Good points. Though I still think I'd want to call myself, as I'm not sure I would be ok just assuming the police would follow up on it. So I guess the best course of action could depend on how the police responded to a call of this sort.

Hmm... I think I'd be inclined to call the number back and speak to this person myself. Ask how he got your number and why he was calling your daughter, to get the information from him first hand. If he is a shady guy, then clearly seeing that she has a *very* involved mother will likely send him in a different direction very quickly. And if nothing else, you'll be better able to get a handle on the situation by hearing his reasons first hand. I also think calling the local police station and asking for their advice is a good idea. Certainly can't hurt.

That is so sweet! And it reminds me that about 15 years ago I had to gently hint to my mother that I was no longer completely smitten with dolphins and unicorns. lol! Oh goodness, this just cracked me up! Please tell me there's not really any such thing as a life-sized blow-up doll of Princess Leah! :lol:

That doesn't sound like a thoughtless gift to me. It sounds like somewhere along the way she got it in her head he likes Star Wars, and so she makes it a point to always get him something she thinks he'll enjoy. The very opposite of thoughtless, really. I would thank her for the gift(s) and let it go. Pass it on to someone else that really is a big Star Wars fan -- perhaps a donation to one of the various toy drives that happen around the holidays. And then I'd probably get a huge laugh out of it, because it's really kind of cute. :D (We like quirky people and their quirky mistakes around here. lol!)

My mother is getting my 4.5 yr old and 7 yr old MP3 players (comparable to the Nano) for Christmas, at my request. I know the kids will be over the moon excited by this! And I would hope they'll take good care of them; if not, there will be natural consequences which will help ensure they take care of their next beloved treasure. Besides, I'm 35 and I broke my beloved MP3 player -- it happens whatever the age. As for the earbuds (which I dislike for anyone, much less kids) and volume control issues, you can purchase headsets that have volume control built in so that they're kid-friendly. If I recall correctly, the ones I saw were around $15.

If she's asking for "clay stuff", then how about a box of various styles/types of clay with tools and a project idea book? You can get all sorts of varieties of clay and molding materials, and there some nice beginner tool kits on the market. You could pull together an amazing set of resources for her along that theme! And with a girl that is obviously so giving and lovely, imagine how much fun she'll have using her new tools to make gifts for her family and friends! :D

We have a similar gifting approach to strider's family. Each of our children gets a couple of books, a game (often a family gift, but sometimes a game each), an item of clothing, a toy, and a stocking with various useful and fun items and some sweets. We don't worry about dollar amounts, but we do give the same number of gifts to each child. I think it could be a bit of an issue for us if we were giving a different number of presents at their young ages, and I wouldn't want to set us up for those types of discussions at Christmas. (That's what birthdays are for. Ha!) I guess I could see us changing our approach as the kids get older and want more specific items. However, we really try to keep things fairly simple and not go overboard with gift-giving, so I can't imagine us ever getting into huge issues regarding how much is spent on each child.

My neighbour was telling me that her 9yo went to a birthday party and saw this movie and half the children ended up leaving the theatre because they were so scared. The mother was very apologetic when the parents picked up their children, and quite upset that she didn't know the movie was as scary as it was. Reading a story and watching it on screen is so very different. I would say that impact is much greater if your children are not used to watching a lot of video. So if I were making the decision, it would be a no.

Another vote for homeopathic arnica. 30c should be easy to come by, but I would probably go for 200c if you can find it. We use it here for bumps and bruises, and I will say that the results seem miraculous. I have seen immediate stopping of blood flow from wounds, bumps that go down before your eyes, and bruises that disappear overnight. Sending healing vibes!

Another thought... Even if they want to cuddle and sleep with me until they're 4 or 6, I'll take it. One day when I'm old and grey I will look back on my life and remember... I certainly won't regret extra cuddles and time with my babies for that oh-so-short time when they were young. But I surely might regret any time I spent pushing them into independance, and the cuddles I missed out on because of it. I try to remember that any time I start to think I'll never again have a moment to go to the bathroom in peace!

I just Googled Jordyn's birth, and didn't find anything about her being premature. In fact, she was 7lb 3oz, so certainly not far from term, if early at all. (The story I read can be found here.) Is it possible the episode you saw referred to another upcoming birth? Did they perhaps miscarry and conceive again? Adding my prayers for this family.

I obviously can't speak to your niece's situation, but I just wanted to say that I was one of those people that didn't (couldn't) get anything much done other than parenting my newborn with my second, unless I was willing to leave him alone and let him scream (which is not an option in my world). So there are some babies that lead to the over-the-top behaviour you mention simply because their needs really are that big. (I whole-heartedly agree with your second paragraph there, btw.)

Congratulations on your new little one!! My oldest was a happy, sweet, easy-going baby. I nursed her on demand, co-slept, carried her in a baby carrier everywhere we went, etc. She is now a happy, sweet, easy-going 7 yr old. My middle son was a frustrated, constantly screaming, high-needs baby. I nursed him on demand, co-slept, carried him in a carrier everywhere we went, etc. He is now a happy, sweet, easily frustrated, sometimes screaming 4.5 yr old. My baby is a happy, calm, sweetheart of a 5.5 month old. We'll parent him the same way as the others, and his personality will be what it will be. I don't think you can give a baby, or anyone else, too much love or positive attention. And I think there's a reason we feel we need to hold a newborn constantly -- we're biologically wired to feel that way. But I also don't think a baby will be harmed by spending a little time napping alone, or sitting in a swing, if the baby is content to do so (I would never support any suggestion to leave a baby to cry alone) and Mama needs the break. Ultimately, I think you should feel good about doing what feels good! You're the mama, so go ahead and trust your instincts.

Thanks for the links, Mariann! :D

My IQ has gone up 100 points because of MCT, and I don't even know what it is! (Can someone please point me to a thread explaining MCT?)

I have a daughter that just turned 7. She's very bright and doing quite well in all areas. However, even though she is reading at about a 5th grade level, she still asks me to spell just about every word out for her before writing it down. If I spell a word, she knows what it is. If she reads a word, she knows what it is. (Even complex words she's never seen before.) But spelling even the most basic words? Not so much. And it's not for lack of practice, as she's usually writing out pages of things every day (by her own choice). I think some kids just aren't as naturally inclined toward <insert skill here> as others. Perhaps that's the case with your son? At 6 yrs old, I don't think it's unusual for him not to be writing complete sentences. And comparing him to his older siblings is probably not going to be very helpful for you, as each child is going to have individual strengths and weaknesses. (If this could even be considered a weakness, which I don't think is the case at this young age.) So move forward from where you are, knowing that all is well... Even if he is a couple months behind where you'd like him to be, it likely won't matter much at all a couple of years from now. Go easy on yourself.

Holding you all in the space of having exactly what you need. :grouphug:

This! Right down to the Canadian part, with vinegar and mayo for our fries. lol! When I make food for people, I want them to enjoy it. If they'll enjoy it more with ketchup or ranch dressing or loads of salt, then that's ok with me. I might certainly point out how weird it is if they start putting ketchup on their french toast <shudder>, but as long as I don't have to eat it, I'm good. (In my personal relationships, pointing out that something is a weird food combination wouldn't be insulting. I wouldn't necessarily do that with a stranger.)

Yes, even based on the number of people here who mentioned headaches and nausea from the smells of some products, that has to tell you something! Fragrances and perfumes are neurotoxins, and really should be avoided by everyone. And even if people aren't bothered by them at all, or don't believe they're particularly dangerous to everyone, then a little sympathy for those of us that have difficulty functioning around this stuff would be nice. Really, it doesn't seem so different than second hand smoke to me. That's unfortunate about your friend; I imagine it's very challenging for her. My mother gets nosebleeds when someone is in her space wearing perfume. Not a nice experience at all! (Now, don't get me started on Febreeze and fabric softeners. <shudder>) Yes, I completely agree about being gracious no matter the gift! I have been gifted things I couldn't possibly use myself, but have still been super thankful that the person was kind enough to gift me anything at all. The thought really is what matters.

We play that the person draws two and misses their turn. (Or rather, their turn is picking up.) If another draw card is laid on top it doesn't stack, it's just another draw of two or four. However, we play Crazy 8s with miss your turn and stacking. My kids would love killer Uno! Though I can't imagine how they'd deal with all those cards!!

Not only do I not like most of this stuff for myself, but I seriously wish other people stopped using it as well. The smell of anything with fragrance or perfume in it -- no matter how mild or 'nice' -- makes me physically ill, and seriously impacts my quality of life. Sorry to be a downer, but I'm dealing with this right now with people who visit, want to hold the baby, and then leave some chemical scent all over him to the point where I'm getting sick from holding my own child. <sigh>

Another vote for the Wii! I could have written RegGuheert's post: We thought we'd never buy a gaming system, but were intrigued by the idea of active games, especially for the cold winter months. And we're so glad we got the system! We now have family Wii night, and sometimes I can feel my arms burning from exercise the morning after! Definitely not your typical video game experience. (Though you can get non-active games for Wii as well.) I also love that the games all seem to be family-friendly. I'm not having to constantly explain to my kids why they can't have XYZ that is inappropriate for their ages, as they just aren't options for this system.

Not getting gifts probably does teach a child a lesson... but it's not any lesson I'd ever want to be responsible for teaching. I agree with Cat -- I have never regretted choosing kindness.

No offense to fans of the duct tape (backwards diapers, etc.) ideas, but if I were wearing a soiled diaper I would hate to have it taped to me so that I couldn't remove it. Though perhaps the point there is using tape so that a child can't easily remove the diaper before asking for help? (We do elimination communication with our kids from infancy, so we don't have the standard experience with diapering here.) Can you ask him to let you know when he takes his diaper off so that you can help him clean up and get dressed again? If he's getting up in the middle of the night to do this, then perhaps he can come and wake you then rather than after the fact when he's cold and in a dirty bed.

Aubrey, I'd love the titles of these books if you have a moment. I'm looking for some kid-friendly cookbooks for our family, and these sound great!