I’m back to feeling like I don’t really have much to say and so why should I come here and tell you guys unimportant details about my life, so I’m not so inspired to stop in. But now that I’m here, I can think of 429 things I want to share with you, so, being a democratic blog, I’ll let you all decide:
Do you want me to tell you about the photography workshop I’m attending in two weeks? (details will be limited because that’s just the way I am but still…I am dying that it’s almost here.)
Do you want to hear how my 8 year old daughter hurt my feelings last night and how last week she said “sex” and this morning she said “bitch” and how scared out of my mind I am to be raising a daughter? (which will undoubtedly turn into a post begging parents to either A. watch their language around their children or B. if you must use these words in front of your children, please stress to them that these are words only adults use…)
Should I tell you how I gave Anna and Noah Rice Krispies today, for their first time and I was like “listen! SNAP! CRACKLE! POP! ooooh” and they were like “yeah but it still tastes like sand.” And I realized what a simple child I was.
Would you rather hear about how my husband spoiled me on my birthday shopping trip on Saturday and see my goodies from Anthro?
or would you prefer I shut my mouth and show you some newborn photos from my session on Monday?
Seriously.
You decide.
I’d like to hear about Anna.
And what a simple child you were.
I’m feeling the same way lately and have only blogged twice (maybe 3 or 4 times?) in a month! Winter has a way of sucking the life out of your life.
I’m voting for Birthday Goodies AND newborn pictures!!!
I have a post that MAYBE will help with the “sex” and “bitch” issue. Here you go:
http://kathleenbasi.com/2011/02/01/teaching-a-healthy-sexuality-to-our-children/
I have two young daughters (18 months and 4 months). What you are starting to go through with Anna terrifies me! Not that I “want” to hear more about it, but I think it is helpful to hear about other parents’ journeys and since I will be on a similar journey in the future, I would vote to hear about Anna and her colorful language.
I want to hear about your daughter, how did she hurt your feelings?
And see the baby pics!
I’d love to hear more about it all & especially see those baby photos!!
All but the first one. I have a 9.5 year old son who just figured out what “gay” means a couple of weeks ago, and now I’m wondering if it’s time for “the talk”. Ugh.
i want to hear all about all of it…raising a daughter is scary!!! The newborn picture is TO DIE FOR…
I vote for the Anthro stuff. (also excited because we are getting one not far from here)
I want to see what you got from anthro!
I totally wanna hear about Anna and what she’s been saying.
Thank and the Anthro pieces. After hearing about Anna’s comments, I’m sure that’ll soothe us all.
Shopping trip of course!
Can I request a “D” all of the above! It all sounds interesting!
I have 8 year old twins…would love to read about your trials with dare I say it pre-pre-teens.
I can comiserate with you and you can feel sorry for me because I have it times two. lol
I would like to first give you a hug, and then tell you how Boo told me about her “boob parts” and almost fell over.
Whoever said girls were easy lied.
Bigs hugs my friend!
all.
tell it all
and
I am having huge issues with JC and “sex” and other kids taking photos of inappropriate things online and bringing them to school to show others kids.
My son saw “bo0bs” via a kid’s cell phones. Not. cool.
When did our kids get so big ?
I think your photog class is what you WANT to talk about. And I think Anna is what you NEED to talk about.
Do both. We’re here to listen, support, and be excited for you.
I request all of the above, please.
All I talk about on my blog are the small details of my life.
I’d write about it all. But, that’s just me. Also, I have to agree with Anna & Noah on the rice krispies. In our house the only thing rice krispies are good for is making krispie treats.
And, as much as this is going to stick out like a sore thumb in your comments…I can understand being upset by her using the “B” word, but “sex”? Come on, really? Her using the word sex upset you? That really make no sense to me. It’s just a word. And, yes, I’m a mom. I have a daughter. I get the whole it’s scary to be raising a daughter. But, I can honestly say the words that come out of her mouth are the least of my concern.
The word sex? Okay, fine.
The word sex being used in the context in which it was used? Yep. I have a problem with it.
Her using the word “properly” because of another seven year old on the bus, Yep. Now it’s an even bigger problem to me.
And honestly, I think if we all used some discretion when using the word, particular around children, then, maybe, just maybe, things would be a little better and easier for teenagers these days.
They’re just kids.
I have a 2 year old daughter, and I don’t think I am ready to hear about what her pre-teen years are going to be like. Bring on the newborns!
Oh, and by the way (totally NOT judging you for this) my husband and I decided when we got pregnant with our first child that we would stop using any and all words that we wouldn’t want our children to repeat. So far, so good! So glad that we did since she is 2 years old and at that stage where she repeats EVERYTHING. My father-in-law, however, intentionally taught my husband and his siblings to say bad words because he thought it was funny. Not cool. But he has turned out to be a much better grandfather than the father that he was to his littles.
Megan, we did the exact same thing. I think it’s a wise choice all around.
I want to hear it all! They all sound super fun and interesting for me!
I vote all!
Shopping, I vote for shopping. I want to see your gifts!
Yes please! I say yes to all of them.
I get really frustrated with adults not taking the time to think about the words they are using in front of kids of all ages. This happens a lot in my husbands family actually and I have been pestering it about them since we got married (treating kids that are only 10-14 like they are adults in terms of what you say around them). My kiddo is 2 now and it continues to really frustrate me. She picks up words she does not need to know and repeats them, sometimes in context and sometimes not. Either way, I don’t like the words.
If I have to pick, the Anna story – and the stuff you bought – and the newborn pics…. yeah, I’ll stop now.
Don’t forget that sometimes kids have older brothers and sisters who don’t always watch their mouths around younger siblings. I’m sure my son, who is 6years younger than his sister, has heard things that his sister did not hear at his age. The large age gap does make it a little tricky in that aspect. However, we’ve stressed time and time again that our daughter has a responsibility to make sure her little brother is not exposed to inapproriate languages/actions/etc.
But look on the bright side, Anna felt comfortable enough to say those words in front of you. She is innocent enough to not know what their true meanings are. Ok- That might not be any comfort. We don’t use bad language in front of our kids and still, they came home with it. We just stressed that there are adult words and kid words and kids should never use adult words. It seemed to do the trick. Especially with our daughter- she is our people pleaser.
I have an 8 year old daughter….so I would love to hear about Anna. Last week my daughter was using the dictionary for her vocabulary words. Fine no big deal. But then I suddenly see this look on her face as she slams the dictionary shut and I’m like….what?! She says Oh nothing…I was just looking at the word on page 352 in the top left hand corner. So I grab the dictionary and frantically flip pages and there it is…the word….SEX. ugghh!
I want to hear about Anna.
with a side of newborn photos topped with extra smoosh.
Would that be possible?
goodies from Anthro!
hahaha!! personally my hubby and I would like to hear all of them. I’ve been known to read your blog out loud to him. Shows us what fun we have to look forward to us (our daughter is only 2). We love your blog!
Don’t get me wrong. I get where your coming from. I do. They are “just kids” but reality is reality. And, based on this exchange, my idea of “discretion” is probably very different that your idea of “discretion”. Clearly words that are a big deal in your house are not a big deal in mine.
Do I want my daughter to use words like sh!t or F*ck or B!tch? Or, in this case, the word sex, in proper context? No. I don’t. My husband and I have talked about when she goes to school in the fall and the “education” she will receive just the school bus alone. It’s inevitably and a rite of childhood passage to some. And, no matter what kind of parenting or “discretion” we use at home, it going to happen. And, when it does, we will educate her on her new found vernacular. That’s all we can really do about it anyway. We’re expecting it. And, we’re doing our best of be prepared for when it happens. Which in my mind seems like a much better course of action than to be upset about it, wishing another parent had used better “discretion” just so I could avoid an uncomfortable situation with my own child.
yes to all of the above?
all kids are gonna try out new words and see how their parents react. oh, it’s lovely. my 9 1/2 year old son told me he h-a-t-e-s me (yes, he spelled it out because we don’t say hate in our house) last month. the first time any of my 4 kids have told me that. made me cry!!
ok, i’m rambling. but post about any and all. xoxox
You know that we would read about any of that stuff from you, right? At least I know I would. But yeah, the newborn pic is pretty awesome.
OH and since I wish I lived in an Anthro store, bring it on!!
p.s. really cool giveaway that I’d think you would like going on at my place. #IJS.
I’d like to hear about your daughter and your shopping trip to Anthro! (One of my fav stores!)
I haven’t said much on my blog lately either. Haven’t felt like I have anything important to say, other than complaining about things. And I’m not much of a writer.
All of it!
But please do share about what your hubby got you!!
oooooooohhhh please Anthro goodies!! and spoil time with the hubby!
and also the whole situation with Anna because I have quite a defiant almost 7 year old on my hands these days and oh how I could use a different perspective on parenting…and you offer me that different perspective sooo many times on this here WONDERFUL blog!!
and DEFINTELY newborn babes, and Rice Krispie memories and photo classes…can you just do posts on ALL of them?!
I want to hear it all!
I would love to hear about your shopping trip and see the babies! I have enough 10 year old drama (thankfully the 8 year old doesn’t have much yet) of my own! he he Although it is always great to hear we’re not alone!
I want to hear about all of it, but if I had to pick one it would be the shopping trip.
Ohhh, I want to hear about your photography class! Is it from Clinkin Moms?
I also want to hear about Anna. From what I can tell you are raising respectful children so nipping this in the bud shouldn’t be an issue. My 16 year old son is dating a girl who’s parents clearly did not put an end to inappropriate language and behavior and we are suffering for it.
All of it sounds good
I would love to hear about your photography class, about the things you encounter raising your little girl, well, like I said, about it all. Write all you want, I am sure we’ll love to read it. x
All of the above except the keeping your mouth shut part. That would be terrible. As far as the language part? Here’s my take. Calmly tell Anna not to repeat the things she heard because they’re inappropriate and let it go because there are things out there we just can’t control and the bigger deal we make of them, the bigger they become in the kids’ mind so kind of shrug it off. (Oh and get used to it. This is just the beginning. It’s when she isn’t repeating what she hears that you have to start worrying.)
I really mean this I would love to hear about all of the above!!
Definitely need to see the Anthro goodies and I’d love to hear about your husband spoiling you. That newborn picture is adorable!!!
birthday goodies for sure! and i’d love to hear your thoughts on anna as well.
I’m a sucker for baby photos and yours are the best! Would love a slideshow. =)
Sounds like you have lots to talk about. Get crackin’ girl!
And I’m such a jerk-friend for forgetting to wish you happy birthday on Monday. SORRY. I do love you, and I’m glad Brian took good care of you!
The language? GAH. As trashy as my mouth can be online and when the kids aren’t around, I pride myself in the fact that I don’t EVER slip around my kids. Ever. (Well there was that one time I was running with Mia in the stroller and I said FUCKing jerk because someone drove by fast right next to. And of course she repeated it for a few days.) I think kids deserve to be as innocent as possible for as long as possible. If and when something bad comes out of their mouth, I will handle it just as your mom suggested. She’s a smart cookie, that mom of yours!
And yes, we need to see more squishy baby pictures, and I’d love to see what you bought at Antrho, yo!
LOVE YOU!
When kids repeat profanity, it doesn’t take very long to teach them not to do it again. “That’s a bad word. We don’t say it.” They might go their whole lives not knowing why that word is considered offensive, but they can grasp the lack of approval pretty fast.
But sex? Not just the word but the idea of it? Once my son hears a friend discussing sex (with some depth of knowledge) as though it’s no big deal, it’s no small task to teach him differently. I don’t want my kids to think that their bodies have little more value than toys. I don’t want them thinking sex is evil, either. I’d much rather them not think about it at all until they’re a little bit more prepared to understand the significance of it. Maybe it’s not realistic to hope that my kids could make it to the age of 9 before hearing their friends talking about sex in casual detail, but why wouldn’t I be disturbed when it happens so early?
Of course any parents who are troubled by their kids discussing sex are also going to be willing to talk to their children about it. But it’s far from naive to wish parents would be more discreet in what they expose their kids to regarding sex, to wish other children wouldn’t develop the idea that sex is no big deal and influence my kids in the same way. No matter how much I teach my kids, I can’t force them to dismiss the views of their peers. Some of them will talk about sex as though it’s nothing. Some will talk about it as if it’s okay for them to engage in. Some will just discuss it as though it’s hilarious. I wish all of them had someone in their lives who cared enough to guard against such dismissive and reckless ideologies.
I don’t find it a particularly happy notion to know my seven year old may already be receiving that kind of message. If I find he is, I’ll talk to him. But I can’t ensure he won’t put more stock in what his friends think than what I tell him. I just can’t. And just because society dictates that I’ll probably have to discuss sex with my kids earlier than I find ideal doesn’t mean I can’t be disturbed to be forced into it.
I want to hear about your Anthro trip and about Anna. Can I pick two?
Anthro please!