https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:28:51 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independence-yay#post-2734241 Thu, 11 May 2017 07:30:41 +0000 irene 2734241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ALV91711: We are also living in a cul-de-sac where there are all boys! Three of them are 5 (including DS), and then 2 of them are older. I am soooo tempted to be one of the parents that you are baffled by lol. It is such a fight because after I pick DS up from school at around 4:30pm, I have to cook and many times he'd want to stay outside and play.... but I just couldn't be out there when I have to get dinner on the table at the same time. Even when there are other kids and parents outside, I feel bad because I don't want them to feel that I am taking them for granted watching my child when I am "chilling" inside the house! Confession: There were quite a few times I told him to draw with side walk chalk on our driveway, do NOT get into the road, and if he sees cars/strangers drive into the cul-de-sac please run back immediately, and I would walk out to check on him and I would tell him to come back to check with me every 5-10 mins. I would never let him ride his bike or scooter on his own without me being there though at this age. A couple of times my neighbor saw him outside drawing by himself (I was right inside in the kitchen) she would ask him where's your mommy. Oh Lord. I bet she wants to call children services on me. lol. Sigh. I never fancy a big gated back yard until now! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independence-yay#post-2734213 Wed, 10 May 2017 23:48:18 +0000 ALV91711 2734213@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: We live on a cul de sac too. I'm hoping by the end of the summer or next summer he will be ready to go out there on his own. He's just not quite there yet at 4. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independence-yay#post-2734207 Wed, 10 May 2017 23:26:00 +0000 Mrs. Pen 2734207@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>He wakes up before me, and before he comes in my bedroom, he takes off his pajamas and pull up, puts them in the laundry and throws away the pull up, picks out his clothes for the day and gets dressed all on his own. It's so wonderful to not have to nag him all morning to get dressed!! It saves a lot of time. </p> <p>@ALV91711: we live on a cul de sac and I let my five year old go bike in the cul de sac without me there. I check up on him occasionally, but he knows the road rules. I think a little independence is healthy :) the neighbor boys are often out playing on their own too- though they're a bit older (7&amp;9). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independence-yay#post-2734205 Wed, 10 May 2017 22:58:06 +0000 ALV91711 2734205@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: Since I wrote that he's refused to pick out his clothes!! lol. There are a lot of kids on our block, mostly boys, ages 4-6. A lot of them are out there playing and riding bikes and the parents are nowhere to be seen. This baffles me. We let DS go ride bikes with them but we stay out front and keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't go to far or go on the road. A couple more years and your DS can go into your yard on his own. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independence-yay#post-2734204 Wed, 10 May 2017 22:26:16 +0000 irene 2734204@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ALV91711: I love how you have the option to have your LO go play in the yard by himself! We have a tiny backyard and a non-existent front yard that is not gated , so someone has to be with DS whenever he wants to go out :( DS picks out his own outfits too! Just that he always pick the non-weather-appropriate things, such as choosing to wear a big sweater when it will be 90 degrees outside :P Then he feels so defeated when I explain to him why he has to go change... poor thing...!</p> <p>@808love: Ahhh! DS had a "phase" where he woke up and get ready all by himself BEFORE I got up too on weekdays, and it was heaven! Now he reverted back to having me woke him, over and over and over for 10-15 mins ..... but yes, I agree, that is such a time safer they woke up and get ready all by themselves! </p> <p>@looch: Hahhaah you are cracking me up. my DH and you will be best friends.</p> <p>@azjax: That is sooooo nice! Sigh. DS is 5 now, and he still wipes his nose with his sleeve or back of his hands regardless of how many times we told him to use a tissue for the past 3 years. We could get him to wash his hands and cover his mouth while sneezing, but we have no luck at getting him to use tissue to wipe his runny nose, or anything really. grrrr... Today I was just telling him... do you know that very young babies as young as 18 months can wipe their nose with a tissue? hehe </p> <p>@mediagirl: True! I don't think I can do that if I had a girl. I am cool with that only because DS has super short hair!</p> <p>@erinbaderin: That is so sweet! DS used to enjoy feeding DH by picking up food and putting them into DH's mouth when he was 12 months old lol</p> <p>@wrkbrk: That is so nice!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independence-yay#post-2733651 Tue, 09 May 2017 10:29:53 +0000 wrkbrk 2733651@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>He plays independently in his room (we watch on the monitor) or alone in the yard for maybe 15-20 minutes at a time!</p> <p>He also tries to put on his own socks and shoes ... and tries to put our socks and shoes on us! He is 17 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independence-yay#post-2733588 Tue, 09 May 2017 08:06:41 +0000 erinbaderin 2733588@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>B is 3 and has started bringing his and his brother's plates from the kitchen to the table and then back to the kitchen after they're done eating. He also likes to feed W, which is pretty adorable. Yesterday W (1) used a fork to stab a piece of chicken and put it in his mouth and B said "Good job, W, I'm so proud of you!" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independence-yay#post-2733582 Tue, 09 May 2017 07:58:38 +0000 mediagirl 2733582@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: congrats. That's big stuff to be able to wash themselves. </p> <p>I like to make sure all of DD's (5 in June) hair gets washed and rinsed properly but she can manage the rest in the bath. She is also good at brushing her teeth and her hair, making her bed (when told) and helping me cook. She likes to crack the eggs, measure and dump ingredients and start the mixer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independence-yay#post-2733572 Tue, 09 May 2017 07:50:00 +0000 azjax 2733572@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS is 19 months old and has been wiping his nose (really well!) AND putting his snotty tissue in the waste basket! It makes me so happy :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independence-yay#post-2733553 Tue, 09 May 2017 06:57:51 +0000 looch 2733553@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son has been getting his glass of milk ready in the morning and evening. I told him that he's getting older and didn't need me, would soon be moving out, etc, and he was all "mom, don't be silly, I am going to live with you forever." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independence-yay#post-2733528 Tue, 09 May 2017 00:48:40 +0000 808love 2733528@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO wakes herself up with alarm clock and puts herself to sleep because she just gets sleepy like clockwork. Never thought I would see the day. She's in kinder. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independence-yay#post-2733526 Mon, 08 May 2017 23:37:54 +0000 ALV91711 2733526@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS is 4. In the last month he has started to pick his own clothes and get himself dressed some days. Such a time saver! Now that the weather is nice he has started to go in the yard and play on his own. Playing in his room by himself instead of always needing to be within a few feet of me. </p> <p>That is so cute that your DS sings in the shower! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/independence-yay#post-2733458 Mon, 08 May 2017 20:09:59 +0000 irene 2733458@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS is 5. Recently I started showing him how to wash his own hair, body, and rinse it off with the hand-held shower head in his bathroom. He was doing semi-independent showers with my help for quite a couple of days. </p> <p>We are having contractors coming in to do some work (replacing flooring the past few days as well as painting the walls this coming week), so life at home has been chaotic. We have moved DS's bed into our room, and he has also been using our bathroom because his is blocked off/unavailable. He has been showering in our shower all by himself since (I have to be right outside being ready to help him, and provide continuous "commentation" of what he needs to do/wash next)! I know some of you probably have your LOs bathe themselves in an even earlier age, but I am so proud of DS and I feel like it is something I can celebrate! He also starts enjoying his shower too and he started singing in the shower. DH was commenting how DS is like an old man singing in the shower, haha. He is so cute I almost want to take a picture for keepsake!</p> <p>Let's share:<br /> - How old is your LO?<br /> - What are the (new) things that he/she is doing all by him/herself now that you are proud of?</p> <p>For us, lately he likes to wash the strawberries (+ take the top green leaves off) and get it ready for the whole family to eat, all by himself! We put a few cups in a low drawer just a few months ago so he can get a glass of water for himself. He also folds his laundry, but I will have to do it together with him. </p>