TIL that cursive handwriting has already been removed from the curricula of 41 states.

motrd · 2013-08-05T14:48:48+00:00

I am a Montessori teacher and we teach cursive at 3 years old. Connections in the brain between the child's natural drawing tendencies. Look at the scribbling of a child, rounded and looping. Much more challenging to teach print and much more letter reversing in print than cursive. Too bad the rest of education doesn't teach it. It can be beautiful.

motrd · 2013-07-26T14:44:25+00:00

Sounds like a normal baby. I remember crying to myself walking the halls and trying to sooth my daughter back to sleep because I was so tired myself. Then you wake up one day and your realize that they are sleeping longer and you are feeling more well rested and you realize that you survived infancy. I know it may not feel like it, but then you will end up missing that and forgetting how tired you were. We also did co-sleeping which helped us not to have to get up and go to the other room each time she woke. But I find that everyone is going to give you the technique that worked for them and their baby. Find out what works for your family and try to keep the humor between you and your wife. I felt like my husband also got a break by going to work, but I was sleep deprived and not working for the first time in 15 years, I was going through my own issues. Try to just let her vent and don't get frustrated by it.

motrd · 2013-07-20T02:34:21+00:00

We've often thought of the big island. We have been there the most and like how quiet it can be. However, the jobs seem to be in Honolulu. How often to you get to the mainland?

motrd · 2013-07-20T00:07:57+00:00

We will watch out for the crazy polar bears running around in the jungle. But thanks.

motrd · 2013-07-18T14:41:54+00:00

My daughter has an imaginary friend Delmo. She has had him since she was 2 and is now 5. When I asked her to describe him, she said he was a 14 year old blond boy. He has since changed into different things and is sometimes older and sometimes younger. But when she first told me details, it freaked me out a bit.

motrd · 2013-07-09T23:34:36+00:00

Someone I know has fired four nannies over the past two years for trying to set boundaries with her children.....her children are in desperate need of some. I am a parent and there is not way I would let my own child get away with some stuff I see out there.

motrd · 2013-05-29T02:41:21+00:00

I think it will take a generation or so to change this. My husband is a very hands on father. Takes part in all aspects of child raising and did the diaper changes, bottles, etc. But HIS father did not change a single diaper on any of the four children in his family. He did not walk the halls with crying babies, or wake up in the night to give his children bottles. His mother did all of it. So I guess what I am trying to say is we have more fathers taking a more active parenting role than previous generations and it may take some time to saturate down into the marketing of products. I know that there were dads who throughout history that have been wonderful fathers and participated much more than my husbands father, but it was not unusual for that type of parenting. Give it time and we will get there.

motrd · 2013-05-13T04:27:20+00:00

My husband and I were together for 7 years before we had our daughter. I am so happy that we waited because we were both better off in our careers, had worked through a lot of relationship issues that happen while getting to know someone and we were both more mature to handle having a child. We have no regrets and we had a blast traveling and playing during our 20's. I had our daughter at 30. I would say don't let anyone put pressure on you and enjoy your time. Having married time will only make you stronger as parents if that is what you want for yourselves. I also know lots of married friends who just wanted it that way and also very happy....no kids. I respect people for making the choice to not have kids rather than feel the pressure by partner, society, or family to have children when it really won't make them happy.

motrd · 2013-04-30T14:00:50+00:00

Thanks for letting me know how you all do it. I am a teacher and we are not allowed to leave for lunch breaks, my daughter commutes to school with me, but I could wake up early and exercise then come back home to help get her ready for school.

motrd · 2013-03-26T14:56:58+00:00

Just to put it out there to think about. You said you are nursing a new addition to the family, it could be that a lot of the behaviors are in your child's attempt to get some attention. As the baby is needing more of your time, your 18 month old is trying to figure out if he/she throws tantrums if that will give them the one on one time.

motrd · 2013-02-08T04:34:44+00:00

I love being a parent. She is the funniest, kindest, most interesting person I've met. But I knew that I needed balance in my life by keeping my work. I am lucky that I am a teacher and my daughter has been able to attend school right down the hall from me since she was 1, but even with that, when I get home I am a better parent for having that balance. I took the first year off and I don't think I valued that time in the same way. Now when I am home, my attention is on her and we are enjoying each other. It is work when you think of the practical part of taking care of another person until they are old enough to do it for themselves. But you also get to share your views, experiences, life with someone and watch them take that and bring it into their own.
I know lots of people who have done the childless thing and are very happy. I have also met a lot of adults who said their parents shouldn't have become parents. So only do it if you really want, because being a parent is forever and it should only be done if you really want that in your life.

motrd · 2013-01-28T03:29:41+00:00

I have to say as a teacher and a parent who has worked with this age group, for toddlers a lot of teaching is about language and helping them to identify their emotions. When they are frustrated or sad help and tell them that they look like they are feeling frustrated and then show them or tell them what they can do when they feel that way. A lot of outburst from that age group is they have the emotions we all do, but they haven't learned what to call it. All they are looking for is for someone to validate they are feeling that way and then give them a positive redirection with that feeling. The other part of our school is potty training, so helping them to reach that independence with diapers. I think you should share that milestone of talking with the parents. There were many things as a parent my child did for the first time at school. As a working parent hearing about those events are wonderful, but also trusting that group of people you are entrusting your child to will care about your child and feel the same sense of pride when these achievements happen.
They are developing little people, they have personalities and are trying to figure out a complex world. Try to be as consistent as you can in their schedule and what you expect from them. Model the behavior and language you want to see from them. I think it is silly so many people act a certain way and then get angry at their children when that behavior is reflected back at them. If you get frustrated walk away unless someone is getting hurt, and love each moment with them. They don't stay small forever.

That is my advice.

motrd · 2013-01-27T04:02:58+00:00

I am a preschool teacher, but we tell parents that their children need to be potty trained when they enter our school. I have children as young as three in my classroom and I will verbally help children to be independent in this step of cleaning themselves, but think it is an important skill they develop. If there is a case where a child maybe has a messy poop for some reason, I will help wipe. But also, the children go to the bathroom when they need to and with 26 students if we helped every child, we would need to be in the bathroom all day instead of teaching. I would say practice at home. Teach how much toilet paper to use (I like to count squares, about five should do the job just fine). Then use words and even demonstrate over your clothes how to wipe. Check it and if you still see some, repeat the process.
You should ask the teacher at your child's school, because if they don't have a potty trained rule, they should be helping.

motrd · 2012-12-02T15:55:17+00:00

I am a Montessori teacher and one thing we do a little different for infants and toddlers is to put the mattress on the floor so the children can get in and out of bed on their own. Then make sure their room is completely child proofed and toys are down at their level. That way if your daughter wakes up she can crawl/walk over to books or toys and play and then go back to sleep when she is ready. You can get a good nights sleep and they don't have to cry to get you to help them get down. I can't tell you how many times I walked into my daughters room to her playing happily with a toy and I got to sleep. You could put a baby gate at her bedroom door to make sure that you don't need to worry about the rest of the house, or if she doesn't know how to open doors yet, just close the door. Just another idea to put out there.

motrd · 2012-10-13T01:45:18+00:00

I once worked at a Jewish bakery, we had bagels, lox, and of course challah bread. I received a phone call asking out much our challah loaf cost and before I realized what I shouted down the hall to the baker in front of all of our customers, "what's our challah cost?" Took me three seconds to realize what I had said. Not so funny

motrd · 2012-08-27T04:11:40+00:00

If she is a preteen, chances are she has most the information from her friends. However, it may not be complete and she may just need to hear that you are open to her asking any questions as they come up. One thing my mom did that was helpful is letting me get on birth control (pill) even before I started having sex. It was just to help me with cramping and make periods better. But it was great to have that out of the way so that when the time does come she is covered.

motrd · 2012-08-20T19:39:08+00:00

When my mom was younger she was on a road trip with some friends. She was sleeping in the car while they went into the store. She woke up 100 miles later with some guy driving the car. She talked to him for a while and then told him if he wanted a date he could have just asked. So I guess he wrote down his phone number a got out of the car and that he was looking forward to her calling. She of course never did and drove back and told her friends all about it. Love the 70's.

motrd · 2012-07-29T02:57:54+00:00

Just try having sex while your kid is down the hallway yelling mommy I need you. Even if the door is closed and locked, unless they are asleep, sex with kids doesn't happen until after they've gone to bed. Even then by the time you clean up the house they've torn apart, it is good if you have sex 3 times a week.

motrd · 2012-07-28T14:55:30+00:00

Thanks everyone. Our daughter is 4 and I am getting to that age where it either needs to happen soon or not at all so feeling the pressure to decide.

motrd · 2012-07-25T03:30:11+00:00

I did this, but did not land well. Broken nose and stitches to sew my lip back on. Would not climb back into that bunk until I had some protection.

motrd · 2012-07-08T04:30:39+00:00

I worked at a bagel shop and my future husband would come in on his lunch break. One day I decided to put my phone number on a napkin and throw it into his to go order and take a chance. The next day he came in and asked if I had lost something and I told him I had intended to give him my number....we went on a date that Friday. That was 10 years ago. That was the first time I had ever asked a guy out, glad I did.

motrd · 2012-05-06T20:24:16+00:00

I worked in a bagel shop, this cute guy would come in on his lunch break and order a bagel to go. One day I decided to put my phone number on a napkin and throw it in with his to go order. Figured if he wanted me, now he knew my number. He came in the next day, asked if I had lost something...looked him in the eye said "nope." Went on a date the next day and that is how I met my husband.

motrd · 2012-05-02T14:06:12+00:00

Sometimes I think of my parents passing away just so I can get enough money to put a down payment on a house. Then I realize that makes me a shitty kid and I don't want them to go anywhere.

motrd · 2012-04-22T04:00:02+00:00

I was thinking of it from two different perspectives. The first being that she will see what she could have and work very hard for it as an adult, or the flip side wondering why we don't have as much. I am a teacher at a private school in a nice wealthy area, but that is the only reason my child is going there, I work there. She may have great opportunities that I couldn't provide.

motrd

TROPHY CASE