ATTENTION ALL PARENT...Don't forget your child's need 3-6 months out...

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It is so easy to get caught up in the here and now of our preps. Please take these last 2 weeks to evaluate your child's FUTURE needs. They grow and change so quickly that it's easy to forget what they may need weeks or months from now.

Examples:

- My child is currently on formula but will be graduating to table foods and milk soon.

- My child is in diapers right now, but in 3 months we will begin potty training. Do I have training pants, training potty, etc?

- My child is very close to puberty. Do I have sanitary pads (Mom's tampons won't do), bras, deoderant, etc.?

- My child takes infant doses of medication now. In 3 months, will this dosage and type of medication will change?

- Do I have an adequate supply of clothing, shoes, outer wear to accomodate a growing child?

- Do I have toys, books, diversions that will occupy a growing mind as it gets older?

This topic came up in my home last week. The puberty thing really threw me, but the lesson remains the same regardless of the age. Plan for the future. Your child's future. If you couldn't go to the store for 6 months, what would your rapidly developing child need?

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), December 09, 1999

Answers

Thanks Roland!

My boys are 2.5 and 8.5 years old. I'm shopping for clothing big enough to grow into...among other things!

-- (Kurt.Borzel@gems8.gov.bc.ca), December 09, 1999.


Check. This fall we bought next falls school clothes a size or two larger along with shoes, boots, jackets, etc.

-TECH32-

-- TECH32 (TECH32@NOMAIL.COM), December 09, 1999.


Good points.

We are just being certified as foster parents...consider that we may have a child or children (genders, sizes unknown) arriving any time...even on December 31/January 1! We need to plan for all eventualities...

Kotex (or similar pads/sanitary napkins) are a good idea anyway. They can be used as compresses for major trauma...so add them to your first aid kit.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), December 09, 1999.


Mad Monk--Ewww! Well just make sure YOU don't by the scented ones, cause it can irritate the wound.

-- Hokie (nn@va.com), December 09, 1999.

Great thread Roland. I was thinking about this earlier today.

With five year old twins I have to think twice about everything. Actually I was thinking about getting some more of their vitamins and favorite fruit juices. You're right there are so many areas that deserve special attention for children's needs.

-- snooze button (alarmclock_2000@yahoo.com), December 10, 1999.



Roland,

Have definitely been considering these. Oldest daughter Tiana will be twelve on Dec. 22, and the little spitfire Brittney will be turning 4 on Jan. 8. (its a very expensive few weeks, have always made the Birthdays "real b-days"). All Christmas and Birthday gifts are being bought with Y2k possiblities in mind. Luckily, both love books, clothes, puzzles, music, educational games, etc. (lots of batteries for CD player)

Wishing all the very best!!!

-- (karlacalif@aol.com), December 10, 1999.


Good post

One thing I did was buy plenty of material and sewing stuff. My wife and maybe even me can make what they need if needed and its cheaper than shopping for the two of them for who knows how long into the future.

Tomas

-- tomas (timbereyes@usa.net), December 10, 1999.


Yep, been thinking about this one for months, literally. Have a daughter who just turned 5 about a week ago. Bigger clothes for all seasons, sleeper blankets in sizes all the way to 8 and 10 (and she only wears 4/5 now). Socks, underwear, all in bigger sizes. She has three pairs of tennis shoes all one size bigger than the last. Still in the boxes. Even those undershirts that 8-10 yr old girls wear. Much bigger coat and gloves and hat. All we lack are some bigger jeans and sweats. Extra over the counter meds, don't forget the Fletcher's Castoria (natural laxative, root beer flavored) and Pedialyte for dehydration. Does anyone know if there is such an animal as anti-diarrhea meds for young kids? Need to check that out.

Also puzzles, books, games she has never seen.....homeschool stuff (she would be starting kindergarten in the fall). Everything she is receiving for Christmas and has received for her birthday is non- battery-requiring, non-electronics requiring kind of stuff. (Except for from my DGI parents--who got her an EZ Bake oven).

Also kind of preparing her w/out her knowing it: we have reduced TV watching to almost none at all.....they get very good at entertaining themselves when you do this. We have talked about not wasting food and haven't been running the heat yet (we have gotten as low as freezing but no lower--north Texas area) and she has had to get used to the idea of putting on a sweatshirt and always having socks or slippers on instead of running around in a big t-shirt as she likes to do.

I am thanking my lucky stars I don't have one in diapers....what about all the babies needing immunizations?

My aunt just had a baby boy yesterday. He was due the 25th. I was glad he was born earlier rather than later, but sheesh, even if they were GI's, which they are not, it would be scary if TSHTF. Well-baby checkups? Sick babies? If you have a real young one, and it is your first, get some GOOD book references for medical care of a sick baby. My husband and I got really nervous when our daughter got sick and that was when we had access to the doctor!

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 11, 1999.


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