HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: 6310550@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM
Subject: funny things they say: 3.75 yr old
Organization: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 92 15:34:32 GMT

Last night when I was cooking dinner Melissa (age 3.75) pulled up
a chair to "help" as usual.  She looked in the pot & saw brocolli.
She then informed me that she did not have to eat it since George
Bush does not like brocolli & he is the "big boss".  I asked her
where she got her information... she said "Come on Mom, I DO have
ears... I watch the news too!".
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: jgelhaus@src.honeywell.com (Jennifer Gelhaus)
Subject: Waterbeds
Organization: Honeywell Systems & Research Center
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 15:20:22 GMT


Okay, these may seem like pretty dumb questions, but please bear with me.
My boyfriend's mother recently offered us the waterbed from her house, and
he really wants to take it. I don't know if I want it as I've always been
perfectly happy on a firm mattress. But... now that I'm in my seventh month
of pregnancy, I'm having a little more difficulty getting comfortable (which 
I'm sure many of you can relate to!) and we thought maybe the waterbed would
be better for me. My questions are:
	1.  Did anyone out there sleep on waterbed during pregnancy and
	    did you find this more comfortable? I guess what I'm asking is,
	    would it be worth it to haul that thing down here? Or... maybe
	    does it not give enough support???
	2.  If waterbeds can be dangerous for babies, will I regret having
	    it after the baby is born? (Keep in mind that once we get it
	    we probably will not be moving it again - it's quite a task.)
Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated! TIA

-Jen (Due Nov.14)

Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: diane@camdenuswest.com ( Diane Diesh)
Subject: Re: Ear Thermometers
Reply-To: diane@advtech.uswest.com
Organization: U S WEST Advanced Technologies
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 17:31:14 GMT

In article <day_kevran-130892134944@130.252.108.211>, day_kevran@tandem.tandem.com (Kevran Day ) writes:
> In article <14050@gazette.bcm.tmc.edu>, pburch@roc.mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu (Paula
> Burch) wrote:
> > [...]  Or maybe it's just that my baby at 
> > 3.7 months has not yet demonstrated to me how hard it can be to hold him
> > still for one minute.
>
> BINGO!  You've got it!  Try holding a thermometer (digital or otherwise)
> under the arm of a squirmy 2YO.  Jason always manages to push the 
> button on the digital, so that we have to basically start over.  I tried 
> explaining to him that it just means it stays there even longer, but 
> he isn' t listening to reason yet ;-)!

Believe me, I know about trying to get an axillary (armpit) temperature
from a squirmy, irritable (usually--the kid's sick, right?) 2YO.  But
one trick that helps somewhat is sticking the thermometer under the armpit
from the back, rather than the front.  That way, they can't grab it.

> My Dr.only wanted me to do the 
> rectal method, but I just refuse - I can't think of anything more awful 
> for a baby (or parent!) [...]

No argument here :-).
--
Diane Diesh
diane@advtech.uswest.com
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: raek@athena.mit.edu (Robyn A E Kozierok)
Subject: Re: Roller skates for a 2.6 year old
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 18:24:24 GMT

In article <1992Aug20.134335.8644@samba.oit.unc.edu> cew@med.unc.edu (Cathryn W. Chiesa) writes:
>This summer my 13 year old nephew visited for two weeks.  He
>brought along he roller blades.  My 2.6 year old son loved to
>sit on the porch and watch him skate.  He would get up and
>pretent to put on skates and skate all around.  He has been
>talking constantly about getting roller skates when he is
>bigger.  Everynight after dinner we all go outside and pretnet
>to put on skates.  I have not desire to buy him roller blades,
>but has anyone bought a pair of plastic skates for a kid this
>age???  Any recommendations for brands.  I figure we would hold
>his hand and just push him around.  This is the first thing
>he has every really wanted (and I know it won't be the last).
>Thanks for any recommendations or suggestions.
>
>Cathryn W. Chiesa
>cew@med.unc.edu

Fisher Prices makes (made?) plastic strap-on-the-shoes type roller skates.
I believe they were adjustable in size, and the cool thing was that there
is a "beginners" mode where the wheels will move forward only, making it
easier for young children to handle -- you can practically just walk on
them.  I don't know how suitable they are for a 2.6 year old, but my
cousins used them when they were 4 and 8 and both enjoyed them.  I'm not
sure they'd go small enough to fit on such a small child's shoe though.

Check them out, and good luck!

--Robyn


Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: cew@med.unc.edu (Cathryn W. Chiesa)
Subject: Testing
Originator: cew@pelham
Organization: UNC-CH School of Medicine
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 20:00:34 GMT

This is just a test.

CWC
From: alan@edstar.ucsb.edu (Alan Moses)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Homeschooling
Date: 21 Aug 92 13:35:40 GMT

In response to Dena Rollo's 'dissenting view' regarding
homeschooling (Message-ID: <4023.9208201316@bonzo.xylogics.com>)
which stated:

>I think homeschooling is selfish, arrogant, anti-social, and
>irresponsible, PLUS damaging to children.

Our motivation for homeschooling is educational; namely,
that learner-initiated and directed education is the most
effective way to learn, and that this approach is absent
(and near impossible) in the sort of organizational
structure that any school - public or private - must take.
I think that your criticisms simply don't apply to
what we and most of the home schoolers we know are doing.
I disagree with each of your accusations, but the most
clearly inaccurate is:

>selfish and anti-social

For our family, education is something that happens in the
community, as an ongoing part of everyday life; not in a
separate building at specified times. Because they are not
tied to a schedule that fills up most of every weekday, our
children are able to spend more time in libraries, museums,
workshops, and other activities in the community, dealing
with a far more diverse group of people than they would in
an age and ability (and in some cases racially and
economically) segregated classroom.  No matter what your
opinion of the quality of schools, I don't think you can
say that they provide a better experience of the 'real
world' than the 'real world.' You say "...SEND [THEM] OUT
INTO THE WORLD ...." This is what we do; what we don't do
is send them to school.

I could argue with each of your other statements, but it should
suffice to say that if you knew me, if we had a chance to talk
about what home schooling actually is for us (and for almost all
of the many homeschoolers I've had the chance to meet), then you
would see that your conclusions simply don't apply.  From the
underlying concern for children and education expressed in your
posting, I'm sure we have a lot more in common than you think.  

-Alan

Alan Moses (alan@edstar.gse.ucsb.edu) 
Santa Barbara, California
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: iscstk@nuscc.nus.sg (Siew Teng Kean)
Subject: How to have a smarter baby?
Organization: National University of Singapore
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 06:45:05 GMT

Hi misc.kiders

I recently heard of a seminar given by a Dr Susan Ludington on "How to have a
smarter baby", which supposedly describes techniques and theory about enhancing
an infant's motor and mental development. Dr Ludington is an associate
professor of Maternal Child Nursing at UCLA, and has carried out research on
infant stimulation and written a book on the subject. I would like to find out
the exact title of the book, without coughing out $200 for her seminar.

In the book, she claims that parents can raise an infant IQ by as much as 30
points through daily 15 minute visual stimlation sessions, as brain development
in the first 4 months of an infant's life can be enhanced by such stimulation.

Does anyone have details of this book and other books on the same subject?
My baby is 2 months old and I can see that she is starting to respond actively
to stimuli. I know nothing of Dr Ludington's work, perhaps someone can comment 
on that too. While I think claims such as 30 points of IQ
increase are probably wildly exagerrated, I do see some merit in providing a
stimulating environment for babies to learn and grow in.

Teng-Kean
-- 
Teng-Kean Siew         Dept. of Information Systems & Computer Science
iscstk@nuscc.nus.sg    National University of Singapore
(65) 772-3120
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: dan@Ingres.COM (Daniel J. Dick)
Subject: Help requested calming net noise
Organization: Representing my views here - not my employer's
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3
Distribution: usa
Date: 19 Aug 92 22:22:07 GMT

I would like to offer my apology for my part in this net-noise and help to
calm it down.  People on all sides of this contraversy have valid reasons
for concern, but rather than let the concerns interrupt the discussion
over health and other issues, I'd like to offer some help in taking the
volatile part off-line to separate mailing lists and devise a kind and
diplomatic standard message that will help to direct volatile posters toward
those mailing lists without hurting feelings or starting flame wars.

On the christian side, are there any who would like to join a christian-kids-l
mailing list?  If so, could you send me email and I'll compile the names and
send them back?

Perhaps some of those in the other groups--pagans, athiests,  or whatever--
would like to put together a similar list.

This is not to hurt anybody's freedom of speech or restrict anybody, but it
could go a long way in allowing folks to air their views while allowing
others to discuss less contraversial issues.

Thank you for your help and participation.  I hope this will help to make
everyone happier in the long run!

	       Dan

Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: goldberg@eldyn.gsfc.nasa.gov (Patti Twigg)
Subject: developmental dyspraxia
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Greenbelt, MD, USA
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 20:05:00 GMT

Hi all! As mentioned in an earlier post, my son has been diagnosed
with developmental dyspraxia. I was wondering if there are any
other parents out there with a similar diagnosis on their child
who might be interested in corresponding to share infomation, etc.
Thanks.
                                     Patti Twigg
                                     STPAT@lepvax.gsfc.nasa.gov
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: flaps@dgp.toronto.edu (Alan J Rosenthal)
Subject: Requesting diaper service recommendations, Mississauga (Ontario)
Followup-To: poster
Organization: Dynamic Graphics Project, University of Toronto
Distribution: tor
Date: 18 Aug 92 16:30:53 GMT


[I put "Distribution: tor" on this; sorry if it gets further & please ignore.]

Hi folks,

Call us chicken or what, but we are sceptical that we have the energy to wash
diapers and we want to engage a diaper service.  I'm seeking recommendations
for diaper services which work in Mississauga, which is where we live, but if
you're not sure just give me the name anyway.  When they send brochures they
have so little information on them, so a little info to narrow the search would
be nice.

Please e-mail.

thanks,
From: gwynne@milton.u.washington.edu
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: 3 years old and colors
Date: 18 Aug 92 16:56:13 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Aug18.165613.29269
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

In article <1992Aug16.165459.15719@leela.cs.orst.edu> uttla@jacobs.CS.ORST.EDU (Laura Utt) writes:
>I have a 3 year old neice. We have worked with her on learning her
>colors. She doesn't seem to remember them. Is she too young to be
>able to remember what color is which. She knows what colors are. 
>Whenever we ask her what color something is she always says blue or
>red.
>
>-Laura (A concerned Aunt) Utt

My daughter went through this at the same age and it just infuriated
my mother.  "She's just like you were are that age..." followedd by
some story about my confusion with colors.  Only according to my 
mom, it wasn't confusion just plain stubborness on my part.  (yes,
yes, my mother and I are _still_ working things out).  

So, I would say that this is perfectly reasonable for a three year - at
least it was for me and mine :).   

This also puts me in mind of the period that my daughter went through
were she refused to call any of her grandparents by any name - just 
pointed at them (in person) or spoke of her aunt at one grandparents
house and the uncle at the other house to distinguish them.
This was at about 2.5 so there must be something cognitively (isn't 
this time when all waterbirds are ducks and there can't be something
called a goose?).

Kristan
From: elg@elgamy.sccsi.com (Eric Lee Green)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Talk talk TALK talk
Date: 21 Aug 92 03:28:33 GMT
Organization: Eric's Amiga 2000 @ Home

From article <1992Aug19.223951.21584@cco.caltech.edu>, by hough@seismo.gps.caltech.edu (Susan Hough):
> In article <holly.169@mailhub.scf.lmsc.lockheed.com> holly@mailhub.scf.lmsc.lockheed.com (Holly Wise) writes:
>>In article <bandor.714180812@byerley.rdt.monash.edu.au> bandor@byerley.rdt.monash.edu.au (Tony McGregor) writes:
>>
>>>Snap. Meaghan was born talking. She has two states, talking and
>>DITTO.  My soon to be 9 year olds the same way.  She doesn't care to what
>>she talks either.  She can't stop talking long enough to listen either.  It'
>>s so nice to know there are so many others out there with the same problem.
>>Only thing is I'D LOVE A SOLUTION.  Does it ever stop?
>
> This thread has been somewhat reassuring to me also--at least I don't have
> the only child in the world who seems to talk every waking minute.
> Sarah is 8 years old now; when she was 6 months and all she could say
> was "ba", she said "ba-ba-ba" all day long.  Now the vocabulary is
> expanded but the constancy of the noise is the same.  It drives me
> bananas!  I keep thinking that once she gets to a certain age, she
> might finally learn to internalize some of her thoughts, but it hasn't
> happened so far.
>
> So, sorry to say, no solutions from this corner.  But I'll also be
> watching to see if anybody else has figured out any bright ideas.

The best and brightest idea: WAIT.

Soon enough, the only time you'll hear her talk-talk-talk is on the
telephone. Then you can expect this conversation:

Mom: "Hi Katy. Where have you been?"

K:"Out."

M:"Oh, did you have fun?"
K:"Yeah."
M:"What'd you do?"
K:"Oh, stuff."
M: (at loss for words) "That sounds interesting..."
K: (Roll her eyes, wanders off to her room to use her telephone)

This happens somewhere between age 11 and age 13, it seems... so if your
kid is 9, well, bear with it, it won't be forever!


--
 Eric Lee Green  elg@elgamy.sccsi.com         Dodson Elementary
 (713) 437-6908  uunet!nuchat!elgamy!elg      Houston, TX
                "Kids are kids, no matter what"
From: kati@glnserv.UUCP (Lady Dragon)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Stupid potty training question
Date: 22 Aug 92 13:57:42 GMT
Organization: Vermi-net, Houston, Tx. 77098

vrs0@bunny.gte.com (V. Stern) writes:

> I know this is a stupid question, but I haven't seen it addressed in any
> magazine articles, etc., and people I've asked don't know either... When
> potty training a boy (we're talking urinating here) are they trained to go
> sitting down or standing?  One friend says it's a function of how much of
> a mess you want to clean up (hers hasn't gone through it yet, though).
> Another friend's little boy was trained sitting down and came home from
> preschool one day with the great revelation that the other little boys
> peed standing up ("You know what mommy?!") :)
>
> Vanessa R. Stern
> vrs0@bunny.gte.com

The book, I'm a big kid now, by Dr. Brooks for Pull-Ups says that boys can
sit or stand. She gives no real advice on this. She does say that boys
might find the seat a little cold if it touches their testicles.

* * email address: nuchat!xcluud!glnserv!kati * Houston, Texas, USA, Earth * *
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: dxf12@po.CWRU.Edu (Douglas Fowler)
Subject: Cute stuff from the ballpark
Reply-To: dxf12@po.CWRU.Edu (Douglas Fowler)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 92 15:51:13 GMT


     It was kazoo night at Canton's "AA" baseball game (2 steps below the
majors, for those unfamiliar with that term.)  The team gave away free
kazoos to the first 1500 kids.  One parent asked: "Do the parents get
free earplugs?"
     Our home team is the Indians - a fellow sometimes plays an Indian
chant on a drum that sounds like the chant used by the Braves last year.
A father suggested to his 4YO that he play that tune on the kazoo like
they play on the drum.  So, the kid took his kazoo out of his mouth and
started pounding it on the seat like one would pound a drum.
-- 
Doug Fowler: dxf12@po.CWRU.edu      :    "Every baby born into the world is
Real home: Canton, Ohio             :  finer than the last."--Charles Dickens
 Trying to follow in the path of our :     "A baby is an inestimable
Lord;anything close will be a success:  blessing and bother."--Mark Twain
From: vrs0@bunny.gte.com (V. Stern)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Warming baby bottles
Date: 12 Aug 92 14:51:09 GMT
Organization: GTEL

In article <1992Aug11.133329.7916@linus.mitre.org> 
ptrei@bistromath.mitre.org (Peter Trei) writes:
>      I believe the 'do not microwave' signs on the disposable bottles
> are simply lawyer droppings to deal with idiots who over-microwave.
> In that case, it's barely possible that the water/formula could
> superheat, then flash into steam when disturbed.
> 
>                                                 Peter Trei
>                                                 aka Suzy's daddy (24 
mos).

This is probably true, but I didn't notice the "do not microwave" warning 
and, when I called Playtex to complain about the liners leaking, the woman I spoke with immediately asked whether I microwaved the bottle.  When I said "yes", she very nastily said, "we don't guarantee the liners if you microwave 
them."  Gee, sorry.

Vanessa R. Stern
vrs0@bunny.gte.com
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 13:49:01 EDT
From: Chris Himes <CLH7@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: negative attitudes towards breast-feeding
 <1992Aug11.220307.10100@cavebbs.welly.gen.nz> <20451@optima.cs.arizona.edu>

In article <20451@optima.cs.arizona.edu>, bweiss@cs.arizona.edu (Beth Weiss)
says:
>
>
>I asked her about breastfeeding, and her response: "It's embarrassing,
>you know, to have a baby there".  We talked for a while, and although
>her friend said she'd talk her into at least trying breastfeeding,
>it was pretty clear to me that even if she tried, she wouldn't have
>the commitment it takes to get through those first weeks.
>
How have other mothers/fathers been supportive of breastfeeding without
appearing too judgemental?  My s-i-l started breastfeeding and ran into
trouble at about 6 weeks when the baby wanted to nurse all the time.  I
explained about growth spurts and supply and demand, but she was really
feeling depressed about the experience.  On the one hand, I wanted to let
her know that it gets easier, but on the other, I wanted to let her know
that if she decided to give it up it wasn't to ruin her kid.  I feel very
strongly that breastfeeding is important for physical and emotional
reasons and enjoyed my experience with Douglas.  I thought she really
needed support, but wasn't sure about the right way to provide it.  Any
suggestions for the next friend/relative that comes along?

Chris Himes
From: wiebe@ut-emx.uucp (Anne Hill Wiebe)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: cute things they say (4 1/2 years)
Keywords: cute
Date: 17 Aug 92 19:01:35 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: U. Texas Center for Space Research

This weekend, Elizabeth's dad and I took her to Inner Space
Caverns, a beautiful cave near Austin.  We were watching a
"light and sound presentation" which involved lights playing over an
awe-inspiring natural formation while the first few verses of
Genesis were read over booming speakers.  My daughter, the
budding Lutheran (:-)), listened closely, then when it was over
said to me, "that was TRUE, right??"  I proudly whispered back,
"yes honey, that was true."  She continued, "The cave *TOLD* me,
and it was TRUE!"

Wow!  What theology!
From: smergen@luna.dpl.scg.hac.com (Sandra Mergen)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re:  Tax-deductible Childcare Expenses?
Date: 21 Aug 92 23:03:38 GMT


Mark Baldwin (mark@sparky.nwra.com) writes:

>I've heard that it's possible to (legally) not pay income
>tax on the cost of child care.  My understanding is that it
> must be done through one's employer with "pretax dollars" 
>like a 401k.  You don't fill out your tax return with
>childcare deducted.  You just never see the money in your
>taxable pay.

Our company offers a Flexible Spending Account (FSA).  Here 
is how it works.

It might be helpful to consider the FSA similar to bank account
in which you make deposits and withdrawals.  However, with the
FSA you must decide in ADVANCE how much you want to contribute
on a yearly basis.  Once you make this decision, the amount will
automatically be deducted from your paychecks in equal amounts
throughout the plan year and deposited into a special account. 
When you need to make a withdrawal from these accounts all you
have to do is submit a claim form to the claims adminstrator
with a receipt for services and you will be reimbursed for your
expenses.

The only drawback that I see is, (example:  if you estimate that
your day care expenses for the next year are $4500, and you change
day care's mid year, or make a change that your expenses are less,
you still have to have the $4500 taken out of your check, which
means you lose money).   

Also, your day care provider has to be licensed, and you must provide
him/her social security # and license # on your claim form.  

We havn't signed up for this benefit yet, because since I had
our second child, I didn't know how long I'd be off work, and
how much the sitter would charge, etc.

Sandy
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: jackie8@dasher.uucp (25853-brady)
Subject: Re: Walkers/Strollers for fast walkers/joggers
Reply-To: jackie8@dasher.UUCP ()
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 92 17:37:36 GMT

In article <1992Aug7.190906.14520@b11.b11.ingr.com> greg@gregm.b23b.ingr.com (Greg Moritz) writes:
>I am looking for a device that one can use to push a couple of 50-lb
>kids around at a fast clip.
>
>Does anybody know of such a device that is sold locally or sold thru
>a mail order house.
>
>I would envision such a device would have relatively large wheels such
>as bicycle or wheelchair - type wheels rather than the 3-5" units used
>on strollers for more casual walking.
>
>... sitting around twiddling my thumbs waiting for a response ...

Twiddle no more! I just so happen to have a catalog right here
that has the exact thing you're looking for (although the price
is up to you!!).  As a note, a woman in the apartment complex
I live in has one of these (I'm not sure if it's the EXACT model
I'm describing here but it's *very* similar) and she rollerblades
around with her child in this and the kid looks *very* comfy!

From the United Airlines In-Flight Catalog they provide (it has
a bunch of different vendors and their items in it):

Three Wheel Wonder
sturdy lightweight steel frame; easy to push
wrist strap; thick nylon seat; two-height adjustable handle;
folds easily/no tools req'd to fit in most trunks;
canopy and seat belt included;  for children up to 50 lbs.
$159 (due to the weight of item, an extra $20 shipping
added to normal $7.95 rate)
Order #C039 from "The Right Start Catalog" in the United Airlines
catalog.
1-800-362-5500

I have no affiliation with this company or any of the companies
mentioned in the United Airlines Catalog.  I'm simply an innocent
bystander!!  Apply usual disclaimers, please!



---
Jackie Brady		       
jackie8@dasher.cc.bellcore.com
Bellcore/Piscataway, NJ      908-699-5458
From: demartinib@cpva.saic.com
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: <None>
Date: 18 Aug 92 17:19:51 PST
Organization: Science Applications Int'l Corp./San Diego