Babies and beyond

This issue has a focus on two things in particular that tie into each other sooner than you’d think: babies and preschool, and there’s no better time than July to be considering where you might elect to begin early childcare. It’s a great time to investigate and explore the possibilities as you perhaps think about fall and enrollments in programs.

You’d think that babies wouldn’t necessarily conjure up preschool, but they do, and even if you’re going to stay home and be the primary care giver (which is getter rarer and rarer an option for a lot of Moms), before you know it, the time will pass and you will be needing to find a playgroup or a Mommy class or some kind of socializing program that begins the process of adjusting your child to the world at large.

I always say that perhaps the most important responsibility anyone will ever take on comes with no training and we are expected somehow inherently to know how to be a good parent. No time in our parenting experience is more daunting in this regard and shocking than in those weeks after we bring home a new baby. This tiniest of creatures (more tiny than we could ever have imagined), who hardly sleeps and doesn’t let us sleep either, can be more work and cause more feelings of inadequacy than you’ve ever experienced before.

In New York City, with so many of us not being near our parents or siblings, and possibly having moved here from other places, we are not able to rely on their experience and expertise, and support groups with other parents are not only helpful but rather essential. Forming bonds with others will not only help you determine your “new normal,” but also be a great way of establishing early on playgroups for your baby and future friends and buddies.

I often miss having a baby and find myself continually melting when I see babies on the street or out shopping. Watching their personalities emerge after weeks of basic stuff like crying, sleeping and nursing is a gift and a privilege. Suddenly, there is a person, and that person comes with nuance and temper and all that goes into the formation of a whole individual. What a miracle!

School’s out and vacations are here and camp and summer programs. The days of summer pass all too quickly and suddenly we’ll be getting ready for school again and all that fall schedules require, so we have to enjoy these weeks to the fullest. Make sure to put sunscreen on your kids and don’t forget those sunglasses. Enjoy the beach or the country or whatever family outings/picnics you have planned.

Have a great 4th of July and thanks so much for reading.