I saw this video on the Janet Lansbury - Elevating Care facebook page, and I couldn't help but think of the things that many people would think when seeing this : I thought about safety and care. But more so than that, I thought about independence.
I'm not a mother, but I have worked with young children for almost a decade. My husband's cousin contacted me recently about activities for her 13 month old, who is walking, so he's all over the place. There is a lot of advice out there that involves screen time - apps for babies and toddlers, shows for babies and toddlers, and watching children stare at a television screen is a bit scary.
When I saw this video, I thought of exactly what a 13 month old should be doing all of the time - exploring their environment. If we provide a safe and loving environment, a child will be able to thrive. And I have never seen a bored 13 month old. We are so concerned with "activities" that we forget that a toddler just wants to explore their world. We can definitely help them on that journey, providing a stimulating and safe environment and interesting places and materials to explore.
As Janet shares on her page,
As Janet shares on her page,
"Our babies aren't us. Tune in to your child and be surprised and amazed."
(So much better than tuning into an iPad together!)
Hello! I can't find the video!
ReplyDeleteThis summer, we repainted our back porch. My 3 year old and 13 month old play out back a lot, so they both explored the ladders we were using to paint. At first, the baby kept to the 2 rung stepladder, and showed her obvious delight in climbing up and down it. But after a while, she stole the 6 foot ladder from her big brother. Closely supervised play, for sure. But independent and a lot of fun.
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