Do you actively stimulate your childrens' minds?

[Marisa6826]

I kind of let Sophie do her own thing every day. She plays, "reads" to her animals, looks at her books, watches some Baby Einstein, etc. I talk to her, tell her what her toys are called and so on.

Jonathan reads her tons of books at night, mostly because Sophie's decided that reading is "Daddy's Job", not Mommy's.

So do you let your kids do their own things or do you actively work to stimulate those little minds of theirs?

-m

[amp]

I've been thinking about this recently. I think I do both, but there are times when I'm distinctly aware that I am letting DS wander around, entertaining himself. I tell myself it's good for him to find ways to entertain himself, but sometimes I wonder if I let him do it too much. I mean, I do get on the floor with him and read books, play with toys, talk to him, etc, but just as often I am reading or watching tv, or just plain watching him play from the couch or the dining room table or while I gets stuff done (laundry, vacuuming, etc). It's a good question and I am eager to see the replies.

[sntm]

I'm not with Jack every day :( so when I am I am usually interacting with him the whole time, though I follow his leads -- it's not like I'm selecting books for us to read, he's bringing them to me. In fact, even over the weekends, DH and I actively trade off (I'll be cooking while he is playing, he'll wash dishes while I play). Maybe an hour or two over the weekend we will watch TV while Jack plays on the floor beside us. Even when we watch Baby Einstein or Signing Times, I'm watching and commenting.

On a related topic, Jack is obsessed with the Baby Einstein flash cards that my mom bought him. I'm embarrassed that we have flash cards, but he will bring them to us and go through them "that, that!" until we tell him what each thing is. You would think he was cramming for the SATs.
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shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[slknight]

>On a related topic, Jack is obsessed with the Baby Einstein
>flash cards that my mom bought him. I'm embarrassed that we
>have flash cards, but he will bring them to us and go through
>them "that, that!" until we tell him what each thing is. You
>would think he was cramming for the SATs.

LOL at this one. We've got some flash cards that DH bought one day at Wal-mart in an effort to keep Alex occupied while he was in the cart. They're basic letters and pictures (A - apple, B - ball, and so on) that are sort of bound together on a "link." I thought they were kind of stupid but Alex LOVES them. He likes to flip through them and do the signs for the ones he knows. I'm kind of embarassed too because I don't want people to think we're "quizzing" him!

To answer Marisa's question, I guess we do some of both. Alex actually occupies himself pretty well, but we still do quite a bit of interacting. I think that just by discussing things that are going on around your child, you are stimulating their minds. You know, stuff like "Look at the trees. Do you see the birds that are singing in them..." stimulates them. I had a really hard time talking to DS like this when he was really young. My parents came to visit, and my Dad was great about doing it. It took me awhile for me to become more comfortable with it, but now DS is probably wishing I'd shut up! ;)

[Sarah1]

I try to. It depends on the day (some days we just aren't home that much).

In the morning and before her nap are usually the times she most WANTS me to play actively with her, as opposed to me just sort of watching over whatever she's doing. A lot of the time, Audrey likes to do her own thing, and doesn't necessarily WANT me right there with her.

A lot of what we do together is physical play: we'll roll/do somersaults, jump on the bed together, dance, chase each other/play hide and seek, play with a ball, etc. I also try to play with her toys together once a day (i.e. take turns drawing on a magna doodle, stack blocks, work on a puzzle together, pretend to feed her dolls lunch, etc). Also, we usually read together for about 15 minutes before her nap, but sometimes she just walks away when I start reading :P.

[lizajane]

it depends on whether or not i can find my OWN mind that day!!! LOL!!! ok, not really fair because i am pregnant and therefore stupid right now. but if he is happy, and i can't manage anything more at the moment, i don't worry that i am not in his face teaching him to read. because i know that i do plenty of things that teach him to read. (for example) so if he wanders around the room pushing his baby stroller toy or dancing to the tune of a toy telephone, i enjoy watching him or praising him from the couch or from behind the mop or while i fold laundry.

i do things on purpose to stimulate his mind, yes. but not every waking hour of his day. to me, in my life and current situation, it just isn't realistic. that is one reason why he is going to mother morning out two days a week in the fall. because the great teachers there get paid to stimulate their minds all morning. they will have ideas that i don't have. they don't have to mop while they sing the alphabet song. i have to mop. the floor gets dirty. i have to do certain things, and i can do them when he isn't here so that i am not boring him to death with the laundry folding "please don't unfold what mommy just folded" routine. but he does love to vacuum. i let him ride it. :)

honestly, i think if i didn't let him play indepently for some time each day, he wouldn't be such an easygoing, happy guy. it lets him be himself. and it shows me what he likes and what he wants to learn.

[barbarhow]

We do a combo here. I spend much of the day down on the floor with him. Probably the majority of it but there are times when he goes off on his own and "reads his books", plays with toys, etc. I think it is great that he will play alone but I also love to be right there with him doing things together.

Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03

[egoldber]

I'm not sure. ;) Maybe?

I try to make sure that her toys and play things are stimulating choices. I really only have toys that allow for open ended play, pretend play, that sort of thing. Nothing with bells and whistles or lights. Those types of toys are designed to entertain her as opposed to letting her entertain herself (IMO).

We do lots of things that she thinks are fun, like puzzles, looking at pictures in books, singing songs, etc. But I am just as happy to sing Disney songs with her as I am something more "enriching". She loves to draw, but I don't necessarily encourage it, but I provide lots of materials and they are readily available.

We play outside a lot. She loves the playground. We go to the pool at least every other day in the summer. She is happy to spend ages pouring water from a bucket with a cup.

We read books every day. She has a shelf full and she likes to look at them. We go to the library a couple times a month and get new ones. My goal here is to make sure she thinks that reading is fun, fun, fun.

Now that she is older, we talk a lot. She asks questions and I try to answer them. I encourage her to "tell stories", talk about things she remembers, to tell daddy for herself what she did today, that sort of thing.

She also, frankly, watches a lot of TV and I feel no guilt about it whatsoever.

[pritchettzoo]

Can we come play at your house, Beth? ;)

Seriously, I'd love a list of your favorite toys and playthings. I have enjoyed all the books you've recommended.

Anna

[ginalc]

I try to spend at least an hour a day (preferably 2) with the TV off and in active play with the kids. I think they really need that one-on-one with an adult.
I shut the phone off (let voice-mail take over) and just play.

After our one-on-one time I kind of let the day take care of itself. I involve my 3 & 13 yr. old in household chores like setting the table, clearing the table, laundry, cleaning, etc. My 19 month old enjoys helping clean the tub and shower (we use shampoo) and dusting with a feather duster. He also likes to help feed the dog and cats.

I think children benefit from learning that household maintenance is part of living together and serving the family. (NOT just Mom's duty!!!) :)

gina, mom to 3