Parenting 101: 25 January 2013
Jenni Johnson, our resident ‘Baby Whisperer’, has been a practicing child-care practitioner for 15 years, and owns a busy ante and post natal clinic in Durban. This week she talks about anxiety and problem solving, among other things.
* Babies and children go through stages of separation anxiety. This can happen in the first year and can carry on until the age of 4.This anxiety demonstrates your child’s bond with you and with encouragement to play and sleep independently. The phase does pass.
* I teach that by the time your baby is a month old you should feel in control most of the time, be less anxious and feel more confident with reading why your baby may be crying. Parenthood can be very overwhelming. Please get help from a professional clinic sister or Dr if you are not feeling ok.
* It's frustrating being a toddler: Your little one wants to see and do so much independently, but he or she is just too little OR you the parents just won’t co-operate! Toddlers don’t have the words to explain all this. The result is a tantrum! Sticking to a routine and offering choices whenever possible will help.
* The baby from birth to 1 year. Babies don’t need discipline. Parent by giving care and comfort. Babies need love, need to be enjoyed and need a regular routine.
* If your child comes home from preschool or big school and tells you his/her friends are fighting with her or he has no one to play with, try not to sort the problem out yourself. Rather encourage your child to talk about it and guide them into resolving the problem themselves.
* Catch Jenni on-air every day just after 10am with her tip of the day.
At Jenni’s ante and post natal clinic in Durban, parents are taught a system that gives them structure and routine to the baby and childhood years. Jenni has a nursing background. She’s a registered nurse, midwife, psychiatric nurse and private nurse practitioner.
Jenni’s online clinic, can be accessed online via www.jennisays.com. For appointments, e-mail [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter via @JenniSays or on Facebook by 'liking' The Berea Baby Clinic.