FFFC... I'm sure we have some...

PSU_Texan

Flame Free Friday Confessions for the newbies...

I'll start.  My SIL and I have very different parenting styles.  I'm sure she thinks I'm super uptight about how much and what I let my children watch or what toys I like them to play with.  She sent my oldest DD a Monsters High Doll which I find completely inappropriate.  So I had my nanny take it back to Target and exchange it for a different toy.  I don't feel bad at all.

potbellypig

I called in to say I would be late because of morning sickness but what actually happened was that my long run (on the treadmill) lasted longer than I thought and I was running late.

[Deleted User]

PSU_Texan said:

Flame Free Friday Confessions for the newbies...

I'll start.  My SIL and I have very different parenting styles.  I'm sure she thinks I'm super uptight about how much and what I let my children watch or what toys I like them to play with.  She sent my oldest DD a Monsters High Doll which I find completely inappropriate.  So I had my nanny take it back to Target and exchange it for a different toy.  I don't feel bad at all.

As long as you smiled and said thank you, exchange away.  Accepting the gift graciously is all that really matters, imo.

[Deleted User]

I forgot all about a part time teacher at DS's school until last night.  And I had given the gifts that morning. 

I am out of town after today and really don't have time to pretend I left it at home.  Skip it and hope she doesn't notice or suck it up and run out at lunch?

Guess that isn't really a confession.  Oh well.

PSU_Texan

MarlaSinger& said:

PSU_Texan said:

Flame Free Friday Confessions for the newbies...

I'll start.  My SIL and I have very different parenting styles.  I'm sure she thinks I'm super uptight about how much and what I let my children watch or what toys I like them to play with.  She sent my oldest DD a Monsters High Doll which I find completely inappropriate.  So I had my nanny take it back to Target and exchange it for a different toy.  I don't feel bad at all.

As long as you smiled and said thank you, exchange away.  Accepting the gift graciously is all that really matters, imo.

I did via email since that's how my husband's family rolls.  We almost never actually talk.  Another FFFC on that... I don't feel bad about that.  I was sad at first that we're not close to his sister and her family since I'm an only child.  But we're so different it is almost harder to connect than just leave it impersonal the way his family has always operated.

MommyAtty

I didn't brush my 2 year old's teeth yesterday. I'm having a ton of guilt about that. Also, I haven't bought DH or his parents anything for Christmas and I'm considering just giving them a bottle of wine and telling DH we will get a "for the house" present and not exchange gifts. His family doesn't make any sort of fuss over the holidays, and when DD was born I finally had an epic shit fit about that and told them to get jolly or get kicked out of my family, so I feel like a hypocrite for doing nothing for any of them. (I'm blaming the shit fit on post-parted hormones, stress, and frustration at feeling under appreciated. That's not my normal MO.)

2chatter

I rocked at brushing the first child's teeth.  I was pretty darn good about the second child.  The third child gets a weekly brushing...maybe twice a week....random extras when he has really bad morning breath.  I don't know why this is so hard - I think it's that the middle has bad boundaries and I literally have to hide the third child's toothbrush, so it's never convenient. 

I like for DD to have playdates.  But she turns into this "I am going to perform and impress you" MONSTER whenever anyone who does not live in this house full time is here....Yesterday she emptied her drawers, messed up the laundry room, broke a hook out of the bathroom door, ate her sister's Christmas present from her BFF, got into her keepsake box I keep in my room and destroyed saved birthday party invitations and projects, stole her sister's cookies she was given as a gift...I could go on, but you get the idea.  I have NO IDEA how to rein her in - it happens with sitters, inlaws, friends...ANYONE.  I am at the end of my rope with how to deal with her and just want to put her in time out.  For as long as it takes (ie days).

kmh2201

The last few weeks, I've gone to the grocery store early Saturday mornings by myself, and it's been awesome.  I grab a cup of coffee and can shop in peace.

jlaOK

I'm down hours this week since I've been sick.  I *should* work this afternoon but I think I'm going to take a nap instead and leave my project for next week.

mae0111

I have been daydreaming, almost daily, of having one day in my house, all alone, to CLEAN.  Just clean, undisturbed, with no one following immediately behind me undoing what I've just done.  

MommyAtty

I'm so frazzled that I was just looking at our electronic family calendar, noticed the dot on the 25th, and thought, "What on earth have we scheduled during vacation that I forgot about???" Um, Christmas. The 25th traditionally is Christmas, you moron. Comes the same time every freaking year.

KayteeGee

I have not lifted a finger for DH's brother and partner this holiday.  And I did all the holiday shopping for everyone.
AND I ADORE THESE GUYS.
But I asked DH to figure out where they're going to be and he didn't... so nothing got done.
And I feel badly about it because I REALLY DO like them.
But I don't feel bad about it because .... I did all the rest of the gifting.  So this one's on you, DH.
But I feel badly because they probably won't get a lot of things (small family, far away)....
BAH HUMBUG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jc&cat

My DS is bouncing off the walls and just down right losing his crap in anticipation of Christmas. He is so sugared up (school have polar express day, breakfast with santa day, let's eat sugar out of the jar day...) and he is turning into a little demon. Today is my birthday and he freaking made me cry this morning. My neighbor mentioned something about the tree going up and her kids lose their minds. I would like to celebrate my half bday next year I think......

shannm

kmh2201 said:

The last few weeks, I've gone to the grocery store early Saturday mornings by myself, and it's been awesome.  I grab a cup of coffee and can shop in peace.

Who in the world would flame this??!! It is just smart!

bumpuser10331514

My dh said he'd rather have sex than sleep. I tried to call his bluff this morning, but no. It's true.

dglvrk2

jc&cat said:

My DS is bouncing off the walls and just down right losing his crap in anticipation of Christmas. He is so sugared up (school have polar express day, breakfast with santa day, let's eat sugar out of the jar day...) and he is turning into a little demon. Today is my birthday and he freaking made me cry this morning. My neighbor mentioned something about the tree going up and her kids lose their minds. I would like to celebrate my half bday next year I think......

Let's eat sugar out of the jar day. Love it!

ss+el

We didn't put up a Christmas tree. Everyone seems to care but us. DS doesn't want one, DH doesn't care, and I don't have the energy to put it up and take it down (you know I'll have to do it all myself), because my team at work is crazy busy in December with strict end of year deadlines and we've all been working long hours.

bumpuser10331514

I have to add another to this late, b/c apparently I have a confession to make every day. Today's: I have been the biggest slacker since my parents got here. I clean the kitchen, feed/diaper/bathe/entertain the kids, and occasionally cook. But mostly I shop with my mom or we're going out to eat on their dime. When I'm not shopping, I'm at work while my parents are at home watching DD and doing housework. So even though I've enjoyed the first two multiple-hours-long breaks on the couch in about 10 months, I feel tremendously guilty b/c my mom is cleaning. Around me. And my husband. And my children who are eating lint off the floor.

2chatter

OK, I will keep this going as well.

My mom arrived yesterday afternoon.  Within three hours I was next door, taking the box that contained Santa's gift to them to recycle for us....but really, because I knew she'd offer me a glass of wine and despite the fact it was 4:30 in the afternoon I needed that.

Love my mom, love my kids, love DH but really, would prefer having my very own house sometimes where I only had to deal with one of them at a time.

rubber_chicken

2chatter said:

OK, I will keep this going as well.

My mom arrived yesterday afternoon.  Within three hours I was next door, taking the box that contained Santa's gift to them to recycle for us....but really, because I knew she'd offer me a glass of wine and despite the fact it was 4:30 in the afternoon I needed that.

Love my mom, love my kids, love DH but really, would prefer having my very own house sometimes where I only had to deal with one of them at a time.

It's Monday and I got maybe 3 hours of sleep last night because DD has a cold, but for the life of me I cannot understand why you brought your parents gift to the neighbors?  Reading comprehension fail.

2chatter

It was the box Santa's gift came in.  I didn't want the kids to see it - it has full color photos of the gift on all six sides of the box, no way to hide it effectively when we would have put it out for recycling.  It was on my to do list, but I took it then because I already needed a break.

ss265

I missed this on Friday so I'll play today. I am so over Christmas. I feel like I'm the one who does all the work - buys all the presents, wraps them, cooks food for family potluck etc. I even have to ask DH to turn on the lights every night - if I don't turn them on, they stay off (even the Christmas tree). Maybe it's having 2 kids this year but I just feel that this holiday is more work than it is worth. 

shannm

ss+el said:

We didn't put up a Christmas tree. Everyone seems to care but us. DS doesn't want one, DH doesn't care, and I don't have the energy to put it up and take it down (you know I'll have to do it all myself), because my team at work is crazy busy in December with strict end of year deadlines and we've all been working long hours.

If I didn't have kids, there would be no Christmas in our house this year.

jenn43

Some of the stuff my MIL buys for LO go directly into the trash without even making it into the house.  She is a compulsive shopper, and we already have too much stuff.  It's not worth arguing with her, so I just throw it away.  

rubber_chicken

jenn43 said:

Some of the stuff my MIL buys for LO go directly into the trash without even making it into the house.  She is a compulsive shopper, and we already have too much stuff.  It's not worth arguing with her, so I just throw it away.  

you should resell it, or give it away on freecyle

SunAndRain

PSU_Texan said:

Flame Free Friday Confessions for the newbies...

I'll start.  My SIL and I have very different parenting styles.  I'm sure she thinks I'm super uptight about how much and what I let my children watch or what toys I like them to play with.  She sent my oldest DD a Monsters High Doll which I find completely inappropriate.  So I had my nanny take it back to Target and exchange it for a different toy.  I don't feel bad at all.

Oh, I'm a toy snob. 

I love wooden toys (Melissa and Doug, Lincoln Logs, etc)   I hate plastic (Fisher Price though I kind of dig their Little People stuff).  Rather than sharing with family that DD needs accessories for her kitchen playset I bought them because I didn't want to specify "wood or felt only, please!" and I was worried they would buy one of those 100+ items for $10 bulk plastic things with unhealthy food items.  I'm crazy, yes.  But now DD has just the right, limited number of healthy, wooden play food to complete her kitchen. Yes, I'm crazy. 

I cringe at what MIL picks out for DD because it is often large scale and cheaply made.  She picked out a buggy for DD"s Christmas present because she fell in love with the color.  It would have been cool 1 year ago but DD will now outgrow it in 6 months. Though to MIL's credit she picked out a wagon for DD that is friggin awesome...so I guess I'll keep her .  (To be honest I'm quite fond of my IL's and appreciate them very much)

FIL and Step-MIL always comment about how DD has too many toys.  I don't think I've ever met a middle class kid who didn't. 

I actually enjoy being in DD's playroom because it is reasonably organized (ok, very organized) and all the toys look nice.  FWIW, DD enjoys her playroom too (I'm kidding)

PhDMomma

jenn43 said:

Some of the stuff my MIL buys for LO go directly into the trash without even making it into the house.  She is a compulsive shopper, and we already have too much stuff.  It's not worth arguing with her, so I just throw it away.  

This (not due to a particular person) is why we have a perpetual "give away" bag. We have one started all the time, and we itemize for our taxes, so I have a notepad and pen next to it. I put things in it (like the automatic back scrubber my aunt got me for my birthday) directly, write them down, and when the bag gets full take it to the Goodwill near our house. And then stick a new bag out and repeat......it becomes nice around tax time. 

alli2672

PhDMomma said:

jenn43 said:

Some of the stuff my MIL buys for LO go directly into the trash without even making it into the house.  She is a compulsive shopper, and we already have too much stuff.  It's not worth arguing with her, so I just throw it away.  

This (not due to a particular person) is why we have a perpetual "give away" bag. We have one started all the time, and we itemize for our taxes, so I have a notepad and pen next to it. I put things in it (like the automatic back scrubber my aunt got me for my birthday) directly, write them down, and when the bag gets full take it to the Goodwill near our house. And then stick a new bag out and repeat......it becomes nice around tax time. 

That is an awesome idea.

[Deleted User]

We save those toys for toy drives.

ss+el

rubber_chicken said:

jenn43 said:

Some of the stuff my MIL buys for LO go directly into the trash without even making it into the house.  She is a compulsive shopper, and we already have too much stuff.  It's not worth arguing with her, so I just throw it away.  

you should resell it, or give it away on freecyle

There are some years I take a big pile back to Walmart..