Category Archives: development

Top 10 Things To Consider When Choosing Toys For Your Baby

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Ah, gift giving season is upon us.  Every company wants your baby to be entertained, ahead of the curve, stimulated, educated….the number one question should be is Do I need this?  Remember, simple is best. Here are a few more questions to think about thought…

1. Is it Made of Safe Materials? Free from BPA, phthalates, and PVC? For the safest toys, check out HealthyStuff.org/Toys

2. Is the toy age appropriate?

3. Will the baby actively engage with the toy or sit passively and watch the toy do something?

4. Does the toy encourage creativity and imagination?

5. Can the toy be used in many ways?

6. Will the toy interest your baby for more than just a few weeks?

7. Some of the best toys are the simplest- wooden spoons, pots and pans, measuring cups, and the boxes special toys arrive in!

8. Search for items of different weights, materials, textures, flexibility, sizes, shapes, colors, and smells. Your baby thrives on variety!

9. Is the toy durable and is it easy to clean?

10. Is the toy simple? Avoid complicated toys that may frustrate your baby. Remember, It isn’t what a toy does, it is what your baby can do with the toy that matters!

~~This is re-posted from the Day One Center~~

Baby Bill Of Rights

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Going through my stack of developmental papers I’ve collected over the past 25 years.  I came across this Baby Bill of Rights put out by the March of Dimes.  These words ring true for our babies, regardless of their age.

BABY BILL OF RIGHTS

Talk to me:

Sing, hum, babble, or even read the funnies to me!  I don’t know exactly what you are saying, but I need to hear you.  And I do know exactly what you mean, even if I may not know words. Like your voice tones mean, “I love you.” OR when yo yell.  I hear.  “You’re a pest!” Unless you communicate with me, how can I learn?  I learn from you.

Hold me:

Everything is so big and new to me.  I don’t understand where I am. Or who I am. And I get scared. But when you hold me, I feel better.  Your warmth warms me. Your breath and heartbeat make me feel I belong. Belong here. Belong to you.

Answer my cry:

I don’t cry to get you upset.  Or to get you mad. I cry because I can’t tell you how I feel any other way.  Maybe I’m cold…or wet..or hungry..or scared and lonely. Answer my cries.  You’ll soon know what each one means.  You won’t spoil me. You’ll help me to be a better baby..and to make you happier too.

Love me:

Like me. Love me just as I am. Don’t expect me to do what I can’t do. Like being toilet-trained. My muscles aren’t ready yet. I know I’m messy. But I’m growing. Overlook my baby weaknesses. You’re the most important person in my world. I can’t make it without you. So get to know me. Have fun with me. And love me…just as I am.

 

Robert Coles

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Robert Coles is a professor of psychiatry and medical humanities and the author of numerous books, including his series Children of Crisis, for which he won a Pulitzer Prize.

I first read Robert Coles when I was a child development specialist in a home visitation HIV/drug treatment program in the inner city. Coming from a stable home in suburbia, I needed to understand more about families, specifically children, in crisis because I was caught in the middle of a war zone.  What I learned from his teachings were about children’s struggles and survival in our society all of which is relevant to child development today.

One day, I drove 4 hours to go to a conference where he was speaking.  And if there is one person that I am glad I have met in my life, its him.

Now, you can listen to his stories as well. This is a video from a talk he gave at Harvard, called “Children Consider Human Conflict.”

http://vimeo.com/2713153

Dr. Coles body of work is extensive.  Here are some of his books that I recommend.

The Call of Stories.

The Spirituality of Children.

The Moral Intelligence of Children.

The Story of Ruby Bridges.  (Children’s book he wrote, based on his work with Ruby Bridges)

Does your child W-sit?

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W-sitting refers to sitting on your bottom with legs out to the sides, like the shape of the letter ‘W’.  This position, although it offers more stability, puts pressure on growing joints and muscles.

You may find that your child uses w-sitting occasionally when transitioning from crawling to sitting, but don’t let it become a habit. Offer a variety of options such as, “Lets move your legs in a V shape.”  “Criss-cross, applesauce.” “Can you side sit like this?”  “See how Mommy has her legs straight out in front of her?”  All of these are more beneficial positions that engage and strengthen the core muscles.

Here are more articles to read up on the subject.

http://www.physioquestions.com/2011/01/13/w-sitting-in-children-is-it-ok-or-not/

http://www.pediatricservices.com/parents/pc-22.htm

http://nspt4kids.com/parenting/w-sitting-and-your-childs-growth/

 

Top Toys Of All Time

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In my class I talk about and show you how to use things from around the house to play with instead of feeling like you have to buy loads of baby gadgets.  Although the stores are brimming with choices, so are the rooms in your house and the paths in the local parks.

I had to laugh when I stumbled upon this article from GeekDad on the Wired website.  It speaks to exactly this….enjoy, laugh, and make each birthday and holiday a joyful one with just the basics.

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/01/the-5-best-toys-of-all-time/