HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: judyd@aspen.CNA.TEK.COM (Judy E. Drake)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Homeschooling?
Date: 26 Aug 92 18:02:11 GMT
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Redmond,  OR.

In article <1992Aug24.133339.3966@newstand.syr.edu> kgatling@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Keith E Gatling) writes:
>
>I've also learned that homeschooling does not mean keeping your kids home
>all day without any contact with other kids.  You've gotta remember, I
>went to public school and loved it...it seems like the normal thing to
>me.  As a result I can't imagine any other way of meeting a wide variety
>of kids.

I have to agree with Keith--I've always felt sorry for home-schooled
kids because they miss out on the social aspects of going to a school
outside the home.  To me, school isn't just academic subjects, it's
a whole social learning experience as well.  I just can't see how
parents who teach their kids at home can provide anything near the
social experience that public school does.  There are very few 
school-age children at home during the day--where do home-schooling
parents plan to get this contact with other kids??

I see my job as a parent to nurture and encourage my kids' love of 
learning and innate curiosity.  If I do this, they will learn what 
there is to learn from any school they go to.  This is what my parents 
did with three kids in public schools, and we all turned out fine.  
I've known people from Brooklyn, NY to Venice, CA, who also got the 
same support and became wonderful, well-educated people despite their 
years in the public school systems.

I can't imagine having spent those years at home with my mother and
brother and sister, no matter how many trips to the library and museum
we made!!  Home schooled kids miss out on wonderful things offered in
public schools.  They'll never know the excitement of playing in a
school orchestra or marching band; they won't be able to cheer their
team and school friends during a Friday night football game; they
won't get the chance to compete or get coaching in a variety of 
sports; they won't be able to participate in school plays, edit
school newspapers; they won't have the fun and camaraderie of 
seeing a dynamic, changing group of friends and acquaintances on a 
daily basis.

To me, it's important for a kid to have his or her own life away from
home, starting at an early age.  School provides this.  Home schooling
doesn't prevent it, but it sure doesn't make it easy.

I was a "smart" kid in school--National Merit finalist, straight A's,
prestigious college, etc., etc.  I would have been smart no matter where
I was schooled.  But for me it was very important to have access to 
the social interaction of public school, almost more important than
the content of what I learned in the classes.  I already know my kids
are "smart" like me, so unless unanticipated problems arise I'm pretty
sure they'll get their book learning one way or another, the same way
I did.  I plan to send them to public school so they can also learn 
to get along with lots of different people and be able to participate
in extracurricular activities.

Judy Drake
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Wood Playsets
From: ace@kryton.UUCP (Catherine Beckstead)
Date: Wed, 02 Sep 92 14:25:00 PDT
Organization: Paradox Alley F&SF BBS 805-492-8789

jbrindle@halcyon.com (Jennifer Brindle) writes:
> 
> That sounds great.  My husband and I decided in May that we would purchase
> a swing set for our son, Brian, 3, this summer.  We looked around and
> also decided to wait until his parents came to visit in June-July and then
> he and his father would build a wooden set.  We bought plans and a videotape
> and I prepared myself mentally.
> 
> Well, it's September now and summer here in the northwest is just about gone.
> The swingset is still a dream.  His parents are long gone and not even the lu
> was purchased.  I could say "I told you so" but that wouldn't be protocol.
> 
> I've decided to purchase one next spring.  Absolutely.  And no one can
> change my mind on this!
> 
> 
> Jennifer
> [sigh] married to a planner more than a doer!
> 
> BTW, I would have built it myself except that I was busy having a baby
> this summer!  I just love building stuff.
> 
> 
> 

Well I've one-uped ya there!  My husband bought the wood.  :-)  That was
a year and a half ago.


-------------------------------------------------------------------
Catherine Beckstead                    ace@kryton.uucp
"Do you want to argue with a can of deodorant that registers
NINE on the Richter scale?"        --Ace, in "Dragonfire"
From: babcock@manticore.Eng.Sun.COM (Gigi Babcock, Mgr IBM Connectivity)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Waterbeds and newborns
Date: 30 Aug 1992 18:55:11 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, Ca.
NNTP-Posting-Host: manticore

I understand that newborns on waterbeds can be a problem. What is
the problem and what does one have to watch out for? We have a waveless
waterbed that has foam or some other stringy material in with the water
that makes the "waveless" part. There are soft foam sides on the water
bed (not wood) and the mattress itself is covered with a 1/2 inch or so
thick mattress pad that goes all around the water part and tucks under
and is attached with velcro. Just in case the details of the waterbed
matter :-). 

Thanks. I am due in December and a little worried about this since
both the beds we have are waterbeds. I have heard its ideal to
breastfeed in bed in the middle of the night but don't want to
put the baby in an unsafe situation.

-- gigi
--
------------
Gigi Babcock babcock@Sun.COM 
Sun Microsystems, 2550 Garcia, Mailstop MTV14-204, Mt. View, CA 94043
From: alanj@endeavor18.tek.com (Alan Jeddeloh)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Toys: books for 6mos to 1 year
Date: 3 Sep 92 19:33:14 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Tektronix, Inc.

In article <1992Sep3.164703.16433@morrow.stanford.edu> rabbit@leland.Stanford.EDU (Aleta Hanna) writes:
>One caveat regarding magazines and other things babies like to tear/gum.
>A lot of the inks used in publications contain lead.

There was a feature in out local paper recently about some of the local
printing firm and how they are seeing more and more demand for recycled
paper stock and soy-based inks.

One thing the article said was that "lead and other heavy metals" have been
banned from printing inks since the 1970's.

The more recent change is from petroleum-based inks (mineral oils) to vegetable
oil based inks.  The principle oil used is from soybeans, hence the term
"soy-based" ink.

--
    Alan Jeddeloh      W:(503) 685-2991  H:(503) 292-9740
    Tektronix, Inc.  D/S 60-850; PO Box 1000; Wilsonville, OR 97070
    Alan.Jeddeloh@tek.com          Let sleeping dogs^H^H^H^Hbabies lie
    You can put the children to bed, but you can't make them sleep!
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: drew@cs.anu.edu.au (Drew Corrigan)
Subject: Re: Thomas the Tank Engine
Organization: Computer Science Department, ANU, Australia
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 05:50:44 GMT

jbrindle@halcyon.com (Jennifer Brindle) writes:
>Are any of your kids into Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends?  My 3YO
>just LOVES Thomas and Percy and Gordon and James and Mavis and Toby
>and Henry and Edward and Henrietta and Annie and Clarabel and.....

Yes. My daughter Amy (3.5yrs) loves them. She has a "Thomas Toothbrush"
and a Thomas Re-useable Sticker Set. (That is, a plastic coated card
with pictures of Thomas & Co. made from thin plastic film which can be
stuck to the board, peeled off and restuck etc.)

She also has an old plastic train with tracks and pretends that this is
Thomas.

We don't have a TV or video but she has seen episodes at a 4.5yr old
friend's home.

She enjoys and we play along, though trains were never the forte of either
my wife or myself.

Drew.
From: ishizaki@hplabsz.hpl.hp.com (Audrey Ishizaki)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Diaper Cover Recommendations
Date: 31 Aug 92 16:09:56 GMT
Article-I.D.: hplabsz.1992Aug31.160956.16571
Distribution: usa
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories Palo Alto,CA

In article <6721@tekig7.PEN.TEK.COM>, gaulandm@tekig7.PEN.TEK.COM (Mike Gauland)
writes:
|> Any recommendations for diaper covers which don't leak, and seem comfortable
|> (i.e., no sharp edges)? Every one we've tried either leaves a rash on Aidan's
|> tummy, or has too little elastic on the legs.
|>
|> Thanks,
|> Mike-with-the-poopy-shoes

I also recommend Biobottoms diaper covers.  But, I'm sure the effectiveness
of a particular diaper wrap depends on the cut of the wrap and your child's
size.  My baby is on the skinny side (has skinny legs, but also a little
"milk belly").  The Biobottoms "bikini cut" fits best on him.  We've tried
Dappi's, DiaperAps and Nikki's (wool and cotton).  The Dappi's were the
cheapest (~$6 each), but the velcro gave way the fastest.  This wasnt a big
deal until he started creeping/crawling.  The DiaperAps were okay (the
velcro held up well, but the style of the wrap on my baby would often leave
a sharp edge on his tummy.  The DiaperAps were second cheapest.

Nikki's and Biobottoms are about the same in price ($13-16 each!:(), but
they last the longest.  I've had my son in one of the BioBottoms for almost
a year, and he still has room to grow (My son is on the small side, however:
born a 6#7oz, now about 18+ lbs).  I can't say they *never* leaked (then
again, Dale's "blown out" of a disposable, too!), but it's never been a
big problem, either (especially now that he regularly poops only twice a
day).  Nikki's all-cotton will be *very damp* when Dale soaks his diaper.
The Biobottoms all-cotton doesn't come in a bikini cut (yet), and I lost
the "waterproofing" very early on - maybe the Zpel treatment will work.
The BioBottoms "cottonbottoms" (terry outside, nylon blend inside) works
best for us.  At night, however, I always use the wool wraps, as they
breathe best and are more waterproof than the cotton.

my two cents,

audrey ishizaki
Newsgroups: misc.kids,rec.arts.books
From: mimi@apollo.hp.com (Mimi Wellington)
Subject: AUGUST KIDS' BOOK QUIZ--SCORES
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 12:37:18 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Corporation, Chelmsford, MA

This quiz was tough, but what was interesting to me was that 
there wasn't one quote that nobody got.  Everybody blanked 
out on different quotes.

Thanks to everyone who played.
                                  --Mimi Wellington
                                    mimi@apollo.hp.com

HIGH SCORERS:          KEPLER'S KIDS KLUB (15.5)
2ND HIGHEST:           BARBARA SWAIN (7.5)
3RD HIGHEST:           JUNE CUMMINS LEWIS (5)

NUMBER OF ENTRIES:   8
AVERAGE SCORE:       5.2
LOW SCORE:           1
From: mark@whizbang.wariat.org (Mark W. Schumann)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: differences between boys and girls? 
Distribution: world
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 92 03:31:49 GMT
Organization: The Software Sweatshop, Cleveland, Ohio USA


In article <1992Aug20.221741.2959@mdd.comm.mot.com> nelson@mdd.comm.mot.com writes:
!In article <cathe.714330177@xanadu> cathe@xanadu.ucsb.edu (Cathe Gordon)  !  writes:
!>                  I'd never seen him do this and I certainly
!>don't make car noises when we play.  My husband stated that
!>he thought boys would NATURALLY have this trait and a girl
!>wouldn't.

!Anyway Justine (a girl) makes car noises with her toy cars.
!
!There is no doubt however that boys will be played with using cars
!(in general) more often than girls.
!
!To win your bet make sure you play with your daughter using toy cars
!and making lots of car noises.

<whizbang!adele> does this all the time too.  She's 13 months old
now but has been doing it since about 6 months of age.

--
Mark W. Schumann/3111 Mapledale Avenue/Cleveland, Ohio 44109-2447 USA
Domain: mark@whizbang.wariat.org                      CIS: 73750,3527
"We're not nuts or anything; I mean *I'm* not nuts." <whizbang!judy>
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: hough@seismo.gps.caltech.edu (Susan Hough)
Subject: Re: "Missing out" (was. re:  Justin...)
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 18:04:28 GMT

In article <eaa-010992102358@smac-eaa.doc.ic.ac.uk> eaa@doc.ic.ac.uk (Liz Attree) writes:
>
>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?  
>
>Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Well, since you asked...  ;o)

My childbirth experiences run the gamut.  The first was one of these
36 hr horror stories-- pitocin after 24 hrs, wildly irregular 
contractions, epidural, failed foreceps attempt, Cesearean, baby whisked
to NICU for 12 hours because of low Apgar at 5 minutes & fear of
meconium aspiration.  My third delivery took 4 hrs total, was completely
unmedicated, and complicated only by a few (albeit tense) minutes
of shoulder dystocia (this was my 9 lb 14 oz baby, with shoulders
as big as his head).  My second was vaginal with some pain medication
and foreceps. 

So now I have these three kids, ages 8, 5, and almost 2.  From the very
start, each was wonderful in their own way.  How they got here does not
matter one fuzzy little bit.  The fulfillment isn't the childbirth
experience--it's the rest of your (and their) life after that. 

Sue
>
>
>Liz Attree (eaa@doc.ic.ac.uk)


Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: wang@ssd.intel.com (Wen-Lin Wang)
Subject: Re: Sand under Swings?
Organization: Supercomputer Systems Division, Intel Corp.
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 22:28:10 GMT

>The pea gravel doesn't compact when wet and we haven't had a problem
>with the neighbors' cats using it for a litter box.  (It's been in for
>3 years now.)  The kids like playing with the gravel, too.  The "you
>can't play here if you throw rocks" rule has been strictly enforced
>and keeps that problem to a minimum.

We also have pea gravel under the swing set.  Unfortunately, it's also one
of the neighbors' cats litter boxes.  In fact, the cats do it almost 
everywhere around our house, the bark dusted area, the river run covered
area, lawn, deck, ...  When our daughter and her friends are in the play
area, we have to keep them from running their hands in the pea gravel.  It's
great pain!  I would be interested to know if there is some kind of cat
repellent which is human and environmental safe.

>Carolyn
>

Wen-lin

-- 
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: mark@nwra.com (Mark)
Subject: Re: Seatbelts in busses?
Organization: Northwest Research Associates, Inc.
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 20:50:38 GMT

I've wondered about this topic for some time. My concern was somewhat
reduced when I read about the safety of _lap-only_ seatbelts. I don't
recall the source, but the essence of some studies was that people (and
especially children) are probably better off unbelted in cars/vans than
wearing lap belts.

The reason is that in a severe collision the force of impact is
transferred to spine and internal organs. It seems to be less of a
problem for front-seat passengers whose upper bodies hit the steering
wheel or dash. The studies analyzed many accidents including one (as I
recall) of a van full of kids. The unbelted kids received relatively
minor injuries. Some of the belted kids had severe spine and internal
injuries. Apparently these injuries occurred as their small bodies
folded forward over the seatbelts.

Personally, I do not now wear lap belts in the back seats of cars. As
far as lap belts in busses go, IMO:

1) They would help in a rollover crash.
2) They would be worse in a severe frontal impact. This type of
accident in a school bus is rare, largely due to the size of the bus.
3) 3-point belts would be a good idea, but would require seats that
could withstand the impact.
4) Driving your kids "miles out the way" in a car (to avoid
school busses) is misguided. I'm certain that the expected rate of
injury/death in car is several times that of the bus. No proof, but the
bus is huge and yellow and can't be missed. It is slow. It is also
typically driven on a well-known pick-up route. It is also heavy, so
virtually any collision with a car would be relatively small for the
bus.
5) Every school bus accident seems to end up on the news. I suspect
this alters our sense of just how common these accidents really are.

    )_ _               -------------------------------------------    
   /  ) ) _        /       Mark Baldwin - mark@sparky.nwra.com
  /  / / / / /\_  /_/  Northwest Research Associates, Bellevue, WA
 /  / /_(_/_/  (_/ \__ -------------------------------------------
From: janines@novell.com (Janine Schenone)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Toys: books for 6mos to 1 year
Date: 3 Sep 92 16:40:38 GMT
Article-I.D.: novell.1992Sep3.164038.6042
Distribution: na
Organization: Novell Inc., San Jose, California

In article <1992Sep2.164426.9045@SSD.intel.com> wang@ssd.intel.com (Wen-Lin Wang) writes:
>In article <1992Sep2.154439.6741@nas.nasa.gov> choi@wk59.nas.nasa.gov (Diana Choi) writes:
>>Regarding the books and magazines, are there any specific titles?  
>>
>Among the books our daughter liked when she was under 1, "Pat The Bunny", 
>"Good Night Moon", "Hop on Pop" and "ABC Book" by Dr. Seuss, "Babies" come
>to mind.  

I also like "What Does Baby See?", a board book with beautiful art.
An infant would enjoy this, I think. My 19-month-old's current favorite
is "Is Your Mama a Llama?" (You can find both of these books at
Kepler's in Menlo Park, Diana.)

Janine Schenone
janines@novell.com
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: kgatling@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Keith E Gatling)
Subject: Re: God's Family Values
Organization: Manlius Pebble Hill School; Dewitt, NY
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 92 20:32:59 EDT

In article <17fu2jINN1dq@iraul1.ira.uka.de> stoesser@i31s22.ira.uka.de
(Achim Stoesser) writes:

   > Okay, I only pretend to know English, but doesn't "for us as
   > parents" imply "for all parents"?

No...it implies "for me and my spouse...for our particular family."  It For
example, it would be wrong for *Cheryl and I* (see also "us") to ot teach
our kids things that we thought were important.

Geez guy, I think you're reading too much stuff in between the lines that's
not really there.

--
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Keith E Gatling                                  kgatling@mailbox.syr.edu *
*          Opinions?  I've got plenty of them.  Just ask my wife!           *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: elise@ticipa.pac.sc.ti.com (Elise Wade)
Subject: Re: differences between boys and girls?
Organization: Texas Instruments
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 18:04:55 GMT

In article <1427100034@igc.apc.org> Lynn Gazis-Sax <lgsax@igc.apc.org> writes:
>
[ ... deleted for brevity ...]
>
>It strikes me that people more often seem to remember
>themselves as unconventional girls, and more often
>see their daughters as "sugar and spice."  Is this
>true, or is this just my misperception?  And if it
>is true, does it have to do with the age at which
>we remember ourselves (maybe children act out these
>roles most strongly when they are first learning them
>and therefore younger than we remember clearly), or
>is it some difference in bias depending on whether
>you are remembering your childhood or watching you
>child as a parent?

If you are basing the observation on the net responses,
I suspect that the posters are *far* from a standard
group of people.  There are a lot of women on the net
in male-dominated fields.  These women are probably
a *lot* more likely to have had unconventional childhoods.
There would be less "selection" in the case of their
children.

[....]
>
>
>Lynn Gazis-Sax
>

Of course, I haven't the faintest idea what my specualtion
"proves" about gender-based behavior differences.  :)

Elise.
Newsgroups: misc.kids
From: judy@locus.com (Judy Leedom Tyrer)
Subject: Re: differences between boys and girls
Keywords: Boys Girls
Organization: Locus Computing Corporation, Los Angeles, California
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 1992 02:35:30 GMT

In article <1992Aug31.182353.8508@nynexst.com> clare@nynexst.com (Clare Chu) writes:
>
>  That's what I feel too.  Which brings me to another question.
>  Why are people (most people I know) so obsessed about having
>  at least one boy and one girl?  

I think that there is something very special and unique in parenting an opposite
sexed child.  There's a romantic side (not sexual, but romantic).  And you
gain insights into what people of the opposite sex are like, how they feel.
And it IS different.  I know that I have radically changed some of my feminist
views having had a son.    And I seem to understand MEN better somehow.  

And, there is something very special and unique in parenting a same sexed child
as yourself.  There is this feeling of passing down the mysteries of womanhood
to her.  There is a bond of sisterhood.  You are both members of secret club.
You both UNDERSTAND what it is like to be sex X and how frustrating those
Ys can be.

In other words, while parenting a child is parenting a child is parenting a 
child, that only works for those qualities that overlap.  You won't experience
the true joy a boy takes of his penis (and which men still seem to carry on
with some themselves) when parenting a girl.  You won't experience the passing
of the torch of menses and the wonderment of bearing children when parenting
a boy.  

When we read posts about people mourning that they will never have the 
experience of "pushing their baby into the world" does it not seem logical
that others would mourn not parenting a same or opposite sexed child?  It's
an experience people want.  

So it's not that something is WRONG with having all boys or all girls.  It is
that something is missing.  It's not necessarily a big something to some people.
But it can certainly be a VERY big something to others.   I think it is a
perfectly legitimate desire and, having both a boy and a girl, one I fully
understand.
-- 
Judy Leedom Tyrer

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"	- William Blake
From: oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Nighttime Potty Training
Date: 25 Aug 92 20:58:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Aug25.150027.21411@random.ccs.northeastern.edu>, sgauch@ccs.northeastern.edu (Susan Gauch) writes...
>Laura is 3.6 and pretty reliable during the day.  However, she is
>a very heavy sleeper and I still put her in a diaper at night.  I've
>told her that if she wakens and wants to use the potty, she can
>remove her diaper herself or come get me.  She has a small potty and
>toilet paper in her room.  This has only happened once, for a bowel
>movement, shortly after she fell asleep.  Her diaper is always
>SOAKED in the morning.  Some mornings, the Pampers is so full it
>leaks and drenches the bed (this happens less now that I've managed
>to convince her to pee immediately before putting the diaper on).

My suggestion is for *you* to get up once or twice a night and 
take her to the potty, until she is able to wake up herself.

Good luck!

- Peggy -