February 10th, 2012 by admin
Are you struggling with your child to get them to take things more seriously? Or do you have a child that is very serious and you wish they’d just lighten up? Parenting didn’t used to be this hard. Kids were kids and they were treated as kids. When I was young I was sent outside to play all day. I had to use my imagination and come up with things to keep me busy. Kids today have a lot of expectations placed on them by others or that they place on themselves. Check out 10 reasons kids shouldn’t be too serious.
- They’re just kids: The biggest reason that kids shouldn’t be overly serious is because they aren’t old enough to worry about serious stuff yet. Let them just enjoy their childhood. Don’t confide in them about your problems because then they take on that burden. They aren’t mentally ready for grown up problems.
- Can’t handle the pressure: If you are putting a lot of pressure on your child to be serious about a sport that they are in because you want them to go pro some day or just because you want to live out your dreams through them, you need to stop and reassess. All that you are going to do is make that child hate that sport.
- Suicide risk: Kids that are too serious have a higher risk of suicide. If your child is very serious about school or sports and something goes wrong then they could think that it’s the end of the world. They may try to take their own life. Serious kids tend to take things to the extreme and they have very serious ramifications.
- Could be depressed: If your child is very serious and doesn’t have a lot of friends you might want to have him/her seen by a professional. Some kids just have trouble relating to other kids. Especially if they are only children and have been around adults a lot they tend to be more mature and don’t relate well to other kids. However, if they don’t have any friends and aren’t interested in making friends then they may be depressed and need help.
- Manifest into physical problems: If a child is too serious and stressed out a lot over grades or sports they may develop physical problems. It works the same way with adults. If there’s too much stress and no outlet for it then it can cause ulcers and high blood pressure just to name a couple of things.
- Cause injuries: Kids are not supposed to be training like professional athletes at the age of 10. Many of the more advanced pitches and moves in some sports can actually cause permanent damage. Immature bodies are growing and changing and while exercise is good, the same exercise may cause injury.
- Early burn-out: If a child gets too serious about anything at a young age be it piano, violin, sports or whatever they run the risk of burning out and losing interest in something they could have been great at if they had slowed down a bit. Parents often put too much pressure on the kids to do too much too soon. It’s one thing if a child does it because they love it, but it’s another if the parent has to make them practice.
- No fun: If your child is too serious then they aren’t having enough fun in their childhood. There’s always enough time to be serious later. Laughter is so important to our health and the health of our kids. Make sure that your child is laughing. Children should be laughing 100 times a day.
- No friends: When kids are too serious they may have trouble making and keeping friends. It’s important to have friends. Help your child by role playing to show them how to approach a new friend. Try to find out why they don’t have very many friends. Make sure that you aren’t contributing to them being so serious.
- Live longer: It’s a proven fact that people that laugh often and take things with a grain of salt live longer. Do fun things with your child. Take them to funny movies or puppet shows. Encourage them to use their imagination and to make believe. If they don’t know how to play make believe then sit down and show them. The more you laugh the more your child will see that laughing is good and laughing is fun.
February 9th, 2012 by admin
With all the new strains of germs and viruses going around, no mother wants to subject her child to exposure. Although it’s pretty near impossible to completely avoid illness or the bugs that cause it, there are some things you can do.
- Keep the baby home during peak times of cold and flu season. – Whenever the flu season strikes or is about to strike it’s all over the news. This is a good time to keep the baby home unless you are going directly to a place you know everyone is healthy and the baby won’t be exposed to the public.
- Wash your hands often. – Germs and viruses can live for a couple of days on some surfaces so make sure you always wash your hands before handling your little one.
- If you are sick, wear a mask. – You probably can’t leave your child if you come down with a cold or the flu, but by wearing a mask you can provide some protection, and of course, make sure you wash your hands.
- Cover the baby with a receiving blanket. – If you need to go out and have to take the baby with you, take a receiving blanket along. When you get around other people just drape the blanket over the baby’s carrier or if you are holding the baby tent the blanket by draping it over your shoulder and covering the baby’s head.
- Hire a nanny or baby sitter. – For short periods of time or if there is going to be a longer stretch of time during cold and flu season that you have to be out in public, you may want to consider hiring a nanny or babysitter to stay with your child while you attend to business. Just make sure the person you hire doesn’t have a cold or the sniffles.
- Avoid crowded places. – Chances are someone in the crowd has a cold so staying away from places that are full of people will cut down the chances that the baby might pick up a bug.
- When you visit make sure everyone is healthy. – “Oh it’s just a little cold!” is not something you want to hear when you are visiting your friend and her toddler comes in nose running and eyes watery. It’s all right to find out if there are any sick folks before you go for a visit. Even mildly ill people can transfer bugs to your baby.
- Don’t let the baby on the floor in public places. – Unfortunately many parents let their little ones crawl around on the floor in public places, including medical clinics. Keep your baby on your lap or in the carrier. There are way too many germs around to let your baby loose on a public floor.
- Call before you go. – When you take your baby to see the doctor call before you go to find out how the schedule is running. You want to spend as little time as possible in the waiting room. If your doctor is running way behind, you may want to make plans to come in closer to the time she can actually see you.
- Reinforce wellness rules at home. – Brand new big brothers and sisters like to take part ownership of the new bundle of joy. If they come down with the sniffles you will need to help them understand that this is not a time for them to hang out with their baby sibling.
Keeping baby away from sick people may not always be the easiest thing to do. However with some planning and creative thinking you should be able to avoid most of the obvious threats to your child’s health.
February 7th, 2012 by admin
At some point or another it’s important that your kids are able to put together a meal on their own. The following recipes all come together quickly and easily, and they all come together to make the perfect solution when your kid wants to cook or they need dinner or a snack and no one is home to make it for them. Fancy? No. Delicious? Yes.
- Peanut Butter & Jelly - It’s a childhood staple, and while it may seem like it’s the easiest meal in the world to make (ok, maybe it really is the easiest meal in the world to make…) the kids still have to learn how to put it all together at some point! To up the nutritional value of this not so nutritional meal you can pair it with an apple and even add sliced bananas onto it. And if your kids are feeling really creative they can swap in any type of berries or other fruit slices in place of the jelly to change things up a bit!
- Grilled Cheese - Who doesn’t remember growing up with the cheesy-goodness of grilled cheese sandwiches? The possibilities are endless with all the different ways you can make them – from adding in lunch meats and tomato slices to experimenting with different kinds of cheese, these ooey-gooey sandwiches are something every child should learn how to make, and in the most basic of forms all you need is two slices of bread, a slice of cheese, a little butter for the outside of the bread, and a pan and stove. Dinner in a flash!
- Eggs in a Basket - Growing up eggs in a basket was always my favorite breakfast meal – and it’s so easy that your kids can make it themselves! All they need is a circular cookie cutter to cut out a circle in the middle of the bread, bread, and an egg . Spray the pan with cooking spray, place the bread in the pan, and then crack an egg into the middle. After letting it cook for a few minutes flip it over and let it cook a little longer, then serve with syrup – it’s delicious and fun!
- Mini Pizzas - What kid doesn’t love pizza? Mini pizzas make the perfect afternoon snack and come together in a flash – all they’ll need is English muffins, marinara sauce, and shredded cheese. Simply top the muffin halves with sauce and cheese and then pop them in the oven until the cheese melts or zap them in the microwave for a minute. Pizza is served!
- Nachos - Finger foods are always a good option for kids, and nachos are easy enough for them to make on their own. Just layer chips with cheese and any other extras they want to add in, such as onions, salsa, beans, etc., and then either bake them in the oven or nuke them in the microwave. Once the cheese is melted they can dig in – no parents necessary.
- Quesadillas - Quesadillas are like grilled cheese with Mexican food flair to them! And also like grilled cheese, the possibilities are endless when it comes to what they layer in between the tortillas and cheese – they can do anything from chicken and salsa to spinach and mushrooms… it all depends on what they’re craving!
- Spaghetti - Spaghetti can go one of two ways: easy or complicated. If the kids are cooking then they don’t need all the fancy twists to it, just a pot of boiling water, a timer, noodles and jarred sauce. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner for kids who want to surprise Mom and Dad by making dinner for the family.
- Parfaits - Yogurt – granola – berries – chocolate chips – repeat. Who doesn’t love a meal that comes in layers? Parfaits are not only delicious and easy, but they’re also fun to look at and each bite brings on a new flavor!
- Pigs in a Blanket - A family favorite, pigs in a blanket are easy to make and fun to eat. You just need Pillsbury Dough Boy Crescent Rolls and mini sausages. Wrap up the sausages into the roll and bake for the prescribed time. In no time at all you’ll have a fun afternoon snack or dinner that’s kid-approved.
- Mac ‘N Cheese - Every kid will have the Kraft blues at one point or another, and who can blame them? Mac and cheese is one of the easiest (and most delicious!) kid-friendly meals. Not to mention making macaroni and cheese comes together fast, requires minimal ingredients, and is a slam dunk for almost every kid out there.
Bon appetit!
February 6th, 2012 by admin
The last thing kids usually want to watch on television is the boring old news. SpongeBob SquarePants or Bevis and Butthead are certainly more interesting and entertaining. With hundreds of cable news channels to watch at any given time, even adults can go for years without ever watching the news. Unfortunately, bad things tend to happen when people are not paying attention. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to get kids more informed on what’s happening in the world by watching the news. Here are 10 lessons kids can learn from watching the news every day.
- Current events – The main purpose for watching the news is to stay abreast of current events. The local news will cover things going on in their community while national and international news expand their horizons to what’s happening around the country and around the world.
- Media bias – Unless they watch every day, kids may not realize there is such a thing as media bias and how to identify it. By watching different news sources from multiple channels, they’ll see that some shows may have an agenda and others are more objective.
- Global events – Watching the news will expand a child’s world beyond their personal experience and expose them to things going on around the globe. Even if they don’t completely understand what is going on or why, they at least know what’s going on and can ask questions for further clarification.
- News versus sensationalism – Daily observations will teach kids how to tell the difference between what is really news and what’s just sensationalism. Some news outlets get carried away with what Hollywood celebrities are doing rather than covering other important topics.
- News is depressing – One note of caution is that watching the news every day can be depressing. News sources tend to focus more on the bad things going on than the good, so too much exposure to the news can be a bad thing.
- Hot topics – Kids watching daily will soon learn how everyone will be covering the same stories each day and then all switch focus to the next hot topic that comes along. If they want to find out whatever happened with the last event, they’ll have to do more research than just watching TV. Television has a short attention span.
- History – Children may not realize it, but by watching the news, they’re witnessing history in the making. Years from now, when their kids are learning history, they’ll be able to remember when they watched historical events unfold on the news.
- Well informed – Kids who watch the news every day are far better informed than their peers. Instead of focusing on video games and cartoons, they would actually have some concept of what’s going on the world and be able to carry on a conversation with adults.
- Help with school – Any students who watch the news regularly are going to far better in school than those who don’t. They’ll have an advantage in any social studies, civics and history classes they take.
- Politics – There’s nothing like watching the news to keep up on politics. Kids who are better informed on that topic are more likely to get involved in political school organizations or even run for class president.
Kids who don’t have much exposure to watching the news may balk at first, so parents can make it a challenge. By giving them an incentive that gets them to watch every day for a week, maybe they’ll get hooked. Another way to gets kids watching is to just make a point of having the news on when their around instead of just switching the channel. Parents should always be sure to watch the news with their children in order to explain issues that are confusing and engage them in conversation about what they observe. Kids who watch the news are far more likely to succeed in life than those who live in blissful ignorance.
February 3rd, 2012 by admin
Diaper rash has several potential causes, the most common type being the result of a combination of moisture, friction and irritants. So treatment of common diaper rash means effectively addressing these sources of the irritation. Here is a list of sure fire cures you can use for diaper rash:
- Change often. – As mentioned above irritants like poop and urine, plus the moisture therein and due to lack of air circulation result in diaper rash. So the first line of defense is frequent diaper changes.
- Rinse – Cloth diapers should be rinsed using a ½ cup of vinegar added to the rinse cycle. This will help to remove alkaline irritants.
- Loosen up. – No, not the baby’s stools, but her diapers. Air circulation is key to curing diaper rash, and loose-fitting diapers will promote that, as well as reduce chafing.
- Lansinoh® Diaper Rash Ointment – A very effective zinc-oxide topical cream in the treatment of diaper rash. Fragrance- and preservative-free.
- Calendula Ointment – A homeopathic alternative diaper cream. Natural ingredients, and natural healing properties for instant relief.
- Drink up. – No, not you, the baby. Giving him more fluids to drink will dilute his urine, thus decreasing irritation to his skin. Children older than 12 months can drink cranberry juice.
- Hydrocortisone 1% cream – Apply twice daily to reduce inflammation. Can be used in conjunction with other creams, but only as a short-term measure, as long-term use can lead to irritation of the sensitive skin in the diaper area.
- Clotrimazole Anti-fungal Cream – Use where there is evidence of a yeast infection. This type of rash will usually appear as red spots of irritation, as opposed to a general redness of the overall area in the case of common diaper rash.
- Desitin – An over-the-counter ointment, it can be used to reduce the irritation, but should not be applied directly to broken skin.
- Air it out. – Let your baby wear as little as possible, as often as possible, to allow her skin to remain dry and ventilated. It may mean having to do a little more laundry in the form of linens, towels, dresses and such, but your baby will be grateful.
January 28th, 2012 by admin
There aren’t many things in life as heart-warming as a baby’s smile. It’s the picture of happiness and contentment. All is right with the world when baby’s smiling, right? Well, maybe. Of course she may just be enjoying a little pressure release. That’s right. Your baby could have gas for all you know. Here are 10 reasons why your baby’s smile might be gas:
- According to doctors, baby smiles up to the age of one month are just plain natural, and have no emotional cause or connection.
- Baby smiles are generally spontaneous, and frequently occur during REM sleep, which by the way is an active period for passing gas as well.
- Your baby is more apt to smile in response to auditory stimuli than anything visual, until about 6 to 8 weeks of age.
- If there is no external stimulus nearby, when your baby exhibits that smile, chances are it is what we sometimes refer to as a “gas smile”.
- If your baby is less than 4 weeks old, she is more likely not responding to anything external when she smiles.
- A social smile will usually include the baby lifting her cheeks, whereas the “gas smile” does not. That is, the cheeks on her face, just to be clear.
- A social smile is also open-mouthed most often, hat is not the case with the non-externally triggered “gassy smile”.
- A social smile will almost always be with the eyes open, as the baby will need to associate the source of her happiness – a familiar face or object. If the baby’s eyes are closed, it’s the ‘gas’ smile thing again.
- A more sustained smile is usually a social one, as the so-called gassy smiles tend to come and go quickly and with no regularity.
- Of course, gas isn’t really what’s behind a newborn baby’s smiles. That’s just an old wives tale. After all, do you smile when you have gas? But it’s true that babies need from 4 to eight weeks for their brains to develop sufficiently for them to respond emotionally to outside stimuli with those heart-warming smiles.
January 23rd, 2012 by admin
Merriam-Webster defines the word etymology as “the history of a linguistic form (as a word) shown by tracing its development since its earliest recorded occurrence in the language where it is found, by tracing its transmission from one language to another, by analyzing it into its component parts, by identifying its cognates in other languages, or by tracing it and its cognates to a common ancestral form in an ancestral language.” In layman’s terms, this means that the etymology of a word is the study of its origin. Here are some interesting facts about the word “babysitter,” and how it came to be a part of our everyday language.
- The Noun Predates the Verb Form – The noun, “babysitter” was first published in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1937, well before the verb “babysit” was first used in print. Most nouns are derived from the verb form, such as “to babysit.” This is called back-formation, and isn’t altogether common.
- The Verb “Babysit” Was Coined in 1947 – A full decade after the noun “babysitter” was accepted into common usage, the verb “babysit” is found. It’s difficult to imagine that a word we use so commonly is a relatively recent one!
- Babysitting Originated in the Suburbs – Part of the explanation for the youth of the term “babysitter” lies within the fact that babysitters were fairly uncommon before the mid-twentieth century. Babysitting became the main form of employment for teenage girls in the postwar surge of suburban living; before that time, most parents who were well-off enough to enjoy an evening on the town could afford to keep a live-in servant on the payroll. Parents without servants typically lived very close to extended family or even in the same household. As the American family structure changed and suburbia began to take hold, parents started to rely on the teenage daughters of their neighbors for occasional childcare.
- British English Usage is Slightly Different Than American English – Like many words, the definition across the pond varies slightly. In the UK, the word “babysitter” is solely used to describe an informal, occasional helper who works for a few hours at a time, in the evening. Americans use the term to describe both occasional workers and those who care for their children on a regular, full-time basis. The regular childcare provider that works a daytime schedule in the UK is referred to as a “childminder.”
- To “Sit” Other Things is Derived From the Word “Babysitter” – Words like “house-sitter” and “pet-sitter” came into common usage in the late twentieth century, and are derived from the original noun “babysitter.”
- The Shortened Form Predates the Verb – As previously mentioned, the back-formation of the word babysitter means that the noun was introduced into usage before the verb form. Even more unusual, the accepted shortened usage, “sitter,” was first introduced in 1943; it predates the verb usage by four years.
- The Term is Commonly Accepted in Reference to Inanimate Objects – Though its original and most common usage refers to a person who takes care of children, the word “babysit” is now used in a variety of contexts, even in reference to inanimate objects. For instance, a person who drinks slowly can be accused of “babysitting” a drink, or a writer with a long unfinished novel may say that he’s been “babysitting” his novel for years.
- Chickens May Be the Real Mothers of the Word – The settling upon the term “sit” to mean “caring for” is shrouded in mystery. Many etymologists theorize that the word stems from laying animals, such as hens, who sit on their eggs to ensure their warmth and safety.
- Early Babysitters Weren’t So Polite – In the 1950′s, young girls who babysat for their neighbors often referred to babysitting as “bratting.”
- The “Petticoat Monopoly” Emerges – Because the pool of available babysitters in the early days of the word were predominantly white, teenage girls, the era has been called the “Petticoat Monopoly.” The emergence of teen culture as a commercially-targeted demographic is thought by many to be partially due to the burgeoning incomes of teenage suburbanite girls during this period.
Whether you use the word “babysitter” in it’s strict British English definition or take a more Americanized approach, the fascinating history of this industry has been an indisputable part of our cultural fabric for generations.
January 22nd, 2012 by admin
At certain times and places, it just isn’t convenient to take a call. When it comes to nature calls especially, it isn’t always feasible to be selective about the venue. As the saying goes, When ya gotta go, ya gotta go.
So maybe now’s a good time to contemplate a Plan B for when you’re traveling this holiday season. And while you’re at it, Plans C through K as well. In other words, 10 substitutes for a toilet in a pinch:
- The woods – Always a good alternative to indoor plumbing. Just ask the proverbial bear. Stop your car roadside, head into the brush just enough for some cover, and go to work. If no TP is available, the foliage is lovely this time of year.
- Plastic Shopping Bag – Careful positioning and manual dexterity are paramount here – as is some hand sanitizer just in case. The bonus of this method is the ease with which your makeshift commode can be tied up and flung at passing gawkers.
- Paint Bucket – This option offers the benefit of a more natural seating arrangement, but presents a logistical dilemma, namely how to discard the contents upon completion. We suggest lining it first with a kitchen trash bag.
- Gatorade Bottle – Recommended for Number One use only, unless your aim and balance are impeccable. Just remember to separate this container from your Lemon-Lime thirst quenchers.
- Litter Box – Kitty litter is such a versatile product. You can clean up spills with it, use it for traction on ice or snow, or for added weight on your rear tires. So why not use it for its main purpose too? Throw a plastic tray in your trunk along with it, and take to the road with confidence.
- GoGirl – For the lady on the go – and who really, really has to go – we recommend trying this. It’s a complete field kit in a can. You can’t miss! Thanks to that pretty lavender funnel.
- Depends – Don’t laugh. These adult diapers have been sparing incontinence sufferers for many years. They can help you out in a pinch too, as long as you’ve got the time and the privacy to put one on ahead of time.
- Travel John – This line of products is specifically designed for just such an occasion. Absorbent materials, well-designed and even reusable.
- Camping Toilet – These devices are pretty handy road companions as well as camping accessories. They come in styles ranging from basic to high tech, and can be a real blessing in a pinch.
- Pick Your Poison, Sports Fan – And finally, we humbly submit the following option: take along a football helmet and jersey of your favorite team’s rival. Relieving yourself never felt this good.
January 21st, 2012 by admin
I would like to say that kids these days are far more materialistic than we were, but I grew up in the “me” generation. Before that we had the slogan, ‘Whoever dies with the most toys, wins’. While I think there have always been kids who want, want, want, we are in a generation now where the parents want to give their kids what they want. When I grew up kids were seen and not heard and teachers were allowed to spank you if you got out of line. Nowadays kids seem to rule the roost. In an effort to make their kids happy parents have created materialistic kids. Check out 10 challenges for parents dealing with materialistic kids.
- Value of a dollar: Kids don’t know the value of a dollar when they are given everything they want. I’ve actually seen parents and grandparents get up and go buy their kids something just because they mentioned once that they wanted it. Do you think those kids are going to be better off because they got everything they wanted? Or when they get out on their own will they have to face a harsh reality. Parents need to teach the value of money by giving their children an allowance that they have to work for.
- Work ethic: In the work place today kids fresh out of college think that they are ‘owed’ a job. They went through college and everything was handed to them and now they want a job making $60K a year. They don’t seem to understand that they have to work their way up the ladder. They have to put their time in and work hard in order to make that kind of money and keep their job. They’ve never had to work for things. Parents need to make sure their kids have chores and part-time jobs as they grow up.
- Handle their money: Once our materialistic kids are on their own they won’t know how to handle their money. If they’ve always been given everything they want then they don’t know how to set a budget and live within their means and save for things. Especially if Mom and Dad pay for college, their car, their insurance and give them an allowance. Mom and Dad may be supporting them for longer than they think at this rate.
- Self-esteem issues: When kids are so into material things they begin to identify themselves by what they have. What do other kids have and how do they get it too. That girl at school is so popular and she has XYZ jeans. They equate having and wearing XYZ jeans to being popular and when they get those jeans and still aren’t popular it will always be something else. Teaching our kids that they are not made up of what they wear and what they have, but who they are inside.
- Out of balance: Parents have a real challenge to make sure materialistic kids stay balanced. If kids get to the point where getting things and having things is their main focus, there is a problem. Parents need to educate kids and make sure that their values are balanced and that they understand the value of charity, family, friendships and their health.
- Not too much shopping: Make sure that family time isn’t only used to go shopping at the mall and the grocery store. Spending time outdoors doing fun things as a family will help a materialist kid not get too focused on stuff. Have a weekly game night where everyone just has fun playing and enjoying spending time together.
- Drug abuse: Materialistic kids tend to have more money to spend and they come from parents with money and often power. Growing up with money often makes kids feel like they are above the law and their parents can buy their way out of trouble if they were to get into any. Having extra money, combined with extra time because they don’t have to have a job, added to boredom leads to trouble. What do wealthy kids do when they are bored? Sometimes they get into trouble with drugs.
- Looking for attention: Parents of materialistic kids tend to spend a great deal of time working to make the money that created the materialistic kids in the first place. When parents are gone and working so much of the time kids feel like they don’t get enough attention. They may get into trouble at school just to get attention from their parents. Attention is attention even if it’s negative.
- Suicide: This won’t come into play with all materialistic kids, but sometimes parents put undue pressure on their kids to succeed because they did. There seems to be two sides to the materialistic coin I guess. You get kids that are lazy and feel entitled and you get kids that are driven to be the best. Those driven ones are the ones that you have to watch out for. They are so hard on themselves that they can actually think their life is over if they make a big mistake.
- Cutting: Make sure that your child isn’t harming themselves. From my research I found that 30-40 percent of young adults that come from an affluent family are clinically depressed. They feel empty inside. There are many reasons, but some because they don’t have strong family ties and some because their parents expect so much from them. Some teens cut themselves so that they can “feel” something other than emptiness.
January 19th, 2012 by admin
We’ve heard it our whole lives. Moms everywhere will tell us, mothers never stop being mothers. Long after their children have all grown up, their mission remains. For these steadfastly eternal maternal guardians, we endeavor to share the secret to knowing when their job is done. One job in particular, actually. Here we shall explain how to know when it’s time to stop wiping your child’s butt:
- Cling-ons – No, we don’t mean the Star Trek warrior race, the Klingons. We’re talking about the effects upon a hairy butt from, shall we say, an especially productive visit to le toilette. Don’t make us resort to photos or YouTube here, OK? Just trust us that this phenomenon is peculiar only to certain behinds which, you may rest assured, you can leave behind.
- High Tech Clues – If his iPhone or Android falls out of his pants pocket during your wiping attempt, chances are better than 50 / 50 that he can finish the job solo. Incoming text message: To: Mom From: Us Subject: Time to put away the Baby Wipes and let Junior try his hand at it.
- Audible Clues – If your child insists that he can do it himself, it may be a sign that he’s ready to take on more responsibility. Give him room to grow and express his independence. Even if his wife shares some doubts about his ability to find it with both hands, let him work through this.
- Visual Clues – Tattoos, hickeys, pubes, body piercings, or the presence of a scantily-clad female companion named Roxanne who assures you that she’s been well-paid to do the job herself – all are potential red flags that your services are no longer required.
- Third Party Clues – Orders of Protection, Cease and Desist Letters, phone calls from psychiatrists, desperate pleas from his children to leave Daddy alone.
- Commercial Clues – If the labels on your son’s diaper read XXL, and The Naughty Boy Fantasy Collection, we’ll hazard a guess and say Mission Accomplished,Mom.
- Personal Clues – When you need to have Thelma, your hospice caregiver, wipe yours before those weekly visits from your kids, then you have once and for all washed your hands of this dirty business.
