234
votes
What can I as a teenager do about my insanely strict parents?
Sit them down for a big, honest conversation. Don't make it about what you want, though. Make it about what they want, and especially ask them, honestly, how they think what they are doing right now ...
- 8,355
116
votes
Bedtime for 12-13 year old girl
I think it's time to let go of those reins and I honestly think you'll get a very good reaction. I'd even go as far as to say don't restrict her bedtime at all. Granted, rules should be in place like:
...
- 13.4k
79
votes
Accepted
Is it too late to read for my baby?
It is not too late at all. Please do try to limit TV, and of course you are tired after working all day. However, this is also your job. Reading, playing, walking to the park -- all of these things ...
- 17.5k
66
votes
What can I as a teenager do about my insanely strict parents?
OK, this may take some time but it could get you a bit of freedom.
Tell your parents that you want to get a job when you turn 16. Use several excuses like, "I want to save up for college," "To get a ...
- 1,366
46
votes
What can I as a teenager do about my insanely strict parents?
I really don't know what to do anymore, I just don't think that I can live like this any longer.
First of all, I want to assure you that you most certainly can live like this, even though it might ...
- 663
44
votes
Accepted
How can we get our son to stop sleeping in our bed?
Children have all kinds of reasons for feeling more comfortable in the presence of their parents at night. I can respect that. But you need your sleep and your time with your wife.
One option people ...
- 69.8k
40
votes
Should I have the same bedtime as my sister?
I'm going to interpret the question as asking how a parent can manage the bedtimes of siblings of different ages, as I think that's a great question, and answerable (as opposed to asking for an ...
- 61.8k
38
votes
Bedtime for 12-13 year old girl
The main thing is that your daughter is getting sufficient total sleep (not time in bed, but time asleep, and restorative deep sleep, not fitful sleep). Not getting enough sleep has been considered an ...
- 501
37
votes
What can I as a teenager do about my insanely strict parents?
I am you 25 years ago. There was no social media at the time, but I recognized myself in that I was not allowed to be with my friends without supervision, no dating until marriage (I always wondered ...
- 395
28
votes
Bedtime for 12-13 year old girl
Your brain tells you when to go to sleep by producing melatonin. Melatonin is what makes you feel tired, and prepares you for sleep.
The brain hormone melatonin is produced later at night for teens ...
- 381
23
votes
Bedtime for 12-13 year old girl
I'm reading a book right now called "Why we Sleep". (I strongly advise everyone to read it too.)
It has a whole section on the sleep changes we go through from infancy to old-age.
One thing it very ...
- 2,140
15
votes
Is it too late to read for my baby?
I enjoy reading to my children each night just before bed. It gives them something to look forward to, especially if the book is very interesting to them, and is a soothing way to end the day. It ...
- 8,987
14
votes
Accepted
Why do babies fight sleep and how to calm them down?
This is an interesting article on the topic: http://www.secretsofbabybehavior.com/2010/05/why-do-some-babies-hate-being-drowsy.html
The article has this to say on why some babies hate being drowsy:
-...
- 168
14
votes
If you can't spoil a newborn, when "can" you spoil a baby?
She is not much more than a newborn (that ends at 28 days - or 4 weeks); she's an infant/baby. She has more needs than "habits". In fact, I can't think of a single 'habit' a two month old baby can ...
- 69.8k
13
votes
How can we get our son to stop sleeping in our bed?
Our daughter is three years old now and has slept in our bed for about two and a half years. Even now, when she wakes up in the middle of the night, she continues her night at our bed. And like yours, ...
- 131
13
votes
What can I as a teenager do about my insanely strict parents?
It sounds like you're an only child, and your parents are very concerned for your welfare. There are negligent parents out there, who don't give a sh*t about their children and think only of ...
- 395
13
votes
Accepted
How can I get involved in the parenting of my girlfriend's sister's 5-year-old who spends too much time on screens etc.?
You are too involved. She is not your child, the mother is not your sister, you aren’t an experienced parent yourself - you have no authority or bearing here. It’s excruciating to watch someone parent ...
- 664
12
votes
How can we get our son to stop sleeping in our bed?
Many people around the world sleep with their children. I am not saying you should, but that children are not as disturbed as you are by sex. They seem to ignore it or sleep through it. The point is ...
- 17.5k
12
votes
What can I include in the bedtime routine for an active 6 month old?
In our experience, in addition to the nightime routine, another important factor in good nighttime sleep is the daytime routine. Keep it consistent. At this age keeping it consistent from day to day ...
- 5,158
11
votes
Is it too late to read for my baby?
First, I would like to say what a wonderful mother you are! You already have what it takes to be a wonderful mother! I am a mother of 4; all of my children are adults now. I remember worrying about ...
- 119
11
votes
What can I as a teenager do about my insanely strict parents?
My suggestion: first thing is to find a crisis support center for teens. If you're fortunate to have one in walking distance, go there. Otherwise, find one by phone. You need to find a supportive ...
- 241
9
votes
If you can't spoil a newborn, when "can" you spoil a baby?
I think the important thing to realize here is what is spoiling. To be clear anything related to basic need isn't spoiling. My kids can eat as much veggies as they want during dinner. Go to bed as ...
- 1,893
8
votes
How can we get our son to stop sleeping in our bed?
Our first son had a mattress on the floor in his room. We would do bedtime routines in his room, and when he was asleep, we went to our bedroom. This gave us the privacy we needed. At some point in ...
- 81
8
votes
Bedtime for 12-13 year old girl
Let her go to bed a half hour later for a week and see how she acts. If she is harder to wake up in the morning, forgetful, cranky, etc, move it back to the usual time. If, however, everything remains ...
- 1,366
8
votes
Bedtime for 12-13 year old girl
All through high school, my bedtime was about 9pm. That prepared me to get up the next day by 6am, and be one of the first students to arrive at school.
During the teenage years is a time when the ...
- 101
8
votes
6-year-old child taking about an hour and a half to get to sleep
I had the same problem as a child. It took me an hour to two hours to get to sleep every night. This persisted until I was an adult, and didn't entirely go away until I had my first child, at which ...
- 61.8k
7
votes
2-year-old needs bread to go to sleep
My concern would be tooth decay- bread might not be sweet, but it's chock full of carbohydrates and for sure prolonged exposure to food right before bed (and without tooth brushing afterward) is a ...
- 2,920
7
votes
Toddler drinking a lot before/during night, too much for one diaper
As a first step, don't water down his milk at bed time. That's just giving him extra fluids without nutritional value that won't do much to make him feel full. With straight milk, he will probably ...
- 1,626
7
votes
Is it too late to read for my baby?
my parents read to me for quite awhile. I remember as a very young child my father reading Charlett's Web to us, back when I was to young to fully follow it, and later my mother reading a series of ...
- 3,886
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