OUR BABIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23692, 27 December 1938, Page 17

OUR BABIES

By Hygeia Published under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society). "It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." PLAY AND TOYS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN The Christmas season brings the baby and young child into the centre of interest in the home. It is the child's happiest festival, anticipated for weeks and remembered as the event of the year—even more exciting than birthdays. It would be a wise action on the part of kind parents, aunts, and uncles who are so anxious to give the children a happy Christmas to study the child's needs and try to understand how the toys are used by children from their earliest days, and also to realise how much benefit toys can bring. Perhaps some of the following points will help those who spend much time wandering round toy shops wondering what will give little Johnny pleasure yet save the furniture and playmates from harm. First of all think of the new baby. He sleeps most of the time and does not appear playful when awake. But very soon he becomes active with his legs and arms, eyes, mouth, and vocal organs. Such activity may appear random and unstimulated to adult eyes, but that first exercise of muscles and brain is the important beginning of growth and movement. Soon it is necessary for the parents to provide baby with the means to this activity. By the time he is six to eight weeks old he should be given set periods of from 20 minutes to half an hour when freedom from clothing in warm weather, and suitable clothing in'cold weather, allows his limbs and body to move freely.

Kicking exercise is the baby's first play. From it he derives numerous sensations which give him pleasure. Later this leads to the discovery of his first and best playthings—his owr. fingers and toes—best because, in addition to their fascinating habit of unexpectedly appearing and disappearing, he derives twofold pleasure from playing with them, that of touching and of being touched.

Then he comes into the realm of playthings apart from himself, though not necessarily rattles or playthings proper. Every object within his reach is a potential plaything, and life consists of one great game—the adventure of satisfying curiosity. This sort of play is utterly satisfying to the unspoilt child, besides being satisfactory and safe. Baby can play it in his own time and at his own pace. When he is tired he can stop. If he goes on a little too long Nature steps in and he sleeps till his nervous energy is restored. His developing faculties are healthily stimulated without the slightest danger of overstimulation of the delicate nervous system. How different is the situation when baby is played with incessantly whenever he is awake. Stimulation is applied in our time at our pace, and the inevitable result is over-stimula-tion unless the process is kept within strict limits. Just watch a baby responding to prolonged playing of this kind. The eager, responsive type of child quickly reacts, and his chuckles charm us. If a little of this is allowed to go a long way no harm is done, but the first signs of fretfulness or wandering attention are signs of fatigue and should be the signal to stop.

Imagine one's feelings if a creature of ten times one's size and mental capacity insisted on prolonging certain diverting antics beyond one's power of spontaneous response! It does not require much effort of the imagination to see that this sort of thing carried to excess may wreck the nervous system. The bald fact of the matter is that adults play with babies for their own amusement, not the babys pleasure. One does not mean to imply that baby should receive no attention. Every baby and little Child needs handling, nursing, cuddling, and loving by his mother, father and family. A neglected baby grows into a flabby, listless child. But remember that injudicious playing with young babies and toddlers makes them nervy and fretful and disturbs their sleep, rest, and digestion. The one period when a baby should never be played with is immediately after food, Troublesome digestive disturbances may be due to this cause alone, and may require prolonged treatment to cure. Let play be of short duration, not boisterous, and not before a wholegallery of spectators, and, above all, let the little baby learn to play by himself.

Next week we will write about toys for the toddling child.