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"Babies bring abundance." Denise Duffield-Thomas
An abundance of stuff, for sure!
We have been so fortunate to get hand me downs from multiple families. Mostly clothes and shoes, but our freebies are typically enough to complete a full wardrobe at each new clothing size.
With the head, shoulders, knees, and toes well-covered, we have been able to indulge a bit in playthings.
Having kids later in life also seemed to increase the quality of gifts we receive. Most of our friends have stable jobs, retired parents, and retail therapy skills. So, we got some pretty cool stuff at our baby showers, birthdays, and holidays. At some point I seem to have become a connoisseur of kid stuff.
The fleeting nature of the baby and toddler years put the importance of play into perspective. It's pretty fun to see a kid light up about something new. I invested early on in books, sensory toys, learning games, instruments, and puzzles. The dividends have been plentiful!
Our 4 year old is reading and our 2 year old counts to 100. I am legitimately impressed... Educational toys really do seem to work! Play is learning, whether it involves toys or not.
Bath time and bedtime can occasionally be a challenge. Toys and books make a world of difference when attention is required. My new favorite challenge is to give the kids 2 minutes to get their pajamas on, and if successful they get to pick two books for bedtime instead of one.
In my experience as a parent so far, incentives seem to be more motivating than consequences.
Alecia Dirks
Alecia Dirks
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