So far, we aren’t very toy-centered parents. For one thing, Lucy is still a bit young to be very interested in toys. Sure, we plop her on the playmat for laughs occasionally, but she really only enjoys it for a few minutes. She’d much rather fold laundry with me (seriously). But I sometimes wonder: are we doing enough to stimulate Lucy’s development?
p{color:gray}. Photo: Lucy seems to love lying amidst the clean laundry while I fold it.
When we asked our pediatrician this question, he responded, “Have you started reading Plato to her yet?” (I’m so glad to have found a pediatrician who is both reassuring and sarcastic.)
Even more recently, I found a helpful statement while reading “_You Are Your Child’s First Teacher_”:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0890879672/octothorppres-20/:
[A] baby needs the holding, rocking, talking, concern, and love of its mother or other primary caregiver in order to develop normally. More[-]sensible child-development experts remind parents that infant stimulation is not something you need to do separately from caregiving.
Normal caregiving? Talking to Lucy? Holding her? Loving her? I do all that anyway! It makes sense of why Lucy likes doing laundry with me: I talk to her about each of the clothes I’m folding and let her touch the different fabrics. I love reading a book and learning that I’m accidentally doing something that sensible experts recommend. :)
I used to worry about that when Benjamin was little too! Then I started thinking that I probably shouldn’t worry so much – if I had had twins or if he wasn’t my first baby, there’s no way I would have had time to constantly interact with him! And since twins and non-first borns turn out perfectly fine, I figured he must not need the constant interaction.
One thing I did start doing with him from a rather young age (probably around 8 or 12 weeks) was letting him “play” by himself for 10-15 minutes at a time. I would put him somewhere safe (bouncy seat, playmat, swing, etc.) and either leave the room completely or sit where he couldn’t see me and just let him be. I wanted him to get used to the fact that I couldn’t always be there attending to him, so I would do this several times throughout the day. Now he’s 13 months old and quite good at entertaining himself. Plus, he has had no real separation anxiety issues (it only bothers him if he is sick, which is totally understandable) and is very independent. I’m sure part of that is his inherent personality, but I also believe that it’s because I tried to foster that independence early on.
for what it’s worth, none of my kids were even remotely interested in toys until they could hold them and manipulate them… about 4-5 months, if I remember right. Before that all they wanted was looking at faces and being held and being carried around. And my two eldest have both graduated from K’garten (and one from first grade as well) with high marks, if THAT counts for anything…. ;o) I remember panicking with my eldest, thinking that surely he ought to want to LOOK at his toys if I did the holding…? He never did, and neither did the other three, at least as infants.
I love that you are talking to Lucy about laundry!!! You really dont need alot of toys …..and my boys have all thought of things that you can do with a particular that is not the intended use….NO they dont make everyithing into a gun!
just talking is great. Andy and I sang hymns to Alex and Joseph every night. They even got to the point that when they heard Amazing Grace they wnated to nurse….no kidding.
It is kind of fun to know a few “classic” nursery ryhmes…especially ones that bounce your child, or play with thier fingers or toes.
When it comet to toys for kids I truly feel less is more!!
Have fun!!
We only use a few toys, like the blocks I gave you, that are different in color and texture. Just this past week we got Maddy a “little people” set and she is loving it…but that is becuase she can finally pick things up, eat them and throw them. In fact yesterday I could read words in her poop…she ate a tag and it came out the other end with Words!!
I am reading a book and I thought of you it is called “super baby food” I think the author’s name is Yaron or Yarron. It has great info and ideas for when Lucy starts eating “real” food. Not that that is soon (we waited 6 months).
I also used the “super baby food” book – recommended to me by Keri M. and very helpful! We didn’t actually make our own food (Benjamin actually never liked anything pureed and preferred to go straight to things he could pick up and feed himself), but it was a great reference for what foods they can have at what age.
Valerie C. gave me a copy of Super Baby Food and I’ve been reading it. I’m really excited about feeding Lucy solids, but hoping that she’ll wait until 6 months. It sounds like a fun thing to watch your baby do, but I know breastmilk is more nutritious than basically anything else. I’ll probably try to whip up some Super Porridge and stuff, and we’ll see how long that sticks. :) The author’s writing style cracks me up — her book reads like a long email rather than a reference book.
Mo can’t wait for solids. I keep telling him one more month before it’s ok as he watches every bite that goes into my mouth. I did give him a taste of water off of my oatmeal, and then water off of my grits. He was so disappointed that he can’t be a big boy yet. My daughter was the same way. Obviously my babies aren’t up to date on doctors recommendations for feeding solids.
His favorite toys happen to be blankies. He has a teething blankie, which he just holds and lifts to his face, another blankie has a puppy dog head at the top so its part animal, part blanket. But I’ve discovered that him most favorite toy of all is the dishrag I use to wipe up all the spit up off of him. He gets a hold of it and won’t let go.
I always feel odd when people first come to our house because I can see them thinking, “A baby lives here? Where are all the toys?” We have toys, we just don’t have many… and we don’t leave them all over the place. Gabe is 20 months old and suffers not a bit for lack of stimulation due to lack of toys… but I do need to start putting a tiny bit more structure into our days… mostly to get me ready for homeschooling!
Benjamin’s favorite toys are the things I use to clean with. My broom, swiffer, feather duster, etc. he thinks are great. I actually bought him his own cheap little broom and feather duster (just because I thought mine were a bit dirty for a baby) and he likes to “clean” with them.
You all have been so helpful in reminding me of an important truth: to a baby, the whole world is a toy! Barf rags, brooms, one’s own hands — that’s what I want for Christmas! :)