Friday, April 13, 2012

7 Quick Takes Friday: Toddler Questions Edition


I wish I had enough brain power and energy to come up with interesting and read-worthy Quick Takes. However, I really don't have the mental capacity to string coherent sentences together. Just last night I kept asking my husband to wash the microwave and he kept looking at me like I was a crack head. I could not for the life of me understand why he wasn't understanding what I was saying. Finally after a little meltdown from me, and laughter from my husband I realized I was saying microwave instead of pan. "Just wash the damn pan!" I finally yelled. Yeah, we have a super holy marriage.

But I have some questions that I REALLY need answers to. Please help.

1. Joe absolutely HATES to have his teeth brushed. I mean, I might as well look like this when I come up to him with the toothbrush.



He screams like I am torturing him. It's definitely a two person job- my husband holds down his flailing limbs and I have to hold his face and pry his mouth open. It is quite a challenge and it would be SO much easier to just not brush them, but I don't want his teeth to rot and fall out before he hits age three. Those darn little teeth were a pain in the butt to come in so you're damn right I'm going to take care of them!

I've tried being really cheerful and not show my anxiety and letting him "brush" his own teeth, but when he sees that toothbrush come out it's like I'm pulling out a butcher knife.

Any tips (besides tranquilizers) to help us brush his teeth? Or is this just a phase we have to endure for awhile?

2. I'm tired.



Like, really really tired.

I'm sure that this pregnancy is adding to the exhaustion, but it seems to be getting worse. From 7:00 a.m. -9:00 p.m. I'm chasing after Joe. When he finally goes to sleep I want some time to spend with my husband, watch TV and get online. I'm usually ready to crash by 10:30. I'm usually awake at 6:30. That's 8 hours of sleep, although those hours aren't always restful sleep.

My favorite time of day? 9:00-10:00 when Sesame Street is on. I sit with Joe in the recliner while he watches it and I doze off. But I feel like I need more rest than that!

So I'm just curious- what time do you go to bed at night and wake up in the morning? What gets you through the day? (I drink one Dr. Pepper a day and that barely gets me through.) Also, I understand that Joe getting up at 7:00 is late for some people, but for this grump who hates mornings, 7:00 is the Devil's Time.

3. I know I've asked this before, but how do you do time-outs?

Joe is really really loving pushing the boundaries. He especially loves to push the boundaries on the little one-year-old girl I babysit. He pushes her down, tries to bite her, hits her in the head and body slams her. So yesterday was the first time I put him in time-out. I did one minute in a certain spot. He kept trying to get up, which I knew would happen, so I just held him for one minute. Is that totally wrong and cruel and am I setting him on the path for serial killer-ism?

I look him in the eye afterward and explain why he was in time-out. And then he runs off and two seconds later I'm prying him off of the little gal. I swear it's not working.

4. Speaking of Joe going all ninja on the girl I babysit- I'm so nervous about when this new baby comes. I figure there will be jealousy issues, but now I'm more worried that Joe will try and drop-kick his little brother. I obviously know to keep a close eye on him when he's with the baby, but I really don't know if I will have the energy to keep Joe from hurting the baby. Joe will be about 23 months old when the baby is born, so maybe he'll have matured by then.

Did any of you have problems with this? Is there anything I can do to prevent it from happening?

5. When did you start potty training? How do you even start? We got Joe a potty chair for Easter and I don't think he is ready considering he puts his foot in the hole where the pee and poop go and tries to climb in it.

6. The awesome Kate posted an article on my Facebook that immediately made me feel a little better about Joe eating dirt and climbing up on the changing table. You can read it here.

7. Joe got his first professional haircut on Good Friday! There's nothing like sharing in Christ's sorrowful Passion than holding down a screaming, fighting, stubborn toddler while a woman with scissors comes near his head!

The before shot. He's happy to be in a Cars chair!

Getting a little suspicious, but his very first lollipop is distracting him...

But not for long! We had to go to a big-kid chair and have me hold him...





The after shot. He's happy now that the demon lady with sharp things is gone and he got another lollipop!

Have a wonderful weekend, y'all!

8 comments:

Alzbeta said...

So, I posted my #1 thoughts on facebook, but as far as the sleep thing... it helps that Anni is in bed at 7, it gives us a lot of time in the evening. She has been waking up at 6:45-7, which I kind of hate, but those evening hours are precious, so I can deal.

Timeouts... arg! So hard! Recently, I've just been setting Anni in her room so we can both regain our dignity a little (she's been biting a lot.) Because I know she's safe in there, I will sometimes close the door for 1 minute. When I open it, she's completely calm and moved on. It's the only thing that's working for us right now.

We are just barely edging into potty training, but plan on doing the full-fledged weekend training within the next month or so. On that note... I've heard 2 for girls and 2.5 for boys as far as being ready. Anni is capable of telling us when she has to go (she almost never does, but she's getting the idea), so we kind of know she *can* do it.

Anonymous said...

on the time-outs:

We have never actually held our kid there. We simply keep putting them back when they get up and sometimes a stern, "No. Time-Out" when putting back down. I think around 18 months I also will start the time over...this royally pisses them off, but it seems to get the message across that the longer you fight, the longer you're gonna be in time-out. Good luck...getting started is the hardest part!

I have a friend who had her first son potty-trained before he turned 2. She is like the only person I know who has been able to do that.

We started Dominic around 3 months before Vincent was born and it didn't work. He just wasn't ready. You'll probably be surprised whatever ends up motivating him. For Dominic, it turned out to be Spongebob Squarepants underwear. I had no idea! But when he asked for them in the store (total impulse buy) and I said he had to go in the potty to be able to wear them...he started going in the potty. I can't believe it but now...Dominic doesn't even need a stool to go potty. it's crazy.

Yay for a big boy haircut! Dominic was like that, too and he was 18 months for his. Some hair stylist said, "You don't see girls in here screaming like that." I was like...yeah, most girls don't have to do it until they are like, 4 or 5 years old! with Boys you have to do it earlier..." oy.

Have a great weekend!

Catholic Cookie Jar said...

Hi Maggie! I am an OT student,and we have been learning about sensory issues recently. Joe may dislike the sensation of the toothbrush in his mouth. Here's a good resource for decreasing sensitivity in his mouth:

http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/teeth-brushing.html

Also, this is directed towards children with autism, but I think some of the tips could still be useful.

http://www.sharonscreativecorner.com/661/brushing-ideas-for-a-child-with-autism/

Hope that helps a little bit!

Anonymous said...

I love your blog, you're so funny!

Ok, so I have no advice. I'd tell you what my mom did, but since I love my mother, I don't want to make it seem like she was an abusive wench. She wasn't, but she did scare the ever-loving piss out of us on a regular basis.You know that crazy-eyed look people get when you can tell they're a little unhinged, and will do whatever is necessary to accomplish their goals? That's how she smiles.

But, she raised 8 kids, and thus far none of us have committed serial murder.

That I know of.

I hope it gets easier, and, after all, Simcha Fisher said it would.

Catholic Cookie Jar said...

I just realized I should add a little disclaimer that I am not a licensed OT and it may very well not be sensitivity issues. That's just a speculation!

Unknown said...

Teeth brushing, lol. Susi hated having her teeth brushed. It was a huge wrestling match every night until she turned three. Now I still help her, but I don't have to wrestle her anymore.

Time outs just don't work for Susi. I found time-ins, talking, and logical consequences work better for her. The joys of having a girl :).

Jenny said...

Emma was three months shy of being three when she potty trained. I was getting so aggravated but I think waiting that long made it a lot easier. She very rarely has accidents or pees the bed and I think it was because we waited until she was older to really 'push' the issue.

As for time-outs I've heard to just keeping putting them back until they can sit for the full time-out.

And yes, there will be jealousy issues. We face it every day and Caleb has been here for over a year now, its just part of it. They just don't understand that you love them both with your whole heart. And I'm sure Joe will beat on his baby brother, but Emma beats on hers too and he's surviving!! :D :D

jen said...

I think it could also be a sensitivity issue re: brushing his teeth.

Otherwise, the only advice I have is hang in there. My son just started preschool at age 3 and people ask me what I do with those 5 hours. My answer: SLEEP!

I also totally am with you on the haircut. My son Daniel has had three of and they all involved tears and creative restraining of him.

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