Hi Friends!...

[JessicaMadison]

Hey everybody! You may have noticed I've been posting today! It's because I actually have free time on my hands! Thank goodness school is back. Alexis is at school. Hunter and Bailey are both in college and on their own now. Jace took Nick up to see his Grandma in Niagara Falls for a few days! So it's just me and the girls! Lauren is in a really busy stage. Gotta love her! So I just thought I would do an update!

Hunter is doing marvelous in his fatherly duties. Leah is growing up fast! She's such a doll! She's grandma's girl for sure. I forgot to tell you guys last time I was here that Hunter had proposed to his girlfriend Emma! They're not planning a wedding yet. But they're engaged. I really like Emma. She's like another daughter to me. Hunter and her have been a couple for quite a few years. High school sweethearts I suppose! Hunter went back to college this year. Which I'm very happy about. He went a different route then he originally planned on. He's going to be a dental assistant. I know that's a little weird for a boy but that's my son! It's a good job. He'll have no trouble supporting Leah and Emma with that job! He told me that he wants to have more kids SOMEDAY! He wants 5 kids. (Just like Mom and Dad!) Well that's hunter!

Bailey is moved into her residence and started college too! She's doing a pre-health science course. Which will basically lead her into nursing. We'll see if she actually ends up doing that though. She was really interested in the MIA program - Music Industry Arts. I have a feeling she won't follow through with health care and she'll go into that! She calls every day but we don't see her enough - SO FAR. Hahaha I think she's busy with the boyfriend. That girl seems to go through guys like crazy. I hate it! I just want her to find one guy that treats her well. I worry about her so much.

Alexis is fantastic! She's just normal, happy Lexie. She misses her brother and sister a lot. I took her to see Justin Bieber in Toronto in August. I think he's her first crush! Bailey came too, not like she has whatever it's called - Bieber Measles but she likes his music! It was a lot of fun! He's a cute kid. He's so tiny. I just wish Bailey and Hunter were still here. I want to have all my babies back. But at least I still have 3 young ones.

Lauren and Nick are awesome! Their personalities haven't changed much. Nick is still quiet and shy and Lauren is out there and silly! There growing up! I love having babies again. I don't ever want these two to grow up.

I wouldn't be being honest If I didn't tell you how sad and depressed I am. I just want my family back together. I know this is a good thing for Hunter and Bails but I just want them back. Yesterday they were my little babies and today they're in college and Hunter is engaged and has his own child. I feel bad for him. I wish that he could've lived a little bit more before having a kid. I know because that's the way I feel. Don't get me wrong, I love Leah but I wish that he would've been more responsible. I look back at the years and wonder and hope that I made the right decisions for them and that I was the best possible Mother I could've been. I wonder if I was too strict. I hope that I made them be responsible adults. I look back at those years and wish I wasn't so busy. This is my message to everyone who has little ones right now. Cherish these moments. Cherish every one. Every smile. Every frown. Every laugh. Every birthday. Every Christmas. Just cherish them. When they're crying or being bad don't think 'God I want them to grow up so I don't have to deal with this anymore.' And it happens. Every parent has those moments once or twice. Hug them, make them laugh. Because they won't have that childlike innocence forever. Love them for the moment. Comfort them, tell them it's gonna be okay. One day they'll be telling you 'Mom/Dad, it's okay I'll be fine!'

That's all. Sorry. I have a huge ranting habit.

 

[IADad]

Welcome back and thanks for the update. I don't think I was around here long when you sort of disappeared...

Try to be happy for your kids finding thier own ways. I know I'm going to be sad when mine hit that stage, but you've done your job, helped them move on, be happy for them.

As for Hunter, the flip side of having kids young is that you get time to enjoy life when you're older. I didn't have kids until I was almost 40, so I'll be virtually going from kids to retirement without much in between. I'm a different parent as an older parnet than I would have been younger, but I don't think it's better or worse, there are just different challenges, different positive perspectives.

Anyway, try to think about thos good things, and come here and share, we'll always be happy to share some perspective.

 

[mom2many]

HI!!!!

Sounds like everything is good on your end, at least everything is working out for the kids.

I am sure you have taught all of the kids the lessons they have needed to learn...lok at your son, he has stepped up and become the dad he should be. He didn't turn tail and run, he did that cause mom and dad gave him a good foundation in life. Both kids are in college...wished at least one of mine were, so momma YOU HAVE DONE GOOD!!!!

Know I have the opoosite problem, I have a 19 year old and three 18 year olds in my house. Now in all fairness one will never live on his own, one is still in high school, and the other two are trying but I don't feel they try as hard as they should. So I can't wait for them to move on .

 

[JessicaMadison]

IAdad - thanks for your input! I appreciate it. I know that Hunter will be fine. He's a good kid. I know he will do well for himself. His father and I we're also very young when we had him. I guess that is the truth. I remember lots of happy times with my kids. I know this will be the better thing for Bailey and Hunter. I just wish they still lived at home but this will be better for them. And probably eventually better for me and Jace! Hahaha. Thanks!

M2M - How are ya darling? How are your kiddies? Thank you! Yeah everything is going really well right now. I am so proud of Hunter for stepping up and being a good parent to Leah. I hear of so many teenage fathers doing the opposite. He truly does love Emma and Lee. I know he wants to be able to support them well so that's why he went back to school. Thank you so much! I'm sorry about your problem. I can see how that also might be frustrating. They will probably go eventually. I'm sure they won't want to be in Mom and Dad's house forever! They'll want their freedom soon enough. Thanks so much for the support. I really do hope I taught Bailey and Hunter well. And if not, well I still can do better with Alexis, Nick and Lauren. It's so different having all these different age groups huh? Having kids in college, babies and in between?

 

[mom2many]

Overall not bad now, we had a bit of a rough period (http://www.parentingforums.org/f2/tree-fell-house-10988.html[/URL]) but things are finally getting back to normal.....Thank goodness, i don't know how much more I could have taken.

I hear you about the age ranges. Like you I have two set's so I figure if I screw up the older ones I have a second chance with the younger ones LOL. Overall they are good kids, but they are kids and the teens are still trying to get the hang of "being adults". I know one day they will leave and I will be on here crying cause my babies have left me .

It's great hearing how things have been going, I think Zero and I are the oldest members here, maybe one or two others so it's always nice to hear from some of the "older" members!

 

[IADad]

um, m2m, did you just call Xero old???? LOL

 

[mom2many]

um, m2m, did you just call Xero old???? LOL

:laugh:


I sure did, she started out as the young one and know she is a married woman trying to have her 2nd child.....she is now classified as "old".

 

[mom2many]

Double post

 

[pettypro43]

Welcome back! Looking forward to itl

 

[Chloeylandom]

Hey all! I am part of a design group at The Ohio State University and we're researching children's ride-on toys ( small bikes, scooters, wagons ect) in order to design a better tool for play. My group needs information from knowledgable or experienced parents/guardians of children ages 2-11 years (if you remember back to when your children were this age, or you have babysat that's fine, too!). It would be great for us to have a variety of opinions and input and would greatly appreciate you and others you know to take a few to answer these questions.

You can answer them in any way you see fit. If you want to answer them by number, if you want to write a paragraph, if you want to rant, rave, tell us about an experience you or a child had with a ride-on toy, or even if only want to answer a few, please send us your answers! Thank you!


Parents of children ages 2- 11 years old:

1. What are your safety concerns when it comes to toys?

2. In what ways would you make your children’s toys safer or easier to use?

3. What factors make your child want to buy a toy?

4. On the other hand, what factors make you want to buy a toy for your child?

5. What is your most favorite and least favorite aspect of a toy at your house and why?

6. Do you buy toys for your child because of nostalgic reasons?

7. How much control do you want over your children’s toys? (Ex: handle, leash, and others)

8. On what occasions, would you buy your children toys?
OR
How often do you buy your children toys? And for what reasons?

9. What toy company do you mostly buy from? Why?

10. Do you find yourself buying a specific brand of toy for a reason?


Children ages 2-11 (parents, you can answer for your children, but be sure to note that you did so):

1. Top three favorite toys to play with? Why?

2. What is your favorite activity to do?

3. What toys do you not like and why?

4. Pick a toy you own, if you could add anything, or change it, what would you do
differently to it?

5. If you could have any super power in the world, what would it be? And how would you incorporate this ability into a toy?

6. Where’s your favorite place to play? Why?

7. What is your favorite ride on toy?

8. Think of your least favorite toy, why don’t you like it? what would you add to it to make it better?

9. When you're bored and don't have toys to play with, what do you do?