How do you parents and grandperents handle it ?

[MAD6Gun]

 As some of you may know I have been a bachelor most of my life. I have never been married or have any kids. My girlfriend's (fiancee)  22 year old son lives with us. He has a 3 year old daughter that stays with us on the weekends. She is at the age where everything is a question. Yesterday I was cleaning the grill on the deck. She is at the back door asking me "what you doin" I say "cleaning the grill" she says "why". "Because its dirty". "oh". And she goes back inside. Five minutes later she at the door asking again and on and on. This morning I was fixing the front storm door. Same thing. "what you doin".. "fixing the door". "Why". "Because its broken". "oh". and goes back into her room.

 I understand she is just being a 3 year old and I love her to pieces but it drives my nuts sometimes. LOL...

[Michvalk]

What you do is answer all her questions honestly, give her your time, and patiently wait until she is 15 and won't talk to you anymore 2funny:
She will get to the point when she knows more than you, and won't need to ask anymore. Then when she is 25 she'll tell you you were right

[Oss]

Mark I hope someone here can find the WHAT IS IT video of the man and his father in the courtyard
that was posted a while back

I cant find it but if you listen its just 2 minutes you will get it

[F6BANGER]

She is a little CUTIE

It's a sparrow	powered by Aeva

[Oss]

f6banger thank you for the quick post

Mark the vid says it all

damn gnats,

[MAD6Gun]

 Ill say.. Damn gnats. Thanks for the prospective.......

[F6BANGER]

you bet Oss

[Stude]

She wants your attention... or she might want to talk with you and listen to your input.
What ever you're doing at the time you need to stop and talk to her one on one.

[Valkahuna]

She is a little CUTIE

It's a sparrow

That's a great little video that really drives home the point. I does a good job answering the question asked on how to cope. Be glad your kids/grand kids are curious, for it's all part of the process of them growing and becoming who they should be. It's amazing, but often how you handle their curiosity and questions will have a greater impact on them then you will ever realize.

Another things that helps us now that we are grandparents is that after a long bout of answering questions, we know that the grand kids will be going back to their parents!

BTW, she is a real Cutie!!!

[R J]

Mark, she is looking for attention,  GIVE it to her or you will pay dearly when she gets older.

Trust this old man on that one.

[solo1]

Pay back is He** (NOT REALLY!)

I never expected that Mark would ever be in the position to answer questions from a soon to be related little cutie.

I am overjoyed that Mark has finally been put in that position.   I also watched the video and feel humbled by the fact that, at 83 11/12th years of age ( ) I can still ride and and that I do not suffer from any condition mentally that keeps me from accumulating yet more memories like this thread that Mark has posted..

I am captivated by this little girl too but I find that I have accumulated a great deal of patience since Mark and the others were raised.  I thoroughly enjoyed it when she climbed into my lap for the first time.

Here is a picture that I took at Christmas time when she momentarily stopped and looked at me.
All of this makes me feel happy for Mark and Twila's future.

Wayne, Mark's Dad, and Solo1

[Devl]

She is a cutie Mark!
She can melt you heart with them big brown eyes
She's just trying to get to know you better.
Oh...and what MichValk said...lol

[fon1961]

yep, definitely a cutie!  good luck telling her no lol.

[RTaz]

 
First of all what a beautiful little girl, I have two such little granddaughters and love them more than anything. With that said and what others are saying I suggest you stop whatever you are doing (remember what's really important in life and what is not) sit down and talk with her it will be an eye opening experience for BOTH of you. She will grow to enjoy you just like you will enjoy her, why BECAUSE YOU TOOK THE TIME. Alot of folks today like to complain about our younger generation as being self centered and selfish well people learn by the way they were taught. Teach her well its part of your responsibility now grandpa.

[Super Santa]

And along with what all the others have said....

How many of you have Grandparents that you wish you had asked MORE questions of and listened to more.  Only as we age do we realize the wealth of love, knowledge and imagination in those who have come before us.

[bg]

she just loves spending time with you.

maybe one day when she's older she'll ask to ride with you.

[Stormrider65]

The gnats must be spreading.  Great post.  Very cute little girls.  


Walt

[Willow]

Stude (and others) is dead on.  Most of the time she doesn't really need answers, but she's doing what she knows how to do to engage you.

Talk to her.  Let her help you if she wants to.  Take a moment to get down on her level (physically as well as conversationally).  Face to face time pays long term relationship benefits with short people.

[Steve K (IA)]

What you do is answer all her questions honestly, give her your time, and patiently wait until she is 15 and won't talk to you anymore 2funny:
She will get to the point when she knows more than you, and won't need to ask anymore. Then when she is 25 she'll tell you you were right

Michvalk, you have nailed it perfectly.  That's the way it was with my Daugher. 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

How do you parents and grandperents handle it ?


Love

[Robert]

Sometimes it can get on your nerves but you know how about letting her help? I did that with my kids and my grand kids and its great. Their little computer eventually gets updated and they begin to really understand what your doing and sometimes just want to be around you and then you find yourself having a good time with them. Getting dirty then cleaning up is great fun that they may not really be allowed to do. But when it grown up sanctioned then its ok. They even begin to understand what you are doing. My granddaughter will sit with me and help me do projects and we kinda talk. It will last only a short time its a phase they go through, so remember when you get frustrated it will only last awhile and eventually this also gives way to going their own way. Then you will want to see them and they may be busy for you. It is a gift you have the chance to imprint on a innocent mind some things that may help them in the future. There are not to many chances like this so use it and like Joe says watch them grow. If you talk to them you can see the wheels turning and they reasoning out what is happening.

[junior]

so i should go untape the kid from the cellar door? 

[MNBill]

When my son was that age I gave him a tool to work beside me, he still does it today. 20 years later he now gets mad at me when I do something for him because he wants to learn more (working on his bike especially). The funniest thing was when he was little I was remodeling my Mother's kitchen and he wanted to help. I have him a little prybar and had him pry off the plastic tiles on a wall to keep him busy and let him feel like he was important and helping. The wall was coming down but he was happy tearing the tiles out. My Mom saw this and when we left for the night she took all the tiles off the wall, she was proud she had it all done the next day until I explained to her why my son was tearing the tiles off. They do not stay small forever, cherish the time while you can.

[sugerbear]

all i can say is yup

great video too

[musclehead]

so i should go untape the kid from the cellar door? 

depends, are the tears real? 

girls are pretty easy at this point, just wait until she's 16 and being in the same room is like being locked in trunk with a honey badger. 

[JimC]

Mark,
Like some of the others have said, that little cutie is looking for a way to engage you.

When mine were small like that I tried to engage them right back if at all possible, asking them if they wanted to help. They will usually say yes, but only for a limited time, then they loose interest and find something else to occupy their time. The key is that they know you  care.

Sometimes I wish I could do it all over again with my kids, (don't most of us) but then again the best thing about grand kids is that they go home at the end of the day. (or weekend in your case)   

Jim

[wiggydotcom]

She is adorable. Along with the suggestions of stopping and giving her all the time she needs, I'd add that when my kids were little and said funny things--as 3 yr olds will do, write it down...even if it's on scratch paper, or a paper plate...even if it gets tossed for the time being in the junk drawer.

Years later, it will be a riot to go back over what was saved. You can even use it against them at their wedding.

One such exchange that I wrote down concerning my then two yr old son.
"Kyle, do you have to go to the bathroom?"

"No, I just pooped my pants a little bit...and that's cuz you gave me too much water!"

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Joe and Willow hit it right.

[texaninsouthfl]

What you do is answer all her questions honestly, give her your time, and patiently wait until she is 15 and won't talk to you anymore 2funny:
She will get to the point when she knows more than you, and won't need to ask anymore. Then when she is 25 she'll tell you you were right

Truer words were never said... I know this because I have the 15 year old version of a little girl like that.

[Jabba]

Man, my son is 5.  He wants to be doing WHATEVER I am doing.  He really wants to help.  Cut fire wood.  Lift and carry stuff.  Doesn't matter.

I have to remind myself all the time... that he just wants to hang with me and help.

What drives me nuts is when I tell him to do/not do something and he does it anyway.

I always remind him that I still love him, even when I am aggravated at him and he's getting punished for something.

That girl is cute...  Let her help a little.  A hammer and a 2x4 with some nails will let her feel like part of it all, and will develop hand/eye coordination too.

Jabba

[cookiedough]

Jabba, that time may pass when age 10-11 on up when they gain more independence and don't want you around as much.  My 13 year old daughter thinks she is 17 and doesn't really want us 'hanging' around her as much.  It is nice though to have kids who want to help you out at such a young age even though they get in the way more often than not.  Enjoy it while you can!
Now, my neighbors 3 year old girl drives us crazy.  She comes over whenever we are outside and asks tons of questions and when we play with her, she is so bossy telling us where to go and stand and then 3 seconds later she drops what we are doing and goes onto another venture only to be replaced 3 seconds later.  In a way, I feel sorry for her since her parents do not ever play with her outside that I have seen ever nor go for bike rides or kickball or the park to play, etc., etc.  She was an oops baby with Dad being 53 or so and mom 41 and all they do is drink and smoke and they even leave the 3 year old almost every weekend with their other 19 year old daughter and go boating, etc..   

[texaninsouthfl]

Man, my son is 5.  He wants to be doing WHATEVER I am doing.  He really wants to help.  Cut fire wood.  Lift and carry stuff.  Doesn't matter.

I have to remind myself all the time... that he just wants to hang with me and help.

What drives me nuts is when I tell him to do/not do something and he does it anyway.

I always remind him that I still love him, even when I am aggravated at him and he's getting punished for something.

That girl is cute...  Let her help a little.  A hammer and a 2x4 with some nails will let her feel like part of it all, and will develop hand/eye coordination too.

Jabba

Jabba, that reminds my of a song by Rodney Atkins...

Rodney Atkins - Watching You	powered by Aeva

[czuch]

Yup, What most everybody here says. Precious youngin need precious time. You have the advantage of being a weekend Grandpa. Make it count big time. Root beer and vanilla icecream. Costs little,big impression. Engage her at every opportunity. The most wonderful gift is that little hand in yours as you cross the parking lot. There is real trust and love there. Hard as it is/was play at her level.
I.E. Barbies, or what ever she likes. I had to get a G.I.Joe for when my daughter wanted to play Barbie. She still talks about it, especially now that she's 20 and gets what she didnt get then.
BTW What a little darling. Put in the time. Its totally worth it.
She's trying to connect.

[Willow]

... Root beer and vanilla icecream. Costs little,big impression. Its totally worth it.

Yummm.  Root beer and ice cream.  That brings back memories.  I'm coming to your house.  (But don't hold my hand when we cross the parking lot.)

He's right, Mark.    

[john]

m a k e   time for her ....
 time flys            
ya big poop poop face                        
HONEY BADGER                                  

[bigguy]

Burn those times and questions into your memories. Enjoy them while you can. They'll be gone too soon.