A fashion explosion

This is what happens when we let our 2-1/2 year old daughter dress herself. A kaleidoscope of colours and patterns. And to keep things fun, she changes frequently throughout the day.

I think this is a common problem for mothers with little girls. One mom I know told me that she had to remove all the clothes from her daughter's bedroom because she couldn't think of any other way to stop her from pulling out and wearing her entire wardrobe every single day.

The secret's out

My 2-1/2 year old daughter Lauren has got penis envy. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll know that. We at home have become used to her comments about penises around the house. But today...well, today, she took it outside.

She had her first ballet class today, and when all the little girls were dancing free-form with their scarves, Lauren rolled her scarf up, slid it between her legs and announced, "I have a penis!"

Soccer? NO. Karate? NO.

Last spring, we introduced my then four-year-old son to soccer. He kicked the ball maybe three times over the course of the eight-week class, and spent the rest of the time whining by my side, dancing to the beat of his own drum in the middle of the field while everyone else was playing, and trying to get one-on-one time with the teacher while he was trying to instruct the kids. I did what so many parenting experts suggest. I faithfully brought him to every class, and just let things happen. I wanted to show him that when we start something, we finish it. I let him know that when the eight weeks is over, we don't have to do soccer again, but that we had to finish the eight weeks, period. At the end of the last class, he cried and told me he didn't want soccer to end! I was and still am puzzled. He participated the least of all the kids and cried and whined during every session, and now he was crying about it ending?

So this season, we have him in an introductory class for karate. Same drama as above unfolded and is unfolding. Last night, I tried not to make eye contact with him so as not to encourage him to run over to Mommy and squeak out of participating. I don't know if I should try to leave the gym next time or not. This Sunday, Daddy is taking him to his class. I am so tired of having him cling to my knees. And I feel bad for the other kids in the class who get robbed of their instructor's attention because Benjamin keeps trying to get the instructor's attention for himself.

I haven't a clue what to do. Anyone have a child like this?

Let's be honest

Sometimes you want to just give your kids away. I do today. But the way they're at each other's throats, I'm sure there wouldn't be any takers. Argh. Bedtime is just three hours away. Counting down the minutes...

The upside of vomit

When is vomit conveniently good? When it happened to my son in the middle of the night after Halloween trick-or-treating. Sure it was a gross experience -- throw-up was all over the bed and his pajamas, not to mention he was a little scared by it. But he is now convinced that Halloween candy causes him to vomit and as a result, he has vowed never to allow candy to pass his lips again. Somebody, pinch me! I couldn't believe my good fortune when he made this announcement. My son was voluntarily denouncing candy!

I later found out that he probably got food poisoning from some food that was served at the Halloween party at his school earlier that day, as a number of his classmates and his teacher got sick too.

But whatever the real reason for his throwing up, I can't bring myself to tell him the truth. No more hiding candy, no more negotiating how many he's allowed to eat, no more explaining cavities over and over again.