Kylee, the formative years..: 2009

Thursday, November 26, 2009

It sounds like gobbeldy-gook..

.. but babies have a language which they all seem to understand, a unique combination of fairly basic monosyllabic tones and gestures made with the face and eyes. This is quickly followed by rapid fire gobbledy-gook as they learn to move their tongues around their mouths. As unintelligible as it may sound, there is structure in it, and because I was watching Kylee to see what she would do next, I began to tie sounds to needs and wants. I never did reach full fluency, but it made for less fractious times than there would otherwise have been.

As time progressed, the rapid fire talk was replaced by properly structured statements. For instance, she hurt herself on something in the kitchen area, and when asked where she hurt herself, she replied ‘on the cupboard’. This was one large step especially as at the age she was, multi-syllabic words are not supposed to be possible. I have learnt that anything is possible in the world of a toddler.

The way to a person’s heart..

I am not well versed in caring, coping or catering for a small child, so first meeting at six months was not easy. There was no doubt in my mind that she was and still is the cutest looking child but I couldn’t help but wonder what one did with such a small helpless ‘package’.

She couldn’t crawl, walk or run, and the importance of Formula One racing passed her by completely. I was at a loss. Laying down did not look like anything that I could share with her, so I did what any male would do, and withdrew to my corner. Grandma was able to cope easily enough, and I wrote it down to the fact that ‘it must be a girl thing’.

By this time, I was told that Kylee had passed the ‘crying for seemingly no good reason’. Phew. I had heard accounts where babies can cry for what seems like forever, and I was glad that this phase was gone. She was able to sit up in a high chair well enough, and whenever I passed, there was a welcoming smile. Liquid food was still the norm, but she could manage ‘baby’ treats, and I was amazed by her dexterity with them. Her tiny hands picked them up easily and she could even recover treats that had made it into her lap.

So, one day I was asked if I would give her some baby food (the stuff in jars on sale at all good grocery stores and pharmacies), and I agreed as it appeared to be a simple enough task. Only one spoonful made it onto my clothes, and the noises she made while being fed assured me that she was 100% appreciative.

Accompanying each spoonful was a big smile, and she nodded her head from side to side, giggling the entire time. Maybe it was the way I delivered the food on the spoon. Whatever the reason, we both survived the experience and it gave me the courage to actually offer to feed her next time.

Some of the most rewarding experiences in life are just the little things, and I am obliged to say that this was one of those times..

Hi

I should have started this blog eighteen months ago but, to be honest, I thought that another member of the family would do it. Nothing has been forthcoming, so here is my account of a small child growing up, and the effect that she has had on me.

In case you are wondering why I picked the title for this blog, here is a photo of my grand-daughter. This was her first excursion in snow at around one year old.

She is a little ray of sunshine who garners smiles from all who come into contact with her. Even when she is not feeling 100%, she hands out joy and love in handfuls. We could all learn much from her.

Her name is Kylee, and she says 'Hi' to all of you.

Pie crusts..

"Promises and pie-crust are made to be broken," wrote the British satirist Jonathan Swift (1667-1745).

From this, we get the phrase 'pie crusting', used in the UK to describe the action of making a promise to somebody while secretly having very little intention of keeping one's word.

Pie crusting is a dangerous game when played with one's kids. It leads to mistrust and eventually a lack of respect. If one can't trust one's parents or grandparents, who can ever be trusted?

Think about this next time you make a promise, and when you make it, also ensure that there is a 99.99% chance of keeping it.

Your child may be young and short on life experiences, but this is one experience which you do not want your child to learn.

You might also want to remember that a child is actually a small person, and is every bit as good as or better than an adult at spotting and remembering instances of pie crusting..

Car seat safety - Very Important

The expiry date..

All child car seats have an expiry date stamped onto the carcass. It may be on the back of the seat or one of the sides, but it is there somewhere.

Not all seats have the same lifespan, some manufacturers allowing six years, others allowing seven or eight years. the important point is that the seat should not be used beyond the date stamped onto the seat.

Here is why.

The type of plastic used in ALL child car seat manufacture is polypropelene which is tough and resists cracking. As good as it is, years of being fixed down inside a vehicle, where the internal temperature can fluctuate between +50°C to -50°C takes its toll on the plastic and the harness parts.

There is no way that the seat will suddenly fall apart after the expiry date. It will hold together long after, but the residual strength left in the seat is a buffer zone. It means that, for the life of the seat upto the expiry date, the seat will properly protect its occupant.

Harness adjustment..

Before fitting the child car seat, you should always get the child to sit in it, and adjust the harness such that it fits snugly. Where the harness goes over the shoulders, the point where the harness is fixed into the back of the seat should be level or slightly above the shoulder.

The plastic two piece clip should be placed midway up the chest of the child, not too close to the neck. The purpose of this clip is to hold the top of the harness together such that the harness will not roll off the shoulders of the child.

Roll off is a very real possibility when the weather is cold and the child is having to wear thick clothing. It is a good idea to re-assess the clothing that your child is wearing as the interior temperature of the car rises.

Also, bear in mind that as your child grows, you will have to re-adjust the harness to allow for the growth. Child car seats are not a 'fit once and then leave' item.

Fitting into the vehicle..

Whether using the latch straps or the vehicles own seat belts, you must put pressure into the seat, taking up any slack in the vehicle seat belt. Do this a couple of times just to ensure that it is securely fixed down.You will find it easier to do this with the child car seats arm rests in folded position.

The recline function on car seats should not be used such that the child can sleep more easily when on the move. The function exists such that the base and the back of the child car seat fit firmly against the vehicle seat surfaces.

The top tether strap should be the last strap to be hooked up, and you should take as much slack out of it as you can. After fitting, check for movement. The seat should have virtually no movement sideways, and hardly any in the forward/backward plane.

Sleeping in the child car seat..

This is a real no-no. The last thing you want is your child's head slumping forwrds and out of control. It is a dangerous condition which can lead to constriction of the childs airway. Some children have been known to die when in this state for a protracted time. It can be the vehicle equivalent of cot death.

Do not ever use the motion of travel to get your child to sleep. If the child does fall asleep while in the seat, either get the child home or to some location where the child can sleep in a more natural position. Do this at your earliest convenience.

On a long journey, allow fresh air into the vehicle, and try to engage the child, singing or talking or playing a spotting game.

You owe it to your child to ensure maximum safety at all times.