How much (or what) do you do to stimulate babe's development? Please post any cool ideas too! « Back to Group Discussions

[parsley]

My DD2 (A) is already 4 months and one week old.  I realized yesterday that I haven't been consciously doing much to help her develop skills.  With DD1 I would make a point of playing hand games, singing nursery rhymes, trying tummy time (though she despised it and I gave up), and reading books.  I wasn't rigorous or crazy but I was home with a little babe and I was trying to think of what I could do for her rather than for me. 

Fast forward 4 years and I'm still entertaining DD1.  We go to museums, do science experiments, draw and color together, garden, sing, dance and play.  And, I bring DD2 along on these adventures.  But, I have been doing very little just for her.  We have been taking a Music Together Baby class-- but even that I was doing just because she's our instructor for the family class and she invited me to attend free of charge .  I've tried tummy time only twice and any reading I've done to her has been when DD1 requests a picture book and DD2 is in my lap.  (which is rare because we tend to read chapter books these days and she would rather I read her the next chapter in whatever we're reading...)

So, I'm going to do better...  and I'm feeling a little guilty for not doing more already.  What are you all doing?  Or, are you more laid back about this stuff?  Anyone else giving the younger kid short shrift? 

[Ramzubo]

We're a little bit of slackers here. I talk a lot so ds talks a lot which I guess is good. We never did much tummy time and now he immediately rolls over to his back so not much point. We have one board book we read and sometimes I read whatever miscellaneous catalogue comes in the mail. Then we discuss it (like why pottery barn is obviously sexists since the boy stuff takes up like two pages) which I guess goes back to talking.

Mostly we do sensory experiences. Like play in the grass, pet the dog, grab the wool yarn, gently touch the spruce tree. I try to let him feel lots of textures. Now we're doing taste too. He doesn't eat any solids, but I let him lick everything that's not a high allergy risk. It's funny because at first everything causes a yucky face. Yesterday he had fun licking a cherry so I think it is stimulating for him. We spend most days outdoors so there's loads to see and hear and touch, but we don't really schedule stimulation time.

[parsley]

Those are great ideas!  I feel like I give DD2 tons of visual stimulation but I forget about other senses.  I love the idea of encouraging her to feel different textures and tasting things. 

She's super curious about what we are eating so I think we also might introduce solids sooner (5 1/2-6 months?) rather than later (though not too soon as she's had allergy problems).  This weekend we were at an amusement park and DH, DD1 and I were all eating ice cream cones.  DD2 was watching each bite and lurched a few times as though trying to get it.  DD1 wanted to give her some and I had a hard time explaining that she had to wait as DD1 was right, it did look like the baby wanted to eat it! 

[hildare]

ds is getting the short end. but his personality is dramatically different from dd.  she wouldn't let us put her down, ever, and he happily will just play with his hands and toes wherever we put him down.  he's rolling now, though. 

i think any slackness on our parts will be more than made up for down the road, since dd is just dying to interact with him in every possible way. 

[1blueheron]

Originally Posted by hildare 
 

i think any slackness on our parts will be more than made up for down the road, since dd is just dying to interact with him in every possible way. 

I'm sort of counting on the sibling effect too.  He loves watching 2 year old DD, especially when she's jumping around and being crazy.  He seems to enjoy the stuff we usually do (library story time, dance parties, outdoors etc) so while he's sort of getting short shrift I feel like he has a lot of fun stuff to watch (more than DD, who I think spent a lot more time watching me do dishes).

[mamanoish]

I've been making more of an effort to build his muscle tone and get him moving. My DS2 had a lot of therapy as a baby, was late meeting every milestone and had low muscle tone. I know it wasn't because I didn't do stuff with him, but i'm overtly paranoid. But DS3 is much more relaxed, likes tummy time (he flips to his stomach himself, i've never put him on it though) where Ds2 would scream if I put him down, even just to play with him. But I try to tell myself all the time that babywearing helps build tone way better than infant carriers! I read books to all of the boys a lot...and DS1 loves reading to his brothers.

[parsley]

Originally Posted by mamanoish 

But I try to tell myself all the time that babywearing helps build tone way better than infant carriers! I read books to all of the boys a lot...and DS1 loves reading to his brothers.

I definitely think that babywearing builds great core muscle strength.  And, I use that to help justify the small amount of floor time I remember(ed) to give them!  My babes both stood really early (with assistance) but DD1 never crawled and might have been a year when she rolled over.  So far DD2 seems to have a similar set of strengths.  Rolling over wouldn't occur to her... she's hardly ever been face down! 

How fun that your DS likes to read to his brothers!  I've been wondering if DD1 might learn to read by reading to DD2.  She loves those baby books and keeps telling us that she's not completely done with them.  I've had to say twice this week that no one in our family can own a book (other than my couple of thousand academic-work books!) and that books are for reading and sharing.  She seemed ok with that and then brought a stack of baby books over for me to read to her and the babe.