Play, Patience, Perseverance,

"Play is an essential part of growing up and researchers believe it's critical to ensure children reach their full potential in life. " - Ellie Dixon on the importance of play

Play is so important to a child because it is her way of learning. Curiosity is her ally. Playing is a sign for her thirst for knowledge.

I completely agree on the importance of play. And I highly encourage it of my child. But she does not seem to know how to play. When I present her with toys, she doesn't play with them. I have to literally force her to hold a spoon or rattle. Her therapist tied a spoon to her hand with a garter and stuck a velcro so when she swipes a toy with her ballistic movements, the toy sticks to her hand.

For normal children, you can leave them with a bag of toys and they will be preoccupied with it for at least several minutes - for as long as the toys are interesting. For Ate, it took her a while to actually look at the toy. It takes a lot of patience to get her interested in anything. It can be frustrating.

It's like the chicken and egg story. She has to play to learn. She has to learn to play. We have to start somewhere.

We've been reading her books and getting better responses from her. She looks at the photos and sometimes utters some sounds. She smiles at the really colorful photos too.

The whistle soft piano is a big help. She used to have useless ballistic movements of her arms. She would flap and flap them. Then we put the toy in front and a drum so it would make noise. At first it seems she didn't know what she was hitting. But sometimes, it looks like she wants to hit the toy. She realizes that she hits it. Cause and effect. Something so basic in play that we adults take for granted.

She's been busy the past few weeks with her hands. She sucks her thumb a lot. And sometimes it seems like she wants to pull out her hand with the other hand. And she stares at her hands too by opening them up and sometimes closing them. More body awareness I suppose. These are good signs.

I suppose I am just being impatient. To grow in patience, one has to be patient. Now I admire teachers because they are so tireless in trying to get a child to learn. I need to persevere in teaching Ate to play so that she can eventually play to learn. Hard work will pay off one day. I just hope my drive and level of enthusiasm doesn't wither before Ate gets to start playing on her own. Sometimes I wish I could hear Ate whine at the mall and ask me to buy her a toy. How I wish I could be that mom whom I saw a few days ago in the supermarket - when she nonchalantly brushed of her whining daughter, "that's too much anak, you don't need that toy." How I wish I could one day say, "You're too old for that toy Ate."

Playing with food

Pablo Beelen's first session for 2011 and he encourages Ate to play with food!

Observation: when there is a toy in front of her, she taps, if none, she sucks her thumb.

Never underestimate a child’s brain to absorb a lot of information. Ate is ready for her toys. Must take them out of the boxes and find space for them.

To vaccine or NOT to vaccine

Debating inside my head… Vaccines for Ant? She’s 6 weeks in a few days and due for a Rotarix shot. Still hesitating on giving her vaccines. Ate hasn’t had any except for the mandated HepB soon after birth done at the hospital. She had 1 more shot a month after that. When her seizures manifested, doctors postponed any shots afterward and kept her at the wait and see stage. Well, her seizures are gone and she seems to be doing well without vaccines.

The thought of giving my child a virus puzzles me. They get a fever afterward and somehow their body seems to get rid of the virus by developing anti-bodies to fight it. Why can’t it be done in the natural course then? Why not contract the virus without injecting it and then fight it off? Yes, it means they get sick. They develop and immune system to fight it.

Concerns are…. Ant will probably be more exposed to other kids and she can carry certain viruses. Ate can then get sick. Since Ate’s immune system is unlike regular children, she will have a harder time fighting it off. It’s unpredictable. That’s why she doesn’t have the vaccine in the first place. Ant, on the other hand, can transmit the virus if she catches it. Vaccine Ant to protect Ate? Strengthen their immune system and fight it off? Viruses today aren’t like they were before. They’re much harder to fight simply because our health level isn’t the same – because the food we eat isn’t the same. Hence, supplements. Are supplements enough? Natural sources are better. Natural sources lack the nutrients because of hormones and chemicals. Wait, going off topic… To vaccine or not to vaccine, that is the question. And remains a question. Will postpone decision for now.

Enough Vestibular Input?

Ate seemed to be afraid of the improvised tea cup turner whereas the first time she tried it, she loved it and was kicking wildly. She seemed to want to get out of her Bumbo seat.

Giving her Superman throws is not as impressive for her anymore. Perhaps she has enough vestibular input? Or she has more body awareness and fears what she can’t control. Although it was a joy to see her screaming giggles, these changes should be good.