Laid back and forgetful son. What to do?

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scarlett
Posts: 3664
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

Re: Laid back and forgetful son. What to do?

Post by scarlett »

I need your list Um ...but I suspect I would find it screwed up on the floor. Do you make it waterproof ? My boys towels usually end up screwed up in a smelly ball under their duvets ...DD will drape hers over her dolls house ..DH bizarrely will hang his over a hanger and place it on the wardrobe.Now, that has to be harder work then putting it back on the towel rail. I, of course am perfect and would never dream of, say, hanging it over the bedstead. :oops:

I find hand towels are the biggest problem......they always seem to be covered in toothpaste.Yuk.

Fran...my sons have improved dramatically since I've started going over the daily grind with them in a loud, exaggerated voice, repeating each sentence rather how you would talk to an old, deaf person. It does wind up DH though. :lol:
menagerie
Posts: 577
Joined: Thu May 26, 2011 9:37 pm

Re: Laid back and forgetful son. What to do?

Post by menagerie »

I sympathise with you and your DS. My DS2 inhabits a different astral plane from the rest of the world and pulling him back to reality seems cruel at times. He gets this wild-eyed rabbit-in-headlamps look when you say 'Shoes!' for the 8th time, as though he's only just met you and has no idea why you shout. He'd usually leave the house without packed lunch or swimming kit, with crocs on not school shoes, no coat when it snows etc if I didn't rant like a banshee while he flutters dreamy eyelids in bewilderment. It's as though he's underwater.

I'm going to try the white board and written lists. I have at least perfected the art of one word commands: Shoes. Lunch. Swimming. Hair. Zip. Shoes. Lunch. Repeat ad infinitum.
scary mum
Posts: 8841
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Laid back and forgetful son. What to do?

Post by scary mum »

Oh, Menagerie, have you been listening in at my house? You forgot "teeth" and "socks" :roll:
scary mum
sp
Posts: 379
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: groombridge, e.sussex

Re: Laid back and forgetful son. What to do?

Post by sp »

I have a new strategy when it comes to leaving lights on inbedroom: I wait til child is settled in front of TV and then suggest, very politely, that they go all the way upstairs and switch it off, AND I MEAN RIGHT NOW!! Seems to be having an effect, although as a friend pointed out, no doubt said child leaves room sticking 2 fingers at me behind my back, muttering horrible things. Still, I feel a whole lot better.

Re the changing of sheets, I used to change every week until a friend (health visitor) pointed out that although our Mothers and Grandmothers did this, they did only bath once a week. Now most of us shower or bath daily it's not reallly necessary to do a weekly change.
Fran17
Posts: 1440
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:16 pm

Re: Laid back and forgetful son. What to do?

Post by Fran17 »

Oh menagerie how I have laughed. In describing your son you have described by youngest and how beautifully you have phrased it. We had a lovely chat tonight and he said he really doesn't mean or want to forget things, he just can't seem to help it. I have decided to take the exaggerated, loud voice, one word approach, whilst following my list, before he leaves in the morning and try to remember he is doing his best. I forgot to mention my last command is usually 'door' because he forgets to shut it on his way out. :shock:
vasu
Posts: 719
Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2010 3:36 pm

Re: Laid back and forgetful son. What to do?

Post by vasu »

Guys the list works! I printed some wacky "to-do" list with star-war characters and voilà.....I grabbed their attention. They loved it and actually a check-list kept their wandering minds in line. Hope this lasts. :wink:
Having one child makes you a parent; having two you are a referee.
sp
Posts: 379
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: groombridge, e.sussex

Re: Laid back and forgetful son. What to do?

Post by sp »

Oh yes, the door thing. I've had text messages from my neighbour telling me she'd shut our front door as it was left wide open!! Many times, when we're all in the car, have I asked the "door" question and the DC look in amazement that it doesn't shut remotely by magic. Once I was so cross that the door was wide open, I stomped back and slammed it very loudly. Only when I got back to the car did DS tell me that DD (then aged about 5) wasn't in the car and I'd locked her in the house!!
scarlett
Posts: 3664
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

Re: Laid back and forgetful son. What to do?

Post by scarlett »

I wish my DC left the front door open, they have a nasty habit of slamming it shut before asking if I have my keys on me...their open door policy usually just extends to car doors when parked on a busy road. :roll: However, DH and I can't complain....he opened his car door as a child whilst his father was driving in a multi storey and the door was ripped off and whilst pregnant I left the front door open on a regular basis...and used to drive around with various things on the roof of my car. :oops:
um
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Laid back and forgetful son. What to do?

Post by um »

This is nothing like as bad as my own forgetfulness, I once took my ds1 and ds2 to a club while thinking that dd was in the back of the car (it is a seven-seater and she is not that big, I just assumed she was there :oops: ) and was busy strapping in dc4 and dc5.

Remembered to put on house alarm, and shut door. Returned to find alarm going off very loudly, daughter crying on step with neighbour, who gave me a lecture about not leaving her alone :oops: . Which I had certainly not intended to do :cry:! In fact throughout the journey I hadn't realised she was missing.

She had been in her room and not heard me telling everyone to get in the car...
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Laid back and forgetful son. What to do?

Post by mystery »

I came on here to ask a question and now I can't remember what it was. Does anyone have any idea with it might have been please?
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