Hello All.

I was on a thread the other day that was asking for opinions on how to handle a parenting situation. One thing led to another, as they often do here, and topics kind of changed.

It got me thinking... Why not start a thread where Mom's and Dad's can come and throw something out there - get support for a decision, see what other's think.

Parenting can be a challenging obstacle course, we need each other. If for nothing else than to vent or share stories.

I hope you use this thread like that. I know I am not the picture of perfection when it comes to parenting and I need all the support I can get.
:rolleyes:

I think this was a good idea. I hope it help a lot of parents.

Okay parents... My daughter has decided she wants a costume/halloween theme b-day party. Her b-day is in 3 weeks. I have got some ideas, but I need more.

I am looking for activites/games for the kids to do. Something spooky, boarder line gross. We are going to bob for apples.

If you have good ideas about halloween inspired food, that would be great too.
Thanks!

My daughter was born on Hallowen so I go through this every year. Actually, I have to start making her custumes because I let her design it and I make it.

As far as games, there are many and we usually play at least 3 or 4. One of her favorite is bobbing for Apples. I fill a large square pan with water and several apples. Each person must try to bite" into and "catch" and apple while holding their hands behind their backs. Have some towels handy. Also, you will need a bunch of apples and set a time limit, like 1 minute.

What about pin the nosel on the pumpkin, simliar to the donkey game.

We play the skelton race too. I use cut up printable skeltons and place then in a bag and pair the kids into groups of 2 and see who can created a skelton the fastest.

You can go to www.childparenting.com and in the search engine type in halloween games/receipes and everything will pop up. They have some good ones.

This is great!
We played truth or dare at my Daughters 10th birthday, it was a blast. One of the dares... "I dare you to lick a worm" The least likely girl, licked a worm! It was very fun.

You could also put a few things in bowls behind a curtain...
One bowl has peeled grapes, another noodles, and so on. Let the girls see if they know what they are and while they put they're hands in the bowls tell them they are touching maggots and worms and eyeballs.

Food coloring does a lot too... use it in the food you serve.

Good luck. Thanks for this thread, I sure like it already!

Those are some great ideas. Thank you! I ordered some favors online last night - so I am on my way.
I have been looking for an easy cake recipe this morning. I am not a baker by any stretch, so I would rather buy something. But, she wants something spooky. She thought about the kitty litter cake but then when she saw it - changed her mind. I can't imagine eating it either - to realistic looking!

I thought about a dirt cake, but every recipe calls for the cake to be put in a flower pot. So, that won't work for the party.

Any ideas? Remember I am baking challenged - so it needs to be EASY!

Oh and a side note - SHE IS GOING TO DRIVE ME CRAZY with this party.
She is taking the planing so seriously. It's a party - have fun with it! She is actually in a time out right now. She snapped at me for laughing at the kitty litter cake. I thought it was rude.

Anyway, thanks for letting me vent!

It was the other way around with the party on my end... I think I drove her up the wall! I went on craigslist and bought three huge bags of dress up clothes. Cost me 15 dollars, it was the best buy I have ever made! I flew those three bags in a separate room on the floor... spread all the clothes out and they had hours of fun trying and finding the perfect outfit!
I took CDs and hung them on string from the ceiling. Her and I made decorations and hung them all over. It wasn't a scary party... but you get the picture.

For the cake... I need to look and I will get back to you;)
I love baking... have you tried Allrecipes.com?

Allrecipes - Recipe Search (http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes.aspx?WithTerm=halloween%20cake)
I am going to do a bit more searching... but, I thought, what if you bought a few mixes and let her do her own thing with it? Or does that not fly with her?


EDIT:::::::::
I googled scary halloween cake... this is what came up in "images" pretty cool, looks like you could take hours doing one of these. I say ask her what she thinks and go from there. Is she out yet? LOL
scary halloween cakes - Google Image Search (http://images.google.com/images?q=scary%20halloween%20cakes&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi)

She likes to cook. I could try to get her to help me. She would probably like that a lot.

I looked at those Google pictures - and most of those are over my head! I once made a pound cake that turned out tasting like cornbread. I still don't know what went wrong!

So most of the baked goods that come out of my kitchen - come from a box that you just have to add the wet ingredients. I can do that!

Here is what I was thinking, see what you think.

Taking a chocolate cake, mixing crushed oreos and frosting, spreading that over the cake and then adding gummy worms. That is pretty simple and is theme related.

I also found a grave yard one, but I can see where I would mess that up.

See, I try to be creative, I do. But any of my "art" looks like a 5 year old did it. I just was not blessed with the ability to create! I have good ideas, but to put them to action - forget it! :)

Heehee, when it comes to doing anything other than frosting and sprinkles, I am the same way. I can bake though...
I think having her help would be a better idea, that way it can be on her as well if it isn't perfect!;)
Did you let her out of the time out yet?
There was a really gross looking one, it was a messed up birthday cake, but they added lots of different colored frosting and candy... you can't go wrong with it! If you really want to have fun, tell them they have to eat it with only their nouths.. no fork or spoon and then take a group photo before you clean it all up!

I made a Kitty Litter Cake for a Halloween party. It tasted wonderful - it is full of pudding and graham crakers, etc. Hardly anyone touched it - because it looks real. I even made the tootsie roll droppings. Gross - but fun!


I need help making an Ursula birthday cake. My daughter wants one for her pool party on Sunday.

Ursula.. like from Little Mermaid?

Yep, the Sea Witch. When we went to Disney last year the character, Ursula, was in the big parade and came over and spoke to her. She has been crazy about her ever since. Even sleeps with an Ursula beanie baby.

She wants Ursula in her lair with Flotsam and Jetsam. What she gets is another matter.

Wow, that could be really really hard!
Do you want a pop out one or a picture on the flat cake? I can't find one anywhere??

They only have cake toppers... that might be an idea!

Yeah, she is out of time out. She apologized - I told her if she continued to disrespect me, I would call off the party. That did the trick.

She actually just came in here with a good idea for the cake.

I told her my idea (that I shared here) and instead of just gummy worms, she wants a skelton coming out as well. Which would be easy to do.

We will see!

Now, I think that is great!
You guys can do it together and have lots of fun. You never know what other ideas will flow;)

NW,
I found these links.. maybe of some help to you.
Pop-Up Skeleton Catapult (http://www.instructables.com/id/Pop-Up-Skeleton-Catapult/)
Animated Halloween Cake (http://www.instructables.com/id/Animated-Halloween-Cake/)

WOW, that would be a fun cake to make...
The catapult looks fun too!

Go to Halloween Crafts (Scary Halloween Decorations, Craft Ideas) - and More Great Family Fun Craft Ideas (http://www.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/specialfeature/halloween_ms_crafts/)
They have some simple scary snacks that you can make such as rotten apple punch(my daughter loved this), monster feet, eyeballs, etc. They show you pictures along with the step by step process.

Okay, that cake is huge! I don't think I could EVER make something like that. I am way to challenged to do something that fancy! But thanks for the link!

I found the other link earlier and it gave me a lot of great ideas. We are going to make the carrot eyeballs and fingers. The cheese fingers, witches hats (looks easy) and there is a punch that you freeze gummy worms in water and let them float in the punch.
I found these invitations that are halloween invites that have removable masks on them, and since we are having a costume party - I thought they would be perfect.

Sounds great! You guys are going to have fun.
The invitations sound so great! And CHEESE FINGERS? ;)
Take lots of pics, she will want to remember it and so will you!

(I never thought I would say this before the party, but even with all the adult parties I have gone too, my daughters took the cake in some GOOD CLEAN FUN!) It was awsome and I wish I could do it all over again exactly the same.

Cheese fingers - you take mozarella string cheese, cut them in half, make little spots for the knuckles and then put a piece of green pepper for the fingernail. Using cream cheese to keep it in place.

You can do this with sugar cookies and almond slivers, but there will be so much junk at the party - I thought this might be healthier!

I have been searching for an Ursula cake. The only thing I can find is cake toppers. Which if you need them by the weekend... may be to late. Unless you have a fabulous store near by.

If you found the toppers that you want - you could always go with a non-edibile solution for the cave. If you went to a pet store and got one that is for a fish tank?
I don't know, I am just grasping at straws!

Boy did I screw up! My daughter lost a tooth at a friends house on Saturday - the mom told her the tooth fairy probably doesn't know where she was at, so to put it under her pillow when she got home.

Last night, I did as I normally do when she looses a tooth. I typed up a letter from the tooth fairy, decorated it with glitter glue and pasted it to a piece of construction paper. I then put it in her room along with her money. I even sprinkle fairy dust around.

Well, this morning, she got on the computer and found the letter I typed. I forgot to exit out of it last night. She asked me point blank if I had typed it.

I lied. I feel terrible. I just said that it was cool that the tooth fairy used our computer. When she looked at her letter, she said - "she probably used my glue and construction paper too!". My kid is not dumb, she knows!

She is 8 (almost) - when did your kids find out "the truth". And should I have told her? I feel terrible for lying, but I just wasn't ready to tell her.

My daughter is 7 and will be 8 on Halloween. I told her the truth about everything last year. Now when she lose a teeth she saids " don't forget to my money under the pillow while I am sleeping". Last year before Christmas vacation I was pissed out at her teacher for telling the class there is no Santa. I went up to the school the next morning to ask her why she did such a thing and inform the principal on what she did. There was other parents there too.

I think you should have told her the truth because she can handle it. It is better coming from you then anyone else.

You know, we have preached "honesty being the best policy" and logically, I know that. But... she asked my husband first and he warned me before I came downstairs. He said that her head droped down, she almost started to cry. Just shear disappointment.

So, when I came down - she asked me to "look at this" I just said - "cool, the tooth fairy used our computer". She then asked me "Mommy, did you do this, I just need to know."

I know what I should have said - but I didn't. I guess I am not ready to give up that magic. It's almost like a passage of growing up. And I am not ready!

Again, I feel terrible. I truly do. I remember very vividly when I found out about Santa. I said awful things to my mother. I was so upset about "all the lies" and here, I have done the same thing.

If there was an award for terrible mother of the day - I would get it!

What do you mean - found out about Santa?!

His spirit lives strong in our house.

What do you mean - found out about Santa??!!

His spirit lives strong in our house.


I said my daughter teacher told her along with the class that there is no Santa.

Nowwhat you shouldn't beat up yourself because this don't make you a bad person nor parent. You still have a chance to tell her the truth if you want. Stop beating yourself up we all tell little white lies to other kids. Especially when it come to things like the tooth fairy.

If someone (other than a kid) told my daughter there is no Santa - I would be livid! She gets so excited every year. She even makes him a present - because he is so busy making all the presents for others, he may not get one himself. I guess I am not ready to give that innocence up. First the tooth fairy, then what's next! :(

What did you say to your daughter? How did you explain it to her and how did she take the news?
I am sure mine is going to ask again and I want to be ready!

I believe in imagination. Santa still lives here!
My oldest kids, they know the truth, but still ask questions... so there is something in them that makes them want to believe. Imagination runs wild when we think about fantasies and imaginary stuff... let it ride. NowWhat, you did the spur of the moment thing... it will be OK.;) Next chance you get, (I wouldn't make a point of it) let her know the truth, it will work out fine! :)

(I almost forgot about this thread)

I think the teacher was scared because I think all the parents took off that day to confront her.

Her father did all the explaining and you know it was a lot of why's. Then after that she question everything we told her in the past. We had to explain why we lied about the tooth fairy mostly and said our sorrys to her. In the end she wasn't mad nor disappointed but we told her not to tell her friends what we told her and she promised she wouldn't.

The tradition in our house is that Santa is not a person - not the man in the suit and no one comes in the house, etc. We've nurtured the idea that Santa is a spirit that dwells inside people that makes them want to do things for others and the red suit and beard is just a traditional way of representing him.

I believe in Santa and always will!

When my kids ask, I say yes he is real. He started way back in the day when there was a man doing good for many people in his town... as soon as he couldn't reach everyone, us as parents took over;) My younger kids still believe and so do I. I believe in giving (not a "spoiled" way, but I believe in giving in a generous and heartfelt way)

Any advice on how to handle a man and almost a man in the house. They are driving me nuts, constantly bickering, arguing to make points, trying to prove each other wrong...
My son is 14 testing his limits and his dad is well... his dad. Hardheaded and a my way or the highway type a guy.

I once heard that arguing with a teenager is like beating your head against the wall.

And your son is probably at that age where he thinks his parents suddenly don't know anything. That in itself can drive you nuts.

Does your husband know that you are going nuts? I would start by talking to him.

Ohhh, he knows... and I have told him that it is no use arguing... I say if you feel like he needs to be punished then do it, but if not , you just leave good enough alone. This is probably a no win situation anyway... thanks NowWhat;)

You probably feel more like a referee.

Even though I don't have a teenage boy, I do remember growing up in a house with 2 of them and my Dad. Sometimes you could smell the testostrone. One of my brothers is exactly like my Dad. And he thought he was a "Man" long before he really was. They got into arguments, just for the argument sake. They both needed to be right and some where along the way stopped listening to each other.
Good thing is, is that now they are more like best friends. My Dad was the best man at my brother's wedding, etc. They were even business partners before Dad retired.
The point... it will get better.

Your son is probably trying to exert his independence and your husband is still trying to parent. Which is fine to a point, he may just need to adjust his parenting style?

I am grasping - can you tell? :)

Yes... I can... don't you worry though.
My son is nothing like his father, he just wants to show his dad that he is actually wrong... and feel as if he was right. His dad can be pretty wrong sometimes, but never admit it in front of my son. So yup... a referee... a losing referee cause I can't take any sides to help;)

You haven't lived until you have a special needs teenager look at you and sigh like you are completely clueless.

True Em... I should just shush;)

You know, there should be a practical handbook available to parents of teenagers. Heck, there may be. What we really need is a support group! :)
Those years scare me. My daughter just turned 8 and I don't look forward to them at all. I can already tell they are going to be rough.

I just need one for teenagers fathers... I can handle my son;)
I hear what you are sayinf Now, I really really do.

I have a question. What would you do in this situation. My future brother-in-law is married with 3 kids, ages 19, 14, and 13. His wife allowed his 19 year old to drink and have his underage friends come over and drink but he put an end to it without her help and in returned she got mad.

Now the 13 year old girl recently was allowed to move into the basement. Here is where she smokes weed and cigaretees and drinks and does it with her friends. She even is allowed, by her mother, to have her boyfriend sleep over. The father has kicked the boy out and tried to have her moved back upstairs to be supervise but when he try he get curse out by the mother, daughter, and 19 year old son. It gets so bad to where he leaves and go to my fiancé house. Also, he tried to take the daughter cellphone away and she got mad and broke his car window. The mother got mad because he tried to take her phone away and threaten to call the cops but said nothing about the daughter breaking the window.

My question is if you knew about this matter would you call child protective services because I want to but am conflicted because some of my friends tell me not too. I just think it's bad that this 13 year old drinks, smoke, does drugs, etc and the mother is okay with it and it's wrong.

Oh wow! I don't know what I would do.
I can see how it would be darn near impossible to hold your ground with a child - when the other parent doesn't help.

You have to weigh your options. Analyze the impact. If you do nothing - what happens?
If you act - what happens? The 19 year old is considered an adult - so he wouldn't be taken away. The others however, probably would be sent to foster care (with an unfavorable home visit). Would that help the children?

And, I am sure that there are a lot of people who will know the answer to this - but would they or could they just remove the mom? She seems like the problem. But would children services do that?

The mom is the problem, she let the kids do what they want.

For example, I was at their house one time and the daughter call requesting the mom to pick her and her friend up, this was 10:30 at night. I went with the mom. After the daughter and friend get into the car the friend, who is also 13, light a cigaretee and mom does nor say nothing. I snatch it away from her and gave her a speech about smoking and made her give me the lighter and pack of cigaretees. Then instead of the mom bringing the daughter home she drops them both at a 17 year old guy house and thought it wa okay. I got out the car and had a talk with them, long story short they got back in the car and they drove back home. The daughter has been brought back home by the cops because she's roaming the streets 3am or later in the morning. The mother does nothing but takes her shopping later that day. I was so mad because what mother does that.