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textMommy Dearest: What Should Kids Call Their Parents?
by babysugar
2142
Apr 20 2012 - 6:26pm
by babysugar

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LilSugar Mommy Dearest: Do I Have to Play With Friend's Nanny? Mar 30, 2011 6:35 AM Mommy Dearest – I'm a SAHM, but plenty of my daughter's friends' have two working parents, which means that they are cared for by nannies and babysitters. Now that my daughter is in preschool, she is asking to play with specific friends, rather than the ones I set her up with, and that often means that it is the nanny and me hanging out while the girls play. While the nannies are certainly nice enough, I find us both to be uncomfortable with the situation. Should I just not schedule play dates with these kids, or is there another solution you might suggest to avoid the awkwardness of the situation. – Playdate Problem Mommy [break]Keep reading to see Mommy Dearest's response.[/break] Dear Playdate Problem Mommy – It seems to me that denying your daughter playdates with her friends, just because you feel uncomfortable with their caretakers, isn't very fair to your child. If it is the one-on-one situation that is causing you angst, perhaps you could arrange some group play sessions where other moms and caretakers would be present. Or, suggest getting the kids together in a more public setting – like a playground or park – where the kids can play, but you aren't forced to interact quite as much. If your children are old enough, a drop-off playdate may be the perfect solution for your situation. – Mommy Dearest Have a question you need answered? Submit it to the Mommy Dearest Group in our Lil Community.
babysugar Mommy Dearest: Do I Need to Tip All of the Counselors Aug 13, 2010 6:00 AM Mommy Dearest – Camp season is drawing to a close this week and the topic of discussion at the bus stop this morning turned to tipping the counselors. It is my son's first year at camp and I hadn't realized that the counselors needed to be tipped. All of the parents agreed to a set amount per child (the camp, apparently, doesn't have any guidelines about this) but my son was closer with some counselors more than others. Would it be OK for me to just tip the ones he liked? Otherwise, we are looking at another $200 on top of what I paid for camp! – Testing the Tipping Rules To see Mommy Dearest's response, . Dear Testing the Tipping Rules – There is more than one reason parents often dread the end of the Summer – and it doesn't have to do with the kids being home with no activities before school starts. If your camp does not have any set guidelines about tipping, it really is up to you to decide who, if anyone, should be rewarded. That said, it is highly likely that the counselors will compare what they received and from whom they received it. If you have any intention of sending your son back to the camp next Summer, you are best off tipping all of his counselors – you never know who will be leading his group next year! – Mommy Dearest Have a question you need answered? Submit it to the Mommy Dearest Group in our Lil Community.
babysugar Mommy Dearest: I Don't Like My Child's Best Friend Aug 9, 2010 6:00 AM Mommy Dearest – I know it is terrible to say, but I don't like my daughter's best friend. She is pushy and manipulative and seems to bring out the worst in my child. When the girls are together, all I get is sass from my child and if they have been playing together I can see a change in my daughter's entire attitude. I would stop scheduling play dates with her but I a) know it would devastate my child and, b) would be hard to enforce because they are in the same class. Do you have any advice for me? – Baffled by Best Friend To see Mommy Dearest's response, . Dear Baffled by Best Friend – Depending on your child's age, her best friend could be the "flavor of the week" and your problem could easily be solved as she moves on. If, however, that isn't the case, you may want to speak to your daughter's school to see if the tots can be placed in separate classes. I would also strongly encourage her to play with other kids by arranging a full schedule of playdates. Finally, you need to be sure to point out bad behavior to your daughter to ensure that she isn't repeating it. A combination of these suggestions should make for a more manageable relationship.
babysugar Mommy Dearest: Daughter Refuses to Wash Her Hair Jul 15, 2010 9:00 AM Mommy Dearest – I'm a full believer in allowing children to express themselves. I don't argue when my daughter wants to wear crazy things to school. I allow her to paint her nails in hideous colors. And I've even been known to help her add some wild purple streaks to her hair. But we've come to clashes over self-expression versus hygiene. After running around at camp all day, she resists bathing and when I can get her in there, she outright (and physically) refuses to let me wash her hair. She says she likes the way her dirty hair looks and doesn't mind the smell. I've tried explaining the health reasons for washing and she insists that this is her "new look". While I'm happy for her to look however she likes, the smell is getting really bad, and I'm afraid that she will be mocked at camp. Do you have any advice? – Shear Madness Mama To see Mommy Dearest's response, . Dear Shear Madness Mama – Sounds like you have quite a stinky situation on your hands. In your effort to provide your daughter with the freedom of self-expression, you seem to have become lenient in reminding her about limits. As her mother, you have the last word. Rather than worry about her being mocked at camp, you might focus on the cleanliness issue here. She needs to know that cleanliness is not negotiable. – Mommy Dearest Have a question you need answered? Submit it to the Mommy Dearest Group in our Lil Community.
babysugar Mommy Dearest: Fast Food Playdate Dilemma Jun 17, 2010 9:00 AM Mommy Dearest – Yesterday, while toiling away at work, I received a phone call from my son's nanny. It seems the friend he was playing with had been promised a lunch at McDonald's and had invited my kindergartner along. I try to avoid fast food restaurants at all costs, so our nanny called to ask if it was OK to go for lunch with the friend. In the background I could already hear my son discussing the cartoon characters he saw on the restaurant's windows and rather than subject his caretaker to a meltdown, I acquiesced. I am not some food-crazed mom (I give my children plenty of chicken fingers at home, albeit not fried), but I really don't like my children eating all of that fried food and thinking that food comes with toys. Would it be inappropriate for me to ask his playmate's mom to not promise such "treats" on days our kids play together? – McDonaldless Mommy To see the response from Mommy Dearest, . Dear McDonaldless Mommy – You are certainly entitled to your thoughts on fast food , and you are welcome to voice them to anyone you wish, but you may want to think twice before imparting them on your fellow moms. Each mom is entitled to her own opinion and you wouldn't want to cause a rift in your lil one's friendship over such a small thing. Perhaps you could consider limiting their playdates to non-meal times or suggest having everyone over to your home where you can have more say over the meal they eat. In the meantime, I would chalk this up to a rare "treat" and let your son know that it won't be an every day occurrence. – Mommy Dearest Have a question you need answered? Submit it to the Mommy Dearest Group in our Lil Community.

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Preschool Playdate Suggestions Preschool Playdate Suggestions
Tipping Camp Counselors Tipping Camp Counselors
Issues With Child's Best Friend Issues With Child's Best Friend
Hair Washing and Kids Hair Washing and Kids

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