Yesterday a friend invited me to observe her Classical Conversations group. It sounded OK until the part about having to stay to help my Ker but having to keep my (now) 16 month old with me. I told her that would be impossible. He'd be into every pencil, pen, craft supply, adult's lap, scream at the door (he hates being confined), etc, etc. I understand staying in the building, but I'd be useless to help my Ker. Other parents (this was on FB) chimed in that moms with kids the same age just bring a dvd-capable laptop or crayons/paper or toys to keep the baby entertained in the corner quietly. That does NOT work for Micah. He won't sit and watch anything. He won't play with toys alone or with other toddlers. He wants to be in the middle of what his brothers do. He wants to be in middle of older kids. Or he just wants to explore. We almost had to quit Scouts this year because I couldn't help my Tiger at all! But every parent who responded insisted that a child his age would, in fact, keep themselves occupied with whatever toys I brought and ignore the interesting stuff in the room. Is my little guy really that odd? I mean, I don't think so. I think it's unreasonable to think a 16 month boy would just sit and stare at a screen or play alone when there is a whole room of wonder to get into. Am I wrong?
Nope, my DD was the same way. She wanted(s) to be just like her big brother, and do everything he is doing.
Nope! I might have kept my younger two occupied for a while, but not during the whole class. I'm also bothered that a group such as CC thinks it's appropriate to plunk a very young child in front of a DVD. To me, that would be inconsistent with what they believe in.
If he's never been in that type of environment, no, it's not reasonable for them to tell you that. In a room where *everyone* is sitting quietly (like church), my kids were fine at that age, but in a room where some are doing things and some aren't, no... neither of my kids could've handled that.
I think your little guy is acting like little guys act at that age...they have a short attention span, and cannot sit still for long. Especially if he is an active child. I know mine certainly never did, at that age. And he wants to be with his brothers, completely understandable. All those people who told you that 16 mo olds (esp. boys) can sit quietly have probably supressed their memories of their child's younger years
Many of these moms claim to currently have a child about that age and they have no problem waiting quietly alone. :roll:
2 of my kids would have been able to sit still and be entertained with some toys at that age and 1 would have been into everything. I think it is just personality differences.
Thank you all. I thought maybe I had a weirdo kid or something. Or that I was a terrible mother for not being able to provide for his entertainment in my absence.
In the situation that you are describing... I wouldn't WANT my toddler to be able to sit and watch mindless TV/movies for an extended amount of time. None of my kids would sit in front of a TV for long at that age. Why can't 2 or 3 parents take the toddlers to another room to play during the classes? Except for my youngest, my kids all did sit through church services quietly (for the most part )at that age. BUT...they were sitting with me and I provided things for them to do during that time.
Oh, I'm NOT saying your child isn't weird! Just that most kids won't sit like that. One has nothing to do with the other!!! ETA: THANK YOU, Pam!!!
Because you have to stay with your school-aged children. You're actually supposed to flit back and forth between all of your kiddos, constantly checking on them. But most moms just stay with their youngest (school-aged youngest). They have professional tutors teaching the classes, so you'd think you wouldn't have to check on them at all. When I taught at the homeschool arts academy, we had 2 parent helpers with each age group. They took attendance and dealt with discipline. But they were given tuition in return. The other parents just dropped their kiddos and left. And the teachers and parent helpers could leave their little ones in the nursery with the nursery helpers. It was the perfect set up, but a little pricey at $30 a child (for 4 hours, once a week). But if didn't want a co-op where you had to be involved with teaching, it was a great option.
I think it really depends on the child. My eldest was always on the move and into everything. Example: She was just about 13 months old when I took my eyes off her for a moment to pick up her toys and a second later I heard water running. She'd quietly left the room while my back was turned, gone into the bathroom, climbed up onto the toilet, and from there got up onto the sink. When I ran into the bathroom, she was sitting happily in the basin, playing with the faucets! We never had any chairs down on the floor - we kept them all stacked on the dining room table. Once she even climbed halfway out a third story window, before another mom grabbed her. My son, on the other hand, was Mr. Immobile. I could park him anywhere, and he'd stay put, just staring at things. I'd take him to the park, and while his sister was trying to get herself killed, he'd be sitting in the sand, just playing with sticks. I actually took him to the doctor, because I thought there was something wrong with him! It's all about personality. I'd suggest just saying to the other moms, "My boy's such a little monkey. You have no idea!" and then just carry on as you see fit. (BTW - I don't think it has anything to do with TV watching, or parenting choices. Believe me, I TRIED to get my daughter to watch TV! My son, on the other hand, could be parked in front of our fireplace and would happily watch the flames flicker for hours.)
Wow, if they just do that with their 16 month old how will they do with their older kids? My kids were not so easily sitting still at that age, none that I can think of would sit alone watching a dvd, maybe if big kids were so they could play with them as they watched but ?? And coloring? two year olds was my specialty and even my 16 mo old that came to class with me had a hard time holding on to the crayon to color for more than a line or two without being bored with that. Your child is NOT odd, trust me!
ROFLMBO!!!! This cracked me up so hard, sounds soooooo much like my son. He'll stare at a blank blue TV screen "Poltergeist" style! LOL And, AD....you're 16 mo old sounds so amazingly normal to me. A toddler? Who wants to be in the middle of everything? Touch everything? Be curious? Wow. I love what I hear of CC until I hear stuff like this. There are so many cropping up in our area. They are SO expensive, and I love the classical bent, but geez...
No your son is not weird. I think its a lot to ask of a 16mo old to sit quietly in the corner and color or watch a video. I think a child that age will sit for about 5 - 10 min, if that. Once he sees what's going on with mom & brother, he'll be up. It's human nature.
Maybe these parents have toddler girls. They might color in the corner...my just turned 2 yo boy would eat the crayons, climb the bookshelves and talk incessantly. I've also tried to convince him to watch TV (educational, of course) and he lasts about 15 mins. Unlike his bro who will be glued to the tube all day if I let him. Hes a good obedient kid, but he is so full of energy. That is just too much to expect from a toddler.
