Misunderestimation
I hear all the time about parents who push their kids too hard or expect them to be too grown up too fast. I think I have the opposite problem. I still have it in my head that Briony is a baby, and I catch myself being way too careful ALL the time. Case in point? My nineteen month old ate raisins for the first time this month. I know that I am ridiculous. I honestly can't help it sometimes. I'm that mom who sees a hundred different ways that she could maim or kill herself around every corner. And it's turning into a crisis situation in my already possibly crazy head.Here's my stupid first time mommy confession: I'm constantly being surprised when she encounters something new and knows exactly what to do with it - things I probably should have known that she was ready for. This month, I watched her play endlessly with a play kitchen set at Geoff's parents' place and I sat there feeling like an IDIOT because I'd never even considered that a kitchen set would be an appropriate toy for a one year old. Then she was playing dress-up with different hats and giggling hysterically as she toddled around and acted goofy. Again, I had NO idea that a one year old could play dress-up. In Whistler, Vicky pulled out some playdoh for Ava and it blew my mind that a one year old could play with playdoh. BLEW. MY. MIND. Seriously. Does everyone else have a book that I don't?!
So I'm growing increasingly concerned that I am stunting my child's development by failing to make completely age-appropriate activities available to her. This post is part vent part cry for help. For the mommies out there... What did your kids love to do when they were one?
Labels: Briony, Mommy Stuff
posted by Lindsay @ 8:20 PM
6 Comments:
No worry...as long as she is playing happily, let her play with whatever (that's safe, that is). It's all a game of discovery for her and her interests will ebb and flow.
hmmm, baby dolls, purses (and everything in them!), pushing things around in laundry baskets, emptying the dishwasher, putting cutlery away, painting (ugh, this we left for family center, too messy!)
Harper loves her Little Flyer Tricycle. She could spend hours outside riding it, but the fun must end and she fights to go inside. ;(
Not a mom here, as you very well know - but I do remember some things from when I was a kid:
- I played with toys outside of my age range. Lego wasn't until I was older, but I remember playing with the jumbo, baby-friendly sized ones very early on. I wasn't making anything in particular, but was learning how to put them together into shapes, etc.
- Definitely dress-up stuff, as you mentioned.
- LOTS of Play-Dough and colouring stuff (which you're doing).
And as I got older, I started reading books outside my suggested age range as well. I remember in particular, I wanted to start reading the Sweet Valley books (OF COURSE) in grade 2-3, and was told by the librarian that I had to be in Grade 6 to sign them out. That's when mom had to send a permission note in.
Anyway, the gist of all this is that my parents always gave me stuff a little bit out of my age range, even when it came time for company Christmas Parties, they'd always put my age as a couple years older, to get more "age appropriate" gifts for me.
Don't be afraid to do that with B. She's a smart little munchkin!
Every time that Vicky brings out the playdoh for Ava, I am extremely grateful that we live right across the street from a hospital! I worry that the playdoh snakes that Ava makes will come alive and bite her. What can I do to fix a snake bite? Yikes, that’s scary stuff! If it was just the worms I wouldn’t worry as much, but those playdoh snake bites can be fatal.
lol, I like the last comment.
I hear you Lindsay, I'm the same way with Joslyn. I'm definitely a paranoid first-timer who tries desperately not to be, a paranoid first-timer. :-) It just happens because we love them so much.
Great suggestions in the comments!
Post a Comment
<< Home