Tip’s for new Grandpas (Grandmas already know this)
Baby proof your house! Make sure there is nothing on the floor that will fit in their mouth, ie: paper clips, rubber bands, toenail clippings, pepperoni, contact lenses, money, keys, live or spent ammunition, fish hooks, cigar butts, gumballs, dentures, dead insects, etc. (I was holding my one year old grandson on my lap trying to persuade him to watch Sesame Street on the laptop when all of a sudden I noticed he was holding the F3 key in a position indicative to consumption. Thank God I wrangled it away from him before it reached his semi-toothed mouth. It just so happens that the F3 key on my laptop controls the wifi which was inadvertently turned off in this case. Twenty some odd hours later after turning the router on and off 168 times and swearing at everything on the planet I discovered my grandsons evil ploy.)
Read up on how to un-choke a baby.
Buy your own high chair, crib, and whatever type playpen, cage, (a large dog carrier works well) or other necessities that will make life much easier when puddin head comes to “visit”.
Keep anything below 2.50’ (above finished floor elevation) you don’t want destroyed in a safe place, preferably out of eyesight.
Make sure there is NO WAY they can access the pool, even if they know how to swim. The same applies to all ingress/egress points of your residence. Yes you have to keep an eye on them all the time and if they are quiet they are up to something devious or they are pooping.
Have lots of baby toys around (I gave mine an old cell phone and remote control to play with so he will leave the real deal alone) as well as diapers, baby wipes (Walmart $1.88), desiten, formula, bottles, baby food, (those Gerber cheese puff thingy’s aren’t bad) and every other damn thing that typically is transported with a baby’s “diaper bag” which is about the size of a Volkswagen bug without tires.
The best method I have found to exhaust them, err “prepare the precious asset for a nap” is to buy a remote control car or truck that makes noise and has flashing lights, they’ll chase the thing for hours, if you let them catch it once and a while, thus completely exhausting themselves and ready for a “nappy nap”. This allows the grandparents time to degrease the house and regain partial sanity in preparation for the next barrage when it’s “wake up” time!
I know I have missed many important points so please feel free to help out here.
Y’all have a great week! B-)
Sounds like the voice of experience. As young parents we learned to just completely revamp the house in said manner, but grandparents tend to lapse into a false sense that somehow they can arrange their home to their preference. Nay nay, the little drool factory calls the shots when in the vicinity.
One of the funniest things I recall from years ago involved a co-worker whose wife was about to deliver their first child, Carl. About 20 of us co-workers were at their house for a social function when someone noticed how there were lovely little knickknacks all over the house, including a huge number that were lower than the 2.5-foot elevation noted above. The comment was made how these things would all be moved to a higher elevation once the baby started to crawl. Our co-worker assured us that it would not be a problem because they would teach little Carl that there were Carl's toys and mommy and daddy's toys and little Carl was only to play with his toys. The roar of laughter was deafening.
I disagree with the babyproofing
I agree with some babyproofing - electrical outlets and gates at the stairs, real safety issues. Put the poisonous chemicals out of reach.
I disagree with unnecessary need to lock every cabinet, door or other item in the house. Keep an eye on your children and let them know their boundaries. We did that with our first and have the same plans for the second. Emma knows better than to look through someone's cupboards. When we have guests and their kids get into our things, we understand it's the direct curiosity of not being allowed into the cupboards.
Yes, Emma got into the cupboards, but we put things in there for her. There was a month when she would fill her plastic shopping cart with dozens of packets of hot chocolate.
If you have a home office a child gate at the door makes good sense.
Maddie could see and talk to me, yet not come in and start playing with the other
computer or other, more dangerous things.
She recently turned 4 and we just removed the gate and
all of the outlet covers and child-proof cabinet and drawer latches.
Here is another tip - If possible, take some of the pressure off Mom and Dad and
be willing to take the little one to the swim, soccer, and gymnastic lessons.
We have had a lot of enjoyment doing that.
Congrats to all of the new and soon to be Grandparents.
Scott
When ours could hold their heads safely a Jolly Jumper as in the doorway of the office.
http://www.jollyjumper.com/show/20
Cheers
Derek
