5AF Parenting Thread

[Beveridge]

Our first pregnancy was about 8 weeks before the miscarriage. Hard looking back, but at the same time, we got pregnant and had our son 1 year (give or take a couple days) from the due date of the one we lost. He wouldn't be here if it weren't for that miscarriage so it's a weird emotional thing. You want to be sad, but happy at the same time.

[NTP66]

We've reached the end of the car seat era. Our daughter is tall enough now that we can't use our boosters, so they've been removed from our vehicles for the first time in nearly a decade.

[robbiestoupe]

We've reached the end of the car seat era. Our daughter is tall enough now that we can't use our boosters, so they've been removed from our vehicles for the first time in nearly a decade.

I contemplated removing it for our son this weekend. He just turned 9, is 4'6" and a shy under 60 lbs. By the seat manufacturer's recommendations, he can still use one. We still need a car seat and booster for my other kids, so figure what's the rush. It doesn't bother him much anyway.

[NTP66]

We've reached the end of the car seat era. Our daughter is tall enough now that we can't use our boosters, so they've been removed from our vehicles for the first time in nearly a decade.

I contemplated removing it for our son this weekend. He just turned 9, is 4'6" and a shy under 60 lbs. By the seat manufacturer's recommendations, he can still use one. We still need a car seat and booster for my other kids, so figure what's the rush. It doesn't bother him much anyway.

Yeah, you have a reason to keep it in there (for other kids), but we don't. She was very excited to ditch the seat, and seeing as how we made it until she was nearly 10 years old is impressive, given that most others I know ditched them between 8 and 9.

[King Colby]

I remember riding shotgun with my mom on the way to kindergarten lol. I bet @Faftorial has some better stories even

[dodint]

My step-sister and I rode in the back of an Izuzu Trooper from Boston to Denver and back. Laying in sleeping bags with the seats folded down.

No air conditioning, either.

[Beveridge]

I miss the days going on 1 hour + drives riding in the bed of my dad's pickup. I'd lay down and nap some of the times.

[DigitalGypsy66]

My parents have a picture of me on a restaurant booster seat with a homemade wooden tray table (for my Matchbox cars!) for a long ride from Massachusetts to Vero Beach, FL to see my grandparents. It was in a Toyota Corolla, no A/C, and I don't think the car seat belt fit over me and the booster seat. I was probably 3-4 years old, so late 70s.

[faftorial]

I remember riding shotgun with my mom on the way to kindergarten lol. I bet @Faftorial has some better stories even

We never wore seat belts growing up.

My first car was a '68 Beetle and it didn't have seat belts.

[King Colby]

And nowadays you have to ride to senior prom in a car seat

[mac5155]

Speaking of, when do you switch your kids to a booster seat?

[robbiestoupe]

Depends on the height/weight but I believe our kids went to boosters around 5

[meow]

And nowadays you have to ride to senior prom in a car seat

Wtf kind of date did you take to prom?

[NTP66]

Depends on the height/weight but I believe our kids went to boosters around 5

Same.

[DigitalGypsy66]

My 16 year old bought a 900+ piece Lego set a few months ago. He sheepishly brought it out of his room yesterday and asked me I "had time" to help him build it.

First of all, I was surprised when he bought it - he hadn't touched his many many Lego sets or pieces in years prior to that. I'd forgotten about it, to be honest!

But hell yes I have time to help you build it!

So we sat down yesterday, watched football, and assembled the Bad Batch Attack Shuttle. It was a great time, one that I didn't think I would get to do with him again until he had kids of his own. He's a good kid, but like most teens, spends most of his time with friends or in his room with headphones, in his own world. Pretty cool way to spend an afternoon (and I love Lego anyway). Great reminder to not let those moments slip by.

[King Colby]

Speaking of, when do you switch your kids to a booster seat?

About 4.5 for us. Probably should have waited but with adding a 3rd car seat to the cars it just made sense. We have a high back diono booster that he just uses the car seat belt in one car and a 5 point harness booster in the other. Just how it worked out

[robbiestoupe]

My 16 year old bought a 900+ piece Lego set a few months ago. He sheepishly brought it out of his room yesterday and asked me I "had time" to help him build it.

First of all, I was surprised when he bought it - he hadn't touched his many many Lego sets or pieces in years prior to that. I'd forgotten about it, to be honest!

But hell yes I have time to help you build it!

So we sat down yesterday, watched football, and assembled the Bad Batch Attack Shuttle. It was a great time, one that I didn't think I would get to do with him again until he had kids of his own. He's a good kid, but like most teens, spends most of his time with friends or in his room with headphones, in his own world. Pretty cool way to spend an afternoon (and I love Lego anyway). Great reminder to not let those moments slip by.

My son's birthday was Saturday, and he asked his friends to give him gift cards to Target/cash for a big Lego set. He got just under $100, so I told him if he got a $100 set he could spend his own money to make up the difference plus tax.

Yesterday, we go to Target and he bought a 1000+ piece Harry Potter Attack on the Burrow set for $100. We get home from Target, he finishes another 700+ piece set my dad gave him, and he's right into the new set around 3-4PM. This morning he finished the HP set.

I told him when he bought it that it would be fun if we built it together. No, he closes the door to his room and doesn't come out until he's done. Wish you would have posted this 2 years ago when he still wanted me to help him. Now the only time he asks for help is when he can't find a piece and he wants me to dig through his messy room to find it.

[DigitalGypsy66]

Nice. What's weird is he went through that stage from like 10-12 and then stopped playing with them until this year again. So there may be hope for you in a few years...

[NTP66]

Age 12? Great time to get them into model car/aircraft building. I started a little younger than that, but absolutely loved building them. I can still smell the Tester's glue and paint.

[robbiestoupe]

I've done construx and other similar models with my son, but I always end up doing all the work. I put together his model rocket which required epoxy work, but that was more because I didn't want him to f it up and it wouldn't fly

[mac5155]

Speaking of, when do you switch your kids to a booster seat?

About 4.5 for us. Probably should have waited but with adding a 3rd car seat to the cars it just made sense. We have a high back diono booster that he just uses the car seat belt in one car and a 5 point harness booster in the other. Just how it worked out

Cool, probably once baby Mac switches from thr carrier seat, to the rear facing, well switch lil mac into a booster. They'll be like 1.5-2 and 4.4-5 respectively. Buying 2 booster seats is easier to stomach than buying two more 3-in-1s

[DigitalGypsy66]

Is it normal to charge admission for middle school basketball scrimmages? It's only $6 a ticket (plus debit card transaction fees ) but really?

[mac5155]

Lol, seems pretty lame. What's the money going to?

[DigitalGypsy66]

Who knows? Probably paying the referees and custodians who have to work late. We're in the land of low taxes, but there are fees for everything like this that offset the low tax rate.

[shafnutz05]

tickets for a middle school SCRIMMAGE?!