You’re really funny. So today, I’m sharing a few stories that made me laugh. I don’t need data to know there’s a strong correlation between parenting and laughter (yes, sometimes through tears), and to me, that’s one of the best parts of this gig.
We also have a great reader question about a child who is rejecting all babysitters. Mom and Dad need a date night!
Make it sciencey
—Karen M.
I use our pediatrician’s authority status to get the kids to do stuff. Before well visits, I corner her alone and pass her a sticky note of issues like: (1) Soap is important, (2) Froot Loops do not count as fruit, (3) Wiping: every time. When she leads the discussion, she makes it sound really sciency. Then at home, I can invoke her whenever needed. Works well when your kids have lost all respect for you.
Duckers
—Thankful and Mortified
Our 4-year-old recently had ear tubes placed (for a second time) because fluid behind her ears was causing some hearing loss. She’s always been a sponge, absorbing what we say and repeating it, but for about six months there she was struggling to hear us, especially in the car. The combination of not being able to read our lips and the hum of the car really left her unable to make out what we were saying. The win: her hearing is now 100% back to normal, and we are so thankful! The woe: she can hear us in the car now, evidenced by her saying “Back up off us, duckers!” to a car behind us in line at drop-off this morning!
Art has no rules
—Tyler
I have been using bath paint with my 1- and 2-year-olds in the bath for over a month now. They have loved it so much, and always request different colors. I learned this week that it is not, in fact, bath paint. Just regular, washable paint. I have literally been bathing them with paint. I did wonder why it was on the crafts aisle instead of bath toys.
This week’s reader question
My 8-year-old daughter recently has fully rejected having a babysitter at bedtime. This includes grandmas and grandpas, and trusted teachers who have watched her and her brother since their infant day-care days. She wants one of us there at bedtime, and the alternative is not pretty. Mom and Dad are a better mom and a better dad when they occasionally get to go on a date or socialize with other moms and dads. Any advice?!
—Beth
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