DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

I ask because the "teacher" at daycare was asking me if Gavin's schedule was rigid or flexible, and how some parents freak if there's one slight change.

Me?
I roll with the puches, to a certain extent.....

For example, Gavin eats when he's hungry and sleeps when he's tired, all around the same times give or take....

But, we have a b-day party this weekend, and the b-day boy has/had the flu.....you know I'll be finding out if that child is still sick, no way Gavin's going to be exposed to the flu just yet!!!!

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

I agree with the points you listed above. I do consider myself laid-back with DD, but I am stern when it comes to health/safety matters.

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

I am laid back with certain things - and not laid back with others.

Ex: If someone is really sick (ex flu) and going to be around Jack - Jack won't be there. If someone has a cold - then it's ok - someone is always going to have a cold IMO. I can't stop life and keep him in a bubble.

I let him explore and do things - I let him fall and bump - and pick himself back up - I am not on top of him at all - just near enough to know that if he needs me I'm there.

I constantly pass him around to friends/family members. I know people who don't want anyone else touching their children - that would never be me. The kids just wayyyy to heavy and my arms would break if I held onto him all day long!

I personally don't think his schedule reflects if I am a laid back mom or not. It is what it is because he made it that way. I go along with it bc he is a happier baby for it (therefore I am a happier mom!)

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

Message edited 4/3/2008 3:32:17 PM.

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

I try to be laid back. Not always easy when it comes to someone else caring for him because as a mom you have to give up control a bit. But his caregiver has to get through the day too, and they usually have other children, so I try to roll with the punches, as long as he is happy and safe.

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

I think I am way laid back, especially since I can't constantly be on top of both of them at the same time. I see my cousin raising 4 little ones and she is always happy and laid back and they thrive from that I think, so that is always how I want to be.

I also am maybe too laid back sometimes - playing with the girls and showing them, ehem, bad things, haha...like body surfing on their beach ball. But whatever, we have fun, I am strict when they are doing something bad or hurting each other, but the rest of the day we have fun together, and that's all that matters.

As far as a schedule, I am no longer tied to "they eat at such and such time" during the day - I go with the flow more than before they turned one. After dinner and bedtime we're tied to a schedule.

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

I am so laid back I am horizontal.

I am too lazy to freak out about stuff, whatever happens happens, I keep my kid safe and happy. Thats all thats important to me. I like him to go to bed at a regular time, but thats probably more for us than for him (but he is a good 12 hour sleeper anyway)

Life is too short to worry about things imo.

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

With some things I am and others I'm not.

DD thrives on routine. That's not to say I don't make exceptions for parties, etc. but for the most part I try to stick with it because it keeps her happy which keeps me happy. Honestly I adopted the schedule from daycare to keep consistency on her home days. It works for us.

When we play we are very laid back. I generally get a little crazy and rough. As long as she's safe I'm ok. However, I do not tolerate hitting, throwing or something that is harmful.

As for being around other sick adults and children I'm pretty strict because DD gets sick very easily and often.

Message edited 4/3/2008 3:12:00 PM.

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

V E R Y laid back!!

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

I consider us pretty laid back. I keep her to a fairly rigid nap schedule but will vary if needed. With the schedule she is such a happy baby and sleeps so well.

We roll with the punches, laugh a lot and don't stress the small things or about things we can't control.

We are very careful as far as health and safety issues.

We are also very particular about who we will leave DD alone with.

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

Yes I'm laid back. DD makes her own schedule...she eats when she's hungry sleeps when she's tired. Also as long as no one is sick I let people hold her. I'm not uptight about who is holding her and if she passes her bedtime etc. Don't get me wrong I don't want sick people around her but YKWIM. And I also don't believe in holding her will spoil her....I hold her when I want for how long I want and let other people do the same.

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

the only thing I am laid back about is her schedule, she eats and sleeps whenever she wants, but with many things I am a total CONTROL FREAK. so I am laid back with certain things and not with others, depends on a situation.

Message edited 4/3/2008 3:33:39 PM.

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

Yes, I am definitely laid back. My girls have a schedule, but we don't live and die by it. My house is not babyproofed within an inch of its life. I keep them safe; I try to keep them well fed; and I keep them well-rested...that's all! Now, as far as discipline goes, I'm NOT laid back!

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

I am NOT laid back when it comes to other kids being sick around my DD's. the other day my older Dd's friend come over and I saw that she has a cold. I secretly FLIPPED out! I wouldnt; let them play in the living room, they had to play only in my Dd's bedroom. I became very uptight and I was lysoling everything. She ended up going home shortly after. I would never send my sick child over someone's house knowing they have a baby and an infant at home. I am very uptight when it comes to stuff like that. I am okay if my older DD gets sick b/c it happens but I'd be a wreck if my 3 week old did.


As far as their schedules go I am pretty laid back. the world will not end if their not on schedule that day or night.

Message edited 4/3/2008 3:46:03 PM.

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

I am laid back about his schedule, and I try to be laid back about everything else except cleanliness and germs. I will not be like this forever about germs but my DS is still small and was a NICU baby and a preemie. Also, I did absolutely nothing to get him into a routine or to teach him the difference between day and night. I just did not worry about when he was asleep vs. when he was awake. He was easy in that regard.

Message edited 4/3/2008 5:23:03 PM.

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

Like many of you ladies I am except when it comes to sick people

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

I like to think I'm pretty laid back. Steven, however, loves his schedule and makes me stick to it (or thereabout).

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

Very laid back. Life's too short.

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

Im very laid back...While we have a routine we dont have a schedule really.

I have my rules and while some do have exceptions some are steadfast and cannot be broken...

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

VERY laid back - I am shocked because I am generally a bit of a nervous nelly, but when it comes to Cailen, I have to say I totally roll with the punches. I think he is the only thing in my life I feel 100% confident about!!!

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

Re: DO you consider yourself a laid back parent?

very laid back parent, even though DD has a schedule I am very flexible. luckily so is she!