You are living the highest standard of parenting; keep doing exactly what you are doing!

Did you see the article in the news the other day stating that 'Parenting guides 'make mothers feel inadequate' as they set standards too high.' At eat play grow our passion is all about inspiring your child’s development by providing you, as the parent or caregiver with tips and activity ideas to ensure you have the knowledge to make an informed decision for your child. It is important to note that we are not another parenting guide. No doubt you received someone’s opinion since the day you shared your fabulous news that you were pregnant, from strangers to friends and family. For some reason being pregnant means you are the property of others so therefore they think they have the right to tell you what they think. Well you are not the property of others, you are your own person and you stick to your ideas when deciding how you are going to parent your child. Remember your child is your child!  There is no right or wrong way; there is just your way so enjoy the ride as both you and your baby are learning together creating your very own special relationship – this is your parenting book.
 
In my classes and workshops I say to parents, “I am here to provide you with what I know (about different developmental topics) and then you can do with that information what you like, no one knows what goes on in your house and as long as you are providing a safe environment for your child to develop and grow then trust your instincts, because your instincts are right!” I have to laugh when people tell me, you are going to be a great parent as you have so much knowledge – well maybe, yes, but I am scared that too much knowledge could be a hindrance as like you I have seen the conflicting information but I guess my advantage is I have been able to learn from parents and what I have learnt is those parents who trust their instincts rather than ‘a particular way’ which is written in a book are much more in tune with their baby and they are having a lot of fun being a parent.  Watching them, I can’t wait!

No best friends primary school policy is denying children of a basic human right.

At eat play grow our passion is all about inspiring children to grow, physically and emotionally. A huge part of development and emotional growth is centred around bonding.  The bonds we make with parents, siblings, family and friends have a huge impact on who we become and the decisions we make in our lives.  Sometimes this can be positive and sometimes negative but it is all a part of discovering who we are and growing as people so we were shocked and appalled to hear that primary schools are adopting a no best friends policy to try and shield children from the pain of falling out.

Educational psychologist Gaynor Sbuttoni, who provides counseling for children in London, said the practice of teachers encouraging kids to play in large groups instead of developing tight-knit bonds is increasingly common. She said teachers have consulted her about the rights and wrongs of the policy, but stressed they should not be interfering with friendships and that it is natural for children to want a best friend.

Falling out, arguing and breaking up and making up are all part of life and if we don’t learn how to deal with sometimes painful emotions and difficulties from a young age, we lose the opportunity to learn valuable skills we need as we grow older and navigate the world around us.  

Parents are key in helping children through this process and provided the bond with a child’s parents is stable and healthy, there is no reason that a child should be unable to cope with the emotional trauma of a friendship breakdown.  In fact, a study last year from Minnesota University showed that a person who has had strong relationship with their mother as a baby is much more able to resolve relationship conflicts in later life which is why we place such huge importance on bonding during our Play Away classes.

Whether you make a best friend for life or a best friend just for Christmas is irrelevant, the beauty comes in the sharing of experience whether for a lifetime, a year or just a moment.  To make friends and break friends is a basic human right surely?

Play: handling babies with care and the benefits of yoga

Recently in the media, the public have cried in horror at the images and video clips of an apparently ‘crazy’ lady throwing a child around in her version of ‘baby yoga’ and we too, found it more than a little worrying to see crying babies being flung and twisted on their fragile, developing limbs by someone who to them, is a complete stranger.  So the first thing to point out here is that this is not baby yoga and secondly, we fail to see nothing but potential harm coming to these babies.


A baby’s body and nervous system is very fragile and it is for this reason that many health experts warn that babies should be handled with care.  Shaking a baby can lead to brain damage so throwing a baby as Lena Fokina demonstrates, is extremely dangerous.

Sadly, this kind of behaviour may also have led to a misconception about what baby yoga actually is and the enormous benefits it can have not only on baby’s development and the relationship with the parent but also, on parent’s state of mind. The benefits of yoga for both parents and babies are phenomenal. Here we explore some of those benefits and in our follow up article, we’ll be giving you ideas for yoga and play that you can try with your baby at home:

Benefits of Early Movement


When babies first leave the womb, they experience a huge shift not only physically but also mentally.  They are suddenly required to navigate a world which has become larger and air filled and in order to do so, they must learn to breathe efficiently and move efficiently, taking into account, gravity. Their spine begins to change and bends in new places and as they grow, their body has to adapt to carrying the huge weight of the head on their shoulders.

Yoga movements help babies chart a more direct path of growth and development. Babies who have the opportunity to explore movement have greater confidence and ability when it comes time to sitting, crawling, and walking. Babies who move with freedom as well as intentional guidance learn early about relating to gravity and relating to people.

Parents and caregivers play an essential role in a baby's early movements. Dr. Richard Walls, a pediatrician in La Jolla, California, says the evidence is clear that sustained physical contact and activity with an adult is a primary stimulus of growth in young children. Doing yoga with a baby fosters this beneficial interaction.

According to psychiatrist Erik Erikson, whose Eight Stages of Development are widely taught basics to understanding growing children; learning trust is the basis of healthy social-emotional development. The physical contact of a loving adult fosters trust and starts baby on the lifelong journey of learning about relationships—to one's self, to others, and to the world. This contact encourages use of the parasympathetic nervous system thereby resisting stress, bolsters his immunity, circulation, and physical growth. Other psychological studies have shown that when a strong bond is formed with the primary care-giver, a child is given the security required to go away and explore the world, fostering self-confidence and self-esteem they are given the feeling that a safety net exists to which they can return.

Baby yoga classes nurture the parent/child bonding, deepens parents' observations of their babies' growth, and helps parents actively participate in their babies' neuromuscular development. They allow parents a place to focus, relax, and enjoy movement with their children, under the guidance of an educated yoga teacher.

Spatial Awareness Space, or ether, is the medium through which people connect to all things, according to Ayurveda, an ancient sister science to yoga. A baby reaches through space to tug at mom's earring or plead for dad to share his sweet potatoes. But it usually takes a few months before babies are comfortable leaving the arms of a loving adult to be set down for movement.

Doing yoga with an older baby who can sit, crawl, or walk excites activity on many levels and encourages a baby’s first social interactions. A child's vision is stimulated, fostering both spatial differentiation and depth perception. She may start to imitate her parents and learn by example. Yoga encourages exploration of range of motion, an important expression of potential.

Sharing yoga mindfulness and yoga moves with a baby will launch her education about relationships. Whether bolstering spatial differentiation, depth perception, range of motion, or interpersonal trust, practicing yoga moves with a baby is a boon to her neuromuscular development and to the parent-child bonding experience.