General discussion - Mom and Dad Esq.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by tmdiva
I dunno (been too long since I read it), but let me know what you end up deciding.

I think our next read-aloud for our seven-year-old will be A Christmas Carol, and then after the holidays we'll start Goblet of Fire (we've taken a 6-month break since finishing Prisoner of Azkaban). Granted, our seven-year-old is not typical of most, but I figure yours might not be either.

tm

Just started reading The Wizard of Oz. I'm not sure he's hooked yet, but the first chapter is a little slow, and the cyclone isn't all that vivid.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by viet_mom
Teacher thinks she will probably recommend that Vietbabe repeat K and that she really is "that behind" and that 1st grade at that school is particularly challenging. I asked what are the chances that increased help outside school (flash cards and work on weekends with her) would change that but she says it is not likely.

I am so grateful my child is "Happy" and "Self Confident" and "Plays Well With Others." But this morning, I'm upset and teary-eyed even though I know it's "just Kindergarten". Anyone have input? Thank you.

My son is right on the cut-off, such that we could have pushed him along so he'd be the youngest in his K class, but instead we waited a year -- despite some mild disapproval from some quarters -- such that he's one of the oldest in his class. We don't regret our decision to "hold him back" at all. He is so confident about school, both academically and socially. For him, sports are very important, and his age -- if not his innate athletic ability, since our genes weren't helping him there -- has been a big boost in that department.

Some parents in our neighborhood made the opposite decision only -- a year later -- to have their kids repeat K. The ones we know don't seem to regret this at all. There's no stigma that I can detect. One parent we know has refused to do this, notwithstanding that she always worries that her kid is one of the smallest and youngest, and I frankly think her kid would be doing better in K again this year.

So, FWIW, I wouldn't take it hard at all.

[Replaced_Texan]

In my role as "fun aunt" (actually "fun extended family" but let's not complicate things), I have been asked to talk to a little one (about 2 and a half) about the benefits of the Big Girl Bed. Her four month old brother is rapidly outgrowing the bassinette and needs the crib.

The little one likes me quite a bit, and she spent an entire afternoon at a party recently following me around. Her mom says she asks about me a lot too. I'm going over for dinner, to see the local Church's nativity animals, and of course, for the Intervention, on Wednesday.

Initital attempts by the parents to convince the big sister that the Big Girl Bed is infinitely better than a crib have failed. Any advice? Am I going to have to sleep in the Big Girl Bed?

I've been told also that there's a very good chance that I'll get a "Good job!" for pee peeing in the potty.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by dtb
The private school has already said he can go back to it next year for K, but I'm going to let them sweat it out for a year. Assholes.

Boy, you must have piles and piles of money. Sweet.

[robustpuppy]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
In my role as "fun aunt" (actually "fun extended family" but let's not complicate things), I have been asked to talk to a little one (about 2 and a half) about the benefits of the Big Girl Bed. Her four month old brother is rapidly outgrowing the bassinette and needs the crib.

The little one likes me quite a bit, and she spent an entire afternoon at a party recently following me around. Her mom says she asks about me a lot too. I'm going over for dinner, to see the local Church's nativity animals, and of course, for the Intervention, on Wednesday.

Initital attempts by the parents to convince the big sister that the Big Girl Bed is infinitely better than a crib have failed. Any advice? Am I going to have to sleep in the Big Girl Bed?

I've been told also that there's a very good chance that I'll get a "Good job!" for pee peeing in the potty.

Whatever you do, don't say "you will be able to get out of your bed and try to climb into your parents' any time you want!!"

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
I would be willing to repeat K for a year right now. I bet I don't get bored either.

And they'd let you use the bathrooms that way.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
In my role as "fun aunt" (actually "fun extended family" but let's not complicate things), I have been asked to talk to a little one (about 2 and a half) about the benefits of the Big Girl Bed. Her four month old brother is rapidly outgrowing the bassinette and needs the crib.

The little one likes me quite a bit, and she spent an entire afternoon at a party recently following me around. Her mom says she asks about me a lot too. I'm going over for dinner, to see the local Church's nativity animals, and of course, for the Intervention, on Wednesday.

Initital attempts by the parents to convince the big sister that the Big Girl Bed is infinitely better than a crib have failed. Any advice? Am I going to have to sleep in the Big Girl Bed?

I've been told also that there's a very good chance that I'll get a "Good job!" for pee peeing in the potty.

When we made this switch, we had serious concerns about finding enough space in the crib for a child amidst all the stuff animals. So a subtle way to force the issue is to increase the crib's population. Ikea has stuffed animals with a favorable mass/cost ratio relative to most places.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
In my role as "fun aunt" (actually "fun extended family" but let's not complicate things), I have been asked to talk to a little one (about 2 and a half) about the benefits of the Big Girl Bed. Her four month old brother is rapidly outgrowing the bassinette and needs the crib.

The little one likes me quite a bit, and she spent an entire afternoon at a party recently following me around. Her mom says she asks about me a lot too. I'm going over for dinner, to see the local Church's nativity animals, and of course, for the Intervention, on Wednesday.

Initital attempts by the parents to convince the big sister that the Big Girl Bed is infinitely better than a crib have failed. Any advice? Am I going to have to sleep in the Big Girl Bed?

I've been told also that there's a very good chance that I'll get a "Good job!" for pee peeing in the potty.

You aren't going to be able to pull this off. Mom and/or Dad are going to have to start taking her to bed in the BGB at a set time every night and reading to her for a while to relax her, then lying down with her until she falls asleep. They will also want to set up a "nest" with pillows and blankets on the flooor or a sofa in their room for when she wakes up in the middle of the night.

You sleeping in the BGB for the first night may be a treat that helps her get started, but this is a process that will take time.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
Whatever you do, don't say "you will be able to get out of your bed and try to climb into your parents' any time you want!!"

Sucker. We rued that for years.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
Whatever you do, don't say "you will be able to get out of your bed and try to climb into your parents' any time you want!!"

I would borrow Ty's extra stuffed animals and create a fort.

[robustpuppy]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
I would borrow Ty's extra stuffed animals and create a fort.

Mine is still in her crib ... at least until she wakes in the middle of the night and calls for me (a recent development, after 18 months of sleeping perfection). With her in the crib, I have no worries from 8 until sometime between 11:30 and 4:30.

I hesitate to type that for fear that tonight she learns how to get over that rail.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
Mine is still in her crib ... at least until she wakes in the middle of the night and calls for me (a recent development, after 18 months of sleeping perfection). With her in the crib, I have no worries from 8 until sometime between 11:30 and 4:30.

I hesitate to type that for fear that tonight she learns how to get over that rail.

With enough stuffed animals, she can make a ramp to get over the rail and toss some out for a cushion to land on.

[John Phoenix]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
In my role as "fun aunt" (actually "fun extended family" but let's not complicate things), I have been asked to talk to a little one (about 2 and a half) about the benefits of the Big Girl Bed. Her four month old brother is rapidly outgrowing the bassinette and needs the crib.

The little one likes me quite a bit, and she spent an entire afternoon at a party recently following me around. Her mom says she asks about me a lot too. I'm going over for dinner, to see the local Church's nativity animals, and of course, for the Intervention, on Wednesday.

Initital attempts by the parents to convince the big sister that the Big Girl Bed is infinitely better than a crib have failed. Any advice? Am I going to have to sleep in the Big Girl Bed?

I've been told also that there's a very good chance that I'll get a "Good job!" for pee peeing in the potty.

Make sure that you get rails for the bed - the first night we tried to put our kid in the bed, without rails, she had an absolute fit. She would not go into the bed unless I was there, too. (I stayed until she fell asleep, then left. I went back after she rolled out of it...) So, the rails keep her in the bed, plus, she likes the idea of the rails because they remind her of the crib. We also had to play all sorts of games to get her in there the first couple of nights, with my wife making up names for the bed - with rails, it was not a bed, but a bed/crib (a "bebby!").

We were surprised at how adamant she was about not sleeping in the bed. We took her with us to pick it out, and talked about it forever, because it took months to arrive after we ordered it. She liked the idea, and told other people that she'd sleep in a big girl bed. But when the bed showed up, she was terrified.

[bold_n_brazen]

Originally posted by John Phoenix
Make sure that you get rails for the bed - the first night we tried to put our kid in the bed, without rails, she had an absolute fit. She would not go into the bed unless I was there, too. (I stayed until she fell asleep, then left. I went back after she rolled out of it...) So, the rails keep her in the bed, plus, she likes the idea of the rails because they remind her of the crib. We also had to play all sorts of games to get her in there the first couple of nights, with my wife making up names for the bed - with rails, it was not a bed, but a bed/crib (a "bebby!").

We were surprised at how adamant she was about not sleeping in the bed. We took her with us to pick it out, and talked about it forever, because it took months to arrive after we ordered it. She liked the idea, and told other people that she'd sleep in a big girl bed. But when the bed showed up, she was terrified.

Last year, about this time, the Brazenette came home from school and ran right to her bedroom. When I asked her what she was doing, she told me she had to go check to see if the Big Girl Bed Fairy had delivered her bed.

Sadly, she had not.

This repeated for several days, until I got the hint and bought a big girl bed.

She was apoplectic when she discovered the Big Girl Bed Fairy had finally made a delivery.

(The hot pink headboard probably helped.)

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
In my role as "fun aunt" (actually "fun extended family" but let's not complicate things), I have been asked to talk to a little one (about 2 and a half) about the benefits of the Big Girl Bed. Her four month old brother is rapidly outgrowing the bassinette and needs the crib.

The little one likes me quite a bit, and she spent an entire afternoon at a party recently following me around. Her mom says she asks about me a lot too. I'm going over for dinner, to see the local Church's nativity animals, and of course, for the Intervention, on Wednesday.

Initital attempts by the parents to convince the big sister that the Big Girl Bed is infinitely better than a crib have failed. Any advice? Am I going to have to sleep in the Big Girl Bed?

I've been told also that there's a very good chance that I'll get a "Good job!" for pee peeing in the potty.

Surely there are some toys besides auntie that will only fit in the big girl bed.

Have you thought about a bed-related craft project, to make the bed hers? Stars on the ceiling/wall hearby, art on the headboard, something else that lays claim to the territory?