HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ohrd!crobshaw@cs.toronto.edu (Catharine Robshaw)
Subject: Re: differences between boys and girls
Organization: "Ontario Hydro - Research Division"
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 92 12:00:08 GMT

: May be silly, but I've met quite a few women who, having had only boys,
: say that they wished they had had a girl.  The usual complaint is that
: they felt that they would have been closer to a daughter and the grandchildren 
: that followed.  They remembered how close they had been to their own
: mother - cooking, going shopping together, sharing secrets ...etc and were 
: sad.  Their sons had either moved away, or they felt that their daughterinlaw 
: favored her own parents when it came to the kids spending time with their 
: grandparents.  
: 
: (Now, I'm probably going to get an avalanche of mail from men who spend loads 
:  of time with mom.... or daughterinlaws who prefer their motherinlaw over
:  their mother).

Well, this is an opinion for your side.  My family is exactly this way.
I am one of 3 girls, who are very close, both as sisters and with our
mom, we all would rather spend time with our mom than our in-laws.
My brother (the oldest) is married and we don't see him that often and
neither does my mom.

By the by, I have one son right now, and I can't help wanting a girl next
time, but if it is not to be, that's ok too.  I can't help thinking about
my own family experiences, and will do my best to make sure my son is closer
to me than my brother is to my mom.

Catharine
P.S. My brother and his wife are in the same boat.  They (or I should say
     my s-i-l) really wanted a girl.  They have 3 boys.
From: pburch@bcm.tmc.edu (Paula)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: NutraSweet (Was: Re: Caffeine during Pregnancy)
Date: 11 Sep 1992 16:18:13 GMT
Reply-To: pburch@bcm.tmc.edu (Paula)
Originator: pburch@roc.mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu


In article <1992Sep10.210035.2885@afit.af.mil>, mgaudrea@afit.af.mil (Michele L.D. Gaudreault) writes:
|> My husband told me last night that an 8-week old baby born to a woman in
|> his building is undergoing stomach surgery.   This woman drank a lot of
|> diet sodas during her pregnancy.  I sat across from her at a luncheon
|> once in which she ordered iced tea and proceeded to put Nutrasweet in
|> it.  She and the woman next to me (all three of us pregnant at the time)
|> laughed at my husband and I when we indicated how strictly we were
|> watching my diet.  The woman next to me delivered her baby 5 weeks early
|> and had to have the baby transported to a special hospital in a
|> neighboring state.  My husband and can't help wondering if their babies
|> would have been healthy if they had paid closer attention to nutrition.

My guess is that the heavy use of artificial sweeteners went along with 
being careless in other ways, so that while the aspartame probably wasn't 
what did it, there's always a possibility that the overall carelessness did.

On the other hand, there are all those babies that end up with heart- 
breaking defects just due to chance and the vagaries of development. 
It's not fair to those parents to look for causes. The fact that she 
laughed at you for being careful yourself makes the temptation strong, 
of course.

Paula Burch
pburch@bcm.tmc.edu
From: pburch@bcm.tmc.edu (Paula Burch)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: periconception chemical exposure
Date: 11 Sep 1992 14:11:32 GMT
Reply-To: pburch@bcm.tmc.edu (Paula Burch)
Originator: pburch@roc.mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu


Someone (who wishes to remain anonymous) just wrote to ask for
my opinions on chemical exposure around the time of conception,
especially those chemicals associated with redecorating a new 
house--oil-based paints, paint thinner, latex paint, cleaners 
such as Lime Away, primer for walls to be papered, sizing, etc.
I'm posting my answer here since, having gone to the trouble of 
writing this summary, I thought it might be useful to others.

Very early in pregnancy, the general feeling is that the embryo will
be utterly spared or else not make it at all, maybe not even implant.
So until recently, nobody made much of chemical exposure around
conception.

Now we know that neural tube defects--spina bifida, anencephaly, etc.--
happen in the first few weeks, so it's worth watching out for substances
that may slightly increase the risk of those even before you know you're
pregnant. These are the decongestant Sudafed (which is one of the few
drugs considered safe later in pregnancy), things that cause a high body
temperature (high fevers, hot tubs, saunas), and a deficiency in folic
acid (one of the B vitamins, commonly low in Americans and especially
the British--make a habit of taking prenatal vitamins if you may want to
conceive anytime soon, and eat those vegetables).

You don't have to worry about any of this except for remembering to
take prenatal vitamins until after the midpoint of your cycle, so you
can do anything after your period starts until the approximate time of
ovulation. In the second half of your cycle, you could be pregnant, so
you'll want to avoid taking any drugs, being in a room with high
concentrations of solvents, etc. A good rule of thumb is--if the room
smells bad, it needs more ventilation. This is *always* true, though--
solvents tend to cause brain damage, which is why old house painters
tend to have a heartbreaking loss of mental acuity.

Although it's not quite as good, latex paint is safer than oil-based 
paint, especially now that lower mercury levels have been mandated. I 
don't know what's in other chemicals associated with redecorating, except 
to say you should follow the basic rule of thumb for solvents, and always
make sure there are lots of open windows, and fans to bring you plenty
of fresh air from those windows. (Anyone have specific knowledge about 
the chemicals I haven't gone into?)

I'd be especially wary of insecticide use, and of course you have to wear
gloves if you empty the cat box, or handle sand or dirt in the yard, and 
avoid raw meat, in order to watch out against acquiring a new toxoplasmosis 
infection.

Paula Burch
pburch@bcm.tmc.edu
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: reid@metis.tti.com (Reid Kneeland)
Subject: Re: Gymboree - classes
Organization: Transaction Technology Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 22:30:59 GMT

In article <1992Sep3.142850.10975@cci632.cci.com> lcw@cci632.cci.com (Lori Wershing) writes:
>
>I was wondering has anyone enrolled their children in a class at Gymboree?
>I'm considering going with Nicholas (5months) to BabyGym.  Any comments,
>insights, etc.?

>Supposedly Gymboree is a franchise...it seems to be loosely tied to the
>Gymboree clothing stores.  According to the brochure they have programs 
>from 3 mo. to 5 yo lasting 45min per week for 10 weeks.

Sarah was in Gymboree from about age 1 to age 3.  I'd recommend it, though
I question how much a baby would get out of it; the Babygym classes always
seemed more for the parents than the kids (nothing wrong with that, if that's
what you want).  I think it means a lot more to a kid who is old enough to
walk, and can start to make use of the equipment.  Gymboree classes for 
toddlers offer semi-stuctured play time as well as free time, there's some
group singing/dancing activity, and parents constantly accompany the kids.
The structured activities are optional, there's no pressure on the kids to
cooperate.  After two years, we started Sarah in a different program which
was more structured and class-like.  We thought she was getting bored with
Gymboree and needed a bit more of a challenge.  But she acquired a lot of
physical skills and self-confidence in her Gymboree classes.  I imagine we'll
be taking the next kid to Gymboree too.

>P.S.  Any opinions, comments on infant swim sessions (YMCA) would also
>be appreciated.  My husband heard that if they start early enough there
>are remaining reflex actions which make the experience positive.

I've read in a couple of different sources that infant swim is not
a great idea; babies end up swallowing a lot of pool water, which is
not healthy.  Lots of parents do it though, and most babies seem to 
do OK.  You might talk to your baby's doctor.

=====================================================================
Reid Kneeland
reid@tti.com  (that's MISTER reid@tti.com to you!)
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: anne@dolores.Stanford.EDU (Anne Paulson)
Subject: Re: Trick-or-treating; what age?
Organization: Stanford University
Date: 12 Sep 92 17:23:57

I took Will trick-or-treating last year, when he was 1 1/2.  He was so
cute in the lion costume I made him.  He didn't quite understand what
to do at the first house, but he caught on right away when they gave
him candy, and went trotting up to the next house.  I think he only
ate one or two pieces of candy that night;  the rest got doled out.

-- Anne
From: alisonjw@spider.co.uk (Alison J Wyld)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Condoms... was Impact of the absent father
Date: 10 Sep 92 12:06:38 GMT
Organization: Spider Systems Limited, Edinburgh, UK.

In article <18l8ftINN3bp@darkstar.UCSC.EDU> nola@cats.ucsc.edu (Nola Van Vugt) writes:
>
>In article <YefWBjy0hXua0sgJ8V@andrew.cmu.edu> sb3t+@andrew.cmu.edu (Shirl G. Grant) writes:
>>>I'm sure this is not the place to bring this up ...but what the hell.
>>>So something I've always wondered about is - Why does using a condom
>>>constitute safe sex?  If sperm can sneak by, can't the HIV virus?
>
>I was always under the impression that "safe sex" referred to the use
>of a "safe", an archaic term for a condom, not the inherent lack of
>danger in the activity.
>-nvv

My former flatmate is an HIV worker.  She talks about safER sex, NOT
safe sex.

alison
From: judy@locus.com (Judy Leedom Tyrer)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: You know you're a parent ....
Date: 8 Sep 92 20:02:50 GMT
Article-I.D.: locus.1992Sep08.200250.2205408
Organization: Locus Computing Corporation, Los Angeles, California

...you find yourself saying "Be gentle while you chop your sister to pieces."

-- 
Judy Leedom Tyrer

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"	- William Blake
Xref: sparky misc.kids:23212 rec.arts.startrek.current:12978
From: tigger@satyr.Sylvan.COM (Grace Sylvan)
Newsgroups: misc.kids,rec.arts.startrek.current
Subject: Re: Names
Date: 12 Sep 92 06:39:32 GMT
	<1992Sep11.124647.16730@ncrcae.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM>
Organization: Sylvan Associates

In article <1992Sep11.124647.16730@ncrcae.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM> adamson@grok65.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM (Ann Adamson) writes:

   Anyway, any advice from people with cross-gender names or children who have
   them?  Does this end up being a real pain or do most people like it?

Well, my friend's daughter is named Syndey (which I think is
predominately a boy's name, although I might be wrong), and my son is
Robin (75% female, and he was named after a female midwife). Robin is
only 6 months old, and so far the pain with his name is no more than
the 'pain' when people looked at Katherine dressed in primary colored
unisex clothing and called her a boy. That is, until her hair got too
long. But we don't plan on cutting Robin's baby hair for a while,
except to trim the bangs.

When they're young, I don't think it matters much. Sometimes I think
it's all the better - they'll get to experience more freedom and
variety in their interactions with people if they are mistaken for the
opposite sex occasionally. When they're older, I don't know, although
from all the posts about unusual names and the like, I'd guess it
won't make much of a difference.

BTW, I hated my name 'Grace' as a kid - the only people I met named
'Grace' were adults, and those were few and far between. I know I was
just not living in the right area, I've heard it was/is? a very
popular name with certain very religious ethnic groups.


-- 

Tigger (Grace Sylvan)                Mom of Katherine Yelena, 8/8/89 &
tigger@satyr.sylvan.com              Robin Gregory born 2/28/92

 "It seems to me that our large goal is to find the ways to help our
 children become humane and strong."
 
              - Dr Haim Ginott quoted by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
From: rrg@rtp (Rhonda Gaines)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: NAMES
Date: 14 Sep 92 15:59:30 GMT
Organization: FiberCom, Inc., Roanoke, Virginia


This question may be immaterial if the baby turns out to be a boy
but my husband and I have decided on Cherie as a girl's name.
Either Angela Cherie Gaines or Cherie ?? Gaines.  We're having
trouble coming up with a middle name if we use Cherie as a first
name.  So far the only thing we've come up with is Cherie Elizabeth
Gaines.  What other combinations can you netters come up with??

 -thanks
  rhonda
  38 weeks and counting!!!

Replies to rrg@fibercom.com

-- 
Rhonda Gaines              INTERNET: gaines@fibercom.com
FiberCom, Inc.             UUCP: ...!uunet!fibercom!gaines   
P.O. Box 11966             PHONE: 703-342-6700 or 800-423-1183 x291
Roanoke, VA  24022-1966    FAX:   703-342-5961
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: van@cbnewsg.cb.att.com (valerie.thompson)
Subject: Re: Booster seats in aircraft
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 13:39:01 GMT


On my last Continental flight, I was told that I could
not put my under 2 daughter into a car seat - she was a "lap child", and I 
*had* to hold her.  (This was the first week of September.)
From: smb@ulysses.att.com (Steven Bellovin)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Late Talkers
Date: 13 Sep 92 21:11:39 GMT
Distribution: usa

In article <24947@oasys.dt.navy.mil>, dsegelho@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Diane Segelhorst) writes:
> The therapist said many children learn a word one way, and then don't
> change their pronunciation of it.  For example, two of the words Brad
> learned fairly early on were shoes and juice.  However, they both sound
> like "oose".  He still syas them both that way.  Words he has learned
> more recently he says more nearly correctly.  Apparently this is very
> common among young children.

That's certainly been true for both of our kids.  Daniel, age 3, has
carried it even a step further.  His pronunciation of his sister's name
is now ``Abecca'' (but originally ``Gecca'', and later ``Debecca'').
This annoyed her, so that she taught him to say ``Rebecca'.  And he
can say it -- but usually doesn't, because that's not his name for her.
This was underscored recently when Rebecca and her best friends decided
to switch clothes while playing dress-up.  Quoth Daniel, looking at Ilana,
``She not Rebecca'', and -- turning to his sister -- ``She Abecca!''.
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: M17257@mwvm.mitre.org
Subject: Re: Names/nicknames
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, McLean VA 22102
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 15:16:46 GMT

Well, my given name is Eleanor.  But my parents have always used the name Ellie
or Elly or El.  Except, of course, when I was not behaving--then it was
Eleanor Skorupski!--they didn't give me a middle name.
 
I go by Ellie, now, but Eleanor is on all my official forms.  I personally
preferred having a slightly unusual name, Ellie, I grew up in the Wash DC
metro area, so being a little different was helpful, but I enjoy being
different from the norm.  not everyone would.
 
My husband was named Bryan Eric Blackwell.  He has irish background, so they
spelled his name with a y not an i.  He is adamant about it being spelled
correctly. Personally, I've never cared what I've been called, or how it is
spelled.
 
We had picked out a girl's name a couple of months before I was due--it was
Kashia(pronounced kasha) Tegan (teegan) Blackwell.  But we didn't choose a
boys name until the week I was due.  My son is now Stefan (not Stef) Tazio
Blackwell.  All of these names were chosen with our respective heritages in
mind, Polish(Kashia, Stefan, Tazio)-me, and Norwegian (Tegan, Stefan)-Bryan.
 
I must admit, though, Tazio was also chosen because of Tazio Nuevalri(sp?)
can't remember the spelling.  Anyway, he was Enzo Ferrari's favorite race car
driver, and he was possibly the best Formula 1 race car driver in history.
 
We also chose these names for their uniqueness.  If our son doesn't like the
differentness of Stefan, he can always use Stef, or Steve.  However, if he
really wants to be different, he can use Tazio.
 
We also feel that if we had had our child under a different, more tradition-
oriented astrological sign, we would have chosen a more traditional name.
However, my son is a Gemini, like myself, and Gemini's are infamous for
preferring unusal names or having nicknames.  This might be different if you
have a strong tradition-oriented rising sign, but then we're getting into
details.
 
We chose the name because it seemed right, for us.  But if someone wants to
give their child the most popular name around, fine.  That's what they should
do.
 
No matter what name you choose, someone will object.  I always hated Eleanor,
thought it was 'old' because no one my age had it, only senior citizens.
Now, however, I have discovered that most women named Eleanor(with that spel-
ling) have been ahead of their time in thinking/ideas/ways of life. Examples-
Eleanor Roosevelt, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Eleanor Covington (of Covington
Cross-tvshow)...:-)...:-).
 
Well, there's my 2 cents.
 
Ellie Blackwell
From: jbyrd@chpc.utexas.edu (Jan Byrd)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: cute things they say (5YO)
Date: 11 Sep 92 19:30:38 GMT
Organization: Center for High Performance Computing, Univ. of Texas System

When my little boy was about 5 he was always trying to get me to remember
things that happened in the past (because he had some point to make or he
wanted to reminisce or *something*).  He has a terrific memory (although 
sometimes things make a bigger impression on a 'young' mind), but one time 
he was getting more and more frustrated with me as he kept giving me more 
details about this "event" from the past, and I still just couldn't remem-
ber it.  Finally, in complete exasperation, he shook his head and said, 
"Mom.  You sure don't have a very good brain."

Jan
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: mbb@keps.kodak.com (Maureen Busch)
Subject: Re: HELP! Penicillin and Breast Feeding
Organization: Kodak Electronic Printing Systems
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 15:22:49 GMT

In article <24961@oasys.dt.navy.mil> dsegelho@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Diane Segelhorst) writes:
>I was prescribed penicillin (sp?) last Thursday.  I checked with my
>OB, who said penicillin was fine to take while breast feeding.  After
>three days on it however, I'm afraid my milk is drying up.  Is this
>possible?
>
>Background:  About ten days ago, I switched Carrie to formula during
>the day, in preparation for my return to work. (I did it gradually,
>switching one feeding to formula about two weeks ago, and the second
>one about ten days ago.) I still nurse her once in the morning and twice 
>in the evening.  All last week, I would be uncomfortably "full", by
>about 3 in the afternoon.  Ditto at night.  This weekend, (since starting
>the penicillin) I haven't had that problem at all.  Both last night 
>and tonight, Carrie has fussed her way through the bedtime feeding.  
>Tonight she wanted topping off a second time, and is still fussing.

My best guess, based on having breastfed 2 kids and having been prescribed
penicillin for strep throat when the older was 3.5 months old (and still
exclusively breastfed):  You no longer feel "full" because your body has
adjusted to dropping the feelings.  When I would drop a feeding, I would
feel very full for a few days until my body realized that there wasn't the
demand any more.  When I had strep throat and was on penicillin, my milk
production dropped and Jody fussed and needed more feedings.  This was not
caused by the penicillin.  It was caused by my body's conflicting needs to
fight the strep infection and to produce milk.  So, I ended up nursing more
often ( which was exhausting since I was already feeling very rundown from
being sick), and then having to adjust to too much milk as I got better and
the supply increased due to the increased demand caused by more frequent
nursings!  Anyway, I would encourage you to hang in there, feed Carrie more
often if she seems to need it, and keep on taking the penicillin.  It will
probably all even out in a few days.  Good luck!
-- 
Maureen Busch				|Small world, but I wouldn't want to
Internet: mbb@keps.kodak.com		|paint it - Steven Wright
UUCP: ...!{harvard!ima,uunet!atexnet}!munsell!cairo!mbb
DISCLAIMER:  The opinions expressed are mine, not my employer's.
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: mueller@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Nancy Mueller)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Caffeine during Pregnancy
Date: 14 Sep 92 19:36:01 GMT
Reply-To: mueller@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Nancy Mueller)
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

In misc.kids, jgelhaus@src.honeywell.com (Jennifer Gelhaus) writes:
>In article<51tp02EA21co01@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com> lmn00@thundercd.amdahl.com
>  (Linda Newell) writes:
>>...Also, my doctor said that nutra-sweet would not be a problem.
>
>My source may not have been a reliable one, but I have heard that
>nutra-sweet can cause the growth of the baby's limbs to be stunted
>and heart problems in the baby. Any truth to this?
>
>-Jen (due 11-14)



Two years ago, when I was pregnant with my son, I was very interested
in what affects nutra-sweet had on the fetus (I got sick on sugared
soft drinks).  My husband, then a
resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital, researched the subject extensively.
In EVERY article written (to date), there was NO LINK between nutra-sweet
and any ill-effects on the baby.  I felt comfortable with this information
and continued to drink an occasional diet soda.  My son has yet to
show any signs of being the least bit unhealthy.  He is now 15 months
old.

My basic understanding of nutra-sweet is it is merely two amino acids put
together -- both found in natural foods.

If anyone has any respectable article on nutra-sweet stating otherwise,
I would be interested in reading it, but PLEASE don't print such
terrible things as stunting limbs without a clearer source.

Just my two cents,
nancy
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: goldberg@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov (Patti Twigg)
Subject: Re: Young siblings (was Re: Climbing 13 month old)
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: NASA - Goddard Space Flight Center
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 16:15:00 GMT

In article <wehSENa00iUzA1dLMN@andrew.cmu.edu>, lm3a+@andrew.cmu.edu (Laura McGinnis) writes...
> 
>He is VERY good with her, helping her to roll over & holding her bottle
>for her, etc.  He seems to be living up to our expectations of him -
>that he will love & care for her, not be jealous and want her to be
>gone.  Maybe he hasn't realized that negative feelings are an option. 
>We've been very careful about not putting her first all the time, but
>also making him wait when she really does need us.  He's used to hearing
>her cry when we're busy with him & it doesn't seem to bother him when he
>has to wait while she has our attention.  We are also careful to make
>sure we have individual time with each of them every evening (Mickey
>helps Tom take the nanny home while I nurse Margaret after work; Tom
>plays with Margaret while Mickey & I get a bath & he goes to bed).
> 
>Your mileage may vary, but we've been very pleasantly surprised about
>how well our family has come together.
> 
Ok, just wait until the baby starts crawling, and getting into
her brother's stuff. And, here's an intersting stage we are going
through right now - my daughter, soon to be 7, is exhibiting
a characteristic 7 year old trait - 'the world is against me,
I hate everything'. This is mainfesting itself as 'I wish Michael
(younger brother) was never born', 'I hate you Michael', and
other such pleasantries. Of course, YMMV, but when my kids were
the ages of your kids, we were also surprised at the lack of 
sibling rivalry. Something to look forward to - right?!
                                   Patti Twigg