Geez, was Ana ever a brat today!

[conuly]

She's just coming off a bad cold, so I understand, but that's not the point. You don't get to go around biting, hitting, and yelling at people because you're sick. Nor can you attempt to push them off of playground equipment, especially when they're bigger than you and *will* carry you home if they have to.

So I didn't stay for dinner this time. I realized that Jenn is home, Jenn can look after her kid. So I tucked the toddler into bed, said goodbye, and left. With any luck, she'll be friendlier tomorrow. I sure hope so.

You'll all be pleased to note that not one of us has ever taken a picture of Ana throwing a tantrum. Unlike some people, I can't see why any of us would consider that something to commemorate. This isn't a child being cute, it's a child being rude. And taking pictures of them lying on the floor kicking and screaming (I'd say like a toddler, but given that they *are* toddlers that seems a bit cruel) isn't really sending the right message, is it? I mean, I don't know about you, but when Ana starts flipping out, my first reaction isn't "grab the camera", it's "grab the kid, stick her on her chair, tell her that you'll talk when she's feeling better and/or fit for civilized company". Maybe it's just me...

(We also don't have any pictures of Ana dumping food all over her. We must be the only people in the US to grab towels instead of cameras when she makes a mess. We're weird that way.)

Comments

[conuly]

Do people really take pictures of their kids having tantrums? That makes no sense to me.

I am the member of exactly one (1) parenting community, their token childfree aunty person. I find it a useful resource, and I also like that sometimes I know stuff and can offer advice to people. That'd be parenting101, where, for the past half-week, there's been a glut of posts and comments featuring pictures of kids throwing fits.

I did comment that one thing Ana does would be cute if she weren't throwing a tantrum (she sits over and bends so her head is just resting on her arms, as in the weight of the world is too much for her), but that we don't take pictures because it's Just Not Supposed To Be Cute, and she doesn't need to think that anybody is amused by her. It doesn't matter if she's throwing the tantrum to manipulate us or because she's on meltdown (a term I think applies quite well to toddlers of all neurologies!), she doesn't need us snapping pictures of it.

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

Children really don't need the reinforcement of "If I scream and cry, I will get attention" which is exactly what they get if you take a picture of them.

Mind-boggling.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

I like realisticparent, it's not overly AP, its not overly authoritarian, it's not irresponsible (from what I notice), it's just plain old normal sensible, realistic parents. (and people)

Some of the alt/AP ones are just too lenient and fluffy for my tastes and some other ones are too -- how to explain it -- lenient in that they don't seem to care at ALL. I hate how I have the bottlefeeding support community, and it has attracted, IMHO, people who bother me that they have reproduced. Originally it was meant for people who couldn't nurse and had guilt or problems or hated being slammed and didnt want to explain EVERY TIME why they bottlefed and now its 'so, what cereal do u put in so my kid can sleep all nite and i can go party' and that makes me cringe.

I figure the sensible ones in there can at least help them BOTTLEFEED properly and not do things like that and boy did I go off on a tangent...oops.

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

I flipped through that comm and found this link (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7153152098207965240).

Messed up.