The way we figure it, why just hold a baby this age when you can swing her around like a ballerina, bounce her like a horse or fly her like an airplane? The women folk may find us disrupting, but it turns out the kids love the change of pace.
Normal babies can recognize the difference in our style as early as two months; they even breathe faster when we walk in the room. And they start benefiting from our care early on. For instance, child development reserach has shown that babies who spend a lot of time with their dads are more likely to try working around obstacles when crawling rather than just crying for help.
So relax, mom. The guys aren’t just having fun; they’re building junior’s ability to face the unexpected. But everyone should be clear about what’s fair and foul play when it comes to activities for babies.
- Never shake a baby. This can cause blindness, brain damage or even death.
- Never jerk a baby by the arm. His joints can be dislocated. Even swinging him around by his hands can place too much stress on elbows and shoulders. Hold him under the arms and around the chest instead.
- Listen for baby to cry “time out.” If the game is getting old or junior feels like he can’t win, give him a break and try something else.
Bryan Taylor is President of EduGuide.