The Sibling Experience
Day #3, and the Nugget is beginning to let his ambiguity show.
"Can we drop him off? At the baby kennel?"
But then hours later,
"I need Noodle to come see me. I can't wait for him to wake up!"
Every day, we are reviewing his options when Noodle cries. I might draw him a cheat sheet, since he is a visual learner:
1. Headphones
2. Find another place to play
3. Turn on music
4. Help us figure out what Noodle wants
Somehow, Noodle and Nugget have already synched up their meltdowns and their hunger. I realized today that I cannot prep and give a bottle while peeling and slicing an apple. So Noodle waited impatiently while I gave Nugget cheese and crackers. Then Nugget waited impatiently for his apple while I made a bottle and fed Noodle. I narrated the process, trying to demonstrate to Nugget that they both have to take turns, not just him. When Noodle was down for his nap, we took the monitor handset out into the backyard and had some "Mommy-Nugget time." This is not easy, but it's also what I wanted - a real way to teach Nugget how to be patient and to grasp that while he is an important valued part of the world, the world does not in fact, revolve around him. He's not always going to like it, but that's part of the sibling experience. This is big brother boot camp.
"Can we drop him off? At the baby kennel?"
But then hours later,
"I need Noodle to come see me. I can't wait for him to wake up!"
Every day, we are reviewing his options when Noodle cries. I might draw him a cheat sheet, since he is a visual learner:
1. Headphones
2. Find another place to play
3. Turn on music
4. Help us figure out what Noodle wants
Somehow, Noodle and Nugget have already synched up their meltdowns and their hunger. I realized today that I cannot prep and give a bottle while peeling and slicing an apple. So Noodle waited impatiently while I gave Nugget cheese and crackers. Then Nugget waited impatiently for his apple while I made a bottle and fed Noodle. I narrated the process, trying to demonstrate to Nugget that they both have to take turns, not just him. When Noodle was down for his nap, we took the monitor handset out into the backyard and had some "Mommy-Nugget time." This is not easy, but it's also what I wanted - a real way to teach Nugget how to be patient and to grasp that while he is an important valued part of the world, the world does not in fact, revolve around him. He's not always going to like it, but that's part of the sibling experience. This is big brother boot camp.
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