Dude...
Okay, I know that TV is bad for kids, rots their brains, makes them fat, etc., etc. That sad, today I introduced my baby to Baby Einstein and by God...she LOVES it. LOVES it. I can't believe it. We are on the 7th minute and she is just sitting there...staring and occassionally flapping her arms and feet. There is some fabulous chimey music, a lot of bright moving shapes and she is totally intrigued. I brought it out thinking, "Yeah, right. The kid is totally going to want to watch TV. She can't even locate her feet yet - how is a DVD going to grab her attention." But it has! I figure it's like the mobile on crack! There are lights and music and bright moving objects and it doesn't matter that she hasn't the faintest clue what "water" is or what those little floating animals with the fins and gills are - they are 100% entertainment, that's what they are.
I almost don't know what to do...Do I let it keep going until she's sick of it or do I cut it off before it gets old? I don't want to ruin the magic that is this newfound distraction. Now, for those of you who are worried about brain rotting, first off, let me just say that the video is totally teaching her things. It is showing her pictures of the ocean and saying "ocean". Then it shows her other kinds of "water" and explains "water". In fact, in some ways it is far more educational than me sitting above her making googly eyes and blowing raspberries, trying to get her to smile. Not that I don't educate her, mind you. Earlier today we took a walk and I totally pulled down a tree branch so she could see it and touch it. Yeah, awesome mom! But, come on...even the most energetic mom needs a break now and then.
Okay, for real, the kid is cooing like crazy at the TV...LOVES it. This is so exciting...this means momma may have found a part-time nanny who is not only legal, but who speaks fluent English and for whom mommy has already paid the appropriate taxes, no questions asked. If I can get Baby Neptune to babysit Kayla for just a few short periods every day, maybe I can put off daycare a little longer. Did I talk about my daycare experience? I can't remember. The short story is that I went to look at a daycare center the other day and about cried looking through the window at the "cocoon room". It's pathetic...the older kids looked perfectly happy. The staff seemed really nice. The place was clean and full of fabulous toys, etc., but the babies...there they were lying about, 10 of them and only 4 "teachers". One was sobbing his eyes out and though the teacher was holding him, it still just broke my heart. Another one was lying on the floor, a bottle propped in his mouth with a towel...They were all fine, really they were, but I just couldn't stand it. The thought of dropping Kayla off there and her not getting all the love and cuddles that she gets at home was depressing. Not what I expected. I expected to feel sad the first time I dropped her off, but the first time I went to look? Oi. It's such a tough decision. On the one hand, I am dying for a couple days a week where I can just be by myself - not only have time for work, but also for getting in a long run, some shopping, a trip to the gym...the things I have to give up now when I am working my full-time job plus taking care of her. There are only so many hours in a day and between her and my paying job, there's no time for extra activities. And so, yes, the idea of having some free days all to myself is super appealing. That said, the idea of sending her off somewhere where she may be unintentionally minorly neglected...ugh. Heart-wrenching. I don't know if I can do it. I think that's why the search for daycare has been taking so long. Well, that and the fact that it took me awhile to realize that a nanny wasn't going to be as easy a proposition as I had thought.
What to do...what to do...
What I really want is for Kayla to sleep til 10am, get up for a couple hours, then go back down for a 3 hour nap, then take a shorter nap in the evening, before going down for the night around 9pm. Is that so much to ask for? Okay, yes, it is. I don't really want a constantly drowsy child, but man...it would make organizing my day a whole lot easier.
A well...for now, we'll see how Baby Einstein does and then...well, then we'll revamp again.
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