Feeding himself porride

Maximus is learning to feed himself by imitating how I scooped and put the food into the mouth. He has good eye-hand coordination and able to grip firmly his spoon too.

Sweet Dreams...

When Maximus was born, he slept in his bassinet. Then for his nap, he slept in the bouncing net. He was slowly being rocked to sleep in his extra-large bouncing net but soon when he turned 5-6 mos, he was transferred into the "sarung" cradle....
He slept in the "sarung" till now for his nap since the rocking motion will make him drowsy and sleepy...
During night, he will be sleeping soundly in his cot next to mummy and daddy's bed until.... he outgrown the bassinet, the bouncing net, cot and soon his "sarung".
Now in his toddlerhood, he has graduated from the bassinet, the bouncing net and cot!
He is sleeping in a super-single bed now!
It's always a sweet dream ....

Penmenship at toddler

Am I seeing that the "prophetic" act during Maximus's 1st birthday coming to reality? It's not usual of me for being supersitious or believing in the myths of cultures. But we carried out a Chinese culture on Maximus during his 1st birthday - picking up objects that will resemble him in the future. Yes, it sounded very mythical but it's just for fun sake and to continue on with the culture. The 1st object that he picked was a pen which it was supossed to represent his penmenship skill.
Now, after it's 2 months after his 1st birthday and we are seeing his interest in "writing". Each time when he gets hold of the pen or pencil, he will be sitting on the stool at the coffee table and starts with his "writing". He can spend a good span of attention in carrying out the task.
Of course I have never encourage writing at such young age and neither holding pencil or any writing tool because it's not in the milestone yet until later age. But I am surprise that Maximus is enjoying his "writing" activity (more on scribbling). The milestone in writing ability begins with scribbling (uncontrol scribble) anyway. So it's alright for him to just scribbling along. In addition, I am also not bothered to correct his method of holding the writing tool. It's more on the natural development and later will lead to nuturing him at the suitable age.
Looking at how Maximus enjoys using the writing tool to scribble is already the best! I am not expecting anything more...
I hope that most preschool especially in the pre-nursery (3 years) will not get the children started with holding any writing tool to write properly. I do wish that the mindset of parents to get children started writing at 3 years to change. Besides giving them the handwriting activities, there are better sensorial and eye-hand coordination activities. Handwriting ability will start when the activities have been done develomentally appropriate. Teachers should be able to equip themselves with the knowledge.
I recalled giving the Pre-Nursery and Nursery teachers from a chain of preschool an actual hands-on activities that enable them to relate to giving the 3/4 years old writing activities before acheiving their milestone. The training topic "Using Multi-sensory Technique to prepare for handwriting ability" was an eye-opener to most of the teachers.
So, I do want to also practise what I preached. Therefore even my Maximus is enjoying his initial "penmenship" activity, I will allow it to develop naturally then.

Trying to imitate to scribble the picture and then talk about what he has scribbled!

My 14-months Language development

A 14-months learns a new word everyday to add on to his/her vocabulary list. It's a tremendous achievement and a giant leap in the language development. From my reading, it was said that by 2-years most children can say and understand more than 100 or more words. I don't think I can count the number of vocabulary that Maximus can understand but words spoken are more countable. What-so-ever, I am fascinated with his language development especially in understanding instructions.

There are many ways to nurture language development for toddlers. However, I prefer it to be as natural and not too much into drilling or using those silly flash cards. I strongly believe that a child will pick up language from the normal routine conversation / talk, songs / rhymes and definitely through imitation. I realised that Maximus learns at the peak from imitation and games (songs/rhymes and books).

Some new words that Maximus has learnt to say are:

1. ball /bor/
2. balloon /b'-oon/
3. cat /cat/
4. tiger /-ger/
5. biscuit /'kert/
6. mama
7. papa

And so the list will go on but these are some of the highly frequency words that he says most of the time. As for his sign language, he can show the sign of sleeping and going to toilet.

Since newborn, I try all the best not to use baby-language but to speak in proper language although his grandma still use some common baby-language such as nen-nen or mum-mum. No doubt there will be some confusion but I am glad that Maximus is able to differentiate the usage by distinguish between speaking to me and his por-por.

I hope that Maximus will soon learn to call us daddy and mummy in proper to address us although he says it as papa and mama.

School Readiness

As the new year school term begins, most new parents are into school scouting for their children even as young as 12-months. There are so many types of programme for children from as young as toddlers. Mostly these programme has been mushrooming fast into the market to fullfill the demand of these "kiasu" parents. However, what is exactly school readiness? Is it focusing on academic or on developmental?

Most of the enrichement programme or the toddler's programme for 2-years onwards are mainly focusing on the academic such as being advance in knowing how to write, read, or count especially in mental-arithematic. Is this the focus for being school readiness? As i read from a blogger who won nuffnag Asia Pasific Blog Award in Best Parenting Blog 2009 , I realised that "kaisu" parents are not only in Malaysia but everywhere even in Australia.

For myself, being a new parent and an early childhood educationlist, I am also in the run to look for a comprehensive toddler's programme. However, my objective is for Maximus to socialise and to enjoy himself. He needs not be to attend 5 days programme but at least 2-3 times programme in a week.

It's really very sad at times to see Maximus feeling loney at home and nothing to explore since most of the areas have been child-proof by me! However it's also not easy to look for such programme in consideration to the location and price. Other than that, I am really particular with the programme - it must strike the balance. There is this programme only using music which Maximus attended the trial class. I found that it's a very mundate programme which I won't waste my RM 70 every month for such programme since I can carry out at home.

Well, come to the worst senario if I can't find a suitable play-based programme for Maximus it's also an option to set up a play-date group among friends. This will also enable Maximus to play and socialised with others too.

14-months Toddler's skills

A 14-months toddler has already achieve a great range of skills in his milestones. Parents are marvel over the great achievement as the toddler portraits his/her abilities at his/her own pace. The toddler also discovered the fun of being independent.

Maximus is also been achieving much in his milestones and gaining his independence in doing things. His understanding in his basic routines, instructions and rules has also been showing much improvement since he last moved into his toddler-hood.

As a 14-months, Maximus is able to:

1. stoop down and stand back up as if he is wanting to jump. He understands when I tell him to jump although he has not master his jumping skill yet.
   
2. screw and unscrew a bottle cap.
   
3. identify similar objects and show that they are the same by pointing to it.
4. remember places especially those places that he knows that there are fun i.e. the car ride at Tesco.
5. imitate actions such as zipping, zap-unzap his shoes, scoop his food and feed himself etc.
6. carry out simple instructions such as wipe the table/floor, look for his napkin, pass the newspaper or any item etc.
7. share or offer food to others.
8. wave good bye independently when he is going out or going to sleep.
   
9. comb his hair and remove his shoes.

From left-right: Combing skill, screwing/unscrewing bottle cap, scoop food using spoon & feed himself.

The above skills are the common skills that he has shown yet enjoy doing them. His fine-motor skills and eye-hand coordination have been showing much improvement and has moved ahead in his milestones too. Of course, I am always looking into his new abilities but allow him to achieve it at his own pace.

Little by little, Maximus has also able to use his baby-sign language to communicate. Yet, he is showing sign of talking by exploring those sounds and imitating others who speak to him. He has show his first attempt in calling "mummy" by making the sound "mah" and "daddy" by making the sound "dah". It's slowly but surely he begins to pick up new vocabs too.

Toddlers at this stage has totally adapt him/herself in the toddler-hood. There are much to learn, to explore and to experience, however everything is a world of fun for them. It's really amazing to watch how my lil toddler learns and applying his new skills. On the other hand, accepting his natural characters and personality.

I hope to be able to nurture his nature so that there won't be any much stress or expectiation as he venture his childhood journey.

Maximus's personality as 14mths toddler

After resting at home with Maximus for a month, I started my new job again on the 4th January 2010. I have to reason with Maximus and prepare him for not being around with him now. Few days before the day, I tried talking to him but he just ignored and distract my attention. But I am sure he does understand what I was telling him. So I just let him settle and accept it on his own.

Finally the day arrived! On the first day, he wanted to follow me out. He took his shoes and said "Go, go, go..." and when I said he is not going because I am going to work in the office, he ignored and started whinning. So, his grandma had to bring him out to the porch for a walk.

The 2nd day made me felt moody and down! Maximus totally ignored me! He didn't even want to wave good bye to me although he wasn't whinning. I guess he has accepted the fact that I have gone to work and will be back in the evening.

3rd and 4th days was slight different since we had the chance to bring Maximus out before leaving to work...

I am sure by now he has already understand the fact that I have started to be away from him till evening. I hope that I can be with Maximus at the work place or at least nearby the work place so that I won't have to leave him at home being loney.

Maximus has his own personality and mostly he wants someone to who can accompany him to play and have fun. He doesn't like to be loney. He can express his feelings, like/dislike and thoughts through his actions. My 14-months is growing up fast and he develops a mind on his own now. I am really surprised with his responces esp in learing about seperation.

My lil one is now in his todderhood and learning so much now...

01-01-10

Yesterday we bid 2009 goodbye and hello to 2010... It's a new year! Having to welcome 2010 with Maximus is a great joy! Although the both of us were asleep before the clock strike 12, we were having much fun then.

My new year resolution for Maximus... is my only prayer for him to receive a miracle for his heart. Other than that, it will be go along with the flow! I am hoping to send Maximus to a play school when he turns 18 months.

It's still the first day of 2010 and I am still planning for Maximus. But I am glad to have this 2010 to arrive (it's sooner than I think). It's a brand new start for us - Maximus, Jin and I as a family together.

Happy New Year 2010...