Parenting OT

[used44]

Hey how are all the other dads doing around here? Share your kid's accomplishments, your tips, your fears, whatever.

My 9-month-old daughter just started crawling (for real, not that BS scootching) today for basically the first time. She's now going to be unstoppable.

She also grabbed my cat by the jaw/neck yesterday and I was like OHH SHIIIT but he was totally cool about it, which was surprising.

 

[danielrbischoff]

Oliver, our dog, can stand on two legs... for a little bit... plus he only does it if you have a cookie. I'm not comparing anyone's children to a dog, but that's all I have enough courage for. I feel like I would drop a baby so often. How do you handle that fear?

 

[used44]

I'm not a pussy, so I get over it.

But seriously, I dunno, my sister had three kids before I did. So I'm not bad at carrying them, I guess. And once they get a certain age they're pretty easy to handle. Once they hold their neck better and stuff.

 

[danielrbischoff]

more experience would definitely help, there were a lot of baby cousins but they life on the other side of the country and... well they're not babies anymore. I'm just going to pick up my dog and cradle him like a baby.

 

[Bretimus_v2]

Used, get ready for the next wave of baby proofing. Nothing is safe, most importantly...your baby.

My 18 month old is full of personality. She has a couple of intelligible words and has decided that going down stairs on your butt or stomach is for babies. Commence heart attacks.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

I'm not a dad, but I am officially an uncle now!

Well, sort of. My brother's sister (it's complicated) had a baby, who is 3 weeks old now or so.

Since I'm still too young to be an uncle, plus am not suuuper connected to them, my official title is "Captain Luke."


Babies still scare me, for the same reasons Dan said.

 

[Chris_Crime]

I'm scared with you around babies, too, Longo. Federally scared.

 

[Bretimus_v2]

Too young to be an uncle, not related enough to be an uncle? Bull. I was 15 when I first became an uncle. To this day I have a great relationship with my nephew. You're a wizard Harry...I mean an uncle Longo.

 

[used44]

I'm scared with you around babies, too, Longo. Federally scared.

Hahahaha. Chris, you still gots it.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

Too young to be an uncle, not related enough to be an uncle? Bull.

I meant mentally.

 

[WickedLiquid]

Me? Be a dad? Hey i'm an only child and I don't plan on sharing my toys any time soon.

 

[Sourdeez]

I need to finish college before I go making kids.

Plus I have a dream of cloning myself.
My family doesn't know how to react to me cloning myself.

 

[C_nate]

My son will be 6 in a little over two months, and my daughter will be 3 in about three months.

Everyone raises their kids differently, so I can't say much about parenting tips except to say that if you are not a patient person by nature, then learn to be one. Parenting requires supernatural amounts of patience, especially if your kids are going though the "terrible 2's" stage like my daughter is now.

Fears? Pretty much everything. When my son was born I wouldn't even let anyone hold him until they sanitized their hands. I'm not that bad anymore, but I still try to keep them where I can see or at least hear them as much as possible. My son will be starting school in the fall and I'll be nervous about that too until I adjust to the change.

 

[Bretimus_v2]

With a first grader, and a preK, I can say that it's nerve wracking. Your kids are going to be influenced by a whole new group of outsiders. My recommendation is to make the time you do spend together count, and to always keep communication a priority. We've headed off some out there stuff that other kids have told my boys (some lies, some stuff they just don't need to worry about) but it has always been from talking to them and asking them how their day was.

 

[spartan317]

My son's going to be 13 this year... Fuck, guys I'm old as balls. My son shares his views on video games with me. He prefers Oblivion to Skyrim and Fable to Elder scrolls. He has schooled me at SUper Smash Bros and mocks me openly when I play Skyward Sword.

Every man goes into parenting like its a great mystery. I did. Trick is at first to treat the kid like you did your first grown up pet (puppies and kittehs). Don't break it unless you are ready to pay for a new one

 

[Green_Lantern]

My sister keeps telling me how bad she wants to be an aunt.....I keep telling her she will have to wait a while - not even close to financially and mentally ready for a kid.

 

[Bretimus_v2]

Wait, is there a Lady Lantern in your life?

 

[Master_Craig]

I honestly don't think I'd make a very good father. The best experience with kids I have is kinda... yelling at them to do exercise at Judo, or teaching brand new kids the basics.

My two older brothers both have long term girlfriends, but even then I don't think either of my brothers would want kids yet - financial reasons and study commitments, etc.

I'm twenty five years old and I have never had a serious relationship, never had a girlfriend, so I think the idea of kids for me is non-existent, or at the very least, a long time away.

 

[Green_Lantern]

Wait, is there a Lady Lantern in your life?

Not at the moment, but even if there was, it would be the same answer.

 

[DocMoc]

My daughter fell off the bed for the first time today. Scary stuff, the first time. They seem so fragile.