I am not sure about anyone else but the babycentre updates that they email me stress me out. I stopped reading them for a long time because my boys never seemed to meet half of the milestones.They were crawling by 7 months, walking by 12 but as far as the other milestones go, we just never made the cut. Even though I know twins, boys specifically, are usually a bit behind and they were premature it still bothered me. I know my boys are who they are and as long as I am doing my best with them that should be good enough but I still worry. Like everyone says we all develop when we are ready and every child is different I just want them to be "normal". Whatever the heck that means! I wouldn't change them for the world so my worries are pretty counterproductive, but they are in my head just the same. Anyways, yesterday I went ahead and read the most recent email. Well now I am totally stressed out. My boys are supposed to be sorting shapes and colours, NOT EVEN CLOSE. They do go around making piles and moving them from place to place but they just gather all of the cars or all of the boxes (still sorting in my opinion). They should be colouring, using a spoon and drinking from a cup. Okay we have been working on this but it certainly isn't like they do these things unassisted. By the way who gives their 16 month old a cup with no lid without seriously close supervision? Hudson is actually really good at drinking and I can sit next to him and let him drink while I watch him closely (I actually try to hold the cup for him but he refuses). The problem is he gets distracted and if I wasn't there to stop him he would just tip it over. It's not the end of the world but I would prefer not to have to clean up water 5 times a day. When they colour their biggest focus is on how to eat the crayon, so I let them scribble for a second and then usually end up taking the crayon away when they start gnawing at it. They are definitely behind on the spoon thing again they just want to chew on it. They can scoop some yogurt on a spoon but end up putting the wrong end of the spoon in the yogurt and don't really notice how little they are getting and what a mess they are making. I guess it is all part of the process though. Let's not even talk about speech. Hudson literally only says 3-5 words in a day. They are suggesting that the boys should be putting two words together and should have around 20 words and should be repeating what I say. I know it isn't because I don't talk enough because I never shut up, I guess they just aren't ready. I feel like I am constantly narrorating our every move, including bowel movements (mine and theirs). I know it will all come in time, but like every mom I just want everything to be okay and to happen when it is "supposed" to.
Just for my own record here are the words they say (half of them I probably shouldn't even be counting)
Fynn: 1. ball (sounds like ba) , 2.dada (I don't think it means daddy he says it randomly), 3. downstairs (doesn't really sound like that but is starts with a d sound and is two syllables and he says it when he is at the top of the stairs and wants to go down), 4.book (sounds like gook), 5. car (sounds like cark), 6.cookie (sounds like cook), 7. cracker (sounds like crk), 8. milk (again doesn't really sound like it, more like mama), 9. This (dis) , 10. that (dat), 11. truck (sounds like cruck), 12. bye bye, 13. yes (although I am not 100% sure about this one because it just sounds like s), 14. Hi (well he used to say it and now he just waves) 15. Dog
Hudson: 1. ball (ba) , 2. dada (but not in the right context), 3. mama (milk), 4. bye bye (buby), 5. up (bup), 6. wow (although that might be him just practicing a sound) 7. baba (bottle) 8. that (dat) 9. car/truck (he mumbles something and points to both of them, it sounds like carunk) 10.dog
Well, that settles that... I have a few saved in my email that I keep meaning to read- and since I have twin boys who are likely lagging a bit, I think I'll save myself the trouble :)
ReplyDeleteYep, don't read them!
DeleteI'm not surprised those emails stress you out - I don't think they can be too accurate. My daughter is 19 months - no one has ever thought her behind and she certainly doesn't sort colors or drink properly from a cup - and lets not talk about the spoon! As for words - for ages she just used the same 6 inaccurate words, now suddenly she learns a new word every day! The time will come when you know how rediculus people are that try to chart children!
ReplyDeleteThis made me laugh, it is sooooooooo ridiculous!
DeleteKids all develop at their own rate, those things can be really stressful! I totally agree.
ReplyDeleteSorting colors/shapes? They seem to expect a lot, lol. V isn't even close to that! We're working on colors, and he can sometimes pick the red or green block when we ask, but seriously... nope. Still not close!
Your boys are doing great, and you are doing awesome. Don't stress it :)
I joke (kind of) when I say stress. With two of them I do my best but most of the day is about survival so sometimes I feel like I don't do enough to challenge them in a day. I guess all moms have guilt :)
DeleteNo worries girl! You are doing a great job as their mommy and it sounds like the boys are loving life. That is all that matters. No stupid update can tell you where they should be. But I do get sucked into reading them as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks :) I know it but it still gets to me when I read them. Who are these people writing them anyways!!!!!
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