Keeping up with the Junior Joneses
I was wondering about baby Alex’s food choices today. Â He’s 15 months, and I figure he should probably be eating less mooshy food, and more grown up fare. Â So, I asked my yummy mummy group what their kids are eating. Â Oh, nothing much, just
Quiche
Salmon
Steamed veg medley
Mini Pizza
Fish fingers
Bolognaise…
Awesome. Â So, I should just get my kid fitted for a helmet now.
I own a number of books about baby/toddler development, and have thus far refused to read them, for this very reason. Â IÂ OBSESSÂ over every perceived flaw or difficulty. Â In some ways it’s good – it was being uber anal about my infant son’s weight loss that we helped to identify his lactose intolerance, but in most every other way it’s bad. Â Don’t get me wrong, my kid is fabulous – early pincher grip, doesn’t bite, and is a master block stacker. Â For serious, the boy can stack some blocks. Â You don’t even wanna be steppin’ in my house with no unstacked blocks, or he will straight stack those, ya heaaaaarrrrd me? Â But he doesn’t say much more than the occasional mama, dada, baba (food),bye, and today was play. Â He doesn’t know his body parts, he walks with finger help, but not on his own, and — see how ridiculous I am getting? Â All I see is the negative, and by extension, my failures as a parent. I let him watch tv – BAD. Â I haven’t taken his binkies away yet – BAD. Â He still has his night-time bottle of milk versus beaker of milk – OMYGODWHYAREYOURAISINGASERIALKILLER?!?! Â So I panic, and look up the schedules of every children’s center within 5 miles of me, convinced that we’re going to hit every playgroup that they offer. Â And when we miss them, I beat myself up, and drown my sorrows in a bowl of ice cream while my kid watches Horrible History for the 3rd time that day.
I understand now why there are Tiger Mothers, women who push for absolute perfection in their progeny – I feel as though I have failed if he is not perfect. Â How fucked in the head is that? Â My wonderful, sweet little boy *IS* perfect. Â He’s the perfect 15 month old named Alex. Â That should be good enough for me. Â That will be good enough for me.
No one should keep up with anyone, just be the best Jones they can be.
Tribble Wife 9:17 am on May 9, 2012 Permalink |
I think that too much emphasis is put on what a child ought to be doing at a certain age. It's a complete load of donkey balls, because all children are different.
Obviously I don't know the first thing about "normal" children, but Alex sounds as though he's growing up at his own pace and without you trying to rush him – which is brilliant. YOU are brilliant.
Alex himself, is always going to be my favourite Mini Five 🙂