Since Inaaya's birth, new mum Soha Ali Khan has been spending all of her time with her two-month-old. She is admittedly a hands-on mum and loves to do everything for Inaaya by herself, even though she has help.
She recently shared that while she has nannies, the new parents have to solidify their bond with Inaaya on their own.
"We have some nurses as well, there’s a doctor and a paediatrician, but ultimately, it’s about me, Kunal (Kemmu; her husband) and Inaaya, and we three are figuring it out together. There are people to guide you. But ultimately, you have to do it all by yourself,” the first-time mum told a daily.
Now, everything is about her!
She also added that in getting to know her daughter, one things has become amply clear to her, and that is that Inaaya is ultimately everybody's boss.
"It’s no longer about my life, and that’s the most definitive change! Up until now, I have been independent, and liked very much to be in control of my schedule when it came to going to the gym, and getting minimum 10 hours of sleep every night. I used to look after myself. But now, everything is about her,” shared Khan.
“It is difficult for someone like me to relinquish control to someone else. But now Inaaya controls what I eat, when I sleep, whether or not I can watch TV, go out or not - she’s the boss!” she further added.
But this protective care doesn't mean she isn't allowing Inaaya to be cared for anybody else or isn't letting her meet other babies.
"It will take time for that between Taimur and her"
Khan's biggest concern is that her daughter's vulnerability, owing to her young age.
She says Inaaya is way too young for playdates, even with cousin Taimur.
“It will take time for that between Taimur and her. They have met on multiple occasions, but we are waiting for her to be old enough, and we are looking forward to that," shared new mum Soha.
And we absolutely agree with the new mum. Playdates are a tricky business, especially when your child is fairly young and has barely left home. But there are ways you can make playdates safe and easy on your little ones. Here's how.
3 ways to make your baby's playdates safe and easy
- Keep the numbers fairly low: The least risky thing to do for kids of any age is to organise a one-on-one interaction. Also, fewer kids means undivided attention, enough space and independence. The exceptions are of course, babies. Since they can't really play with each other, the playdate is mostly for the parents, so the more, the merrier. But as kid grow older, you'll have to be more vigilant and on your toes all the time.
- Drop-off when ready: If your kid is under the age of three and you are taking him or her to a friends house they may not have met often, they would expect and want you to stick throughout the playdate. However, they may be comfortable if you leave them with a family member. Similarly, with older kids a drop-off is possible when they know the hosts. So the best thing to do is to see the comfort of your kid first and then practice drop-offs, if necessary.
- Keep it short: If you have a baby or a toddler, keep the playdate to a maximum of an hour. Because essentially it will more of a time for you and your friend to interact, rather that the babies playing with each other. If they are older and less than three, you can extend it till two hours. But the basic rule is to keep it short and leave as early as possible.
Also read:Is your kid too shy around people? Improve their social skills with these tips!
(All images courtesy: Instagram)
