This weekend we stopped by after church for our regular visit with Grandmom and Grandpop. Mom was in the middle of baking brownies and that's all the kids needed to hear! They climbed right up offering to help, but were singularly focused on licking the bowl! Even the baby leaped across the kitchen saying "my turn"! They were a sight - as the photo here shows! Mom loved every minute of it.
It's a scene that's repeated in my house all the time. But, my mother did something I don't. She left the mess in the kitchen, brought the kids in the bathroom, and had them all look at their messy faces in the mirror. She was particularly interested in the baby seeing his reflection. He really loved it! She actually does this all the time. Whenever the kids were dressed up, or did something funny she quickly put them in front of the mirror. It's a simple idea that experts say helps build self confidence, and for some reason, I never think of it myself!
There's no shortage of parenting gimmicks you can purchase to encourage your toddler to look at his reflection. According to online parenting reporter, Catherine Brophy, before 18 months a baby can't recognize himself in the mirror. The baby has to first learn that he is his own person, separate from you. Brophy says parents should play mirror games until the baby makes the leap. Beyond that point, showing your child their own image can add to greater self-esteem and self awareness.
You can spend big bucks picking up all the Baby Einstein mirror toys, but I've learned to keep it simple and listen to mom!
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