Me try teach child
Walking one-year-old. Won't nap in the morning. Must find things to do. MUST FIND THINGS TO DO! Using caveman English. Help! Must get out of house before vocabulary disappears!
Aha! Libraries. Books. Words. Go there to get vocabulary (and mind) back. Libraries have programs for little people. Even if they're not readers yet? Maybe. Google, click, click. Yes! Twenty minutes away. Let's go.
Oh, we're early. Meet other early toddlers and moms. This is looking fun. Flybaby plays with toys. Fly runs down aisles of books. Fly finds creepy old man sitting in corner of children's section! Gah! Come away, sweetie, let's go this way....
Wait, the program is starting. We have to walk past the creepy old man again. Pick up Fly, hum a happy tune and avert eyes.
Enter activity room. Look at the colors! Look at the children! Let's sit. Fly wiggles out of my lap. All right, then, you can play with your new friends. Say hi to the little boy with the stuffed lion.
Now we really have to sit because the librarian is starting the program. She is smiling. She is singing to a music CD. The CD is spinning in the oh-so-very shiny CD player placed at toddler eye level. Fly wiggles out of my lap. He approaches the singing librarian. BAM! BAM! BAM! go Fly's hands on the CD player. The music stops. Uh ... oh ... I fix it. There you go. Sorry, everyone. Music plays again.
Fly back in lap. I take his hands and do hand motions. I sing softly in his ear. Fly wiggles out of my lap. He approaches CD player. I scoop him up.
Repeat.
Repeat.
Repeat.
I give up.
I pass creepy old man. I pass books. I pass chance to share learning with child. Using caveman English. Me try another day.
Aha! Libraries. Books. Words. Go there to get vocabulary (and mind) back. Libraries have programs for little people. Even if they're not readers yet? Maybe. Google, click, click. Yes! Twenty minutes away. Let's go.
Oh, we're early. Meet other early toddlers and moms. This is looking fun. Flybaby plays with toys. Fly runs down aisles of books. Fly finds creepy old man sitting in corner of children's section! Gah! Come away, sweetie, let's go this way....
Wait, the program is starting. We have to walk past the creepy old man again. Pick up Fly, hum a happy tune and avert eyes.
Enter activity room. Look at the colors! Look at the children! Let's sit. Fly wiggles out of my lap. All right, then, you can play with your new friends. Say hi to the little boy with the stuffed lion.
Now we really have to sit because the librarian is starting the program. She is smiling. She is singing to a music CD. The CD is spinning in the oh-so-very shiny CD player placed at toddler eye level. Fly wiggles out of my lap. He approaches the singing librarian. BAM! BAM! BAM! go Fly's hands on the CD player. The music stops. Uh ... oh ... I fix it. There you go. Sorry, everyone. Music plays again.
Fly back in lap. I take his hands and do hand motions. I sing softly in his ear. Fly wiggles out of my lap. He approaches CD player. I scoop him up.
Repeat.
Repeat.
Repeat.
I give up.
I pass creepy old man. I pass books. I pass chance to share learning with child. Using caveman English. Me try another day.
Labels: antics, Fly, mommy brain
posted by Damselfly at 8:15 PM
18 Comments:
Keep going. It sounds crazy. But the more you go the easier it will get. Flybaby will learn what is expected of him and love the music and stories!
I give you props for even attempting the library with a one-year-old not strapped into a stroller. You're much braver than I ever was!
Having a one-year-old is overwhelming, but I keep consoling myself (and reminding myself so that I cherish the moments) that this period is just a blink of an eye.
You're amazing just trying that with a one year old. I love how you keep your humor about you. You're an excellent writer.
I was a regular at storytime. And drop-in gymnastics. And any other activity I could find that would give at least some structure to my day.
Looking back, that was the most difficult time for me. You'd think that having two kids would be infinitely more difficult but for me, it is so much more enjoyable when there is more structure and interaction with an older child.
Ugh.
I gave up the kiddy-library dates. Using the toilet every 10mins, and not sitting still and hating the songs ( just read the story lady ! ) just plain tired me out.
But I tried for a while, and some days were better than others.
Not enough though ;)
LOL. This sounds so familiar.
I've been taking Isabella to "Infant Lapsit" (yes, it's actually called that, but let me tell you, there ain't a whole lot of "sitting" going on there) since she was 5.5 months old, just to get out of the house. It's unrealistic to assume toddlers (or "infants") are just going to sit quietly and listen to a cd or a story. The librarians assume they are going to be rowdy and play and walk around. So my advice is to keep going. You'll likely meet some nice moms there, and Fly will have fun at the same time.
Good luck next try ;)
I know what you mean. I've been taking the kids to toddler classes provided through the city, gives us all a chance to get out of the house. And I get to talk to other adults, whoo-hoo!
Caveman talk! LOL that's so true. I was like the other day, "you table down" and then I grunted.
Creepy man ew!
In her former life, Silly-Head was known as "Destructo-Baby!" so I TOTALLY understand.
I no more speak in caveman, but even with two grown (VERY grown) children and two schoolage kiddos, I still excuse myself to go "potty". Yes, even when there are no children within 10 miles of me!
I had lousy luck with Baby Puppy and the library until she was well over 3 years old.
me laugh, even snort. with recognition.
better luck next time. ;)
Okay now you've got me laughing at your dream--I dreamed that someone handed me a new baby girl. Brand new but without a diaper. Somehow that didn't bother me that it might make a mess but it was very odd and then there was Ben Affleck who had taken her sandals and wouldn't give them back.
LOL...what a perfect read to start my morning! It's amazing to me how much our "talk" changes with babies & toddlers. We're far from the caveman talk as we're still in the singing & higher pitched conversations but I can definitely see the caveman talk coming. The library with a one year old...you're brave!
Don't panic! He's to young for the library.. I feel your pain! Around here we are all about the park, the pool at the rec center and Kindermusik (FABULOUS program) and of course various playgroups when needed! Good Luck. I miss morning nap sooooo much!!!!
I will not darken the door of the library again until E. is two. I took all three kids there once this summer to sign up for the reading program. E. pulled all of the books off the shelves, while the older two whined that I wouldn't let them play on the computer.
Literacy is overrated.
Yikes. You poor thing!
I don't like creepy old men who sit in the corner of libraries spying on children. Ick.
Post a Comment
<< Home