Instructions for Child Rearing

My dh was reorganizing files on his computer recently. He ran across these instructions I had typed for my mother. Our daughter was around 2 1/2 yo and staying with them for a few days. Apparently I had some trust and control issues!?!


What's even funnier is that when we showed it to our now 21 yo daughter, she thought the similarities in her current life were hilarious.


For your amusement and derision:
Pick Claire up between 2:00 and 2:30 on Thursday.  Ask to see if she's had a nap, and if so how long.  Check to see if she needs to go to the potty before you leave.  She'll probably want a snack -- fruit or crackers and juice.  Keep her away from sugar and caffeine as much as possible -- it really makes her wild.

She's still eating pretty well.  She really likes Pigs in Blankets, spaghetti, tossed salad, pizza, hamburgers and fries, broccoli with cheese and baked potatoes with the works.  She'll eat some bread, but not a lot.  Almost any fruit is a hit.  She likes popsicles a lot.  I usually get the single pops in the fruit flavors, but limit her to one a day.  She'll eat a sandwich (half) and some chips for lunch or whatever you're having.  She doesn't like peanut butter, but she likes mayo and mustard on meat and cheese sandwiches.  She still likes a snack around 10:00 -- cheese and crackers or some pretzels.  She'll want lunch between 11:30 and 12:00.  Breakfast is more difficult.  Just try to get something down her.  Cinnamon toast, fruit, cereal -- she's partial to cinnamon toast and pancakes right now.  She may not want to eat for 30 minutes or so after she gets up.  On Sunday if she doesn't want to eat just take some dry cereal to church with you.

Nap time should hit right at 2:00.  Warn her about 1:30 that nap time is in 30 mins. and remind every 10 mins. or so.  have her potty and read 1-2 books and sing 3 songs (she likes "You Are My Sunshine"; "Red River Valley"; "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"; "Dinah"; "The Oscar Mayer Hot Dog Song").  Kiss and hug her and tell her to stay in bed and go to sleep.  If she says she's not tired then tell her she has to stay in bed and rest.  If she's not asleep after an hour and wants to get up then she can.  Only let her take a half cup of water to bed with her.  She normally sleeps about 2 1/2 hours.  She can have a snack after nap time if it's not too close to dinner (more than 30 mins.). 

She'll need a bath and shampoo Thurs. and Sat. nights for sure.  Otherwise use your own judgment.  If she doesn't have a bowel movement by Friday evening, then feed her some raisins and try to get her to drink extra water and lay off the cheese.  She usually goes only every 2-3 days.  Ask her at least once a day if she needs to try and poop.  It seems to help her remember.  When she does have a BM she likes to use the baby wipes to clean up with.  You'll have to help her quite a bit with that clean up.

If she throws a fit tell her you're going to put her in time out.  Designate a chair (probably in the dining room) and set her in it for 3 mins.  After the time is up go to her and ask if she knows why she was in time out.  Hopefully she'll answer appropriately.  Then give a kiss and hug and let her get up.  She is not to talk while in time out and she can't take anything with her while she sits there.

Limit her to 1 movie a day.  "Sesame Street" comes on at 8:00 am and 5:30 pm, and "Barney and Friends" comes on at 3:00 (on channel 8).  Try not to let her dictate all of your time.  She is used to entertaining herself for as much as 30 minutes or more at time. 

Bedtime is 8:30 pm.  Use the same routine as nap time.  If she wants to sleep in the crib, try suggesting that she is too big and that she can sleep on a pallet on the floor if she doesn't want to sleep in the big bed.  She usually wakes up between 7 and 7:30 am.

Her doctor is Dr. L F at Southern Hills Medical Building, ###-####.  Their office hours are 8:30 to 5:00 M-F.  She had a checkup on Wednesday, so you shouldn't have any problems.  They are very nice and I told them that we are out of town and she's staying with you.

I've included a bottle of children's Tylenol.  If she needs some she takes 2 tablets.  Also as far as the potty training is concerned, she'll want you to sit with her the whole time and maybe read her book or play.  Don't feel obligated to stay the whole time.  She uses it as a way to keep you at her beck and call.  Ask her periodically if she needs to go to the potty, but the only time I really make her try to go is right before nap and bedtime, and if we are leaving the house.  Otherwise take her word for it.  If she has an accident, help her out of her wet things and send her to get dry panties.  Have her sit on the potty before she puts the dry ones on.  Assure her that you're not angry and accidents happen, but that she should try to remember next time.  We haven't had too many accidents and none at night, so I think you'll be okay.

She's been given to more tantrums lately.  You'll probably want to designate a place to send her when she throws a fit.  Tell her that if she can't calm down she'll have to go to wherever this spot is and stay until she's calm.  She may cry from 5 to 10 mins., and I know it's hard to take, but in the long run she's much happier.  It seems to be how she lets off steam and tension.  Just make sure you've tried to determine the problem, but don't give in on something you've already said no to just because she cries.

She's been asking for a warm rag to take to bed some nights because she says her eyes hurt.  The doctor says it is just allergies.  I don't care if she takes the rag to bed, but if you don't want her to just tell her no.  Don't offer it, but wait and see if she brings it up.