Is there a favourite child in your family?
When we asked if you have a ‘favourite’ child, many of you diplomatically said they’re all your favourites. Destiny offered the cleverest answer of all! And Patti’s definitely was insightful.
When we asked if you have a ‘favourite’ child, many of you diplomatically said they’re all your favourites. Destiny offered the cleverest answer of all! And Patti’s definitely was insightful.
At last, your “child” is moving out of your house, into his own place, and you can’t wait to be enveloped in peace and quiet. Not so fast! Unless you arm him with some practical advice before he’s out the door, chances are he’ll be back at your door sooner than you think.
1. Leave an extra set of keys with us (because we know how forgetful you can be).
2. Don’t use a stepladder unless someone is there to spot you.
If only our kid would kindly clue us in when he brings a new special someone into his life.
But alas, we’re usually among the last to officially know. Luckily, we’ve still got our psychic skills, which we’ve been honing ever since our “baby” developed his first crush.
Herewith, FabOverFifty presents the collective wisdom of some of our best supernatural moms. Once you spot your offspring exhibiting any of these signs, you can bet your sweet bippy she’s into someone new. (Of course, this applies to your daughter, too!)
She buys a new comforter and/or sheets
He loses weight and signs up for a gym membership
She starts to have secretive phone conversations
She texts even more than usual (and smiles while she is doing it)
She often wears new clothes
As a high school freshman, I’d sneak out of the house to make out with my 11th grade boyfriend in Manhattan’s Central Park. Now, as a recent college graduate, my boyfriend (a different guy) is a frequent topic of discussion and a regular visitor. I let my mom know when I’m planning to spend the night at his apartment, and find myself confiding in her more than I do in my friends, something my high school self never would have imagined.
What’s changed in these last eight years to make stealthy getaways and off-limit topics things of the past?
I went straight to the source, my mom, to find out. “I now consider our times together as shared experiences vs. teachable moments, when I could give you perspective and values,” she told me. “At this point, I think you’ve demonstrated that you know them, so I don’t need to sit around ‘teaching’ you now, which is kind of liberating for me. You also have become my go-to person for advice on everything from sample sale shopping to book recommendations and the college application process for your younger brothers.”
Like me, mom revealed she’s been giving our relationship a great deal of thought.
Her friends have told her they’re committed to cultivating ‘best friend’ relationships with their daughters, but, previously, that didn’t feel quite right to her. I decided to find out for myself if other mothers had indeed made the transition from policewoman to pal. (more…)
They made our lives easier as we grew up (hopefully). So shouldn’t we be making their lives easier now?
1. Try to be kind and patient if their forgetfulness frustrates you
Every new grandmother dreams of the day she’ll be able to take her grandchild on an outing, a short vacation, or simply home for an overnight stay. But no matter what excursion you take with your grandchild, it’s crucial to make sure the timing–and circumstances– are absolutely right, so the stage will be set for enjoying each other’s company for years.
1. Make certain your grandchild is secure enough to be away from his parents or full-time caregiver and old enough to explain what’s wrong if she’s having a problem, such as not feeling well.
2. Invite a friend of of your grandchild to come along, if having company will help him enjoy the outing even more.
3. Choose an activity that will make your grandchild feel confident and relaxed, not challenged and uneasy. A petting zoo, for example, might be a perfect spot for an outgoing three-year-old, but could frighten an unusually timid five year old. A curious seven year old might love a trip to a science museum, but a child who has difficulty grasping abstract concepts might not.
4. Bring along food and snacks that your grandchild enjoys.
5. Remember to pack a change of clothing, in case your grandchild has an accident, from spilling ice cream on his shirt to not making it to the bathroom in time.
1. Make sure her bed isn’t too big or too small, in relation to where she sleeps at home. If a five year old normally sleeps in a single bed, she could feel overwhelmed in a queen. Expect your unusually tall and athletic nine-year-old grandson to sleep on a skimpy foldaway cot, and he might wake up with neck and backaches.
2. Bring along a few familiar, comforting objects, such as stuffed animals, books, a blanket, even a favorite drinking glass, to make your grandchild feel more “at home.’
3. Always keep a selection of your grandchild’s clothes in the closet in the room where she’ll be sleeping. They will make her feel like she “belongs.”
4. Keep a duplicate selection of your grandchild’s favorite toys at your home, rather than schlepping them back and forth every time she comes for a sleepover. Check out this guide on gifts for the grandkids for additional suggestions on things they’d enjoy.
5. Never fail to keep the refrigerator and cupboard stocked with your grandchild’s favorite drinks and snacks (healthy, of course!)
1. Absolutely make sure to involve your grandchild (and his folks) in the planning, as much as possible. You may think a weekend beach vacation is the perfect choice, but that may fill your daughter-in-law with apprehension. You adore the idea of visiting a dude ranch, but is your grandchild really ready to confidently ride a horse? You personally want to keep as far away from Disney World as possible, but it’s been your grandson’s dream vacation for years.
2. Check out the emergency medical care before you confirm the reservations. You’ll want to have easy access to top-notch doctors in case something serious goes wrong. Also keep the phone numbers of your grandchild’s pediatrician (and other docs) in your phone.
3. Try to keep your first multi-day trip a reasonable distance from your grandchild’s home. It can be pretty scary, even for an eight year old, to take a long plane ride, away from home and his parents, if he’s never done it before.
4. Try to limit your inaugural trip to four nights max. Even the most confident child might
start to feel antsy and anxious about getting home to her parents by the fifth day, no matter how much fun she’s having.
5. Avoid going on multi-day trips with your grandchild until you’ve taken a few one-day excursions with him.
Are you hosting Christmas Eve or Day this year and concerned how it will go?
It’s far easier than you think to plan, organize and execute the perfect holiday experience for your friends and family. Remember one important thing: Your guests want good food, good company and the chance to relax with those they love. Get all those ingredients right, and you’ll be well on your way to Christmas success!
Spring is finally here, we think! Bright yellow daffodils are abloom, birds are singing and there’s no mistaking the smell of fresh-cut grass. Now that one of the worst winters on record is behind us, and warmer weather is around the corner, we can retire our heavy jackets and coats, and the men can take their trusty polo shirts out of storage.
Crazy for Camping