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Am I Hurting My Child By Staying Home? |
By: Stephanie Foster
It's something many stay at home moms fear, that they are hurting their
child socially by not putting them in daycare or doing a million
activities with them from the time they are born. But it's not
something you need to worry too much about, so long as your children do
get some social time.
Infants, of course, don't really play with each other, so that early in
the game there is little to worry about. But as they grow into
toddlers, they definitely need to be around other children, even if
they don't interact much until they are 2 years old or so.
One thing to remember is that activities don't have to be formal. You
don't have to pay for art classes, gymnastics, etc. Just take the kids
to the park. Most times there will be other children there for them to
interact with if they like. Or they can just run around and play on the
playground equipment.
Especially if there are cousins or neighborhood children of similar
ages around, it can be very helpful to get the kids together just
casually. Whether you do this by having all the kids play out front, in
one family's back yard or have quick get-togethers, this is a great way
to ensure that your child does get some social time.
Of course, if your child has spent a lot of time with just you, it can
be hard to get them to pay any attention to the other children. You may
have to work harder in this case.
One thing just about all children love to do is color. Go to your local
home improvement store and buy a piece of whiteboard. A 4-5 foot long
piece will probably run $5 or so. This is big enough that several
children can color on it at one time. Get the washable crayons rather
than markers and let the kids go at it. They may not be playing
together as such, but they're certainly aware of one another and will
have to take turns using the different colors. There will be arguments
over colors and who colors where, but that just encourages interaction
and it is up to you and the other parents to keep it friendly.
You should also take a look at what your child enjoys doing with you
that could be done with other children. From playing catch to board
games, there are many ways to get young children interested in playing
with each other. If your child learns to do something with you, they
may be more interested in other kids when they realize that they can do
that activity with them as well.
Being a stay at home parent does not mean you are depriving your
children socially, but it can mean you have to put some thought into
the matter. You can't just stay home all day; you need to take your
children out to play where they will encounter other children. You
don't have to spend a lot of money on this, just some time.
About The Author
Stephanie Foster is a stay at home mom and owner of http://www.homewiththekids.com
- a resource for parents who want to stay home with their kids. For
more tips on being a stay at home parent, please visit the site and
subscribe to the newsletter.
Source: http://www.ProvidingArticles.com
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