# Things other moms do with their kids that you would hate doing with yours



## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

the title says it all, I think.

Are there things other people talk about doing with their kids either here or IRL that you have nevr thought to do, wouldn't want to do or have done and can't imagine how said activity actually works with other people's kids....

For me I find myself wondering a lot when people tell me what they do with their kids, mostly on here, not so much IRL, how much different must they/their kids be from me/mine to make these things work.

Like cooking, for example! How does anyone cook with a 20month old??! I don't mean cook dinner, I mean for fun, as an activity? I have tried it and wanted to fling the pan across the room!!!


----------



## savannah smiles (May 4, 2004)

Any type of Mommy and Me/Gymboree class where the parent is sitting down singing with their little one or helping them over obstacles No thanks! I waited until my youngest was three to sign her up for gym classes because that's when parent participation isn't required.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

There aren't too many things that I wonder how people do them with kids. There are a _lot_ of things that I wonder how they do them so _much_. I enjoy doing crafts with the kids, or whipping up a batch of cookies for fun...but not all the time. There are days when one (or both) of those sounds divine. There are days when I'd rather have a root canal without anesthesia. It just depends on my mood, on the way the kids are behaving, etc.


----------



## nikkiethridge (May 6, 2008)

haha i wonder how big this thread will get.

i think for me, it's people who brag about how they never baby proofed their house. i dont think i could spend my whole day scolding my son for trying to open cabinets with dangerous objects, stick his fingers in sockets, and run into sharp corners of the table. it's nice just being able to let my DS roam the house without major worries like that, i dont see how other moms do it.


----------



## Seasons (Jun 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
There aren't too many things that I wonder how people do them with kids. There are a _lot_ of things that I wonder how they do them so _much_.

For me, the how-do-they-do-this-regularly astonishment is about playing Princess. Horrifyingly unfeminist. Luckily my dd (age 6) has never asked - in fact she is just as disgusted by (in her words) "people who think it's all about being pretty and nice, instead of being smart and running fast."









I'm sure it helps that she has never seen a "princess movie" - except the one time at the gym childcare that she STILL talks about (and not flatteringly).

Similarly, I've heard some girls like to "play bride." Very glad my dd is not into that (shudder). I could not with any integrity join in.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Seasons* 
For me, the how-do-they-do-this-regularly astonishment is about playing Princess. Horrifyingly unfeminist. Luckily my dd (age 6) has never asked - in fact she is just as disgusted by (in her words) "people who think it's all about being pretty and nice, instead of being smart and running fast."









DD1 loves the Princess thing. Fortunately for both of us, her idea of playing Princess is dressing up fancy, then telling everyone what roles we're playing (eg. I'm the Queen, she's the Princess, dh is the King, ds2 is the Prince, and ds1, for some reason, is the Knight). As long as I then call her Princess DD, and respond to "Mama Queen", we're "playing Princess". *whew*


----------



## Caneel (Jun 13, 2007)

Playdates that involve moms hanging together - there, I admitted it.

(coming back to clarify I would love to hang with the type of moms/dads/parents I see on MDC. Its just my area seems to be severely lacking in that department.)

I have close girlfriends but their kids are no where close in age to DS so by timing, it just didn't work out that moms and kids would be together at the same time.

The women I know in the community that do have children my DS's age just aren't the type I would enjoy spending time with. Way too much "can you believe what so and so did?" and "I can't stand my DH" type of stuff - more negative than positive. I would prefer to spend time with DH and DS alone or with our friends. DS goes to preschool so I don't feel he is lacking for kid companionship.

(before anyone suggests it, I do _know_ them, we have run in the same social circles for 15 years, some I have know 20+ years.)


----------



## MusicianDad (Jun 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Seasons* 
For me, the how-do-they-do-this-regularly astonishment is about playing Princess. Horrifyingly unfeminist. Luckily my dd (age 6) has never asked - in fact she is just as disgusted by (in her words) "people who think it's all about being pretty and nice, instead of being smart and running fast."









I just had to respond to this. Playing princess isn't always about only being pretty and nice. DD played princess a lot when she was younger. But said princess was smart, a fast runner and always heading off to save people from dragons and monsters and bandits.


----------



## Seasons (Jun 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MusicianDad* 
I just had to respond to this. Playing princess isn't always about only being pretty and nice. DD played princess a lot when she was younger. But said princess was smart, a fast runner and always heading off to save people from dragons and monsters and bandits.

I wish we knew your daughter! The "princesses" I've seen on the playground, in Disney movies (I've seen them; dd hasn't), and on playdates (one little girl in particular wanted to play princess with my dd's dress-up gear) were about being beautiful and gracious. Only. ETA: and "winning" the admiration of a man/prince, yuck (especially for children).

I wouldn't mind if my daughter played Goddess: you know, powerful in her own right (instead of via marriage or birth) and STRONG. But playacting's not her thing.


----------



## Vancouver Mommy (Aug 15, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MusicianDad* 
I just had to respond to this. Playing princess isn't always about only being pretty and nice. DD played princess a lot when she was younger. But said princess was smart, a fast runner and always heading off to save people from dragons and monsters and bandits.

Yeah, here too. Much to my chagrin, my dd was given Barbies for her last birthday. Those girls spend their days mountain climbing, parachuting, flying airplanes, hunting dragons, moving furniture for the family that lives in the dollhouse and taking turns breasfeeding a whole stable full of Melissa and Doug ponies. That said, I still hate playing Barbie with my dd.


----------



## MusicianDad (Jun 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Vancouver Mommy* 
Yeah, here too. Much to my chagrin, my dd was given Barbies for her last birthday. Those girls spend their days mountain climbing, parachuting, flying airplanes, hunting dragons, moving furniture for the family that lives in the dollhouse and taking turns breasfeeding a whole stable full of Melissa and Doug ponies. That said, I still hate playing Barbie with my dd.

DD's Barbie went bungy jumping! Except the string always feel off when tied around her ankles so it was tied around her neck...


----------



## BarefootScientist (Jul 24, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Caneel* 
The women I know in the community that do have children my DS's age just aren't the type I would enjoy spending time with. Way too much "can you believe what so and so did?" and "I can't stand my DH" type of stuff - more negative than positive.

Ugh, I hate that stuff. My problem though, is that I'm not good at small talk and have no idea how to make friends...so we don't have any.









On topic though...doing dishes. "Oh just put your kid on a chair by the sink and have him wash tupperware while you do dishes." Uh...sure. And not go completely out of my mind?







I can, however, easily cook with him.









Oh and I hate crafts. Hate 'em. But that doesn't have anything to do with DS but only the craft.


----------



## thtr4me (Apr 24, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nikkiethridge* 
haha i wonder how big this thread will get.

i think for me, it's people who brag about how they never baby proofed their house. i dont think i could spend my whole day scolding my son for trying to open cabinets with dangerous objects, stick his fingers in sockets, and run into sharp corners of the table. it's nice just being able to let my DS roam the house without major worries like that, i dont see how other moms do it.

I will admit to not having a babyproofed house. But I have a DS who does not get into anything, and so have not needed to. We did do cabinet latches and a toilet latch at our old house as a precaution, but honestly they were just not needed. We told DS not to get into something, and he just didn't get into it. I know, weird kid. I am pretty sure that any future children will require baby proofing. We are just really lucky with #1.

On the other hand, I do worry when we have other kiddos over, and warn their parents that they need to keep a close eye out, as the house is not baby/child proof at all.


----------



## mamalisa (Sep 24, 2002)

I hate going to the park. I really really hate going to the park. I'm all for bike rides and playing outside, making chalk drawings and blowing bubbles, playing catch and all sorts of outside stuff. But "LOOK AT ME!" "Watch me climb this!" "Watch me slide!" "Watch me swing!!" Dude, really, I almost die of boredom. I'm going to start sending my sitter to the park with dd, that's how much I hate it. I'm willing to pay for someone else to do it.


----------



## Seasons (Jun 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamalisa* 
I'm all for ...playing catch...

Oh, that reminds me of another thing I wouldn't be able to stand: coaching sports' teams. BLEAH. Instructing eight kids - not just my own - in sports I don't understand or like much anyway? And for FREE? Yowza. Luckily I can just pay the fee and other kids' parents will do the coaching - last year there were FIVE assistant coaches (plus the head coach) for an 8-kid tee-ball team, ha ha!


----------



## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Wow, I love this thread already!

Things I related to were the tuperware washing thing and then the park thing! I have tried to have dd(20mos) wash thing in the sink, not even when I was trying to really do anything else in the sink. I was making tea for myself and picking up/straightening up the kitchen and she was dumping laddles full of water onto the floor, counter and chair that she was standing on.....so that was fun.

About the park, we are fair skinned and the park is unshaded(BIG pet peeve of mine) and we don't like suncreen so I dread going and wearing long sleeves and hats(which she actually won't do) and then the stuff is often HOT and then if I do get myself together in the morning or evening to take her I find I can bear it better. But I wish I could read while we were there......one day, one day.....right?!

Keep em comin, I think this is fun to see how we all have little things that we do and don't do


----------



## Caneel (Jun 13, 2007)

Yeah, it is hard for us to enjoy the park.

DH is way overprotective and expects that both of us will be within steps of DS no matter where he goes on the playgroud.

At almost 4 yos, I think he is fine as long as I am watching him especially at the one small playground that we frequent. Having to walk-stop-stand, walk-stop-stand...gets old real quick.

Something I will never enjoy in the future - put-put golf. I am putting it off as long as possible.


----------



## tbone_kneegrabber (Oct 16, 2007)

sports. i do not like sports. neither does dp. I hope ds doesn't either!


----------



## pokeyrin (Apr 3, 2008)

Thanks for the thread, I used to feel bad that I didn't do certain "mommy-like" things with DD who is 11 months. Such as I can't stand nursery rhymes, I can't stand singing them or reciting them or listening to them.


----------



## stormborn (Dec 8, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *savannah smiles* 
Any type of Mommy and Me/Gymboree class where the parent is sitting down singing with their little one or helping them over obstacles No thanks! I waited until my youngest was three to sign her up for gym classes because that's when parent participation isn't required.

That! I mean really, the above is what I do all day long for free!
Dd7's gym kept reminding me that classes start at 4 MONTHS for her baby sister. Until I had to confess that part of what makes the $200 tuition worth it to me is my kid doing a sport that she enjoys while I sit on my butt NOT participating.


----------



## guestmama9972 (Jun 5, 2003)

How does anyone do crafts for their own enjoyment with kids around? Or sew?

I am ok with the kids helping me in the kitchen.

I have a SIL whose two kids are in a bazillion activities, and they are only 5 and 3. I don't know how super-active moms do it. I couldn't stand to be in the car that much. She also has a perfectly-decorated house and has her own business. I love her, but give me a break.

I don't like playing games with my kids, especially board games because they want to make up their own rules. It bugs the heck out of me. That is my confession of the day.


----------



## Fyrestorm (Feb 14, 2006)

DD (5) isn't quite sure what a princess is









We had her in a ballet class last year and one of the warm up excersizes involved 'being your favorite princess' and telling the class which one you were while holding your imaginary favorite color ball (1st position).

Dd was completely bewildered and told the class she was Buttercup! (Princess Bride is the only princessy thing DD has ever seen)

Now, princess play for us involves traipsing through the fire swamp and avoiding R.O.U.S's.

BTW, I was very glad I didn't have to sit through or participate in that class.

The one that makes my quiver is Music and Me class. DD loved it, but DH went with her. I went once and almost lost me breakfast! How on earth can you sit through that stuff?


----------



## GuildJenn (Jan 10, 2007)

I hate board, card, and dice games. Hate them. I am planning to hire a teen to come play them with my son, because I know they're really good for kids. Either that or maybe I can trade a mom for something else.


----------



## Seasons (Jun 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Miss Blue* 
How does anyone do crafts for their own enjoyment with kids around? Or sew?

I scrapbook a lot. I couldn't do it WITH my dd until she was about 4. At that point she could have a parallel pile of colored paper to work with (with my pens, punches etc). Now, at almost 7, she actually is a help, and chooses and glues embellishments, adds doodles, etc - so our albums are joint.

I actually have always liked cooking, (kids') crafts, science experiments, gardening, hikes/snowshoeing/swimming with my dd. And I like playdates with another mom along - that's when I get my adult gabtime.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Fyrestorm* 
(Princess Bride is the only princessy thing DD has ever seen)

Now, princess play for us involves traipsing through the fire swamp and avoiding R.O.U.S's.

BWAHAHA!


----------



## lifeguard (May 12, 2008)

When people tell me they've seen the same (insert obnoxious cartoon movie here) 1000 times. Ugh! They just let them watch over & over & over.... I (& dh less so) could not handle it.

And we do not (yet) have a single toy that takes batteries. Nothing that lights up & sings or makes it's own noises. I've even seen some at friends houses that randomly go on trying to entice the child to play with them "Hey, I'm here, come play with me, we can sing" SOOOOO creepy!

I'm dreading when we get to the point that the park is something he's interested in. I just can't think of anything more boring.


----------



## newbymom05 (Aug 13, 2005)

Cleaning with anyone under 5. Which brings me to the next thing I don't understand, parents who never resort to the tv.







Please, no explanations!!!! Because I LIKE my caustic toxic cleaning products that work (and no flames, I'm begging!!) and have zero inclination to switch to vinegar and baking soda so my 4 y/o can help me clean the toilet.

Oh, and crafts. Hate 'em. Luckily my DS is happy working on his own.


----------



## staceychev (Mar 5, 2005)

I hate going to swim clubs. Blech! They are so mind-numbingly boring to me. Every time a friend invites me, I try to make an excuse.


----------



## kirstenb (Oct 4, 2007)

Listening to children's music 24/7. I find that I hate almost all children's music. DS has one or two CDs geared towards kids that I do actually like and don't mind playing, but I would much rather that we listen to adult music. I would claw my ears off if I had to listen to the CDs that gets played in DS's daycare room daily.


----------



## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

I spend many an hour at the park, but ONLY if I meet friends there, I loathe just taking my kids to the park and then sitting watching them play. I hate playing games, board games, cards, anything like that, I refuse to do it, thank goodness I have a DH who will willingly play!

And I'm down with the poster who could never not resort to TV. We don't watch it all the time, but when kids are sick or it is crappy weather, or I just have to get something done and I'm been trying all day, then yes a movie comes out.









Oh and music classes for toddlers, yuck! I tried that once, I'd rather be a soccer mom then do that, and I hate sports as well!







Lucky for me, my girls are into gymnastics and dance. One almost joined the swim team, that wouls be pushing it for me, but I'd rather be sitting around a pool then a soccer/baseball (please let my DS like something other then those) field.

I'm good with everything else, We are a busy family, I like to cook/clean with kids, etc... I'm not a crafty person so I would never craft, kids or no kids!


----------



## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Cooking....*shudder*. The kids love to "help" so occasionally I will have them help me make cookies, but it's so frustrating and I just want to scream "just let me mix the $*&%$^ dough already!" Cleaning....the kids love it, and I think it's great as long as I'm not trying to clean







. I let them sweep and their favorite game is "find the spot on the floor" where they each get a damp cloth and they clean the floor







. I'm also not real good at the "lets sit on the floor and play together" thing once they are past baby stage, since I have NO imagination. The girls are super independent and don't expect or want me to join in







.


----------



## sisteeesmama (Oct 24, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
Cooking....*shudder*. The kids love to "help" so occasionally I will have them help me make cookies, but it's so frustrating and I just want to scream "just let me mix the $*&%$^ dough already!" Cleaning....the kids love it, and I think it's great as long as I'm not trying to clean







. I let them sweep and their favorite game is "find the spot on the floor" where they each get a damp cloth and they clean the floor







. I'm also not real good at the "lets sit on the floor and play together" thing once they are past baby stage, since I have NO imagination. The girls are super independent and don't expect or want me to join in







.


First, I love your kids names!

But I totally agree about the cooking thing, I have tried the baking thing with dd because moms on here said it was something to do with a toddler-something about the dough and stuff.....well, that will have to wait until she can actually really help because it did make me mad pretty quickly and my goal as a mom is to not get mad, maybe even all day, and I maintain that pretty well with the few things we do do like baths, books, walks, and looking at animal picture books....not that I wouldn't love to expand the repetoire!

I'm looking forward to doing crafts and projects and making things with dd. I would even be ok with sports/activities, just get me out of this house! But don't ask me try and include dd in cleaning, cooking or doing the laundry!


----------



## mistymama (Oct 12, 2004)

This is so much fun to read! It's amazing how different we all are - and I'm sure what we all like/dislike really depends on our personalities and our dc's!

We did 4 year old t-ball and I'd rather walk over hot coals than do that again. Didn't enjoy soccer much either, but would tolerate it if ds really wanted to. Guess I just really don't like group sports and I'm kinda anti social so I don't make friends and feel awkward the whole time. Ds does not care for them either, thank God.

Ds has been cooking with me since he was tiny - I remember putting him on the floor with a garbage bag under him (to catch the mess) and letting him go to town stiring stuff, "chopping" his own soft veggies with a little knife, etc. Now he's 6.5 and can actually help by cracking eggs, stir frying stuff in a pan, etc. I love cooking with him and it's one of our fave activities, he helps me with dinner each evening.

Another thing people might think is wierd - or at least I've had other Moms tell me no way in heck they would do it. We buy season passes to the water park in the summer and go several times a week. We go on all the waterslides together - I get great exercise (those things have a zillion stairs going up to them!) and we have a great time. People think I'm nuts.


----------



## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

Soccer.

We tried it once, but I hated it. I was cold, I couldn't unfold my chair, practice started far too early on a saturday... It just wasn't my thing.

LOVED being a dance mom though... that turned out to be perfect for me. LOL..

Cuz it's allll about me.


----------



## frontierpsych (Jun 11, 2006)

Pageants. Especially with small kids. Are. You. Kidding. Me?!

Basically anything happy-sunshiny-singalong-princessy-preschooly that goes on longer than 10 minutes or so is out.

DS is only a year, so I'm not sure what he'll like, or what I'll enjoy doing with him, but thus far, I don't mind cooking, crafts, etc.


----------



## crl (May 9, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sisteeesmama* 
the title says it all, I think.

Are there things other people talk about doing with their kids either here or IRL that you have nevr thought to do, wouldn't want to do or have done and can't imagine how said activity actually works with other people's kids....

For me I find myself wondering a lot when people tell me what they do with their kids, mostly on here, not so much IRL, how much different must they/their kids be from me/mine to make these things work.

Like cooking, for example! How does anyone cook with a 20month old??! I don't mean cook dinner, I mean for fun, as an activity? I have tried it and wanted to fling the pan across the room!!!

I'm one of the cooking people.







But it was shear necessity. DS hated to be left to play while I cooked. He wanted me to hold him all. the. time. So after I got a callous on my hip from holding him so much (really), I finally figured out that he would be content standing on a chair and "helping" me cook. Mostly that meant "washing" things in the sink or helping me stir.

Anyway, I have no idea how people spend any length of time playing pretend games with their kids. It drives me insane. And I have no idea how people do art projects with their kids. I've always provided lots of art supplies and been fine with the mess. But DS' attention span for that stuff has been soooo short. I would spend more time getting paints out and poured into muffin tins than he would painting--not to mention the clean up time. I also have no idea how people go to places like Disneyland with their little kids. DS is easily overstimulated by noise, etc (as am I). He's 6 and I'm just now willing to even think about Disneyland. . . .

Catherine


----------



## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

I love this thread







I really do not care to play with my children for hours on end. Or much time at all. I'll cook, bake, rough house, go for walks, read books, do art projects, but sitting on the floor playing horses? cars? Ehhh.... I avoid it all costs, frankly. I have always encouraged DD to play independently, and she can, for hours. But parents that sit on the floor for an hour, or two, a day and play? That never fairs to amaze me!


----------



## Dabble (Jun 14, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
but it's so frustrating and I just want to scream "just let me mix the $*&%$^ dough already!"









: That's me to a T! I can't tolerate anyone in the kitchen when I'm trying to cook, I don't know what it is. Just get the eff out of my way!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nextcommercial* 
I was cold, I couldn't unfold my chair ....

laughup

Darn chair!

I mostly enjoy doing the artsy-craftsy type stuff that other posters have mentioned hating, but I agree that the short attention span of little ones can be frustrating. The set up/clean up is often the longest part of the project. Lots of fun for mom. But I do a weekly project with my son and daycare girl (both about 4 years old) and enjoy seeing their skills increase with practice. They scissor and glue much better than they did when we started, and they really look forward to it!


----------



## babymommy2 (May 14, 2009)

I have a friend who never locked up her poisons, she trusted her child would never take them, where as I had a 100% childproofed home. It was the only way I could cope with a 2 year old and a baby.

I don't like baking with kids. I love to bake but I have to sneek around to do it, as my kids love it too, but they are so messy. I have to be in a really really patient mood to plan to bake something with them.

I don't get how people have really late bedtimes either. my kids sleep 12 hours/night, we are usualy up at 6:30 or 7:00 am. If we weren'tup until late morning I would feel like the day was half gone and wsted. Morning is when I like to get things done, afternoons are for relaxing. And on weekends if I want to sleep in until 8 am, the TV is my babysitter.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mistymama* 
Another thing people might think is wierd - or at least I've had other Moms tell me no way in heck they would do it. We buy season passes to the water park in the summer and go several times a week. We go on all the waterslides together - I get great exercise (those things have a zillion stairs going up to them!) and we have a great time. People think I'm nuts.

I don't think that's weird at all. I just don't like waterparks or waterslides myself, so I wouldn't enjoy that. If I enjoyed them, I'd definitely take the kids!


----------



## dillonandmarasmom (May 30, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MusicianDad* 
I just had to respond to this. Playing princess isn't always about only being pretty and nice. DD played princess a lot when she was younger. But said princess was smart, a fast runner and always heading off to save people from dragons and monsters and bandits.

This is my DD, too. DS has a couple of knight suits and will wear one while DD gets her "princess" gear on. Then, they go off together to "have a battle." EOB (Equal Opportunity Battle), that is!


----------



## lanamommyphd07 (Feb 14, 2007)

watching TV..we don't have one, but dd has noticed it other places--I just feel compelled to hang with her while she sees it in case there's something bizarre to her on it (seems to happen frequently) and I have to say, I want to rip my hair out after a few minutes of it.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *crl* 
I'm one of the cooking people.







But it was shear necessity. DS hated to be left to play while I cooked. He wanted me to hold him all. the. time. So after I got a callous on my hip from holding him so much (really), I finally figured out that he would be content standing on a chair and "helping" me cook. Mostly that meant "washing" things in the sink or helping me stir.

I have backaches all the time from doing things with dd2 over my shoulder, but she's still too little to "help". Honestly, most of the time, I'd prefer the backache. Every time I've tried to have my kids help in the kitchen, I've almost gone mad. They can help bake, and they can help unload the dishwasher (actually, they unload, and pass me the dishes - the cupboards are too high for them).

Quote:

Anyway, I have no idea how people spend any length of time playing pretend games with their kids. It drives me insane. And I have no idea how people do art projects with their kids. I've always provided lots of art supplies and been fine with the mess. But DS' attention span for that stuff has been soooo short. I would spend more time getting paints out and poured into muffin tins than he would painting--not to mention the clean up time. I also have no idea how people go to places like Disneyland with their little kids. DS is easily overstimulated by noise, etc (as am I). He's 6 and I'm just now willing to even think about Disneyland. . . .

Catherine
I'm not good at pretend play, and _I_ don't like Disney. The kids had fun, but it was pretty much an endurance trip for me.


----------



## sapphire_chan (May 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sisteeesmama* 
Like cooking, for example! How does anyone cook with a 20month old??! I don't mean cook dinner, I mean for fun, as an activity? I have tried it and wanted to fling the pan across the room!!!

When you cook with a 20 month old, the purpose is to go through the motions of cooking not to create food. For instance, lets say you make cookies. Normally, by yourself, knocking out a few dozen is pretty easy, takes maybe 2 hours tops. With a toddler, you're still going to take 2 hours, but you'll be doing good if you get 6 cookies.

It isn't "I need to bake and I'm going to involve my toddler" it's "I need to do something with my toddler, let's bake"


----------



## Dr.Worm (Nov 20, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MusicianDad* 
DD's Barbie went bungy jumping! Except the string always feel off when tied around her ankles so it was tied around her neck...

My DD really likes the Barbie movies..you should check them out..they are not what you think. Bratz movies are all about looking good and spending money but Barbie movies are all about being true to yourself and brave and helping your friends. Barbie(or the character she portrays in the movie)is always going on adventures. The new one coming out is cool...The Three Musketeers...Barbie changes from a gown into a fighting outfit with a sword.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sapphire_chan* 
When you cook with a 20 month old, the purpose is to go through the motions of cooking not to create food. For instance, lets say you make cookies. Normally, by yourself, knocking out a few dozen is pretty easy, takes maybe 2 hours tops. With a toddler, you're still going to take 2 hours, but you'll be doing good if you get 6 cookies.

It isn't "I need to bake and I'm going to involve my toddler" it's "I need to do something with my toddler, let's bake"

Yeah - but some of us suck at that. I really have to be in the just the right mood. When I start baking, I want to bake.


----------



## mouthcave (Oct 9, 2008)

Arts and crafts, definitely. I mean, drawing and coloring is fine but anything "bigger" and I get frustrated. Like others mentioned, he just doesn't care that much or for long enough for it to be worth it.
Anything where I have to interact with other parents! No offense to the other parents, I am just very shy and awkward so I always feel like I am going to vomit or something, haha.
I have not even tried cooking with my toddler. People do that?! 
We'll see about sports but I have a bad feeling, heh.


----------



## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

haha cooking is what came to mind first. I hate cooking with my kids. I don't even like them to be on the main floor while i am cooking.


----------



## StrawberryFields (Apr 6, 2005)

I don't like playing board games, like Candyland or Chutes and Ladders, or card games. I really don't like it!! Ds got a ton of games for his 3rd birthday and almost a year later I am ashamed to say that some have never even been opened. We bake and cook and do art projects and play Legos, but board games just kill me.


----------



## SuburbanHippie (Aug 29, 2008)

I have to pretty much say "ditto" to everyone's responses.

The worst for me is role play. I don't want to make every pony neigh. I don't want to have to hold a conversation between a lion Little People and a farmer Little People. I would much rather have them help me cook (although everyone has to be fed first or it will end badly).


----------



## aprons_and_acorns (Sep 28, 2004)

I'm loving this thread. Here are two that come to mind for me:

-- Camping with an infant/young toddler (we love to camp otherwise)
-- Organized sports-- coaching, sitting on the sidelines, whatever, I just can't imagine enjoying that ever.


----------



## funkymamajoy (May 25, 2008)

Dance classes, pageants, child spa day or anything else really girly. I can deal with everything else.


----------



## pixiekisses (Oct 14, 2008)

Watching tv, camping (my dp does it), swimming (my dp does it), and some sports, like soccer/basketball/golf/prolly some more. Child spa, I didn't know it excisted, but I so wouldn't.


----------



## hempmama (Dec 16, 2004)

Board games and listening to them read out loud. When they are first learning I literally have to keep work to relax my muscles it drives me so crazy, but even now that my oldest reads with an adult cadence, I am super tense and cannot stand when she misses a word or has to fumble for pronunciation. I hatehatehated listening to other people read out loud all through school, too, though. And I pretty much never like to play board games except for chess, go, and scrabble. Gee aren't I a bowl of cherries?

But I love to play pretend and do crafts and cook! We should do some sort of exchange.


----------



## Honey693 (May 5, 2008)

Playing pretend. I hate that. Building things, playing outside, games, reading, whatever, I'm ok with. Pretend I haaaate.


----------



## ForLife (Aug 26, 2009)

It really annoys me how some parents think that buying thier children all the recent video games and systems and that is all they do all day long. My nephew does not play outside just on that video game all day long and at the same time he is failing school each and every year because no one makes him study. That really annoys me


----------



## transformed (Jan 26, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *savannah smiles* 
Any type of Mommy and Me/Gymboree class where the parent is sitting down singing with their little one or helping them over obstacles No thanks! I waited until my youngest was three to sign her up for gym classes because that's when parent participation isn't required.

om I HATE those effing classes. And I am about to take my 22 mo old to one weds too.







: She really needs excercise.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MusicianDad* 
I just had to respond to this. Playing princess isn't always about only being pretty and nice. DD played princess a lot when she was younger. But said princess was smart, a fast runner and always heading off to save people from dragons and monsters and bandits.

Dude. Jane and the dragon. http://www.qubo.com/jane_show.asp

I don't care much what my kids play with - to me micromanaging their experience has gotten to be more annoying than anything. I used to care but now, not so much. Play what you will kids.









And also - feeding kids with a spoon. Little ones....who does that? LOL. I have never wanted to feed my child, except a boob.


----------



## zipworth (Jun 26, 2002)

I LOVE:

-Being a soccer mom(Didn't see that one coming)
-reading to my children
-going to the park, going swimming
-doing crafts
-setting up cool messy/sensory activities
-singing lots of songs
-going to the library
-Disney world
-Dance class
-going to performances
-Nature walks

I Dislike:
-pretend play (shudder)
-trying to clean while children are present, I get very easily overwhelmed
-Board games/cards=Arg!

I admit to freely sticking my children on the TV daily for my sanity.


----------



## tjjazzy (Jan 18, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kirstenb* 
Listening to children's music 24/7. I find that I hate almost all children's music. DS has one or two CDs geared towards kids that I do actually like and don't mind playing, but I would much rather that we listen to adult music. I would claw my ears off if I had to listen to the CDs that gets played in DS's daycare room daily.

i agree wholeheartedly. HOW do ppl listen to children's music in the car????? we listen to our music, as long as there's not a lot of inappropriate language etc. and ds1 likes it. i'd much rather see him bopping his head to my Red Hot Chili Peppers CD and enjoy music WITH him than be trapped in the car listening to Barney for hours on end.


----------



## tjjazzy (Jan 18, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *babymommy2* 
I don't get how people have really late bedtimes either. my kids sleep 12 hours/night, we are usualy up at 6:30 or 7:00 am. If we weren'tup until late morning I would feel like the day was half gone and wsted. Morning is when I like to get things done, afternoons are for relaxing. And on weekends if I want to sleep in until 8 am, the TV is my babysitter.

i am USELESS in the morning. i get everything done in the afternoon/night. i can't even think straight first thing. of course, my son chatters all day and gets grunts in return all morning...it just depends if you're a morning person or not. i have NO idea how to motivate myself to do anything before at least noon. i can barely even stomach food before 10 really. i wish my kids would sleep in; i would be SO much more useful to them if they let me sleep longer.


----------



## DaughterOfKali (Jul 15, 2007)

Organized sports. bleh. Unless it's something like tennis or golf.


----------



## madskye (Feb 20, 2006)

I hate family friendly restaurants. Johnny Rockets. The Olive Garden. Chili's.
_
Shudder._


----------



## EviesMom (Nov 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nikkiethridge* 
haha i wonder how big this thread will get.

i think for me, it's people who brag about how they never baby proofed their house. i dont think i could spend my whole day scolding my son for trying to open cabinets with dangerous objects, stick his fingers in sockets, and run into sharp corners of the table. it's nice just being able to let my DS roam the house without major worries like that, i dont see how other moms do it.

I don't know for other people, but I know I used "babyproofing" gear a lot less with child #2 than child #1, and at later ages. With 1, i felt like I needed to put in cord guards and child locks really early, like before she was born. By the 2nd child, I had a better sense of how the development progresses and put in that kind of stuff when he was more mobile, etc. I've taken it down earlier too, having stopped blocking off the stairs for DS at not quite 2, just supervising better (he climbs gates, which is less safe than just not using the gate)! I never used bed rails on our bed for cosleeping w/ DS, but did with DD, the first child. I also knew what stuff was just a pita, and tried to arrange it differently instead of locking it up (ie-the cleaners are either safer ones, or are stored in a high cabinet, bc the locks are more annoying for adults IMO). So it could be that kind of thing, bc I have much less visible babyproofing for #2 than for #1.


----------



## Seasons (Jun 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *babymommy2*
I don't get how people have really late bedtimes either. my kids sleep 12 hours/night, we are usualy up at 6:30 or 7:00 am. If we weren'tup until late morning I would feel like the day was half gone and wsted. Morning is when I like to get things done, afternoons are for relaxing. And on weekends if I want to sleep in until 8 am, the TV is my babysitter.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *tjjazzy* 
i am USELESS in the morning. i get everything done in the afternoon/night. i can't even think straight first thing. of course, my son chatters all day and gets grunts in return all morning...it just depends if you're a morning person or not. i have NO idea how to motivate myself to do anything before at least noon. i can barely even stomach food before 10 really. i wish my kids would sleep in; i would be SO much more useful to them if they let me sleep longer.

People don't seem to talk about this much, but I think matching circadian rhthyms is a big part of family harmony (whether "family" = 2 adults, 1 adult + kid/s, whatever). My dd and I are both morning people - thank goodness. It would be really hard if she were a night owl!


----------



## transformed (Jan 26, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *madskye* 
I hate family friendly restaurants. Johnny Rockets. The Olive Garden. Chili's.
_
Shudder._

omg me too. My parents take us out for dinner all the time and we happily eat the free food but its not that fun to take 3 little kids out to a restaurant.

That and I am really snotty when it comes to food. I was a little spoiled in my early 20's with fine dining at work.


----------



## siobhang (Oct 23, 2005)

Dunno why but my secret hatred is...

bed.time.rituals.

I freakin' hate 'em. Yeah, they work. Yeah, they are a good idea. But they are like chalk on a blackboard for me. And I have no idea why. I am sure some psychotherapist would have a field day figuring it out.

Read more of the thread.

Baking with children. Drives me nuts. Because, yes it DOES matter how much baking soda or salt or flour actually makes it into the bowl. It DOES matter how fast or well you mix it. I will let them pour pre-measured amounts into the bowl and do very specific things (like shred the zucchini in the cuisinart or turn on the stand mixer), but I lose it if they spill any ingredients or put too much in. Not worth the hassle most of the time.


----------



## RedPony (May 24, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tbone_kneegrabber* 
sports. i do not like sports. neither does dp. I hope ds doesn't either!

Totally agree. Can't. stand. them.







I pray my DDs don't either.

I never took my first DD to a story time. Not once. And I don't plan on taking this baby either.









Most kids' tv. I can't stand it.

Playdough. Oh gosh, playdough suuuuuuucks. It stinks, I hate it, and she asks for it ALL THE TIME. I don't play, either. I refuse.


----------



## ALittleBitCrunchy (Jan 8, 2005)

I love playing pretend! I can make a lamb talk to a polar bear for extended periods of time and never even think about it while I'm doing it. Makes up for the fact that HATE playing video games. Ugh. And going to the playground. And anything that includes a person less than 4 years old in any type of organized 'class' *shudder* Oh, and anything that involves me needing to be near a worm, bug, frog or random wildlife in the backyard. I absolutely detest racing cars. Seriously, must we really drive them along walls, over furniture and pretend like we don't know which one is going to win??? Yeah, I don't think so. The one I see all over the various forums that just boggles my mind is the elaborate bedtime ritual. I can't even begin to imagine why I would want bedtime to even more of a chore or time-sucker than it already is. Bath, scented lotion, 3 books, 2 songs, lay down with them, cuddle...I would have a nervous breakdown. I prefer the "Hey, it's bedtime. See you in the morning!" system that takes 4 minutes and gives me 2 glorious hours of kid-free-ness every day. Oh blessed alone time! I would curl up and die if I had to do without that. Even when they were babes we didn't do routines.


----------



## RedPony (May 24, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mistymama* 
Another thing people might think is wierd - or at least I've had other Moms tell me no way in heck they would do it. We buy season passes to the water park in the summer and go several times a week. We go on all the waterslides together - I get great exercise (those things have a zillion stairs going up to them!) and we have a great time. People think I'm nuts.

I would totally do that! I think it's awesome. We don't have a water park anywhere near us or I'd be all over that.


----------



## readytobedone (Apr 6, 2007)

i don't really like taking her for stroller rides. DH always says "when she gets bored, and you get bored, just take her for a stroller ride"--but pushing around a 30 pound person for no reason, just to "get out," really bores the crap out of me, and i get irritated.

and to be honest, i don't really like going and playing outside in general. if i take her out for a walk NOT in the stroller, she wants to stop and look at bugs every 3 feet. and i get really bored with that







i know everyone says kids need outside time, and i think if we had a level yard (ours is really angled) it might be doable. i could just sit on the porch and read and let her run back and forth. but i have to walk around with her, and in that process there just seems to be a lot of standing around looking at things i can't even see.

so when i feel like she needs outside time, i take her to a park. at least there is a flat surface to play on, and a play structure or something for her to do besides look at bugs every 3 feet, and try to walk in the road.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tjjazzy* 
i am USELESS in the morning. i get everything done in the afternoon/night. i can't even think straight first thing. of course, my son chatters all day and gets grunts in return all morning...it just depends if you're a morning person or not. i have NO idea how to motivate myself to do anything before at least noon. i can barely even stomach food before 10 really. i wish my kids would sleep in; i would be SO much more useful to them if they let me sleep longer.

This.

And, being trapped in a car with Barney sounds like my own personal circle of Hell.


----------



## Seasons (Jun 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *siobhang* 
Dunno why but my secret hatred is...

bed.time.rituals.

I freakin' hate 'em.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *ALittleBitCrunchy*
The one I see all over the various forums that just boggles my mind is the elaborate bedtime ritual. I can't even begin to imagine why I would want bedtime to even more of a chore or time-sucker than it already is. Bath, scented lotion, 3 books, 2 songs, lay down with them, cuddle...I would have a nervous breakdown.

I soooo hear you guys. When dd was born I thought, I'm not going to start anything I don't want to do for at least 5 years. So, sure, nurse/cuddle, read a story most nights, and night-night. But no "I must have bath then 3 songs then wrestle then 3 stories then a glass of water" craziness. And no strict time; I wanted her to be able to come with me - and fall asleep at - a friends' home, live theatre [in the cry room], a tent. And so she has.


----------



## Fyrestorm (Feb 14, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tjjazzy* 
i agree wholeheartedly. HOW do ppl listen to children's music in the car????? we listen to our music, as long as there's not a lot of inappropriate language etc. and ds1 likes it. i'd much rather see him bopping his head to my Red Hot Chili Peppers CD and enjoy music WITH him than be trapped in the car listening to Barney for hours on end.

My DD likes to listen to Uncle Ozzy (Osbourne) in the car. She headbangs to Over the Mountain. It has never even occured to her that her CDs (some of which are palatable) can be played in the car


----------



## Dabble (Jun 14, 2007)

Oh, see I've got a leg up on some of you. Most children's music doesn't bother me much, and LURVE learning new songs and rhymes to sing with the kids! I generally prefer having adult music on during the day, but if the kids request a kid's CD, sure!







I enjoy doing fingerplay songs and ones that have fun rhymes and go on and on and on and on.......









I do NOT understand people who want to get together with other families and do big trips, like to the zoo, or a large amusement park. STRESSFUL!!!! I'll go with just my kids, and that's plenty of needs for me to meet, thankyouverymuch. I don't want to be worrying about what exhibits the other families may be wanting to see, trying to match our pace to theirs, or trying to keep track of more kids than my own. I don't get why that would be fun for anyone.


----------



## MommyKelly (Jun 6, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *transformed* 

And also - feeding kids with a spoon. Little ones....who does that? LOL. I have never wanted to feed my child, except a boob.
















:


----------



## kirstenb (Oct 4, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hempmama* 
Board games and listening to them read out loud. When they are first learning I literally have to keep work to relax my muscles it drives me so crazy, but even now that my oldest reads with an adult cadence, I am super tense and cannot stand when she misses a word or has to fumble for pronunciation. I hatehatehated listening to other people read out loud all through school, too, though.

Oh I am not looking forward to the reading out loud at all. I remember practicing with kids I was babysitting for and I dreaded it. I can't wait for DS to read on his own, I just don't want to hear it. Gah.


----------



## newbymom05 (Aug 13, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *funkymamajoy* 
Dance classes, pageants, child spa day or anything else really girly. I can deal with everything else.

Child day spa????? WTH is that??? It sounds like something Carmella and Meadow Soprano would do. Ack, the thought of a glorious spa day...with my _child_...ugh, I don't know whether to get the shivers or the heaves at that thought. My children are part of the reason I need a spa day! Talk about a waste of time and money.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Baths. I hate bathtime. I don't even know why, but it stresses me out.


----------



## LemonPie (Sep 18, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nikkiethridge* 
i think for me, it's people who brag about how they never baby proofed their house. i dont think i could spend my whole day scolding my son for trying to open cabinets with dangerous objects, stick his fingers in sockets, and run into sharp corners of the table. it's nice just being able to let my DS roam the house without major worries like that, i dont see how other moms do it.

This. I am ALL about the babyproofing, putting up gates, locking cabinets and putting dangerous/forbidden items out of reach/sight. I hate going somewhere that isn't babyproofed because I have to constantly worry about what my kids get into.

I like to

read to my kids
cook/bake with them (to an extent, with premeasured ingredients)
take them places--museums, zoos, etc.
just 'hang' on the couch and talk
play Wii with them (







)

I also love being a soccer mom, which surprised me. Though it may have something to do with the fact that the practices fall when DH can be home from work so I go sit for a blessed hour with a book or chat with a friend who has a DD on the same team. But I've found I really enjoy the games too. Who knew









I hate to
sit on the floor and play
play board games
do messy craft projects with them. A friend gave my son an bubble-painting kit for his birthday LAST year and it's still sitting in the closet unused. The mess is not worth the trouble to me. In fact, I have DD enrolled in an art class for this fall for the sole purpose of keeping the mess OUT of my house!


----------



## kristi96 (Mar 31, 2009)

I hate playing all these japense animation games with my boys. Bagugan, Yogi Yu (spelling) anything like that bugs me to no end. I can't wait for my DD to get old enough to want to play dress up, with barbies, spa days, ect. I'm SUPER girly and would hate it if my DD was a tomboy.


----------



## bebebradford (Apr 4, 2008)

Awww.. I would love it when my little girl starts playing princess.. if she WANTS to. I don't find it insulting to feminist ideas.. The whole idea of feminism is women can be whatever they WANT TO BE. They have the choice to stay home with a happy husband, or go be a CEO of a major company. There's no restriction on us. To say that being girly and enjoying girly traditional things is not in line with feminist ideas is actually far from the truth.

I also love watching my kids play at the park.. seeing them have a good time brings tears to my eyes sometimes. I love to see them enjoy their childhood. One thing I DON'T enjoy is taking them to the store a lot.. I like to get in and get out quickly.. or have a moment of quiet to myself!







:


----------



## kirstenb (Oct 4, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
Baths. I hate bathtime. I don't even know why, but it stresses me out.

If your kids are anything like mine, it might have something to do with the amount of water that ends up on the floor. I'm really surprised it hasn't started dripping through the 1st floor ceiling after some baths.


----------



## 34me (Oct 2, 2006)

Pretty much anything girly. My poor dd never got pink nail polish, only blue or green







. Lego Robotics with my nerdling. I have nothing in common with the other parents. I did the parent infant swim but there would have been no way I would do the music class. Very rarely cooked with any of them until they hit double digits but I don't mind moon sand. I have not only been a soccer mom, I coached 12 5 year olds! I am currently a hockey mom and love it.


----------



## stormborn (Dec 8, 2001)

Oh, music counts? Good. I loathe any music made for kids. So far anyway; if Tool wants to produce a kids album I'll try again.







:
Until then, Manowar has put both kids to sleep just fine without making me want to put out my eardrums with an icepick.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Manowar? Really? DH likes them, but they drive me around the bend. Eric has an _incredible_ voice, but most of what he does with it makes me want to cry.


----------



## IntrovertExtrovert (Mar 2, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *savannah smiles* 
Any type of Mommy and Me/Gymboree class where the parent is sitting down singing with their little one or helping them over obstacles No thanks! I waited until my youngest was three to sign her up for gym classes because that's when parent participation isn't required.

I've discovered that I'm the opposite. I hated gym as a kid, but I love the parent participation tumbling classes. This morning I realized that I'll miss the trampoline and bounce houses when my kid's too old for parent participation. (I'm with you on the floor songs, though)


----------



## baglady (Jul 13, 2009)

I really don't get the kids singing popular music CDs. I know people who get these for their kids to listen to in the car. Why would I want to listen to a 5 year old singing Fergalicious? I'd jump through the window into traffic if I had to listen to that in my car.

I also hate cartoons. I can't stand the noises and the high pitched voices. I don't mind some cartoon movies, but those half hour kids cartoons on tv. uke


----------



## EdnaMarie (Sep 9, 2006)

There were a lot of things I dreaded and thought I'd hate but my daughter forces me. She literally will not take no for an answer. And it's not been that bad:

-Baking bread with her
-making homemade play-doh
-doing mommy-baby gym and swim classes
-signing up for pre-school at the earliest opportunity
-discussing sesame street
-listening to some infernal montessori educational tape in the car, or the Mother Goose Jazz Band, or whatnot and dancing around to "Funiculi, funicula" and teaching her how to polka
-letting her dress up like a queen (no TV and our families don't do princess, thank God)
-role-playing with a teddy-bear
-do messy crafts like painting an egg-carton caterpillar even if I don't get to finish mine because she "needs" it
-taking her to the zoo, with a newborn and her cousin and other children
-meeting other moms at the park and listening to their really irritating concerns (that one is actually the worst)

Though I thought it would be and that I "just" wouldn't do it.

Things I still cannot do:

-leave house un-childproofed
-do anything by myself on the computer or with a pen, even if she has something right there she needs MINE.

This is a funny thread.


----------



## becoming (Apr 11, 2003)

Taking small children to kid movies at movie theaters. Torture. I don't know how or why anyone does this.

(Okay, I just did it last week. We went to see Ice Age 3, and my youngest screamed "AGGAGATOR!" at the screen the entire time. He apparently thought the dinosaurs were alligators and that everyone in the theater needed to be warned. I think he'll be maybe 12 before we try a movie again.)


----------



## stormborn (Dec 8, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
Manowar? Really? DH likes them, but they drive me around the bend. Eric has an _incredible_ voice, but most of what he does with it makes me want to cry.









Dh always mumbles something about castrati going out of favor a few centuries ago. Maybe that's the appeal; I can't sing either!


----------



## fwlady (May 11, 2009)

I would say that playing on the floor with the kids, I have no imagination either.







No board games and such with me either

Sports, Yuck! DH nor I are into them. He was into 4H/FFA, and I was into band and cheerleading. Playing ball outside, or being outside at all with the kids for hours. I am really just an inside kind of person. I do take them on walks or to the park anyway, out of obligation, but I am not too into it.

I am cutting off the cable soon, but I also don't see how anyone can be TV free. We used to be, and just can't make it happen again. And, when my DD has been hurting for days on end (from arthritis), it is the best therapy for her. Or when they each take their turn with the flu.

Night time routines. This was gone after child #1, I think. Bedtime, sometimes yes, routine, no.

I don't entertain the children, they entertain themselves since there are so many of them. So, this works well for me, since I am so busy with mom things and don't have the time to play on the floor or with each child. I get time with each one, but it will also be like while cooking, cleaning, sewing, talking, cuddle time, or playing Majongh on the computer. It depends on the child's interest that coincides with mine, mostly.

Running them each to this and that activity. I don't know how Moms can tolerate doing THAT all the time.

Oh, and keeping a walking toddler from playing around to avoid chasing him. Constantly freaking about when they put a leaf in their mouth, etc. How anyone can justify doing that to their kid is beyond me. My children have never chosen to swallow something as unkind to their mouths like leaves; now dirt and a penny, perhaps.







I don't allow them to just eat everything, but I don't freak out about it. Or freak about the baby wanting to explore and walk around. If my house is pretty childproof, or there are a dozen eyes watching him, not much to freak about. Kymberli


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stormborn* 







Dh always mumbles something about castrati going out of favor a few centuries ago. Maybe that's the appeal; I can't sing either!










I think he can sing. It's some of the lyrics. Mind you, as an Iron Maiden fan, I probably can't talk.


----------



## elisheva (May 30, 2006)

Following their (already walking) kids obsessively at the park. As long as I can see him and can get there in a reasonable amount of time, ds1 won't do anything foolish. Ds2, OTOH... at least he has downgraded to only eating sand (which drives the other mommies nuts...).

Re: the babyproofing/not babyproofing people - ds1 never got into anything. Ds2 gets into things we haven't even thought of. We didn't babyproof, now we have all sorts of things strung shut and wedged in places so ds2 can't get there. Can't wait till he walks.


----------



## HarperRose (Feb 22, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *transformed* 

Dude. Jane and the dragon. http://www.qubo.com/jane_show.asp

Hey now, hey now now Jane and the dragon are best friends now...










I LOVE Jane & the Dragon!

Wait. Um, my DD loves it! Yeah. Yeah, she does.










Quote:

And also - feeding kids with a spoon. Little ones....who does that? LOL. I have never wanted to feed my child, except a boob.
So true. Who does that? Gag. My 22 mo old loves yogurt and jello, though, so I have been known to have my 9 and 7 yr olds feed him some spoonfuls.


----------



## HarperRose (Feb 22, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *baglady* 
I really don't get the kids singing popular music CDs. I know people who get these for their kids to listen to in the car. Why would I want to listen to a 5 year old singing Fergalicious? I'd jump through the window into traffic if I had to listen to that in my car.

Kids Bop. OMG.


----------



## stormborn (Dec 8, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 








I think he can sing. It's some of the lyrics. Mind you, as an Iron Maiden fan, I probably can't talk.









Guilty of that, too. I think they're similar lyrics-wise, though. At _least_ in the category of 'probably considered inappropriate for kids'. Ah well, I didn't grow up too warped and dd1 seems normal so far.







Really, is it any worse than singing about abandoned (?) babies falling out of trees?









Ahem, ontopic: I wish I could childproof (it would adult-proof for the handicapped elderly in the house) but I don't think it would do any good for dd2. This kid could find trouble in an empty padded room. I couldn't go as far as my cousin though; every time we go there I need help to unlock the toilet. Every single babyproofing product made is in use there.

Oh, and I will never again do any sort of private lesson. Sitting in a gym or studio lobby is tolerable but trapped in some stranger's living room with a few other parents trying to make awkward conversation was horrible. And when the lessons were bad and we quit it was like breaking up with someone. Ack.


----------



## battymama (Jan 15, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stormborn* 
Oh, music counts? Good. I loathe any music made for kids. So far anyway; if Tool wants to produce a kids album I'll try again.







:
Until then, Manowar has put both kids to sleep just fine without making me want to put out my eardrums with an icepick.

http://www.amazon.com/Rockabye-Baby-.../dp/B000GY72LA

How about that?


----------



## RubyBaby (Apr 6, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HarperRose* 
Kids Bop. OMG.

rotflmao Kids Bop is the devil. My 3 year old got a cd with about 6 songs in her happy meal one time and I tried to hide it, but we ended up playing it one time around before my dh frisbeed it out the truck window.

I hate the town playground. Mainly because not only does my dd believes a proper greeting towards other children is a "HUG!", but comes out more like a headlock. Also, most of the other Moms there are richie tourists who either snuff me or think I'm a nanny, and then ask me if I can catch their child or go get them a Starbucks coffee.







Luckily we do have another small playground in the middle of nowhere that's almost always deserted.


----------



## tjjazzy (Jan 18, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
Baths. I hate bathtime. I don't even know why, but it stresses me out.

me too. dh is in charge of all baths. i've bathed our 11 month old once and our nearly 4 yo a handful of times.


----------



## Hoopin' Mama (Sep 9, 2004)

Chutes and Ladders.

Painting. "Mommy put the red there. No there, over there, noooooo not like thaaaaaat." Argh.


----------



## felix23 (Nov 7, 2006)

Sitting and building with blocks. I just get so bored.

And I'm not very social, so I hate all the play group events. I used to go, but since I've had dd2, I haven't got back.


----------



## mamalisa (Sep 24, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Chimpmandee* 
Oh, see I've got a leg up on some of you. Most children's music doesn't bother me much, and LURVE learning new songs and rhymes to sing with the kids! I generally prefer having adult music on during the day, but if the kids request a kid's CD, sure!







I enjoy doing fingerplay songs and ones that have fun rhymes and go on and on and on and on.......









I do NOT understand people who want to get together with other families and do big trips, like to the zoo, or a large amusement park. STRESSFUL!!!! I'll go with just my kids, and that's plenty of needs for me to meet, thankyouverymuch. I don't want to be worrying about what exhibits the other families may be wanting to see, trying to match our pace to theirs, or trying to keep track of more kids than my own. I don't get why that would be fun for anyone.

When we were on vacation we were romaticizing the idea of going on a huge trip like that. At a baseball game I was chatting with another mom who was there with 22 people. After talking to her I decided I would never wish to take a trip like that. She was stressed and pretty close to having a breakdown.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *baglady* 
I really don't get the kids singing popular music CDs. I know people who get these for their kids to listen to in the car. Why would I want to listen to a 5 year old singing Fergalicious? I'd jump through the window into traffic if I had to listen to that in my car.

I also hate cartoons. I can't stand the noises and the high pitched voices. I don't mind some cartoon movies, but those half hour kids cartoons on tv. uke

My kid rocked out to Blink-182 on our way to school. I don't love all the lyrics but he wants to be a guitarist and popular music is what got him interested.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Hoopin' Mama* 
Chutes and Ladders.

Painting. "Mommy put the red there. No there, over there, noooooo not like thaaaaaat." Argh.

I freakin hate Chutes and Ladders. The most horribly designed game ever. After trying it a few times with ds I tossed it in the Goodwill bin. Let some other sucker try and play it.

It's funny to hear the people who hate coaching/watching sports. My dh LIVES to coach. He is totally in his element with 15 kids to reign in and teach. He absolutely adores it. Thank goodness there are guys like him, I don't get into it at all. I go to "watch" but mostly to sit on the sidelines with my girlfriends!


----------



## baglady (Jul 13, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamalisa* 

My kid rocked out to Blink-182 on our way to school. I don't love all the lyrics but he wants to be a guitarist and popular music is what got him interested.



LOL. I meant those CDs like Kidz Bop where they record popular songs as sung by kids. I didn't mean I wouldn't want to listen to my kid singing. I mean just let them listen to Blink 182 not some weird other kid singing it. I don't have anything against popular music.


----------



## Sarah W (Feb 9, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *frontierpsych* 
Pageants. Especially with small kids. Are. You. Kidding. Me?!

One of the creepiest things I've ever seen in my life.


----------



## butterfly_mommy (Oct 22, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
Baths. I hate bathtime. I don't even know why, but it stresses me out.

Me too! I even hate bath time for me! The whole getting wet and then getting dry thing







But I like swimming.


----------



## GISDiva (Jul 13, 2007)

People in Target who say to their kids "OK, let's go to the toy aisle!" Really, you want to willingly fight that battle? If it's up to me, DS won't even know that there IS a toy section until he's 12...


----------



## staceychev (Mar 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamalisa* 
I freakin hate Chutes and Ladders. The most horribly designed game ever. After trying it a few times with ds I tossed it in the Goodwill bin. Let some other sucker try and play it.

We had Chutes and Ladders with us on a family vacation last week. We tried to explain it to my nephew (3.5).

Me: Well, you count squares, and when you get to ladder, you go up.
Cole: Then when you get to a ladder, you shoot somebody?

Later, when my sis was going through the pieces with him, he said, "But where are the guns?"

It was really funny, but a little sad, since my sis tries to keep him away from gun play.


----------



## transformed (Jan 26, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *staceychev* 
We had Chutes and Ladders with us on a family vacation last week. We tried to explain it to my nephew (3.5).

Me: Well, you count squares, and when you get to ladder, you go up.
Cole: Then when you get to a ladder, you shoot somebody?

Later, when my sis was going through the pieces with him, he said, "But where are the guns?"

It was really funny, but a little sad, since my sis tries to keep him away from gun play.

laughup


----------



## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

Did anyone mention chuck e cheese? gah. We probably go a couple times a year, for various reasons but it's not my idea of fun. I mean, I love to see my kids happy and shoving tokens into noisy machines and all, but I have to take 4 advil and drink the watery beer they sell to stay sane.


----------



## Jessy1019 (Aug 6, 2006)

I'm more surprised by people who think there are so many things they CAN'T do with kids. I cook with my kids, take them all kinds of places that other parents seem to think are just difficult/inappropriate/uncomfortable, work with them, etc. So I am always pretty shocked when I hear people say, "I don't be able to do _____ when I have a baby," when _____ is something I've done with my kids tons of times.

What I don't like and don't want to do with mine is pretend play. I was really into it as a kid, am still really creative in lots of other ways, and I think my imagination is still pretty sharp . . . but I don't want to talk for dolls or pretend to be a character or whatever. Just NOT fun, and I know other parents who do it happily. I'll play games, read books, do crafts, but when it comes to actual PLAY, that's on the kids.


----------



## MadiMamacita (Jan 29, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kirstenb* 
Listening to children's music 24/7. I find that I hate almost all children's music. DS has one or two CDs geared towards kids that I do actually like and don't mind playing, but I would much rather that we listen to adult music. I would claw my ears off if I had to listen to the CDs that gets played in DS's daycare room daily.

that!!! and I worked in daycares!
by the end of the day when I was waiting for the rest of the parents there was a tape of fun 50's and 60's music I would always put on. better than baa baa black sheep...

and I HATE singing to kids. i dreaded the days it would be my turn to do circle time. i feel bad for my ds because the other day i was singing along to some fiona apple song and he looked at me totally mesmerized. i just can't sing acapella!


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Singing to kids is one of my favourite things to do. Unfortunately, dd1 and ds2 don't like it when I sing during the day. I get told to "stop that". They wait until bedtime, when I'm also tired, then request that I sing six songs or something.


----------



## transformed (Jan 26, 2007)

I kind of like Chuckie CHeese. I do get a sensory overload however my kids are corralled in and can't leave so when they all 3 head in opposite directions, I dont have to keep up as quickly.


----------



## lara1828 (Aug 11, 2005)

Candyland and Yatzee make me want to poke my eyes out.

Saturday morning activities: no way, no how.

Luckily, I have boys, so the princess thing never comes up.

Childrens music and childrens videos/movies/tv make me want to barf.

Oh, and I am terrified to take my two non-swimmers to the crowded public pools. How do other moms do that?

I guess I'm the weird mom who actually spends quite a bit of time playing ball with her kids. Philosophically, I have a problem with organized sports for little ones, but my kids LOVE them so much, so we do it.


----------



## EdnaMarie (Sep 9, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lara1828* 
Candyland and Yatzee make me want to poke my eyes out.

Saturday morning activities: no way, no how.

Luckily, I have boys, so the princess thing never comes up.

Childrens music and childrens videos/movies/tv make me want to barf.

Oh, and I am terrified to take my two non-swimmers to the crowded public pools. How do other moms do that?

I guess I'm the weird mom who actually spends quite a bit of time playing ball with her kids. Philosophically, I have a problem with organized sports for little ones, but my kids LOVE them so much, so we do it.

Public pools: we go to the Y for parent-tot swim lessons. They have lots of lifeguards and strict, respectful rules if we want to swim together not in a class. I would never take two except to the "toddler" pool (3 ft. at the deepest point).

I like to play ball with my child, too.







But then... she also likes to play in groups of other kids and if it's not "organized" then it's a mosh pit, so I guess we will do organized sports when she's old enough.


----------



## BellinghamCrunchie (Sep 7, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BarefootScientist* 
Ugh, I hate that stuff. My problem though, is that I'm not good at small talk and have no idea how to make friends...so we don't have any.









Man, I wish you lived next door! I could sure use a friend just like you.


----------



## HarperRose (Feb 22, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *RubyBaby* 
rotflmao Kids Bop is the devil. My 3 year old got a cd with about 6 songs in her happy meal one time and I tried to hide it, but we ended up playing it one time around before my dh frisbeed it out the truck window.









: Nice.

Quote:

I hate the town playground. Mainly because not only does my dd believes a proper greeting towards other children is a "HUG!", but comes out more like a headlock. Also, most of the other Moms there are richie tourists who either snuff me or think I'm a nanny, and then ask me if I can catch their child or go get them a Starbucks coffee.







Luckily we do have another small playground in the middle of nowhere that's almost always deserted.
You're kidding. I would have so much fun with that.


----------



## sunnmama (Jul 3, 2003)

I hate getting together with groups of toddlers. I did it when dd was a toddler, because I didn't know any other people with kids. But, now that ds is a toddler, I avoid settings with lots of toddlers







.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GISDiva* 
People in Target who say to their kids "OK, let's go to the toy aisle!" Really, you want to willingly fight that battle? If it's up to me, DS won't even know that there IS a toy section until he's 12...

It probably isn't a battle for them. It was a battle with my dd (so we avoided places like that), but it isn't a battle with my ds. It is fun, free entertainment







:. He willingly leaves (empty handed) when we are ready to go.


----------



## newbymom05 (Aug 13, 2005)

I like a lot of DS's music, nerd that I am. Raffi, Putamayo, Jazz for Kids are all great IMO. And I can even stand Signing Time and Elmo/Sesame Street. The lyrics are so catchy! Although there can only be one Bananaphone...

But I couldn't do Kidz Bop. Ever. And while I like folksy type songs for the cultural aspect, Wee Sing reminds me of Village of the Damned.


----------



## GISDiva (Jul 13, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MadiMamacita* 
that!!! and I worked in daycares!
by the end of the day when I was waiting for the rest of the parents there was a tape of fun 50's and 60's music I would always put on. better than baa baa black sheep

Our day care actually does mix in regular music with the kids stuff (that I can't stand either), I was SO happy to hear that when I picked DS up one day. And it was funny, all the other parents were there happily nodding their heads to the music, we were just all rockin' out to whatever it was...

But I agree, hearing a CD full of little kids singing an Elton John song or whatever rubs me the wrong way in a thousand different directions...


----------



## choli (Jun 20, 2002)

Homeschooling. No way, no how.


----------



## ~LadyBug~ (Aug 14, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Caneel* 
Playdates that involve moms hanging together - there, I admitted it.

(coming back to clarify I would love to hang with the type of moms/dads/parents I see on MDC. Its just my area seems to be severely lacking in that department.)

Oh my gosh this is totally ME! I am SAHM and I have hardly ANY friends, and I like it that way







: I am surrounded by MAJOR mainstream moms (we are talking VERY mainstream) and they just don't "get" me at all. It is kinda sad, but I feel totally uncomfortable around them.


----------



## ~LadyBug~ (Aug 14, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GISDiva* 
People in Target who say to their kids "OK, let's go to the toy aisle!" Really, you want to willingly fight that battle? If it's up to me, DS won't even know that there IS a toy section until he's 12...

YES!!! I don't get it either. Maybe the parents just buy them a toy every time they go out? My nephew was like that...he HAD to get a toy every time he went shopping....then one time he had to with me







I totally broke of him of that habit


----------



## RollerCoasterMama (Jul 22, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GISDiva* 
People in Target who say to their kids "OK, let's go to the toy aisle!" Really, you want to willingly fight that battle? If it's up to me, DS won't even know that there IS a toy section until he's 12...

I've been doing this with DS since he was old enough to be interested. It's great practice in not keeping everything we see! He's 31 months now and we usually just stick to the bins of animals. He looks at them for a bit. Then we put them away. I try to just stick to that one aisle. But now they've got an put the animals in the same aisle as *BLEEP*ing Thomas the Tank Engine! I think there's something in that blue color that just amps up his sensory level! I don't go up and down all the toy aisles though---he just gets too wound up.

Kids Music: My inlaws gave us a 3 disc dvd set of these horrible children singing sticky sweet songs, mostly religious ones. I was forewarned because we'd seen it when visiting - they had it at the house for our neice. It's so bad that my husband and I mutually agreed not to even open it. I dumped it in the consignment sale this spring!







Other kid music...we don't really have any. One folkie mix with some Laurie Berkner and that kind of thing and one Bare Naked Ladies kids CD. Otherwise we sing ourselves or listen to music that Mama likes!

My biggest pet peeve: people that think I should just drag DS to anywhere I'm going and let him work bedtimes, naptimes and mealtimes around adult activities. Just because their kids survived that way, does not mean my easilly over-stimulated toddler will. And no, I'm not going to just do it more so he gets used to it!! I have friends with older kids who brought their children everywhere they went even with late nights. They just don't get that not every kid does well with mellow, go with the flow. Esp at 2 yrs old.

Otherwise nothing major. I do hope to avoid the video game thing for as long as possible though. Oh, and keep my soon-to-be-ex husband from making sports too important. He doesn't see sports as strictly fun. He was raised old school Texas style...and it was The Thing. He thinks seriously about DS going pro in something. Or college scholorships. I don't mind if DS likes sports some day, I just don't want him to pin too many dreams on it. It hurt my husband by skewing his priorities and I don't want that for DS.


----------



## transformed (Jan 26, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BarefootScientist* 
Ugh, I hate that stuff. My problem though, is that I'm not good at small talk and have no idea how to make friends...so we don't have any.









l

You just have to be your own best friend. LOL. Its easy....see!







:

I rock!


----------



## ThisLove (Jul 5, 2008)

Loving this thread.

C's only 18 months, but there are a few things that I absolutely refuse to do (such as pay to watch little ones tumble in a Mommy & Me type Gymboree class). He does NOT help me cook and stays away from the kitchen (mostly because we have a small added room on the side that's a step down, can't be gated due to it being WAY too wide, and I really dislike fighting with him about eating dog food). I really, really hate playgroups with other toddlers, too. He doesn't get a lot of exposure to other children and I'll admit that it's all because of me. He's so gentle and shy that he usually gets knocked down, toys stolen and ends up using me as a rock climbing wall because the noise is too much for him. So we avoid.

I *do* love taking him to the farm and letting him play in the dirt, pet the horses, chase bugs, throw rocks. I love taking him on walks. I love watching him play independently - I can hang out in the floor with him and he'll play for a few hours with balls, blocks, whatever. I enjoy watching him explore and figure stuff out on his own. We spend time in the front yard every morning and he has a blast picking clover, chucking mulch into the yard, visiting the neighbors.

I had my first taste of kids' music yesterday while riding in the car with my mother. He screamed the entire time, I wanted to rip my hair out, and my mother insisted that it was because he was tired. I beg to differ...I think it's because the high-pitched, Chipmunkesque noise hurt his ears!


----------



## ThisLove (Jul 5, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *RollerCoasterMama* 

My biggest pet peeve: people that think I should just drag DS to anywhere I'm going and let him work bedtimes, naptimes and mealtimes around adult activities. Just because their kids survived that way, does not mean my easilly over-stimulated toddler will. And no, I'm not going to just do it more so he gets used to it!! I have friends with older kids who brought their children everywhere they went even with late nights. They just don't get that not every kid does well with mellow, go with the flow. Esp at 2 yrs old.

DITTO! C figured out his OWN schedule and we stick to it. He naps around 1, 1:30 in the afternoon and goes to bed by 8. The two hours before bedtime are for play, cuddles and us, as a family. I'm sorry, but I am NOT going to drag my pissy kid out of the house at 6 to attend XYZ, so don't bother me with it. (Sorry, turned into a slight rant, I just received an invite to a family party for this coming Monday that starts at 7pm and it's fresh on my mind!)


----------



## New (May 20, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *choli* 
Homeschooling. No way, no how.

Me too.


----------



## lara1828 (Aug 11, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Drummer's Wife* 
Did anyone mention chuck e cheese? gah. We probably go a couple times a year, for various reasons but it's not my idea of fun. I mean, I love to see my kids happy and shoving tokens into noisy machines and all, but I have to take 4 advil and drink the watery beer they sell to stay sane.

Oh, I hate CEC, but my kids love it so much. I take them during the day when it's quieter and drink LOTS and LOTS of sugary pop - pretty much the only time I drink pop except for the occasional rootbeer float.


----------



## Quinalla (May 23, 2005)

I really look forward to playing cards with my kid and certain board games. A lot of the ones geared for young kids are so bad, but ones more geared for family/adults are still able to be played by kids a lot of fun (for me). And card games are such a huge thing in my family and DH doesn't like most of them, so I hardly ever get to play. I can't wait to have a kid and take them to the zoo all the time, I love the zoo







so hopefully she will too. I also love the park and always enjoyed playing with my younger cousins at parks. I also love video games, so I look forward to sharing that love with the appropriate moderation.

I don't think I could homeschool, I always enjoyed tutoring and the like, but to have the discipline to do a curriculum and all that, no way! Certain sports are ok, though they can be pretty boring when the kids are really little, but some I would hate to do. My younger brother did T-ball for a year each and it was so mind numbingly boring as a kid, I can't even imagine it as an adult. Luckily, they didn't like it either







Watching totally kid-geared TV/movies (the ones without the smart adult humor and the like thrown in) and listening to those annoying kid songs, yeah, going to avoid that as much as possible! There is plenty of good music I listen to that is totally kid friendly, can't see why they can't just listen to that.

And some pretend play would be ok, but not all the time. I can't imagine trying to get much actual cleaning/cooking/etc. done with a young child, but I can see doing some as a game where I don't worry about getting much done until they are older. I love reading out loud, but as at least one PP said, I tend to get frustrated with those who struggle to read aloud, so I will probably need extra patience for that when my kid starts!


----------



## HarperRose (Feb 22, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *choli* 
Homeschooling. No way, no how.

I used to be this way, too. But now, out of necessity, I am. Totally weirds me out. I still freely tell ppl, "I am not a homeschooling person."

Our necessity is that we're moving to a state with only medical exemptions for vaccines. My kids have opted NOT to be vaxed (I did give them the choice but clearly explained why we have not vaxed them before) and requested to be homeschooled.

So, out of necessity, I have become a homeschooling mom. It still freaks me out.


----------



## New (May 20, 2008)

My family doesn't know Chuck E. Cheese exists.







:


----------



## EdnaMarie (Sep 9, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *RollerCoasterMama* 
I've been doing this with DS since he was old enough to be interested. It's great practice in not keeping everything we see! He's 31 months now and we usually just stick to the bins of animals. He looks at them for a bit. Then we put them away. I try to just stick to that one aisle. .

I don't get how this is possible. Mine sees the toys from aisles away when we walk anywhere near the toy aisle. If we go to one aisle, she knows, and has known for at least a year, that there are similar things on the next aisle. A few months ago she started with, "Let's see if they have any..." and then names something she saw at pre-school, at her cousins' house, whatever.

So for me, since she knows it's there, the toy aisle can be a nice break in the middle of shopping for her. It's not me showing her the toys. She KNOWS about the toys with her mad toy radar skillz. It's me saying, "It's not all about mommy, you can have fun, too."

It's not something I wanted to do. If it were up to ME, she would not know that there are even toys in stores. But it's not up to me. We walked by the toy aisles once in search of a bathing suit and that was the end of that. She talked about going to Target for weeks after that.


----------



## EdnaMarie (Sep 9, 2006)

Oh, and I wanted to homeschool and never imagined considering public school for my kid.

She asked to go to school right after her second birthday. We started her when she was 32 months. She points at the school as we drive by and says, "When I'M a big girl, I am going to go to that school!"

We can't afford private. I'll try her for a scholarship, she's no genius but she speaks well. If not, there we go.

I need a s/o- things you thought you'd never do.


----------



## RollerCoasterMama (Jul 22, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *New* 
My family doesn't know Chuck E. Cheese exists.







:

I'm hoping to keep it that way for DS as well! We used to bring my brother's girls until my husband got a PARASITE!!! when he was crawling through the tunnels to keep up with my neice. A parasite that was icky enough that I had to take a preventative pill as well in case it crawled across the sheets to me. EEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

Plus, to be honest, he'd get SOOOOO over-stimulated that it would take 2 days to get back to normal. Best to avoid that fun.

HOMESCHOOLING: never thought I'd want to. Now I do, but I don't think I'll be able to. But we're spoiled in the selection of neat charter schools in the area, so I think I'll be able to get something to suit.


----------



## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

This thread is making me feel okay about not enjoying playing Littlest Pet Shop with DD.


----------



## stormborn (Dec 8, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *choli* 
Homeschooling. No way, no how.

I think I would go crazy dealing with school.







Getting to bed on time, up early, dealing with administration, making sure homework got done....those alone sound like much more energy than I put into homeschooling on a lazy day. Of course, we're pretty relaxed.


----------



## Seasons (Jun 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stormborn* 
I think I would go crazy dealing with school.







Getting to bed on time, up early, dealing with administration, making sure homework got done....those alone sound like much more energy than I put into homeschooling on a lazy day. Of course, we're pretty relaxed.









We working moms already go to bed on time, get up early, deal with administration etc. anyway - as part of providing for our families. Dropping off our children at school on the way to work is no big deal. But trying to fully teach my child, at the end of a busy workday? Now THAT would take too much energy!


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Seasons* 
We working moms already go to bed on time, get up early, deal with administration etc. anyway - as part of providing for our families. Dropping off our children at school on the way to work is no big deal. But trying to fully teach my child, at the end of a busy workday? Now THAT would take too much energy!

It really depends on the person.

I honestly wish I'd thought of homeschooling when ds1 was little. I don't know if I could have done it while I was living with my energy vampire of an ex, but once he left? Heck, yeah - _way_ less of a PITA to coordinate with my WOH schedule than school was. Dealing with school schedules, fundraisers, expectations, etc. has probably been my least favourite, most difficult, part of parenting to date. And, dropping ds1 off and picking him up after work was a gigantic pain.


----------



## MommyKelly (Jun 6, 2009)

Public/Charter/Private school.

Dealing with all the issues that come up with the teacher, another student, etc, constant papers sent home to read for fundraisers, reminder of rules, to tell me there was a guy flashing the crossing guard, monthly news, etc. Then my kid coming home after being there all day to tell me "its beaver day" (groundhog day.LOL) followed by "who the heck is George Lincoln anyway?"

Ugh! we had our dd (legal custody from a family member) in public kinder last year. A GREAT reminder of why we homeschool. Happily the judge told us we are more then welcome to homeschool and he thinks its great.


----------



## mamalisa (Sep 24, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *baglady* 
LOL. I meant those CDs like Kidz Bop where they record popular songs as sung by kids. I didn't mean I wouldn't want to listen to my kid singing. I mean just let them listen to Blink 182 not some weird other kid singing it. I don't have anything against popular music.

Ahhh, yea, those are horrifying.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GISDiva* 
People in Target who say to their kids "OK, let's go to the toy aisle!" Really, you want to willingly fight that battle? If it's up to me, DS won't even know that there IS a toy section until he's 12...

I rarely buy my kids toys and we look at toys all the time. They KNOW if they ask the answer will be no. But every once in a while, maybe twice a year I'll ask them "hey, did you see something you wanted?" and buy it. They are stunned into silence and quickly find the THING they've been coveting. But if they ask they won't get so much as an Icee


----------



## 77589 (Mar 7, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *transformed* 
You just have to be your own best friend. LOL. Its easy....see!







:

I rock!









I love that.

When I see little girls with hairdoes you know took an hour to make..... heck no, a brushing here and there, occasionally pull it up - that's it. bows for special occasions. I do not want to spend my time fighting my child to stay still


----------



## EviesMom (Nov 30, 2004)

I do not get the appeal of busy, full social schedules, although that's not really tied to parenting specifically because I don't get it for adults either. I don't have fun at dozens-of-people events of any kind, be they bday parties, block parties, open houses, etc. I do not understand the appeal of "free" days at museums and zoos, because IME, they're overcrowded, it's hard to see anything, and other attendees are not well behaved. In financial straits, I would rather save my money up to go on a quiet, mostly-empty day less frequently. I don't get the "let's just wander and we'll find something to do" structure or the "drop in classes." I just generally don't like crowds or unplanned days. I like knowing what we have lined up for a while.

I also could never do as some friends do and have an au pair, a live in baby sitter, or extended family living with me for an extended amount of time. I like my privacy and while DH, DD, and DS are exempt from that, I could never live with my mother, the MIL I adore, or an au pair!

I get, but would not myself want to, unschool nor be TV-free. I am really glad that DD does not know what Chuck E. Cheese is, is only slightly interested in Barbie (because she loves mermaids and there's now a Barbie mermaid). I hope urgently that neither kid will ever be into guns, war, battle type play because it's so not me in any way.

I do, however, like structured classes and small get togethers, and Disney world. I like to play, and I love play doh. I like messy play and have set up the apartment so as to allow for that, even though it's small and we've won an interior design award.

I mean no value judgement on people who adore any of the things I would hate doing, by the way, they're clearly great for lots of people, just not for me!


----------



## transformed (Jan 26, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *EviesMom* 
I also could never do as some friends do and have an au pair, a live in baby sitter, or extended family living with me for an extended amount of time. I like my privacy and while DH, DD, and DS are exempt from that, I could never live with my mother, the MIL I adore, or an au pair!

I would DIE to have an au pair. Please send me an au pair, god. please.


----------



## Super~Single~Mama (Sep 23, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
I have backaches all the time from doing things with dd2 over my shoulder, but she's still too little to "help". Honestly, most of the time, I'd prefer the backache. Every time I've tried to have my kids help in the kitchen, I've almost gone mad. They can help bake, and they can help unload the dishwasher (actually, they unload, and pass me the dishes - the cupboards are too high for them).

I'm not good at pretend play, and _I_ don't like Disney. The kids had fun, but it was pretty much an endurance trip for me.

I HATE disney land!!! If my child ever goes to disney land or disney world they're going without me! I went in 5th grade to disney land and it was smoggy, and the weather was terrible and I was sick the whole time!

Now, I WILL take my baby hiking! We left disney and went to the Grand Canyon (we hiked it!) and it was AMAZING!! The BEST thing I've EVER done on vacation EVER! In my whole entire life! (helping with katrina clean up in NOLA was a close second when I was in college) (It helped that we went to the Grand Canyon and hiked down the day they re-opened from the national parks shutting down in 1995 - is that the right year? So, there was no one there and we had the place pretty much to ourselves save a few mule trains!)


----------



## EviesMom (Nov 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *transformed* 
I would DIE to have an au pair. Please send me an au pair, god. please.

Hee. Be careful what you wish for! The friend with an au pair had to get a rematch because with the first one, she said "basically, I suddenly have a sullen teenager in addition to my own three young children. One who storms out of the house, eats up tons of food and puts the empty containers back in the cupboard, and thinks she knows everything. I expected at least 8 or 9 more years before I had to deal with teenager-y issues!"







Now she's gotten a better one, though!







If money were no object, I could personally see having a babysitter who shows up at like 8:30 in the morning, and/or a personal assistant type person who showed up early too. But I could not handle the 24-7 live in thing, personally.


----------



## Dandelionkid (Mar 6, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Seasons* 
For me, the how-do-they-do-this-regularly astonishment is about playing Princess. Horrifyingly unfeminist. Luckily my dd (age 6) has never asked - in fact she is just as disgusted by (in her words) "people who think it's all about being pretty and nice, instead of being smart and running fast."









I'm sure it helps that she has never seen a "princess movie" - except the one time at the gym childcare that she STILL talks about (and not flatteringly).

Similarly, I've heard some girls like to "play bride." Very glad my dd is not into that (shudder). I could not with any integrity join in.

I loved my dd's Cinderella princess phase. She wanted me to be mean to her and make her clean-up. She would do anything I asked her to do. It was blissful









I don't get moms who get up 3 or 4 times in the middle of the night to comfort a crying baby. It seems so much more tiring than just sleeping with baby.


----------



## ~Shanna~ (Nov 17, 2005)

I hate doing anything that I wouldn't ordinarily do without kids. I have utmost patience in helping DS learn how to hang clothes on the line, bake/cook, pour tea, wash dishes, etc. But get me in a situation where we're going to a toddler music class just to "stimulate him" and I go batty.

DH and I LOVE taking DS to children's museums, though. DS likes to stay so long that DH and I take turns going out to dinner alone







.

I love being a parent, but some of the things that make up supposed "modern parenting" and being child-centered instead of family-centered.....I just don't get.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *thyra* 
I HATE disney land!!! If my child ever goes to disney land or disney world they're going without me! I went in 5th grade to disney land and it was smoggy, and the weather was terrible and I was sick the whole time!

Now, I WILL take my baby hiking! We left disney and went to the Grand Canyon (we hiked it!) and it was AMAZING!! The BEST thing I've EVER done on vacation EVER! In my whole entire life! (helping with katrina clean up in NOLA was a close second when I was in college) (It helped that we went to the Grand Canyon and hiked down the day they re-opened from the national parks shutting down in 1995 - is that the right year? So, there was no one there and we had the place pretty much to ourselves save a few mule trains!)

Oh, yeah - we've never done any long hikes like that, but we were back out on the trails with dd1 when she was about 2.5 months old, and I think it would have been sooner if I hadn't had the c-section. She _loved_ it, and dh and I had a great time.


----------



## rainyday (Apr 28, 2006)

Getting out the flour and cookie sheets and letting the kids play with their dump trucks and excavators and shovels in there, plus with water to mix in when they want - all inside the house during the winter. A mom told me how much fun her kids have when she got that stuff out for them and all I could think was how I would be cleaning that up forever! It sounded like that was a regular wintertime activity for them, which sounds great for her kids, but I couldn't do it.


----------



## stik (Dec 3, 2003)

I haven't read the whole thread - there sure is a lot of stuff you all don't want to do!

I think my kids have benefited a TON from their parent/tot gym and music classes. They've been helpful in my efforts to track my dd's sensory development (she has some subclinical issues I want to make sure we stay on top of) and make sure she's on track with other kids her age, developmentally-speaking, and they've been great for socialization. Plus, both girls have always taken awesome naps on the afternoons after class. They've really helped me be a developmentally-aware mommy.


----------



## stormborn (Dec 8, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Seasons* 
We working moms already go to bed on time, get up early, deal with administration etc. anyway - as part of providing for our families. Dropping off our children at school on the way to work is no big deal. But trying to fully teach my child, at the end of a busy workday? Now THAT would take too much energy!

Eh, part of it may be that dh and I work opposite shifts. Adding in a set school schedule on top of the juggling we already do might be what makes it seem daunting to me. Don't get me wrong, we'd do it if we had to.







But just watching our friends with kids in school rush around to pack everything in stresses me out.


----------



## erratum (May 26, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *siobhang* 
Baking with children. Drives me nuts. Because, yes it DOES matter how much baking soda or salt or flour actually makes it into the bowl. It DOES matter how fast or well you mix it. I will let them pour pre-measured amounts into the bowl and do very specific things (like shred the zucchini in the cuisinart or turn on the stand mixer), but I lose it if they spill any ingredients or put too much in. Not worth the hassle most of the time.

this. the food wasting is what gets me. It really, really bugs me to throw out a whole batch of cookies. Also, DS likes to eat flour.

another thing that drives me nuts is....
keeping my kid clean.









washing hands, cleaning faces, wiping noses. it's so much WORK and I have the messiest little guy in the world. He always looks like he's been mining coal. I hose him down and three seconds later he's right back to looking like Pig Pen.


----------



## BetsyS (Nov 8, 2004)

I like to cook and clean with my kids. They are little still, so not a lot of help (1 and 3), but we have fun doing it.

I like the park, too. And, as my oldest has gotten bigger, I like playing in the yard.

But, I hate playdates with other moms there. I had much rather sit or stand alone at the park, lost in my thoughts than have to watch my kids, all while talking to someone about, well, nothing.







Maybe I just don't like people. Heck, no maybe about it. LOL

And, I hate playing "cars". I encourage independent play. makes 'em smarter. LOL


----------



## Evergreen (Nov 6, 2002)

I hate doing homework with my kids. Ok, I don't know anyone who actually likes it but I always had these grandiose visions of us sitting at the table really bonding over sight words. Instead I'm usually cooking while half way listening to my six year old read and it's kind of stressful because I can never seem to find a pencil with an eraser.

My *two* year old started having homework this week too. It really rubbed me the wrong way, but now she actually has something to do while her sister does her own homework instead of trying to 'help' Dylan with hers so it isn't actually all bad.


----------



## transformed (Jan 26, 2007)

we are saving up for a vacation and dh is convinced its going to e disney. eh. (Its like 2 hours from us)

He wants to do the "Disney camping experience"

I was like "Why dont we just do the REAL camping experience?"

I am such a downer. LOL. hehe


----------



## Yooper (Jun 6, 2003)

I am clearly an easily annoyed person









Kids music drives me batty! Why do humans between certain ages NEED different music?!?! Dd does have some kids music but it is all on HER I-pod and WE do not have to listen to it together. Just like dh and I both have music that only we like that we listen to privately.

Sitting through sports games. Especially any that might involve cold, rain, snow, or other uncomfortable conditions. Luckily, dd inherited our complete lack of sports ability and/or interest. I am so not OK with sitting in drizzle watching 4 yos play "soccer".

I do not play. I have tried. It is misery for me. Dd is welcome to join in ANY activity I do. I have no problem with dinner taking 3 times as long because dd wants to help. I have painstakingly taught dd how to knit. She is welcome to help me sew, iron, hang laundry, can tomatoes, but I cannot play babies to save my life. Games and puzzles are the exception.

This is the biggie..... Modern kids STUFF. We live in a little TV-free, unschooling, bubble and dd has no idea that there is a "toy aisle", a Disneyworld, or shoes that light up. THANK GOD! I hate hate HATE the look, feel, and sound of almost everything marketed to kids these days. The idea of a huge pink kitchen sitting in my living room makes my teeth itch. Kids movies, character clothing, anything with batteries, etc just hurts my brain and I am not sure I could live in the same space with any of it. Kids are PEOPLE. If dd wants binoculars, she can use the family set. I see no reason at all to buy pink princess binoculars (that do not even work). Repeat for everything from shoes to cameras to music to...... Now, I understand that a 6 yo is not going to want to cozy up to watch Sopranos with me. But there are plenty of family movies that she enjoys that are not garish. Classics tend to be a big hit here. But yikes! I cannot imagine submerging myself into that culture. We live simply and I need a simple space to live it.


----------



## darcytrue (Jan 23, 2009)

Cooking is the least of my worries. That's fun and stress-free and done at home.

I could never be a soccer mom. I can't stand the thought of driving my kids to and fro to go to several practices per week and then games on Sat/Sun afternoons. No thank you.


----------



## darcytrue (Jan 23, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *transformed* 
He wants to do the "Disney camping experience"

Disney is another one for me. I don't see the attraction.







I think it's a tourist trap. We have the money and the time to go since we are self-employed and homeschool our kids but I don't see the point in going to stand in lines all day, get tired out, have cranky kids and not really have any real enjoyment of close, family time.


----------



## choli (Jun 20, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *darcytrue* 
Disney is another one for me. I don't see the attraction.







I think it's a tourist trap. We have the money and the time to go since we are self-employed and homeschool our kids but I don't see the point in going to stand in lines all day, get tired out, have cranky kids and not really have any real enjoyment of close, family time.

Agreed. I would rather vacation in Siberia in the Winter than visit Disney.


----------



## funkymamajoy (May 25, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *choli* 
Homeschooling. No way, no how.

Me neither. I have great respect to those who do and I will defend your right to teach your own kids but its not for me and my kids.

I was home schooled so a lot of people assume that I'll home school my kids. When they find out that I'm not planning on it, they're shocked.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *darcytrue* 
Disney is another one for me. I don't see the attraction.







I think it's a tourist trap. We have the money and the time to go since we are self-employed and homeschool our kids but I don't see the point in going to stand in lines all day, get tired out, have cranky kids and not really have any real enjoyment of close, family time.

As much as Disney isn't my thing, I have to say that we spent remarkably little time in lines. The Fast Pass system actually works very well. Most of the lines we spent time in were for food (and I managed to avoid a lot of those, too - bought snacks at the fruit stands, and lunch from the Moroccan pavilion, etc.). Since we were going, anyway, I focused on the stuff I did like (in something as big as Disney World, there's bound to be at least a few things for pretty much everybody, yk?), and had an okay time. But, I truly don't get the attraction. It's _so_ expensive and there are so many other ways to have a good time.

(My in-laws will treat us to another trip a few years down the road. The first one was really meant for ds1, and they want the other kids to have a chance to enjoy Disney, too. I'm just going to take it the way they intend it, and hope the kids enjoy themselves.)


----------



## tjjazzy (Jan 18, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GISDiva* 
People in Target who say to their kids "OK, let's go to the toy aisle!" Really, you want to willingly fight that battle? If it's up to me, DS won't even know that there IS a toy section until he's 12...

my mom and i have always done a LOT of shopping with ds1. we'd hit the toy aisle and let him hold toys and then put them back. he knows that when we look at the toy aisle, we don't always buy







it's worked out nicely. he's an easygoing kid though; we'll see how that works with ds2.


----------



## tjjazzy (Jan 18, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BellinghamCrunchie* 
Man, I wish you lived next door! I could sure use a friend just like you.

maybe she DOES live next door but doesn't know how to make friends with you


----------



## tjjazzy (Jan 18, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *choli* 
Homeschooling. No way, no how.

DEFINITELY that. i don't have the patience.


----------



## tjjazzy (Jan 18, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lara1828* 
Oh, I hate CEC, but my kids love it so much. I take them during the day when it's quieter and drink LOTS and LOTS of sugary pop - pretty much the only time I drink pop except for the occasional rootbeer float.

we don't have that here. i'm not sure we have restaurants like that really. is it that bad?


----------



## mummyofan (Jun 25, 2008)

not sure whether this has been said yet, but Dressing up for halloween and going around strangers' houses asking for candy and saying'trick or treat' (that HAS to be the unfriendliest phrase in the language of children) even dressing up as something different freaks me out - I think it's a phobia!, but definately going in the dark to others' doors and ughhh.
The other thing is Hanna Montanna type things .movies/ shows/ commercial paraphanalia that goes with it!! YUK
Mine are 3 and 1.5, so we haven't had to do either yet (though we'll NEVER do HM and I'll have to take some serious coffe or something with me to go around the streets with them if I do it.

Anyway sorry if this is already said, just wanted to do it before mine wake, and read the reast till they do


----------



## ginadc (Jun 13, 2006)

The thing I hate most: playing pretend. I used to love it as a kid, of course, and somewhere along the way I just totally lost touch with my "pretend" gene. I think it's why I'm a nonfiction writer instead of a novelist. While I love plunging into the imaginary world of a book someone else has written, it's hard for me to start making up my own--or carrying out the imaginings of a kid.

I love doing projects with my kids, building, doing puzzles, making things out of Play-Doh, reading with them, doing active play (running around and climbing stuff)...but when it comes to pretending I'm XYZ and she's ABC, or getting out the dollhouse and inventing something for the dolls to be doing, I'm looking for the exit.


----------



## BarefootScientist (Jul 24, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BellinghamCrunchie* 
Man, I wish you lived next door! I could sure use a friend just like you.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *tjjazzy* 
maybe she DOES live next door but doesn't know how to make friends with you









Ha! No, it looks like she's on a star, and I'm in Colorado.


----------



## Unicorn75 (Aug 6, 2008)

Don't know if this has been mentioned yet:

I DESPISE going to kids birthday parties. They are almost always at an inconvenient time, guaranteed to interrupt naptime for DD. The ones at the "kinderplay" type places are so loud with Abba blasting that it puts my teeth on edge.

My "favorite" was a party for 3-5 year olds at a bowling alley. Imagine 20+ kids (oh the horror) taking turns to bowl, with the balls dropping on the floor, lights flashing, loud music, kids screaming, kids arguing over who gets to use the pink ball, why did Jimmy get two turns, etc. Then, let's feed them crappy pizza and soda or red fruit punch. then, all the parents standing about, because there is nowhere to sit, and trying to make small talk over all the noise, while simultaneously keeping an eye on your own kid to make sure they do not drop the 7 lb bowling ball on their toe.

Yeah, good times.


----------



## InMediasRes (May 18, 2009)

Wow. So many people hate pretend. I love playing cars and animals, building block houses and the coolest train tracks ever. My DH and I built a cool train track after bedtime one night.







But then again, my family had tons of model trains when I was a kid.

I don't much like cooking because DS eats all the ingredients, but otherwise it's fun. So is playing bubbles in the sink. DS also walks freely in the grocery and "helps" me shop. We count peaches and throw things into the cart. Sometimes it doesn't work, but I can't imagine doing it otherwise.

I also love to sing and dance and do crafts, but DS doesn't let me sing, or he only lets me sing this one song that I hate. I hate going out to eat also. I never get to enjoy it like I think I should.









I don't do day trips. More than 20 min in the car makes me really cranky. I don't do bedtime routines either, although putting DS to bed usually takes up to an hour anyway.

I think I will hate reading aloud as well. I have a mother (who I think is dyslexic) who ALWAYS reads EVERYTHING aloud, even when I am sitting right next to her trying to read it myself. I think listening to a kid dragging on and mispronouncing everything will drive me batty.

I also don't know how people listen to their kids use bad grammar and not want to correct them. Our neighbor kids always say "her" instead of "she" and "them" instead of "they". Of course, I have a very hard time not correcting adult's grammar, so...

Too funny listening to everyone's version of princess. DS plays cars (boy thing, right?) but they are always nursing and going to sleep and kissing each other's owies. It's decidedly un-masculine, and I love it.


----------



## BarnMomma (Dec 12, 2008)

I love outside activites with DS...hiking, fishing, horses, skating, skiing, gardening have gone great and DS is only 2. We will drive anywhere for fun! Under 1.5 hours is local!

But ask me to sit and play on the floor with his toys? No thanks.

And frankly, our day begins at 5 AM. Leave me alone time happens at 4 and a movie is played while I cook dinner in peace. BUT, DS is very agreeable in the kitchen so if he wants to help I have no qualms.


----------



## hipumpkins (Jul 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Crystal_R* 
Playing pretend. I hate that. Building things, playing outside, games, reading, whatever, I'm ok with. Pretend I haaaate.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jessy1019* 
What I don't like and don't want to do with mine is pretend play. I was really into it as a kid, am still really creative in lots of other ways, and I think my imagination is still pretty sharp . . . but I don't want to talk for dolls or pretend to be a character or whatever. Just NOT fun, and I know other parents who do it happily. I'll play games, read books, do crafts, but when it comes to actual PLAY, that's on the kids.

Sitting on the floor trying to make toys talk literally makes me fall asleep. My kids have yelled, "mommy!" to wake me, many times during that kind of play.
With Dd it ends as me putting on a play with toys whiel she watches with very little participation. Ds is happy to play blocks and cars so I don't have to talk as much.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rainyday* 
Getting out the flour and cookie sheets and letting the kids play with their dump trucks and excavators and shovels in there, plus with water to mix in when they want - all inside the house during the winter. A mom told me how much fun her kids have when she got that stuff out for them and all I could think was how I would be cleaning that up forever! It sounded like that was a regular wintertime activity for them, which sounds great for her kids, but I couldn't do it.

I tried this and OMG the mess. the kids have done it again but I have million rules now and I sucked the fun out of it.


----------



## tjjazzy (Jan 18, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BarefootScientist* 
Ha! No, it looks like she's on a star, and I'm in Colorado.









damn! wouldn't that have been a happy coincidence??


----------



## NightOwlwithowlet (Jun 13, 2009)

I love to play pretend! I joke that I had my son to relive my childhood with money and driver's lisence. I even play Barbies with my nieces. Two hours building castles and setting up train tracks to carry the invading dragon armies? I love it.

The things are I hate are kid's music, especially in the car. I hate playing board games and doing puzzles with little kids. I really, really hate doing arts and crafts. Luckily, my son dislikes kids music, he prefers Woody Guthry and Steve Earle and Willie Nelson. He thinks board games and crafts are boring.

My deep dark confession is I really don't like is sports for kids (under 16). I can't stand attending games, practices, or sports banquets. I don't understand what the fuss is about, why the parents get so worked up, and how come I sould give up three afternoons a week. I'm secretly thrilled that my son quit at t-ball and refuses to sign for team sports. I'm glad he prefers swimming, Tae Kwon Do, and running.


----------



## mjg013 (Jul 29, 2008)

I despise craft time. I only do it with my kids once in a blue moon. It basically entails covering the entire room we're using with old sheets, stripping most of them naked so they don't ruin their clothes then trying not to freak out while they make huge messes, fight over the red paint, or get mad and want me to fix it for them. Inevitably one of the 2 year olds make off with a black crayon or a red pen when I'm not looking and proceed to decorate whatever room in the house was repainted most recently.


----------



## Down2Earth (Jan 23, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *stormborn* 
Oh, music counts? Good. I loathe any music made for kids. So far anyway; if Tool wants to produce a kids album I'll try again.







:
Until then, Manowar has put both kids to sleep just fine without making me want to put out my eardrums with an icepick.

Do you want to hear the good news or the bad news? There is Tool children's album. It's called Rockabye Baby lullaby renditions of Tool. And depending upon how much you like xylophone, you might like it. Personally I can't stand how much they slow down the songs. Thankfully my DD is okay with the original version.









ETA: Ooops! Someone beat me to it! I guess I should read the WHOLE thread before posting.


----------



## Down2Earth (Jan 23, 2008)

Whew! I finally finished reading this thread. Too funny!

I don't get the nightly bath thing. It's such a PITA to take a dry baby and make her wet right before bed. I just put her in the tub while I shower and her butt usually plugs the drain enough to give her something to splash in.

Disneyland is not high on our list of priorities. I guess we will go eventually. But DH and I loved Disney before baby. We bought season passes and would go almost every Monday (DH's day off.) We would pack bread, cheese, grapes and water and would spend the whole day there. We would spend maybe $10 or $20 tops. It was cheaper than a movie!


----------



## erratum (May 26, 2008)

I dig playing pretend. Except, this kid I babysat for used to make me be more than one character at the same time. So you're talking to yourself AND having to come up with twice the inane dialogue as usual! It makes you feel totally schizophrenic!


----------



## Cascadian (Jan 28, 2009)

Ok, I know this might be a totally unpopular one, but I *hate* dragging my kids with me to every single errand I have. Sure, I'll do it on occasion, but it always takes 3x as long, in and out of carseats, needing to pee, hungry, bored, fighting, etc. etc. ad nausum. And the whole "Can I have a candy/toy/thing that look like candy but it's an adult suppository.." followed by the (hungry, tired) meltdown. Dh and I usually take turns running out to do errands ALONE. Just isn't my thing. And they'd rather be in the backyard playing.

Oh...and I can't stand organized sports, mostly b/c of the other parents


----------



## nina_yyc (Nov 5, 2006)

I hate playing pretend. I don't really like playing at all. It is not my responsibility to entertain DD. Ditto colouring. I thought I would really get into it since I loved colouring as a kid, but she just wants me to draw things for her. Meh.

Also, kids' music, TV shows, and crappy books. I'm not as fundamentally opposed to TV as our home life would lead you to believe. It's just that you could not pay me enough money to watch that crap, or hear very annoying songs repeated all day, and our house is small. Luckily, DD's TV time is limited and she's currently watching a bunch of Muppet Shows from the 70s and 80s, which I find hilarious. Then there's the seemingly endless number of kids' books that have absolutely nothing to offer in the way of writing or story. Just because there are words on each page does not make it a book. DD has been pretty much limited to the ones that have at least some sort of beginning, middle, and end. I don't really mind Eric Carle but I did think this article was hilarious -http://www.slate.com/id/2231033/

OTOH, I don't mind cooking, cleaning, or errands with DD one little bit! It may be slow progress on my chores but I still make progress, and she gets to feel good about doing something 'real.' I could see this changing when baby#2 comes along....making one kid part of your own life is one thing, but two kids??


----------



## hippiemommaof4 (Mar 31, 2008)

umm lol I notice that a lot of moms I know with only 1 or 2 kids do a lot of things I cringe at and wouldnt even consider with all 5 of mine, like when our playgroup paints ceramics....my two year old in a ceramic store gives me a panic attack just thinking about it lol.being involved in anything sports related, nope. anything really competitive skeeves me out too. errands,anything super messy,story times at the library my kids would never sit there and behave, mommy and me activities where all the other kids just sit there happily while mine are jumping around being loud laughing and the other parents are staring....do you want me to keep going? lol








NAK


----------



## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

Heh; this is a great thread!

I dislike... um, anything that requires effort.







That includes complicated craft projects, overly physically-exerty games, and pretty much taking DD anywhere. We don't have a car, and the pram's currently on the fritz, so taking her anywhere means walking AND lugging whatever groceries/nappies/library books etc are necessary for the trip. It's hard enough summoning up the oomph to take her on a necessary multiple errand (like today - yawn!); but taking her to something like Mainly Music (which we do sporadically), playdates (pretty much never) or, heaven forbid, the swimming pool? Gah!

The whole "cooking with kids" thing makes me giggle. I love cooking and look forward to doing it with DD, but it occurred to me the other day that it may not be as idyllic as I expect. I used to let my (significantly) younger sisters "help" me with cooking when I was a teenager, and it usually ended up in frustration and shouting. I was never willing to compromise the product for the sake of fun, so if a small sibling tipped out some of the flour by accident there was hell to pay!

DH jokes that while my mother, who hates cooking, always used to greet my culinary endeavors with extreme enthusiasm, I'm likely to respond to DD's cooking with "What a sweet Mother's Day breakfast, honey, but you don't make custard with custard powder, you have to use real eggs, and remind me to show you how to make a proper iced chocolate one day". It's possible...









I do like reading to her though. She's 18 months and really into books all of a sudden, so that combined with her recent language explosion makes it quite interactive and fun. I even do voices... my old school teachers would be amazed.









Oh, and ditto for kids' music. DD's favourite music is Billy Joel, Rent and Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Oh, and rap. We don't listen to rap, but if it comes up in a movie she's start bopping and head-banging like nobody's business. Whitest kid in the world. Don't ask me.


----------



## AndrewsMother (Jul 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamalisa* 
I hate going to the park. I really really hate going to the park. I'm all for bike rides and playing outside, making chalk drawings and blowing bubbles, playing catch and all sorts of outside stuff. But "LOOK AT ME!" "Watch me climb this!" "Watch me slide!" "Watch me swing!!" Dude, really, I almost die of boredom. I'm going to start sending my sitter to the park with dd, that's how much I hate it. I'm willing to pay for someone else to do it.









So I am not alone!! I hate the park. I hate sitting there with nothing to do. It is hot, and humid ALL YEAR LONG, or at least 9 months of the year. I don't want to play on the equimpment with him and watching a child go up and down the same slide over and over again is monotonous at best.

Reading out loud is for the birds. I skip pages ALL.THE.TIME.


----------



## WC_hapamama (Sep 19, 2005)

Intentionally matching mother-daughter, or family outfits. Uh, no thanks!


----------



## VroomieMama (Oct 9, 2008)

I RARELY read to my dd but whenever she asks me to read her a book then I'll read it to her. Unless she loses focus or start watching TV or whatever, then I'll just stop reading to her. And I rarely go to her room when its her bed time to tuck her in. I always give her a big hug, kiss and say good night babe before she goes to her room to go to bed. I ALWAYS feel guilty when I see a movie showing that a mom or dad reading their child a book in bed then tuck them in afterward. That always makes me feel like a lazy or a bad mom.


----------



## VroomieMama (Oct 9, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *erratum* 
I dig playing pretend. Except, this kid I babysat for used to make me be more than one character at the same time. So you're talking to yourself AND having to come up with twice the inane dialogue as usual! It makes you feel totally schizophrenic!


----------



## bjorker (Jul 25, 2005)

Pretend Play. I'm terrible at it. Terrible!

I'll gladly play with the building toys with her, do crafts, etc, but I'm not playing pretend, hrmph!


----------



## hottmama (Dec 27, 2004)

We have had a ban on toys that make noise all along. I go to other parent's houses and here kids pushing buttons on those things and want to get up and leave. So, so, annoying. We don't allow kids' music or movies that aren't even trying to be good (ie all that straight to dvd kid junk). We almost never paint, playdoh isn't allowed inside, and I don't think we've ever done a proper "craft." I pretty much suck at and hate pretend play, although I love to watch them pretend, just don't like participating.

On the other hand, we never babyproofed and I loooove sports-- I coached t-ball when my oldest was 5 and will probably coach more teams in the future, I stay for practices, throw the football around at home, and cheer every game. And I love the park-- my boys are entertained for hours while I sit and read a book!


----------



## erratum (May 26, 2008)

oh, i almost forgot:

pushing anybody. on anything. ever.


----------



## shanniesue2 (Jul 4, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MusicianDad* 
DD's Barbie went bungy jumping! Except the string always feel off when tied around her ankles so it was tied around her neck...

Can I just say..... LMAO!!!!









I don't really enjoy pretend play.

Oh, and EC-ing. I read these articles and posts from people who EC, and all I can think is "good for them." I get the concept. Really, I do. But the thought of hodling a 1 month old over a toilet, carrying a potty chair wherever we go, constantly spraying our carpet with odor/stain remover, and walking around with a cloth dipe spread over my hip just in case baby pees/poos on me? No thank you.


----------



## lolablitz (Oct 14, 2009)

Quote:

I don't care much what my kids play with - to me micromanaging their experience has gotten to be more annoying than anything.
Right on, love it. I hate seeing parent's projecting their own anal retentive ways onto their children....and getting into a pissing party over it ~ my child has never seen a TV, well we don't use electricity/gas/corn, yeah well my child wears leaves in place of diapers, mmm mine picks the organic local small-farmed non-capitalist food she eats and prepares it herself..and she's 2.

Don't get me wrong, I have a great respect for the cloth-diapering, whole food eating, carbon-footprint reducing set and I try to do my part as well. I just hate the pissing parties.

This thread is a great read. My DD is only one, so we're still finding our way.


----------



## AbbieB (Mar 21, 2006)

I don't get the style of homeschooling that is a home version of a classroom. I know parents that start "class" at 7:30am with the pledge, and go through the day with a set schedule for each subject. Even lunch and outside play are scheduled. Of course, they think that unschoolers like myself are lazy, neglectful and giving homeschooling a bad name (and don't mind telling me that either!)

And along the same lines, school schedules. Getting up early and keeping an eye on the clock. No thanks.

Bed time routines. Blah.

Keeping the house spotless. How do people do this?

Reading aloud. I don't mind doing it actually (it was my favorite part of being a kindy teacher) but DD makes it torture! And why does she only want to do it when I am half asleep or in the middle of cooking/dishes/feeding her baby brother?

I hate doing anything outside when it's hot out. I live in FL so that's pretty much from April to October.

Waiting around while DD takes a class. I had to limit her to 1 activity a week like this.

Pretend play quickly makes me nuts. DD is in a phase where she likes to direct. She likes to feed me all of my lines and then correct me when I do it "wrong".

I do like cooking with DD. I just don't expect her to complete a project, she always looses interest at some point.

Looking at the toy aisle is the reward for cooperating with me when I have to run errands. We hit Target up frequently for TP, soap and shampoo, prescriptions, etc... so I make it the last stop.


----------



## HappilyEvrAfter (Apr 1, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamalisa* 
I hate going to the park. I really really hate going to the park. I'm all for bike rides and playing outside, making chalk drawings and blowing bubbles, playing catch and all sorts of outside stuff. But "LOOK AT ME!" "Watch me climb this!" "Watch me slide!" "Watch me swing!!" Dude, really, I almost die of boredom. I'm going to start sending my sitter to the park with dd, that's how much I hate it. I'm willing to pay for someone else to do it.









I'll go back now and read all the other replies, but THIS times 1,000!!!!!!

The park we drive by everyday is the bane of my mothering existence.
I didn't like the park as a kid and I don't enjoy it anymore now.

"Momma, come up and go down the slide with me." Ugh, no thanks. I will do a million other things for you, but PLEASE NOT THE PARK.

I even hate it when he's off playing with other kids and I'm stuck with the mommas....hmm, that might even be a worse fate.








and







@ the park.


----------



## crunchymamatobe (Jul 8, 2004)

This is a spin-off of the playing pretend thing, but my DS has a puppet that I have been known to hide.

"You put dragon [the puppet] on your hand. You make dragon do XYZ. Dragon reads me a book. Dragon plays trains. Dragon builds a tower with me."

I hate the dragon.


----------



## Deefodil (May 25, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamalisa* 
I hate going to the park. I really really hate going to the park. I'm all for bike rides and playing outside, making chalk drawings and blowing bubbles, playing catch and all sorts of outside stuff. But "LOOK AT ME!" "Watch me climb this!" "Watch me slide!" "Watch me swing!!" Dude, really, I almost die of boredom. I'm going to start sending my sitter to the park with dd, that's how much I hate it. I'm willing to pay for someone else to do it.









I am TOTALLY with you on this one.

Also, I am jealous of parents that enjoy setting up and doing craft projects with their kids. I like to do MY crafts - but I'm a perfectionist and can't stand the mess that the kids make, or their imperfections, or the fact that after they make something, they RUIN it!!







I'm always wanting to snatch the painting away from my DDs and say "STOP! It's perfect the way it is! Stop adding more!"


----------



## HappilyEvrAfter (Apr 1, 2009)

Ok, so now I've read all the replies...it's amazing how differently we all are!!

I will admit...I LOVE going to Toy'R'Us with my kid, not just the toy aisle at Target/WalMart.







We can spend HOURS in there and leave with nothing.
I love taking the kid to soccer. Though I dread the other moms, I totally enjoy doing nothing but watching him run around and kick the ball.
I love playing frisbee with him. It's awesome!
I love taking him with me on all my regular errands.
I love doing craft projects with him...hitting up a craft store is exciting for us.
I love bath time....it's our chat time.
I love going to movies with him.
I enjoy CEC so long as I'm not dragged around and expected to pretend to be engrossed in the games.








Maybe that should be a S/O thread....









I hate teaching him anything formal....writing, reading, etc. It's drives me bonkers. All the other "conceptual" things I'm ok with.

I hate kids music too...except for kids Christmas music (we listen to it year round). We are avid headbangers and air guitar players!!!!!!!

I REFUSE to do anything outside in the cold. YOU wanna out on a coat and freeze your tail off, kiddo, go.right.ahead. *I* will be in the house with two pairs of sock, flannel long underwear and sweat drinking hot tea!!!!

I loath pretend play too. I've really tried to endure it for the sake of the kid, but even as a kid the closest I got to pretend play was sticking my nose in a book.


----------



## Theoretica (Feb 2, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *CrunchyMamaToBe* 

I hate the dragon.

















:


----------



## Jugs (Mar 18, 2009)

The park, as well. I live on Long Island, aka: Land of the $400 Umbrella Stroller. I always feel like an outcast in my jeans, sandals and pony tail, next to the other moms all decked-out in Ann Taylor, high heels, in full make-up, sipping fancy coffee, and each kid has a Happy Meal in hand. None of the parks have trees (can't waste municipal funds on raking leaves, eh?) and that full-on sunlight makes my fibromyalgia flare-up. Ugh. Plus my kids are both runners and need to be supervised more closely than many other kids, especially autistic ds.

The day I can sit on a bench and read a friggin book while my kids play is the day I will go to the park. Some overcast would be nice, too. LOL.


----------



## 2goingon2 (Feb 8, 2007)

lolablitz said:


> Right on, love it. I hate seeing parent's projecting their own anal retentive ways onto their children....and getting into a pissing party over it ~ my child has never seen a TV, well we don't use electricity/gas/corn, yeah well my child wears leaves in place of diapers, mmm mine picks the organic local small-farmed non-capitalist food she eats and prepares it herself..and she's 2.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I have a great respect for the cloth-diapering, whole food eating, carbon-footprint reducing set and I try to do my part as well. I just hate the pissing parties.
> 
> Don't know how I missed this thread and I haven't read through everything but this cracked me up. So true.


----------



## riverscout (Dec 22, 2006)

Traveling with babies or young kids.

No matter how much fun we had on the few trips we have been on with our daughter, it just never seemed worth all the trouble to me. We've only driven to see my mom a few times, and we flew to NYC once because my DH was awarded a free trip through work. Yeah, we had fun, but it was just too much work.

Now that we have a second, you could not pay me money to travel anywhere at this point. Between my daughter's constant talking and need to use the potty, and my son nursing and being in diapers and just being a crazy one year old, I'd rather eat dirt that go any further than the grocery store.

Once they get older though, I think we will have a blast traveling, but not until they can feed themselves, put themselves to sleep, and wipe their own butts .


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Deefodil* 
Also, I am jealous of parents that enjoy setting up and doing craft projects with their kids. I like to do MY crafts - but I'm a perfectionist and can't stand the mess that the kids make, or their imperfections, or the fact that after they make something, they RUIN it!!







I'm always wanting to snatch the painting away from my DDs and say "STOP! It's perfect the way it is! Stop adding more!"









This is why we don't do more crafts. If I'm in _just_ the right mental space, I totally love it. The rest of the time, my prefectionist streak mucks everything up. DD1 is mostly content to draw, colour and craft on her own, though.


----------



## katiesk (Nov 6, 2007)

Quote:

But the thought of hodling a 1 month old over a toilet, carrying a potty chair wherever we go, constantly spraying our carpet with odor/stain remover, and walking around with a cloth dipe spread over my hip just in case baby pees/poos on me? No thank you.
thats not quite what it looked like for us...!


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AbbieB* 
Waiting around while DD takes a class. I had to limit her to 1 activity a week like this.

I loved that when I only had one. It was reading time, and I didn't feel guilty! Now, while dd1 is in ballet, I have to entertain ds2. It's not bad right now, because there's a playground outside. But, once the rain begins in earnest, it will be different. I don't like taking him in the car covered in mud, and he will be covered in mud if I let him into that playground when it's wet.


----------



## journeymom (Apr 2, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Smokering* 
Oh, and ditto for kids' music. DD's favourite music is Billy Joel, Rent and *Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog*. Oh, and rap. We don't listen to rap, but if it comes up in a movie she's start bopping and head-banging like nobody's business. Whitest kid in the world. Don't ask me.

_Stand back everyone, nothing here to see. Just imminent danger, in the middle of it, me! Yes, Captain Hammer's here, hair blowing in the breeze, and the day needs my saving expertise._








10 y.o. ds loves Doctor Horrible. Well, we all do.


----------



## FondestBianca (May 9, 2008)

overscheduling. I have no intention of making a job out of signing my kids up for 9000 out of the house activities or groups. If I have 4 scheduled things (including doctors appointments) in a MONTH I feel busy. I can be busy all day at home without feeling totally warn out. Leaving the house with kids just sucks the energy out of me.

I'm not sure if this exists IRL but I see it on TV and in movies. Those groups where moms sit around in a circle with their babies in their laps singing "the wheels on the bus" while flapping their babies arms around to the beat of the song. GAG! I love to sing and be silly with my kids but, that scenerio erks me.

Hosting playdates at my house. NO WAAAAAY! Bratty kids messing up my house! I'm sorry but, there seems to be a lot of children who do not understand how to treat material items or other people's homes. Stomping on things, throwing stuff, breaking things on purpose, spreading junk everywhere without any intention of cleaning it up, screaming, spilling carelessly, demanding things, terrorizing my dogs and cats .... no thanks! I like a calm household.

Homeschooling. Nope, just not my gig. I love doing art projects, going on science oriented outtings, reading books, teaching about the world, animals, nature, numbers, writing, and such.... but not for hours on end. Several hours straight 4 to 6 days a week would drive me batty.

Subject myself or dd to kids music. Kidz Bop (kill me now) or similar music directed at kids. No cartoon soundtracks or singalongs. There are plenty of kids friendly songs to listen to that I like too. Dd's definatly has preferences though. Slowly she is starting to branch out a bit from upbeat, fast, and fun stuff to more mellow and less mainstream stuff. This week she has been requesting an odd combo of Imogen Heap and Patti Paige.
----------------------------
things I do like that others seem not to:

sports! Watching or coaching. Dh is really into this as well. He coaches several people, 3 days a week, IN our house... for FREE and we're both ok with that.

art projects. I do hate the clean up though. I love art and spent lots of time with it as a child so I can relate.

Pretend. I like escaping reality for a moment to play pretend with dd. I was ALWAYS playing pretend and using my imagination as a child. We play with dolls or stuffed animals and yes, I give my characters a silly voice and personality. I find it extremely entertaining to hear what sort of plots dd comes up with and how her characters react to the nutty things my characters do or say. I always thought acting would be fun and as a mommy this is about as close it gets. Now that dd is 4 I think we're going to start making movies together too. Something I used to do for fun in the late teen years.


----------



## journeymom (Apr 2, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *riverscout* 
Once they get older though, I think we will have a blast traveling, but not until they can can feed themselves, put themselves to sleep, and wipe their own butts .

Plus, they won't remember any of it now anyway. Wait till they're older and can appreciate it more and will make memories for their adulthood.


----------



## nolansmummy (Apr 19, 2005)

I don't like kids music- My kids ask for rock n roll!
I also don't like bathtime, i am so thankful ds is old enough to take a shower by himself now and dd likes short baths.

I also hate the park- sooo blah for me now that my kids can do everything. At least when they were younger i could help them out, now i just sit on the bench and read or be bored outta my mind!

Amusement parks- fun, water park- no way. Heights+tubes+stairs+ lots of people in a tiny space= no fun for me, i'll let dh handle that one.

and lastly, homeschooling. I hate school, not good at learning, have no desire to do this whatsoever, however, if for some reason either kid needs out of school i would immediately pull them and have my mom home school (she already said she would )

Love reading this thread!


----------



## crunchymamatobe (Jul 8, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FondestBianca* 

I'm not sure if this exists IRL but I see it on TV and in movies. Those groups where moms sit around in a circle with their babies in their laps singing "the wheels on the bus" while flapping their babies arms around to the beat of the song. GAG! I love to sing and be silly with my kids but, that scenerio erks me.

They exist. We've done it. Thankfully now my DS refuses to participate in "singing time." A huge relief to me.


----------



## siennaflower (Aug 31, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *New* 
My family doesn't know Chuck E. Cheese exists.







:

Oh how I wish. Dh insists on taking dd there all the time. I don't see the point. If we had saved all the money we've wasted going there, playing the same games over and over and eating their awful food, we could have taken a trip to Disney. I love Disney.

I tried a playgroup at the park once but I got sick of listening to the other Moms moan and groan about their lives and planning 'girls nights out' to bars and dance clubs. Not my cup of tea. McDonald's playland was much more up my alley, dd always had someone to play with and I had A/C









I don't do camping. Period. I dislike the beach but dd loves it so I suck it up a few times each summer. I'm also not very sporty, but luckily dd isn't either. I do like doing crafts and cooking with her, playing board games and cards and reading books. The library is our home away from home.


----------



## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

Quote:

I'm not sure if this exists IRL but I see it on TV and in movies. Those groups where moms sit around in a circle with their babies in their laps singing "the wheels on the bus" while flapping their babies arms around to the beat of the song. GAG! I love to sing and be silly with my kids but, that scenerio erks me.








We do this. Mainly Music, it's called here and it's very common - mothers, the odd father, plenty of grandparents and nannies take their kids.

I hate it a lot less than I expected to, actually. It's fun ogling the other babies and it makes me feel like a Real Mother, because I'm pretty slack about playdates/going to the park/swimming lessons/baby ballet/all those other enrichment activities cool mothers do.







Mostly I just hate having to get out of bed, get ready and walk there by 9:30AM. Oh, and remembering to have the $3 cash it costs per week (including morning tea, so by no means a ripoff, I just don't tend to carry cash).


----------



## momofPL (Nov 12, 2008)




----------



## accountclosed2 (May 28, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Smokering* 







We do this. Mainly Music, it's called here and it's very common - mothers, the odd father, plenty of grandparents and nannies take their kids.

I hate it a lot less than I expected to, actually. It's fun ogling the other babies and it makes me feel like a Real Mother, because I'm pretty slack about playdates/going to the park/swimming lessons/baby ballet/all those other enrichment activities cool mothers do.







Mostly I just hate having to get out of bed, get ready and walk there by 9:30AM. Oh, and remembering to have the $3 cash it costs per week (including morning tea, so by no means a ripoff, I just don't tend to carry cash).

NZD $3, not USD (at least not when we last went in June before going overseas)







. But our Mainly Music wasn't the sort of sit around in a circle with the baby in your lap, moving babies arms to music. I know that because that (the circle-type) is the ONLY sort of get-together/class/playgroup thing we can find where we live now, in Sweden. We sit around in a circle, the leader is sitting in the cricle to, we sing, no background music, only get up to dance around with baby in arms at the end (babies are 10 month-19 months old). But afterwards theres morning tea, and then a lovely play room, which is worth it to us (There aren't a lot of SAHMs around here).

Mainly Music was much more open; a large room, no circle, a lot of up and dancing to music, playing with instruments, scarves, parachutes, having theme days with dress-up, photos etc. Kids of varying ages from newborns to 5-yos - so someone to look up to for the little ones. Lots and lots of props the kids got to hold, play-acting. Background music and the leaders wore headset mics. An overhead projector showing the lyrics. New cool songs introduced. And only pay when you are there, don't have to pay per term. Visitors welcome.


----------

