Give babies respect!

[Marmee]

What a great article by Pinky McKay!

Have a look in our article section :

http://www.natural-baby.com.au/flex/...bout-to-do.cfm

It really got me thinking......I am (sadly so) one of those mothers who stand at the school gate, saying "come here" to my son and throwing a tissue at his nose! He squirms and gets upset with me.

All I need to do is *tell him* what I am about to do.

Simple....but easy to forget.

And I'll be thinking more before "doing things" to our bubs, too.

[sweetchili]

Thanks for posting this link.
I have a bit of time to post a reply! yay!

Its a good reminder for me. I remember in child care this was osmething we alway saw as being something very important. Especially as we where not even the childs parents, I would aways make an effort to let a child know what i was going to do for them first eg. "Kate i am going to pop you up on the change table now...ready..up!!!"
I dont think i always asked to do things...things that where essential i definately didn't ask but worded things nicely "Kate come and sit down with me and i'll help you put on your suncream".

and i definately pick up their cues, as to wether something is ok or not by them.

You might be thinking, what is the point of asking consent from a baby who can’t understand me, but according to Clare, “even tiny babies give very definite cues that they want to play, or be picked up, or that they would prefer to be left alone. By responding to their cues appropriately, we are teaching them to say “yes” and “no” to things that are pleasurable or not and that they have choices.”

Its also a social thing. Modeling manners and social ettiquite from an early age is important. Children can pick up in our voices wether we are asking a question, or making a statement, whether they can understand what the question is or not.

How do you feel about people getting ‘in your face’ when you are happily ‘chilling out’ (think how often people ‘interrupt’ and wave toys in baby’s faces, when they are quite happily amusing themselves)?

totaly agree.

[Marguerite]

You see it when people play pass the parcell with newborns. Some clearly are not ok with it.

[Bronnie]

or even ask him, marmee? i only started with josie, but have always asked to change her, wipe her nose etc. i reckon it's made doing these things heaps easier now that she's 2