at home with Jo Frost - October 2012 - (Page 114)

MILESTONES M One for the baby book: Special landmarks in your child’s development can’t be rushed, so just put batteries in the camera and relax eeting your newborn for the ﬁrst time is a magical moment, but the delight and wonder doesn’t end there. In the days, weeks, months and years ahead, your baby will delight – and often confound, concern and surprise – you as key moments in their early years are reached. In true baby style, however, your little one may not do this by the book! Although there’s a general time frame for parents to use as a guideline – and your health visitor will be checking if your baby has reached certain goals yet – every baby is different, and he will naturally meet his milestones in his own time. This means he may be earlier or later than siblings or friends, so don’t compare. You can’t make a baby develop quicker than he’s naturally destined to. For instance, your 10month-old will not walk just because a friend’s SETTING ASIDE A little one has taken early steps – even if you DAILY TIME FOR spend all day walking him around the room! PLAY WITH YOUR BABY CAN HELP HIM DEVELOP GENTLE ENCOURAGEMENT Putting your baby down on a soft rug on the ﬂoor (on his back and, later, his front) to stretch, roll, twist and play with rattles, teethers and baby gyms, is a part of helping him advance. So to is talking, singing, playing games and pulling faces with him. While it’s great to help him along, it is also important for parents to realise milestones will usually happen on their own, and are not something to fret over or force. You may actually miss some of the more subtle triumphs – like the ﬁrst time your child moves an object from one hand to the other – while others stand out for special applause – like that spectacular shufﬂe across the ﬂoor, or those early faltering steps to reach teddy. Occasionally, new skills and their timing can become a concern for parents, but in the majority of cases there’s no need to worry. However, if something seems off or you can’t shake that nagging feeling, don’t ignore it – speak to your doctor or health visitor, as they can advise you on what you should be expecting from your child. They can suggest new ways to encourage your baby’s accomplishments, too.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of at home with Jo Frost - October 2012

EDITOR’S LETTER
JO’S HELLO
WHAT’S NEW IN PARENTING?
OCTOBER OUTINGS
SCRUB A DUB DUB
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
NICE WHEELS
FAMOUS MUMS
JO FROST ON THE GO
THE NAUGHTY CORNER
ADULT CLASSES
THE BIG C
YUMMY MUMMY
GET THE LOOK
PUSHY MOTHERS
TOPS ON TREND
MAKE-UP MAGIC
MOTHER WEAR
BABY BUMP BLISS
FIRST-TIME WORRIES
STARTING OUT
ON-THE-MOVE
SIGN UP
MILK TIME
SLEEP EASY
CRY BABY
WHAT’S THAT RASH?
MORE PLEASE
BABY STEPS
JOIN THE GREEN TEAM
COUNTRY COOL
PRE-SCHOOL LEARNING
BUDDING BOOKWORM
AN ITCH TO SCRATCH
‘I’M NOT HUNGRY’
GOING POTTY
BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT
LIVING WITH AUTISM
OPEN WIDE
THE COLD WAR
LET MUMMY KISS IT BETTER
PANIC STATIONS
A CLEAN SWEEP
PROJECT RUNWAY
ORGANISE THIS
TIME FOR BIG SCHOOL
ALL KITTED OUT
WHERE DO BABIES COME FROM?
‘I HATE YOU!’
TWEEN HEALTH
EAT WELL
TRICK OR TREAT
THE GHOST WITH THE MOST
LET’S BAKE
BABY BUDGET
WHAT KIND OF PARENT ARE YOU?
GIVE A CHILD A HOME
FAMILY MEN
GIRL POWER
DAY TRIPPER
GET PACKING
WHY PETS ARE BEST
COMING SOON
STORY CORNER
COUNT TO 10
PEARLS OF WISDOM
QUESTION TIME
KODAK MOMENTS
SURF’S UP
SOUND BITES
STOCKISTS

at home with Jo Frost - October 2012