Parenting - August 2006

I'm engaged to a wonderful women (Jane - not real name) who has an equally wonderful 5 yr/old boy (John). Unfortunately, the father (Bob) of this boy has been out of his son's life for the past 4 years - no visits, no cards, no calls, no child support - NOTHING. From what I heard of Bob, he was (maybe still is) involved with drugs and other destructive activities which is one of the reason the marriage ended. I know, I'm only hearing one side of the story, but Jane is a very open person and I have no reason to think that she is lying.
John is starting to ask about his father. Why he doesn't visit or call and wondering who Bob is. Jane is struggling with explaining to John what happened. Why Mommy and Daddy didn't get along? Why they move back to her hometown from NYC. John wants to call his "Father" and to know why Bob doesn't want to know him.

I'm not looking for legal advice, but how do you explain this to a 5 yr/old and not have him think he did anything wrong?

2006-08-09 03:12:01 · 18 answers · asked by Nemo 3

Ok, my step daughter just turned 18 and is a senior this year. Two months ago her mom asked her to get a part time job for the summer, she refused and left home to live with her boyfriend..during the time she was gone she called me on the phone and cussed me out for no reason.. Now she wants to move back in and I told her she can but will be grounded for one week for leaving and also cussing me.... She then got mad and left again (with the boyfriend).. Her mom is now mad at me for not just "letting it go"... The daughter has had major attitude problems in the past and I just dont want to let it go because I feel it will just happen again if I do..We did not make her leave the house, she left on her own... How should I handle this, with my wife and with her daughter..? And what do you think my wife should do about the whole situation since we are not speaking now due to her daughter not moving back in?

2006-08-09 01:55:32 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous

hospital, which isn't very near and has a very depressing emergency room.. But we trust her with our five year old and we feel that she cares for him and we also feel comfortable with her as a person. But there's a new hospital that just opened which is a lot nearer to us. It's state-of-the-art and the emergency room isn't depressing at all. The whole hospital feels like a five star hotel. But the pediatrician that we know doesn't have clinic there. She's at the old hospital. In case of emergency, I'd favor the new hospital's ER, which wouldn't scare me to death. So the question is, should we stay with a pedia that we know and trust, but is at a hospital we don't like, or look for a new pedia at the fabulous hospital? Help me weigh this, please. Thank you.

2006-08-09 00:26:50 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous

Please include their age and your country of origin.

2006-08-09 00:15:44 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-08-08 21:15:56 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous

My daughter has been really difficult with food for the last 2 years, usually only with her dinner. We make sure she doesn't eat to much in the afternoon & she doesn't get too much sugar in her diet, we have tried many things, but she just doesn't seem to want to eat her dinner, even when its one of her favourite meals.
We're at our wits end!
Any suggestions?

2006-08-08 21:14:45 · 11 answers · asked by Mrs D 6

Who ya daddy?

2006-08-08 20:14:27 · 14 answers · asked by Vicky 2

2006-08-08 20:00:16 · 2 answers · asked by salem m 1

Would you thow it your son/daughter's face everytime they were disobedient, by telling them " you were THIS close, you little sonufabitch!!! This close!!!!"

2006-08-08 19:43:59 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous

i dont understand, theres this guy im really interested in, and he is like a couter part to me, i really care about him. but he has 3 kids, i want to have kids of my own too some day its not that i dont like kids, i actually love kids. but when i visit him i feel really akward an dont like it, i wont even leave the bedroom unless i have to. but i cant help feeling that way. but when we are alone being together its perfect.his kids are really nice. whats up with that?

2006-08-08 19:41:21 · 5 answers · asked by peeps you 4

I have two children (age 7) and one on the way. I would like to construct an organized cleaning schedule for my household to follow. The only problem is that I am not very creative and organized myself. Is there some kind of cleaning plan I can buy or do you have any good reccomendations on how you do it. My house feels so small if it is not kept very clean. Please and thank you for your help.

2006-08-08 18:34:00 · 5 answers · asked by Big Dip 1

i am female have a 1 y/o son, not married to father, had a DNA test and it proved he was father, we are splitting up and hes moving back home and wants to take my son, do i have custody of my son since no court has been involved? if he took my son isnt that kidnapping? we are not married, we did have a dna test, we are in ohio.

ALSO-- he is going to live with his mom back home

2006-08-08 18:25:54 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-08-08 17:45:32 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-08-08 17:36:52 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous

Ok, me and my friend were hanging out in the back room of a Children's theator rehersal and some little kids were back there with us watching TV. Then some brat who I don't even know dumps the contents of a pencil sharpener on my head. I had no clue what to do and the kid started laughing maliciously. My friend kept telling that kid to shut up and that it wasn't funny and I finally said, "Do I even know you kid?!" I had no clue where any of these kid's parent's were so me and my friend went outside. What would you do in a situation like that? And next time I go to help, what should I say to that kid?

2006-08-08 17:28:48 · 5 answers · asked by lindsaylaurie 3

2006-08-08 16:51:25 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous

If someone handed over their kids and said "You raise them." Would you?
If a relative left their kids to you if they died, would you keep them?
Would you take someone's kids away from them if they were some kind of addict, or welfare bum? (The ones that make governement assistance a career)

2006-08-08 16:45:57 · 30 answers · asked by Gothic Martha™ 6

My ex stopped paying child support about 1 year ago. I have been pretty nice about it. When she first stopped, I use to ask her about it but she would always get upset and we would start to argue so I would drop it. I'm just like every other single parent, I have a bugget and sometimes things would get tight.

Geez, this could be a long story but I don't want to bore you. So I will get down to it. She received a letter from the attorney general saying she owes back child support. She wants me to forget about it and tell them she owes me nothing. She's giving me a sad story she can't pay since she's not working. Oh, did I mention she's remarried and just bought a house last year? She's makes me feel guilty for wanting her to pay the past child support. She says I'm not a man, a man wouldn't let a woman pay child support. What should I do? I keep trying to tell her, its for her son,,not me.

2006-08-08 16:12:59 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-08-08 15:29:13 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous

2006-08-08 15:14:47 · 42 answers · asked by Anonymous

why am i wrong for leting my kids go barefoot at chuck cheese and there was one kid at a birthday party barefoot and with no shirt on the kid just had a bathingsuit and his hair was wet how am i wrong let my kids go barefoot.

2006-08-08 15:13:14 · 10 answers · asked by get it 1

2006-08-08 15:03:07 · 6 answers · asked by rita k 1

I saw a kid today at chuck cheese barefoot and with no shirt on he was at a birthday party i was there with my two kids that were also barefoot how could a parent let there kid go to a birthday party without a shirt on at chuck cheese. and when the lady pickup her son she had two other kids with here barefoot and no shirt

2006-08-08 14:49:31 · 17 answers · asked by get it 1

I have a 5yr old and 7yr old daughters. They are constantly hitting and slapping, kicking and punching. My oldest throws her weight and body slams her younger sister! I am tired of this and can't find a solution that will calm them down. They do not listen and are constantly starting trouble with each other! HELP!

2006-08-08 14:40:25 · 5 answers · asked by busyliz 3

we live in a very small country town. The nearest school is about 15 miles north of us. I work about 45 miles south of us. Because of our location and the amount of drive time between the places, we cant enroll our boys in any sports or activities. There would be no way to get home in time to get them to games or practice. I dont get home till almost 6:30. They have to stay with a neighbor till me or my husband get home. He is a truck driver so we never know his schedule day to day. Obviously there are not sports or activities besides church in our town that they can be in. None of their school friends live in our town, and we dont even know any of their parents anyways, so having someone else take them and pick them up for games, practice, etc. isnt even an option. It is hard to explain all this to two boys. How do we make them understand that it just isnt possible for my husband and I to work and get them involved in sports also right now?

2006-08-08 14:37:42 · 17 answers · asked by LittleMermaid 5

My son (10) and stepson (12) are constantly fighting. I know that this will probably continue from now on, but it is getting rediculous. They compete over who can get me or my husband something we ask for the quickest, then the one who didnt get it first complains "I was going to get it." They fight over what toy belongs to who. Each tattles on the other all the time. I am to the point of just hiding in my room and never coming out. I know I cant make them completely stop fighting, but how do I at least control it better, and what is a good punishment that would teach them to get along better?

2006-08-08 14:30:42 · 10 answers · asked by LittleMermaid 5

Please go to the web site www.letssaythanks.com . You can pick
out a thank you card and the Xerox Corporation will print it and it will be
sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out
who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services. It is
FREE and it only takes a second. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers
received a bunch of these?

2006-08-08 14:28:15 · 3 answers · asked by Clyde 5

2006-08-08 13:57:56 · 15 answers · asked by agnesann 1

My husbands ex gave him custody of their son. I am having to take over as him "mom", by providing for him, taking him to appointments and setting down rules. I usually expect my husband to deal with her, (phone calls or asking for things that we need like my stepsons SS card or birth certificate). However I know that one day I will probably need to speak to her, (if my husband is at work or forgets or just plain doesnt want to speak to her). Since I am taking over her parenting (and yes I feel I am since she has not asked to see her son in over 2 months) I think she should have to deal with me whether she wants to or not. If she doesnt want to she shouldn't have sent her son to live in our home. Do you agree?

2006-08-08 13:51:45 · 13 answers · asked by LittleMermaid 5

2006-08-08 13:49:07 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous