When did structure become a bad thing?
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| Fri, 07-30-2004 - 8:19am |
We used to live next door to a "no structure" family. The kids ran wild in the neighborhood, the mom never planned dinner so lord only knows if and when the kids ate. Sorry, I don't think that's a good way to live. My kids know we eat dinner at 6:30, so they have to be home.
I can see taht you wouldn't demand that an infant go to bed and wake up at precisely the same time, but is there ever a time to impose structure on a child? So lets say you are the freewheeling type and have always doen things whenever. What happens when you send your child to school where the bell rings at the same time every day?
As far as activities, I realize all kids are different, but when my kids were little, if we just did whatever, whenever, my kids woudl end up grumpy and overtired. My experience is that if say, we were at the beach and I say, oh heck, let's just stay later, the kids woudl be happy at first, but by the days end I would end up with whiny, overtired kids.
Maybe I'm just misinterpreting what I am reading, but I personally think structure is a good thing. When children are small, the structure includes naptimes, mealtimes, etc. As they get older it evolves into boundaries like "be home at 6 for dinner" or "you can't go into soemones house without telling me first". I couldn't imagine living without structure or boundaries for my kids.
Susan

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I'd take an in-car DVD player over pills to an infant anyday. <>
I meant have you tried everything for your DD, not you. She's only a year old so you haven't had that long to look into other methods of alleviating her car sickness.
And does the magical DVD work just for your DD or does it work for you as well?
A cousin woh and had to be out of the house by 8 am. She had her 6 wk-old in front of Baby Einstein videos so she could get herself showered and out of the house. It "worked" and you do what "works" if it is agreeable with your philosophies.
What alternative is there for a carsick baby but to stay at home and never leave the house!! That sounds really healthy for child and mother, not.
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