Thursday, November 5, 2009

confessions ...

So I am going to risk getting teased by slacka-mom (you know who you are Diane) and confess a few uptight (helicopterish) parenting issues I currently have:

#1  See the photo below????   That's a photo I took from my bed.  That dark room right across the hall with the cat prevention gate, that's Lucy's room. 


Now look at the photo below ....  right down there,  that's the baby monitor.  I still use it.  The base is in Lucy's room (you know the room right across the hall) and the receiver is on my dresser.  I still don't know if I hear Lucy in the morning from the doorway (right across the hall) or through the monitor.  I tried turning it off and had a mini anxiety attack.  So I keep it on.  I'm sort of weird.


Confession #2 
   I still use a 5 point harness carseat for my 4 1/2 year old.  We'll probably use it until she's 12 and can ride in the front seat.  The thought of putting her in a booster type seat just makes my heart race.  I can see her sliding the belt under her arm and then us getting rear ended ....   I can see her falling asleep and having the belt misalligned. I get afraid almost every time we are in the car together that something bad is going to happen.  I worry all the time.  I constantly have to check myself on judging other people for being less then completely anal retentive when it comes to car seat safety.  I hate letting Lucy ride in other people's cars.   I myself survived riding in the front seat, in the driver's lap for my entire childhood.  I believe I started using seatbelts consistently when I was 16. 



Confession #3

Most of the time I still cut Lucy's grapes in half.  To better preserve the freshness of the grapes I do send whole grapes in Lucy's school lunch bag.  I worry on grape day that she'll act crazy when she puts a grape in her mouth and choke. 





23 comments:

liruco said...

Oh, you are a woman after my own heart!!! I do all of those things, except the grapes. I did stop cutting the grapes a few months ago, but I won't send them to school because I don't think there is adequate supervision if she starts to choke on one.

Wow, I can't believe I came out of lurkdom with this post!

Anne said...

You. Are. Me.

D said...

You know, I was actually a bit like that with the first one. (He is apparently the only 9 year old "in the whole world" who still has to use a booster seat.) But the second one wore me down, and the third one broke me. That's why Jack chainsaws fallen trees, Maxy cleans gutters for me and Belo troubleshoots my electrical circuits.

Keep it up. At least you still have it left in you! :)

Christina said...

Bahahahah - on the grape thing, oh, do I hear you. Chris just (as in five days ago) started giving D whole grapes, and every time I see one go in his mouth, I feel my whole body tense. Thanks for making me feel not quite so alone in my mama quirkiness.

Unknown said...

I am not alone! Yeah! Abe, almost 6, is still in a 5 point harness. I cut grapes when I can, and I only recently quit using the monitor. I don't even care that I am sad...and now I know that I am not alone! Thanks!!

Jocelyn said...

#1- Check...room is across the hall, monitor on bedside table.

#2- not quite there yet but am close behind you.

#2- check..always cut in half!!

So glad there are other nut cases just like me:-)

Robbin Hopkins said...

See I don't feel so bad now!!!!! And I didn't even know I would WANT to cut grapes in half but I so see me doing that when she starts eating them!!!!

Anonymous said...

you are funny, and you just need more kids. But truly ditch the baby monitor

grandma

Jebena said...

Ummmm, Miss Stacy, ummmm, hello. Everything was fine sweetie until we got to the grapes BAWHAHAHAHAHAH!

Gracie's Mom said...

Stacy, I was with you up until the grapes however I must admit that I don't let Gracie eat them yet. Even though she has a mouth full of teeth, I think I'm gonna wait.

StefB said...

Mine's just over 3, but I'm with you on all 3 counts. I do let her eat uncut grapes on occasion, but only in my presence because I have to say, "cut that with your teeth" each time she picks one up. Only cut ones to school where she might be distracted and not have one-on-one supervision. The baby monitor is an "of-course" kind of thing for me. I move it into the living room when she's sleeping and I'm not. :)
Stefanie, mom to poor, over-protected Tiana

Mandy said...

Hahaha....I have a feeling I will be that way too. Especially the baby monitor! I've already thought about purchasing one, and I don't even have any idea what age child I will have for my first placement (anywhere from 0 to 8). Besides, my bedroom is downstairs and the kids room is upstairs, so that's a good reason to have one, right? :P

Deena said...

Just had to let you know that my 6 1/2 year old JUST got moved out of his 5-point harness car seat... He was a very good sport, but it was time...In theory he could have stayed in it for another 20 pounds!
Thanks for the wonderful posts. We are just starting the process of adopting a little girl from Ethiopia...more to come on that soon!

The Lost Planetista said...

At least you will still buy grapes! I know a mom who won't even buy them because she's so freaked out about it.

Tiny's Mom said...

Grapes cause me HUGE anxiety...grapes AND hot dogs! I let T eat a whole hot dog (bun & all) the other day and I literally sat right in front of her chanting "Please don't choke, please don't choke" over and over in my head.
Oh, and we just recently turned off the baby monitor...but it's still in her room, just in case ;)

suzanne said...

i have a different quirkiness. i still cut my 10 year olds chicken nuggets in half. why? no good reason except habit. i'm always surprised when i look at his plate and realize that i've done it again. this is the same boy who, with my encouragement, made pasta sauce from scratch with the biggest, sharpest knife in the kitchen. don't worry. i was watching him the whole time yelling "TUCK THE FINGERS UNDER. I DON'T WANT TO FIND THEM IN THE SAUCE".

Jill said...

Sounds seriously familiar. I am on edge all day long on the days Mari insists on wearing her necklace to school (the one she made from yarn and beads and has no safety snap-off feature). I'm afraid she'll hang herself on the slide or something.

Yup...still have the baby monitor too. Honestly, I canNOT sleep unless I hear Mari's static-y lullaby CD. She could probably sleep without it, but I can't. I actually have it on my MP3 player in case we are not at home for bedtime.

Heather said...

I'm so glad to see a 4 year old in a 5 point harness! There aren't enough parents like you out there!
I've seen so many unbelievable car seat mistakes every single day (I work in childcare)
My daughter (almost 3) is still in a rear-facing seat and will be until she's 32 pounds (as her carseat goes up to 32 pounds rear- facing and that is the absolute safest place for little ones!)

Jenn said...

Stacy, you crack me up. I am so glad we are all crazy and it's not just me. I am sure E will still be in his 5 point harness well beyond 4 1/2 too.

Laurie said...

I have two kids one 4.5 & one 6.25 & they are both still in 5 point harness & don't mind. Tried a booster seat with the oldest & saw her put the strap behind her back & leaning over when she fell asleep. Too freaky for me.

Never did use a baby monitor & cutting grapes for her is a little cautious but hey - better safe than sorry. :)

FitMolly said...

There's nothing wrong with using a five-point harness for as long as you can - and she fits in it safely. Good for you! Now the baby monitor ... that's another story. ;)

Tiffany said...

Ah...I am going to show this to Dave! We just had a big disagreement on getting a booster or another carseat. He's concerned about the money...I say it doesn't matter when in comes to our child. (I won!)

Cindy said...

Hate grapes. Very scared. Sira holds them in mouth way too long then might cry or laugh with grapes still in mouth . . . Yet we are lucky if we can even hear the boys from their room. Try it, it's nice. :)