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MADDAD

Husband & Father of 4, Grandpa of 1
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Member Since: 11/2008Last Seen: 12/04/2009

Bad parenting moment No. 1,367

News Type: Other — Seeded on Thu Jul 9, 2009 10:49 PM EDT
Read ArticleArticle Source: The Orlando Sentinel
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Seeded by maddad
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I spend a lot of time thinking about the things I do wrong as a parent. When I'm not patient enough, or when I don't pay attention to my son's endless stories ("Kids live to tell stories," he tells me. "You need to listen.")

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{"commentId":8131426,"authorDomain":"maddad0467"}
maddad

should a child be indulged when it comes to fears or should parents minimize them? i tend to use the later, with compassion.

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  • 3 votes
Reply#1 - Thu Jul 9, 2009 10:50 PM EDT
{"commentId":8132512,"authorDomain":"jvillarreal"}
joyjoy32

When you indulge their fears you just feed into it possibly making it worse. You have to be honest with them even if it is scary. Once I explained to my son where thunder and lightning came from he was fine. I made it into research and he really got into it. Now when we get a storm he feels the need to explain to everyone what's happening. It's annoying but he's no longer afraid. He will actually run outside in a storm and try to get pictures of the lightning. I hope he doesn't turn into one of those tornado chasers...

{"commentId":8132512,"threadId":"623411","contentId":"3013121","authorDomain":"jvillarreal"}
  • 3 votes
#1.1 - Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:09 AM EDT
{"commentId":8139567,"authorDomain":"neenie1991"}
neenie1991

I'm with you guys on this. Information is power. Explain it in terms they understand, educate them and many times they end up more fascinated by it than scared.

When it comes to nightmares and trauma, that's another ball of wax, but not really the topic here.

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    #1.2 - Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:25 PM EDT
    {"commentId":8150829,"authorDomain":"lkessler41"}
    Lkessler

    I say don't over feed kids fears. Look at me. I scared the living daylights out of my mom as a baby--and I turned out just fine...

    (ok, maybe not "just fine" but about as close to fine as a kid gets after eating crayons, dirt, flinging herself off her crib, etc... *lol!*)

    So, if curious, let 'em find out. And of course, explain whatever in terms a child understands.

    {"commentId":8150829,"threadId":"623411","contentId":"3013121","authorDomain":"lkessler41"}
    • 2 votes
    #1.3 - Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:21 PM EDT
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    {"commentId":8142803,"authorDomain":"jsbach"}
    jsbach

    Everyone knows that kids are kids. They are resilient little creatures and I think many parents don't give them enough credit.

    {"commentId":8142803,"threadId":"623411","contentId":"3013121","authorDomain":"jsbach"}
    • 1 vote
    Reply#2 - Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:42 PM EDT
    {"commentId":8143326,"authorDomain":"lkessler41"}
    Lkessler

    Thanks Susan! Just my thought.

    My mom said I fell out of bed more than once, and while she was terrified I had escaped, instead she found me in a crevice on the floor, right next to my crib, asleep. She called me her tough little doll. But that doesn't explain the quirkiness, or does it?

    {"commentId":8143326,"threadId":"623411","contentId":"3013121","authorDomain":"lkessler41"}
    • 1 vote
    #2.1 - Fri Jul 10, 2009 3:05 PM EDT
    {"commentId":8150603,"authorDomain":"jsbach"}
    jsbach

    Absolutely, Lucy! I wouldn't trade your quirkiness for anything! I love quirky!

    {"commentId":8150603,"threadId":"623411","contentId":"3013121","authorDomain":"jsbach"}
    • 1 vote
    #2.2 - Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:03 PM EDT
    {"commentId":8150809,"authorDomain":"lkessler41"}
    Lkessler

    So.. that's it! I fell a few times too many on my head? Well, a small price to pay for being uber-quirky! ;)

    {"commentId":8150809,"threadId":"623411","contentId":"3013121","authorDomain":"lkessler41"}
    • 2 votes
    #2.3 - Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:19 PM EDT
    {"commentId":8253961,"authorDomain":"tishamauro"}
    not over it
    I fell out of bed more than once, and while she was terrified I had escaped

    I came home from work one day to find my mother teaching my infant son to climb out of his crib himself! She said she was tired of having to pick him up.

    She thought it was funny.

    I thought I would never get a peaceful night of sleep again.

    {"commentId":8253961,"threadId":"623411","contentId":"3013121","authorDomain":"tishamauro"}
    • 3 votes
    #2.4 - Thu Jul 16, 2009 6:03 PM EDT
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