Special Time With Your Baby

The Importance Of Play

As well as being a parent, you are your baby's playmate, this is especially true in his first year, when he may not have had much opportunity to interact with other children. Every game you play with him is magical, and every lesson becomes worth learning, so time spent in games, no matter how simple, ensures that your baby is avidly learning and acquiring skills. Don't underestimate how important play is to your baby, it's his full time job a job that requires great concentration and expenditure of energy. It's harder than most adult work because everything is new and fresh lessons are learned all the time. These lessons, however are made easier and are more fun if he can enjoy them with his favorite playmates his parents.

Why Play Is Essential

* Your baby investigates his world through play.

* It stimulates and excites him and is the best use of his time.

* For the first few years of his life, it is the only way he learns.

* It is an integral part of his physical and mental development.

Getting The Most Out Of Play

Make the time to join in activities with your baby and encourage him in play that will stimulate his development.

Investing time

Formal play isn't necessary, but some planning does reap dividends. Try to make playa part of your morning, evening, and weekend routine so that your baby is getting at least an hour of playtime in total from both of you each day. A baby has a very short attention span, so don't expect him to sit playing happily while you cook dinner. Fifteen minutes invested in playing with your baby before you begin a task will pay off, if you only give him five minutes of your time, he's more likely to become attention seeking when you're busy doing something else.

Stimulating development

Babies start acquiring skills from the very moment of birth. These mental and physical milestones emerge at particular stages as your baby's brain and body develops. It follows that these are optimum moments for you to introduce games that encourage particular skills to flourish, so make sure you vary the activities that you play with your baby, for example, physical games encourage mobility; singing helps to develop speech playing with toys, such as building blocks, helps your baby to become more dexterous.

Mother

Remember play doesn't have to involve toys, often, just being with you is fun for your baby.

What you can do

* When you get home, make a habit of picking your baby up right away and holding him as you walk around doing things.

* Exaggerate your pleasure at seeing him, talk to him, make eye contact, laugh a lot, play little jokes, and enjoy each other.

* Try to spend 10 to 15 uninterrupted minutes playing with your baby each evening.

* Read the paper or a book together so that you both relax. Read out items and show your baby pictures to involve him.

* If you're really tired, take a bath together. A skin to skin soak is good for both of you.

An Hour A Day

An hour spent playing with your baby each day is rewarding and fulfilling for all of you. A baby who gets the undivided attention of his parents for an hour a day acquires self esteem and self confidence and becomes a generous, loving, and well adjusted child. It doesn't have to be a solid hour in fact, your baby won't concentrate for this long, it could be two half hours or four quarter hours as long as he has all your attention.

Maximizing Your Time

If you work full time, try to take advantage of any spare moments you have to spend time with your baby. It helps if you're organized and can prioritize. If you're both in high pressured jobs, it's easy to let work take over and work an extra hour at the beginning or end of the day, but this hour is invaluable time you could be spending with your baby.

Weekends

Don't bring work home with you, if it's not there, you can't do it, which means you can spend time with your baby without feeling guilty. Try to get out as a family at least one day each weekend, if you're in the house, you're more likely to get distracted with other things. Keep to your baby's weekly routine as much as possible at around nine months, he'll begin to understand that certain things happen at certain times.

Mornings

Most babies do wake up early so use this opportunity to spend time together. If you don't have time to play, sing and talk to your baby as you change and dress him, and sit down to breakfast with him.

Evenings

Working full time will make you tired in the evenings. Try to establish some sort of routine for when you get home because as well as having time with your baby, it's important that you both have time to your selves and time together as a couple.

Leave work on time

Try to leave work on time. It's unfair on your partner and the baby if either one of you is always home late. Don't take advantage of your caregiver an extra hour in the evening is a lot when she's been taking care of the baby all day.

Divide the chores

One of you should cook and the other do the dishes so that you both have time to spend with your baby.

Choose relaxing activities

It will be difficult to get your baby to bed if he's very excited. Read or sing to him to calm him down before you put him to bed. Father

Your baby will look forward to your coming home in the evenings. Shower him with attention and show him how special he is.

What you can do

* Develop a special routine for when you get home from work. It could just be holding out your arms for your baby to walk or crawl to you, or picking him up immediately, walking around with him, and telling him about your day.

* Try to find time each evening to spend 10 or 15 minutes playing a game.

* If you read the paper in the evening, read to your baby and give him some paper to crumple.

* You and your baby can relax with a bath together before getting him ready for bed.

* If you don't have much time on weekday mornings, try to make time to dress him and give him breakfast on weekends.

Time Saving Tips

To give yourself more time with your baby in evenings.

* Try to prepare some week day meals at the weekend.

* Record any early evening TV programs and watch them once your baby has gone to bed.

* Save any long telephone calls until after your baby's bed time.

* Eat mid afternoon sometimes so that it's possible for you to wait later for your evening meal.