Let me start this post by saying that both of my children make me very proud every day.
Now, maybe I'm a tad over protective, but I'm sure there are a lot of other parents out there like me. I monitor what my children watch on TV and just how much TV time they get. In a given day, there is no set amount of time they are allowed (mostly Ben right now because most of the time Sydney still doesn't notice it exists) to watch TV. It's dictated by health, behavior, weather, etc, so some days they watch more than others. One thing that doesn't change is what they are allowed to watch. I'm not just talking about the typical no violence, bad language, or sex things that I think 99% of parents can agree young children shouldn't be watching. Keep in mind, Ben is 3 and Sydney is 15 months. Everything they see on TV, they learn and they don't know the difference between real and make believe. They are very impressionable. I usually screen a show first before they get to watch it, even if it's on Nickelodeon. I know, this is probably where I become a little too over protective. My son only watches about one episode of SpongeBob SquarePants a month. I just feel like it sucks his brain out through his ears. Maybe this is crazy or overboard of me, but they don't get a ton of TV time so when they do, I don't want them to watch this mind numbing TV that isn't really educational in anyway. I know that this is also very pot calling the kettle black of me, because I love getting my fill of every season and city of The Real Housewives, Jersey Shore, and Mobwives, among many other reality TV shows.
Ok, so most people that know me, know of my England obsession. It's one that I'm hoping to pass on to my children. We like watching Mr. Bean as a family and all laugh hysterically. (I know that some people would argue that Mr. Bean could also suck your brain out of your ears, but it's different when we watch it as a family versus something that Ben watches alone in his room before bed, nap time, or while he's playing with toys, also known as making a huge mess for Mommy to pick up.) Even Sydney loves Mr. Bean and all things similar. I watch so much British TV and movies with the kids that I joke they'll pick up the accent and look like weirdos when they go to school. For the past several days Ben has been begging to watch some show that he calls Peppa Pig. If you've met my son, you know that he has a little problem with some speech and didn't say a lot in the way of real words until his sister was born. He just has a tendency to be hard to understand sometimes. I had no idea what this Peppa Pig business was, but decided that surely it's something he's seen a commercial for or maybe saw on Nick Jr or Sprout. I looked it up, and believe it or not, there really is a show called Peppa Pig. I had spent all this time trying to decipher what he really meant when he would say Peppa only to find out he was saying it right all along. After a glance at the television show's website I decided it was probably alright. I set up a recording on his DVR. (Yes, my children have a DVR in their bedroom, but this way I can turn on a show I approve of at any given time versus settling for what's on, especially since the shows changed for the summer swaying to television for older children.) Today, I turned on the first episode of Peppa Pig, only to find this show he's been completely obsessed with is from the UK. Seriously? I have raised my son right! Haha. This is not the first time he's fallen in love with a children's show that was originally from the UK though. We've watched plenty of Kipper, Angelina Ballerina, Bob the Builder and of course Thomas and Friends. He does love Thomas, but then again who doesn't? I know, something goofy to be proud of, and maybe I'm being silly and over exaggerating my excitement, but it really is cool to see that he's into something that I love as well.
I do have a legitimate reason to be proud of Ben too. Are you ready? I'm probably going to jinx us by saying this, but we've gone 3 full days with no accidents and only going potty in the big boy potty with the exclusion of the first diaper of the day which is usually wet because it's his diaper from overnight. I don't know what happened, but one day he just decided maybe he should start going to the big boy potty not in his diaper or big boy panties.
After many conversations that have happened in front of him regarding a relative that is in jail for something I will not mention, we decided we have to actually talk to him about it. We didn't want him to make his own assumptions about jail or the police. We never told him what specifically happened, only that this relative did something naughty and when grown ups are naughty, the police make them go to jail, just like when kids are naughty they have to go to timeout. I think he took this conversation and mixed it with us telling him that he needed to go to the big boy potty. Every time he would have an accident and would lie and say "Me didn't poop Mommy." when he did, he would get in trouble because lying is naughty. I think that he's somehow associated having accidents with going to jail, and the reason I've come to this conclusion is because he told once or twice that the cops took away this relative for pooping in a diaper. I do feel the need to clarify a few things here. First, this relative is truly a good person who may or may not have made a few mistakes. Anything you have built up in your head about why he's in there is probably wrong. Also, my husband, myself and nobody else for that matter has EVER told Ben or insinuated that he would go to jail for pooping or peeing in a diaper or a pair of underwear. This is purely something he came up with on his own. The wonderful imagination of a 3 year old.
My crazy boy has discovered funny faces.
He also found this wig in a toy box at his Granny and Pa's house, and paired it with Pa's favorite hat for a look all his own.
Even though she wasn't really mentioned in this blog, I had to post a picture of my beautiful girl.
Now, maybe I'm a tad over protective, but I'm sure there are a lot of other parents out there like me. I monitor what my children watch on TV and just how much TV time they get. In a given day, there is no set amount of time they are allowed (mostly Ben right now because most of the time Sydney still doesn't notice it exists) to watch TV. It's dictated by health, behavior, weather, etc, so some days they watch more than others. One thing that doesn't change is what they are allowed to watch. I'm not just talking about the typical no violence, bad language, or sex things that I think 99% of parents can agree young children shouldn't be watching. Keep in mind, Ben is 3 and Sydney is 15 months. Everything they see on TV, they learn and they don't know the difference between real and make believe. They are very impressionable. I usually screen a show first before they get to watch it, even if it's on Nickelodeon. I know, this is probably where I become a little too over protective. My son only watches about one episode of SpongeBob SquarePants a month. I just feel like it sucks his brain out through his ears. Maybe this is crazy or overboard of me, but they don't get a ton of TV time so when they do, I don't want them to watch this mind numbing TV that isn't really educational in anyway. I know that this is also very pot calling the kettle black of me, because I love getting my fill of every season and city of The Real Housewives, Jersey Shore, and Mobwives, among many other reality TV shows.
Ok, so most people that know me, know of my England obsession. It's one that I'm hoping to pass on to my children. We like watching Mr. Bean as a family and all laugh hysterically. (I know that some people would argue that Mr. Bean could also suck your brain out of your ears, but it's different when we watch it as a family versus something that Ben watches alone in his room before bed, nap time, or while he's playing with toys, also known as making a huge mess for Mommy to pick up.) Even Sydney loves Mr. Bean and all things similar. I watch so much British TV and movies with the kids that I joke they'll pick up the accent and look like weirdos when they go to school. For the past several days Ben has been begging to watch some show that he calls Peppa Pig. If you've met my son, you know that he has a little problem with some speech and didn't say a lot in the way of real words until his sister was born. He just has a tendency to be hard to understand sometimes. I had no idea what this Peppa Pig business was, but decided that surely it's something he's seen a commercial for or maybe saw on Nick Jr or Sprout. I looked it up, and believe it or not, there really is a show called Peppa Pig. I had spent all this time trying to decipher what he really meant when he would say Peppa only to find out he was saying it right all along. After a glance at the television show's website I decided it was probably alright. I set up a recording on his DVR. (Yes, my children have a DVR in their bedroom, but this way I can turn on a show I approve of at any given time versus settling for what's on, especially since the shows changed for the summer swaying to television for older children.) Today, I turned on the first episode of Peppa Pig, only to find this show he's been completely obsessed with is from the UK. Seriously? I have raised my son right! Haha. This is not the first time he's fallen in love with a children's show that was originally from the UK though. We've watched plenty of Kipper, Angelina Ballerina, Bob the Builder and of course Thomas and Friends. He does love Thomas, but then again who doesn't? I know, something goofy to be proud of, and maybe I'm being silly and over exaggerating my excitement, but it really is cool to see that he's into something that I love as well.
I do have a legitimate reason to be proud of Ben too. Are you ready? I'm probably going to jinx us by saying this, but we've gone 3 full days with no accidents and only going potty in the big boy potty with the exclusion of the first diaper of the day which is usually wet because it's his diaper from overnight. I don't know what happened, but one day he just decided maybe he should start going to the big boy potty not in his diaper or big boy panties.
After many conversations that have happened in front of him regarding a relative that is in jail for something I will not mention, we decided we have to actually talk to him about it. We didn't want him to make his own assumptions about jail or the police. We never told him what specifically happened, only that this relative did something naughty and when grown ups are naughty, the police make them go to jail, just like when kids are naughty they have to go to timeout. I think he took this conversation and mixed it with us telling him that he needed to go to the big boy potty. Every time he would have an accident and would lie and say "Me didn't poop Mommy." when he did, he would get in trouble because lying is naughty. I think that he's somehow associated having accidents with going to jail, and the reason I've come to this conclusion is because he told once or twice that the cops took away this relative for pooping in a diaper. I do feel the need to clarify a few things here. First, this relative is truly a good person who may or may not have made a few mistakes. Anything you have built up in your head about why he's in there is probably wrong. Also, my husband, myself and nobody else for that matter has EVER told Ben or insinuated that he would go to jail for pooping or peeing in a diaper or a pair of underwear. This is purely something he came up with on his own. The wonderful imagination of a 3 year old.
Even though she wasn't really mentioned in this blog, I had to post a picture of my beautiful girl.
Comments
Congrats on the Potty training! We might have to ask you for so boy training tips; its supposed to be a little bit harder. Jake is excited for when Jonas is old enough to aim for Cheerios in the toilet (LOL).