What's Interesting About "Your" Children?

[cheerfuldom]

I love seeing how different my kids are and how they each were so individual so quickly in their little lives.

My oldest is almost 6. I know this sounds weird and maybe I am not describing it right but I am a little intimidated by her LOL She is SMART, she never forgets anything (its really creepy) and she is very aware of others and just what you would call an old soul. Very emotional but she does seem to **** in any of the tension around her and vibe off others so she carries a lot on her tiny shoulders. Her verbal and physical skills have always been way ahead and even at 1 or 2, I found myself treating her like a tiny adult. On time I got lost driving to a friends house and as a young 2 year old (maybe older 1 year old?) she piped up from the back with turn by turn directions and she remembered the street name....she had been there only one time before! This kind of stuff happens all the time. She loves learning and she loves art and sewing/fashion. Its hard to keep boundaries with her and remember she is 5, not 15. I can trust her to do a lot of things independently that I wouldnt be able to trust a 10 year old to do.

The next is 4 and quite a character. She just has this bright spark about her, sparkling eyes, beautiful face and creamy skin and this personality that just pops out of any photograph. She is so energetic and not in the least inclined to sit and learn anything in particular but if you give her the chance to do things in her own way, she can really surprise you. She loves movies and pretend play and being outdoors. She is definitely the dare devil of the family. She thrives on attention and excitement and thrilling adventures.

The third is 2 and this girl really surprises me. She is a young 2 and will sit and focus on something to an amazing degree. She is incredibly patient and long suffering and that is basically unheard of for kids her age. She is very good with hands on tasks like stringing beads, coloring, and building and will easily sit and do the same task for 30 minutes to even an hour. Never seen anything like it. I am ashamed to say that sometimes we just plain out forget about her because she is no trouble at all, doesnt ask for anything, plays quietly in her room. She is really good with electronics too. I have never shown her anything and she knows how to use my phone and how to play the big kids Leap Pads. She has a sweet little face, snuggling and kisses and babyness that is impossible not to love. The kind of child that old people like LOL sitting on laps quietly for a whole church service.

The last is almost a year. He is a very simple kid. No point buying him any toys because he wont play with them. He is content with attention and maybe one small "toy" like an empty water bottle. He is very happy and serious by turns but rarely fussy or crying. Physically motivated but not really verbal. Just a very balanced kid, no drama, bright but not motivated to do anything in particular. He sort of "holds his cards close" and observes and carefully weighs out any new people in his life. He might be the one that is more street-smart than anything else. You can feel those wheels turning in his head and he is a fast learner. If something hurts, he wont try it again. If someone says no, he leaves it alone. Very easy to parent.

[Luvnmykidz]

I have 3 kids. My oldest dd is 10 (will be 11 in Dec.) She loves to read anything and write stories. She is a 5th grader and has joined the band at her elementary school ( plays the viola) and also the chorus and praise dance team with her school. She wants to go to school for fashion design and likes helping me make tutu's, knitting and sewing. She's has a calming pleasant personality. My second dd is 6 (7 in Jan) She has a weak immune system,asthma, adhd, pdd-nos, severe food and environmental allergies and so many more things. She was my miracle baby for sure ( born blue and not breathing). She has gone through so much in her little life but has definitely taught me how to keep smiling and keep pushing on no matter what She is in the 1st grade and has made great academic and social/emotional strides. She is reading and writing on level and enjoys painting and drawing.She is very hyper, high spirited, determined, and is one of those kids that definitely speaks her mind (not intentionally rude, just very honest). She wants to be a doctor so she can help other sick children like she was helped. She is super excited about me doing daycare so she can "help me". Last of the bunch is my ds who turned 4 in May. He has just started pre-k. He is timid at times. He enjoys helping others and can be really hyper at times. He can write his name, tie his shoes, and ride his bike without training wheels, so he really feels like a big boy. He likes to "read to me" ( he has memorized his favorite books to read).

[MotherNature]

My eldest will be 20 in February, and came out as transgender a year ago. She was born male, and lives most the time as a woman. She'll be getting married next month to her girlfriend of 3 years, & yes, I think it's too early. Frustrates me because she's so smart but has no drive. She loves Doctor Who, Zelda, and geeks out about various things with me. She's currently in school majoring in computer programming.

My middle child was the baby for many many years. He'll be 18 in 2 weeks. I met my 2nd husband when my son was 4 or 5, and had a baby with him nearly 3 years ago...Anyway, my middle kid is extremely ambitious (except for this year, he's been pretty laissez faire as he wrestles with what he's going to do w/ his life..I call it his no-life crisis.) He's a brilliant writer but also loves anything that has an analytic, scientific bent to it like forensics. He also enjoys physics, but really just wants to be a poet. Is strong willed & we all swore he'd be a lawyer b/c of his arguing skills. He attends a residential high school for gifted kids on a college campus & is gone most of the year.

That brings me to my boober bug. He's the typical high need spirited child. He never sleeps & he feels things deeply & is constantly a very intense ball of energy. He's extremely loving but extremely exhausting. I'm also sure he's the smartest of all the kids. (shhh) He's very empathetic and cares deeply for others. He also has the greatest sense of humour, at 2.75! He's so creative & it amazes me daily to see his mind in action. The logical connections he makes at his age are astounding. His favourite things right now are water, trains, construction equipment/cars, and we're working on potty training. He's still nursing as well, which I'd like to ease back on, but I know he's not ready to quit completely yet, & neither am I. My goal was age 2- the longest I'd gone before was 16 mos, & we've exceeded that goal, & I'm happy with it, so..yeah, but w/ his personality, the snuggletime is a necessary way to calm him at times.

[Leanna]

What a great thread! I love reading about everyone's children. I can tell how proud you are all of them!

My oldest is 19. He is very strong-minded and always has been. He can have a conversation with anyone, anywhere, anytime - a skill I admire because I've always been awkward and shy. He has had a lot of challenges in his life but he works hard and tries to do right by everyone.

My middle one is 18. She is very creative and is a great writer. She has changed a lot in the past three years as she used to be a pink-loving-ballet-dancing-girly girl and now she is totally goth, but, at the core she is a hopeful and quick young lady.

My youngest is 16. He is an amazing artist and is very funny too. He is empathetic and very sensitive. When he was younger I used to joke that he was a junior member of the United Nations because he always tried to mediate arguments and make peace. Right now he is struggling with some anxiety (especially in school) that we are trying to work through, but he is a sweetheart.

I actually got teary-eyed writing this!

[Michael]

Yes, I also enjoy reading these. I hope more will tell us about their kids.

[Angelsj]

I thought of creating this thread because of the "Genius" post where those of you spoke so proudly of your children. Every child is special. Tell us about them.

My son Jonathan, just turned 21, does not curse, has yet to date. We gave him his first drink on his birthday and after sticking his finger in and tasting it, he pushed it away and said, no thanks!

My Daughter is 14, is homeschooled, also does not curse and takes lots of classes to pursue her acting career. She beats me all the time at Canasta. http://canastamaster.com (a family website, I thought I'd share)

Your Jonathon, could be my 23 yo. Super smart, just started dating a girl last year, tried drinking at his brothers' insistence on his 21st and does not drink. He does have three older brothers he plays online games with, so he curses while playing, because he thinks that is part of the game.

[Angelsj]

I have 3 amazing kids but I will only touch on my youngest because I don't have a lot of time to post.

He is 5 and can speak 3 languages. He is not 100% fluent, but he is learning to be. He is a great reader and can build almost anything. He is very technical. I hope that he will continue to learn our languages and perhaps even learn more.

Awesome!! Keep encouraging that. The more they speak other languages, the more those neurons develop. My 17yo LOVES languages and accents. She is pretty amazing at it.

[MsLaura529]

My daughter is 4 ... she is so sweet and caring. She is a terrific dancer - she was in her first ballet recital last year (as a little "Fluffy Duck") and she was one of the leaders of her group of 9 little 3 and 4 year olds She just started preschool, where she is learning sign language and is attempting to teach what she is learning there to the daycare kiddos as well. She also says my 3 favorite Latvian phrases at bedtime each night, just like I used to do with my dad. I'm hoping to be able to get her and I learning some more Latvian words together.

My son, 2.5, is a TALKER. Every day I am amazed by how much he talks. He loves cars, trucks, dinosaurs, baseball (he can actually hit the ball off of the tee that we have pretty well, and if you toss a ball to him, he can hit it with a bat about 75% of the time). After reading a book one or two times, he can "read" it back to me.

[Heidi]

I love seeing how different my kids are and how they each were so individual so quickly in their little lives.

My oldest is almost 6. I know this sounds weird and maybe I am not describing it right but I am a little intimidated by her LOL She is SMART, she never forgets anything (its really creepy) and she is very aware of others and just what you would call an old soul. Very emotional but she does seem to **** in any of the tension around her and vibe off others so she carries a lot on her tiny shoulders. Her verbal and physical skills have always been way ahead and even at 1 or 2, I found myself treating her like a tiny adult. On time I got lost driving to a friends house and as a young 2 year old (maybe older 1 year old?) she piped up from the back with turn by turn directions and she remembered the street name....she had been there only one time before! This kind of stuff happens all the time. She loves learning and she loves art and sewing/fashion. Its hard to keep boundaries with her and remember she is 5, not 15. I can trust her to do a lot of things independently that I wouldnt be able to trust a 10 year old to do.

The next is 4 and quite a character. She just has this bright spark about her, sparkling eyes, beautiful face and creamy skin and this personality that just pops out of any photograph. She is so energetic and not in the least inclined to sit and learn anything in particular but if you give her the chance to do things in her own way, she can really surprise you. She loves movies and pretend play and being outdoors. She is definitely the dare devil of the family. She thrives on attention and excitement and thrilling adventures.

The third is 2 and this girl really surprises me. She is a young 2 and will sit and focus on something to an amazing degree. She is incredibly patient and long suffering and that is basically unheard of for kids her age. She is very good with hands on tasks like stringing beads, coloring, and building and will easily sit and do the same task for 30 minutes to even an hour. Never seen anything like it. I am ashamed to say that sometimes we just plain out forget about her because she is no trouble at all, doesnt ask for anything, plays quietly in her room. She is really good with electronics too. I have never shown her anything and she knows how to use my phone and how to play the big kids Leap Pads. She has a sweet little face, snuggling and kisses and babyness that is impossible not to love. The kind of child that old people like LOL sitting on laps quietly for a whole church service.

The last is almost a year. He is a very simple kid. No point buying him any toys because he wont play with them. He is content with attention and maybe one small "toy" like an empty water bottle. He is very happy and serious by turns but rarely fussy or crying. Physically motivated but not really verbal. Just a very balanced kid, no drama, bright but not motivated to do anything in particular. He sort of "holds his cards close" and observes and carefully weighs out any new people in his life. He might be the one that is more street-smart than anything else. You can feel those wheels turning in his head and he is a fast learner. If something hurts, he wont try it again. If someone says no, he leaves it alone. Very easy to parent.

Your youngest sounds so much like my oldest (now 23). I always said he was an "old soul". While he had a sense of humor (still does) and could occasionally be silly, there was an underlying seriousness about him.

When it came to toys, once he was old enough to choose, it was usually one real, deep interest at a time; wooden train tracks, then legos, K'Nex. Things he could spend hours and hours working on.

[Evansmom]

This is awesome! I loved reading about everyone's kids!

My oldest is hard to talk about. She's a lot like her dad who is an alcoholic and my ex-husband. She doesn't drink right now that I know of. She's almost 20 and had a baby in April. She and her boyfriend live in an apartment close by. She was doing so well in high school! She was Junior Lt. and then Sr. Captain of the band's dance guard and she was in charge of coaching like 80 girls! They went to state. She was learning Mandarin and good at it, went to Taiwan as an exchange student. But her Senior year everything went haywire. Towards the end I guess senioritis steeped in and the whole next year after graduation she didn't do anything. Wouldn't listen to our counsel, gave birth in April. Now she's in a Dental Assistant program that we just pray she finishes. She was such a happy, sweet, caring, smart little girl. So easy to parent and just a joy. I truly don't know what happened. But maybe she will find herself as she matures.

My second is 15. He was my first introduction to SPD. He was the toughest kid to parent I've ever met. 20 meltdowns a day for 6 years. Hours and hours of fighting and crying. I never heard of SPD until he was 8. By then he'd mellowed a bit. I adore him. We nursed until he was 3 years 7 months. He's funny and super smart! He's open minded, loves video gaming (I don't but I respect that he does). He is homeschooled this year because we moved and he didn't want to begin at a new high school so I school during the day and he can still hang with his old friends on the weekends. When he turned 15 he wanted nothing more than to have a job so he found one. He works 18 hours per week and opened his own bank account. He's saving his money and learning about fees and interest. He's really happy right now. Oh and homeschooling is going great! He's so self-directed. I give him assignments and there are no arguments. he does them and we go on. But the one thing that touches my heart about him more than anything is that he's this really, really big guy but every baby and child that comes into contact with him loves him. He is a child magnet. And he is so sweet and kind and gentle with them. He's going to be a great father someday if he ever wants to be.

The baby is 5 now!!! He also has SPD but I know more now and accommodate his quirks better than I did with his brother. He's scary smart as my friend says. Started talking in sentences at 17 months. Understands really complex ideas like sarcasm and infinity. Has a phenomenal vocabulary and has been teaching himself to read by reading Calvin and Hobbes books . He loves Science, rockets, and robots. He has a food allergy and put us on a path to healthier eating because of it. We now eat no packaged food and are all healthier! He's fun and funny but still stuck to my side. We just weaned last year when he was 4 years 2 months and 29 days. It was very sad, and we both mourned a little but it was time to move on. He and I are buds.

And now I have a little 5 month old granddaughter. She's adorable and chubby and I love kissing her chubby cheeks and making her giggle. Oh and buying cute clothes for her!! We have a special bond that happened when she was in the NICU after she was born. She's very much a balm on my heart . Just an adorable little baby to cuddle right now. Oh and she's just getting up on her hands and knees and starting to crawl!

[Familycare71]

This is awesome! I loved reading about everyone's kids!

My oldest is hard to talk about. She's a lot like her dad who is an alcoholic and my ex-husband. She doesn't drink right now that I know of. She's almost 20 and had a baby in April. She and her boyfriend live in an apartment close by. She was doing so well in high school! She was Junior Lt. and then Sr. Captain of the band's dance guard and she was in charge of coaching like 80 girls! They went to state. She was learning Mandarin and good at it, went to Taiwan as an exchange student. But her Senior year everything went haywire. Towards the end I guess senioritis steeped in and the whole next year after graduation she didn't do anything. Wouldn't listen to our counsel, gave birth in April. Now she's in a Dental Assistant program that we just pray she finishes. She was such a happy, sweet, caring, smart little girl. So easy to parent and just a joy. I truly don't know what happened. But maybe she will find herself as she matures.

My second is 15. He was my first introduction to SPD. He was the toughest kid to parent I've ever met. 20 meltdowns a day for 6 years. Hours and hours of fighting and crying. I never heard of SPD until he was 8. By then he'd mellowed a bit. I adore him. We nursed until he was 3 years 7 months. He's funny and super smart! He's open minded, loves video gaming (I don't but I respect that he does). He is homeschooled this year because we moved and he didn't want to begin at a new high school so I school during the day and he can still hang with his old friends on the weekends. When he turned 15 he wanted nothing more than to have a job so he found one. He works 18 hours per week and opened his own bank account. He's saving his money and learning about fees and interest. He's really happy right now. Oh and homeschooling is going great! He's so self-directed. I give him assignments and there are no arguments. he does them and we go on. But the one thing that touches my heart about him more than anything is that he's this really, really big guy but every baby and child that comes into contact with him loves him. He is a child magnet. And he is so sweet and kind and gentle with them. He's going to be a great father someday if he ever wants to be.

The baby is 5 now!!! He also has SPD but I know more now and accommodate his quirks better than I did with his brother. He's scary smart as my friend says. Started talking in sentences at 17 months. Understands really complex ideas like sarcasm and infinity. Has a phenomenal vocabulary and has been teaching himself to read by reading Calvin and Hobbes books . He loves Science, rockets, and robots. He has a food allergy and put us on a path to healthier eating because of it. We now eat no packaged food and are all healthier! He's fun and funny but still stuck to my side. We just weaned last year when he was 4 years 2 months and 29 days. It was very sad, and we both mourned a little but it was time to move on. He and I are buds.

And now I have a little 5 month old granddaughter. She's adorable and chubby and I love kissing her chubby cheeks and making her giggle. Oh and buying cute clothes for her!! We have a special bond that happened when she was in the NICU after she was born. She's very much a balm on my heart . Just an adorable little baby to cuddle right now. Oh and she's just getting up on her hands and knees and starting to crawl!

I totally feel for you with your oldest. That is where I am with my oldest son. He is diagnosed bi-polar and has so many characteristics of his bio- dad who has passed. He is an amazing young man BUT I worry so much for him! There are many things he just doesn't "get". Pretty soon he will be 18 and I worry about that- we have supported and helped him every way I know how and I just Pray he will "get it" soon- I have a feeling he will have some hard lessons and I Pray he learns from them. It is hard as a Mom :hug:

[Evansmom]

I totally feel for you with your oldest. That is where I am with my oldest son. He is diagnosed bi-polar and has so many characteristics of his bio- dad who has passed. He is an amazing young man BUT I worry so much for him! There are many things he just doesn't "get". Pretty soon he will be 18 and I worry about that- we have supported and helped him every way I know how and I just Pray he will "get it" soon- I have a feeling he will have some hard lessons and I Pray he learns from them. It is hard as a Mom :hug:

It is hard! Seems to get harder as they get older too! :hug:
I guess as a young mom I thought it would get easier as they got older.

I hope your son figures "it" out too. I've had to watch my DD go through a lot and I'm sure I'll have to watch more, and watch my granddaughter get taken along with her until my DD gets more mature.

Man I didn't expect to feel so attached to my granddaughter! That was so surprising. I love that baby something fierce! Like I love my own.

[Familycare71]

It is hard! Seems to get harder as they get older too! :hug:
I guess as a young mom I thought it would get easier as they got older.

I hope your son figures "it" out too. I've had to watch my DD go through a lot and I'm sure I'll have to watch more, and watch my granddaughter get taken along with her until my DD gets more mature.

Man I didn't expect to feel so attached to my granddaughter! That was so surprising. I love that baby something fierce! Like I love my own.

I'm sure you do!!! lovethis.
Yes- hopefully they both have that "click" moment!
I feel like the older they get the bigger the consequences! Which just makes it scary!!

[Kelly]

My first son is 23. I adopted him at 6 days. He has a lot of challenges including Down Syndrome, Type 1 diabetes and OCD but the thing he loves most is making people laugh. He collects movies and music and likes cooking (and eating!) and dancing. He still lives at home and is is in a developmental training program during the day and participates in social and recreational activities through our local park district.

My second son is also 23, exactly 1 month older than my first. I adopted him at 3.5 yrs. He has Down Syndrome too and is on the autism spectrum. He is non-verbal and very low functioning but is the happiest guy you could ever meet. He loves music, Mickey Mouse, running around outside and going anywhere in the car. He is on a waiting list for state funding for the training program (Illinois is terrible when it comes to providing services for people with disabilities!)

My daughter is 17. I adopted her at 2 yrs. She has ADD and probably also on the spectrum though we've never gotten an exact diagnosis. She has come SO far---from tantrums that lasted for hours with screaming and head-banging and biting herself to a cheerful, social, funny young lady. She is in a "Life Skills" special education program in high school, job training (supervised through the school) at McDonalds, has lots of friends, competes in Special Olympics (volleyball, bowling, track & field and snowshoeing) and is addicted to Facebook and Youtube.

[Familycare71]

My first son is 23. I adopted him at 6 days. He has a lot of challenges including Down Syndrome, Type 1 diabetes and OCD but the thing he loves most is making people laugh. He collects movies and music and likes cooking (and eating!) and dancing. He still lives at home and is is in a developmental training program during the day and participates in social and recreational activities through our local park district.

My second son is also 23, exactly 1 month older than my first. I adopted him at 3.5 yrs. He has Down Syndrome too and is on the autism spectrum. He is non-verbal and very low functioning but is the happiest guy you could ever meet. He loves music, Mickey Mouse, running around outside and going anywhere in the car. He is on a waiting list for state funding for the training program (Illinois is terrible when it comes to providing services for people with disabilities!)

My daughter is 17. I adopted her at 2 yrs. She has ADD and probably also on the spectrum though we've never gotten an exact diagnosis. She has come SO far---from tantrums that lasted for hours with screaming and head-banging and biting herself to a cheerful, social, funny young lady. She is in a "Life Skills" special education program in high school, job training (supervised through the school) at McDonalds, has lots of friends, competes in Special Olympics (volleyball, bowling, track & field and snowshoeing) and is addicted to Facebook and Youtube.

I am so grateful for people like you!!! lovethis :hug:
Your family sounds amazing and BLESSED!!