Presents...et al..
 

How old is Viet-babe, again? My youngest is almost four but she has a developmental delay so I use those age guides and trend young. recently found out she likes Mr Potatohead, which is good because thats what I bought. Does Viet-babe like to write/draw? My is just beginning to play dress-up etc..but she prefers to do it with mommy's clothes....

Presents
 

Mommylawyer-VB turned 4 in Sept. Her favorite entertainment is going out to different things like shows, plays (expensive little critter she is). But she does say "I want that, Mom" about every toy advertised between Nick Jr. shows on TV. She did say she wants, for Christmas, a doll whose hair changes color but I don't know what she means (yet). I must have been daydreaming during that commercial, over coffee (Sponge Bob is about the only one that commands my full attention. Oh -- and those Wonderpets!!!).

Hope everyone is well. Be adequite. For the 12st time!

Presents
 

Ahhh gotta love Noggin and PBS Kids Sprout - the only commercials are for diapers etc.... okay so she a few months older than my daughter...i still say check out the lists of best toys and pick from there and see if she asks for any one particular thing more frequently.....

Presents
 

I checked some "best of" lists and also, some really honest ratings on Amazon.com (and listmanias and such). Right now, my list is as follows but if something is bad, please let me know!!

1. Dragon Duo Two-Headed Dragon Puppet (a puppet head for each hand; connecting body goes across both arms)

2. DVDs: “Kidsongs - Ride the Roller Coaster” and “Animal Band - Imagination Dance”

3. Disney Princess Shimmering Lights Ariel Doll (but can't get it wet b/c Amazon mommies say the singing begins to sound like Ursula!)

4. Software/books for the LitleTouch LeapPad: “The Little Engine That Could” and “Guess How Much I Love You”

5. A Glowing Teddy Bear which lights up into 5 different colors.

6. A wooden cake with pieces to pretend-dole-out called “Melissa and Doug Birthday Party”

7. The game, “Perfection” which is the one with shapes you have to find the right spot for, before the game spits everything back at you with a loud pop.

8. Dora the Explorer: ABC Game

9. Asian Cabbage Patch Girl Doll whose hair changes color (score!)

10. Littlest Pet Shop Game

11. Spinmaster Aqua Doodle Basic Mat

12. Barbie Fairytopia Mermaidia Nori Doll

13. Play Floam (Floam!)

Ooh. Not a good number. Must find a 14th.

Dollhouses
 

Does anyone have any recommendations for dollhouses, of the non-plastic variety, but also not requiring me to build it from plywood up?

Dollhouses
 

Somehow I ended up on the Hearthsong mailing list, and their most recent catalog was heavily pushing this collection. It seemed ridiculously expensive to me, but then I wasn't really comparing it to anything else.

Presents
 

Good heavens. Why don't you subtract instead of adding?

My boys can count on lots of gifties on their dad's side, since they're the onlies there. From us they'll get a Santa present and an us present, plus I have to get them presents from my parents with the $$ my mom gave me. I'm still struggling a bit because Thor has enough hand-me-downs from his brother not to need much, and for Magnus there are too many good possiblities to choose between. And I'm completely at a loss about what to get for my inlaws, but that's a whole 'nother issue.

Thor will get:

bilingual Elmo from us or G&G (can't be from Santa because Magnus helped me pick it out at pampers.com and he still believes, bless his heart)

a few books from us or G&G

Fisher-Price The Farmer Says from Santa

Magnus will get:

Equate game (like Scrabble with math problems--he's been wanting it for a couple of years) from Santa

maybe the cool polka-dot lap desk from flaxart.com

maybe the cool spherical world puzzle or one of those landmark puzzles--Eiffel Tower, etc.

4D dinosaur puzzles

What I really want to get him is the ability to do his writing homework without help! Right now it's like squeezing clay out of a toothpaste tube. Ugh.

tm

Dollhouses
 

How much do you want to overspend? There are kits that can be purchased; they run well into the hundreds. You can buy then assembled as well. Those run into the thousands.

Dollhouses
 

I'm not looking for collectors' items. I'm looking for something a 3- and 5-year-old can plan with and enjoy without snapping in two or having to try to treat with kid gloves. Something above plastic, something more girly than those euro-style plain wood modern ones, but not something I'm supposed to use a jeweler's glass to paint. such an idiot - I knew in the summer I wanted this for them and have not done it yet.

Dollhouses
 

Perhaps one of these could work (though they may be more work than you want):

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2....000100209&fp=f

Also, PB Kids has had a fairly basic dollhouse, but I couldn't find it on their website.

Presents
 

WOW!!! err...12 is a good number...so is 7 - but i will say this - my kids LOVe their lep stuff.... and i like the melissa and doug stuff, although we don't get a Lot of it because I like to buy them stuff that looks like us....

Snow Suits
 

Auntie Sparklehorse here, looking for some advice on snow suits. The request is for a two-piece suit for a boy who is almost 3. Should I be looking at Land's End and LL Bean? He has a younger brother so I'm looking to buy one that can survive to be handed down.

Snow Suits
 

Yes. I would also check out Hanna Andersson, Garnet Hill and Columbia Sportswear.

tm

Snow Suits
 

Why not get some technical gear from Patagonia (hi PPNYC!)

http://www.patagonia.com/tsimages/60...120,8&cvt=jpeg http://www.patagonia.com/tsimages/60...120,8&cvt=jpeg

Snow Suits
 

Thanks. Yesterday the little brother was wearing Hanna Andersson outfit my mother bought a few years ago for the older brother. We were all commenting about how well-made it was and it looked great on the baby too. For the snow suits, they unfortunately are sold out of everything but red in 3T.

I just found the Baby Infernos in a lighter blue on eBay. They are used but in very good shape. If I win the auction, it will be a score for sure.

tree skirt
 

Not entirely a parenting issue, but I need a nice tree skirt and hope for inspiration beyond the usual suspects (Pottery Barn, Lands' end.) Any ideas? I'd like to buy it online because I HATE SHOPPING.

tree skirt
 

I like the Hable ones from Garnet Hill. There are also a couple of nice ones at Crate & Barrel.

tm

tree skirt
 

This "exclusive" Folkloric one at Garnet Hill is pretty:

http://images.garnethill.com/garnetp...l/12685_dt.jpg

They have three others on the web site.

tree skirt
 

A piece of green felt from G Street Fabrics, and some heavy shears?

tree skirt
 

I'm not Martha Freakin' Stewart.

tree skirt
 

I am a big fan of Pier 1 christmas stuff. It's usually really colorful, and it's not too expensive. YMMV, and I go to the stores. Dunno if the online experience is different or not.

tree skirt
 

Pier 1 stinks online (no selection), but it may be worth visiting a store, which I think I can stomach because they are usually not in malls, and it may result in immediate gratification. Good suggestion.

I agree, they do have pretty stuff, I just hope they still have nice things left this "late" in the season.

Snow Suits
 

We just bought the Baby PPNYC [he's really a toddler I'm in denial] a coat, snow pants and mittens from Patagonia. I loooove their stuff. It lasts you can hand it down to the next kid, it keeps them toasty.

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/prod...KETS#sku.65890

His last snowsuit was from Hana Andersson. I cannot say enough about their stuff either. It was truly cute. navy and orange.

tree skirt
 

I got there last Monday and they seemed to already have a lot on sale. I'm trying to decide now if I want to go back and find one of the feather wreaths. I think they're pretty.

Snow Suits
 

I heart Hanna Andersson. It is my absolute favorite brand of clothing for the Chicklet. Unfortunately there aren't any stores here (though they did email me asking in which mall they should put one locally), and their shipping is expensive. You can call the outlets and they'll ship things at a good price and charge less for shipping. Their zippers are the best pajamas ever and last forever and because of the folding cuffs can be worn twice as long as anything else. I recently picked up some zippers from the outlet for $10 (normally $36). Also, their big sale is coming up right before Christmas, the 21st I have heard). You can also keep old catalogs and punch in item codes for things that are last year's, and are not sold out, just not showing up online and they'll usually be at a substantial discount (I just ordered a short sleeve playdress set for next summer).

All I need is a Naartjie store around here and I'd be set.

Snow Suits
 

All of the Hana Stuff we've bought over the years a) retained color --faded very little b) retained shape and is just so well made. To me, that is value added that you can pass it down some of the lesser stuff seems like it will fall apart on contact.....

Their onsies zippers are so soft...and the babies look so good in them.

Snow Suits
 

Thor will be wearing fuzzy sleepers until he can figure out how to stay under the covers, but then he'll switch to the long johns like his big brother. Hanna long johns are the best. They wear like iron.

Even here in the land of Hanna, it's sometimes hard to get out to the store or the outlet when they're having one of their big sales, and frankly the selection for boys is fairly thin. But I recently found a new fleece jacket on eBay and paid half of list, and Thor looks absolutely delicious in it. I would definitely check that out.

tm

Snow Suits
 

To get back to the snow suits, in the end, I bought a nwt Columbia 2-piece set on eBay for slightly less than $60 with free priority shipping. Thanks for the advice as Columbia was not a brand I would have thought of on my own for a kid's snow suit.

Snow Suits
 

Need feedback on this.
 

My kid who is a solid 12YO player on a mediocre travel hockey team has had a recent rash of anger management issues in practice despite a history of self control.

He has a history of attention issues, but for the most part has played cleanly since he started three years ago. Never winds up in the box, never takes retaliatory penalties.

Last week at practice he took a two handed slash at another player for cutting him in line. He was taken off the ice by the coach, as I didn't see it. There was no injury as he hit shoulder pads, but I warned him that if he did it again, I would take him off the team. The kid he slashed is a little goofy but NOT an aggressive or mean-spirited kid. In my opinion there is no room in youth hockey for behavior like this.

Last night there was a little bit of "going at it" with another player who is a very aggressive instigator. This time, my kid's two-handed slash hit the other kid square on the forearm. My reaction was to ask the coach to stop practice (he didn't see it) and I pulled my kid off the ice and we left practice.

My intent is to follow up on my threat and have him continue to skate on his own if he wants but not to have him play on this team any more. It would be a blow to him and the team but I think it's necessary. I haven't talked to the coach yet.

Folks, I truly respect the opinions on this board. Please tell me what you would do.

Thanks.

Need feedback on this.
 

I know you and I have different philosophies about coaching and team sports; so I preface it with that...but...

My first instinct is not to pull him off the team altogether. That is a little harsh I feel.

Maybe have him not participate in a few games [how many left for the season] and explain to him why this is all happening. you are a pretty practical and rational guy. you will make it clear to him this type of behavior is not acceptable to you or the team.

Need feedback on this.
 

I think before you make the decision, you need to try and undersand what's causing the change in behavior. If it's a situational thing and there is a way to change the situation, then that would probably be more effective. If he's just getting more aggessive due to the same impulses that are behind the attention issue, then taking him off the team so he can work on his focus is probably a good idea.

Just make sure you aren't falling into the parent trap of doing something that doesn't make sense just because you said you'd do it.

Need feedback on this.
 

If you take him off the team for a week, he's likely to get the point, no? Tell him it's permanent, then, after he's freaked out and depressed and learned how bad it is to be taken off the team, let him back on.

Need feedback on this.
 

I agree with the first paragraph, but I don't know about second. Assuming the consequence outlined ahead of time wasn't absurd (and it doesn't sound like it), the follow-through is really important. Finding out what is causing the change in behavior seems like a good idea, though.

A compromise could be to suspend him and allow him a chance to earn his way back on the team with good behaviour (Canadian spelling in honour of hockey). His suspension time can be spent figuring out what is causing the change in behavior.

Need feedback on this.
 

My kids are much younger, so take this for what it is worth, but I'm hearkening back to my youth and that of my sibs.

I'd say it sounds like the hormones are starting to kick in, and the 6-8 tough years are beginning. Behavioral changes aren't uncommon as kids move into adolescence. (Boy, that was deep and original!)

You're the best judge for your own child as to what is necessary, but I'd say that you did the right thing initially. I probably wouldn't make it a permanent removal, though. A shorter time period will convey the lesson as well as it can be taught, I think, without being a devastating nuclear blow.

Given the circumstances, I think you could pull him for a week or two, and then let him go back with a final warning without losing parental credibility. At that point, of course, the next incident would have to be the last one.

S_A_M

P.S. So you can understand where I'm coming from, its my view that there is nothing necessarily wrong with practice scuffles, but you can't have the sticks involved.

Need feedback on this.
 

Any idea of what sparked this aggression? Most kids don't just 'flip out' there is usually something going on - an undercurrent of sorts and what folks see is the eruption, not the bubbling lava - eww horrible methaphor - but I hope you get my point. Throw emerging teen hormones into the mix and well...explosive kid with icky shee...awww not going there....

What about a suspension? Dad imposed? See how he responds. I remember when my older brother was a student athlete..he was a 'star' player but in our house academics ruled - Dad didn't care what the eligibilty requirements settled for...so brother gets a "C" in some class - my Dad benched him for 2 weeks! The coach was calling our house daily, my brothers teacher sent home progress reports every other day and it wasn't ubntil my dad was satisfied that my brother had done enough work to bring the "C" back up into the "B" range did he let my brother play... - So I'd try suspending him first and making sure he understands that his behavior has a consequence....

Good luck...and thankfully I have a few more years til teen age angst!

Need feedback on this.
 

Same here, which is why after a warning and a vicious violation of that warning I think the drastic step is needed.

A shove, a cross-check, a trip, a punch, I wouldn't say a word. The continued swinging of the stick after a stern warning is what's got me very worried.

Need feedback on this.
 

You've gotten good advice here.

You have two separate issues at play. One is whatever is leading to the aggression. The second is a threat you made.

I agree with dtb that it's important that you follow through with the consequences you threatened. I think I'd tell my kid something like "You aren't playing again until you and I have figured out why you're behaving the way you are, and until we figure out how to deal with it better." I'd have him continue to skate, and if you're capable I suggest you get out there and skate with him. At some point (and trust yourself.... you'll know when), you can tell him you think he's ready to go back to the team. But one slip and he's done for the season.

And if he does it again, he's done.

Need feedback on this.
 

So, give him your login to the porn websites, and a box of kleenex.

Need feedback on this.
 

The problem with taking him out because he knew what the consequences were is that, if you give in later, he's just as likely to learn that Dad will back down eventually, so he doesn't need to really pay attention to threats.

He clearly needs some sort of consequences. I'm just observing, on the basis of a combined 28 years of experience, that parents sometimes make threats they come to regret, and more is lost by sticking to your guns to prove you will than could be gained by sitting down and saying "okay, I made a threat that may seem extreme, but we have a real problem here that I can't and won't ignore, so what arewe going to do aboout it?"