Comments on: To All the Mothers of Kids Approximately Three Years Old That I’ve Encountered In Various Waiting Rooms Around Town This Past Week http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/07/to-all-the-mothers-of-kids-approximately-three-years-old-that-i%e2%80%99ve-encountered-in-various-waiting-rooms-around-town-this-past-week/ Parenting, Politics and News for the Perfectly Challenged Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:26:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Rita http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/07/to-all-the-mothers-of-kids-approximately-three-years-old-that-i%e2%80%99ve-encountered-in-various-waiting-rooms-around-town-this-past-week/#comment-147724 Rita Sun, 09 Mar 2008 15:16:46 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/07/to-all-the-mothers-of-kids-approximately-three-years-old-that-i%e2%80%99ve-encountered-in-various-waiting-rooms-around-town-this-past-week/#comment-147724 One-year-old is different than 3. In those first 5 years, the kids grow and mature exponentially. I'm not above bribing a 1 year-old with anything and everything. But, 3 or even 5? It's getting just silly. One-year-old is different than 3. In those first 5 years, the kids grow and mature exponentially. I’m not above bribing a 1 year-old with anything and everything. But, 3 or even 5? It’s getting just silly.

]]> By: Babyamore (Trish) http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/07/to-all-the-mothers-of-kids-approximately-three-years-old-that-i%e2%80%99ve-encountered-in-various-waiting-rooms-around-town-this-past-week/#comment-147698 Babyamore (Trish) Sun, 09 Mar 2008 05:13:43 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/07/to-all-the-mothers-of-kids-approximately-three-years-old-that-i%e2%80%99ve-encountered-in-various-waiting-rooms-around-town-this-past-week/#comment-147698 I liked this .I agree with most of it. I will have to remember this advice - the labeling and constant talking (aka labeling and running commentary) but I can't see a way around giving bribes (snacks) with 1 year twins when sometimes the wait is so long .We have waited 2hrs one day (several times) at the Children's hospital even with a playroom ... other than strapping their mouths with gaff tape and ear plugs for everyone else to drown out the sound. I liked this .I agree with most of it.
I will have to remember this advice - the labeling and constant talking (aka labeling and running commentary) but I can’t see a way around giving bribes (snacks) with 1 year twins when sometimes the wait is so long .We have waited 2hrs one day (several times) at the Children’s hospital even with a playroom … other than strapping their mouths with gaff tape and ear plugs for everyone else to drown out the sound.

]]> By: Rita http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/07/to-all-the-mothers-of-kids-approximately-three-years-old-that-i%e2%80%99ve-encountered-in-various-waiting-rooms-around-town-this-past-week/#comment-147611 Rita Sat, 08 Mar 2008 03:23:04 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/07/to-all-the-mothers-of-kids-approximately-three-years-old-that-i%e2%80%99ve-encountered-in-various-waiting-rooms-around-town-this-past-week/#comment-147611 [quote comment="147592"] Speaking to your child outloud throughout your day (known as labeling), telling them everything that your doing etc. is an extremely popular method of teaching, it is splashed on the pages of just about every parenting magazine...as well as on their websites. As far as the snacks and juice, it's more of a bribe I think in most cases - children of most ages get bored extremely quick...so I think it's a matter of give them a few cheerios or face a possible meltdown because u've been there waiting for hours (just an example in timing).[/quote] But, is there no common sense? I have two older kids (13 and 9), so I'm not new at this by any means. You really CAN just talk to your kid throughout the day, without it being a running commentary on the obvious. I've never done "baby talk," I have always talked to my kids like they're people. My kids learn to talk with very little incorrect speech as a result, good modeling tends to lead to good learning. I'm certainly not above watching the fish with my toddler, and talking with her about what the fish are doing. But, it's the idiotic, unnatural voice and play-by-play commentary that drive me batty. And the snacks. OK, this is something I've just not done. If we're going to the park for a long time, then I bring stuff for us to "picnic" with, but otherwise, food is not a bribe or a source of entertainment. It's food. It doesn't belong in doctor's office waiting rooms, or the library, or the tae kwon do "observation room," or when you're hanging out waiting for teacher's conferences. Has this component, this apparent addiction to goldfish and nutrigrain bars, been addressed as a possible component to the obesity epidemic? [quote comment="147592"]
Speaking to your child outloud throughout your day (known as labeling), telling them everything that your doing etc. is an extremely popular method of teaching, it is splashed on the pages of just about every parenting magazine…as well as on their websites.
As far as the snacks and juice, it’s more of a bribe I think in most cases - children of most ages get bored extremely quick…so I think it’s a matter of give them a few cheerios or face a possible meltdown because u’ve been there waiting for hours (just an example in timing).[/quote]

But, is there no common sense? I have two older kids (13 and 9), so I’m not new at this by any means. You really CAN just talk to your kid throughout the day, without it being a running commentary on the obvious. I’ve never done “baby talk,” I have always talked to my kids like they’re people. My kids learn to talk with very little incorrect speech as a result, good modeling tends to lead to good learning. I’m certainly not above watching the fish with my toddler, and talking with her about what the fish are doing. But, it’s the idiotic, unnatural voice and play-by-play commentary that drive me batty.

And the snacks. OK, this is something I’ve just not done. If we’re going to the park for a long time, then I bring stuff for us to “picnic” with, but otherwise, food is not a bribe or a source of entertainment. It’s food. It doesn’t belong in doctor’s office waiting rooms, or the library, or the tae kwon do “observation room,” or when you’re hanging out waiting for teacher’s conferences. Has this component, this apparent addiction to goldfish and nutrigrain bars, been addressed as a possible component to the obesity epidemic?

]]> By: prpledrm76 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/07/to-all-the-mothers-of-kids-approximately-three-years-old-that-i%e2%80%99ve-encountered-in-various-waiting-rooms-around-town-this-past-week/#comment-147592 prpledrm76 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:48:37 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/07/to-all-the-mothers-of-kids-approximately-three-years-old-that-i%e2%80%99ve-encountered-in-various-waiting-rooms-around-town-this-past-week/#comment-147592 Don't be surprised encountering this almost everywhere, especially w/ first time mothers - they will absorb and believe everything that they read and will listen and panic about everything their friends and fellow mothers told them to do etc. Speaking to your child outloud throughout your day (known as labeling), telling them everything that your doing etc. is an extremely popular method of teaching, it is splashed on the pages of just about every parenting magazine...as well as on their websites. As far as the snacks and juice, it's more of a bribe I think in most cases - children of most ages get bored extremely quick...so I think it's a matter of give them a few cheerios or face a possible meltdown because u've been there waiting for hours (just an example in timing). Don’t be surprised encountering this almost everywhere, especially w/ first time mothers - they will absorb and believe everything that they read and will listen and panic about everything their friends and fellow mothers told them to do etc.
Speaking to your child outloud throughout your day (known as labeling), telling them everything that your doing etc. is an extremely popular method of teaching, it is splashed on the pages of just about every parenting magazine…as well as on their websites.
As far as the snacks and juice, it’s more of a bribe I think in most cases - children of most ages get bored extremely quick…so I think it’s a matter of give them a few cheerios or face a possible meltdown because u’ve been there waiting for hours (just an example in timing).

]]> By: Jessica http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/07/to-all-the-mothers-of-kids-approximately-three-years-old-that-i%e2%80%99ve-encountered-in-various-waiting-rooms-around-town-this-past-week/#comment-147588 Jessica Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:19:07 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2008/03/07/to-all-the-mothers-of-kids-approximately-three-years-old-that-i%e2%80%99ve-encountered-in-various-waiting-rooms-around-town-this-past-week/#comment-147588 Amen sistah! Women act like they invented mothering. I had to totally LOL (or El-oh-El) at this part... "Your child does not need a running commentary throughout the day. He can figure out for himself that the little girl is looking at the fishie, and now she’s looking at a book, and that the man is reading a magazine." That drives me batty. Amen sistah!

Women act like they invented mothering.

I had to totally LOL (or El-oh-El) at this part…

“Your child does not need a running commentary throughout the day. He can figure out for himself that the little girl is looking at the fishie, and now she’s looking at a book, and that the man is reading a magazine.”

That drives me batty.

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