Kids. A good idea?

[Tank]

A thread to bitch, boast, bemoan or beatify your kids!

Well I have three, one born in '84 and twins born in '86. The eldest sprogged in Nov 2010 which makes me a granddad  :upset:

It's been reminding me just what it was like all those years ago when I had my own 'nappy fillers'. The trouble is whatever anybody tells you before you have a rug rat bears absolutly no reality to what it is like to have one does it? People can tell you what it's like to change a nappy with a hangover because 'it's your turn' but the eye watering reality of an ammonia laced, just gone onto solids, crap has to be experienced to be appreciated.

When our first kid was born we were not particularly well off so we had terry towel nappies rather than disposables until....

Please remove all food and drink from your mouth before reading, you have been warned...
[spoiler:2j0q0yei]One day I was emptying the nappy bucket into the washing machine. As I flipped one nappy into the machine it whiplashed a piece of you know what into my mouth. I instantly threw up into the bucket and simple continued to load the machine. We used disposables from that point onwards and the nappies have done sterling service as car polishing cloths ever since.[/spoiler:2j0q0yei]

[BadPoison]

Ya, I don't know if I ever really want to have kids. Growing up I always assumed that I would, but nowadays th eidea just seems silly. Maybe I'm too selfish and want to continue to improve my own quality of living instead of having to worry about sending kids to college, their medical bills, feeding them, ect. There are still plenty of things I would like to do before I do that. The gf wants to have children though - she says she doesn't - she's a junior high band director and says she deals with children enough during her day-job, but I don't really believe her.

[Lost]

I was never sure if I wanted to have children and my husband and I spent 10 good years trying to figure out whether we did or not before commiting to it. Once pregnant, I read everything I could get my hands on. All of that planning and research really didnt prepare me, so I don't think being prepared for it is ever possible   ), but don't think that is in the cards at this point.

[Tank]

^^^ I've never heard of a kid that would not lay on his back! How long did it take you to work out to keep his pee pee covered for as much of the time as possible while you change him?  

And don't worry about how long they stay in nappies. All three of ours just got to the point of not wanting to wear them anymore and we never had any bed wetting issues.

[Lost]

I should re-phrase that...he does lie on his back, he just Hates it. So when he was tiny and new, if I put him on his back he'd scream bloody murder or wake up (even in sleep he knew he was uncomfortable). Once he could roll over he'd immediately roll out of my grasp. So, I got really good at disctracting him with something that interested him more than wanting to get up. It has gotten progressively harder, and now I just usually change his bum while he's standing or on all fours. I can still hold the diaper up against him, but he was never one to pee when the diaper came off anyway. Lately the only thing that keeps him on his back is when he is drinking a bottle, but he doesnt do that very often anymore (prefers a cup and we're moving on to big boy cups/foods etc...). It will be so lovely when he is out of diapers.

Since he was born he's been able to hold up his head and look around, and has always found that upright position best. If he was unhappy when he was tiny, all I'd have to do is stand up with him over my shoulder. But, that meant I had to learn how to do almost everything with him over my shoulder all day. He is still like that. He runs around constantly on his own (he is very busy), but when he gets upset, he just wants to be up high and checking things out.

It's that curiosity and determination that will help make him a great person, so I'm not complaining. He is certainly a handful though.

[Tank]

He sounds like a grand little chap, with the potential to make you very proud.

[Lost]

He sounds like a grand little chap, with the potential to make you very proud.

I certainly think so

[Asmodean]

I have rats. They ruin things and demand toys and attention and eat what they shouldn't. Just like kids, yes?  

Seriously, I don't want kids. I don't even want a lasting romantic relationship... Just not my thing. The less responsibility, the better.

[Tank]

I have rats. They ruin things and demand toys and attention and eat what they shouldn't. Just like kids, yes?  

Seriously, I don't want kids. I don't even want a lasting romantic relationship... Just not my thing. The less responsibility, the better.

Have you cleared up the feathers yet?

[Asmodean]

Have you cleared up the feathers yet?

With an industrial vaccum cleaner, no less  :verysad:

[McQ]

I tell people to get dogs instead. They're cheaper, better behaved, always happy to see you, and in the case of my dogs, are smarter than my kids.  

I have four sons, from ages 24 - 17. 'nuff said.

[Whitney]

Lost...for worrying about SIDS; they make pads you can set under the crib mattress that makes sure their heart is beating and they are breathing.  My sister has one for her baby and it works well...if you forget to tell it you took the baby out an alarm goes off in the next 30 seconds and it is annoying so you wouldn't have to worry about sleeping through it.

[Tank]

I tell people to get dogs instead. They're cheaper, better behaved, always happy to see you, and in the case of my dogs, are smarter than my kids.  

I have four sons, from ages 24 - 17. 'nuff said.

Oooo that sounds expensive!

[father nicetouch]

My wife is pregnant right now with our first child and I’m excited about it. She is freaking out because she is on her last month. She is huge!   I’m told it’s tough to be a parent, but I do not care. I love kids and want to have a couple before I’m 30.

[Tank]

My wife is pregnant right now with our first child and I’m excited about it. She is freaking out because she is on her last month. She is huge!  

EDIT: I bet she's not as big as my wife when she had the twins, they were 7lb 2oz and 7lb 12oz!