Lend your thoughts parents, I have a few minor dilemma's and things I'm tossing around in this head o' mine!
What are your thoughts on bunk beds for two busy toddlers?
I'm thinking pretty hard on getting some. The girls are 4 and 3, almost 5 and 4 (omg), and it's time for a mattress upgrade in a big way. They both sleep well, rarely fall out of bed, and love sharing a room. If bunk beds are a bad choice, what would you recommend for the lowest cost?
Chore list!
I am not sure that either of them are old enough to understand allowance, but I do think this year will be the year that they each get a few chores that they have to do ____ (daily, weekly, monthly?). When did you start allowance for your kids? How much was it? What chores do you think are best for toddlers, and how often?
Right now, they help me make their beds, clean their room, and sort the socks (my least favorite chore; how handy!). No payment at this time, besides small awards like "Good job! Wanna watch a movie?"...
Two big girls, One big milestone...
I've got one going to summer school this year, and one that is dying to go with. I think I'm going to try to make her time with the babysitter special by giving her a backpack every morning too, full of workbooks, puzzles, etc. Any other thoughts on how to make a only slightly younger sibling less sad that the other gets to move on without them?
Love too much?
I was always told that you need to give out as much love as you do punishment. So...any time we got in trouble, we were immediately told that we were loved anyway (after the punishment, obviously). Do you believe there has to be a balance? Or am I a softy to want to remind them that they're loved every time they do something wrong? Does that ever go away? When they're 25...I should still tell them that, right? ...Alright, alright, I'm a softy.
Yours Truly,
Nomz
Friday, May 21, 2010
♫ Parenting Advice...
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3 comments:
ok, I have no kids. So I'm not going to tell you what you should/shouldnt do as a parent.
But I WAS once a child...and my mom went through similar things (i'm five years younger than my bro... so having a 10-year-old and a 5-year-old in the same house was difficult).
beds: I had a bunk bed. I think I got mine at 8. I do worry about who would be on top, if they'd understand the importance of not messing around on top, being able to climb ladders, etc. That said... bunk beds are amazing. And fabulous. And you can get the bunk bed with two twins and a desk under neath. This would provide a GREAT place for homework... *thinking ahead to school! :D*
chores: I was DYING to help out. I was never assigned strict chores, but when I did something, my mom gave me quarters. My fav thing at that age was getting a couple quarters and buying stuff from the vending machines at like walmart, sears, etc. That way they start understanding importance of money
punishment: I never had a "but I still love you!" thing afterward. My mom showed me she loved me in diff ways. Punishment was because I deserved it (or lied... that was the HEAVY punishment for me). I'd say firm up. You are a loving mother 99.9% of the time. Trust me... they know and they'll love you. If you felt REALLY bad after, slip em an extra quarter for doing a great job with chores!
School for 1: If Kyanne has homework, "assign" Leyna some too! They can do it together (and Leyna can learn what she needs to learn later anyway!). Send Leyna off with snacks, other stuff to do, and make sure to ask her how her day was too. It'll get better after next year :) I was DYING to do the same stuff as my bro ;)
But you are an amazing mother anyway. Just wait until the girls start getting into fashion, and makeup, and boys, and drama, and loads of sleepovers and other friends. OMG SO EXCITED :D
Bunk beds:
I think Leyna will jump off the top just like her auntie did at that age. If you are up for that, go for it, if not, get trundle beds (WAIT! I may sell ya mine!).
Allowance: We started our kids on it as soon as they started helping. We gave them a dollar for every their years, so a 3 year old would get three dollars. We had them put a tenth of it in a "god jar" and a tenth in a saving jar.
We bought our boys bunk beds and we bought them WAY to early.Luckily we bought the kind that can be seperated into two twin beds... now we have two twin beds (filling up their tiny room) side by side. They sleep well but there is hardly any room for them to move in the room.
I would say buy the bunk beds and stack them but make the top one off limits until the younger girl is a bit older. You can always put the second mattress on the floor.
This worked great for us until the boys figured out how to push up on the bunk beds from underneath which *almost* made the top bunk come unattached and fall down.
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