Posted by Sasha | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
So apparently the people over at MSN Families are starting to write about what I've said before - that babies and toddlers are capable of making friends, despite all the "experts" out there that say they aren't capable of it.
We've had even more evidence of Alex having his group of buddies that he thinks of in terms of friends - within his group of Kempville kids, he'll play with them and share toys - well, as much as any 16 month old with share.. but with anyone outside his group of friends, he "nests" his toys and then sits on them to protect them.. I always had thought that by socializing him well (he has played with this group of kids 2-3 times a week for more than a year) that that would socialize him to all kids, but apparently it doesn't work that way. Ah well, he is big enough to wrestle his toys from his cousins on his own now!
One of the things that I have to disagree with the article about though is their contention that it still isn't a "real" interaction - that there is now the believe that while there can be a bond between toddlers that they still do not believe that they play interactively. However, within this group of toddlers, I have seen two little boys (16 and 14 months) literally gang up, pin down, and collectively take a toy from a third toddler (15 months). If that is not working together I don't know what is! And this same trio has been seen numerous times working out a problem together - like how to get at a toy that is up to high for them to grab (in that case the strong one dragged a baby chair over, the second held the chair, while the third scrambled up to get the toy - I kid you not. The OEYC co-ordinator keeps shaking her head at the three of them). And Alex will play Marco / Polo with *anyone* willing to play - now how is that not interactive I ask again?
I think the basic question is not if toddlers are capable of playing, but why it is that so many people treat children (babies and toddlers included) like they are somehow less human? Just because they are younger they aren't somehow less of a whole person - just because they do things in a different way does not mean they are not capable of the same emotional responses the rest of us are and deserve the same respect that any adult would receive. Care for them yes. Provide guidance and boundaries, yes. But at the same time, let them know why they are necessary, and don't trivialize the fact that they are going to think that the boundaries suck, any more than an adult in the same situation would.
Posted by Sasha in Ponderances | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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I am about to insert a gushy, silly, parent type beam below, so you will have to excuse this pause in my normally scheduled blog:
Oh what an exciting moment! We had our first *real* word today! I am such a geek - it was so cool!
I do not consider yes, no, mummy, daddy, or ama (grandma) real words. Every kid says them, and they all usually do so in the same kind of order. And so, it was no big thing when he started saying da-da to the DH almost a year ago.
But today was definitely a big moment. We were giving him his bath, and he pointed to his bath toy which had floated away, and said "duh-key". I was stunned. I called in the DH to make sure that I heard right (I think I might have posted once or twice about the recent lack of sleep), and after we asked him what his toy was, once again he said "ducky", and much more clearly too..
(grin) My boy is such a genius..
Posted by Sasha in The little darlin' | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
I have to say I am so lucky to have the DH that I have... now, don't get me wrong, he has his normal husband-like short comings, but he is a great dad. We have a game that we call "tag", which I thought was pretty normal for parents, but as I talk to the other mom's I am finding out it is rare...
Tag goes something like this:
"Honey, I feel like crap today"
"So do I dear"
"Okay, you take shift one, and then we'll swap". And being the great guy that he is, I always get the second shift. Which means he'll take the little darlin, sometimes out, sometimes in, but always out of earshot so that I can catch up on sleep/read/work/do chores/some or all of the above, and then when I am done, we swap so that he can do the same.
Now I thought this game was pretty universal, but apparently it only comes in the "play at home" version, and is pretty local to just my area. Silly me for thinking that it was suitable for family play, but apparently the primary players are mom's and grandmom's, not spouses. Boy do some of those dad's get it easy. In my world, parenting is a two person activity, in every sense of the world, and thank god my DH feels the same way...
Posted by Sasha in The little darlin' | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
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