Posted by PlayBizAdmin on 01 November 2016
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Let’s be honest: parenting is challenging. I don’t know about you but I often catch myself recycling these questions in my head over and over again:
“Am I doing enough?” “Am I doing too much?” “Is my child okay?” “Will my child be okay?”
In these times of ‘question overdrive’ I remind myself of my first 9–18 months or so with my son. I didn’t allow myself to enjoy that period thanks to (dare I say?) the trials and tribulations of trying to get a newborn to sleep.
I was the one waiting to cross at a traffic light asking if your baby sleeps and what works for you. I was also the one buying lavender spray for my son’s room and magnesium spray for his feet. I tried anything and everything to help him. I think I almost drove myself to my wit’s end with all the worry.
And yet despite all the things I was trying, I was consumed by thoughts like “I should know what I’m doing, I’ve been trained in child development, I’ve nannied three boys (one from birth until his first birthday)… I should know what I’m doing?!”
Now nearly four years later, I believe there are a couple of possible explanations for our challenges with my little one’s sleep…
It’s kind of logical looking back but I believe a big factor was the reflux that was diagnosed when my bub was just 6 weeks old. I’m also pretty sure that he sensed my mounting anxiety about wanting him to be okay and to do the right thing… And I most definitely think I overstimulated the poor little guy – eager to develop his foundation skills as I was!
But now, awesomely and oh–so-reassuringly, I’ve realised that despite my possible mistakes in the past (e.g. a newborn doesn’t need to know how to cross his midline!), I did what I felt was best at that moment.
And though it was a really emotionally and physically challenging period, I also recognise that it developed me and it developed my son towards who he is at this young age. Really, we got to know each other and built our bond because of it, while both of us were getting used to our new roles in the world.
This whole experience has reinforced to me that it’s the little moments – the stepping-stones that build on each other and most of the time pass by without any real awareness – that one day result in victory.
That’s what PlayBiz tries to do: bit by bit, the stepping-stones of a particular foundation skill are laid one in from of the other, all the time building on the previous one and the ones before that until one day BOOYAH! The skill is developed!
Oh, and FYI: my little one’s now a great sleeper. Phewf!
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