I tend to think simple things like telling him and showing him how to "be gentle with the dog," will go a long way because I have been showing him from an early age. I am not going to lie-- having a kid who treats animals harshly and roughly is a nightmare of mine. It would just break my heart.
Anyway, other than dogs, Gabriel particularly loves penguins. He kisses me, my husband, and his penguin quite often. (Yesterday my Mom (his MomMom) was talking to Gabe on the phone and she told him to "kiss Mommy," so he kissed the phone. So that makes four things in our home he has kissed. And I can add the word 'kiss' to the list of words he understands, while 'Mommy' is still not on it!) He particularly likes it if I make the penguin waddle across the floor to him while making honking noises.
In other news, Gabe is very into standing alone lately. Will he walk before he turns one? I can't wait to find out!!
Some animal rights people despise the idea of pets, but I have to say that the close and very fulfilling friendships I had with various pets growing up were the single most influential factor in how I think about and treat them now. I stopped eating meat because I decided I didn't want to eat anything I could be friends with. I hope Gabriel also grows up to be an animal lover!
ReplyDeleteA teacher I work with said that her baby won't say "mama." Our speech therapist at the school said that children often do not say Mama because the "M" sound is not as easily produced as a hard consonant sound like a D or T. Since the tongue is in the front of the mouth for D and T, it's easier for the child to say.
ReplyDeleteHope all is well Erin!
Love, Amanda
How sweet of you to teach him to love animals so early on in his life. Being gentle is a great skill for anyone to possess! Great for animals, social development, and for new babies! I hope I can get Dalia to be gentle. She is very aggressive already! Huge personality!
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