2 separate topics but one thread

[Luv Bunnies]

I think baby is a relative term. There's no hard and fast rule as to when you stop calling your child a baby. As we can see from the responses, it's different for everyone.

This is how I've seen childhood broken down:

0-3 Months - Newborn
3 Months to First Steps- Infant
First Steps to 3 Years - Toddler
3 Years to Kindergarten (5) - Preschooler
5 - 11 - School-aged
11/12 -Preteen
13 to 18 - Teenager
18 and up - Adult

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

First I have to admit that I saw this on a rerun of "Friends"...Joey read from a book entitled "I'll Love You Forever". I'm afraid I don't know the author. It had a ending verse that went....

I will Love you Forever,
I will Like you For always,
For the rest of my life,
My baby you'll be....!

One of the best choldren's books in my opion.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I call my 8 year old baby. LOL I will probably call her that forever.

I call my 12 year old "my baby", and might even slip up and say something like "My baby's team won the league football championship!", but I wouldn't simply say "I have a baby, what kind of services are available around here" and expect to hear about the middle school programs.

At 4 I'd say "I have a little girl" or "I have a preschooler" or "I have a daughter". Frankly, even once they're walking I'd probably say "I have a toddler".

 

[Happy Mom2]

To me, once a baby can walk, they are a toddler. That said, my babies will always be my babies to me, just like I'm still my Daddy's baby.

 

[tvguy]

My son walked at nine months. This is still a baby. My daughter walked at 15 months, she was still a baby. I don't think walking has anything to do with it in my opinion.

I still call my youngest "the baby" but only to my family.

In our scripts we refer to a child as a baby up until about a year, when they become toddler. However, my preference in writing stories is to list an age and sex "14 month old girl"......and not use baby, or toddler. Much more descriptive.

 

[stmo1]

It's funny there's lots of people who like that book, but for everyone who likes it I meet two more people who say they hate it. Lol it's funny how ppl are so different.
I think it's a very sweet book although somewhat creepy (after all mom climbs into her grown adult sons window to hold him and say he is her baby...I know it's just a story, but sheesh boundary issues woman LOL just kidding)
The only REAL problem I have with the book is when I was in college taking early childhood education literature classes...this book was one of several on a list of books that are made as childrens books but are actually not geared for children's emotional and psychological development, but are actually written for an adult audience with adult emotions in mind. (nothing innapropriate about the content, rather, it's theme and content are designed to be appeal to the adult psyche). That is why so many adults love this book, it appeals to them and is an emotional bond for them moreso than "regular" childrens books . There are a whole bunch of books like that. Our local libray also has a list of them because so many adults actually request them...the library calls them "pseudo childrens literature". Kids do read them, but it's mostly adults who actually request them. If I can remember to do this, I'll copy down the list next time I go to the library.

 

[sfarmbo]

The first time I read this book was about 15 years ago at a baby shower. While reading it I cried like a baby. Freaked a few people out. But a couple weeks before the baby shower, my grandmother had died. My sister, myself, and 2 cousins took care of her in the last days of her life. Her last wish was to die at home with family. This involved us singing to her, reading stories, and cuddling with her. Mind you we were all in our 30's. This was the most amazing gift any of us could of given her. Our gift to her for rocking all of us, we thought. But it really was her gift to us, as all 4 of us say this is the most important thing we have ever done.

On the topic of the age of babies. I don't know, we have 2 two year olds and we all call them "the babies". Not sure how long we can get away with it. They will at some point tell us they are not "the babies".