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The whiskey trick works great. Trust me.

Where The Wild Things Are is something of a classic!

And the movie is coming out in the not-so distant future.

Old pulp sci fi is great to unleash the inner geek.

I read all my dad's old Assimov and Clarke books from the 60's, 70's and 80's, as well as Moorecock and Wyndham.

Great stuff. A fairly simple sort of tale for the most part, but they really unlock the imagination in a way that I think is great for the growing boy or girl (though more specifically boy in this case ).

I used to read until the small hours of the morning almost every day when I was growing up, it was great.

So I suggest you lay in a good supply just in case. They are increasingly rare now, but charity shops and the like will often be a godsend... I got 11 Moorecock books for under £10 once. A fantastic day for my not-so-inner geek

1)Be grateful for EVERYTHING
2) If at first you don't suceed, then try, try again.
3) Teach them manners.
4) Boys, always treat girls with the utmost respect. (Later they'll learn they may be living with one)
5) Play nice.
6) Violence is not the answer. (well, to MOST things, but they'll learn that later)

A baby cries for a reason, not just to wind up the parents. You may think that you've covered all the bases, but take a look again, even if you thinik it can't be that, eg, they are still hungrey, even though you fed them 30 minutes ago.

Early stages? Prepare to live without SLEEEEEEP...

Don't poke the soft spot, no matter how amusing the results are.

Don't be happy when your baby starts sleeping through the entire night, be wary. Make sure your baby is actually making a natural transition to sleeping throughout the night. If he doesn't wake you up all the time for a pretty long while something is up.

The most important job you will ever have is being a father. Don't forget that. Don't quit on your kids.

dietrich wrote:The most important job you will ever have is being a father. Don't forget that. Don't quit on your kids.

WORD

Make sure you support them. I'm not talking monetarily but psychologically and emotionally. Make sure that they know that you care and want to help them succeed. It'll mean the world to them. [They will realize it...eventually]

Crayons (bigger ones for now) and paper make for great toys. Just keep a steady supply of paint to repaint the walls later on.... (spoken from my parents' personal experience).

Legos are also really great toys (for later on, obviously).

I still think that weaning your child to NOT be a geek has its advantages too. For instance - you can always threaten them with required attendance of some sci-fi/comic convention in full costume....and with tons of pictures. .

Also, my guess: 8 lb 5 oz.

I'll guess 8 lb 4 oz.

9lbs 1.5oz, it'll be like family guy when they talk about chris's birth

Jin wrote:Crayons (bigger ones for now) and paper make for great toys. Just keep a steady supply of paint to repaint the walls later on.... (spoken from my parents' personal experience).

My parents let me do this. I could draw all over my walls with whatever I wanted, but only in my room. It was pretty awesome as I recall. As I got older I got more and more room to draw with. The walls were white and when I finally grew out of it they had the walls repainted a pretty awesome green color.

Orkeosaurus wrote:I'll guess 8 lb 4 oz.

You cheeky bastard

GoFenris wrote:
(i.e. Goku before his conditioning was broken)

You would only find this analogy on a gaming forum, wouldn't you?

sA

If the kid gets in a fight, and it's more then one person, they have your permisson to use anything to win, from nails up to bricks and more.

Golden Eyed Scout wrote:If the kid gets in a fight, and it's more then one person, they have your permisson to use anything to win, from nails up to bricks and more.

See if you sell their services to the coal mine they will be too tired to get into a fight.

When you tell your kid "If you do that we won't go to insert location" and they still do it anyway, make sure you stick to your guns no matter how much they wail or scream. If you give in your just teaching them that they can get their own way eventually by balling and screaming.

Basically, don't make a threat unless your willing to stick with it.

Never force your child to eat certain things if they don't want to, give them the option to try it and let them try it when they are ready. My own experience of this has made me avoid certain foods in later life for no valid reason. Eg, I will only eat scrambled egg but won't touch boiled or fried egg, reason? I was forced to eat the others.


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Make sure they learn that when you say no, you MEAN no!


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Take an interest in everything they do and say and show you. You might think they are saying the daftest of things or are doing the silliest of things, but to them its currently the most important thing to them and they want you to share it with them. This also helps longterm that your child (male or female) can come to you in later in life and discuss anything they need to openly.

When they become teenagers and are convinced everyone else is an idiot compared to their vast experience of decade + life on this earth, you will wake up at night swearing you can hear your Dad laughing and telling them "good one!"

Don't be petrified of them playing in mud, don't overreact if they just fall over. Say "you'll be alright". Let them climb trees (within reason), jump in puddles etc.

DON'T be one of those parents that cater's to the child's every whim. The kid will turn out to be a complete $h!t to everyone else who has to associate with (Like Teachers)

I call dibs on 9 Pound 13. That's what I was...

If they're trying to stick their finger into an electricity plugs, and you tell them not to and they ask you, "Why?", just let them do it anyways . Nothing teaches a kid to not do something like pain.

Jimi Nemesis wrote:Don't be petrified of them playing in mud, don't overreact if they just fall over. Say "you'll be alright". Let them climb trees (within reason), jump in puddles etc.

DON'T be one of those parents that cater's to the child's every whim. The kid will turn out to be a complete $h!t to everyone else who has to associate with (Like Teachers)

I call dibs on 9 Pound 13. That's what I was...

Indeed they will hit an age when they and all their same age friends wil fall out of chairs and things at random. its actually really strange but its a development thing (elementary school).

If you can, when they climb trees, etc. do it with them. Its way cool, an excuse to be a kid again, and will create memories for them.

Agree on the catering part.

My friend Casey is getting in on the pool, his guess is 9lbs, 8oz.

Any advice on current pets and newborns? I've got two dogs that we'll have to contend with as well. I've heard to bring home a blanket with his scent on it so they can get used to it, but that's about it.

Someone already said it but make sure the dogs know who is higher on the food chain. Also don't ignore your dogs completely in favor of the baby because they will resent it.

What kind of dogs? You just establish immediately that Baby is ALPHA. they understand that. The parent that feeds the dogs most should do that, because that person;s in charge anyway to them.

Mom was raising dobermans when I came around. According to her they had a heart to heart chat where it was discussed that they could only bite dad . There are pics of me riding one like a horse. He slept between the crib and the doorway whenever I was in it evidently.

Edit: 8lb 14 ounces taken yet?

They are dachsunds and I usually feed/discipline them. Lily, the younger/smaller of the two is really good with kids between 1-3+. Charley just ignores everybody under 48". The are not as defensive as Dachsunds usually are (maybe because they're long-hairs) so I'm not too worried about them biting or anything.

@Frazzled: I think you're fine taking that. I'm going to start compiling now and I'll notify you if a change is needed.

barlio wrote:They are dachsunds and I usually feed/discipline them. Lily, the younger/smaller of the two is really good with kids between 1-3+. Charley just ignores everybody under 48". The are not as defensive as Dachsunds usually are (maybe because they're long-hairs) so I'm not too worried about them biting or anything.

@Frazzled: I think you're fine taking that. I'm going to start compiling now and I'll notify you if a change is needed.

excellent. Now you also have to remember to protect the doggies from baby. After about 2 munchkins get it but before then they are chewing, hair and tail pulling, eye gouging machines, oh wait am I talking about babies or my first fiance'? I'm getting confused...