Every other woman
Chantal finds that being a working mummy is not as easy as it seems.
Do you demand or earn respect?
I have raised my children informing that people earn respect, it shouldn't be demanded no matter what the age. |
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Ask an expert...
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Baby brain power
When your baby is born his vision is fuzzy and he is not able to focus. But neurons for vision develop very early on, so activities that stimulate your baby's sight promote good visual development.
The game
Hold a brightly-coloured object in front of your baby. Talk to him while he focuses on it. Then move it slowly to encourage him to follow it with his eyes.
Tip
A very young baby tires very quickly. Signs he is ready to move onto another game or is tired include:
Stop when your baby tells you he's had enough.
3-6 months
Small movement help the formation of brain synapses, which pave the way for developing gross motor skills. Before a baby will crawl he needs to be encouraged to wiggle around.
The game
Place your baby on his tummy and lie facing him. Place a brightly-coloured toy slightly out of reach in front of him and jiggle it around to encourage him to reach for it. As your baby reaches for it he may even lose his balance and roll over. This is all part of the game but make sure you give your baby a chance to grab the toy.
From very early on, your baby will respond to praise and encouragement. Even when playing and having fun, get into the habit of praising your baby for his achievements and effort.
6-9 months
Fine and gross motor skills require the same physical foundations to develop. They do, however, develop separately. These simple games will give your older baby the best foundation for both.
The game
Give your baby an object small enough for him to curl his fingers around. Place an empty container in front of him. Show him to let go of the object and drop it into the container. Repeat this with other objects and start again. Ask him to give you some objects and then hand them back to him. Encourage him to hold two things at once in the same hand.
Tip
Each time you play this game, find objects of varying shapes and sizes and introduce smaller items as you baby gets the hang of these skills.
9-12 months
Books, pictures and pretending all help children develop language, problem-solving skills and curiosity. Nursery rhymes that you can put actions to will really give these skills a boost.
The game
Sit in front of your baby with two fingers pointing up. Recite Two Little Dickey Birds and as you say Peter and Paul wiggle each finger. On the words "fly away", move your hands behind your back. Bring them to the front on the word "come back".
The lyrics:
Two little dickey birds sitting on a wall
One named Peter and one named Paul
Fly away Peter, fly away Paul
Come back Peter, come back Paul
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| Hi Speletjies vir ons klein busy body Ma Lea | ||
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| Ma Lea on 19 Apr at 20:31 |
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