http://slapbetcommish.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] slapbetcommish.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2009-01-19 11:59 pm
Entry tags:

Child Development- 1st Period- Class #3

Everyone was back in the Danger Shop this week, where the nursery setup from last week was back. There were no crying babies, though. "Hi, guys, hope you're enjoying both the inauguration and the snow, whichever you like best," she greeted them, indicating that they could sit on the floor. "But hopefully I can keep your attention for at least a class period.

"Last week, we talked about the littler babies. This week, we're aging it up a bit," she said, passing out again a series of handouts. "Babies grow up fast, and there's a ton of development happening in that first year. They're stll all helpless between six months or so and a year, but they're getting more active. They're sitting up, they're starting to crawl, and stand, and by the end of the first year, they may be taking their first steps or even walking. And that's just the gross motor skills. Which, by the way, doesn't actually refer to anything gross, it's just the things you do with your larger muscles. Running, jumping, things like that. You also have fine motor skills, which are the smaller things you do. Writing, picking up objects, that sort of thing. By the end of the first year, your baby is trying to pick up objects, though they don't know how to do it right, so they use a grip like this." Lily demonstrated, holding her hand in a sort of pincer gesture. "They're banging things together, they have their hands on everything, and then it all ends up in their mouth. It's normal. They want to explore, and the easiest way for them to do that is to try to gnaw on it. Some people will tell you not to let them, but it's going to end up happening. Just keep things as clean as possible, wash things if they fall on the floor, and don't be too annoyed when they start trying to yank on and eat your hair and jewelry. Just, uh, watch any dangling earrings.

"The really cool part is that by that age, they're starting to develop real intelligence," Lily went on. "They're starting to recognize people and voices. They might start to dislike strangers. They're also learning something called object permanence. Before then, if they couldn't see an object, it just wasn't there. Poof, all gone. Now they're starting to learn that just because they can't see something, it might still exist. This is why peek-a-boo is such a big game for them. They're learning from it. They're becoming more able to express their needs and wants. They'll point at things, and they'll babble a lot. Sometimes it might sound like they're talking before they really are, but by a year or so they're at least making progress on saying their first word. Remember this before you start cursing in front of them. They'll even begin to recognize their parents by 'mama' and 'dada', and actually call the right parent by the right word. Don't be too insulted if they mess that up for a while. And they're learning the word 'no.' And in about another year, it'll be their favorite word ever.

"And of course, always remember that every child develops at a different rate. Some'll start walking and talking before others, some might just be late bloomers. It doesn't mean your kid'll be smarter or dumber than any others, it's just part of their own uniqueness. But if it's been a while and they're still not managing to hit the milestones, it's best to see your pediatrician and get things checked out."

She took a seat on the floor with the students for extra credit show and tell, then explained the assignment. "Today we're going to be doing something like last week. Except rather than dealing with screaming terrors, you're going to be feeding them. Now, remember these kids are between six months and a year. They're moving away from the bottle and on to baby food. I have ponchos, if you really want to protect your clothes, and take no responsibility for the state of your clothing if you decide to be too cool to wear plastic.

"And again, if you want extra credit, find me baby clothes. Go ahead and create your own seasonally appropriate outfit for a kid of a year old, either gender, and bring in the outfit or a picture to class next week."

Re: Sign In

[identity profile] senor-chado.livejournal.com 2009-01-20 02:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Yasutora Sado
thatsamilkshake: (milkshake)

Re: Sign In

[personal profile] thatsamilkshake 2009-01-20 05:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Francine Peters

Re: Sign In

[identity profile] swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com 2009-01-21 12:48 am (UTC)(link)
Claire Fisher

Re: Sign In

[identity profile] gudspellr-claud.livejournal.com 2009-01-21 04:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Claudia Kishi

Re: During the lecture

[identity profile] flashesforinfo.livejournal.com 2009-01-20 11:29 am (UTC)(link)
So far, this week has been pretty good to Angela, and the snow this morning made it better as far as she was concerned.

She was cheerfully taking down the odd note during the lecture.
Edited 2009-01-20 13:41 (UTC)

Re: During the lecture

[identity profile] senor-chado.livejournal.com 2009-01-20 03:36 pm (UTC)(link)
About half-way through taking notes, Chad wondered why he was taking notes because he was just taking this class to enjoy it and not because it would actually one day be useful to him.

But then he realized he was already half-way through, and might as well finish it up.

Re: During the lecture

[identity profile] missed-the-gate.livejournal.com 2009-01-20 05:09 pm (UTC)(link)
John was not ready to think about children, so he tuned out as much of the lecture as he could, instead focusing on the hair covering his forearms and when he grew so much of it.

Re: During the lecture

[identity profile] swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com 2009-01-21 12:50 am (UTC)(link)
Claire took a few notes. It was kind of cool how babies started turning nto people so fast.
iamnotallgirl: (Default)

Re: Extra credit

[personal profile] iamnotallgirl 2009-01-21 03:45 am (UTC)(link)
Jill handwavily explained why she'd chosen a cute rattle.

Re: Feed your baby

[identity profile] flashesforinfo.livejournal.com 2009-01-20 12:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Angela liked her clothes minus any baby food, so she got all poncho-ed up for the occasion, no matter how unattractive it might be.

The food largely resembled mushed up banana, which her baby seemed to like, but mostly because it was having a whole lot of fun sticking its hands into the stuff. Getting food into the kid's mouth, was a whole different matter.

Re: Feed your baby

[identity profile] darkangelsawyer.livejournal.com 2009-01-20 01:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Now this was another thing Peyton had an awful lot of experience with. It went pretty smoothly and she looked around a little to see how everyone else was doing.

She'd be glad to help anyone having trouble.

Re: Feed your baby

[identity profile] missed-the-gate.livejournal.com 2009-01-20 05:19 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hey kid," John greeted the hungry creature, bypassing the plastic. "How 'bout we give some mushed up apples a try? That looks good, huh? Ah, sugar free, all natural. You can't beat that."

As he airplaned tiny scoops of baby applesauce into the kid's mouth, and then scraped it off the kid's chin and off of his own t-shirt and out of his hair after he got too close to an over-excited baby hand, John chattered incessantly at the fake kid.

Re: Feed your baby

[identity profile] noboynextdoor.livejournal.com 2009-01-20 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)
The poncho was embarrassing, but Jess figured it was better than getting covered in baby food like he was expecting. He was very surprised when, with a little application of airplane noises, he managed to get most of the food into the baby's mouth and not on himself, and he had to consciously remind himself that he wasn't supposed to be enjoying this at all.

Re: Feed your baby

[identity profile] senor-chado.livejournal.com 2009-01-20 06:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Chad took a moment to consider which shirt he was wearing today. It was the pink one, and so he was definitely putting on a poncho.

The man wore a pink shirt; you think he cared about looking tacky?

He was actually far more worried about getting baby food on his Italian leather shoes, so if he stood a decent amount of distance away from the baby while he bend down (and down) to feed it, that was why.
thatsamilkshake: (halloween)

Re: Feed your baby

[personal profile] thatsamilkshake 2009-01-20 09:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Francine was perfectly happy to poncho-up. Honestly, she was just happy that this baby was old enough not to be looking speculatively in the direction of her boobs. Which hey, the poncho was also good coverage, just in case.

"Mmmm, yummy, strained carrots!" she said in her most encouraging voice, zooming the spoon babymouthwards.

"Pfffffhfhpphht!"

...Yay, poncho. "Okay, no carrots. Got it."

Re: Feed your baby

[identity profile] swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com 2009-01-21 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
Let's not talk about Claire's attempt at feeding a baby. It ended with the baby saying "No. No. NO!" faaaaaaar more clearly than Ms. Aldrin had said he should be able to, and pureed green beans in her hair, on her shirt, on the high chair tray, and pretty much everywhere except in the baby.

Stupid baby.
Edited 2009-01-21 00:52 (UTC)
iamnotallgirl: (Default)

Re: Feed your baby

[personal profile] iamnotallgirl 2009-01-21 03:48 am (UTC)(link)
Jill wasn't too excited about her outfit today, and she figured the plastic rustling might put the baby off, so she skipped the poncho.

Apparently, her baby hated sweet potatoes like they were the devil, and she was so going to need a shower after this.

Re: OOC

[identity profile] missed-the-gate.livejournal.com 2009-01-20 05:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I have to point out that you are evil. EVIL.