small lifestyle changes after kids

(ted) wrote in message . com...
I was thinking of making curtains for my living room. DH was saying
the kids will wipe their faces on them and/or pull at them so we
should wait for few years. I can't deny this because I distinctly
remember doing that when I was little. Also, I was checking out nice
planters for indoor plants and I thought about the same thing.

So I thought I would ask what small lifestyle changes did you make
when your kids were little (less than 5 years old?) I know having kids
changes your whole world but I'm asking about minor changes.


It's been a bit different with each of our three. With the first and
the third, all breakable decorations (and we have a lot) had to be
moved onto the few way-high surfaces; the rest go into storage. I
think we put them back out sometime after the oldest was 2; the third
is still dangerous. But the second could be told no and redirected to
the point where a lot of it stayed put.

Also, with this third, keeping all doors closed religiously to
minimize her area of potential destruction. My older 2 kids, and even
some of their friends, are also in the habit of closing all doors
behind them (we're lucky in this case that our house has a door on
almost every separate room).

After my 2nd, I got used to a lifestyle of doing everything, and I do
mean everything, with a baby on the hip (she was ULTRA-attached to me
but happy to simply be with me, observing the world, so I basically
took her everywhere). After the third, it became the direct opposite:
I don't do anything WITH the baby that isn't almost 100% baby-oriented
(she is loud and ULTRA-active and will shriek if not allowed to get to
whatever it is that has attracted her curiosity).

Spelling out the words "mom" and "go" if they should need to occur in
the same sentence. At 17 months, my third is pretty happy to be with
Daddy or Granny, but NOT if it is rudely brought to her attention that
Mom is actually leaving the premises. If we're subtle about it, she
plays along.

Not tucking shirts in anymore. Giving all belts away to charity.

Wearing the same pair of earrings for 6 months at a time.

Having friendly, nonintimidating, two-way conversations with
construction workers on the street (first and third babies were/are
obsessed with trucks and other noisy things).

Getting to know the other people on the street who have small children
or dogs (I tend to enjoy anonymity).

(ted) wrote in message . com...
I was thinking of making curtains for my living room. DH was saying
the kids will wipe their faces on them and/or pull at them so we
should wait for few years. I can't deny this because I distinctly
remember doing that when I was little. Also, I was checking out nice
planters for indoor plants and I thought about the same thing.

So I thought I would ask what small lifestyle changes did you make
when your kids were little (less than 5 years old?) I know having kids
changes your whole world but I'm asking about minor changes.


It's been a bit different with each of our three. With the first and
the third, all breakable decorations (and we have a lot) had to be
moved onto the few way-high surfaces; the rest go into storage. I
think we put them back out sometime after the oldest was 2; the third
is still dangerous. But the second could be told no and redirected to
the point where a lot of it stayed put.

Also, with this third, keeping all doors closed religiously to
minimize her area of potential destruction. My older 2 kids, and even
some of their friends, are also in the habit of closing all doors
behind them (we're lucky in this case that our house has a door on
almost every separate room).

After my 2nd, I got used to a lifestyle of doing everything, and I do
mean everything, with a baby on the hip (she was ULTRA-attached to me
but happy to simply be with me, observing the world, so I basically
took her everywhere). After the third, it became the direct opposite:
I don't do anything WITH the baby that isn't almost 100% baby-oriented
(she is loud and ULTRA-active and will shriek if not allowed to get to
whatever it is that has attracted her curiosity).

Spelling out the words "mom" and "go" if they should need to occur in
the same sentence. At 17 months, my third is pretty happy to be with
Daddy or Granny, but NOT if it is rudely brought to her attention that
Mom is actually leaving the premises. If we're subtle about it, she
plays along.

Not tucking shirts in anymore. Giving all belts away to charity.

Wearing the same pair of earrings for 6 months at a time.

Having friendly, nonintimidating, two-way conversations with
construction workers on the street (first and third babies were/are
obsessed with trucks and other noisy things).

Getting to know the other people on the street who have small children
or dogs (I tend to enjoy anonymity).

On 17 May 2004 13:02:15 -0700, (ted) wrote:

I was thinking of making curtains for my living room. DH was saying
the kids will wipe their faces on them and/or pull at them so we
should wait for few years. I can't deny this because I distinctly
remember doing that when I was little. Also, I was checking out nice
planters for indoor plants and I thought about the same thing.

So I thought I would ask what small lifestyle changes did you make
when your kids were little (less than 5 years old?) I know having kids
changes your whole world but I'm asking about minor changes.

Thanks.

We didn't make many of the small changes that you
seem to be talking about. We discussed it, and the preference
was to do our best to watch/teach instead of the alternative.
So, curtains stayed, plants (except one or two that may have
been a hazard) stayed, and the coffee table stayed. Two
and a half years into it, all has worked out.

We didn't change anything for reasons of potential
mess, only a couple to avoid possible breakage. Small trinkets
in the living room went to a higher shelf, one top-heavy floor
lamp was removed, and the basement door was rigged to
allow cats-only access to their facilities. I think that covers it.


P. Tierney

(H Schinske) wrote

We bought leather furniture for durability and easy clean-up.

Now that the kids are teens, we have leather furniture again -- because of the cat.

Rupa

(H Schinske) wrote in message ...

We've left the curtains, but they're curtains that we could in theory just wash
and iron and put back up (do we ever DO this? well, not very often ...). I do
once in a while have to yell at my son not to wind himself up in a curtain, but
it's not a constant battle or anything.

--Helen

Brandt's Law of Curtains - the *only* time your under-5 child will
wipe his/her face on the white sheer curtains surrounding the table is
after said child has had tomato sauce.

I swear I can almost see the thought process in my 3 year old: "Hm.
I've just had a great meal of spaghetti and I want to get down and
play. But my face is messy. Oh look! Curtains! As I pass by on my way
to play, I can just grab one and wipe. How convenient."

So the issue here is getting the children to use the napkins that are
not only next to their plates, but also *piled* in an easy-to-get-to
basket on the table. Fortunately, I've reduced this to barking out a
one word order: "Napkin!"

In this vein, some of the lifestyle changes I've made involve napkins,
paper towels, toilet paper and various cleaning tools and products.
I know that for the 12 years BC (Before Children) my house was way
cleaner and we used far fewer paper products.

- Bev

"ted" wrote in message
om...
I was thinking of making curtains for my living room. DH was saying
the kids will wipe their faces on them and/or pull at them so we
should wait for few years. I can't deny this because I distinctly
remember doing that when I was little. Also, I was checking out nice
planters for indoor plants and I thought about the same thing.

So I thought I would ask what small lifestyle changes did you make
when your kids were little (less than 5 years old?) I know having kids
changes your whole world but I'm asking about minor changes.

Thanks.

Not too much. We were pretty minimalistic to begin with, and not prone to
decoration. I guess we put up gates which my husband thought was ugly.

Baby gates and outlet covers.
Nothing fragile on low shelves.
Nothing poisonous in low cupboards.
No movies out; Videos at home instead.
Finally having storage containsers for buttons, nails, and other timny
items (baby food jars).
Room decor overshadowed by primary colored plastic items.
Use my nose MUCH more, useful in deciding when to change diapers and in
located half-chewed biscuits before the house becomes infested.

The kids are older now; we've replaced a great deal of framed art with
youthful art, especially in the family room. (Removable tape seems not
to damage paint ...)

--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

"Bev Brandt" wrote in message
m...
(H Schinske) wrote in message
...

We've left the curtains, but they're curtains that we could in theory
just wash
and iron and put back up (do we ever DO this? well, not very often ...).
I do
once in a while have to yell at my son not to wind himself up in a
curtain, but
it's not a constant battle or anything.

--Helen

Brandt's Law of Curtains - the *only* time your under-5 child will
wipe his/her face on the white sheer curtains surrounding the table is
after said child has had tomato sauce.

Stram's Corollary: Or a nose that is running like a faucet.


Donna

On 17 May 2004 13:02:15 -0700, (ted) wrote:

I was thinking of making curtains for my living room. DH was saying
the kids will wipe their faces on them and/or pull at them so we
should wait for few years. I can't deny this because I distinctly
remember doing that when I was little. Also, I was checking out nice
planters for indoor plants and I thought about the same thing.

So I thought I would ask what small lifestyle changes did you make
when your kids were little (less than 5 years old?) I know having kids
changes your whole world but I'm asking about minor changes.

Not many. OUr house was not too cluttered. Put some of the
collecibles away as well as a solid glass curio cabinet briefly.

I would make sure that everything was washable. Always had curtains,
always had plants, pets, decent furniture (yes, Im a mean parent, I
have the no climbing, no jumping, no running rule).

Barb

Thanks.

No movies out; Videos at home instead.

My husband and I go out once a month to every 2 months by ourselves. It
would kill my hubby if I said no movies out! It helps that I have my MIL
and FIL only 3 miles away and they love having my daughter over. They have
her right now in fact so that I could get my house cleaned. I am going away
for 2 weeks so I wanted my hubby to have a clean house when I left

Tori

--
Bonnie 3/20/02
Anna or Xavier due 10/17/04
"Beth Kevles" wrote in message
...

Baby gates and outlet covers.
Nothing fragile on low shelves.
Nothing poisonous in low cupboards.

Finally having storage containsers for buttons, nails, and other timny
items (baby food jars).
Room decor overshadowed by primary colored plastic items.
Use my nose MUCH more, useful in deciding when to change diapers and in
located half-chewed biscuits before the house becomes infested.

The kids are older now; we've replaced a great deal of framed art with
youthful art, especially in the family room. (Removable tape seems not
to damage paint ...)

--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the
milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.