Posts Tagged ‘Dr Greene’

 

F-f-f-f-f-floundering

Monday, March 30th, 2009

Four mornings out of seven, he’d wake up in a wet bed at 6 a.m. It’s because I wanted to be the best, I wanted to win, I wanted my child who had been out of daytime nappies since the age of 12 months, to be out of night time nappies too because everyone else’s kids were. It was the deal that at three he would ditch nappies completely. So I bought a waterproof mattress liner for the mornings he had ‘accidents’ and I washed his sheets almost every day. So you’re right, Ms Greene, we need help and advice as parents as there is nothing but instinct to access before we launch into something new … but new only for us. After about two weeks, my child started stuttering and I blamed myself (obviously), made a few calls – the paediatrician, TLC mother and baby centre in Hout Bay – searched the wwweb, and came up with various bits of advice. I had to trust my instinct again – I took the advice to put him in Pull-ups at night and never mention that they were anything other than special underpants to sleep in. It took a week before the stuttering started abating. It is still there but so slightly and only when he is very tired or excited. Chances are it might have gone away anyway; I can’t tell; but I have a happy child again and that means only one thing – everyone is happy … still floundering most weeks, but happy.

Useful links

Dr Greene
Pediatrics
IOL

The perspective of knowledge

Monday, October 13th, 2008

I was accused recently of not knowing anything about bringing up kids … by my mother-in-law no less. I think this has less to do with my lack of knowledge than my lack of enthusiastically asking advice from her on a regular basis. I have had an affinity with children since I was one myself, I have worked with children and I have studied developmental psychology. Where there have been any gaps in my knowledge … and I freely admit there have been plenty … I have filled a lot at my child’s clinic – TLC in Hout Bay to be exact – where I have sponged up as much knowledge as possible while keeping my head down and pretending not to be a mum. The rest have been filled by the ubiquitous books on childcare as well as the wonderful world of the web which is, if not holistic, an informed substitute for the village all children – and parents – need to grow up healthy. My favourite website is Dr Greene the best book I have found is Steve Biddulph’s Raising Boys.

With the gift of all this access to information, you have the choice to read as little or as much into the advice given. You have to pick what suits you and stick to it because consistency is the master challenge. Gina Ford was invaluable when I had a baby but I am glad to be rid of her – she just proved to be too severe for an obsessive compulsive personality … but then that was my doing, not hers.

It’s got nothing to do with how much you know really – you can never know enough when it comes to raising kids – but how willing and able you are to look beyond the normal available channels for information and insight into this common yet mysterious dilemma we all face of how best to bring up baby.