Monday, August 23, 2010

When Kye dropped his morning nap a couple months ago I started to feel like I wasn't being the kind of parent I needed to be. Instead of filling the void of time in his day with something predictable for him, each day was what Toddlerwise would call "random chaos" (a playdate here...errand running there...I just kinda did whatever I felt like during the time period when he'd normally be napping). I'm thankful, in a sense, that Kye started to misbehave because it was my wake-up call to pick up Toddlerwise for a second reading. I'm so glad I did!!! This quote from the book made me realize that I needed to get Kye's schedule back on track: "Frequent tantrums, whining, a disregard for rules, inappropriate or aggressive behavior, constant demands, and an inability to share are some of the signs that your child needs more structure." Since Kye was BORN his entire day has been revolved around a consistent, organized, predictable schedule. He has thri...

Free Playtime: Babywise Style

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Labels: Babywise II / free playtime / kye / play centers

Babywise II talks about the importance of free playtime for your baby. It isn't a time when you allow the baby to cruise around the house doing whatever they want but it's times when the baby plays with toys at a specified play center. I have two play centers: our bathroom and the kitchen. When I'm getting ready Kye uses two or three toys in the bathroom to play with. In the kitchen I keep 2 old pots and 2 big spoons in a drawer for him. I pull these out and let him play his heart out so I can put dishes away, put laundry in the wash, or do whatever I need to get done in the kitchen area. The idea of play centers is that there are certain toys in designated areas for your baby to freely play with. I doesn't mean that there are toys all over my house though! Babywise II talks about how important play is for a child because the repetition of play activities gives them a chance to develop and consolidate the skills that a particular kind of play requires. It also gives the...

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