurt someone’s feelings when you are just trying to be funny.
AND we’re only allowed to use bathroom words IN the bathroom (which has stopped the embarassingly loud announcements of “I have to poo!” in restaurants, but has also spawned numerous toot and tee tee bathtime songs). To me, this was a safe way for them to get to enjoy those funny things about their bodies which all little ones find so hilarious without shaming our family in public.
But you know, since my girls aren’t allowed to say, “I gotta go poo!” in public any more, we’ve had to come up with acceptable alternatives. Wouldn’t Ethan look so sweet and precious with, “Excuse me, I need to go freshen up.” Priceless.
At one of our last Moms’ Night Out gatherings, we were all discussing babies (duh! We ARE a bunch of moms!) and their cries.  Several of us had heard of the ‘baby whisperer’, Priscilla Dunstan, who was on Oprah, but only a couple of us had ever tried it.  My sister-in-law has tried it with her baby, Grayson, and is swearing by it!  She said she’s been able to figure out his cries pretty easily and is having a much easier time with him than with her other 2 kiddos. Just thought I’d pass it on…
Yes. You read that title right. And yes. That’s an actual statement that’s been used in my house recently. sigh.
I’m constantly amazed at our children and the things that they choose NOT to eat. Like finishing their cheetos so that they can be done with lunch and get dessert. It’s not like I’m asking them to eat asparagus or brussel sprouts or even broccoli (they LIKE brocolli). But when they choose to wage war at the dinner table, somehow they always wind up the victors. Because either way it goes, the parentals wind up frustrated and losing their cool. And then it’s just amazing that a 3 year old can have more persistence than a 35 year old. So many questions I have for God…
So, if you’ve ever made the mistake of engaging in this war, too, then you’ll LOVE this recent post from one of my favorite bloggers, dooce. This post made me laugh so hard that I was crying. And when Kate came in to ask for Fritos an hour before dinner time, it just made me laugh even more. So enjoy. And be sure to tell me your favorite part, cuz I’m still laughing at the comment about the iPhone and other first world conversations…
The one where you gasp, your heart completely melts, and you’re filled with more joy than you ever thought a human could feel… Â
The moment when your baby first smiles at you.
Well, apparently, some super-smart people at Baylor College of Medicine decided to find out exactly what that smile does to a mom.
Here’s what they say:
They found that when the mothers saw their own infants’ faces, key areas of the brain associated with reward lit up during the scans.
“These are areas that have been activated in other experiments associated with drug addiction,” said Strathearn. “It may be that seeing your own baby’s smiling face is like a ‘natural high’”.
Q: Any tips for handling a 3yo boy who likes to call everybody silly names? (pumpkinhead, pottyhead, poopoohead, boogerhead. I could go on… LOL) We’ve spanked, we’ve done timeouts, we’ve taken away toys, we’ve ignored it, we’ve laughed at it, and we’re all out of ideas. We even resorted to calling him the same name he calls us, (that was short lived as he thought it was the funniest thing he ever heard) and nothing seems to work.
Yes. You read that title right. And yes. That’s an actual statement that’s been used in my house recently. sigh.
By Kay on Fri, Aug 22, 2008
3 Comments