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Barbara C.
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| Posted: June 20 2009 at 1:08pm | IP Logged
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I just picked this book up from the library.
My "baby" is 1 year and 7 weeks...the activity is to lay her on a large sheet of paper, trace her body, draw in facial features, have the child name them with you, and "if necessary" help her to point each one out.
I can't get my baby to lay still for a diaper change much less to outline her body....name body parts?? Even though I can tell she understands more, she's only saying three words.
So, I went back to a week earlier...and she's supposed to be learning to walk heel to toe across a line of tape with her arms out for balance. She's barely walking unassisted as it is...like four steps at at time. I don't know of a single 13-month-old that could do that activity. Oh, and then they should be encouraged to do all of this backwards and straddling the line.
Am I missing something here?? I've only had the book for ten minutes and I am having serious doubts about. My husband quipped that maybe if I had been doing these activities with our daughter since birth then maybe she would be able to do all this stuff already. 
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Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 20 2009 at 1:28pm | IP Logged
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Barbara,
Slow and Steady is not something I think you need to feel you must use in exactly the way it is prescribed (in other words exactly on the author's timeline). Each child is developmentally unique. Find where your baby is "in the book" developmentally and start from there.
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: June 20 2009 at 3:29pm | IP Logged
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My point, which I don't think is as clear since my post was edited, is that the author seems very unrealistic in her expectations which makes me question the validity of the entire book.
Of course, every family must adjust the information in any book to fit their family. That is a homeschooling basic. However, the author went through the trouble of spelling out week by week from birth to age five activities to do with your child. This is the whole premise of the book. Yet, these activities I particularly mentioned would be developmentally unrealistic for the majority of children in this age range.
I could see how this book could be useful to first-time parents who are looking for ways to interact with their baby beyond basic child-care. But I could also see how the first-time parent could really take this too seriously and start wondering if their child is deficient in some way.
I also looked up my middle daughter's age range (3 years, 36 weeks), but most of the activities were really kind of below her level. I wonder how much of this is because she is not an oldest or only child. She's had her sister open up possibilities for her by example. Again, this book seems like a better investment for the first-time parent who doesn't have a clue what to do21.
This book keeps coming up in the homeschooling/parenting things that I read, most recently in "The Well-Trained Mind". I guess I am just wondering if I am the only one who questions the long-term validity of it and why this book continues to receive so much praise.
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Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
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KauaiCatholic
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| Posted: June 20 2009 at 3:33pm | IP Logged
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I have to say, this book really irked me too. I received it as a gift from a well-meaning friend but it depressed me so much I "gifted" it to the library book sale ... and felt much better immediately.
maybe it will work better for you if you follow Jennifer's advice, but if not, purge with good conscience and just enjoy your bundle of joy, marveling at whichever stage she's at.
that's my .02, FWIW ...
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Viviane
Grateful mama of Jonah Augustine ('01), Sophia Marie ('05) and Luke Dominic ('10)
We can do no great things; only small things with great love. -- Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: June 20 2009 at 7:36pm | IP Logged
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I will happily be returning it on my next trip to the library. And I'm not worried about my little one at all. I know that each child develops in some areas faster than others and in a different way than the next child. I'm just really surprised that this book does not seem to be aware of this. Not only does the author seem unaware but they are setting a standard that only small percentage of children that age could reach.
I've always had the "What to Expect Books", and they've always done a good job of breaking down the expectations. And you would think that a book that is trying to do what this one is would being aiming at the lowest expectation rather than the highest.
Of course, I also found it disconcerting that every ten pages so there was a disclaimer that the author was not responsible for injury or death from misusing the ideas. 
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Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
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Willa
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| Posted: June 20 2009 at 8:05pm | IP Logged
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Barbara C. wrote:
| maybe if I had been doing these activities with our daughter since birth then maybe she would be able to do all this stuff already. |
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Maybe that IS the premise. That's the impression I got -- I used to own the book but the activities seemed too artificial to be useful to me. I ended up selling it.
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Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 20 2009 at 8:34pm | IP Logged
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*****MODERATOR'S NOTE******
Barbara C. wrote:
| My point, which I don't think is as clear since my post was edited, is that the author seems very unrealistic in her expectations which makes me question the validity of the entire book. |
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I find it necessary to clarify that the entire context of the post remained intact with the exception of one statement presuming that the author of this book was taking drugs. In working to ensure an atmosphere of respect the moderators are very sensitive to comments that imply information that is unsubstantiated and potentially harmful to a person's reputation.
When an edit is necessary a moderator always sends a pm, as in this case, to let the member know that an edit has been made. If there is a problem with an edit a member may feel free to dialogue with a moderator privately.
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Jen Mackintosh
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: June 22 2009 at 9:20am | IP Logged
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Obviously, I did not believe that the author was really taking drugs nor was I trying to pass off such a thing as an unsubstantiated fact. I was using a common euphemism that questioned the competency of the author. I felt the need to note that my post had been edited, because I felt that the editing of the first line made my main point less clear and did in fact change some of the context of the post. I should have also sent the moderator a private message expressing my concerns, and I have since done so.
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Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
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SusanMc
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| Posted: June 22 2009 at 9:54am | IP Logged
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I got a serious inferiority complex when I first got this book. I've since found that the best way for us to use it is to casually flip through to look for new ideas of things to do with my baby and toddler. I still have to remind myself, "Do NOT look at the checklists!" The author does say in the preface that your child may need to repeat an activity many times before becoming remotely proficient.
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Maggie
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| Posted: June 23 2009 at 3:12pm | IP Logged
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We skipped around a lot in that book. FWIW...we LOVED it...but there were just some things that my dd was either not ready for, too advanced for...or I just want to take the time to assemble whatever doohicky I needed to assemble. :)
It truly is a great resource, though. :)
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: Slow and Steady Get Me Ready
