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Soft Play Centres – Heaven or Hell?!

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 21:28:31 +0000

The Joys of Motherhood: Open, Honest & Unedited!

30^thOctober 2012 – Soft Play Centres – Heaven or Hell?!

This is my first ever Blog so please bear with me, not because this is my first ever blog, but because while writing this I also pretending to be a patient at my 2 year old son’s doctors surgery, otherwise known as my lounge. So here I sit with my laptop open, a plastic thermometer rather roughly shoved in my mouth (my son wins no prizes for his bedside manner!), a plastic bandage on my finger, having intermittent reflex testing on my knees with a plastic hammer! “Hmm, it’s not looking good,” comes a little voice at the side of me, not sure if that’s my son’s verdict on my “mock illness” or the sight of me at the end of another jam packed day with a toddler!

This week is half term in our area which means for us Mummies with Pre-School age children a long week without our lifeline, otherwise known as Baby & Toddler groups. In the last 2 nearly 3 years since having my little man these groups have kept me sane. To start with I hated them, being forced to talk to people who I didn’t know at a time in my life when I was in a baby induced haze of sleep deprivation. I persevered because I needed to get out of the house and now they make up the best parts of my week with my little man between working part time & keeping on top of housework – well trying anyway.

So with no groups on today I had to find a way to wear out my lively (understatement) 2 year old. So....... off to the local soft play centre it is then. For those of you who frequent these places with a toddler you will sense my distinct lack of enthusiasm at this prospect! My little man is at that “inbetweenie” with a lot of things at the moment, he thinks he is big enough to do almost everything “all by my own Mummy” but in reality he still needs me there in the background, soft play is one of these things. So while he is running around thoroughly enjoying himself jumping through holes, over scrambles nets & down slides you will find me 2 paces behind him (actually make that 10 paces, he is very quick for a 2 year old), huffing and puffing with perspiration beads trickling attractively down my forehead into my eyes! Seriously, they should use these places as Adult Exercise Boot Camps, I always thought I was relatively fit for my age but after 2 hours at one of these places I feel like an old women!

The highlight of today’s soft play visit has to be when my spirited, some may say bossy, little man decided that it would be fun to do “ring a ring a roses” in the middle of the baby section of the soft play area. “Off you go then,” was my response to his request, “no Mummy” he says with a frown, “you and your friends too”. Now I know that I am the adult and am supposedly “in charge” but at times like this it sometimes just easier to do as I am told rather than endure the inevitable terrible 2 style paddy that could rear its ugly head at any moment. So there we are 3 thirty-something Mummies, my little man, a ten month old & a 6 month old dancing round the soft play to the tune of “ring a ring a roses!”, not once but 3 times! All very well if it wasn’t half term, jam packed with school age children and their Mum’s who were rather smugly enjoying a sit down and a chat while their children who are out of the “inbetweenie” play nicely. I have to say I think I spied more than a couple of raised eyebrows as I was swinging round in circle!

Soft Play Centres = Toddler Heaven but Mummy Hell!!

Learning to Walk - By Mummy's World

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 19:40:44 +0000

Jack is currently learning to walk, so I thought I'd do a post on how to help your child learn to walk but don't rush them.

Every child is different and each develop at a different rate. Within your childs first few years they meet so many development milestones. One of the main ones you will remember throughout is your child's first wobbly steps on their own. Most children take their first steps by their first birthday, however the average age range is 9 months to 18 months. A parent should not be worried if their child takes longer though. The key steps that children are close to walking is that they are crab crawling/walking; this is when they are on all fours but using their feet to walk. Also scooting, cruising or climbing the stairs on their hands.

As your child develops they are strengthen their muscles ready to learn to walk. You can help your child from a young age learn these strengthen tips. As a newborn you can encourage your child to lie on their tummy, as they will then learn to support there heads which in return strengthens their backs. When your child can sit, roll a toy to them so they reach out for it, this may help them develop crawling techniques but also may not. This again strengthens the back, arms and legs also control of their hips encouraging them to stand. When your child learns to stand, you can encourage them to walk whilst holding their hands by standing infront of them offering lots of encouragement and praise when they take a step. Eventually your child will take their first wobbly steps unaided which will be a moment you will never forget.

There are also many devices in which you can buy to help your child walk, the main one of these being a walker, however these are fairly unsafe and in Canada have been banned from being on sale. Walkers can cause your child to tipple over, or reach up to grab items such as hot stoves and caused thousands of accidents. Also they can encourage your child to not learn to balance on their own. However you can also buy Toddle Trucks, which is what we have for Jack. Jack loves his truck, it is good too look for a truck with a stable and wide base to prevent it toppling. When your child is toddling around, be sure that your home is babyproof and you have a safe enviroment for your child to move around in. Children can move really quickly even though you don't expect it.

My final thing to say is don't rush your child into walking, they will learn when they are ready as each child is different. You will soon have their pattering feet all over your household wishing they still sat in one place.

By Mummy's World - follow on Twitter

Your baby's first steps

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:36:45 +0000

When your baby is born their little feet are made up mostly of cartilage and soft tissue that will eventually develop into the 26 bones, 19 muscles and 100 ligaments that will carry your child for the rest of their lives. At this stage your child’s foot is very delicate and susceptible to damage from the big wide world and hence will need support protection for the long journey ahead.

Babies can take their first steps anywhere from 9-19months and when they do it is a magical moment that you and your partner will treasure forever.

Their first pair of proper shoes are likely to be a keep sake that mums will treasure and keep as a little reminder of those first precious steps your baby took on their own!