Zack was given this beautiful toy monkey yesterday by one of Keith's work colleagues - it looks like Curious George. Zack immediately became attached to his new friend, feeding it breakfast and allowing him to 'suck' his dummy. (- Not sure why I think it's a 'he')
Sometimes I feel that I'm lagging behind as a parent - that my child is ready for greater heights, greater challenges and I'm still catching up with an already-passed developmental stage. What to do ? I don't really have the time to be playing child-development-specialist on top of all my other duties. Perhaps a book would help me anticipate a bit more. Hmm...
Aside:
Zack persists in his biting. It is almost always in frustration now, and hardly ever in excitement. Keith and I are still being firm, but he can get so strung out sometimes that he starts thrashing out and trying to hit you if you won't let him sink his teeth in. I find the only way to deal with it, is to walk away. I won't tolerate biting. And I won't tolerate the hitting either. Zack has to find ways of dealing with his frustration. I find if I try and console him, by approaching him and saying, "X is really frustrating, isn't it ?", this only illicits physical assault. Not quite the outcome I'd hoped for.
Speech development is coming along but it's occurred to me that the dummy-sucking during the day is stunting his speaking. Keith and I agreed a while back that we should only have the dummy/pacifier at night, but when he was so sick last week, we were giving in as he needed to be comforted. Tough call.
My mate Yolande said she never wanted to be a No-Mommy, but I see Keith and I at this stage in Zack's life and we're constantly saying "No! Zack!". I guess it's the phase we're in - approaching the two's and all the willfulness that goes with it. You have to set boundaries all the time, but it can be relentless.
1 comment:
Oh, Ruthie! Rest assured this is all nothing new, except maybe the public awareness of the wierdos out there. We even have a website in Ohio where one types in one's address and gets a map back indicating where the wierdos have moved in as neighbours! I now receive e-mails informing of any new miscreant moving in! Twentyfive years ago in good ol' RSA, I raised eyebrows in the checkout line at WW by raising your coz up by one arm and wacking her diapered backside when she was misbehaving. I had been hearing other tired kids behaving just as badly, if not worse, and their mothers saying "Just wait until your Dad gets home!" Silence all round followed my action - young and old!
Had I been living in the USA I doubt I would have tried it in fear of Children's Services being called on the spot.
Sometimes, interfering "do gooders" should really just butt out and let a parent be a parent. All we can really do is teach good basic morals and pray.
Hang in there, sweetie. According to M, Zach is an absolute delight!
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