The Parenting Thread

[Jatz]

I don't wonder that at all, I'm not as fun as I used to be. It makes total sense that things change with kids.

I also don't agree (at least in my circumstance) that she carries the full mental load. The majority perhaps but she's not doing it alone. And nor should she be.

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

I need a vibe check from people with primary school or older kids please.

I got a phone call last night at about 6.15pm from our afterschool care provider asking to speak to my 7 year old son. I thought this was a strange request so I asked what it was regarding, and she said it was due to some purposely broken pencils from that afternoon.

I put the phone on speaker so I could hear her talking to him, and all she did was ask him if he knew who broke the pencils (he narced immediately, not great ).

It felt odd at the time and since retold the story to a couple of girlfriends, one of whom is absolutely OUTRAGED at how inappropriate the phone call was.

What do you guys reckon?

 

[Catfish Alley]

I mean, she could have just asked him at school and you wouldn’t have known.

Weird that they’d call around dinner time. I wouldn’t be outraged by it but think they could have just sorted it out at school or sent an email to parents saying some some equipment got broken so please have a chat to your kids about taking care of things.

 

[Cruyff14]

I need a vibe check from people with primary school or older kids please.

I got a phone call last night at about 6.15pm from our afterschool care provider asking to speak to my 7 year old son. I thought this was a strange request so I asked what it was regarding, and she said it was due to some purposely broken pencils from that afternoon.

I put the phone on speaker so I could hear her talking to him, and all she did was ask him if he knew who broke the pencils (he narced immediately, not great ).

It felt odd at the time and since retold the story to a couple of girlfriends, one of whom is absolutely OUTRAGED at how inappropriate the phone call was.

What do you guys reckon?

Don't have primary aged school kids, but this is very weird regardless.

 

[jb04]

I need a vibe check from people with primary school or older kids please.

I got a phone call last night at about 6.15pm from our afterschool care provider asking to speak to my 7 year old son. I thought this was a strange request so I asked what it was regarding, and she said it was due to some purposely broken pencils from that afternoon.

I put the phone on speaker so I could hear her talking to him, and all she did was ask him if he knew who broke the pencils (he narced immediately, not great ).

It felt odd at the time and since retold the story to a couple of girlfriends, one of whom is absolutely OUTRAGED at how inappropriate the phone call was.

What do you guys reckon?

I would be offput if my kid received a call like that and that would become outrage after stewing a little.

Usually for these things, I expect a short note written to the parents from the teacher via whatever app is being used by the school, or for OSHC the incident is dealt with at the time, before the child leaves.

 

[phantom13]

I need a vibe check from people with primary school or older kids please.

I got a phone call last night at about 6.15pm from our afterschool care provider asking to speak to my 7 year old son. I thought this was a strange request so I asked what it was regarding, and she said it was due to some purposely broken pencils from that afternoon.

I put the phone on speaker so I could hear her talking to him, and all she did was ask him if he knew who broke the pencils (he narced immediately, not great ).

It felt odd at the time and since retold the story to a couple of girlfriends, one of whom is absolutely OUTRAGED at how inappropriate the phone call was.

What do you guys reckon?

Not primary school aged but our 4 year old we get a little update from his lead educator each day, if anything has occurred we get the run down when we pick him up.

Getting a call at 7 would be bedtime routine time, i wouldnt be pleased.

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

Thanks for your input everyone.

I didn’t get outraged but I was a bit bothered by an adult calling and asking to speak to my child.

I mean, she could have just asked him at school and you wouldn’t have known.

Weird that they’d call around dinner time. I wouldn’t be outraged by it but think they could have just sorted it out at school or sent an email to parents saying some some equipment got broken so please have a chat to your kids about taking care of things.

Not bothered at all that she asked the question, I thought it was strange she didn’t just ask him next time he was in osh.

Not primary school aged but our 4 year old we get a little update from his lead educator each day, if anything has occurred we get the run down when we pick him up.

Getting a call at 7 would be bedtime routine time, i wouldnt be pleased.

Updates from osh are few and far between

 

[phantom13]

Thanks for your input everyone.

I didn’t get outraged but I was a bit bothered by an adult calling and asking to speak to my child.

Yeh that is weird. "Can we speak with you and little MEB together" would make more sense.

Frankly a phone call after hours over a broken pencil seems like overkill. Just ask the next day.

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

Yeh that is weird. "Can we speak with you and little MEB together" would make more sense.

Frankly a phone call after hours over a broken pencil seems like overkill. Just ask the next day.

I’m wondering if they didn’t say anything at pick up because it was his dad and not me

 

[Frank Bunn]

I didn’t get outraged but I was a bit bothered by an adult calling and asking to speak to my child.

The whole thing seems very weird. It was a minor issue that could have been dealt with the next day. There was absolutely no need for a phone call asking to speak to your son. How could you be sure that the person who called was genuine?

 

[Cruyff14]

Both kids (nearly 3, 4m) have RSV. Wife is probably only at 70%, and then for me trying to juggle family life, work, toddler continuously overtired because she doesn't sleep much, trying to toilet train her, and she's not eating well.

Fun times.

 

[Cruyff14]

What do/did you guys do when your child refused food? Or nearly 3 year old is pretty fussy and won't even try things we put in front of her.

 

[jb04]

What do/did you guys do when your child refused food? Or nearly 3 year old is pretty fussy and won't even try things we put in front of her.

This is such a tricky question because every little kid is different and the context is different on any given day.

I picked up a neat trick from a reel a while back where I'd put out a plate of cut veggies or something relatively healthy, maybe 15-20 mins before dinner. Don't mention it, reference it or even say anything. Just drop it in front of them and they'll graze. Then when dinner comes you fill the plate with the less healthy but more fun meats and carbs and they tend to gobble it down.

A big problem for my two was snacking. They'd load themselves up with whatever the heck they wanted after school/daycare and then leave their plates and even later whinge at bedtime about being hungry. Again, another parenting reel I saw about a woman going 'back to the 90s' where they pack NO snacks for outings. Eat at meal times. Being hungry isn't the sin millennial parents make it out to be, even though it feels like it.

These methods do not account for things like sensory response or just clear cut stubborn preferences any little kid may have. And they don't work in my house all of the time, or most of the time.

 

[Cruyff14]

This is such a tricky question because every little kid is different and the context is different on any given day.

I picked up a neat trick from a reel a while back where I'd put out a plate of cut veggies or something relatively healthy, maybe 15-20 mins before dinner. Don't mention it, reference it or even say anything. Just drop it in front of them and they'll graze. Then when dinner comes you fill the plate with the less healthy but more fun meats and carbs and they tend to gobble it down.

A big problem for my two was snacking. They'd load themselves up with whatever the heck they wanted after school/daycare and then leave their plates and even later whinge at bedtime about being hungry. Again, another parenting reel I saw about a woman going 'back to the 90s' where they pack NO snacks for outings. Eat at meal times. Being hungry isn't the sin millennial parents make it out to be, even though it feels like it.

These methods do not account for things like sensory response or just clear cut stubborn preferences any little kid may have. And they don't work in my house all of the time, or most of the time.

We might try the food thing, it's a good idea. Thanks!

Great point about packing snacks. Have you done it? Feels like running the gauntlet lol

She also just refuses to sleep at home now, we don't know why. She is pretty much perpetually overtired.

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

What do/did you guys do when your child refused food? Or nearly 3 year old is pretty fussy and won't even try things we put in front of her.

I follow the division of responsibility method. I always serve a 'safe' food (one I know they will eat) alongside whatever else. They choose how little or how much they eat of it. We don't make a big deal out of it when they eat the foods we want them to.

Dr Kyla on instagram is a fantastic resource. She's a pediatric dietitian from Perth - it's all evidence based, no bullshit, and actually useful tools to put into practice.

 

[Cruyff14]

I follow the division of responsibility method. I always serve a 'safe' food (one I know they will eat) alongside whatever else. They choose how little or how much they eat of it. We don't make a big deal out of it when they eat the foods we want them to.

Dr Kyla on instagram is a fantastic resource. She's a pediatric dietitian from Perth - it's all evidence based, no bullshit, and actually useful tools to put into practice.

She loves rigatoni but then some days she will just flat out refuse it and says she doesn't like it. It's like a game of Russian roulette.

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

She loves rigatoni but then some days she will just flat out refuse it and says she doesn't like it. It's like a game of Russian roulette.

Kids are ****en weird.

 

[jb04]

Great point about packing snacks. Have you done it? Feels like running the gauntlet lol

We've had mixed success. It's mainly in removing the snacks from the pantry where they'd cycle through mindlessly once they get home in the afternoon. More dinner gets eaten these days. We're entering a tricky period where we're testing medication for a new ADHD diagnosis on the eldest which affects appetite as well.

I follow the division of responsibility method. I always serve a 'safe' food (one I know they will eat) alongside whatever else. They choose how little or how much they eat of it. We don't make a big deal out of it when they eat the foods we want them to.

Dr Kyla on instagram is a fantastic resource. She's a pediatric dietitian from Perth - it's all evidence based, no bullshit, and actually useful tools to put into practice.

Love this!

 

[Catfish Alley]

My 10 year old still does this. Haha. Will change his mind week by week about what foods he likes.

 

[the_interloper]

My 10 year old still does this. Haha. Will change his mind week by week about what foods he likes.

My 10 year old has been pretty consistent with what he eats since about 5, he likes pasta, burritos, sausages or hamburgers in bread, that's about it!

 

[phantom13]

She loves rigatoni but then some days she will just flat out refuse it and says she doesn't like it. It's like a game of Russian roulette.

Well actually ASK our 4 year old so he can choose.

Make it, serve it up and STILL get "i dont like this".

Kids are ****ed.

 

[t_94]

The less fun part is what I don’t get. Why actively decide to have less fun?
We are all gonna die anyway. Let someone else live a life of stress; plenty of people willing pump out the next generation of influencers, HR Managers and Real Estate Agents.

 

[Gough]

Well actually ASK our 4 year old so he can choose.

Make it, serve it up and STILL get "i dont like this".

Kids are ****ed.

My old housemates had a six year old girl and her taste seemed to depend on what day of the week it was and whether the sun was out or not. She's twenty seven now and still eats Vegemite thanks to me living with her folks for a couple of years.

 

[Cruyff14]

Kids are ****en weird.

Aren't they just!

We've had mixed success. It's mainly in removing the snacks from the pantry where they'd cycle through mindlessly once they get home in the afternoon. More dinner gets eaten these days. We're entering a tricky period where we're testing medication for a new ADHD diagnosis on the eldest which affects appetite as well.


Love this!

Yeah we have got rid of chocolate because we have found her behaviour drops significantly if she has too much of it and she just turns into the devil.

Well actually ASK our 4 year old so he can choose.

Make it, serve it up and STILL get "i dont like this".

Kids are ****ed.

Yeah, it's impossible to win.

----

Today was a challenging night.

She went to daycare, and it was a long day - about 9 hours. She's still learning to walk again after coming out of her cast, getting used to not using a nappy, plus just a whole day at daycare on her feet etc. Lots going on in that little head no doubt.

She refused dinner (mixture of fruit, chicken, rice), and her bath. But that wasn't before tipping the rice all over the table and knocking some of it on the floor. She did go down relatively easily though which is a plus.

 

[Jatz]

I’m currently laying on the floor of our first borns bedroom because he refuses to go to sleep.

Not sure I’ll overly miss the 2 year old phase.