Day 212 - Play with me

Today's first time parenting tip - Help your baby learn to be alone

Once your baby is old enough to realize the concept that things still exist when they are taken away, he will probably fuss and cry when you try to take away something that he's playing with.

Along with this, comes seperation anxiety. Things my son loved to do now usually come with crying and him reaching up for one of us to pick him up. Things like playing in his exersaucer, bouncing in his johnny jump up, etc.

So we had to "re-teach" him how to play by himself. Now, whenever I put him in a place where he'll be alone, I play with him for a few minutes to help him realize again that "Hey...this stuff is fun." Then, I stand up when he seems satisfied and walk away. Every once and awhile I come back over to let him know I'm still around, or to comfort him if he starts fussing again.

For the most part, he seems to be OK with being alone again now. Which is great because he can hang out and play and discover, and when we take him to day care, its not an ordeal and a half to leave him there.

Parenting, Seperation, Anxiety, Solo, Play