Naptime Blog

My husband and I often joke that we could have never dated when we were younger.  Paul is six years older than I am.  So had I dated him when we were fifteen and twenty-one, this would have ruffled quite a few feathers, and of course ethical and legal questions would have come up.  We met when I was 30 and he was 36, and just about the only difference we notice is our taste in music.  Luckily, we both enjoy all types of music today, so this is never an issue, but I would have never been into Zeppelin in 1980, and he would have never been into Madonna in 1986!

I have friends of all ages.  One of my best friends is in her late forties, and another is in her mid twenties.  I still have a lot of my friends from childhood, and they are all close to my age.  As we are all adults, either with families, careers, or both, and we have plenty of common denominators in our lives. What about children and teens?  Does it seem as appropriate?  Is it okay for a 15 year old boy to hang out with a bunch of 19 year olds?  How about a 14 year old girl playing with all ten year olds?  What about a 7 or 8 year old boy playing only with 3 and 4 year olds?  Where do we draw the line?  And what does it say about the developmental age of these children?

My daughter is 6 years older than my twin boys and 7 years older than my youngest child.  Often, we find ourselves at a party for one of the twins’ friends, and my daughter is out of place.  Yes, she is extremely helpful with chasing after them and keeping them occupied, but then she gets bored, even upset that she doesn’t want to play with the “babies”.  Fortunately, many times we are with another family who also has an older daughter, and the two girls can drift away from the little guys and do more age appropriate activities.  Otherwise, my daughter would rather sit with the adults than the little kids.  I can’t say that I blame her!

Older children often see toddlers and preschoolers as a novelty, and I often see a nine or ten year old wanting to keep them occupied and make them laugh.  After a while, the older child goes along to play with his peers.  He or she may come back again to play with the boys now and then, but for the most part, it is because they are amusing and fun.  A ‘tween’ that speaks to and entertains a baby or toddler like an adult might show maturity.  As a mom of toddlers, I am leery of the older child who consistently wants to sit and play with toddlers and preschoolers as peers.  There is something to be said on both levels:  an older child is obviously bigger and stronger than a three or four year old.  Children jump and play and even wrestle and roll.  A seven year old boy wrestling with a four year old boy is completely inappropriate.  An eight year old girl consistently playing with four year old girls is just as inappropriate.  The eight year old is at a different stage than the preschooler.  On the other hand, if my eight year old was always running to play with the preschool group of children over children her age, I would be very worried about her developmental age.  And if the children her age did not want to play with her, I would be concerned.

As a parent, it is my responsibility to be aware of the red flags.  I should also be mindful of my children’s peers.  If I consistently take my older daughter to places with only younger children, I am at fault.  And if my younger children are consistently being joined by an older child, I need to be aware of and monitor the interaction between the children.  After all, how often do we read about an older child harming a younger child right under their parents’ noses?

Jennifer Nevadomski
Paul’s Wife
Mom to: Juliana, 8 – Louis and Anthony, 24 months – Joseph, 10 months
www.nevaland.com

Let’s just say June has been incredibly way more than I bargained for!

While being a mommy and wife, which we know is a full time job, I needed to get a job to help catch up on some bills that need to be paid so I was applying anywhere and everywhere. Finally I get a call back from a Best Buy in my area, which is one of my favorite stores to begin with, setting up an interview. After the 2 interview processes,  I get hired. I work in their mobile department and so far enjoy it.

The first day working was a Monday, and they scheduled me off on Tuesday. This was a whole new schedule because I also go to school from 9am-1pm and now Best Buy has me working from 2-close. Doing the math, that doesn’t leave me much time with Shaughn or Brent. Well on my first day off, I was involved in my very first car accident, which really messed things up for me since then. My mother in law was in town that week and just completely helped us out with things around the house and with Shaughn since I was literally never home. She stayed for a total of 3 weeks since she had to go back home but having here here, especially during that time, was such a Godsend to me.

I don’t know what I would have done if she was not here. Brent’s in school full time and with sharing a car…I probably would have lost my mind.

Last month I made a pediatrician appointment for the boys.  Louis and Anthony needed their two year old well visit and Joseph needed his 10 month well visit.  I gave myself plenty of time to find someone to come with me, but silly me picked a VERY bad week to do this.  No one is available to come with us, so it looks like it will be just me and Juliana with the three boys off to the pediatrician’s.

While I was getting myself ready this morning, I realized that three well visits have the potential for three boys needing shots!  Just thinking about this appointment is making me anxious!  I have to load all the kids in the van, drive up to the office (about 15 miles away), unload into strollers, get them all into the office, then strip each one, do the well visit, get some shots, then dress each one, load them back in strollers, load them back into the van, drive back home, unload everyone into the house, and hopefully be semi-functional enough to be Mommy for the rest of the afternoon until Daddy comes home.

I keep telling myself “YOU CAN DO THIS” and “PIECE OF CAKE”… but the reality is, it is going to be a BIG challenge.

WHAT WAS I THINKING?

Stay tuned for the update…  once I recuperate!

Jennifer Nevadomski
Paul’s Wife
Mom to: Juliana, 8 – Louis and Anthony, 24 months – Joseph, 10 months
www.nevaland.com

I had every intention on writing a strong review about the Hyland’s Teething Tablets. I read so much about them online myself and had a great number of friends and family to share their success stores with me.

Jayce is cutting those back molars and BOY in he cranky! He does not care much for the taste of Orajel so that is a fight to get in his mouth. So I was glad to hear of a table that dissolves and has a little flavor.

Unfortunately, as soon as I slipped the table in his mouth, he through a fit. He did not care for the taste and immediately started fishing it out of his mouth. It was chalky and messy after it was wet with his saliva. I also was a little uneasy about the directions. You can give 3 or 4 up to 4 times per day, that really seems like a lot to me. Because he wouldn’t keep them in his mouth not sure if it works.

Has anyone had any luck with the teething tables on the market?

http://www.amazon.com/Hylands-Teething-Tablets-tablets-Pack/dp/B000FYT4N0

~Shanta