PARENT-INFANT CLASS WITH TEACHER TANYA

September 24, 2017
By Unknown
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What? Aloncito goes to school already? Why?- I got mixed reactions when my friends found out I spent some Saturday afternoons attending a baby class. I was introduced to Teacher Tanya Velasco’s Parent-Infant Class just when Aloncito turned 3 months old. Her classes are held in La Vista which is soooo convenient for me so I decided to give it a try. Ok, it’s not the lecture kind of class but more on group discussion type so you don’t need to take down notes. It’s very interactive and natural as you get to talk to other parents (including the handsome dads) about their baby’s milestones and how their babies are at home. It is also a venue for moms to voice out their concerns on raising babies and how else they could effectively build a healthy relationship with their babies.

The first 15 to 20 minutes of the session starts with observing your baby.We put down the babies on the mat and just simply observe. I find this moment magical where I see how the babies react to their environment in different ways. Some just stay put on their spot, others turn over to see the toys that they could grab while some start to crawl around the room. Also, We’re not supposed to put the toys in front of our baby’s face. Instead, we let them go after a toy on their own. Again, our role is to observe and give assistance whenever needed only (like when the baby is about to hit another baby or about to fall from the mat).

After that, Teacher Tanya will ask us about our observations or what new developments did we see from our own baby. Then teacher Tanya will proceed to our topic for the day about baby’s development. Here are the top things I picked up from our past sessions:

1. You can prepare a safe and prepared environment for your child

-Yes, whether you live in a condominium or mansion, you are capable of creating a prepared learning environment where babies can spend some time exploring objects and people. Think of a spacious area with mats (this may be quite a challenge for the condo dwellers but you can do this!). Make sure to move your furniture around to avoid accidents. Also, I think it would be better to create a play area without TV or gadgets to avoid distractions. Really, I know how yayas are so into Probinsyano and other telenovelas but this will just divide everyone’s attention instead of creating a meaningful play time.

2. Toys need not be expensive

-Yes tell titos and titas, no need to buy the most expensive ones in Toys R Us. I noticed that most toys presented in our classes are normal household items. Look how much joy this old bottle and brush plus some splashes of water bring to this bunch!

3. Take advantage of diapering

One way of establishing good relationship with your baby is when changing their diaper. Yup, while getting that dirty stuff outta there, you can tell the baby what you’ll be doing next so he’ll also get used to the process. “I’m just going to put you down first. Then, I’ll remove your wet diaper and clean you up. I will now put the new diaper so you can play again.” Of course, you can make your own script, in any language you want.

4. Let them be.
Aloncito is an explorer. We are blessed for having a spacious home so I just let him go around (with supervision of course). I let him get dirty and I even let him fall at times. He needs to know that not all things will be perfect for him and that these struggles- like getting small bumps and scratches from time to time will help him develop certain skills, physically, emotionally and mentally. Being too protective and OC will just irritate your baby and drive them crazy (yes!) when they grow older.

5. Let them cry.

Children are problem solvers, said Teacher Tanya. They will cry at first when they can’t understand what’s going on around them. Eventually, if you let them be and give them time to act independently, then they will be able to soothe themselves eventually. Wow, that’s torture for the baby, don’t you think? Well, not really. We’ve all been told that when they cry, it’s a sign that they need something- milk, diaper change or just some cuddling. But it’s not always the case and you know, just like adults, maybe they just need their own space and time to figure things out.

Here’s an attempt to create a play area for Aloncito a few months back.

Why do I need this when we can just Google baby-related topics and join forums online? It’s still different when you see your child’s development and how they interact with babies of the same age. It’s so comforting to have a support group who can tell me “Kat, you’re doing a great job with Aloncito (and even Ameelia)”.

If you are interested to attend Teacher Tanya’s class, you can check out her website here to know more and view her class schedule.

#Baby