Nov 18 2008
Keeping the babies happy
A couple of days ago I wrote about the importance of eating healthy and freshly prepared meals. If you’re like me, you’re tempted to buy food that can be easily microwaved so you can take it and go and the baby isn’t fussing and waiting while you cook a meal. I admit, cooking a healthy fresh meal is very difficult with you got a baby hanging on your leg. While a Moby wrap may work for some in this situation, I highly discourage it if you are cooking in the stove as the baby can get hurt.
I’m not a big fan of high chairs, but you can use one to keep the child safe. When they are of toddler age, sit them down at the table in a regular chair and make sure they have enough to keep them entertained. I’ll usually toss a few foods in a bowl like shaved turkey, wheat crackers, cheddar cheese and banana. He plays and eats these while I cook. Of course this doesn’t keep his attention forever so I’ve learned to hand him (safe, of course) kitchen utensils to play with. He loves pressing the buttons on my timer and stirring the food in his bowl with a whisk.
Be creative and use that time to let him have fun while you prepare a yummy meal.
My son is incredible, I call him my little Pookie Bear. He’s chunky, happy and healthy and he smiles like there was no tomorrow. He makes my life happy, but times do get rough. As a single parent I tell you that it gets harder and harder as he gets older. As I clean up the kitchen here he comes in his walker running through the house waving and saying Hi to whomever answers him.
As a single mother, I tell any and every parent whether male or female that it gets tough doing it alone, but it’s worth every moment. Yes, you may have to constantly clean up after him/her or attend to him/hers every whim, but it’s okay because at the end of the day when they smile that’s all that matters, and it’s the greatest feeling.
Give them little snacks, take pictures, follow a routine so that you’ll have a schedule and free time to do little things for yourself. When my son was an infant he didn’t cry a lot, once he turned 4 months and started crying out ma ma ma ma, I was so proud of him. That cry can drive me crazy, but it never stops me from attending to him, it makes me happy.