Anna outside Mega… Just shot this clip (#qik) http://qik.ly/BHQKg
As with all these posts that contain videos and started life as tweets, you’ll either need to click the qik-ly link or the (0) link to watch the video.
Just noticed that if I use the proper longhand embed code, rather than the short version, it is displayed properly, even in these Asides-style tweets. I’ll try and get round to editing the other Qik posts some time soon.
Apr 09 2010
April 10th, 2010 6:52 am
Sooo cute 🙂 I can’t believe how good she is at walking. Our friend’s son has only just started walking like this and he’s 2 months younger. But I guess they all develop at different rates.
April 17th, 2010 12:45 am
Most of the time she totters (toddles?) around very confidently, however there is no fear when there sometimes should be. Case in point, she enjoys clambering up onto the two armchairs next to each other in our living room, and leaping around from one to the other. Fine if we are there to catch her when she inevitably falls forwards onto the floor/backwards into the gap between the two chairs.
I’m really glad she has the independence that such mobility brings, I just wish she was a little more cautious sometimes!
April 17th, 2010 5:45 am
The thing I love most about children is their complete lack of fear and incomprehension of caution. Ok, sometimes it’s inappropriate but I think sometimes the best way to teach a child is to verbally warn them but ultimately let them discover the consequences for themselves. After you’ve checked that whatever mishap may occur won’t do them any lasting damage of course. The odd bump or two and a few tears can’t be bad as part of the whole learning process.
I witnessed something in the summer and it made me vow never to be like that when I have a child. I was down at the rock baths at our local beach and there was a little girl there with her parents. She was around five or six perhaps, so not really that little in comparison with Anna. She desparately wanted to jump into the big pool and kept running up to the edge as if to leap in. The only thing stopping her was her father consistently bellowing “No, if you jump in there you won’t be able to swim and you’ll drown and die!” Just like that, no faith in his child’s natural ability, no encouragement, just negative prohibition.
I couldn’t believe my ears. All I could think about was how sad it was. The little girl obviously thought she could swim (after all, isn’t it a natural instinct?) and would it have been so difficult for her father to have jumped in with her so he could assist if necessary? No wonder people end up with phobias!
April 20th, 2010 1:35 am
Lasting damage is probably open to interpretation, as I can see some people having radically different cut off points. Maybe wait until you’ve got your own little bundle of joy, that you’ve spent 24/7 with from the time they were tiny, and see if your (mostly defendable (intellectually)) viewpoint remains static 🙂
No faith in the child’s natural ability? Or perhaps just scared $hit1ess that his daughter would come to harm? Obviously he could have perhaps found an alternative (swimming with her/distraction with another activity/laying out a timeline/swimming achievements required before she could swim in the big pool), but it might not be a situation of fascist repression, simply fear?
Swimming a natural instinct? Definitely not with all kids, confidence and an urge to swim can’t always outweigh natural buoyancy, situational awareness and previous experience 🙂
It is possible I’m playing devil’s advocate with you (who’d have thought that would occur?), but I honestly think I’d have not risen to the bait as quickly a few years ago.
April 20th, 2010 6:18 am
To be honestt’s a pleasant surprise if you agree with me these days lol 🙂
But I do truely believe that nothing good ever comes from fear.
April 22nd, 2010 9:34 pm
“These days”… when have we ever agreed on arguable matters?
Whenever we find ourselves on the same side, one of us (!) normally takes the opposing view, it’d be a bit boring and monotonous otherwise 🙂
Fear flames, fast cars, and probably lots of other things beginning with F, at least as a toddler. I would prefer Anna to have no interest in open fires, bar heaters and electric hobs, however if she does, no amount of logical reasoning with Anna would persuade her (at this age) that touching/playing with them is a bad idea. If nothing else works, I’ll happily settle for a child that is afraid of 1 tonne metal boxes travelling at 50mph, flames that could cause serious burns and other dangers. Sure, when she is older, and capable of understanding the dangers of a situation, I’ll gladly sit round a campfire, point out nice cars/attend a rally or watch her cook food. Until then, fear, as a last resort, will do just fine.
April 23rd, 2010 2:53 am
Yeah, I guess she is a bit young for proper reasoning. Give it another year.
April 23rd, 2010 1:03 pm
lmao, I’m so hoping that was tongue in cheek, in terms of timing. Reasoning reliably with a toddler in the middle of their terrible two stage. LMFAO.