Childhood development…

Josh and I take the education of Mallory seriously. We’re already reading both the “big people’s” Bible and the various “baby” Bibles to her; we’re reciting the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer every day; and I’m reading “grown up” books to her while I feed her (I’m a nerd).

So, I read “How Children Learn” by John Holt a few months ago, and a couple of things stuck in my mind. Children need to learn to explore the world and make observations on their own without the help of their parents. Currently, Mallory is learning to suck her thumb… OK, the overall skill set she is learning is how to eat with her hands (and comfort herself), but thumb sucking is an important first step. Since she was born, she has had this fascination with the back of her left hand and wrist, sucking on them. She’s recently started licking them, much like a kitty, and she has progressed to exploring her fingers. She has tried so hard to get her thumb in her mouth. She’s been able to make the fist, and she can open her hand and spread her thumb. But she hasn’t been able to extend her thumb while making the fist. The poor thing tries so hard to get that thumb in her mouth. And it is so tempting to just extend that thumb for her. But, I imagine, that in some infant way, the reward of that first suck that she does on her own will be worth the hard work (and for those interested, it is the left hand she likes the most, but will lick at her right fingers). I won’t take that away from her.