I stay home with Emerson, and she's never really been around other babies/children. I mean she see's her cousins like twice a month and she goes to the nursery at church on Sundays. But other than that it's really it. Well last night, we went to our bible study at Choices PRC and most of the girls their are still pregnant, but there are about 6 of us who have already had babies. Well 2 of the babies were sitting in the floor playing so we tried putting Emerson with them, one is 9 months old and the other is 6 months, Emerson is 5 1/2 months. We sat her down and the other babies were trying to give her toys/take toys from her. Then, She turned around and reached for Hunter to pick her up. He did. Then He sat down in the floor with the other babies and Emerson in his lap, the other babies kept trying to give Emerson toys and play with her, but nope, she'd turn away and want her daddy. It's probably dumb to worry about this so soon, but could Emerson not going to daycare and being around other babies effect her social skills? I've never really thought of it, I just stay home with her, because it's cheaper right now financially. She may be too young still to interact with other children, but i'm afraid she wont ever want to play with other kids, she'll always just want to play with me or hunter. When did yalls babies start 'socializing' and playing with other babies? For the moms that stay home, do your babies get interaction with other children?
Neither of my kids have ever set foot in day care. My daughter went to a church nursery a handful of times, but other than that my kids have never been watched by strangers. My daughter is incredibly social. Like nothing scares her. She runs up to kids on the playground and tells them she wants to play... so of the kids she runs up to are twice or even three times her age.
ReplyDeleteI am a firm believer in the fact that daycare is not need for socialization. One of my favorite quotes is "Forced association is not socialization."
Also, she is still very young. A lot of children go through the attachment phase around 6 months old. It is perfectly normal for her to want her parents over other babies at this point. Especially since the other babies were older than her. She doesn't know how to actually play yet. I am in my third year of college for early childhood education, so I have studied a lot of early childhood development.
Just try not to compare you baby to other babies. Every baby is different and will develop at different rates.
My daughter went to the daycare at my school for a little bit when she was younger, but she was the same way. Honestly, I think daycares have more negative effects on socialization than positive. Negative socialization is learning to fit in by acting the same way as other children, which sometimes includes biting, fit throwing, hitting, etc. And a lot of times things like that are picked up in a daycare setting where there are several kids to each adult and there is very little room for real discipline. Positive socialization is knowing how to function and be around others without changing yourself, even at a young age. With you being able to pick the children she is around, it will have a much more positive effect, so I wouldn't worry too much about daycare.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing is, in two weeks, when she is 6 months old like the other baby there, she may make a drastic change in the way she interacts. It seems like the change happens in a day! Then again, she may not. Like Christina said, she could be going through the attachment phase. And they usually don't even start parallel until they are much older. I think around 2. My daughter is almost 4 and she can still be like that. She is just a cautious person. It has worked for us, as she gets older, if we just allow her to warm up on her own. And eventually, even if it takes and hour, she will become comfortable enough to join in. We tried forcing her a few times, and that just resulted in meltdowns, which is when we realized we needed to make a change. Like Christina said, all babies, and even kids develop at a different rate. So don't worry. Like I said, my daughter is almost 4, and she is just now starting to venture out and not take as long to warm up to other kids. I wouldn't worry to much. It seems like she is doing fine.
As for your other question, my daughter does go on quite a few playdates. She is friends with Christina's kids and she has had one friend since she was a newborn. She goes to church every Sunday. And she sees my little brother-who is her age-all the time.
By the way, that is so cool you go to the classes at Choices. I volunteer at a Women's Center in Dalton and we are partnering up with Choices this summer to work on some recovery classes. :)
And hey, Christina! I am not a stranger. Didn't she go to the nursery when I was there?
I agree with what Brittany and Christina said! I have 3 little ones and each developed very differently in everything including social interactions. My 3 yr old daughter is not afraid of strangers! She will run up to anybody and play or talk. I wish she was a little less social sometimes!lol!
ReplyDeleteMy 4 yr old son is the opposite much like Brittany's Sami. I use to worry like you are about him not being very social and not having friends. But he is getting better! It was almost overnight!!! He went from meltdowns to talking to other children then slowly to playing with them. He is still very much shy and attached to us but he has improved a whole lot. I just stepped back like Brittany had said and let him do things at his own pace. It really helped once I stopped trying to make him social.
As for my 18 month old....she is social but not.....like new children don't bother her. She will interact with them but only if they are doing what she wants to do. She isn't eager for the social interaction like her sister but doesn't shy away from the situation like her brother.
My children have been stay at home babies most their lives. They did go to a daycare for a couple weeks but it wasn't long enough to affect them in anyway. Other then each other they really don't see other children on a daily or weekly basis(excluding the church nursery).
At 5 months she is fine. Mommy and Daddy are all she needs:)
Thanks guys! I was just wandering! My sister and I are only 17 months apart so I always had someone to play with growing up, we're not planning anymore until Emerson's at least in Kindergarten so she wont have that. I really like that quote Christina! And I do agree with the negative effects of daycare, I've always told hunter I don't want her around her cousins much because I don't want her to think that their behavior is okay and acceptable because with us it is not (their little terrors who are free to do whatever). At least I know she wont be antisocial or anything because we're all she plays with! :)
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