I made the mistake of hosting Thanksgiving in my new home. It is a three-story, two-bath home built on the water off a jogging path. The lot is long and narrow, so one hallway runs through the entire house, and it isn't fenced off. My brother was supposed to bring just his girlfriend. Instead, it was her, her two screaming sons, and another friend with her two uncontrollable dogs.
I was about to round up a dozen kids for cake when my daughter asked, "Can we wait a few more minutes? He's not here yet." She was talking about the owner of our favorite local shop - the one with handmade cards, chocolate chip cookies, and an ink stamp at the checkout counter she was allowed to use. My child had insisted on inviting him to her seventh birthday party.
A BabyBuddha sterilizer to stop you from having to juggle a tea kettle full of boiling water. This will save PLENTY of time as it sterilizes AND dries your bottles or breast pump parts - meaning you no longer have to wait for the water to boil, sit around at least 10 minutes, and then take them out to air dry (which takes foreverrr). In just 30 minutes, you can have perfectly clean pump parts and bottles all ready for your little one's next feeding.
Most parents have been in a situation where a great aunt holds out her arms expectantly for a young child to dutifully provide a hug, and our child doesn't go rushing forward. The dynamics in this situation can be tricky for a lot of people, particularly in families where parents feel likely to be judged and criticized. Nobody wants their relatives to be offended and certainly nobody wants relatives huffing to others that our children are unfriendly or rude or ungrateful.
I first became pregnant at the age of 17, shortly before I graduated from high school in June 1988. Those days were different than now, and there was some shame around having a baby when you were young and unmarried. So, I hid my pregnancy for around five months until the cat got out of the bag. By the time I gave birth, I'd gained 75 pounds.
It's hard to know when to ask permission from other kids' parents. Do you text them about whether their kid can eat sugar? Whether they can see certain TV shows? Wether they can jump on a trampoline? It's hard to know when kids have allergies or limitations, but you also don't want to bug a kid's parents about every little thing. However... when it comes to giving kids medicine and medicinal items... you'd think you'd call or send out a little text before dosing a kid in your care, right?
He said his dad had put a bar of soap in his mouth for calling him an asshole after my husband threw water on the dog for getting into the garbage. I am furious. My husband says his mother used to do the same thing to him and his sister for bad language when they were kids so the punishment was appropriate.
Finding the right toys for your child can feel overwhelming. With a lot of options online and in stores, how do you know what will truly nurture learning? The best toys do more than keep children busy; they help stimulate brain development, strengthen problem-solving, enhance decision-making, encourage self-regulation skills, support emotional growth, and create beautiful moments with parents. Why Toys Matter for Brain Development Children's brains are surprisingly plastic, especially in the early years.
My wife "Anna" and I have a 3-year-old daughter, "Bree," who is terrified of dogs. Four months ago, my in-laws adopted a little ankle-biter mutt that barks and nips at anyone who isn't them. The last time we visited, Bree was so scared we had to take her home. Now my in-laws are insisting on bringing the dog with them when they come for Christmas. I don't want Bree to be terrified during what should be an enjoyable time for her.
I explained that by letting her believe in Santa all these years, I had helped her enjoy the holidays even more. I told her it was a responsibility shared by all older kids and adults worldwide - to never break the illusion, so younger children could experience that same magic. And now that she was old enough to know the truth, she was also old enough to carry that responsibility.
It's Christmastime, which means peace on Earth and goodwill toward others. But do ALL others deserve such generosity? What if one of those other people is your adult daughter? And what if your daughter, the cruel wretch, decided not to invite you to her wedding? Well, if you're 59-year-old Laura Wellington, you do what any right-thinking American would: You create multiple social media accounts with the handle "Doormat Mom" that are dedicated to publicly dragging your child into the gutter with you:
My spouse "Jaime," like their entire family, has naturally perfect teeth. I am not so genetically blessed, and if I hadn't had heavy-duty braces from fifth through eighth grade, my teeth would be horrifically jacked-up. Our 10-year-old daughter, "Sara," unfortunately seems to have gotten her teeth from my side.
Laura Wellington is estranged from one of her adult daughters. The Connecticut 59-year-old is somewhat famous for this, in fact, or anyway famous for her response to it. Across Tiktok and Instagram, under the name "Doormat Mom," Wellington's railing against the supposed injustice done to her by a daughter she calls an "ungrateful little bastard" has brought her some 140,000 total followers.
I've been in a caretaking role for most of my life. We lost my dad when I was 11, and my mom had a stroke soon after. As the only girl in a Latino immigrant family, I grew up carrying responsibility early. That early experience of taking care of my family members, coupled with my take-charge personality, has shaped every stage of my life, including my decision not to have children.
If life had worked out differently, Serena would by now be coming to terms with an empty nest. Having brought up seven children, she and her husband might even have been enjoying a little more money and time for themselves. But as it is, three of their adult children are now at home: the 23-year-old finishing his degree; the 28-year-old, a teacher, saving for a house deposit; and the 34-year-old, after a mental health crisis.
If I'd thought my job was done after only one talk, my very shy, introverted daughter would never have come to me during a very scary time. She felt off 'down there' and told me. I knew that she had a new partner and I knew they were probably having sex; I was having sex at her age. So while she was a little vague, I knew that she'd come to me for a reason.
Not telling your wife that you're making a big purchase, knowing it could upset her, will just upset her more. Who wants to spend the holidays arguing? Do the right thing and have a conversation with her about how much fun the kids had at your sister's and how you'd like to keep the good times going in your own backyard.
My boomer mother thought it was hilarious to mock anything I liked mercilessly, no matter how harmless, not just to me but to anybody around. She embarrassed me out of liking so many things until I finally developed a screw you; I won't let you spoil this for me attitude about it. And no, she wasn't doing me any favors. To this day, I'm reticent about telling people about things I like because I'm half-expecting to be mocked.
I'm with you. It's a phase; it'll pass. What's the hurry? Indeed, "impatient" is an interesting word to describe how your husband is feeling about your child's eating. I am pretty sure he knows that eventually PB&J will lose its appeal ( especially if your 3-year-old eats it at every meal for weeks on end) and your son will want to expand his culinary palate.
not because he was in trouble but because the parents had called the school to complain about their son's scuffed water bottle and wanted it replaced. They asked for $23. I wrote a check and was tempted to add a snarky comment, but I didn't. Yes, my son should keep his hands to himself, but the water bottle is still functional. My son apologized.
Our son had a nanny in his early years. She took magnificent care of him, loves him, and he loves her. Though he aged out of needing a nanny, we still see her on occasion for meals and celebrations. We were scheduled to see her for dinner recently but the day before, well, she murdered someone. It was all over the news and social media, and we are shocked and heartbroken.
When I figured out that my son would be born in December, I was instantly worried that he'd deal with having his birthday overshadowed by the season. Luckily, over the years, my son developed a different attitude and began to think of Christmas as something for him. But I have still always been careful to protect his birthday as a separate festivity.
I'm a little ashamed to admit that when I arrived at the train depot in Durango, Colorado, for The Polar Express train ride, I had never read the book. I knew it existed and had been turned into a movie, but I was oblivious to the magic everyone at the station seemed to feel. Kids wearing Christmas pajamas jumped up and down in anticipation, parents took photos, and everyone was talking about the journey to come-a journey that would take us to the "North Pole."
If you're planning to travel with children and parents this holiday season, may the grace of whatever god you believe in descend upon you with alacrity. May you never grow weary, frustrated or borderline psychotic when your 80-something mom questions your every decision moments after you make it, or when your child loses that wildly overpriced souvenir hours after you finally agree to buy it.
My husband and I spoke to his teachers, looked at dance blogs, and learned as much about the ballet world as possible. He could try many options, such as summer intensives, competitions, attending an academy associated with a company, or applying to a college with a dance major. Most of these options meant sending away a kid much younger than 18 years old - something that scared me.
Dear Prudence, I've been friends with "Tania" for a long time. She is very anti-kid. Not just child-free-she doesn't like children at all and will say so often. Some of it is pushback against gendered expectations in her family, which I sympathize with, e.g., she is expected to regularly care for her infant niece while her brothers and brothers-in-law (including the father!) are never handed a child and diaper bag the moment they're through the door to visit. Still, her dislike of kids is extreme.
