C&K: Drink a little drink. Smoke a little smoke. Part 13

Sun Sep 24, 2017 8:18 pm

I have 4 kids and they don't get parties every year. Yes we do cake as a family but we don't have a party unless it's a 1st, 5th and so on... I just don't understand all these big parties every year.

Unread post by **lmmomSD** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 8:55 pm

ladymama wrote:I will say the one thing I disagree with is "unbirthday gifts". I think it's so wrong to condition children to expect something on someone else's birthday. The only exception for me is when a sibling is just born. I think "big sibling" gifts are helpful in the adjusting process. Unbirthday gifts are just to quiet entitled children.

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This! A "big sibling gift", especially if you say it's from the new baby, is nice. But getting a gift on your siblings' birthdays just ridiculous. Especially since Brooks is only one. He doesn't know the difference. Kids need to learn that it's not always about them. That sometimes it's just about someone else. Everyone gets their day on _their_ birthday. The other kids don't need a present.
Seems it's mostly families with two kids that do this.

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Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:05 pm

I don't like the unbirthday gifts and it's not something I'll do with my children, but I don't think it makes children entitled.
My parents never did it, but I have an aunt who always gave both me and my sister a gift regardless of whose birthday it was, every single year. They were also generally very similar items so that we wouldn't get jealous. It never made us feel like we had to have gifts, and in fact, we hated it. It was annoying that the focus had to be on both of us and not just on the birthday girl.
So while I think it's a ridiculous thing to do, I don't think it will make them entitled, selfish, or anything of the sort in the long run.

Unread post by **Caisflame** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 11:31 pm

I LOVE the silhouette picture Cullen posted on his Instagram (also on their Facebook, not sure how to share pics here). Such a cool picture and a sweet memory. Love Gaines' little messy bun. I would totally frame that pic.

Unread post by **onbreak** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 4:03 am

Defuego wrote:I LOVE the silhouette picture Cullen posted on his Instagram (also on their Facebook, not sure how to share pics here). Such a cool picture and a sweet memory. Love Gaines' little messy bun. I would totally frame that pic.

Yes, she looks likes like cindylou whoo..
I didnt see anything wrong with the party. My kids are older we don't do parties anymore
All those toys, oh my.. Good thing they have two playrooms

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Unread post by **askeptichere** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 5:25 am

In that silhouette picture, Katie commented that you could even see Brooks' sucker. What!? Why does a barely one year old have a sucker? Their kids constantly have candy. Am I the weird one that really limits kids' candy consumption? Is this normal?

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Mon Sep 25, 2017 5:39 am

askeptichere wrote:In that silhouette picture, Katie commented that you could even see Brooks' sucker. What!? Why does a barely one year old have a sucker? Their kids constantly have candy. Am I the weird one that really limits kids' candy consumption? Is this normal?

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My daughter is almost 2 and has never had a sucker. I don't get it either.

Unread post by **wishes** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 6:36 am

Times have changed and birthday parties for kids are a thing now with themes. I love it. Yes, we discussed the birthday thing before and I gave my daughter a themed birthday for her first and she had like 6 of her baby friends there, mainly my mom friends with same aged kids. It's actually uncommon to not see a family/friend party thrown - it's the norm now. I also had birthday parties when I was younger - nothing to the Pinterest extreme because Internet didn't exist at that time or was barely known about/unaffordable. I thought their theme was cute and I absolutely love seeing how creative people are with the themed food - loved the seaweed as grapes!

Yeah, I don't understand sugar at this age for Brooks! My daughter who is 15 months only had sugar once and that was her birthday cake which she didn't even like. Why promote something when it'll be all they want?? If they never offered Gaines mac&cheese, just healthy food repeatedly she probably wouldn't know about mac&cheese. I know kids are picky, but keep offering & different options... if they're hungry, they'll eat it, right?

Unread post by **lmmomSD** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 6:46 am

Especially since Gaines _did_ eat broccoli when she was out with Kelly. Her cousins were eating it, so she tried it. They just give in too fast, and are definitely lazy. You're absolutely right that if they hadn't ever given her mac and cheese, she wouldn't be wanting it all the time. I don't know why they didn't just feed her what they were eating. If she didn't eat one meal, it wouldn't kill her. And she will eat if she is hungry.

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Unread post by **nutbagmcgee** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 6:50 am

I worked in the childcare industry for years and years before I was stay at home mom. The doctors, the psychologist, and the professionals who should know better usually fed their kids the worst, had the worst behaved children, and let them get away with murder. All of the education goes straight out the window when they are dealing with their own children. I myself, who should know better, let all four of my children have TVs in their bedrooms. Bad mom!

No I absolutely I’m not saying it’s OK, it’s just a trend I have noticed.

Unread post by **askeptichere** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 6:53 am

I mentioned in the past that Gaines did really well with BLW, and then as soon as the 1st birthday hit, they started feeding her typical kid food and she became the picky eater they claim that she is. I predict Brooks is headed in the same direction because of his parents' laziness. He'll probably be a better eater than Gaines since he's always seemed to eat EVERYTHING, but soon enough he'll be eating mac n cheese and Uncrustables for dinner right alongside his sister.

Unread post by **wishes** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 8:09 am

Oh yeah, the screen time. We're those parents but she doesn't pay attention to the TV. However, the educational songs on YouTube? All.the.time. Sometimes you just need an electronic babysitter to step away for a few minutes. xD

Mon Sep 25, 2017 8:25 am

I thought the food at the party was clever (croissant sandwiches as little crabs) and painting the jewelry boxes was a good idea. But that cake was way over the top (I agree, that was more elaborate than my simple wedding cake, lol) and hiring the Ariel actress was too much in my opinion. The shot of the kids sitting around listening to her sing didn’t look particularly fun and Gaines seemed kind of stand-offish around her, as I would expect at that age and given her personality. Maybe she loved it, but it seemed unnecessarily to me. Just let them run around and play. I think a lot of the time these birthday parties become less about the kids and more about impressing the other parents in attendance.

It was SO interesting to see Kelly interact with Gaines. I really want to emulate her style of parenting in terms of persistence and encouragement. She kept putting that piece of broccoli on her plate until she tried it, and then she actually liked it! Gaines tried to refuse the chicken, and Kelly insisted that she try a little before she decided. I have a feeling that Kelly would have put a stop to the elaborate bedtime routine and subsequent tantrum a long time ago.

Unread post by **Lovethesnark** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 8:34 am

askeptichere wrote:I mentioned in the past that Gaines did really well with BLW, and then as soon as the 1st birthday hit, they started feeding her typical kid food and she became the picky eater they claim that she is. I predict Brooks is headed in the same direction because of his parents' laziness. He'll probably be a better eater than Gaines since he's always seemed to eat EVERYTHING, but soon enough he'll be eating mac n cheese and Uncrustables for dinner right alongside his sister.

He's already getting those things for dinner. They feed him more things along side of it because he'll eat it. I was really shocked to see Katie prepare two packages of grits each for Gaines and Brooks. That's so much salt.

Unread post by **lmmomSD** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 9:15 am

askeptichere wrote:I mentioned in the past that Gaines did really well with BLW, and then as soon as the 1st birthday hit, they started feeding her typical kid food and she became the picky eater they claim that she is. I predict Brooks is headed in the same direction because of his parents' laziness. He'll probably be a better eater than Gaines since he's always seemed to eat EVERYTHING, but soon enough he'll be eating mac n cheese and Uncrustables for dinner right alongside his sister.

Oh, but now Gaines is drinking the It Works green juice and eating the chews, so it's all good!
They need to teach her not to talk with her mouth full. And the way she kept saying "I want another one" after Katie told her she could only have one-- the word "please" never escaped her lips. She used to be good with please and thank you. And she is getting way too into the camera. It's just not a normal way to grow up. I can't believe they gave her _another_ present the day after her birthday party. Toys are weird these days. The look on Gaines face-- like "I can't believe you gave me a doll that poops. Gross."
And I still don't think it's ok that she watches Cullen go to the bathroom. He flat out said it-- that he'll be going to the bathroom with her "observing" him.

Why did they have pirate stuff at a mermaid theme party? Just nitpicking.

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Mon Sep 25, 2017 9:44 am

Gaines runs that house. They bend over backwards to make her happy and do everything she asks. Feed her everything she wants. Cullen's reaction when she threw the poop play doh across the room was to just laugh. He didn't correct her at all. Does he know what play doh does to carpet if it's stepped on?

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Unread post by **lmmomSD** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 9:55 am

MommaLindsey2 wrote:Gaines runs that house. They bend over backwards to make her happy and do everything she asks. Feed her everything she wants. Cullen's reaction when she threw the poop play doh across the room was to just laugh. He didn't correct her at all. Does he know what play doh does to carpet if it's stepped on?

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It's sad but true. Just because you're grateful for a child doesn't mean you have to let her run roughshod over you.
Kelly and the broccoli and chicken just put the kibosh on the whole "Gaines is picky. She won't eat this. She won't eat that" BS. She eats it if they persist. They used to be stricter with her. I seriously think vlogging is ruining this family. If something is "cute", they just laugh at it and put it in the vlog instead of disciplining her. I've been there. There were times when I had to fight not to laugh at things my kids did. But I held it in until I could get out of earshot.

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Unread post by **tnchk1187** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 10:20 am

I feel like Gaines was overwhelmed at the party. She had the sam look Ollie did at some points. I think the party was fine but seems like she was not having the best day ever.

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Mon Sep 25, 2017 11:04 am

Gaines isn't the type of toddler to be overly exited. If you go back and watch when Ariel was singing you can see Gaines looking amazed and mouthing the words to the song. I'm not saying the party wasn't ott. My kids get fairly simple birthday parties. So it's interesting to see these YouTube parties.

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Unread post by **calliepaige** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 11:10 am

Do you think they would have these same level parties if they weren’t youtubers?

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