HELP!!! My DD needs socialization help

[Icequeen_in_ak]

I don't know what to do

My DD is almost 7 months, is an only child and doesn't get around other babies very often (about once every other week at play group). The last three times we've been, she slaps the other babies

It's not meant in a mean way... she gets very excited and flails her arms and ends up slapping them. Of course, then the mothers of the children promptly take their babies away and I feel terrible.

How to I improve her social skills and get her to control those limbs??? It breaks my heart, because she truly loves the interaction with the other children, she just can't seem to contain her enthusiasm.

[nikirj]

7mo babies don't really need socialization in that kind of a way. Just watching the other kids should be fine - you can't expect a 7mo to "behave" or even to act in a certain way...give her some time...

[mocha09]

Yeah, I don't think this has anything to do with social skills. It's just a 7 month old baby acting like a happy and excited 7 month old baby. There is no way you are going to get her to control her limbs.

I agree that she would also be fine just to watch/look at the other babies.

[Icequeen_in_ak]

So at what age is it appropriate to let her interact at close range with the other children?

Like I said, she truly enjoys close contact with other babies.... her approach is just a little rough

[oceanbaby]

I agree with the other posters. A 7mo doesn't need socialization help. She's not slapping the other kids. She's just flailing her arms about. Just sit her a few inches further back.

[mocha09]

My dd was (and still is) pretty into poking eyes and "exploring" by grabbing noses and stuff.

I always let her be near other babies, but on my lap and very close to me, so I am able to gently guide her if she tries the rough stuff.

I think all babes are different in how "hands on" they are with other kids. It might take a while, but she'll get it eventually. I still monitor dd (16 months) very very closely when she is with babes (and animals).

[luv my 2 sweeties]

You can also practice taking her arm and using slow strokes (perhaps on your arm or you partners) and saying "gentle, gentle". She's a bit young to be expected to remember this when she's excited, but it never hurts to start the brain groove now, lol! We did this with ds, who would get very excited around our skittish cat and fail his arms. I can't remember how old he was when we could just say to him "gentle gentle" and he would calm down, but it was younger than you might expect. We had practiced it with him a lot.

I agree with the others that your 7 month old doesn't have a socialization problem! She's totally normal, so relax! Perhaps you can warn other moms who set their babies down next to her. "She loves other babies, but gets a little over-excited, so you might want to make sure Janie is just out of her reach." Then be close by, just in case.

[Piglet68]

Babies that age aren't supposed to be "social". She's only just getting aware of her own limits as an individual person: taking into account the personal space of other kids is way beyond her.

Just keep a close eye on her during this phase so that she doesn't get close enough to hurt anyone else. Trust me, she'll grow out of it!

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Whew!

It's comforting to know that she's not developing bad socialization skills!!!

She just seems to be the only baby out of 15 of them that behave in this manner All the other babies are so quiet and dossile... and then there's my drama queen that is crawling around the room, singing at the top of her lungs, flailing her arms and legs about, just having a grand old time.... while all the other babies just sit and

I'm making an educated guess that perhaps my babe is an extrovert???

[hunnybumm]

WOW, I dunno what playgroup you go to but it sounds pretty boring compared to mine. :LOL

The couple of play groups I go to are pretty routy. The kids range from 2 weeks to 3 years, and 2 that are 6 and 8 (they are the children of the mother who runs it). My son is usually the one getting ran over by the older kids. It sound to me like the other mothers are being a tad over protective. If she acts like she is doing it on purpose it is one thing... but she is just excited. So ITA with the other mommas, just try and move her a couple of inches back from the other babies. This too shall pass.

My DS is always getting tripped over, stepped on, toys taken from him by other babies that don't know better. I think it teaches him character. I am always sitting by to make sure he isn't hurt and the other mommas are very careful to say "watch out for the babies" and have them appoligize when they do run into him. When the babies start to claw at each other we just scoot them a few inches back and show them a toy they can "share".

[aussiemum]

Hmmm..... you might be right, Ice Queen, that you do indeed have an extroverted child. My DD, now almost 6, was like the Energiser bunny at 7 months. The sort of kid where you'd stand her on your lap, holding under the arms, & she just go up-down- up-down-bounce-bounce -grab -wiggle- bounce-squirm-- non-stop, I kid you not. Even these days she reminds me of ..... Tigger, to be quite honest.

Your DD may grow out of her enthusiasm , but then again maybe not! In which case as she grows older you may need to help her learn where other people's boundaries are, & how much physical in-your-face contact is too much for other kids. I say this because even today, I can see when my DD is just too much for other kids when she's playing in a group, & the other kids will back away from her. So it's been a process helping her figure out how much is too much, KWIM? But at 7 months, heck, that does just sound normal. And I do think the other mums are prolly being a bit over-protective, from what you've posted. Are they all first time mums? Cuz, IMO, mums with two or more kids are a lot more mellow about physical contact between babies...... Where i live, there are even playgroups specifically for first-timers, as the playgroups with older children can be a bit much for them.

Ice Queen, I'd mentally (& house-wise) prepare for your girl to do physical things a bit earlier than average. It's sounds like she's going to be a real mover & shaker, & sooner rather than later. HTH.

And for what it's worth.... bragging now.... my energetic DD is an amazing runner, she's so fast, she can beat every kid (Grade 1&2) except one boy in year two (& I'd say she's planning on giving him a run for the money here in a few weeks at school sports day) That's my girl!!