5AF Parenting Thread

Postby **shafnutz05** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 7:08 am

On a related note... We are sponsoring a few families from the area for Christmas this year. My wife and I were going through the bios we were sent. For example, "10 y.o. boy, loves wrestling action figures, asked for a WWE ring", etc.

While I'm happy that we can help, reading these just absolutely rips my heart out. I wish that we had the means to help out all these kids. Every time I hear about kids not getting a Christmas it crushes me. And I say this as someone that definitely had far lighter Christmases than other kids in my peer group when I was younger.

Postby **DigitalGypsy66** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 10:05 am

We usually sponsor an Angel Tree kid or family - not sure if this is up in PA or elsewhere, but it's kids with parents in prison. We always get our kids involved with choosing items off the list, just to show how lucky we are compared to some of our neighbors. Not sure how this will work this year, as we're not dragging the kids through the mall this year.

Postby **shafnutz05** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 12:31 pm

We usually sponsor an Angel Tree kid or family - not sure if this is up in PA or elsewhere, but it's kids with parents in prison. We always get our kids involved with choosing items off the list, just to show how lucky we are compared to some of our neighbors. Not sure how this will work this year, as we're not dragging the kids through the mall this year.

Involving your kids in that stuff is so important. Yeah she loves to shop for the other kids, some good life lessons you can teach at a young age.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 12:32 pm

Our church does it with about a hundred kids locally and while it's being done differently this year I was glad that we were still able to do it.

Postby **robbiestoupe** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 1:22 pm

Our church does it with about a hundred kids locally and while it's being done differently this year I was glad that we were still able to do it.

Same with our church. We sponsor a family then go out as a small group and buy gifts for them. This year is different, but I don't think the kids will notice.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 1:28 pm

We've had some other things just outright canceled that we usually do during the year but folks really look forward to this one so I was glad we were able to do it.

Postby **eddy** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 1:49 pm

We usually sponsor an Angel Tree kid or family - not sure if this is up in PA or elsewhere, but it's kids with parents in prison. We always get our kids involved with choosing items off the list, just to show how lucky we are compared to some of our neighbors. Not sure how this will work this year, as we're not dragging the kids through the mall this year.

we call the homeless shelter next town over and see how many kids they have around and usually stop in with a big sack of gifts.

Postby **DigitalGypsy66** » Fri Dec 04, 2020 2:26 pm

Santa eddy. Love it.

Postby **NTP66** » Sun Dec 13, 2020 11:48 am

I just finished getting my daughter’s big Christmas present ready, a basement “gym”, which she has been asking about forever. Exercise floor mats, a gymnastics bars, thick gym mat, and a one person trampoline with a bar.

Postby **King Colby** » Sun Dec 13, 2020 11:57 am

Thats awesome, how old?

I think we're doing a bike. He has one of those balance bikes that he has mastered, I think get him one with pedals and maybe just never even tell him that training wheels exist haha

Postby **Shyster** » Sun Dec 13, 2020 6:36 pm

The Allegheny County Bar Association does the "Angel Tree" type of thing for children in local shelters. This year they couldn't do the usual setup, so instead of sending out tags for specific kids they just created public wish lists on Amazon for each shelter where you just go on and order the items as gifts and the items get shipped to the shelter. It took away the usual discretion one gets with the shopping, but honestly I found it easier because as someone who doesn't have kids, it's sometimes hard for me to figure out specifically what the kids might want if the suggestions on the tag are a little vague.

Postby **Morkle** » Sun Dec 13, 2020 7:29 pm

The Allegheny County Bar Association does the "Angel Tree" type of thing for children in local shelters. This year they couldn't do the usual setup, so instead of sending out tags for specific kids they just created public wish lists on Amazon for each shelter where you just go on and order the items as gifts and the items get shipped to the shelter. It took away the usual discretion one gets with the shopping, but honestly I found it easier because as someone who doesn't have kids, it's sometimes hard for me to figure out specifically what the kids might want if the suggestions on the tag are a little vague.

This is a great idea. We’ve done those trees in the past where someone says they like football, but they end up with just a football because we know nothing else.

Postby **NTP66** » Sun Dec 13, 2020 7:39 pm

Almost forgot...

Yesterday, Santa rode around a local fire company’s truck throughout our township. The kids loved it. This afternoon on our walk, but daughter asked me if Santa was real, because the Santa in the truck didn’t look like the Santa she had pictures with last year. I was 100% prepared for her to tell me that she no longer believed he was real. Doubt this will last much longer, but on the other hand, her noting stuff like this is neat.

Postby **blackjack68** » Sun Dec 13, 2020 7:43 pm

Those are Santa’s helpers. The real Santa is very busy at the North Pole.

Postby **robbiestoupe** » Sun Dec 13, 2020 8:16 pm

Thats awesome, how old?

I think we're doing a bike. He has one of those balance bikes that he has mastered, I think get him one with pedals and maybe just never even tell him that training wheels exist haha

That’s pretty much the point of the balance bike. My two boys had the balance bike and went straight to regular bike at 4 yrs old. Took only a few outings before they got the hang of it

Postby **shafnutz05** » Tue Dec 15, 2020 12:46 pm

I'm sitting in the PACU waiting area at Dupont waiting for my son to get done. They are repairing his junk... Cleaning up all the excess skin, bringing it out so it isn't "sunken", etc. Yeah....

I feel awful for the little guy. I was hanging with him in the pre-op area and he was being so good. He is getting the general anesthesia in addition to a caudal injection for the pain.

Postby **meow** » Tue Dec 15, 2020 12:50 pm

Oh wow. I hope all goes well.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Tue Dec 15, 2020 1:22 pm

Yikes, ditto to meow.

Our youngest had to have his testes surgically "dropped" and he is fine now.

Postby **NTP66** » Tue Dec 15, 2020 2:10 pm

So we're getting a **** of snow this week, and our school district just e-mailed us letting us know that if they cancel school (we're in hybrid right now), they will actually cancel all classes. "After one traditional snow day", any future 'snow days' will be virtual instruction days. I guess they have to include at least one snow day? Odd, but my daughter will love that, if it means she can play in the snow most of the day on Thursday.

Postby **eddy** » Tue Dec 15, 2020 2:28 pm

Thats awesome, how old?

I think we're doing a bike. He has one of those balance bikes that he has mastered, I think get him one with pedals and maybe just never even tell him that training wheels exist haha
That’s pretty much the point of the balance bike. My two boys had the balance bike and went straight to regular bike at 4 yrs old. Took only a few outings before they got the hang of it

Same. Balance bikes are awesome.

Postby **PFiDC** » Tue Dec 15, 2020 2:42 pm

On a related note... We are sponsoring a few families from the area for Christmas this year. My wife and I were going through the bios we were sent. For example, "10 y.o. boy, loves wrestling action figures, asked for a WWE ring", etc.

While I'm happy that we can help, reading these just absolutely rips my heart out. I wish that we had the means to help out all these kids. Every time I hear about kids not getting a Christmas it crushes me. And I say this as someone that definitely had far lighter Christmases than other kids in my peer group when I was younger.

This is good stuff. I was in this position for Christmas 2018. When my ex and I split we moved to separate homes. I signed my lease, gave the LL a check for 1st, last, and security deposit, and moved in on a Saturday at the end of September. After grocery shopping that evening I had $12.24 left to my name. Then I started my new job that Monday. I literally started over from scratch. The community came through big time for my son via a "buy nothing" group on FB for this and surrounding boroughs. He had a really nice Christmas that year thanks to them. Last year and this year I am giving several gift cards to parents in similar situations. Anything to help a kid have a good Christmas and to ease that burden on those parents.

Postby **shafnutz05** » Tue Dec 15, 2020 5:42 pm

Thanks for the well wishes all. Surgery took about an hour, got home a few hours ago, and now he's sleeping on me.

Every now and then he let's out a wail which I assume is when he pees. Poor guy

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Tue Dec 15, 2020 6:14 pm

Good to hear y'all are home.

Postby **PFiDC** » Tue Dec 15, 2020 7:00 pm

Thanks for the well wishes all. Surgery took about an hour, got home a few hours ago, and now he's sleeping on me.

Every now and then he let's out a wail which I assume is when he pees. Poor guy

That's rough. At least he won't remember it.

Postby **NTP66** » Wed Dec 30, 2020 8:00 am

Yesterday was my daughter's last taekwondo class. She had been whiny about attending class for the last few months, probably because they are virtual, and since she put in a solid two years I didn't want to push her. She finished with her blue belt, but probably should have earned her brown belt last month or so. I imagine that she'll want to get involved with soccer next, since her best friend plays and they both enjoy it.