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Original poster

Let's hear your "why didn't I think of this before" parenting moments

185 replies

geekymommy · 05/05/2015 18:40

DD (will be 3 in August) was home sick yesterday. She kept asking us to give her medicine, as she does not yet understand why taking too much paracetamol is bad. We had been trying to explain to her that too much medicine is bad. Then yesterday evening, DH used the mouth syringe we were using to give her medicine to give her a little paracetamol mixed with water. (She can drink medicine from a cup, but didn't want to this time) After she finished that, she asked for more. He gave her plain water in the syringe, which she happily took. I thought "why didn't we think of this before?" It would have worked a lot better than trying to explain to a sick toddler at 2am why taking too much medicine is bad.

Let's hear some of your parenting moments like this.

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Postchildrenpregranny · 06/05/2015 22:03

My grown up children still love the smell of 'me' i.e. my perfume RedChecked I used to do that to . Definitely worked .
Save your energy for the things that matter .I did not like my DD1 eating anywhere but in her highchair . But I realised one day as she sat on the stairs eating grapes she'd found in the fruit bowl that it really didn't matter that much (except for messy stuff Strictlyison) It applies as they get older too -short skirts, too much make up, messy rooms, loud music . Let it go . Be thankful if they don't 'do' drugs, cigarettes, (excess)alcohol, swearing(excessively) and getting ill-advisedly pregnant ...
But evening baths saved my sanity I'd sit on the floor and read until they got wrinkly ...

LovelyBranches · 06/05/2015 22:52

Magic dust talcum powder lightly sprinkled over a child who can't won't sleep works miracles.

Kiwiinkits · 07/05/2015 00:57

A tiny drop of food colouring in the water will entice even the most reluctant bather to get into the bath

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Kiwiinkits · 07/05/2015 01:00

But my best tip is never to fall, out of not-being-bothered, into a behaviour you don't want to see continued forever. For example, don't allow them to beg food from you at the table if you don't want that to continue. Don't allow them to whine when asking for something if you don't want it to continue. Don't offer other food if they refuse to eat what's in front of them. Etc etc.

Nip things in the bud straightaway and in the medium and long term you'll have a much easier ride than the parents who couldn't be bothered.

Kiwiinkits · 07/05/2015 01:02

Ignore my previous post. Not really in the spirit of the thread.

GnomeDePlume · 07/05/2015 05:20

Kiwiinkits I dont know, I think you are right.

Your post reminded me of a conversation I had with someone before she had her DCs. She couldnt understand why parents were strict on certain things all the time and why couldnt they just let things go sometimes.

My explanation was pretty much what you said in your post. If you let something which is important to you go then it can take forever to get it back again. It is fine for granny/uncle/aunty to be indulgent but as a parent you dont always have that luxury.

As I have explained to my DCs - you have grandparents to be nice to you, that isnt my job.

BalloonSlayer · 07/05/2015 07:13

Kiwi I think you are right too. Someone up thread said about not bathing every day. When I first saw this thread title I also thought of the day I realised that they didn't need bathing every day - what a relief! Fast-forward to them being smelly teens and we had a hell of a time getting them to have a bath/shower daily because they weren't used to it and couldn't understand why it suddenly mattered when it never had before.

IDismyname · 07/05/2015 07:28

When DS was little, and we'd had a really stressy day, or he was tired, or I was tired... I'd climb into the bath with him. Just sitting there for 20 minutes playing in warm water calmed us both down and stopped me reaching for the gin
Needless to say, it stopped when he was about 3!

HSMMaCM · 07/05/2015 08:20

I agree about the daily baths thing. My brother put his children in the shower every night and I kept wondering why. He now has teens who shower every night.

Lightroom · 07/05/2015 08:42

My DS had a bath every night for years and is a reluctant washer as a teen. Do-it-when-they're-little-and-they'll-do-it-for-life isn't always true!

unlucky83 · 07/05/2015 08:47

I disagree with the bath thing ...I think it is a phases thing.
I stopped giving older toddler DD1 a bath everyday when she was 4ish and her eczema improved enormously. She mostly hated having a bath anyway so it was a battle - so my life improved too. (not just the lack of a daily fight but also no more slavering her in cream)
Fast forward to 9-10 and it was a battle to get her to wash.
As 11-13 year old I couldn't get her out of the shower - had to threaten to turn the hot water off after 30mins ! (no idea how I could do that -but a threat that worked.)
Now 14 and toying with being - no idea what it is called - alternative/emo/grunge...I have to remind her to get into the shower again. If she smells I tell her (harshly) and she will slope off for a shower (some time later...so she isn't doing what she is told Grin)...
Sure soon it will be a long shower every or even twice a day again soon ...
And IMO if a 14 yo stinks you tell them but it is their problem not yours...

Newquay · 07/05/2015 08:50

Bath mornings - I put dc who is 3 in bath then we both have breakfast in bath - baby watching from chair beside bath. Done.

Love the thread - brilliant brilliant minds at work here!

bluejelly · 07/05/2015 09:10

When they're small, never ever give them a choice of food. There is one option, if they don't like it (or say they don't) then they obviously aren't hungry. Just shrug your shoulders and don't react. Cuts fussiness down to almost zero (in my experience).

Again when they're small, distraction is way more effective than discipline if they're acting up. And really they don't turn out to have no manners/morals.

MatchsticksForMyEyes · 07/05/2015 10:56

I have made DD (7) memorise my mobile number in case she gets lost. She practised every day and came straight out with it when someone asked me for it last week when she was with me. Now to try and get DS (4) to do the same, who is far more likely to actually get lost...

Jenni2legs · 07/05/2015 12:32

Another bath one. When DC's are clashing I put one of them in the bath. It's a way to separate them without sending them both to their rooms.
Also really chills out my highly strung DD, when DS is quite happy to wind down by reading.

Mercedes519 · 07/05/2015 13:41

Mine was the revelation that DS (4 at the time) could open his own bananas!

You know how you just get into the habit of it and do it automatically. He handed it to me, I looked at it and had a moment of clarity. I handed it back and then he opened it. Has done ever since.

I often find it takes a moment like that - or seeing another parent - to realise you've got into habits that aren't good for your DC.

Hillijx · 07/05/2015 14:49

Breastfed baby poo stains disappear in bright sunlight, I never believed this with dd1.....but it does work.

My 3 yr old is currently washing up milk bottle tops to help me.....I have a lot of them!

MERLYPUSSEDOFF · 07/05/2015 15:37

When younger DT2 was a medicine woos. I don't blame him, that bright yellow anti-b stuff is vile. I told him the importance of taking it and he was allowed to have a spoon of ice cream syrup (in a medicine spoon) afterwards. Because of the gloopiness of the ice cream syrup the swallowing action seems to wash the bitterness away. It also made him feel in control.
Gripe water (even aged 7) is the cure all for when they have a 'I can't sleep because I suddenly have xxx wrong'. That and vicks vapour rub for aches that aren't calpol worthy.

Gumps · 07/05/2015 15:55

Don't bother putting PE kit/swimming kit away. Just pack it back into its bag once washed so it's ready to go again.
My friend gave me this tip and I have no idea why it hadn't occurred to me.

goodasitgets · 07/05/2015 16:02

Oops when they fall over works or as my dad used to sing "pick yourself up, brush yourself off..."
Until said child falls over, stands up with missing teeth and a face full of blood and starts singing
Yes, that was me and my dad got SO many looks that day GrinGrinGrin

YouAintSeenNothingYet · 07/05/2015 16:18

Writing my phone number on my kids' arms in biro when we're on a trip somewhere and making sure they know it's there and what it's for. I just hope that if they get lost then someone can cal me straight away rather than panicked searching and announcements and stuff. I hope that I never have to put this to the test. They're too small to work a phone of their own yet.

unlucky83 · 07/05/2015 18:55

Gumps I do that! - I have a bag for every activity on a peg in the cloakroom....only recently found out that people pack it every time!
In fact I also don't wash things like ballet leotards (for younger children) after every use - they wear it for an hour FGS. I usually wash them every term.
Also at primary for DD1 I used to get her to bring her PE kit home every week to wash (had two sets)...for DD2 it gets washed when it gets sent home at the end of term Blush (Although secondary (and for the last year of primary) it gets washed after every wear...)

littlesos · 07/05/2015 20:53

Cutting the feet on babygrows which still fit on the body but were too short in the leg and adding socks.

knittingbee · 07/05/2015 21:17

Give Calpol when kids are in the bath. Quicker to clean up spills or dribbles from tiny ones. Chuck a freshly made bottle of formula in the freezer for super-fast cooling. Keep cosy socks for yourself in the nursery - you'll thank me when you end up spending an hour settling a teething baby. Ditto a nice wooly throw/blanket over a comfy chair.

ppeatfruit · 07/05/2015 21:36

Teach your dcs to breathe slowly through their noses, to get to sleep (it worked like a dream for ds) and put a little drop of ess. oil of lavender on their pillows to calm them and help sleep. Give it a name like fairy scent or some such they love it!