Baby on The Move? Let Them Explore…

The most important thing is to let the baby explore!

There is no doubt that each milestone the baby achieves is exciting. And one of the most action-packed among them is when the baby starts moving about!

Set these simple rules and make sure that this phase remains fun and safe for the child. They worked for me. Hope they work for you too.

Begin by baby-proofing the house. (Hyperlink this to a babyproofing article)

Let the baby choose: If your baby seems interested in playing with items like utensils, wallets, combs etc. instead of toys then so be it. Just ensure that those things don’t go into the mouth.  

Use ‘NO’ sparingly: Too much of anything is bad. I understand that you may be concerned for the baby’s safety and the immediate reaction will be to say ‘No’ to a lot of things. But if you start using the word for everything, it will lose its value. Instead, gently take the baby away from that thing or place and divert attention.

Use No only in rare situations so that the baby understands that s/he needs to stop immediately.    

Let mealtimes be messy: Don’t worry about the mess (Ya right. I am the one who has to do the cleaning, you say.) Let the baby use hands to eat food. You can let the little one experiment with the spoon as well if s/he shows an interest in it.

Be gentle: If you want the baby to learn to to be gentle, start early. Do not snatch/pull away from that baby. Try offering the baby something else and slowly take the previous object away when s/he is involved with the second one. Better still ask the baby to hand it over to you and if s/he does, then say ‘thank you’.    

Get creative: Make water and sand play a part of your baby’s daily routine. You don’t have to think of different activities everyday and make elaborate preparations. Talking, singing and dancing with the baby are also great ways to bond with the baby.   

Click away: Just point, click and store away all those memories for eternity. Make sure to take back-ups.  

Trust your instincts, let the baby discover and make sure both of you enjoy the process of growing up!

Also Read: 6 Sure-fire Baby Proofing Tools Your Home Needs Now, 21 ways to baby-proof your home!

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