Originally Posted by Grinity
Originally Posted by islandofapples
I keep saying to myself that a tiny baby can't be manipulative because I don't want to regard DD like that, and that wants and needs are the same thing for the first year of life, but does that really apply to an 8 month old that acts like a 12 month old?

Yeah, we must have heard that same 'wants/needs' story somewhere -
but you've asked the million dollar question.

In hindsight, I would suggest you treat her like her mental age (which could be more like 18 months - visit a daycare center if you get curious)when she's in a good mood and like her bio age when she's tired, cranky or sick.

BTW - it's cool that you are using signs with her...I think that will be a big help. At my son's daycare one of the mom's taught her daughter the sign for 'more' and lots of the other families copied. It was so interesting to me how my son 'got' that more could mean 'more cookies' 'more kisses' 'more uppies'... whatever.

So maybe we can think 'manipulative' in the Montessori sense of a tool that can be used in Math, for example. I don't mind being a tool for my child - although it changes what's appropriate to be a tool of as they age. One of the other moms used to say to my son, "Oh, that's great problem solving!" sincerely, as she would pry the scissors out of his hands, for example, when he used his noggin to get into some minor trouble that I would just as soon wished he hadn't been so interested in, such as trying to work the car door lock without a key.

Not the faint of heart or shy of manner...

L&ML,
Grinity


Hmm good thinking with manipulative. How do I get an idea of where her mental age is without visiting a day care?

We've only been around a few babies that were a month or two younger than DD (so 5 and 6 months) and... well both DH and I were like, "Wasn't DD like that at like 2 months?" and "No, I don't know if she was ever like that."

They were absolutely adorable, sweet babies. They seemed so content to just hang out in arms and nurse and sleep. Occasionally, one would smile at us or look at us. That sort of behavior is completely alien to us.

I can't tell how old other kids are just by looking at them.

I know some people start doing Montessori type stuff when their kids are around 18 months to 2 years, so I want to know where she is so we can start when she is ready. But there is that asynchronous thing, too. She might be ready to learn something, but not be ready to do the activities I have for her.. or she might learn stuff and then not care about my activity when I finally show it to her and I'm afraid I won't be able to tell if she doesn't like it because she is bored or because it is too advanced for her (like when I was "testing" to see if she got object permanence yet. She played my little "find the toy" game once or twice then crawled up to me and attempted to pull my shirt down to get at the hidden boobs. DUH, MOM. I know things are there even when I can't see them.)

I am checking out the learning store site you referenced in the other thread right now.

Last edited by islandofapples; 07/27/11 01:24 PM.