Tag: children

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“I Don’t Mean This in a Mean Way, BUT…”

Posted on by MommyQ

indexKids say the darnedest things. We all know this is true. But what they say can be quite brilliant if you really listen. For instance, when we were little girls my younger sister would call breakable objects “glassable.” She mixed “glass” and “breakable” and voila! Glassable. My youngest son used to say, “buckle me out” instead of “unbuckle me” when he wanted help getting out of his 5-point harness car seat (and who can blame him for that?!)

Thanks to an intense year of being taught the importance of good manners and his genuine desire not to be disrespectful, my younger son (now 6yo) has a great new habit that harkens me back to my sorority days. If he knows he is going to say something that could be interpreted as mean, he prefaces his statement with, “I don’t mean this in a mean way, but….” And then he says something… well, honest. But he says it in such a way that it doesn’t seem mean at all. It is genius and sweet and kind of premeditated. Pure. Gold.

It reminds me of the “compliment sandwich” we were taught to use when we had a problem with a fellow sorority sister. In an effort to help ease the insane drama that often occurs with a bunch of crazy drunk emotional girls, we were told to deliver bad news sandwiched between two compliments. For example, “You look really pretty today, but I think you’re a lying troll and by the way, I love your perm!” And shockingly enough, it worked every time. Especially the part about the perm.

It seems my sweet little guy has mastered the art of the “compliment appetizer.” Even better. Less carbs!

 

Cat Peeing Outside Litter Box: Reality Teaches Mommy A Lesson

Posted on by MommyQ

Like most families, we had furry children before we had real children. We got our two kitties about nine years ago. One is huge & fluffy & not too bright, while the other one is just plain fat & grumpy & very intelligent. Over the years, we’ve had issues with Big Fluffy peeing outside of the litter box. It turns out, he has had bladder infections. You’d think I’d know that by now…

A few months ago, I was cleaning the dining room and noticed a familiar foul odor. Cat pee!!! Ahhhhh! If you have ever had a cat that peed on the carpet, you know this is a horrible ordeal. You can never fully get rid of that gross smell and once a cat smells it on the rug, he will pee there forever.

I instantly blamed Big Fluffy for this pee fiasco and took him to the vet right away. It turns out he DIDN’T have an infection. What?! Tell me it isn’t so! The vet uttered those scary words, “It means it’s a behavioral problem.” Oh super. Trying to figure out the behavioral issues of a cat is like trying to figure out why old people care about the cost of a cup of coffee. $1.35? Why that’s highway robbery!

Anyway, I’ve tried every kind of trick to get them off the carpet. New litter boxes, lavender litter, new locations, bribery, crying, begging, etc. Small victories here & there, but nothing has worked. I was entertaining the idea of some kind of motion-activated scarecrow for the dining room and then I spotted the true crime being committed. It wasn’t Big Fluffy cat at all. It was Angry Fat Cat. I couldn’t believe my eyes! Angry Fat Cat may be angry and he may be fat, but he ALWAYS uses the litter box.

Today I finally took Angry Fat Cat to the vet and he has small crystals in his urine. All this time I was ignoring him and blaming Big Fluffy. I feel like a horrible cat mom. We got his meds and he should be feeling better in a few days. Hopefully the random pee attacks will cease as well. This has taught me a valuable lesson I can apply to my real children. Don’t blame anyone until you see the crime being committed with your own eyes. You may think you’ve got those little personalities figured out, but you don’t. And I have about 2 feet of ruined carpet to prove it!

MommyQ ‘s Top 10 List of Toddler Replies

Posted on by MommyQ

stewie

As you know, toddlers talk A LOT. And they are funny! No, he’s not as well-spoken or as diabolical as Stewie – thank goodness. In addition to  “please” and “thank you” and “you’re welcome,” we’ve been hearing some other amusing responses to our questions and comments.  Here’s my Top 10 List:

1. – “Mine!”

2. – “Me too!”

3. – “I want sumpin’ else.”

4. – “No, I hold it.”

5. – “Mama, get me more juice? More juice? Juicy? Juice?”

6. – “No, I busy right now.”

7. – “In a minute.”

8. – “I all done.”

9. – “Mommy? Mama? Mom? M-O-M?  Dada? Daddy? Dad?”

10. – “I wanna wear racin’ shirt.”

What are the funny little phrases you hear from your kidlet constantly?

The Irony of Being a Mom Blogger

Posted on by MommyQ

The one thing that makes you great happens to be the one thing that stands in your way of greatness. Make sense? Absofreakinlutely!

I’ve always been enamored with writing ever since I can remember. When I was little, I wrote stories about my Barbies and movie scripts for my Barbies. Yep, I’ve always enjoyed it. Writing was never a bad thing to me. In high school, my friends would moan & groan about writing papers and I loved writing papers. I’m an English major – sue me.

Throughout the years my biggest issue has been what do I write about. I’ve been minimally interested in so many different hobbies that none stood out. Then I became a mom about five years ago and everything changed. Blogging was the wave of the social media moment and motherhood was ruling my life. Writing and motherhood. Writing and motherhood. Computer keys and baby bottles. Sleepless nights and too many ideas. Of course! I will be a mom blogger. In 2008, MommyQ was born and it has been a blast!

And what stands in the way of blogging daily and turning a simple WordPress site into a magical fantasy world of revenue and recognition? Your children! I have lots of ideas for blog posts that never get written. Why? Being a mom takes priority. I, like most mom bloggers, have discovered irony is a funny little beast. So you see, my first comment is totally accurate. What makes you great can easily stand in the way of your greatness. I gotta run now…my baby is climbing the bookcase…again…

Liar! Liar! Are Your Pants On Fire?

Posted on by MommyQ

lying

Just like healthy eating and good manners, lying begins at home. According to a story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, a new study suggests parents lie all of the time. Hey, at least we’re consistent.

Out of 127 parents, the “vast majority” says they lie to their kids, yet emphasize the importance of honesty. Although parents might have many different reasons for lying to their kids, the study focused on two motivations: to influence their behavior and to make the child feel better about something. We’re not talking about promoting fantasies like the existence of Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy. These are lies we tell our kids to make them act how we want. Like telling them they need to eat vegetables or a monster will grab them. I personally hate it when parents do stuff like that. It seems rather mean to scare a child into eating a carrot.

Not only are we liars, but we are also total hypocrites. Here’s why:

“At the same time that many parents tell lies to their children, they also try to drive home the message that lying is wrong. In fact, the study found, parents who were the most punitive about lying also were more likely to lie to their children.”

How much do we lie on a day-to-day basis? Is the truth really that difficult to tell? Are we rationalizing the act of lying to make our lives easier or to make the reality of our child’s world seem less scary? If a relative dies, is it really wrong to tell your child that person is now a star in heaven? What do you think?

The Hip Mommies on Facebook

Posted on by MommyQ

The Hip Mommies

Want to get together with all of the fabulous mommies on Facebook? Join The Hip Mommies group and chime in with your parenting advice. Exchange ideas, get tips about cool baby gear and bask in the momminess. Look for The Hip Mommies on Facebook. This group is open to everyone!

Sheep Launcher for iPhone: Hilarity!

Posted on by MommyQ

sheep_launchMommyQ is in love with a hilariously simple game for iPhone called Sheep Launcher Free. My hubby, DaddyQ, downloaded this entertaining game on his iPhone and when he showed it to my kids, they went bonkers. The game is quite simple, yet quite contagious and amusing. Your goal is launch the sheep as high into the stratosphere as you can by tapping him before he “falls” off the screen.

The sound he makes at blast off sends my kids into hysterics. And when they laugh like that, we laugh too! My four-year-old plays it by himself and thinks it’s just great. After the kids go to bed, my hubby and I play it too. I think the best part is the old fashioned helmet. That is such a clever twist.

You can read more about it and download it here. I guess I’m just a sucker for a flying sheep. Read about it on Droolicious here.

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