Ask Sherry: Do you ever take Little Bun out on outings?
You asked, and I am answering every Friday once I have enough questions!
You can ask any question using the form here.
Do you ever take your son out to a museum, art gallery or to do anything that is enjoyable for him?
Again.
Just like in this post asking me why I don’t read more parenting books, this is hard to not take personally because you’re basically implying that I don’t do anything that is enjoyable for Little Bun.
Let’s be clear here if you read my Week of Money posts regularly — he ENJOYS doing math and reading and English. It is the thing he dreams about when he sleeps, mumbling out roman numerals and randomly saying things like: Mommy, CX is 110! …
NO ONE finds this normal, not even me.
I casually (hesitantly) mention it to other parents (of older and younger kids), to see if their kids are reacting similarly, and they are not. I remember little kids I have interacted with in the past, being nothing at all like this.
So — I am not forcing him to do math. I am not forcing him to do English. And I am not forcing him to do Science or learn about planets.
He is ASKING and even choosing out of all the 3 full book boxes that we have. his favourite books which are the Times Table Book and the Computers and Coding book. Out of all the books, I have to almost force him to take a storybook over these two favourites. He wants to constantly learn about anything extra – Binary numbers, Roman numerals, etc.
So yes, I do “things that are enjoyable for him”, pretty much every day and every night because these are the things he finds enjoyable — math and baby coding.
That said, I normally take him outside to the park or on outings more during the warmer months because it is far too cold and dangerous to have a child outside in winter when you aren’t sure what is going to happen. Plus ice everywhere, yellow snow.. ugh. I cannot.
Plus, it is cold AF and kids don’t understand the importance of frostbite and not freezing your bum off.
For things that are museums, and art galleries …Â I don’t even find those enjoyable as an adult. I know they have children’s sections for science and so on, and that’s on our list to visit during the summer as a family, but aside from that, you need to be a little older to appreciate those things and he is finally approaching that age.
I already tried bringing him to the Botanical Gardens, Biodome, etc, and it was a waste of time and money. In fact, it was frustrating because I was tired and he could not care less about any of it.
We’ll take it as it goes, but so far, the plan is maybe the Science museum this summer, but more likely, it is going to be parks and riding the metro.
Would you ever consider plastic surgery or rejuvenation esthetic [sic] treatments like: face lifting, mini lifting, laser treatments, Botox, etc.? When? Why or why not?
I have actually very much considered undereye filler recently because I really, really hate my undereye bags.
See, even if my skin tone reaches perfection and I have EVEN skin tone with no brown spots or bits, or acne… I will always have to wear concealer for these undereye bags.
They make me look and feel tired, and if I could just stop using concealer and really go no-makeup like I want to and just slap on sunscreen, it is impossible with these bags.
Then I read into it, and decided ultimately, that I cannot go under the knife or use any kind of actual surgery or rejuvenation treatments that are invasive.
Yet.
Even a little pinprick is invasive to me. I cannot reconcile injecting things in my face quite yet.
I sort of have a fear of needles and things going INTO my face and body.
My sister-in-law does mini lifts and Botox, and she feels much better not having those wrinkles, and looking younger which makes her feel better and she is much happier, but I am not there yet.
Never say never though.
What I have tried in the past was things like LED light facials, and recently, I wanted to do IPL treatments (intense pulsed light) for aging and so on, but with the cost of it, and the uncertainty of my contract for this year, I am shelving it.
I wouldn’t say no though. I’d definitely splurge on LED light facials monthly if I think it did something.
Where I really do spend the money so far, is on retinol (it has made a huge difference in my skin tone, texture and aging so far), and I am thus far, happy with the results of these products that I don’t feel like I need anything stronger like injectables.
If I ever did anything, it would be probably undereye fillers, maybe laser eye surgery, and laser light facials for the most part.
Still have a burning question?
You can ask any question using the form here and all of my previous Ask Sherry posts are here.
8 Comments
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Sherry of Save. Spend. Splurge.
Mine loves the grocery store too. He makes me name all the fruits and vegetables lol ….
Thanks. I do find he just likes going out. It doesn’t matter to where.
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Gail
Keep on doing what you are doing. LB is obviously a gifted child. I taught gifted teens; when I read their autobiographies, I ran into so many things you would find familiar. When I spoke with their parents, they expressed early self-doubt in child-raising practices, but they learned to follow their instincts and their children. And he WILL find his people in the gifted programs with the trained gifted teachers. Jealous, ignorant, insecure, judgmental people love to make comparisons. Repeat:keep on doing what you are doing. Be sure to enroll him in any gifted program as early as the school provides it. He will thrive–not like the average kid–but in his special way that you and many others will love like crazy, I promise.
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Sherry of Save. Spend. Splurge.
Thanks for the boost of confidence. I am trying hard not to screw him up, but it is so hard when you hear so much ‘advice’… I just have an instinct that he finds it fun, I am not pushing him or forcing him to do any of this, so I figure why not?
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Sense
Gosh, do people actually read? I gasped at that first question. So rude, and also if they read your blog they’d know that he loves trains and buses and riding in them and that you have taken him lots!
Eh, so what if he’s not into what other kids are into? He isn’t hurting anyone or anything. There is plenty of time for him to be a ‘normal’ kid later. He’s learning so much now that he’ll have a super easy time of it in his classes later, and eventually he’ll probably be too ‘cool’ to show his curiosity when he gets more self conscious and realizes that he’s a little different from the average joe kid (but certainly not different from EVERY kid–there are lotsa smart ones out there for him to bond with!). No use stifling the drive to learn. He’s gonna do amazing things one day 🙂
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Sherry of Save. Spend. Splurge.
I thought I was being too sensitive :S
I do take him out a lot. He loves riding the metro, I explain the lines (LIFE SKILLS!), I tell him which one is closest to us so that he memorizes it..
Partly, it is us. We are not into constantly going to museums and outings every week to ‘enrich’ the child. It gets expensive, but it also is frustrating when it doesn’t seem to be fun for him. It is exhausting as well to plan a day out like that, and I figure there is lots of time when the weather is nicer, to do things like this.
Actually, this summer, as he will be with grandparents, I am planning a few trips to special places in the city so that we can ALL go and have fun.
He is very different but doesn’t know it yet which I am happy about. Today was his first meet with his teacher and I told him, his new friends and classmates, and he was so quiet. Overwhelmed by all the kids his size and age, and some were so outgoing and he was not. I hope he will find his tribe.
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Catherine
LB WILL find his tribe!
You’re an amazing mother – encouraging him to do the things that he enjoys and spending time with him. That is more important than any visits to so-called institutional learning facilities. Frankly, I get bored of museums/art galleries after a couple exhibits. I like reading all the descriptions, but it’s just information overload when there are floors and floors of exhibit after exhibit. I wonder if this is why people become members – that way they can just go for an hours or so each time, see one or two exhibits, and then come back another time.
I do find that kids like water – does LB like aquariums? It’s way more interactive than a museum or art gallery.
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Sherry of Save. Spend. Splurge.
Thank you. I appreciate it. I doubt myself sometimes…
!!! AQUARIUMS. I forgot about those. I think that would be a lot more fun for him. I’ll put that on my list, thank you.
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I think the person who asked the question hasn’t been around many small kids. Most kids, including yours, find joy in things adults might consider everyday or mundane. There are a lot of kids who love trips to the grocery store, or riding the subway/train, or going to the post office or bank. Kids also love the pride in mastering a new task like tying their shoes, getting mail from the box, etc. Kids can enjoy themselves, experience wonder, and learn new things without going to a museum.