HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: pgallant@cvbnet.prime.com (cvbnet)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Brushing teeth - When to use toothpaste?
Date: 27 Aug 92 16:18:13 GMT
Article-I.D.: cvbnetPr.3775
Distribution: na

From article <1992Aug24.215754.16401@mdd.comm.mot.com>, by nelson@mdd.comm.mot.com (Mike Nelson):
> When should a toddler be using toothpaste rather than just brushing
> with a wet toothbrush?
> 
> Inquiring minds want to know.
> 
> Mike N.


My son is 18 months and I just scrape the toothbrush over the end of the tube
of toothpaste to get just a little.  I think he likes the taste, but you shouldn't
give them too much because they're not supposed to swallow the toothpaste.  He's just
getting the idea of brushing his teeth.  He used to just suck on the brush, but he
actually opens his mouth now and lets me brush for a minute.  Now if I can get him 
to not eat or drink anything else after...  oh well.



 ___| Pamela Gallant               |________   ___   *
|   | Computervision, Bedford, MA  |  [ ]   | | []|__II
|   | (617) 275-1800 x4707         |  [ ]   |_|        |
 OO-| pgallant@cvbnet.prime.com    |OO----OO  OOO----OO >
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: johnnyb@flamingo.ims.com (Johnny Battle)
Subject: Re: beginning discipline
Reply-To: johnnyb@flamingo.ims.com
Organization: Integrated Measurement Systems
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 17:37:41 GMT

Anne M. Harvey writes:

>Sometimes she cannot be distracted and begins to 
>cry when I prevent her persistent attempts at the undesirable activity.  

This is the expected response and indicates that she is getting the 
message.  Just don't give in when she starts to cry.  In fact if she
pushes you enough, you should get very stern and apply even more
negative reinforcement.  She will eventually come around to correct
behaviour.  The weaker she perceives you to be, the longer it will
take for her to stop pushing a particular limit.  Once she learns
you are soft on a limit, she will then look for another limit to 
push.  If she finds you soft on all limits, she will probably NEVER
pay much attention to you.

>I'd like to avoid corporal punishment - so I need some techniques for
>setting limits on her activities.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  You are already doing it right.
You are already using a form of negative reinforcement, which just means
taking away something she likes or not letting her have something she
wants.  As she gets older, you may want to start putting her in her
room when she misbehaves or start using some other form of "time out."
Just be firm and don't give in when she cries.  You need to be
clear in your own mind that the limits you set are appropriate and
in her best interests.  Know that you are in the right and that she is
a child who needs to learn to listen to you when you say "no." 

*************************************************************************
Johnny Battle                    Life is a long series of second chances.


Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: lhafner@vaxa.weeg.uiowa.edu (Laurie Hafner)
Subject: Re: Potty Training a 3.6 year old
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 14:36:00 GMT

In article <66924@hydra.gatech.EDU>, ad4@prism.gatech.EDU (Angela Dubose) writes...

>a year now except for a once in a blue moon accident now.   (The plastic 
>on her bed made the bed 'hotter' and made her perspire more but that was
>even more inspiration to quit wetting the bed - I told her when she made it
>for two whole weeks without wetting the bed we'd take that noisy bothersome
>thing off her bed - a promise which I kept).  However, one thing the 'quiet'

We moved our second child to a bed a few weeks ago from his crib.  In searching
for bedclothes, I found an inexpensive waterproof mattress cover that is made
from fabric instead of plastic.  It is more like the mattress cover we have on
our waterbed.  Anyway, it is much nicer and doesn't make all of the noise
that the plastic one does on our older child's bed.  So, instead of buying
a plastic bedcover and mattress pad - I bought one that did both!  It was 
under $10 at the local discount store.  Just thought I would pass this along!

Laurie Hafner, Weeg Computing Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa  52242
lhafner@vaxa.weeg.uiowa.edu
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: kathynv@circus.Camex.COM (Kathy Nicklas-Varraso)
Subject: Re: Morning siiiiicccccckkkknesssssss.......ulp. ulp
Keywords: nasuea, sick, barf!
Organization: Camex Inc., Boston MA
Date: Wed, 02 Sep 1992 08:18:52 EDT

Just to add my 2 cents worth... I, too, had terrible morning sickness,
which lasted throughout the day.  Nothing like waking up at night to
barf...Not!  The best thing for me was popsicles, especially the
frozen fruit type.   You can't eat it very quickly, and it seems
to help.

Not to upset all you pregnant moms out there, but the only "cure"
I found was to have my daughter.  The morning after she was born, 
I got up, ran to the bathroom with my hand over my mouth, and
nothing!  I had gotten so used to being sick that I was shocked
when I felt fine, just like that.  And to boot, I had the cutest
baby known to Man.  :-)

Feel better.  It stinks while you're sick, but once you have
that baby it makes all the trouble worth it.  Definite cliche,
but true.

Kathy Nicklas-Varraso
kathynv@camex.com
--
Mama to Amanda Rose, 3 on December 10 (EEK!)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: seanna@bnr.ca (Seanna Watson)
Subject: Re: differences between boys and girls
Keywords: Boys Girls
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 20:26:32 GMT

What is to be gained by establishing differences between boys and girls?
It appears that there is a difference between the *average* male and the
*average* female.  But so what?  The individual differences *among* males,
and *among* females are far greater than the differences between the 
averages.  Why should we want to use average characteristics to limit
our children?  Labelling "boy" characteristics and "girl" characteristics
discourages children of the other gender from displaying these characteristics.
We need some people who are gentle and sensitive.  We need some people who
are bold and aggressive.  Some people like to dress up, and some people
like to get dirty.  Let's raise our children to be *people*, and to use
whatever innate characteristics they have to the best of their abilities.

-- 
Seanna Watson   Bell-Northern Research, 
(seanna@bnr.ca) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Opinions, what opinions?  Oh *these* opinions. | It's hard to seize the
No, they're not BNR's, they're mine.           | day when you must first
I knew I'd left them somewhere.                | grapple with the morning.

Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: LISAS@pucc.Princeton.EDU (Lisa S Lewis)
Subject: Re: What to do with a late talker?
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 18:05:58 GMT

In article <TIGGER.92Aug24204942@satyr.Sylvan.COM>
tigger@satyr.Sylvan.COM (Grace Sylvan) writes:
 
>
>Since I have seen some 'late' bloomers (around 2.5 or so) I would not
>want to start any speech therapy around that age, I would just let it
>be. Each child does things on his/her own schedule, and there have
>been quite a few studies that have shown that doing something early or
>late seems to have very little impact years down the road.
>
 
It is certainly true that there is a great deal of variation in when
normally developing children achieve various milestones.  However, when there
is a problem with language or speech, the EARLIER the intervention the
better.  When a parent is worried, it is ALWAYS better to err on the con-
servative side.  An evaluation by a competent speech and language pathologist
won't hurt a child, and it might pick up on problems six months to a year
earlier than waiting to see if the child "grows out of it."
 
 
>Communicate with the child using big words and full sentences - don't
>assume because the child doesn't speak the words that the child
>doesn't *understand* and that the child isn't learning.
>
Should a child really have language difficulties, the above advice is wrong.
While it is true that "receptive" language usually exceeds "expressive"
language, often a child who has speech delays understands less than it seems.
If a child understands a word or two in a long sentence, it often seems as
if they understood the whole thing.  In reality they only 'got it' because of
the context.  Short sentences and simpler language will help a child who
is having difficulty.  Often they will "tune out" if the sentences are too
long or commplex. There will be plenty of time later for longer and more
complex sentences. Long sentences can frustrate a child who is having trouble.
 
Unfortunately, I have a lot of experience in this. I put off intervention for
too long, because everyone assured me that my son was just on his own
schedule.  He was in private speech therapy before the age of three, and I
now realize he could have used it much earlier.
 
I know that to some who read this group a lot I may sound like a broken
record, but speech delays can signal real problems.  Please don't keep
encouraging worried moms (and dads) on the net not to worry.
 
Go ahead...worry! And check it out.  Usually, he/she is just on his own
agenda :)  But for those who have problems, you can't act too soon.
 
--Lisa Lewis
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: elonich@cbnewse.cb.att.com (diane.e.pedersen)
Subject: Re: "Missing out" (was. re:  Justin...)
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville IL
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 16:43:56 GMT

In article <eaa-010992102358@smac-eaa.doc.ic.ac.uk>, eaa@doc.ic.ac.uk (Liz Attree) writes:
> 
> (This seemed to have bounced first time around, so sorry to anyone who may
> have
> read it before.)
> 
> 
> On reading various responses to Justin's birth story, some people have said
> that they felt they "missed out" on the experience of giving birth by
> having C-sections or epidurals.
> 
> So many people say there is nothing more fulfilling than having a vaginal
> birth and pushing your baby out in to the world.  If I am lucky enough to
> have a second, I wonder if "missing out" first time round will make me
> refuse an epidural again, just so that I can experience childbirth.  I
> would hate to be in a situation where I got frightened by the pain and then
> found I was too far advanced to have any pain relief.  I'm not hugely brave
> and would not like to anticipate giving birth without knowing help is
> available if I couldn't cope.  Or is it really that important?  Isn't
> having the child in your arms afterwards fulfilling enough, however they
> made their entry into the world?  
> 
My first birth was an emergency C-section, and the second was a planned
C-section.  And I NEVER ONCE felt like I'd "missed out" on a fulfilling
experience.  Though with the first birth, I experienced intense painful
contractions (worse than bad menstrual cramps, and I've long been
accustomed to those -- the contractions felt like knives being twisted
inside of me).  So the emergency C-section became quite welcome.
The planned C-section was much easier, since I wasn't suffering from
contractions or lack of sleep (2 days of contractions following 2
late nights of nesting frenzy is not a good start to prolonged period
of feedings at 2-hour intervals).  

The real fulfillment came with holding my babies for the first
time, and marvelling that these little creatures with all their
itty-bitty human features had sprung from my body.
-- 
Diane Pedersen
AT&T Bell Laboratories
Naperville, Illinois
att!ihlpe!elonich
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: kgatling@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Keith E Gatling)
Subject: Emotional Neglect and Family Size
Organization: Manlius Pebble Hill School; Dewitt, NY
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 92 06:34:15 EDT

Well, here's the promised article.

It seems that one of the other things to come out of the current
ALlen/Farrow controversy is a charge by Soon-Yi (sp) that no one could
possibly properly take care of as many kids as Farrow has already adopted,
that somewhere along the line someone has to get neglected.

Good grief!  Now I'll admit to having a bit of a "two or less" children
prejudice myself, which was evidenced when a friend of ours with two kids
announced that she was having a third (although we didn't show it, later on
Cheryl and I had to admit that we did have a bit of a prejudice in that
regard, but then again my prejudice more specifically is "make two or less,
and adopt the rest."), but I find this charge totally ridiculous.

Why?  Because up until recently large families were not that unusual.  Sure,
it's easier to take all the kids somewhere in one car if you have three or
less, sure you can afford to do things like go to Disney World a lot more
easily if you don't have to foot the bill for ten kids, sure you would
*theoretically* have more time to spend with each kid if you had fewer of
them...but this doesn't necessarily mean that because you have more than the
average 1.7 kids that you'd be emotionally neglecting them.

I mean so maybe they won't get as much attention from their parents as they
would if there were less competition.  I know families with only *two* kids
who fight over that..."You spend more time with him than me!"...and this is
when the other kid has a medical problem that requires a bit more time be
spent on him.  But on the other hand, there are other siblings to provide
attention and give attention to.  Maybe it's not the same, as a piano is not
the same as a violin, but by the same token maybe different is not bad.

Now don't expect Cheryl and I to start planning to have 12 kids as a result
of this (my basic rule is "no more than can fit in one car"), but I felt
that I had to address this not so subtle prejudice.

--
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Keith E Gatling                                  kgatling@mailbox.syr.edu *
*          Opinions?  I've got plenty of them.  Just ask my wife!           *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: reid@metis.tti.com (Reid Kneeland)
Subject: Re: Justin's Birth Story
Organization: Transaction Technology Inc.
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 15:12:23 GMT

In article <1992Aug24.184922.6330@news.media.mit.edu> stanzi@media.mit.edu (Constance "Stanzi" Royden) writes:
>In article <11661.2a989daa@cpva.saic.com> bakers@cpva.saic.com writes:
>>We look back at our childbirth
>>classes which advocated no medical intervention and we think that if we had
>>been persistent with this thinking would Justin be alive today?  

Whoa there!  Did these classes advocate "no intervention", or "no
UNNECESSARY intervention"?  The latter is good; the former is crazy.
The trick is finding a doctor you can trust.  We chose one who had
one of the lowest section rates in L.A., and who was a strong advocate
of natural childbirth.  When he told us Sarah might die without a
section, we knew we could believe him.  (And he was right; Sarah had the
cord wrapped around her so many times that there was not enough slack for
her to descend.)

Our classes (Bradley) taught that avoiding unnecessary intervention,
especially medication, was an important goal, but that sometimes
interventions were necessary to the life of the child and/or mother.
If your classes really advocated "no interventions, ever", that's
criminal.  That is guaranteed to kill a certain percentage of babies
and mothers if followed!

>I have similar thoughts about child-birth classes.  Although mine did not
>advocate non-intervention, they talked a lot about different types of pain
>medications, they kind of glossed over the reality of C-sections.  They
>made it sound like C-sections were a breeze
                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Funny, I remember Judy Tyrer using those exact words in misc.kids, and
she meant it.  (It was no breeze for my wife, either.)  YMMV.

>so many women have to have C-sections, I think child birth classes would
>do well to discuss this possibility more realistically and help women
>prepare themselves emotionally for this eventuallity.

We covered sections in our Bradley classes and were reasonably well-
prepared.  Have other Bradley Moms had similar experiences?

=====================================================================
Reid Kneeland
reid@ttidca.tti.com  (that's MISTER reid@ttidca.tti.com to you!)
{philabs,psivax,pyramid,quad1,rdlvax,retix,rutgers}!ttidca!reid
Transaction Technology Inc., Santa Monica, CA, USA (310) 450-9111 x2499
The opinions expressed above do not necessarily etc etc...

Never trust a man who can count to 1,023 on his fingers.
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: jgelhaus@src.honeywell.com (Jennifer Gelhaus)
Subject: Re: prenatal testing...
Organization: Honeywell Systems & Research Center
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 21:26:10 GMT


In article <1692@shaman.wv.tek.com> alanj@endeavor18.tek.com (Alan Jeddeloh) writes:
>Generally, the full bladder is needed for early ultrasounds.  It keeps
>everything pressed forward so things are easier to find.  At the end of the
>pregnancy, the baby is impossible to miss!

Define "early". I'm at 29 weeks and so far I've had to have ultrasounds at 
11 weeks, 20 weeks, and 25 weeks (for various reasons). I was required to
have a full bladder for all three.

-Jen (due 11-14)
From: jean@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Jean Jasinski)
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 17:12:11 GMT
Subject: Re: Booster seats in aircraft
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Newsgroups: misc.kids

I recently flew from Denver-Dallas-Chicago-NY and then back again.
United Airlines would NOT allow me to use our airline approved booster
seat because of the risk of the chair folding as mentioned.  I was,       
however, told that it was up to the head flight attendant.  

Jean
From: kgatling@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Keith E Gatling)
Subject: Re: differences between boys and girls
Keywords: Boys Girls
Organization: Manlius Pebble Hill School; Dewitt, NY
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 92 18:40:30 EDT

Why do some people say that they'd like to have a "matched set"?

Well in our case part of it is because we see things in each other that we
think would be great if we could pass on to a child of the same sex.  For
example I'd love to have a girl who grew up like her mother, knowing how to
use tools (one day I should tell you the story of the blue stool), whose
reaction to my comment about getting her an engagement ring was basically,
"why don't we use the money on something practical, something we both can
use...like furniture?", someone who didn't see her wedding day as her one
chance to be treated like a little princess, and someone who knows she can
do whatever she wants.

Cheryl would love to have a boy grow up to be like me...one who cooks,
cleans, does laundry, and wonders why more women who get slapped around by
men don't permanently rearrange their skulls with the nearest chair.

Those are some of *our* reasons.

--
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Keith E Gatling                                  kgatling@mailbox.syr.edu *
*          Opinions?  I've got plenty of them.  Just ask my wife!           *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: M18611@MBVM.Mitre.Org (Kathy Wilk)
Subject: Re: Emotional Neglect and Family Size
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford MA 01730
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 15:02:46 GMT

In article <1992Aug31.222425.27102@usenet.ins.cwru.edu>
bl213@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (K. C. Kelly) writes:
>
>I think I remember reading that Mia Farrow has 11 or 12 children,
>most of them adopted.  In my opinion, it would be next to
>impossible for two parents to give a decent amount of attention
>to 11 children.  Certainly the kids interact with their siblings
>more than kids from small families do and they get attention
>that way, but I think it's important for kids to have a lot of
>one on one time with their parents (or 2 on 2-3 at least) where
>their parents can truly focus on them, and that has to happen
>less frequently in a very large family.
 
  I agree, but I wonder how you define 'a decent amount of attention'.
My parents both grew up in large families (6 or 7 in each) and as I
got older, I realized that they were really 'raised' by older siblings.
The older siblings, I think, had to be very responsible - much was ex-
pected of them and they certainly paid the price in their own lives.
  When I read that a foster mother in Massachusetts had 11 kids (most
of them foster kids), I had to wonder how she spent any time at all
with each one.  I also think that when the kids have to depend on each
other (other foster kids) and constant supervision is unlikely, there is
more opportunity for abuse (just my opinion, don't know any stats).
 
                        K. Wilk
                        M18611@MBVM.MITRE.ORG
 
            <--********************************-->
 'Thrusting my nose firmly between his teeth, I threw him to the ground
  on top of me.' - Mark Twain
            <--********************************-->
From: mhn@cs.brown.edu (Marian H. Nodine)
Subject: Re: Stupid potty training question
Organization: Brown University Department of Computer Science
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 17:07:25 GMT

Just some few comments from a different perspective --

In article <1327@stake.DaytonOH.NCR.COM> bsmith@stake.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (ROBERT SMITH) writes:
>Well, we're going through this now with our son (2.75 YO -- you know how boys
>are).  I feel that sitting down is the better approach because:
>        o You don't have to worry about his aim

Right, but when he sits down and poops, he may not remember to tuck his
penis in, then you get an instant squirtgun.

>        o He is easily distracted, which affects aim

See above point.

>        o When he says, "I have to go potty" you don't need to figure out
>          which one

If he has to poop, he will sit on the potty seat.  If he has to pee he
will stand.  We never had any trouble.  Timmy learning that he could pee
standing up was one of the real incentives for him to toilet train (peeing)
and he was a difficult one to get to that point, too!

>        o He only needs to learn one action -- sitting down

I suppose.  But by the time my son toilet trained, he knew how to stand
up too, not to mention walking and running :-).

>        o Sitting down on the potty for a period of time is an accomplishment
>          by itself when starting training

Yes, but ...

>        o It is consistent with what Mommy does, and he learns by watching

My son *had* to pee the way other boys did.  Mommy's example just
would not do it.  He would sit on the potty for *hours* without peeing,
but standing up he got the job done.

>The disadvantages, I guess, are
>
>        o He has to learn another way later, but he has seen me do it 
>          standing up

Maybe I am biased, but I never have noticed any boy having a problem
making the transition to standing up.  I think it may be some kind of
"male" thing, but then, I have seen lots of girls try to learn to pee
standing up, too.  I guess to the preschooler mind it must look like a
pretty cool thing to do.

>        o I try to go sitting down if he's watching 
>
>But having one child certainly does not an expert make.

And being female doesn't help me much either ;-).  I say, show him both
ways and let him do it how he wants to.

>-- 
>E-mail => Robert.D.Smith@daytonoh.ncr.com (Bob Smith)
>          NCR Investor Relations/Stakeholder Relations