This past week we have been trying out a few things with Sydney to help her be more aware of her capabilities and surroundings. I let her hold her spoon after she is done eating so she can get the feel for it and eventually mimic what I do and feed herself. We let her drink from a very small glass (candle votive), to mimic what we do; drink from a glass. It would be great to bypass Sippy cups altogether. Soon we want to get a little table and chairs so that she can sit at it and eventually learn to sit in a chair on her own. I want to get her a little cupboard for her snacks and little bowls that she can learn to go to when she wants something to eat, and the same with a little shelf in the fridge with just her stuff. Of course, I will be the one going to her cupboard and getting the snacks and bowl for her in the beginning, but if she sees me do it often enough, she will learn that "her" food is in that cupboard and she will be able to go to it, grab a snack and bowl, and go sit at "her" little table and feed herself without having to have me do it. We read that kids as young as 2 years old are doing this. When she gets to the point where she is sitting at a table well and eating out of a bowl, I want to make little place mats that have a circle for where the cup goes, a circle for where the bowl or plate goes, and a rectangle for where her utensils go, so she can learn where everything goes! How cute is that. The place mat would look something like this:
The book we have been reading a lot of these ideas from is the book I mentions before; Montessori.
Its a great book and has so many great ideas about bringing things down to the child's level and slowing they will learn as they grow. Like the chair and table. Our chairs and table are much too high for her. So what do we do? we make High Chairs. But we wouldn't need the high chair if we had a table more accustomed for Sydney's size. Of course we'll still need to help her sit in the chairs at first, but eventually she will learn to climb into the chair herself and feed herself at a table the perfect size for her!
We are trying to just find ways that she can help us in every way possible when it comes to her needs. She learns by example and then following it. Simple as that. I will do something and then she will try.
And here is a video of her trying to climb on the couch! It is sooo cute!
1 comment:
You should get a Bumbo chair like I have for Bruce. My neice Avril is 9 months old and she was able to sit in and out of it when she was over. It came with a tray that she was able to take on and off by herself. Bruce takes the tray off as well (unfortunately.)And it practically takes up zero space which is great for an apartment. Just an idea.
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