calling all dads

[Dakota1820]

Originally Posted By: Michael_P
Instead of buying toy plastic tools, buy him a HF set for the same price. I bought my kids HF sets (sockets, wrenches and screwdrivers) with box for under $30 before they turned 5. Sure he could get hurt even with supervision but my kids were changing bike tires at 6 years old. They do way more now that they are 10 and 14. There are no pliers or adjustable wrenches in their boxes. I didn't want them to develop bad habits.



I really like this!

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: hardcore302
One of those Home Depot work benches. Or one of those mid sized trucks you can take apart. Screws and nuts and all. My son loved those.


Sounds great.

 

[OVERKILL]

I 2nd the tool recommendation (minus the HF part). I got my middle child (extremely bright boy, very eager to please and do "grownup" tasks) a socket set when he was 2. He still has all the sockets and he's now 6.

 

[EricF]

Your son sounds like my son.. pretty much exact!

I got my little guy a Little Tykes workbench and some home depot tools for kids.. when I hang a picture, he's there with HIS plastic hammer and insists I use his hammer, and i lift him to the wall and he hammers it in too. if I'm working on something, he'll see what I'm using and bring me the plastic version.

he can identify basic hand tools now. saws, circular saw, screwdriver, hammer, chisel, wrench, goggles, hard hat vice, sander, etc...

 

[Shannow]

At similar point in life, I bought my daughter an aquarium that we took care of together.

Small proper tools were all my son wanted at 2-3, dollar store hammers, some nails (safety glasses)...etc.

 

[crinkles]

My son loved some working tools, and a tonka truck. It's universal.

THe best gift you can give him is to be a good dad and although I am sure I can be better, from what you write you are a good dad.

 

[crinkles]

Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
Don't get him anything. Toy compensation just leads to a pattern of expectation.

Instead, teach him how great it is to be the big brother...teach him how helpless the new baby is and how much he can give to her, bringing her bottles, diapers, toys etc and most of all let him hold her a lot. Also reconfirm with him over and over how he was once little and how you did all of the things for him that he will do for the new baby. Also confirm with him his place in your heart and tell him repeatedly how even though the new baby is small and they we have to do more for them because they can't do it themselves, that you love all of them equally. Kids naturally have great inborn love if you show them how to express it. They also love to help. This concept has worked great for all of our kids and it teaches each one to know their value and what they can contribute.


Amen. Now if I could only have the family stop giving mine millions of toys clogging up the house.

 

[Turk]

Originally Posted By: crinkles
Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
Don't get him anything. Toy compensation just leads to a pattern of expectation.

Instead, teach him how great it is to be the big brother...teach him how helpless the new baby is and how much he can give to her, bringing her bottles, diapers, toys etc and most of all let him hold her a lot. Also reconfirm with him over and over how he was once little and how you did all of the things for him that he will do for the new baby. Also confirm with him his place in your heart and tell him repeatedly how even though the new baby is small and they we have to do more for them because they can't do it themselves, that you love all of them equally. Kids naturally have great inborn love if you show them how to express it. They also love to help. This concept has worked great for all of our kids and it teaches each one to know their value and what they can contribute.


Amen. Now if I could only have the family stop giving mine millions of toys clogging up the house.


Right!!!

 

[rjundi]

Tools can be dangerous for the smaller child if the two year old leaves them hanging around the house for the sibling to go chew on. As smart as a 2-4 year old is they do not pick up toys all the time.

HF tools may contain lead or other deadly stuff as they built for a price.

Get your child a present when she is born and introduced. He or she will get real jealous as the baby is typically showered with presents around birth time. Does not have to be something big.

The key thing is make the present from their new sibling to them.

 

[jigen]

iPad mini or iPod touch. It might seem crazy to get that for a 2 year old, but my 3 year old girl probably likes this more than any toy she has. She has her own little apps, games... Can work the camera and take pics. Lots of educational apps available for kids too. So many...

I noticed huge developmental leaps with my kid afte she started using it. Just my opinion.

 

[javacontour]

I echo the concerns about getting gifts to head off jealousy. My grandmother had a great way of dealing with this, ask the boy to show off his new little sister.

That way, instead of it all being about her, some can be about him and the new addition to his family. That way he's not left out of the big event.

Instead of making it about an opportunity for him to get a thing, make it an opportunity for him to be part of the celebration of a new life in his family.

 

[The_Jeff]

Got two boys, 3 and 5.


The jealousy and fighting will probably start when your daughter is walking and talking and stealing toys, eg not yet and not soon. Then when they're 3 and 5 expect the 5 year old to want to do the exact opposite of the 3 year old, always, so you have to decide. He'll take that decision as a sign of who you love most. But like I said that's a few years out.

Grandma got the 3 y/o a HF tool kit, including this hole-saw thing that's basically a handle that attaches to a reciprocating saw blade. I have a welding vise grips that I use to clamp a chunk of kindling to the firewood box. He puts his safety glasses on and goes to town cutting it up! I can't believe it.

One thing you can do though is get your son's sleeping arrangements set now. If he's in a crib in your room move him out. If you need the crib consider a toddler bed now (takes the ~60 inch waterproof mattress). Get him settled in and sleeping before baby comes.

 

[kb01]

Originally Posted By: jigen
iPad mini or iPod touch. It might seem crazy to get that for a 2 year old, but my 3 year old girl probably likes this more than any toy she has. She has her own little apps, games... Can work the camera and take pics. Lots of educational apps available for kids too. So many...

I noticed huge developmental leaps with my kid afte she started using it. Just my opinion.

Yeah, same here -- We gave our daughter our old Kindle Fire and she went through the exact same progression. Like anything, it needs time limits, and supervision. It also helps that she is incredibly careful with it.

In terms of the OP, one of my oldest daughter's favorite toys is a workbench I built. It has a series of holes drilled in it, and various tools (homemade wooden hammer, screw driver, and wrench), as well as screws and bolts that I built out of dowel rods.

She also has a basic set of real tools that she can use when "helping" me around the house.

We have two kids and one of the things that really helped when the youngest was born was making the leap from "little kid" to "big kid" with our oldest. Being included in more adult activities, which really push the idea that she isn't a little kid, really helped cut down on the jealousy issues.

 

[OVERKILL]

Good point about the iPod guys!

Yes, we got my youngest (she's 4) a Blackberry Playbook when she turned 3. I was amazed at how quickly she took to it

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: Dakota1820
So my son has pretty well mastered the potty and has a great vocab for being two. He cleans up messes and feeds the cat every morning. He is a great kid. He even hands me tools when working on a car. He is great but he is better than any 2yr old I have ever seen. I expect a lot out of him because I know how smart he is. His sister will be born in a couple months and I am a little worried that he may be jealous. He is very modest he has a bicycle amd a ride on car but thats about it for big toys. He has small toys as well and is totally content with what he has but I want to get him something really cool. Problem is what to get him ......any one see any awesome toys? I just need some ideas. Thanks guys.

Trio blocks (kind of like lego but you can go all directions)
lego
big blocks

lots of books (imagine him reading to sister.....)

big cardbord box: make a castle for him to show to sister.

once a month have a make a toy from something contest (you may be amazed what a kid needs to be entertained, source: half garage of kid stuff )

smiley daddy and smiley mommy