My daughter brought the counting/letter jar home from preschool the other day. Our job is to fill it up with 12 items from around the house that start with the letter N. The first things that came to my head when I got to brainstorming:
Naked
Nipple
Negligee
Noodle (nothing to do with the theme above)
Thinking of these words in themselves are just fine. Normal. Not worried about where my mind is. Obviously we didn't put anything in the jar to represent the first three words except possibly a nipple of a baby bottle. The not "normal" part of all this initial brainstorming was the fact that I felt the to tell the sweet preschool teacher all about the first N words that came to my mind. She giggled politely as most people do when they don't know how to take me. Good thing we have a good relationship and she knows me pretty well.
We did manage to gather up a few N items to meet the 12 item criteria but I usually end up printing off pictures from computer for these sorts of things.
Random:
- My flu symptoms are almost gone. Yippie. Just in time for my 12 miles with 7@ threshold tomorrow. I thought that run was today but was so relieved to find out that I have another day to recover from this nasty bug.
- I've been running really slow and easy this week so that my body can conserve energy to get well. I also haven't had a ton of choice in the matter...my body has just TOLD me that I'm running slow and there is nothing I can do about it. But my run this morning told me that things are looking up.
- I woke up several times with the number 7:2x in my head and dreams of marathon strategy. Still not sure what marathon pace I'll shoot for. I might just shoot all strategy to the wind and run with my heart. This is what I do best anyway. My heart will probably get me further in Boston than my head anyway. Having a pace band and marker on my arms telling me numbers and data for various splits might just make me think too much and I already do that.
- My 2 year old son won't stop saying the word "stupid". I need to just dig out my parenting books and deal with it the right way instead of making it worse with my lazy parenting choices lately. I've been reacting in all the ways that I've always learned NOT to. I've totally given a load of POWER to a silly little word. And I have one power hungry 2 year old boy that is using his power in any way he can. Ha! He is sick and grouchy so that has something to do with his stupid swearing.
- I'm "fake pooping" again so that I can buy a few minutes on here before heading out to preschool. I think I'm about to get caught. More on the "fake poo" later...this is a real strategy in my mommy belt. It buys me a considerable amount of self time. And honestly, the bathroom isn't so bad of a place to chill.
- I have a chiropractor appointment in about an hour. Regular adjustments have been a very important part of my training this time around. I always feel better afterwards and my stride feels so much more natural.
Okay, time is UP!
1. What N word items from around the house can you think of if you had to do the counting jar for preschool?
2. Do you have a 2 or 3 year old boy that likes the word "stupid"? What are you parenting tips for putting an end to this without giving too much power to a word?
Peace,
Amanda
I will be back to comment. You make me laugh, as always:-)
ReplyDeleteI have a 6 year old who likes the word "stupid" in addition to "poopy butt" and other such words; he also like to rhyme bathroom words and call people things like "pineapple penis" (seriously, it happened yesterday when I picked him up!). So, it can be worse:) . Strategy...hmm...if he uses these words at home I ignore him. If he uses them in public I remove him from the situation and take him home. Before we go somewhere I remind him that this will happen if he uses those words. Not sure if this is working.
ReplyDeleteYou are running very well, and managing things very well. Happy you are feeling better! Maybe run Boston with your hear and the head, use the head for the first half, and the heart for the second:)
Thanks AM. ha ha Petru sounds funny! Pineapple Penis!! bahahaha. I'd have a hard time NOT laughing.
Deleteha ha you are funny and I totally want to meet your kids because they sound hilarious. I am totally with you on still not knowing what marathon pace will look like. I think over strategizing is a complete waste of brain space at this point.
ReplyDeleteHa this post made me laugh. Hmm, "n" words... nightlight. Wow, that's the only thing I can think of.
ReplyDeleteN Words Around the House:
ReplyDeleteNectarine
Noodles
Night Light
Nightgown
Napkin
Newspaper
Nail
Nickel
Necklace
Needle
Hope this helps and since I have a 4 year old daughter, I'm sure I'll be doing a similar project in the next few years.
Great ones!
DeleteYou HAVE to tell me your potty strategy...Em just comes right in to see how I am doing. She has also been known to clap when I'm done! Napkin was what came to mind but yours are far more fun!! Good luck on your run tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't work all the time Nancy. Mostly it works when my husband is home and he just assumes I'm "pooping" so I'm off duty. Or should I say Off Doody.
DeleteYou always make me laugh- I love your posts. The first "N" word that comes to my mind is "nook" or "nutella". Can you tell that I am thinking about reading & eating at the moment?
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you have been seeing great results from a chiropractor also. I am finding that regular adjustments have helped me training a ton. Isn't Nicole lucky to be married to one?! Maybe I should send my hubby back to school.... :-)
nuts, noodle, nectarine, nuun, newsletter from school, netti pot,
ReplyDeletethe bad words....not giving power to it is KEY..if you do he will do it more...I have that problem now with poo and butt...drives me nuts
I trie to punish: take away a toy for a day
that worked
I also use the candy pail...Halloweeen candy...I allow them to get 1 small piece twice a week with their (healthy :)) snack
if they use those words they loose one day
if they use it again they loose another day
the trick is to be consistant...if you are he will get tired of it.
Great advice Caroline. Thanks!
DeleteI trie...I invent new words everyday..a special talent of mine...:)
ReplyDeleteNIMBY, nambypamby, noggin, narcotics, New Kids On The Block, N'SYNC, Nutella, nougat, nickels,
ReplyDeleteGood ones Kovas.
DeleteI got busted for saying "stupid" last night. I thought that only my Dad could hear me. I was wrong!
ReplyDeleteN words- necklace, newspaper, necktie, navy bean
Wonder what the teacher would think if you put a bottle of Nair in there?! Ahhahahah!
Run with your heart Amanda. And keep inspiring us with all that you do. Can't wait for Boston!
Thanks! :) Yeah, we put nasal spray in there so Nair would probably go just fine. :)
DeleteNail-clippers!
ReplyDeleteI said a bad word in front of my 12-yr old the other night...I thought it was under my breath...but it wasn't. He scolded me. Difference between me an a preschooler...I will probably watch it instead of say it more ;-)
Sitting in my classroom at the end of a very long day- too much testing - so thank you for the laugh!
ReplyDeleteHere I see a Nail and a Nickel and No Noise!
Ugh - Ender has been saying 'poopy butt' and 'poop on your face' for a month now. I've been trying so hard to just say a quick 'that's potty talk, we don't say that' and then moving on or else he thinks it's hilarious to get attention that way. It's trying though - it's been going on for too long.
ReplyDeleteHope you are feeling way better tomorrow!
ps - I do the fake poop too!
Thanks Tracy. Oh, we have PLENTY of the poopy penis butt stuff too but for some reason stupid has stuck.
DeleteSo you're saying you printed computer images of nakedness and negligees....?
ReplyDelete;-)
I love these posts of yours. The ones where you just yap about your lack of verbal filter and fake pooping.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I can't think of one appropriate word that starts with the letter N right now. I could write the N section for the urban dictionary at this very moment.
So glad to see the flu is finally making it's way out of your body. 12 with 7 threshold is a tough workout! I anticipate you running it VERY well however!
I agree, I think you are more of a heart runner. If you can strategize a little and keep yourself in check at the beginning, I think your heart will serve you very well. My heart will surely be full on Boston morning and I will send some of that your way:)
ugh, stupid, poop and pee are my 3 yr olds favorite words! Hilarious! We try... some days harder than others. And then somedays you just can't help but laugh!
ReplyDeleteHow about a Noose? LOL!
I fake poop ALL THE TIME! Especially when my husband gets home from work and I need a break from my little monsters. "Ahh, honey, hey there, could you watch the kdis? I gotta go take a crapper.", and then I hide in the bathroom with my laptop for fifteen minutes.
ReplyDeleteWeird thing is I actually feel the need to pull my pants down and sit on the toilet.
Weirder thing is that I actually felt the need to tell you that.
Hmm I don't remember mine doing that. But the word itself isn't bad. If he's calling someone stupid that's different. Just keep telling him nicely we don't say blah blah... it's a phase. At least he's not saying f&*) LOL
ReplyDeleteLevi isn't saying S sounds...he totally drops them off the front of a word. I am actually working on this with him. So he would say "tooopid" and it would take me 4 tries to figure out he meant "stupid". :) We have other words that he says that are not pretty, but thankfully others have trouble understanding him too.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had an extra day to recover from the cold! And it sounds like the chiro is a fantastic help! Yay for this!! That's a tough workout you have, but I bet you nail it and can't wait to read all about it :) Running Boston with your heart might be a great strategy. Just hold back a tiny bit at first. Pass people after Wellesly, Newton!
I had no idea what you meant by fake pooping for a minute. Worked it out and I think it's genius!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're feeling better. You've had a pretty tough couple of weeks with your family's health and it's time for things to get back to normal. Good luck with the tempo run.
I've gotta try that fake pooping trick! Glad to hear you're feeling better. And 2yo's are so tricky! We haven't had a "word" issue yet-- I can see why that would be a tough one to battle. One tactic I like is rather than trying to stop the behavior (which often fails and leads to a battle) is instead to say if you're going to do X (say stupid, throw a fit, keep whining, whatever) you can do it in this space (separate room, their bedroom, etc) and remove them from you, letting them know you don't accept that behavior in your presence. It's helped a lot with my daughter's whining, but I don't know about your scenario. They keep us on our toes!
ReplyDeleteNeosporin, napkins, necklace, necktie, nightgown - mostly repeats, but that's all I could come up with.
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda - I just found your blog. I love it! I also have 2 kids: a 3-year old boy and a 6-year old girl. My little one is also obsessed with the word stupid. Aghghg
ReplyDeleteThese are some of the silly N words I can think of ( most are repeats):
Notebooks
Nightlights
Nachos
Napkins
Nails
Number Nine
Necklace
Noodles
Nickels
Newspapers
Nuts and Nutella
I would have done the following:
ReplyDelete- noodles - napkins - nails - nail clippers - nutella - net (bug or fishing) - nutmeg - nuts (as in bolts or edible) - nickles - and I'm all out of ideas.
I can already guess what the fake poo strategy is, and I applaud it.
ReplyDeleteMy kids (at an older age, granted) went through the "stupid" thing. It was a charming thing they picked up at preschool, along with the inevitable fart talk. Our (lazy) strategy was passive-aggression--we'd just stop talking to them and leave the room, as if suddenly so disgusted we couldn't stay with them. It was gradual but it worked. Now, the fart talk....that's been harder to dislodge....
Ah, Amanda... Stupid will end and be replaced by another *choice* word or phrase. Wish this 3-boy mama had some magical "boy" parenting advice for, but alas no. Hang in there! This too shall pass when they are out of the house!
ReplyDelete