Anyone else with a baby struggling with all the virtual stuff?

[BabyLlamaZen]

Baby classes, friend and family get-to-gethers, everything!

I don't know if it's just my baby but he'll look at the screen for a few minutes before getting really upset and frustrated so we tend to stop the classes early or go off the call. Things always seem to clash with naptimes and generally having a 6 month old is stressful! In real life he's different, it's more situmtling in 3d and I can at least push him in the chair whilst chatting with friends when catching up.

Maybe it's because my generation (milennials) aren't the young ones anymore and have zoom calls planned to the t, no just hopping on when it works. Feeling like I'm letting people down a lot. Also feel like ds is going to get a bit of a shock when he sees real people again!

(Not looking for answers here, more 'anyone else?')

I’m not even bothering doing virtual baby classes. It’s too difficult to babies to understand facial expressions on video calls. We are just doing our stuff around the older child.

Are you doing many catch up with friends? We have a few virtual 30th which are driving me a bit nuts. Doesn't help most of my friends don't have kids.

Baby's don't need baby classes, they are not crucial to their development. Our Mother's managed without them.

Just spending time with your baby, reading books, playing with toys, bouncy chair in the garden, short walk in the pushchair, time in the bath etc will all keep your baby happy.

My baby is 10 months and has just worked out how to open my kitchen cupboards, he's having a great time emptying them out and playing with pots and pans. It's more fun for him than any baby class!

The virtual classes are for the parents at that age. We do some with DD but she is 14mo and will sit and watch for a little while. She will still wander off though and go do something else for a while before returning! But I wouldn't have attempted it with a 6mo unless I just wanted to watch it for myself.

The CBeebies Baby Club stuff is probably more fun for that age.

As for catching up with friends, I either wait till DD is asleep or if they want to see her, just leave her to play and keep the camera on her. But she's an independent player and always has been, so it's quite easy to do stuff around her!

I've given up on the classes, I was mostly taking her for the socialisation. We do video calls with the family but it's not the same and my daughter just isn't interested.

I second CBeebies Baby Club - it's great!

I am a bit about virtual baby clubs; they seem to now be championed by the same people who championed going to all the baby clubs because screen time was so damaging... for a baby, screen time is screen time whether it's a television programme or laptop virtual club.

To clarify, I'm not anti-screen time at all! I'd be using CBeebies Baby Club and all the YouTube to fit around what works for you and takes the pressure off 🙂

My DD loves the hartbeeps baby sensory but I haven’t signed up for the virtual classes, she’s only 10MO and too young to grasp the concept of watching the screen and participating so would be a waste of money. She’s not really been involved in the video calls with my friends either, although her grandparents do FaceTime to see her but she’s waves for about a minute then gets bored and wanders off.

I'm also a bit worried about the impact of all that screentime tbh!

Oh wow is this a thing? I'm not sure any of it is necessary.. keep doing it only if you enjoy it.

We do some online prerecorded baby classes but it's mainly me interacting with DS and the class just provides the background music/songs. I try to angle the laptop so that DS can't actually see it and is just looking at me. I don't bother taking baby on social calls (other than short video calls with my parents) because it's just too disruptive and I can't really engage with them.

I have a toddler and a newborn and would have been doing toddler groups etc mainly to get out of the house and socialise a little, but given those things are now cancelled I’m not bothering with the virtual versions. My toddler enjoys little videos of grandparents reading books and singing nursery rhymes, but he is older than your baby

I have a 6 month old. Tried one of our usual classes and it's not the same as in person so I'm not bothering. A big part of them is that she is distracted and interested by new things around her, and for me it's great to talk to mums in a similar situation to me. Normally baby classes are great and are where I met my 2 best mum friends (I also have a 4yo so have done this once already without lockdown situation).

My 4yo isn't remotely interested in online classes either.

I dont see the point of virtual anything with a 6 month old. Even my 3 year old gets fed up after about 10 minutes of Zoom with friends or family.

Can you suggest doing virtual chats after he is in bed as it's for you really, he wont be getting much out of it

I didn’t even like REAL baby classes so the idea of having to do them via Zoom is enough to bring me out in a cold sweat. I would definitely just watch the Baby Club instead.

My toddler is a bit ‘meh’ about all this video calling. Some days she quite enjoys speaking to her grandparents but other times she goes a bit quiet, I think it’s a lot for them to process; one minute they’re surrounded by people and we’re being pressured to minimise screen time and the next the screen is the only way they see other people! It must confuse the hell out of them!

But I would have definitely felt the same way as you OP when my DD was that age, she’d never have complied with a full length virtual class! 😂

I never even did the real life baby classes. I mainly watched Wife Swap USA. My son is a straight A student. Give yourself a break

Oh it’s a nightmare. The 2.5 yr old wants to carry the iPad around the house and the 8m just wants to pull the iPad off the table....

We have a couple of Zoom quiz nights with family and friends. Always at 8pm. So stressful getting everyone in bed for it to start....

I’ve tried Zoom
Baby Sensory but it’s not the same. Pretty pointless really...

These things, virtual or otherwise, are more for the parents at this age.

Thanks! Glad it's not just me. :)

It's not just you.

They don't need all these classes and sensory groups and baby groups. They need interaction, love and their needs met.

I found DC got overstimulated quickly at normal baby groups so we are really enjoying the calmer routine of being at home.

It's definitely not just you. I've given up on the online classes for my 3 year old, if she has screen time it's just cbeebies.

Most if these classes are run by small businesses who are probably desperate for the money at the moment. I do feel very bad for them and can understand why they want to keep the classes going to maintain their income. They're not anywhere near as good as the real thing though.

As for the social calls with friends and family, can you schedule them for when the baby is in bed? Again, even my 3 year old gets a bit bored after 10 minutes, I cant imagine trying it with a 6 month old.

I’ve not bothered with virtual classes. Rarely might stick on CBeebies baby club but Ds prefers just me singing him some nursery rhymes and bouncing him around. They really don’t need it at this age. Stick them in front of a mirror and they think it’s another baby!

My ds has never really enjoyed classes and found them overstimulating, so no to virtual as well.