I am suffering from the pre-christmas madness. I don't have any real time to blog before the holiday. So, expect more regular posts after the 25th!
-Veronica
Monday, December 16, 2019
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Extended Breastfeeding
I want to defend the face that I intend to breastfeed Valerie as long as she needs me to.
First off, here is a good article: https://kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/ebf-benefits/
The American Academy of Family Physicians says "Breastfeeding should ideally continue beyond infancy, but this is not the cultural norm in the United States and requires ongoing support and encouragement. It has been estimated that a natural weaning age for humans is between two and seven years. Family physicians should be knowledgeable regarding the ongoing benefits to the child of extended breastfeeding, including continued immune protection, better social adjustment, and having a sustainable food source in times of emergency. The longer women breastfeed, the greater the decrease in their risk of breast cancer.”
I think that should just about justify the face that all mothers should be feeding their children for much longer. I would extend that age to be open ended, and let the child tell you when they no longer feel the need to feed.
I have had no problem feeding my sixteen year old niece, Beth, and have told her that I am here if she ever need to bond. It helps her immune system, and it helps me stay healthy too. She has yet to get sick since she came to stay with us.
I rest my case.
-Veronica
First off, here is a good article: https://kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/ebf-benefits/
The American Academy of Family Physicians says "Breastfeeding should ideally continue beyond infancy, but this is not the cultural norm in the United States and requires ongoing support and encouragement. It has been estimated that a natural weaning age for humans is between two and seven years. Family physicians should be knowledgeable regarding the ongoing benefits to the child of extended breastfeeding, including continued immune protection, better social adjustment, and having a sustainable food source in times of emergency. The longer women breastfeed, the greater the decrease in their risk of breast cancer.”
I think that should just about justify the face that all mothers should be feeding their children for much longer. I would extend that age to be open ended, and let the child tell you when they no longer feel the need to feed.
I have had no problem feeding my sixteen year old niece, Beth, and have told her that I am here if she ever need to bond. It helps her immune system, and it helps me stay healthy too. She has yet to get sick since she came to stay with us.
I rest my case.
-Veronica
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Delayed potty training
I have spoken before about how I don't think kids should be potty trained until they are ready. I don't think there needs to be a closed limit on that either. If Valerie wants to stay in diapers until high school, then why shouldn't she? I would think that could start changing herself at some point if she wanted some independence, but at the same time, I wouldn't mind changing her the whole time either. This is also the same reason that I have no problem putting eight year old Bailey, or even sixteen year old Beth back in diapers if they need them.
I recently got an email from a Social Worker from Child Services, named Fran, here in the great state of Ohio, about a case that she had this past summer.
A seventeen year old girl, from California, was road tripping with some boys across the country. The boys wouldn't pull over to let her use the potty and forced her to stick her bottom of out the car window, and poop. It turns out, a Highway patrolman was driving behind them, and got a very dirty windshield.
He pulled them over and questioned the teenagers. It turns out that the girl was the only one under eighteen, so he arrested the boys for child endangerment and neglect. He took the girl to the police station, when they found out that she was from out of state, and her parents could not come to get her for a week they called me. When I found her sitting on a chair, wrapped in a pink baby blanket, with her pants and panties around her ankles. After I stood her up and inspected her, I found that she had poop still smeared all over her bottom. I asked her how old she was, she said seventeen.
I looked at her sternly and said, "No one taught you hoe to wipe your bottom? I know five year olds who know how to wipe their bottoms better than this." I told her to wait there, I went to the car and grabbed my diaper bag. I saw her eyes get huge as I walked in with the pink diaper bag and a nursery print changing pad. I spread the changing pad on the couch, and pulled out a container of baby wipes. I wiped her standing up, dismissing all of her excuses about why she wasn't acting mature, before I asked her if she needed to use the potty before I dressed her. She made a stink about how she was a big girl and could dress herself, but I told her that if that was true, she wouldn't have been standing with her pants and panties around her who knows how long.
I told her, "Since you don't know how to wipe, I'm going to put you in diapers so we can do it for you." Before instructing her to lay on the changing pad. "Little girls who don't know how or where to go potty have to wear diapers." She gave in and laid down on the changing mat. I took a baby diaper out of the diaper bag and slid it under her bottom, and finished wiping her, before putting rash cream all over her bottom, followed by baby powder, before taping the diaper snugly around her little waist.
I walked her out to my car in just her t-shirt and baby diaper, before getting her strapped into the carseat. She put up a fuss about that too, but I told her that toddlers have to sit in a carseat by law. I explained to her that a week as a toddler should be a fitting punishment for her immature behavior. I took her to a foster home, where she would be with some other children in diapers. Her foster mother was already looking after three other girls still in diapers, ages five, three and two.
She stayed there for a few days, until I learned that she was enjoying her punishment too much, so I made room for her at one of our Orphanages, and went and picked her up. I stripped her naked, and put her in cloth diaper, before taking her in just her diaper out the car, and driving her to Orphanage where she stayed as a seventeen month old, for the rest of her time in Ohio.
-Fan
I although I don't believe in diaper punishment, I think that this girl got what she deserved. She did something very immature, and she learned her lesson, that she should not take her freedom as a teenager for granted.
-Veronica
I recently got an email from a Social Worker from Child Services, named Fran, here in the great state of Ohio, about a case that she had this past summer.
A seventeen year old girl, from California, was road tripping with some boys across the country. The boys wouldn't pull over to let her use the potty and forced her to stick her bottom of out the car window, and poop. It turns out, a Highway patrolman was driving behind them, and got a very dirty windshield.
He pulled them over and questioned the teenagers. It turns out that the girl was the only one under eighteen, so he arrested the boys for child endangerment and neglect. He took the girl to the police station, when they found out that she was from out of state, and her parents could not come to get her for a week they called me. When I found her sitting on a chair, wrapped in a pink baby blanket, with her pants and panties around her ankles. After I stood her up and inspected her, I found that she had poop still smeared all over her bottom. I asked her how old she was, she said seventeen.
I looked at her sternly and said, "No one taught you hoe to wipe your bottom? I know five year olds who know how to wipe their bottoms better than this." I told her to wait there, I went to the car and grabbed my diaper bag. I saw her eyes get huge as I walked in with the pink diaper bag and a nursery print changing pad. I spread the changing pad on the couch, and pulled out a container of baby wipes. I wiped her standing up, dismissing all of her excuses about why she wasn't acting mature, before I asked her if she needed to use the potty before I dressed her. She made a stink about how she was a big girl and could dress herself, but I told her that if that was true, she wouldn't have been standing with her pants and panties around her who knows how long.
I told her, "Since you don't know how to wipe, I'm going to put you in diapers so we can do it for you." Before instructing her to lay on the changing pad. "Little girls who don't know how or where to go potty have to wear diapers." She gave in and laid down on the changing mat. I took a baby diaper out of the diaper bag and slid it under her bottom, and finished wiping her, before putting rash cream all over her bottom, followed by baby powder, before taping the diaper snugly around her little waist.
I walked her out to my car in just her t-shirt and baby diaper, before getting her strapped into the carseat. She put up a fuss about that too, but I told her that toddlers have to sit in a carseat by law. I explained to her that a week as a toddler should be a fitting punishment for her immature behavior. I took her to a foster home, where she would be with some other children in diapers. Her foster mother was already looking after three other girls still in diapers, ages five, three and two.
She stayed there for a few days, until I learned that she was enjoying her punishment too much, so I made room for her at one of our Orphanages, and went and picked her up. I stripped her naked, and put her in cloth diaper, before taking her in just her diaper out the car, and driving her to Orphanage where she stayed as a seventeen month old, for the rest of her time in Ohio.
-Fan
I although I don't believe in diaper punishment, I think that this girl got what she deserved. She did something very immature, and she learned her lesson, that she should not take her freedom as a teenager for granted.
-Veronica
Monday, December 9, 2019
Beth and Weekend Update
It was a pretty laid back weekend. Nothing of note happened at the nursery on Sunday. As far as Beth, I ended up keeping her in diapers until Friday afternoon, when I gave her the choice to go back to being a big girl.
As we left off on Thursday, I had just breastfed Beth and Valerie, and left them to watch TV in the playpen. They had been there long enough that I figured it was time for a diaper check. I went down to the living room and grabbed the diaper bag that I keep next to the couch. As I approached the playpen I could smell at least one of my toddlers had a present for me in their diaper. I took the changing mat out of the diaper bag and laid it on the floor next to the playpen.
I decided to check Beth first. I popped a pacifier into her mouth and stood her up in the playpen. I felt the seat of her diaper through her overalls. It didn't feel lumpy, but it did feel wet, so I lifted her out and laid her on the changing mat. I unsnapped the crotch of her overalls and rolled them up over her belly, to expose her diaper. It was definitely wet. I grabbed a fresh diaper and wipes from the diaper bag. I untaped Beth's diaper, and grabbed her by her ankles. I pulled her diaper down and saw that she was just wet. I wiped her clean and taped the new diaper on her, snapping her overalls back up. I put her back in the playpen and changed Valerie's messy bottom.
I left the girls to watch some more TV while I cleaned around the house a little. I went to the kitchen, and installed a booster seat one of the chairs at the kitchen table. I decided to get the girls in the kitchen before getting lunch started. I grabbed Valerie first, and strapped her into the booster seat. I put her bib on her, and gave her a sippy cup of milk, and placed a handful of cheerios on the placemat in front of her to snack on.
I went back to the playpen and grabbed Beth, setting her on my hip. I patted her bottom as I carried her to the kitchen, sitting her in the highchair, and strapping her in. I put a bib on her as well, and locked the tray into place. I scattered some cheerios on the tray, and gave her a baby bottle of milk instead of a sippy cup, to reinforce her immature behavior. I watcher her blush as she picked up her bottle and started sucking on the nipple, while her younger cousin was sitting in a booster seat with a sippy cup.
I started making lunch, settling on some lentil soup. I heated up the soup on the stove. I put it two plastic bowls. I gave one to Valerie, who can feed herself, and let her eat. I brought the other bowl over to Beth and set it down on her tray. "Is baby Beth ready for her soup!" I cooed loading up the plastic toddler spoon, "Here comes the choo choo!"
I fed Beth the whole bowl of soup, cooing to her the whole time, causing her to visibly blush out of embarrassment. I purposely made sure to make her a little messy, getting soup around her face and on her bib. "Such a messy baby!" I teased as I left her to put the empty bowl in the sink. I went to the living room and grabbed two baby wipes from the diaper bag, and came back to the kitchen. I wiped off Beth's face and hands before removing her bib. I did the same to Valerie.
"I think its nap time for my two little ones!" I cooed. I grabbed Valerie first, checking her diaper as I carried her up to the nursery. She was still dry and clean, so I took off her overalls and laid her in her crib in just her t-shirt and diaper. I went back down to the kitchen to get Beth ready for her nap. I took the tray off the highchair, and undid the five point harness. I lifted Beth out of the seat and carried her up the nursery. I stood her on the floor and took off her overalls, and saw that her diaper was wet again. I put her on the changing table and changed her into one of the Swaddlers Overnight diapers she wears at night, and put her in the crib with Valerie.
I watched the two of them on the nanny cam, and about an hour into their nap, I saw Beth sit up, holding her stomach. I watched as she got up onto her feet and squatted down. I could see the seat of her diaper expand. I saw Valerie start to wake up, and look at Beth, who looked like she was upset. Then something amazing happened. I watched as Valerie pulled Beth back, causing her to fall into her messy bottom. Valerie helped her lay back down, and stuck a pacifier into Beth's mouth. I watched as they both went back to sleep, with Beth rhythmically sucking on the pacifier.
I came back in two hours to wake them up, to find that both girls were still asleep, and Beth was still sucking on the binky that Valerie shoved in her mouth. I woke both girls up, and changed their diapers, getting them dressed again, and letting them play for the rest of the evening until dinner.
By the time I gave Beth a chance to be a big girl again, then next day, she was very happy, and promised not be fussy again. That remains to be seen. I told her if she acts immature like that again, she would be a toddler for a week next time.
-Veronica
As we left off on Thursday, I had just breastfed Beth and Valerie, and left them to watch TV in the playpen. They had been there long enough that I figured it was time for a diaper check. I went down to the living room and grabbed the diaper bag that I keep next to the couch. As I approached the playpen I could smell at least one of my toddlers had a present for me in their diaper. I took the changing mat out of the diaper bag and laid it on the floor next to the playpen.
I decided to check Beth first. I popped a pacifier into her mouth and stood her up in the playpen. I felt the seat of her diaper through her overalls. It didn't feel lumpy, but it did feel wet, so I lifted her out and laid her on the changing mat. I unsnapped the crotch of her overalls and rolled them up over her belly, to expose her diaper. It was definitely wet. I grabbed a fresh diaper and wipes from the diaper bag. I untaped Beth's diaper, and grabbed her by her ankles. I pulled her diaper down and saw that she was just wet. I wiped her clean and taped the new diaper on her, snapping her overalls back up. I put her back in the playpen and changed Valerie's messy bottom.
I left the girls to watch some more TV while I cleaned around the house a little. I went to the kitchen, and installed a booster seat one of the chairs at the kitchen table. I decided to get the girls in the kitchen before getting lunch started. I grabbed Valerie first, and strapped her into the booster seat. I put her bib on her, and gave her a sippy cup of milk, and placed a handful of cheerios on the placemat in front of her to snack on.
I went back to the playpen and grabbed Beth, setting her on my hip. I patted her bottom as I carried her to the kitchen, sitting her in the highchair, and strapping her in. I put a bib on her as well, and locked the tray into place. I scattered some cheerios on the tray, and gave her a baby bottle of milk instead of a sippy cup, to reinforce her immature behavior. I watcher her blush as she picked up her bottle and started sucking on the nipple, while her younger cousin was sitting in a booster seat with a sippy cup.
I started making lunch, settling on some lentil soup. I heated up the soup on the stove. I put it two plastic bowls. I gave one to Valerie, who can feed herself, and let her eat. I brought the other bowl over to Beth and set it down on her tray. "Is baby Beth ready for her soup!" I cooed loading up the plastic toddler spoon, "Here comes the choo choo!"
I fed Beth the whole bowl of soup, cooing to her the whole time, causing her to visibly blush out of embarrassment. I purposely made sure to make her a little messy, getting soup around her face and on her bib. "Such a messy baby!" I teased as I left her to put the empty bowl in the sink. I went to the living room and grabbed two baby wipes from the diaper bag, and came back to the kitchen. I wiped off Beth's face and hands before removing her bib. I did the same to Valerie.
"I think its nap time for my two little ones!" I cooed. I grabbed Valerie first, checking her diaper as I carried her up to the nursery. She was still dry and clean, so I took off her overalls and laid her in her crib in just her t-shirt and diaper. I went back down to the kitchen to get Beth ready for her nap. I took the tray off the highchair, and undid the five point harness. I lifted Beth out of the seat and carried her up the nursery. I stood her on the floor and took off her overalls, and saw that her diaper was wet again. I put her on the changing table and changed her into one of the Swaddlers Overnight diapers she wears at night, and put her in the crib with Valerie.
I watched the two of them on the nanny cam, and about an hour into their nap, I saw Beth sit up, holding her stomach. I watched as she got up onto her feet and squatted down. I could see the seat of her diaper expand. I saw Valerie start to wake up, and look at Beth, who looked like she was upset. Then something amazing happened. I watched as Valerie pulled Beth back, causing her to fall into her messy bottom. Valerie helped her lay back down, and stuck a pacifier into Beth's mouth. I watched as they both went back to sleep, with Beth rhythmically sucking on the pacifier.
I came back in two hours to wake them up, to find that both girls were still asleep, and Beth was still sucking on the binky that Valerie shoved in her mouth. I woke both girls up, and changed their diapers, getting them dressed again, and letting them play for the rest of the evening until dinner.
By the time I gave Beth a chance to be a big girl again, then next day, she was very happy, and promised not be fussy again. That remains to be seen. I told her if she acts immature like that again, she would be a toddler for a week next time.
-Veronica
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Beth Update
As you all know, my niece, Beth, has been staying with us for a little over one month. She has been been pretty consistently wetting her bed every night since she's been staying here. As you, know, I started putting her in diapers at night, and since then, she has woken up wet every morning. Its unclear if she is wetting her bed, or just using the diaper, because once she's in her diaper, she's not allowed to use the potty until morning. I also require anyone getting their diaper changed to have a pacifier in their mouth. That goes for Valerie, Bailey, and even Beth.
Since I started diapering Beth for bed, I have been doing when I put Valerie to bed, and I do it on Valerie's changing table. Valerie goes to bed at 7pm every night, so at 6:45, I take the two of them to Valerie's nursery and get them ready for bed. I change Valerie from her Pampers Cruisers into her Swaddlers Overnights, and sleeper before putting her in her crib for the night, I sometimes will let her breastfeed before bed. Once Valerie is changed, I let her play on the floor while I get Beth up on the changing table. Once Beth is on the table, I take off her clothes, and wipe down her diaper area with a baby wipe. I take another Swaddlers Overnights from the stacker and tape it onto her, honestly, its no different than when I change Valerie, then I send Beth to her room to put on her PJ's. She can stay up as late as she wants, but she's usually in bed by 10pm.
When its morning, Valerie is usually up much earlier than Beth, so I change her and get her dressed for the day. When its time for Beth to get up, I wake her up gently, and take her by the hand to the nursery to be changed. I get her up on the table and take off her PJs, and then change her wet diaper. I have to admit, there were one or two times where I was a bit tired, and was kinda running on autopilot, and accidentally put Beth into a fresh Pampers Cruiser in the morning. Since Beth had a pacifier in her mouth, she can't really tell me that I'm doing something wrong. When that happens, I don't want to waste a diaper, so Beth gets to be a toddler for the morning, she has to use her diaper, and then can get her panties back when she's done.
Since its getting colder out, I bought Beth a footed sleeper to match Valerie. I decided to put her in it last night after diapering for bed. I got Valerie changed as normal, and then got Beth up onto the table. I popped the pacifier into her mouth and started undressing her as I always do. I got her taped into her diaper, and then grabbed the sleeper. I saw her eyes get big as soon as she saw the sleeper and she started to fuss.
I said, "Beth, whats wrong, you're acting fussier than your cousin? I thought you were a big girl?" She kept fussing and trying to squirm away, but I always use the safety strap on the changing table. "Well I guess I don't have any big girls here then." I said as I put the sleeper on her, and zipped it up. I go lifted her onto my hip and carried her to Valerie's crib, laying her down inside. I put Valerie in, as well and raised the side. I went to the kitchen and made two bottles of milk, and brought them up to the nursery for the girls. I set them down in the crib, started the mobile, turned on the baby monitor, and turned out the lights.
This morning I went into the nursery to get my little girls up, and found two girls with very wet diapers, still asleep with two empty bottles. I decided that I would have Beth spend the rest of the day as a two year old, to help her appreciate her freedoms of being a teenager. I got both girls changed into fresh diapers, and dressed them in overalls. I put Beth on one hip, and Valerie on the other and sat on the rocking chair for their morning feeding. I undid my blouse and bra and let each of then take a nipple. Valerie latched on right away, but I had to coax Beth a little bit, but she eventually latched on and started nursing. When both sides were drained I burped my two girls, and checked diapers. Both were still clean and dry, so I put them down in the living room playpen to watch Sprout. I think it may be time for another diaper check.
I'll fill you in on how things went next week.
-Veronica
Since I started diapering Beth for bed, I have been doing when I put Valerie to bed, and I do it on Valerie's changing table. Valerie goes to bed at 7pm every night, so at 6:45, I take the two of them to Valerie's nursery and get them ready for bed. I change Valerie from her Pampers Cruisers into her Swaddlers Overnights, and sleeper before putting her in her crib for the night, I sometimes will let her breastfeed before bed. Once Valerie is changed, I let her play on the floor while I get Beth up on the changing table. Once Beth is on the table, I take off her clothes, and wipe down her diaper area with a baby wipe. I take another Swaddlers Overnights from the stacker and tape it onto her, honestly, its no different than when I change Valerie, then I send Beth to her room to put on her PJ's. She can stay up as late as she wants, but she's usually in bed by 10pm.
When its morning, Valerie is usually up much earlier than Beth, so I change her and get her dressed for the day. When its time for Beth to get up, I wake her up gently, and take her by the hand to the nursery to be changed. I get her up on the table and take off her PJs, and then change her wet diaper. I have to admit, there were one or two times where I was a bit tired, and was kinda running on autopilot, and accidentally put Beth into a fresh Pampers Cruiser in the morning. Since Beth had a pacifier in her mouth, she can't really tell me that I'm doing something wrong. When that happens, I don't want to waste a diaper, so Beth gets to be a toddler for the morning, she has to use her diaper, and then can get her panties back when she's done.
Since its getting colder out, I bought Beth a footed sleeper to match Valerie. I decided to put her in it last night after diapering for bed. I got Valerie changed as normal, and then got Beth up onto the table. I popped the pacifier into her mouth and started undressing her as I always do. I got her taped into her diaper, and then grabbed the sleeper. I saw her eyes get big as soon as she saw the sleeper and she started to fuss.
I said, "Beth, whats wrong, you're acting fussier than your cousin? I thought you were a big girl?" She kept fussing and trying to squirm away, but I always use the safety strap on the changing table. "Well I guess I don't have any big girls here then." I said as I put the sleeper on her, and zipped it up. I go lifted her onto my hip and carried her to Valerie's crib, laying her down inside. I put Valerie in, as well and raised the side. I went to the kitchen and made two bottles of milk, and brought them up to the nursery for the girls. I set them down in the crib, started the mobile, turned on the baby monitor, and turned out the lights.
This morning I went into the nursery to get my little girls up, and found two girls with very wet diapers, still asleep with two empty bottles. I decided that I would have Beth spend the rest of the day as a two year old, to help her appreciate her freedoms of being a teenager. I got both girls changed into fresh diapers, and dressed them in overalls. I put Beth on one hip, and Valerie on the other and sat on the rocking chair for their morning feeding. I undid my blouse and bra and let each of then take a nipple. Valerie latched on right away, but I had to coax Beth a little bit, but she eventually latched on and started nursing. When both sides were drained I burped my two girls, and checked diapers. Both were still clean and dry, so I put them down in the living room playpen to watch Sprout. I think it may be time for another diaper check.
I'll fill you in on how things went next week.
-Veronica
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
The soap dodger
I was lurking on some parenting forums recently, and I saw a post from a mother concerned that her daughter was not keeping up with her personal hygiene. The girl in question, is fifteen years old, and refuses to wash, or brush her teeth. In a weeks worth of laundry, her mother didn't even find one pair of underwear in there. She was at her wits end, and didn't know what to do to get her daughter to be clean.
I have shared my thoughts on teenagers not acting their age. It's obvious that this girl is not acting like a fifteen year old should, and should be treated how she's acting. Let's brake it down. First off, she can't seem to dress herself correctly. I would say that leaves her at five years old or younger. As far as not bathing herself, I have always been told that children should not wash themselves without supervision until nine or ten years old. I think it's safe to say that I would start treating her like she was five again. That would mean, bathing her, picking out her clothes, and dressing her myself. Eventually she will get embarrassed of you treating her like a five year old, and start wanting to get her independence back. If that doesn't work, then start doing more things for her, like taking her to the bathroom, and wiping her when she's done. Eventually, she will want to be a big girl again.
-Veronica
I have shared my thoughts on teenagers not acting their age. It's obvious that this girl is not acting like a fifteen year old should, and should be treated how she's acting. Let's brake it down. First off, she can't seem to dress herself correctly. I would say that leaves her at five years old or younger. As far as not bathing herself, I have always been told that children should not wash themselves without supervision until nine or ten years old. I think it's safe to say that I would start treating her like she was five again. That would mean, bathing her, picking out her clothes, and dressing her myself. Eventually she will get embarrassed of you treating her like a five year old, and start wanting to get her independence back. If that doesn't work, then start doing more things for her, like taking her to the bathroom, and wiping her when she's done. Eventually, she will want to be a big girl again.
-Veronica
Monday, December 2, 2019
Weekend Update
Hi everyone. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. It was nice to have some time with family. I have been going through some more emails, and will have some good posts for you all this week.
Stay tuned!
-Veronica
Stay tuned!
-Veronica
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