counting to one thousand

If I knew, perhaps I'd have one. Giving him/her a bone to chew on probably won't work.

I even caved and gave her what she wants, but it didn't work....

Thanks pdog, wish it were as easy as caring for the pets. And I say that as an owner of a diabetic cat and a tumor prone dog.

What's the specific issue? And how old is she again?

I have a zillion ideas, really.

Mostly, remember that the button-pushing, irritating as it may be, is developmental.

By the way, hubby, who has been home more than usual over the holidays, has been asking the same thing. He usually sees her in the evening after a long active day with mama, and he didn't realize what a terror she can be if she doesn't get that long active day.

Well, k, neither you nor anyone else has ever shown the slightest appreciation for the "roger" theory of child rearing, so I will continue to keep it to myself.

Is an outing a greater or lesser terror than staying in the house?

Soz - 2.5 years old. this specific issue was nap-time. We got back to her house later than usual, she was asleep by the time we got here. Her mom asked that we always use the garage entrance, so the G-door woke her up - of course. She'd had about 2 minutes of sleep. I knew she'd be hungry. I got her a bottle and brought her, the bottle, big bunny, little bunny and blue blankie upstairs to bed. She wouldn't go to bed. I uasually tell her I'll stay til she falls asleep, but I stay on the couch. She refused that idea and started crying so after I tried to talk with her for a bit I left the room. When it was apparent she wasn't going to sleep after she stopped crying, I went back in. She's dopy-eyed, wobbling as she sat up in bed refusing to go down for a nap. I try to talk with her about it. She starts crying (mommydaddycomeback, mommydaddyfindme, mommydaddy noooOOoooopleasecomeback" - it's like a chant she does when she doesn't get a cookie, get to pull ornaments off the tree, etc. I left and came back after she was done crying to put her bed back together (blankets, sheets, bunnies, pillows on the floor) and she'd taken off her clothes and diaper. Put a new diaper on (the other wasn't dirty) she started to pull that one off saying "Bring it back to CBS" (hahaha). Put her back in bed, lay down next to her (I caved!). She started tossing everything off again and chanting. I left. She exited bedroom, I went back in with her, put the bed back together, lay down with her and she fell asleep! I know I should have just forgot about the nap, but it's an 8 hour day, I need a break too.

Did you tell me the R-theory, Rog?

pdog - these days I have to fight with her to get her out of the house.

L'k I hoping the pay is good

Husker, don't get me started

This is what I told hubby, and he didn't like it either (maybe you will, but I doubt it... )

We gotta plan. Toddlers are little irrational bundles of impulses, and the day has to be planned, planned, planned. Everything past "she fell asleep, then woke up because of the garage door" I woulda predicted. I just have to plan to make sure that kind of thing doesn't happen. If she's looking drowsy in the car, take her shoes and socks off, tickle her feet, sing loud songs, open the windows -- whatever it takes to keep her up. Then put her down for her nap. Otherwise the little irrational bundle of impulse thing happens.

Huh. When people here act like that, we get them a grant to soothe their little nerves. Rather you than me, is all I've got to say. (I've always been in the position of showing up so rarely that the kid is excited I'm there, which makes things easy -- as does the ready opportunity to hand the kid off when they cry or crap themselves.)

Good luck.

I sang, I talked, a bribed her with "...a bottle when we get home!", I opened a window, I even unwrapped a luna bar (her ab-favorite). Nope, pooped right out.

Your kid?

Basically, if you do everything (and the planning I'm talking about goes down to "if we don't leave soon, she's gonna be awfully pooped"), then you just have to settle back and accept the irrational bundle of impulses. Reasoning won't work.

pd, oooh, yeah, this is a shall we say challenging age. But it's fantastic, too. She is going through a politeness stage and says "thanks Mommy!" when I do anything. She loves to sing, and when I sing a song with her she says "that was BEAUtiful!" She will take her face in my hands, look me in the eye, and say "you are my favorite mommy and I love you sooooooooo much!"

So, I plan.

Yep, Soz, I plan too, this was indeed my fault. And, as aweful as it is sometimes, she is a wonderful little kid.

(huh? no, if i've got any, i don't know about it. the = any that i've known on a regular basis. don't mind me, i'm growing obtuse as the afternoon takes shape...)

Pdog - I thought this was a good way for me to get my practice in case I had a kid of my own. Now I don't think I want to have a kid of my own.

Aw, really? Too bad. I think having one is a much, much different situation than caring for one. But to each his/her own -- the prosletyzing parent types bother me.

And pd, gotta pity the poor men... I'm fairly certain I don't have any unknown progeny wandering around. The 9 months + labor thing would tend to get my attention.

Anyway, lil l, you do have my sympathy and I'm happy to give practical advice anytime.