Motivation

Sometimes I feel like just giving up. I think if I drop something then maybe I could get that little bit of extra sleep I wish I had or that extra time to relax. I want the chance to spend time with friends and family on the weekends without worrying about missing work.

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Parenting tips and today’s technology

 

       I must admit I feel lost without my cellphone, tablet and laptop. I know. I know. I shouldn’t be so dependent because I know in a few years I am going to be yelling at my children to not text at the dinner table. The questions I hear many times is when is it acceptable to give your child their first cellphone or other acceptable mobile device and what are some rules that should be enforced?

When I first started working back at the Lawrenceville Boys & Girls Club back in 2005, (I know that’s a little far back for some people.) I had just had my first cellphone for a little over 6 months. I still was only able to use it before 9pm and NEVER at the dinner table. Oh and let me come home with a grade less than a B, My phone would magically disappear for a month. By the year of 2006 I was watching 6-9 year olds playing on their phones instead of playing games in the facility. It had gotten to the point where there was a rule that banned the use of cellphones at the club. That was when I vowed that if I ever have children they were NEVER getting a phone at that site. Well three kids later and better technology I started to reconsider that decision.

My son will be going to the 1st grade next year. All throughout Kindergarten I have walked him to and from the bus stop because we live in an apartment complex and the kids are dropped off at the front of the complex. (It is a pain sometimes!) Throughout his kindergarten year I would see this little boy in the first grade get off the bus everyday and take his cellphone out his book bag. At first I was like what in the world is he doing with a cellphone at that age. One day my son and him walked together after school, (of course with me not too far behind.) and the little boy pulled the phone out as usual and dialed his mother’s phone number! I was a little surprised because I didn’t even think little one’s at that age could remember phone numbers. (Then again they can remember every song on the radio and every embarrassing moment that happens to you.) Apparently his mother gets off the same time the children get off school and she is always ten minutes later than the bus so she has him call everyday so she can be with him vocally while he walk to their apartment.  I think that is pretty cool.

After many debates and going over pros and cons, me and my husband decided to test our son out with a cellphone JUST FOR GAMES! He actually did pretty good but I still saw how he could just sit for hours and not do anything but play games on the phone.  I had to even tell him not to CROSS THE STREET WHILE PLAYING ON THE PHONE because he wasn’t paying attention. This year his great-grandmother surprised him with a tablet. That was when I decided to come up with a few rules.

 

1.) No cellphone or tablet after 8pm. (Bed time is at 9pm.)

2.) No technology during meal times.

3.) NO PLAYING ON YOUR TABLET/PHONE WHILE OUTSIDE!!! That is time to play and have fun with toys that goes OUTSIDE!!!

4.) NO FACEBOOK, TWITTER, YOUTUBE, ETC! I use to let him get on YouTube until I typed in Elmo for him and Elmo was singing a song about pimps and hoes. (Some people are just sick!)

5.) Kid friendly apps only

6.) SCHOOL COMES FIRST!! As soon as I see low scores or poor progress……EVERYTHING is gone!!

 

Theses are just my rules that me and my husband enforce with our children. You can use them as a guide or chose not to even give rules. These are just some helpful tips for curious parents.

For the past few days my 8 month old Kaylin have been teething TREMENDOUSLY!! That means I am in for noisy days and sleepless nights. Although this is my third child I have become well aware of the fact all children are different. So when I found out my LO did not take well to store-bought teething rings, I had to come up with a few more options.

Orajel: This was an instant relief for my little one. I must admit she does not like the numb feeling at first but after a few seconds she is laughing a giggling all over again. There are a few different kinds of Orajel products. I prefer the gel form because I can safely swab her gums with my finger. The tablets are effective as well but since I am a little skeptical about the choking hazard as well as I have two toddlers in the house that would probably assume that they are candy. So I just stick with the gel form.

Hand: Sometime while holding my LO she will grab my hand and pop it in her mouth and just numb away…drool and all. Instead of just pulling my hand away I allow her to just “numb numb” all over it. It helps soothe her temporarily.

Sugar-Free Popsicle: Sometime I treat my mini me with a sugar-free Popsicle. She LOVES it. Not only does she get “sweet treat” but she gets to cool those itching gums as well.

These are a few things that I do to try to calm my LO down. I try to keep her as calm as possible because this can be a really tough time for her and she is looking for that someone to make her feel comfortable and pain-free.