As baby's birth day gets nearer and nearer, I am increasingly mindful of a small problem that made me extremely apprehensive about becoming a parent in the first place. Have I mentioned that I have never been a "natural" when it comes to kids? Interacting with kids has always been uncomfortable for me. As an only child with very little extended family, I never had much exposure to adults interacting with small children. Except for what I remember of certain things my own parents did, I am clueless.
This is going to sound really pathetic, but does anyone have any good resources they can recommend for interacting with babies and toddlers? (Extra points for ones that aren't going to make me feel like a complete idiot.) I'm thinking of subjects along the line of songs, finger plays, etc? Also, any materials that deal with proper training and discipline? That will not be necessary for the very young infant stage, but I always liked to read ahead and be prepared. Does anyone know if there has been any such publication from a solid Lutheran perspective? I've noticed that there are numerous parenting books from a supposedly "Christian" perspective, but I also know that there are bound to be more land mines amongst them than not.
Any suggestions would be appreciated!!
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5 comments:
I'm not a kid person either. It's doable.
I'm probably a bad mom for it, but I really don't go out of my way to do age-appropriate activities when they're really little. I just talk to them about what's going on: we're getting in the car, I'm putting on your socks, you're too little to share my banana and I'm glad because I don't want to share, etc. I know rhyming is good for linguistic development, but I refuse to believe it has to be stupid. Sing your favorite hymns and you'll both be happy ("One Thing's Needful" is great for colic--the change in meter throws them off).
I don't really have a book recommendation. I dutifully read some Dobson a while back, but after a while you get a feel for what does and doesn't work for your kid. I have no idea if there's a Lutheran parenting book out there.
I'm more of a dog person than anything (apologies to Basil, Rebekah). :) Though as Gauntlets noted over at our place, there's a certain amount of crossover in dog training/child rearing. So maybe just cruise the dog training aisle at your local library...:P
It always amazes me when people seem to pull all these cute little rhymes and fingerplays out of nowhere. I'm so out of that loop, though I occasionally make halfhearted efforts at it.
I've read the Dobson too. I found it to be mostly common sense stuff, maybe helpful in a generic sort of way, but it was still reassuring for me to read it back when we got into this kid business that I felt totally unprepared for. Same with that Kevin Leman (i think i'm spelling that right) guy that so many people seem to love--I think the title that someone gave me was "First-Time Mom." Not bad. I'll let you know if I think of anything else that I thought was helpful.
Thanks for the sugestions!
Reb Mary - I'm a dog person too. I'll probably wind up Ceasaring this poor kid along with our dachshund.
"Put down the remote! Chhtt!"
Definitely Ceasar your kid. Play fetch with him, too, once he can walk. Far more entertaining for you both than The Itsy Bitsy Spider.
I'll second rebekah's suggestion to use hymns for your rhyme-alongs. My kids love The King of Love My Shepherd Is and its ilk. And nothing makes me happier than hearing my kids start up a rousing chorus of Crown Him With Many Crowns, little voices straining at the high notes.
If you like being inspired to be a Good Mom, Dr. Sears has his uses. I like his Baby Book, but the guy is a tyrant. Don't take him too seriously and don't read him just yet. Wait until your kid turns one, so you have a point of comparison. ;)
Oh! And just make up your own songs whenever you feel like singing:
"My kids are great when they're asleep, EIEIO! And when they sleep the treats I eat, EIEIO!"
:)
Gauntlets - LOL! I am going to have to put "Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah" on that list. Then every time I hear baby sing it, I'll think of "The African Queen."
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