I'll NEVER Do That with My kid...JFF

Updated on July 03, 2012
A.A. asks from Tulsa, OK
18 answers

I was shopping yesterday with my 14 mo old son. He started walking a couple months ago, and absolutely refuses to hold my hand, put him down and he is off like a shot! He was strapped into the cart and got VERY vocal and upset about it, so in an attempt to distract and calm him down (and not get those looks from people without kids) I busted out some snacks and handed them over. He munched happily the rest of the shopping trip and I broke my pre-baby "I will not feed my child just to get him to be quiet" resolution. So what have YOU done that you claimed you'd never do before your darling and perfect children made their appearances?

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So What Happened?

Thanks Mamas! I thoroughly enjoyed reading all your responses and while we haven't done a happy meal yet it probably will happen at some point in the future. The leash actually seems like a good idea, I think we will be investing in one. And Dana K. good for you for not breaking your rules. I think most of us (well, everyone that responded with the exception of you) sees that even the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. I personally was a better mother by breaking my rule and giving my son a snack (it was healthy!) rather than having my nerves frayed by a grocery store meltdown that would require me to shop with a screaming toddler or go home with nothing and come back later. Same thing with a little bit of cartoons. Is 20 minutes of age appropriate cartoons going to harm a child if it gives mom that much needed break to re-charge and breathe a bit? I don't think so myself.

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J.M.

answers from Missoula on

Baha. I have never broken any rules, because I never made any. I am the oldest girl of 13 siblings, and I fully understand the differences in children. What works for one, doesn't work for others... So I entered Mommyhood with the mindset that I would do whatever it takes to raise my DD in the way I feel appropriate at the time.

If anyone (ESPECIALLY the "parenting experts" who have no children) dislikes the way I do things, I know where to tell them to stick it. ;)

16 moms found this helpful
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L.M.

answers from Cleveland on

i think i do a pretty good job most of the time, I could do better with the TV though.

I praise anyone who set the bar high and attempted it, They might not always make it and might have to change their thoughts sometimes because each child is an individual and each situation is different. But at least at one point they tried.

If we were all perfect i guess i wouldn't be on this site.

6 moms found this helpful

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T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

Eat fast food :(
Luckily fast food places are banned in our little town, so it's not a daily temptation. We usually only have it when we're traveling. But I still remember the grease from my son's first McDonalds french fry running down his chubby little hand as he sucked the salt out of that thing! And oh boy the smile on his face!!!

11 moms found this helpful
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L.M.

answers from Houston on

"I will NEVERRRRR bribe my kids with candy!".....}:)

9 moms found this helpful
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R.M.

answers from San Francisco on

"Because I said so."

(And a million other things. Oh yeah, and pacifiers. And leashes.)

8 moms found this helpful
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J.F.

answers from Bloomington on

I wouldn't feed my kids fast food........

There have been weeks where I figured out who worked what shifts at the local McD's. Not proud of it, not happy about it, but we got through those weeks. Haven't been there in a few weeks....thankfully.

We are all such better parents when we don't actually have children. :)

8 moms found this helpful
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A.C.

answers from Atlanta on

TV as a baby-sitter. I'm trying to sell my house right now, so when I get a call that I have a showing in three hours, you'd better believe the movies come out so that I can clean efficiently. Do I feel badly about it? Yes. Will I continue to do it while the house is on the market? Yes!

7 moms found this helpful
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M.O.

answers from Chicago on

I fed my 18 month old one m&m at a time to keep her quiet at my other daughters violin concert. I let my kids watch tv sometimes just to keep them out of my hair. I let them eat junk food sometimes because I don't feel like cooking. Yep. Lol.

6 moms found this helpful

S.A.

answers from Chicago on

Using a leash! I swore I'd never, and I didn't with the first two. BUT, my #3 has never wanted to be confined, will never hold my hand, and runs off in public places. With two other kids in tow, I had to get something to keep him safe and close. I bought a cute stuffed monkey backpack one. I still feel like people are staring at me when I use it, but I've seen many other people using the same one.

6 moms found this helpful
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L.P.

answers from Dallas on

Use my spit to clean my kids face. It's gross yes,but I've done it.

5 moms found this helpful
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S.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Pacifiers past the age when a kid can actually talk. McDonalds in general. That's about it! I'm pretty lax about all things child rearing, but I really thought I could keep them in the dark about mickeyDs since I myself don't even care for it... but all it took was one trip with grandma and they are hooked for life. Plus it is such an easy kids meal and you can even milk and apples so it seems semi decent..

Updated

Pacifiers past the age when a kid can actually talk. McDonalds in general. That's about it! I'm pretty lax about all things child rearing, but I really thought I could keep them in the dark about mickeyDs since I myself don't even care for it... but all it took was one trip with grandma and they are hooked for life. Plus it is such an easy kids meal and you can even milk and apples so it seems semi decent..

4 moms found this helpful

X.O.

answers from Chicago on

Leashes - I have 3 boys under age 6, yes, the leash is used until the child learns how to walk along without straying off the road, and when walking through parking lots

Baby formula - guess whose breasts have never produced more than an ounce a day?

"Because I'm the mom!" - my oldest is a wheeler & a dealer and uses his inherited Middle Eastern negotiation tactics to haggle over everything!

4 moms found this helpful
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B.B.

answers from New York on

Bring food into a restaurant and allow him to eat that instead of what we are eating. We bring Mcdonald's fries into Indian and Chinese restaurants. Embarrassing, yes. My husband and I love ethnic food and have always tried to lead by example and offer a variety of foods. It's either the fries for our 4 year old or we just don't go. Therefore, a trip to McDonald's is a must.

Seriously Dana K.? Puh-leez!

3 moms found this helpful

S.D.

answers from Phoenix on

playing in mcdonalds play land

3 moms found this helpful

A.H.

answers from Anniston on

TV as a babysitter(sometimes mama needs a break! oh and they really do learn alot from the right cartoons!)
Candy/snacks to keep them quit.
spankings... with a wooden spoon( not fond of it but its the ONLY thing that works with my son, hes very difficult:()
being to tired to get up and get on to them for making a big mess so i just let them make the mess and worry about it later(horrible i know, but one you have told them over and over, and wooped them and you finally sit down only to see them doing it again, its exhausting lol

3 moms found this helpful
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S.M.

answers from Memphis on

I let both my kids drive those little tykes cars inside the house. I still can't believe I did that but they were happy and I was inside with the ac!

3 moms found this helpful

S.G.

answers from Grand Forks on

I was never going to give my baby a pacifier. I hated the way they looked. The nurses in the hospital tried to get me to give him a pacifier, and I refused . They sent me home with one, just in case. First night home, by about 3:00am, I was desperate for sleep. There I was, digging around my bag trying to find the damn thing. I tried to get him to take it, but he wasn't interested anyway. Pretty much the same thing happened with my second.

3 moms found this helpful
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D.T.

answers from Dothan on

Lollipops are great for long shopping trips!! I never thought in a million years that I would give my toddler candy, but you get desperate sometimes.

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