Message to future parents
At around 6-8 months of age, kids develop object permanence, or the ability to understand that things exist when they are not actively being sensed.
This does not mean that younger babies don't recognize familiar things, as they very much do. The boy has smiled at the sight of me and his mom for several months. The difference is that now, he has the ability to understand that we do exist when we're gone, and he can miss us. One would think that this would bring me great joy, to know that when I'm not around, my boy misses me.
Perhaps one day, I'll get to that point of feeling great joy about this. As for right now, let me tell you my observations about his development of object permanence.
The boy doesn't sleep. Seriously. We put him down in his crib, and he misses us so much he cries...for hours. Lots of crying. No sleep.
I'm not kidding, he doesn't sleep.
Nobody warned me about this, and that makes me bitter. Bitter and tired. Future parents, tuck this knowledge away in the back of your minds. Consider yourselves warned.
Important Note: I love my boy. I don't love not sleeping.
Comments
1GloriousConundrum said:
I could give you professional advice, but instead I will commiserate. I spent 1 1/2 hours trying to keep my 10 month niece from screaming over the loss of my iPAQ after she found it in my purse. Object permanence is the true curse placed on Adam and Eve after the fall - or, for the agnostic/atheist in the group - just one lousy trick of fate.
cadiz12 said:
oh man, that sounds bad. why is it that they don't tell people these things? parenting is made out to be such a bouncy swing full of roses. but it looks like i'm getting some practice. after hours of massaging out the knots in my brother's back from lying on a surgical table, i stop to take a rest and sort of fall asleep, only to be awoken by a tug on my sleeve. he hasn't been sleeping much, either.
Jon said:
I'm still jealous. I would like to have kids one day, but the doctors say that because I'm a "man" I can't give birth... whatever, it's all political anyway.
Cate said:
Number one reason I don't have kids (besides obvious lack of father for said kids) - I am way too protective of my sleep. Parenting is not for wimps, I think.
girlspit said:
I continue to be horrified at the prospect of having children, which sort of offends my husband. It's nothing personal, I don't even like dogs. They're so needy: "pet me! play with me! wash me! feed me!" I swear, it's just like having a kid. Sometimes even my cat seems too touchy-feelie.I guess what I mean by this is, you're a better man than me. Well, since you're actually a man, that's not too hard to pull off, but you know what I mean. Go you.
'ka said:
but so far... seems like you're doing pretty good there... :)