I grew up as the oldest of 6 kids. I had experience babysitting, helping out around the home, nannying, and many other experiences with kids. I was good with kids. But I didn't start thinking about my theories behind parenting until I read a book by Glen Doman called, "Teach Your Baby to Swim". I have now taken a Child Development class which frowned on Doman's ways, saying there isn't a lot of proof but I still like many things from his books and encourage people to read them if they are interested.
The first thing I got out of his book was that step one is to help your child enjoy the water. Even if you're not teaching your baby to swim- teach them to enjoy whatever it is. Part of this comes from you- you have to be interested in what you are doing. My Child Development classes stress the fact that children learn best when it is something they're interested in- but interest can be sparked by others or even contagious. They can tell if you are enjoying something and happiness is contagious. Second part to enjoying something is helping them feel comfortable. It suggests using bath time as a bonding time between you and baby. Snuggle them in the water. Help them feel comfortable. Whatever you do- make it about you and the baby. Make reading time special by interacting with your child. Hug them. Tickle them. Make silly faces. Do things that they enjoy that also make them feel safe. If your child doesn't like something, ease them into it. If they don't like bath time, hold them and get in with them. Dip just their feet. Help them realize that water (or any other activity) is not something to be feared.
Second- use reflexes, milestones and natural development to help you teach. The "Teach Your Baby to Swim" book talks about a reflex that children have to grasp when something touches their palm. The book talks about using this reflex to your advantage. Have them grasp onto things, that gradually get bigger and turn into holding onto the side of the tub, or side of the pool. It also mentioned how you feel lighter in water. We used bath time to strengthen our first son's legs. We would have him kick against my hands or the side of the tub. He could sit easier in the tub before he could sit on his own out of water. He could stand (assisted) in water before he could out of the water. George wanted to be moving like everyone else from day 1, and I attribute his early walking to both his personality and the help he had during bath times to strengthen those muscles. (For those of you who want to know, he was walking with assistance by 7 months. I remember wanting to take his 7 month old picture with me holding his hands because it was typical of what he wanted to do- walk around with help- from me or furniture- all day long.) Anyways, use natural reflexes and signs of your child's development to help them learn different things.
Third- I believe in exposure and exploration. I feel in order for them to like something, they have to first, know it exists, second, have access to it and third, be able to explore. We went to the zoo very early on with George. He did not notice much beyond the railings for the various cages, but he loved the crows that came to our picnic table at lunch. But he was exposed to it. With potty training. At almost 18 months I hadn't started potty training with George. He may have been capable in some ways, but he was not in others, and some of that had to do with interests. Follow your child. What I had done was buy him his own potty book and his own potty. Why? Because he liked coming into the bathroom with me and he liked having his own chair. So I bought him a place to sit (that I knew we'd eventually use) of his own. And sometimes I'd read, so I got him his own bathroom book to read when he came in with me. Now, he didn't always use these things the right way. He also liked using his chair to climb, and would take out the bowl part and use it as a hat (that would've had to stop after being used) and would try and climb into the hole. But he was at least getting exposure and exploring. When he showed interest in pulling off his own pants, I probably would've started teaching other things. Anyways, expose them to things- even if you feel they might be too young for something. It will encourage them to explore and learn some things on their own and might lead to them wanting to learn more.
The first thing I got out of his book was that step one is to help your child enjoy the water. Even if you're not teaching your baby to swim- teach them to enjoy whatever it is. Part of this comes from you- you have to be interested in what you are doing. My Child Development classes stress the fact that children learn best when it is something they're interested in- but interest can be sparked by others or even contagious. They can tell if you are enjoying something and happiness is contagious. Second part to enjoying something is helping them feel comfortable. It suggests using bath time as a bonding time between you and baby. Snuggle them in the water. Help them feel comfortable. Whatever you do- make it about you and the baby. Make reading time special by interacting with your child. Hug them. Tickle them. Make silly faces. Do things that they enjoy that also make them feel safe. If your child doesn't like something, ease them into it. If they don't like bath time, hold them and get in with them. Dip just their feet. Help them realize that water (or any other activity) is not something to be feared.
Second- use reflexes, milestones and natural development to help you teach. The "Teach Your Baby to Swim" book talks about a reflex that children have to grasp when something touches their palm. The book talks about using this reflex to your advantage. Have them grasp onto things, that gradually get bigger and turn into holding onto the side of the tub, or side of the pool. It also mentioned how you feel lighter in water. We used bath time to strengthen our first son's legs. We would have him kick against my hands or the side of the tub. He could sit easier in the tub before he could sit on his own out of water. He could stand (assisted) in water before he could out of the water. George wanted to be moving like everyone else from day 1, and I attribute his early walking to both his personality and the help he had during bath times to strengthen those muscles. (For those of you who want to know, he was walking with assistance by 7 months. I remember wanting to take his 7 month old picture with me holding his hands because it was typical of what he wanted to do- walk around with help- from me or furniture- all day long.) Anyways, use natural reflexes and signs of your child's development to help them learn different things.
Third- I believe in exposure and exploration. I feel in order for them to like something, they have to first, know it exists, second, have access to it and third, be able to explore. We went to the zoo very early on with George. He did not notice much beyond the railings for the various cages, but he loved the crows that came to our picnic table at lunch. But he was exposed to it. With potty training. At almost 18 months I hadn't started potty training with George. He may have been capable in some ways, but he was not in others, and some of that had to do with interests. Follow your child. What I had done was buy him his own potty book and his own potty. Why? Because he liked coming into the bathroom with me and he liked having his own chair. So I bought him a place to sit (that I knew we'd eventually use) of his own. And sometimes I'd read, so I got him his own bathroom book to read when he came in with me. Now, he didn't always use these things the right way. He also liked using his chair to climb, and would take out the bowl part and use it as a hat (that would've had to stop after being used) and would try and climb into the hole. But he was at least getting exposure and exploring. When he showed interest in pulling off his own pants, I probably would've started teaching other things. Anyways, expose them to things- even if you feel they might be too young for something. It will encourage them to explore and learn some things on their own and might lead to them wanting to learn more.
Comments
Post a Comment