Just checking....in the parenting rule book does it say its compulsory to love your child all the time and is it ever ok to sell them at a car boot sale?

[BlueSmarties]

As I sink into a large glass of tia maria with a splash ok coke - now the little cherubs are safely tucked up in bed - I'm starting to wonder what I could fetch for ds1 - 4yrs - if I took him to the local car boot at the weekend!!!

We had a lovely, very busy weekend with lots of child friendly activities. So I know he's just tired and stressed by disruption in routine. But he's bitten his little brother really hard twice and tried to bite me countless times.

I know deep, deep, down I must really love him but it's going to take a few more Tia Maria's to dig down that far :-). Similar tales of troublesome pre-schoolers very welcome.

goblin - must try your trick on dh who is already teaching ds's to smother the carpet in rubbish. Will his smelly socks and badly concealed porn mag fit up the hoover do you think?

I find badly concealed porn fits beautifully in my shredder.

Olihan - Keltor noise reduction headphones are the dogs nuts! I have them for when I use powertools - have v sensitive hearing - but you can get them at decent DIY stores or ebay I think. The kids have them too but when you put them on they just shout because they can't hear themselves.

I found that DD acted on a first reminder, but DS needed more...assertive reinforcement.
So I used to fine him, started when he was around 11 and getting a bit full of himself.
Also the point where he was taller than me.
10p a sock. 20p trousers and shirt. You get the general idea. Didn't have to do it very often before he remembered on his own.
(He has AS and peels when he comes in the door from school due to sensory issues. Don't mind that, but dirty clothing in laundry basket please)

I have resorted to screaming back. And my 4 yo is in fulltime nursery for feck's sake.

Ooh, thanks. Am going to get me some of those asap. They sound like a fantastic invention. They'd make a fortune if they targetted the marketing at parents at about this time of year .

Arghhh, DD is only 4 months and I spent the first 2 looking for the receipt. Getting to quite like her now and didnt believe my sister who has a 3yo DD that it would all go downhill. I'm having a white wine spritzer just contemplating all this before her next feed, I'll have to be on really strong stuff in the next couple of years!

Love the gaffa taping to the floor suggestion.

I was just wondering whether 18 month olds are worth more or less than 4 year olds... I think the noise levels are the same though. You get more bang for your buck with the really littlies

I've got a 2 boys age 4 and 2 so our house is definitely all bang and no bucks!!! Neighbour complained about the noise and we are in a detached housee.

Thought maybe I could make some money by using them to teach teenagers never ever to have sex in case they get pregnant and end up with a sprog like this.

Remember this thread when they are teens and you are complaining about them communicating in grunts.
Truly, I don't miss the days of having a snarling, wailing tumbleweed of children crashing around my living room.
Although this thread is bringing it all back in technicolour, like a bad trip.

Why not try offering a 'have one, get one free' offer at the local maternity unit? Every mother that comes out with a howling 1 day old gets a howling 4 year old to keep it company?