Instead of the usual celebration of eating out with Ej and Baby Zeeka (with his family or my family), the three of us spent the whole day together learning more about parenting. We attended the Joy of Learning Workshop, a parenting workshop organized by Fisher Price. Obviously, for most part of the workshop, Baby Z was either nursing, staring at the older kids or she was…

Zeeka at the Joy of Learning Talk

As for mommy and daddy, we were both participating and listening intently to each and every word Carrie Lupoli aka the “Chief Mom” was saying about parenting.

My key net take-aways from the workshop were:

1. Each of us need to set a direction when parenting. Yes, even in parenting, you should be able to practice goal setting. And how do you go about doing this? You start by defining character skills that you want your child to have. Cognitive skills are normally what we set like reading, understanding cause and effect, etc. These are important, but we should not forget that we also need to develop their character skills.

Character Skills versus Cognitive skills

2. Playtime is important since this is the time when a child really gets to learn. The first five years are the most important years in a child’s development since these are the years where children develop the fastest.

3. There are age appropriate toys for babies and toddlers. The toys appropriate for each age are:

Birth to 9 Months:
– Toys that engage senses: Mobiles / Rattles / Chew toys / Board Boards / Cloth Books
– Cause and Effect: Pop up toys / Busy Boxes

9 to 18 Months
– Toys that imitate real life: Plastic toys / Play food / Animal farms
– Problem Solving Toys: Things that fit together / Push and Pull Toys / Balls

18 – 36 Months
– Materials that help them use their hands to create: dough / Crayons and Doodle boards / Finger paints
– Toys to help them use their imagination: Dress up clothes / Action or Animal figures / Dolls / Stuffed Animals

4. Even if you’re a working mom or dad, it is important to spend quality time with your child. Set aside an hour or so just reading, playing and talking with them.

5. Document your baby’s milestones. Carrie Lupoli says “Parents who often do not know about nor document such milestones very much place their children at risk for life long challenges that could have been significantly improved if recognized earlier,”

So those are my key net take-away from this seminar. We were also fortunate enough to have this picture taken with Ms. Carrie Lupoli.

Mommy Ginger, Daddy EJ, Baby Zeeka and Ms. Carrie Lupoli

Did you get to attend this parenting workshop? Please do share what you’ve learned? If you didn’t get to attend, do you agree with the things that were taught (based on what my learnings are)?

Love lots,

Mommy Ginger