Baby Buzz: Turning Everyday Moments Into Moments Of Discovery Saturday, March 1, 2008 Baby Buzz: Turning Everyday Moments Into Moments Of Discovery from the dryer. For toddlers, let them help sort clothes into piles (NAPSA)—Whether trekking to the grocery store, tackling laun- dry or racing to a meeting, today’s parents are busier than ever. As the frenzied pace of daily life becomesthe acceptable norm, parents feel it is increasingly difficult and ask them to find mommy’s shirt. When cleaning, give your child a diaper wipe or damp paper towel to “clean” surfaces. While housework may be dull and tiresome to parents, little ones find to spend quality time with their children, especially infants. How- these tasks fascinating. ment expert Dr. Karen Hill Scott, Most babies love a nice warm bath and their very special one-on- Bath Time ever, according to child developby rethinking their daily routines, parents can transform their “to do” list into quality time with Parent-child interaction is a key their baby. building block for the developmentof a healthy, happy baby. ing diapers, cleaning, or running enlist the support of a puppet and meaningful time together,” says spoon is an airplane coming in for “Many parents don’t realize that mundane tasks—like chang- errands—can be turned into Dr. Hill Scott. “Parent-child interaction is a key building block for the development of a healthy, happy baby. If we rethink how we approach everyday tasks, parents will likely discover that ‘must do’ items can become a chance to interact with baby in a very enjoyable way.” To help parents identify easy ways to turn everyday moments into momentsof discovery, Dr. Hill Scott shares the followingtips: Mealtime Mealtime with babies is often an exercise in patience. It’s hard to imagine that it takes a half hour to drink a bottle or to nurse, but enjoy this time by playing soft music, singing or talking as you hold your baby. Make mealtime fun for older infants eating solids by talking about the food and com- menting on the color and shape; or play a game wherethe food on the a landing in baby’s mouth. Grocery Shopping View grocery shopping the same way your baby does—as an excit- ing adventure full of new sights, smells and sounds. Ask your infant questions about his favorite foods; let him touch the fuzzy kiwis and bumpy pineapple; talk about the difference between the cold frozenfood section and the warm steaming soups. Remember, around every grocery store aisle is a magi- cal new discovery. Household Chores While it can be challenging to accomplish household chores when little ones are awake, try engaging your children during tasks, such as laundry or housekeeping. Tell your baby what you are doing and let him feel the dampness of clothes from the washer and the warmth of clothes one time. Talk, make faces and explain what you are doing as you bathe your baby. Help her identify body parts by putting soap bubbles on her ears, tummy or chin and saying the body part name. Give your baby a shower mirror so she can giggle at her reflection. When your baby can sit up comfortably, extend her enjoyment of the water by playing together with lots of water toys and water paints. Quiet Time Children thrive on routines, and carving out quiet time is an important part of each day. Consider playing a favorite Baby Ein- stein music CD as you quietly sit with your baby and talk about your new discoveries made that day. Pick a special book that your little one loves and read it every night to signal that it’s time to transition into “calm down” time. Your baby will enjoy this special time even more than you do. For more tips from Dr. Karen Hill Scott on parent-child interac- tion or to share your personal stories about creating meaningful moments of discovery with your baby, visit www.babyeinstein.com. --- PHOTOS --- File: 20190731-130740-20190731-130737-73884.pdf.jpg --- FILES --- File: 20190731-130737-73884.pdf