Speaker (00:00:01)** ((-)) - - Hello. Thanks for joining us today. I'm happy to introduce you to an incredible lady. Her name is Michelle Mintz. Hi, Michelle. Thanks for being here with us.
Speaker (00:00:12)** ((-)) - - Hi. Thank you so much. I loved listening to your introduction. It just flows right with what I do.
Speaker (00:00:18)** ((-)) - - So I was watching you nod and I was like, she gets it. Yeah.
Speaker (00:00:23)** ((-)) - - We're talking the same language. It's great, I love it.
Speaker (00:00:28)** ((-)) - - All right. I'm going to tell you about Michelle. She is the early development expert. I don't know what all your abbreviations stand for, so I'll let you explain those. She is the founder and owner of Baby Blooming Moments, a unique parent coaching program available virtually or in person in the US and internationally, empowering families to enrich the way they interact with their babies and toddlers. Through baby blooming moments, families learn essential strategies to integrate throughout their day during those crucial early formative years, which increases their child's attention, communication, and brain connections and ultimately strengthens their emotional, social, and intellectual development.
Speaker (00:01:10)** ((-)) - - I can relate to all of that, I love it. Her background is a speech language pathologist for over 25 years, specializing in working with children from birth to five years old, and she's the author of her children's book All Done, Binky So Cute, which helps support families with babies and toddlers weaning off of pacifiers. Oh that's wonderful.
Speaker ((00:01:33)**) - (-) - Here's "All Done Binky", Meredith.
Speaker- That's (so) - cute, I love it.
Speaker you. (My) - background is a speech and language pathologist. It's very, very important to wean off pacifiers early to help avoid any kind of speech and language delays or difficulties that might come from having that pacifier, that nipple that's sucking action. And so there weren't any great books for children that were like nine, ten months old. And so I wrote my own. And so it's really simple words with very colorful pictures, simple drawings. Um, so it took me a, you know, a while to find, um, I was very particular about my drawings. Yeah, because there's a lot you can use it for as far as language and growth and just even talking about the pictures, let alone the story when you're reading with your babies and toddlers.
Speaker (00:02:30)** ((-)) - - So yeah, a lot of thought went into that. And planning. That's wonderful. Yeah.
Speaker (00:02:34)** ((-)) - - All those letters behind my name, uh, just simply simply which is MSQ, SLP for all of those that are listening and now don't even know what that is. That is the master of science of my, uh, certificate of clinical competence in speech language pathology. So, um, basically I'm licensed. That's my background, and my knowledge is in speech therapy and communication. And that's really what led me to baby blooming moments, which is for all children. So I don't want our listeners to turn off thinking, oh, well, my child doesn't have a problem, so I don't need to listen to a speech therapist. That's very, very important of how I differentiate my speech therapy hat and my early development expert branch, as you will, of baby blooming moments.
Speaker (00:03:28)** ((-)) - - I'm sure they're tied together, but your your passion is the baby blooming moments, right?
Speaker (00:03:32)** ((-)) - - My passion. Yes. And that my end and my knowledge and background of what I do helps me with baby blooming moments.
Speaker (00:03:39)** ((-)) - - But I just felt like I wanted to reach more than just children that were coming to me with a delay. I wanted to actually reach parents and grandparents nannies to help, maybe be proactive, and maybe prevent those delays so that they're not needing speech therapy. Because what you do during these early years are so critical that then could prevent, honestly, the difficulties of what I see then when I come, when they come to me for help.
Speaker (00:04:12)** ((-)) - - That's fascinating. I can't wait to keep talking about that. I love it, yeah. So we met a few weeks ago, and I remember being very impressed with your focus because people do not understand babies and they don't understand their needs, and they don't understand their nature and, and how to support their development. And this is this is what you're you're doing is helping people understand those things. So I was just so excited.
Speaker (00:04:41)** ((-)) - - Absolutely. And I want to let everybody know that it's perfectly normal, typical, appropriate, whatever word you want to use that feels comfortable to you to not know what you're doing with babies and toddlers.
Speaker (00:05:00)** ((-)) - - You said, you know, we don't know what you know to do with the babies. That is very natural for many, many people. And many people feel shame behind that and then don't want to ask for the help. And so that's a lot of what I'm doing, is educating and hopefully making people feel, oh, it's okay. There's not an instruction manual, there's not a book that some, you know, there's a million books of developmental, but, you know, so you're not alone. And it's it's all about learning and and feeling comfortable. And that's what I'm about is that there's no judgment. There's I just want to help and comfort and coach and and give that knowledge, you know? Yeah.
Speaker (00:05:43)** ((-)) - - I appreciate that. I never want anyone to feel ashamed or bad or like you said earlier, not asked for help because they don't understand. And well, we expect that, you know, and I tell people the same thing with sleep coaching is when you come to me and there's shame around your child not sleeping well or you're blaming yourself, you shouldn't because all moms have gone through the exact same thing as you and you're not a trained sleep consultant.
Speaker (00:06:07)** ((-)) - - And guess what? A lot of sleep consultants started out just like you. They didn't have a clue. And so they took the training, you know? So it's just yeah, these are normal things for parents and mothers. And do you work with parents or mothers or both?
Speaker (00:06:23)** ((-)) - - I work with anyone who has or is raising or helping to raise children birth to five. So that's my caveat is pretty much the age group is birth to five. But whether it be preschool teachers, where I've gone in and have actually done presentations or workshops for preschool staff because they're wonderful, they know what they're doing. Most of the time there isn't something wrong that I'm going to fix. I'm just going to tweak what you're doing and make it so much more enriching. And so the preschool teachers, daycare providers, I work with a lot of grandparents because grandparents knew what to do when they were raising their kids, but they're blown away by the simple little, you know, things I teach them that just makes such a huge impact.
Speaker (00:07:18)** ((-)) - - I work with a lot of nannies. I'm in Southern California, in Los Angeles, and a lot of nannies raise the children. They are there from morning until the child goes to sleep. And so they are the people that I want to coach because they're raising. So dads, I love when I get dads. Dads are more, you know, far and few between than than women and mothers. And that's why I do this too. And I actually did a great podcast. It's called Your Two Dads because I want to reach dads. Because a lot of times with like a one year old, they know to like throw them up in the air and catch them, you know, or like, you know, put them under there, you know, and like, you know, like they don't really know that just even talking and playing with them and like doing a simple act of bubbles and the way that I create that moment is so engaging and then so motivating for dad, because you see the connection and you see how the baby responds and you're like, oh, wow, let's do that again, you know? So I will coach any and all everywhere.
Speaker (00:08:28)** ((-)) - - I love that you just brought that up, because one of the things my clients miss often is they are doing it all. They're taking care of their child themselves, mostly because maybe they're staying at home with the child, or the child prefers them, and you can't necessarily change that, but you can facilitate that connection between dad and baby. And I love to help moms like go a little bit so that they can help the dad grow with confidence and connection with their child. I've seen some of the most beautiful transformations in the relationship, and even getting dad involved over time helps them be able to respond at night and take care of the child so mom can have breaks. So anyone out there who thinks that it's impossible, it's not. It might take time and effort, but it's not impossible. So I love that you enjoy that too.
Speaker (00:09:20)** ((-)) - - That's right. It's also, you know, not natural for moms as they've been really the primary person, especially if you're nursing that you're there, you're there, they're there.
Speaker (00:09:29)** ((-)) - - So to learn how to let go of that, put whatever word on it, because we we do we are protective mama bears. And it ends up being how do we control the environment so that our baby doesn't get hurt. But and we feel like the specialist.
Speaker (00:09:47)** ((-)) - - But what's interesting when you let go is that you find that there isn't one right way to do things, that your husband is going to have his own way, or the other parent or whatever, you know, situation, that they are going to have their own magic. We have to let them. And that habit carries on through childhood. You have to learn to let go or you're gonna have some major friction, right?
Speaker (00:10:09)** ((-)) - - Absolutely, absolutely. And then and then often it's not uncommon for couples, especially of new baby, new new children of their first. But even with the second that they run into difficulties that they didn't have before, they were a happy couple and they were fine. But now this little one comes along and decisions are made all the time.
Speaker (00:10:34)** ((-)) - - And most likely couples don't talk about that beforehand because you can't even anticipate what all the decisions are, right? You don't really know that. So you're in the middle of this and you come from different backgrounds, and so you come at it from different ways. And sometimes you need help with that. Okay. Which my sister, I'll just give a plug for her. Stephanie Mintz, the strategic relationship consultant I have worked with parents that I referred to her couples. Nice. They need to be able to be on the same page, so then they can be on the same page to enrich the lives of their children. So we need each other. Um, and so she's also referred couples to me that she's worked with. And then they've had babies and then, you know, so it goes back and forth. So it's all related. It's all about communication.
Speaker (00:11:24)** ((-)) - - Yeah. It isn't actually. I have a podcast episode coming up with someone who specializes in relationship communication, and I'm so excited because it's such an important topic that we just don't give enough time to just like your topic.
Speaker (00:11:39)** ((-)) - - But yeah, I love the work you're doing. I love the way you're helping mothers and fathers and parents, and I love the way you're helping the children. So it's just so beautiful. So how about you tell us the story that led to the work you're doing today? Because I know as you talk about that, you're going to just keep explaining what you do. So.
Speaker (00:12:00)** ((-)) - - Yes. Well, basically, I went to Santa Barbara to get my undergraduate degree and really didn't know what I wanted to go into and heard about this speech therapy, which kind of had, um, phonetic letters. And it was kind of like this, like cool little clues that you could, you know, read. And so anyways, I got interested in it and became a speech therapist. And I specialize working with children. Birth to five, as I said. But I also work with the geriatric population, the senior population so 70 and above. And so, um, those are my two extremes, as I call them.
Speaker (00:12:42)** ((-)) - - Um, and I just love they bring each of them bring me joy in their different ways. But what I found with my speech therapy is I always had the parent that or the person that brought the child in with them in the room with me, showing them what I'm doing, explaining what I'm doing and why, showing them demonstrating it so that I can tweak it so that then when they go home and they're with the child the rest of the day, they've become the speech therapist, if you will, and then we make progress a lot faster than if they just see me for an hour. Most speech therapist have the parents wait in the waiting room, and they come out, and they give a little five and a minute synopsis of, you know, we held our, you know, our objects here to get eye contact. And I want you to, you know, ask less questions. Okay. So you go practice that. Okay. And my children were just, like, making progress and just, like, going so fast.
Speaker (00:13:41)** ((-)) - - And I realized it really is because of the education and training that I'm providing to that adult, because that adult needs. It's how they respond to that baby, that infant, that toddler that makes it go this way or this way. And so they need to know how to respond. So I said, well, I don't want to reach just children who are delayed or having problems. I want to reach all babies that are birthed to five. I want to coach anybody who works with or raises preschool teachers, daycare providers, grandparents, nannies, anybody who has this age group because that is the age range where brain development is still occurring. The neurons in our brains, when we are born are still waiting to connect and form, and they connect depending on the experiences that they have. So we want those experiences for those babies and toddlers to be the most enriching, to be the most engaging. So right now, I've turned myself on a little bit where my eyes are doing things, my face is doing things, I'm looking in the camera.
Speaker (00:14:57)** ((-)) - - I'm really engaging because if you were a baby, it really wouldn't matter what I'm saying. It's how I'm saying it with my tone of voice. If I had toddlers around me right now, they'd all be looking at me and I could say, watermelon, watermelon, watermelon. Okay, so it is about how you age. That it's those connections form and we want the most connections that we can have. We only have from birth to five. That's when 90% of the connections are formed for life. That's it. So we need to take advantage. We need to enrich those years. We need to be aware. And that's where I said I need to get this out. Especially then Covid hit and now there's Covid babies. So my program is all enriching, healthy, typically developing children. Mhm. At the same time now our world fell apart in 2020 which allowed me to reach people virtually. Because of what happened. So now our virtual world opened up. So now I coach internationally and all over.
Speaker (00:16:19)** ((-)) - - So Covid was a bit of a blessing in that way that more people can learn from me all over. And that's and so I said, okay, this is the, you know, perfect opportunity. And now research and it's on studies are showing it's on my website that the babies that were born during the Covid lockdown, 2020 to 20, you know, to 2022, who are now going out to preschool and daycare, they are falling apart. They are behind on their developmental milestones. That's what the studies are showing. They have no idea how to socialize, which doesn't mean sharing. It means can I tolerate another body sitting next to me? Okay, so now people need me. To fill the gap because they're behind. And so there's really a need for me, but nobody's looking for me because you don't know I'm here. So here I am. That's my that's really my story is that I'm so passionate about what I do that I said I want to help everybody, and now the world is falling apart.
Speaker (00:17:29)** ((-)) - - Now you really need me to catch these babies up or they're behind and that's our next generation. If you think about it, the importance of what that is, wow, that's so.
Speaker (00:17:40)** ((-)) - - Important and powerful.
Speaker (00:17:42)** ((-)) - - Powerful.
Speaker (00:17:43)** ((-)) - - I know a lot of people were really concerned about things like that during the pandemic. So it's very interesting for you to talk about that. This is this is a thing that's really happened.
Speaker (00:17:52)** ((-)) - - And well, I'll tell you that this story from my mother that I worked with, she said, okay, so we were Covid, we had this panic. They both were in the acting world and cameraman. And so like, you know, they, you know, you're not filming and zooming and you know, so everything shut down in their lives. And they have, you know, a one year old and a two and a half year old and life is chaotic and finally. Covid is coming down, life can happen again. We can go out, see grandparents, we can send our kids to preschool and daycare.
Speaker (00:18:29)** ((-)) - - And now what's happening? The preschool teacher every single day tells me your child is a nightmare. I don't know what to do with your child. They're biting. They're screaming. They won't listen. They won't do this. I don't know what to do with your child. And every day you're hearing that report. And she said, so now Covid is done and we're better. And my child has issues and behavior issues, and now I have to deal with this. And where do I go? And pediatricians don't know because it's not really behavior like ABA, you know. Yeah. So people are lost. And so I came in, she said you were like medicine. She said you were like medicine. Michelle, of what do I, you know, just putting out the fire. And that's what I hope to do for people that's listening. And as I can help, at least start to put out some fires and then we can dig deeper. But there's a lot of people in this world that are going through this and getting these same reports.
Speaker (00:19:40)** ((-)) - - And so again, you're not alone as a parent feeling like, I don't know what how to do this with my child now.
Speaker (00:19:47)** ((-)) - - So I think that this is something that parents run into where you're at a loss and you don't know why. And so we have to be determined to find that answer and find the right people and the only one who will. And so we have to listen to our guts. We have to listen to our intuition. And. I'm so happy to be able to share you with people so they know who their answer is. And in this case, in this scenario, it's exciting. And don't you wish we had a megaphone that would go out to the world, sometimes a little better than I really. The hard work.
Speaker (00:20:19)** ((-)) - - I really do, instead of the megaphone that's given to some of the people that are going out to the world, uh, I think that it would be a lot healthier. Yes. I mean, parents need to know, you know, need to know this.
Speaker (00:20:33)** ((-)) - - Absolutely.
Speaker (00:20:35)** ((-)) - - Michelle, let's talk a little bit about your experiences, because I brought up listening to your intuition, trusting your gut. And you know, when you're a new mom that's completely foreign. We've been taught in school to rely on our logic. And we actually have neurons in our heart and in our gut. It's so fascinating to me. We have to listen to this part of ourselves. And it's really important when it comes to raising children. I, I've actually made episodes about this, so I'd really like to hear about some of your struggles, some of the things that you went through. And, you know, how did you find support as a mother?
Speaker (00:21:15)** ((-)) - - Yes, absolutely. So yeah, I loved when you said trusting your gut as a mother and and as a new mom. You're like, I don't know, because I've never been here before. So my mother used to say to me, you know, I've never been a parent of a 12 year old before. I've never been a parent of a 15 year old before.
Speaker (00:21:35)** ((-)) - - And it was the truth. And so it was like she was learning along with me. Um, when your second one is it comes along. You can't say that so much anymore. But you could say I've never been the parent of a second, you know? Um, but so trusting. Trusting your gut. Is so, so very important. And when you think that maybe there's something just not quite feeling right with your infant, your newborn, your baby, your toddler, your child, what, what? I very much urge you to trust your gut and talked with your pediatrician, and this might get you in trouble with pediatricians, but if your pediatrician isn't listening to you. And you still have that in your gut. You need to be proactive and follow that somewhere else and get and get and get some help. So that wasn't at all where you asked. But that's where my heart went because there's too many people that have come to me. More an about speech therapy that they said. I went to my pediatrician, I knew something and they said, there's a range.
Speaker (00:22:54)** ((-)) - - Just wait, just wait, just wait. And now they're two, two and a half and we could have started much, much sooner. And the moms are always 98% of the time saying, I knew it, I knew, I knew, absolutely. You know. So anyways, I think learning to trust your gut is a muscle, as my, my therapist might tell me that you need to learn to. To expand, strengthen, especially again as first time moms. And you're like, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know that I really followed my gut in my journey of relationships and relationship hood. I think my gut was telling me that. You know, I should go a different branch and and I didn't. And so then we had a child and that did not make it better. For those of you out there that think maybe it's going to save or it's going to do, I'm there's too many decisions that need to be made. And when you come from different households in your upbringing and that comes into decisions and you haven't really talked about how you're going to make those decisions because you didn't even know those decisions were going to need to be made.
Speaker (00:24:13)** ((-)) - - Do you know, do we wake up at 12? I mean, just a million decisions. So for me, looking back on it, fortunately my son was 14 months when we separated. So he was very, very young. And I basically ended up moving in with my parents, um, and co-parenting, um, primarily with, with my mother until he was about three and a half years old. And then and then we moved out. And then I still co-parent with my with my mother, basically. But. I still had an ex-husband that I was going through that was very controlling, very manipulative, very hard to let go of the control of our son, who's now 23 and I'm so proud of. We weren't. Connected. We weren't on the same page. We weren't consistent. And I saw those things. And then having a child having those issues, it didn't work. It doesn't work. I'm just generalizing. So, um, so I was basically a single mom with with a mom.
Speaker (00:25:24)** ((-)) - - The households that he grew up in were extremely inconsistent. And I am so grateful that. He is who he is. He graduated. He's got a job in sports management, which is what he wants to do in Pennsylvania. So but he definitely could have gone a different branch. And I think that a lot of it was the consistency that I provided for him when he was with me, which, thank goodness, was the majority of the time. And that then my co-parent, which was my mother when I went to work and she cared for him, was consistent with my I don't like to use the word rules, I, I like to use the word plans with my plans. Sounds a little bit better when you have a plan for the household rather than a rule, it can be taken in a little bit differently. So when she was consistent with my plan, even if she didn't agree with my plan. So if I said he's cold and he needs two sweaters, actually, it'd probably be the opposite, right? But he's not cold.
Speaker (00:26:42)** ((-)) - - He doesn't need anything. And then I come home and he's got three sweaters on. I don't really want to continue to co-parent with her if she doesn't respect my decisions. And ultimately she was mine then to decide for. Yeah. When you have two parents who are raising a child together in the home together. And hopefully separate. But let's start with the home together. Because if they're separate, they're separate for a reason. And that's usually that there's differences. And I'm making lots of general statements when I'm saying usually and things like that. So please don't take just needed to say that little disclaimer there. And I want to connect with anybody who, um, may be listening who I'm in this mood. I was saying that I'm very much into connecting. Looking back on, you know, being afraid to fail as a mother because I didn't know. Do I follow my gut? Am I right, making the right decisions and then fail as a wife and marriage? That's a lot to swallow. That was when I was in my late 20s.
Speaker (00:28:00)** ((-)) - - I'm now in my early 50s, and I am proud to say that I'm getting help. But it took me a while, took me a, you know, a long while. So anyways, totally going on another segue. So I'm just wanting to relate to any listeners that might be out there that, um, that are like, I can't leave, I can't, I don't know, and or whatever. If there's inconsistencies, big inconsistencies where there can't. Become compromises is what I found. Everything was a ten to to him. Nothing. You know, if you're on a scale of 1 to 10, you know, so there wasn't any like wiggle room of of anything. And so raising a child and that's where I'm going to go to because that's what we're talking about. Yes, there can be differences. How dad does things and gets, you know, a relationship and connects with the baby is going to be different than how mom does. But as far as the plans, if you will.
Speaker (00:28:59)** ((-)) - - Children learn by repetition. They learn language by hearing the same word over and over again. They learn how the household is run and what is going on and what's next. By repetition of their day, their daily routine. And they learn by repetition of how you know things are handled. Do I have a, you know, someone who comes over with a really happy face when they come to change my diaper, somebody who, you know, just got off the phone or whatever and is in a really bad mood. But this is the the posture and body tension and facial expressions that I'm now communicating to my baby that they're interpreting babies, infants, babies. Before they can understand what words mean, they communicate and understand communication by our body language, our gestures and our facial expressions. So when I turn it on, more is that I do this when I've got a baby or somebody that I'm trying to get because this is way more exciting, okay? It's also takes a lot of energy. I'm gonna temper it down a bit, but yeah, there's what I'm doing is I'm doing right.
Speaker (00:30:23)** ((-)) - - What? Actually, Meredith, what am I doing? You describe what I'm doing when I do that different. What am I doing?
Speaker (00:30:29)** ((-)) - - She's just being very animated, and she's using her hands. And she looks excited and and happy, though at the same time.
Speaker (00:30:37)** ((-)) - - Okay. Very good. And animated with a lot with my eyes. And I'm not sure how much the camera picks it up and, you know, but a lot with my eyes and a lot, a lot with my mouth. Which then leads me to not only Covid was everybody isolated, but everybody had a mask on.
Speaker (00:30:58)** ((-)) - - I know.
Speaker (00:31:00)** ((-)) - - Oh, can we go into the what direction that'll take us in a whole nother plant. Just continue to talk to you like this. And this is what this is what babies and toddlers are growing up with. Guess what? They don't know what a happy face looks like. They don't know what a sad face looks like. So now they're going to preschool and daycare. They're looking at the teacher.
Speaker (00:31:23)** ((-)) - - They don't know if that teacher is happy or sad with them, or mad with them because they weren't listening, or that, you know, they're all mixed up because they only learn in their early years. This is happening. Oh, yeah. This is me. So they don't know what words are. In fact. If I talk to you like this. And I said, I am so happy that I am here today, Meredith, I hope that you have me come over again and I want to do this. I want to tell everybody I'm having such a good time.
Speaker (00:32:00)** ((-)) - - That does not work.
Speaker (00:32:02)** ((-)) - - Okay, so even though my words say one thing, they're out the window. I don't know even sure if anybody listened to my words. Yeah. Body like all of everything else. Which includes tone of your voice. Right? Yeah. Okay, so even if I, I'm going to see if I can do this, I don't know with a mad face, but I'm talking happy and I'm saying I don't know if I could do I'm trying to do a mad face, but I know that works.
Speaker (00:32:26)** ((-)) - - Works.
Speaker (00:32:27)** ((-)) - - Yeah, yeah, but I'm really I, I'm really happy and I hope that I can do it again, but, um, I don't, you know, but, um, I hope I'm telling everybody what I truly believe and that you'll call me because I really know what I'm talking about. Okay? I don't really know if that came off. Okay.
Speaker (00:32:45)** ((-)) - - You look like you're about to cry, and you're totally insincere, so it's, like, confusing, right?
Speaker (00:32:52)** ((-)) - - I'm trying. That is what I'm trying to get. So imagine if you are a baby or toddler. That's done as an adult. If you were trying to interpret what I was just really saying to you, you're like, is she? Does she want to be here? Is she going to do this again? Okay. You would be questioning like the whole thing. Okay. You know what it all means. Yeah. So somebody's learning. So now they're going to see the angry face and maybe think that somebody's really happy with them.
Speaker (00:33:25)** ((-)) - - And so then they keep doing what they're not supposed to be doing. Thinking you're happy with them. And then that person gets angrier because you're not doing what they're supposed to do. And then we have behaviors. Everybody's frustrated. Yeah. It didn't have to happen. But this happened. So.
Speaker (00:33:46)** ((-)) - - So interesting. It's, you know, one of the things that was really, really eye opening to me when I started learning about secure attachments and how to, you know, help kids understand your intentions and how important that is, is like letting go of what we want and really trying to read children and be in tune with them and not push what we want on them. Like, I'm not talking sleep training here. We can talk about that, right? I'm talking this natural tendency that we have to hand the baby a toy. Oh, yes. Well, they're playing with them. You're switching the toy or you're playing with the child, and they want to do one thing, but you say no and you want to do something else.
Speaker (00:34:25)** ((-)) - - Like, it's crazy how little things like that matter. So let's talk about that first. Talk about how we can repair some of this damage you're talking about with Covid. But then let's talk about some other tips for, you know, supporting wellbeing.
Speaker (00:34:37)** ((-)) - - And absolutely. So basically one very, very important thing that we need to be doing to help what's happened with Covid is we need to be face to face. That's one of my strategies, okay. Or FaceTime, not the FaceTime that you all are thinking about.
Speaker (00:34:55)** ((-)) - - Yeah.
Speaker (00:34:56)** ((-)) - - True. And this is my my little thing. Actual true face time. Put those screens down. Stop zooming. Stop watching your Instagram. And when you see the airplane in the sky, walk from behind your stroller and get crouched down and get face to face with your baby and show them airplane, airplane and make sure they're looking at the airplane, not the dog, because otherwise they think the dog's being called airplane and have that moment with them. Okay, so that's what you may need to be doing a lot more.
Speaker (00:35:34)** ((-)) - - And that's what baby blooming Moments is really a lot about, is being in the moment and enriching that moment that you're in, not trying to get to another moment, which is what you're talking about. So. Which is another one of my strategies.
Speaker (00:35:50)** ((-)) - - You also brought up something else how bad it is in our day and age with the phones, like our attention is on our phones, we're not like watching what our babies are interested in or looking around at what's going on so we can point those things out. Our babies are missing out.
Speaker (00:36:04)** ((-)) - - Absolutely, absolutely. I mean, I could go on. Yes, that's a huge, huge thing. I mean, I've got lots of videos on my website as well as on my YouTube channel about the importance of, of really needing to be present. Which. Is a lot about being aware of how much you are on the phone yourself, when you could be in the moment with your baby or toddler. And how much you are allowing your babies and toddlers to be on the screens themselves, which is a whole nother issue.
Speaker (00:36:40)** ((-)) - - Yeah, which I'd be happy to go into, but I want to make sure to get to this other point, which you said which was which ties into it, which is another strategy of mine. So you're so lucky you're getting another strategy, which is watch, pause and listen. Abandon your own agenda. Okay, maybe I really, really want you to play. I really, really want my baby to play with this car, okay? I really want to. Oh, look at the car. Look at the car. But the baby or the toddler is busy trying to shove the bubbles into my hand. Okay, hand it to me, hand it to me, hand it to me. And I'm just shoving the bubbles and I'm going. And they're doing this okay. If you think about it for one like second and think about the reality of where am I going to get more engagement, more language, more enrichment. It's not with what they don't want. It's with what they want. And why don't you care at that moment? Now have to be that.
Speaker (00:37:46)** ((-)) - - So follow your child's lead. Okay? Watch, watch. Slow down and watch. What are they interested in? What is catching their eye? What are they looking at? Is it the dog? Is it the bubbles? Is it the airplane? Is it the train? Is it the balloon that's flying? What are they looking at? Watch. Pause. See if they communicate to you first. They might look at you. And so then you have that connection that they've initiated to you that they want to connect. And they're pointing to the balloon like oh did you see that? Okay. That's reference. That's what we want. So you pause a little bit and see if there's any intention from them to connect with you and listen to them. So then if they're pointing you go balloon Safari sees the balloon. Right on topic. Doesn't matter. Bubbles. Okay. The balloon caught our eye. Now we're onto that. Okay. Yeah. So watch, pause and listen. And listen is different at different stages because a newborn listening is only listening to their cries because that's all they got.
Speaker (00:39:02)** ((-)) - - As they start to grow, then we have to listen to their non-verbal communication, which is their gestures. So maybe we see them wiggling and we go, oh, they want to get picked up because they're, you know, tired of being in their car seat. How did we know that? By their communication. Okay. And we interpreted that okay. And so then you watch pause and you listen. How are they communicating. So rather than as soon as you see them struggle, you pick them up to get them out. Bit and find your eyes and you go, oh. Need to get out. You want to get out? Let's get out. So now I've put a word to what it is that they want. I've waited a little bit. I've got some, you know, not so much that they're fussy. You have to find that fine line of how much you can do. And then when you can, you know, and then you pick them up. And that is a much more enriching engagement than simply seeing your infant start to get my technical word and you go, oh, let me pick you up.
Speaker (00:40:08)** ((-)) - - And that moment is done with that moment, which is just that simple little moment right there that made boom, made all these connections in the brain that wouldn't have happened if you just don't slow down and watch more. So that's so goes with what you're saying.
Speaker (00:40:27)** ((-)) - - I love it. I don't know if you noticed, but I was emotional when you were talking. I'm going to get emotional again. I was touched because when you describe the interaction with the toys, you know, the balloon or, sorry, the bubbles or the car, I just was thinking about what kind of message you're sending to that child and what they want better when you can recognize what they need. Sorry. It's just so beautiful to me. I wish I could go back and do things over with my kids because I didn't understand so much. But I have a grandbaby.
Speaker (00:41:03)** ((-)) - - You are you listeners. I don't know if you've seen her and they do, but my goodness would not have guessed that at all. But this is all really great.
Speaker (00:41:12)** ((-)) - - How old is grandbaby?
(((00:41:14))) - - - He's one.
Speaker (00:41:16)** ((-)) - - This is what it is. This is what you got to soak up and do with. Now you have a chance to do this. Slow down, let him communicate to you and initiate that you are going to just see so much. It's going to be beautiful. But what I want to say is and to make sure. Sometimes, and a lot of times you probably can follow their lead. It's not so important whether it's the car or the bubbles or the balloon. But sometimes. You can't. You have an agenda, and you can't stop to have this cold conversation about the balloon, because if you don't get in the car right now, da da da da da da da da da. And so this is all when you can. And I want to make that clear to everybody is that now you're going to see all the opportunities. You'll be more aware when there's opportunities. You can't grasp every opportunity. And I don't want people to, like, slap themselves on the wrist for going, oh, I should have did it to.
Speaker (00:42:17)** ((-)) - - What I want you to do is go. I should have done that. I'm going to do that next time I'm giving myself a pass. But I'm going to remember that for the next time.
Speaker (00:42:26)** ((-)) - - That's my hope, is that that people will be listening and think about the way they can grow and change and help their child and support them. And I know that's your goal. Yeah. And so I guess the reason I was so touched was just thinking, I do this a lot. Very empathetic, um, and very connected to children and how they feel. Yeah. So I feel like that's been a gift in my work because it's helped me educate parents as to what kids are feeling and what they're going through. And so I just had one of those moments where I felt like I was in that little baby's body, and I was feeling what they feel like I matter that much. You care. You're paying attention to me, and and you want me to to do what I want. And obviously their thoughts aren't that complex, but but that's the sense they're getting.
Speaker (00:43:09)** ((-)) - - And that will evolve. And they will start to notice things that are you care, you pay attention. You notice. Right?
Speaker (00:43:16)** ((-)) - - Oh, I couldn't wait for you to stop talking. Yes, yes, yes. Let me tell you, they absorb it all and they take it in and what they feel is validated. Oh, you understood what I was communicating to you because you were saying so. That's another one of my things is when you see the babies, you know, hungry, it's, you know, time to eat. It's not. Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat? Lots of questions. You know they are. They can't answer that. So tell them. Educate them. You're really hungry. Your tummy is hurting. And and they go and they're like. And the more you do it, the more like you she gets me. And then they feel safe with you. They trust you. Oh, you get me, you understand me? You're a trustful person and that stays with them for all.
Speaker (00:44:10)** ((-)) - - It grows with them so that there's less separation anxiety when it's time for them to go to preschool. I see this because they're more attached. So they know that their caregiver, their loved one's coming back because they've built this trust and attachment from doing exactly this, listening to them, allowing them to communicate, validating them in your words. And it means a great big of difference to them. I don't know if you're going to do this, but because you're about slumber, I need to make sure that I tie this in and I got to tie it in to why? Why do I know that you work with young babies and toddlers, but why particular are we connected with slumber? And I will tell you why. The way that you enrich these moments of how I've been coaching and giving you these strategies on eye contact, watch, pause, listen, slow down, use less questions. Those are reminders of my strategies. As you do this, you're having more engaging moments. You're creating more attention. So instead of just handing that child the bottle of bubbles, you now are holding it up here.
Speaker (00:45:24)** ((-)) - - So that child had to wait a little bit longer. So now their body knows what it feels like to have to wait and have patience, and they've connected with you in their brain is like, okay, we're waiting, we're waiting. Okay. And all that brain, all that enrichment and the way that you do that stimulates the brain, as I've been saying, putting those neurons together. I'm not joking. They really are coming together and firing. And guess what happens when we stimulate anybody's brain? What happens if you, as an adult, have to think really hard on a project for like an hour and really problem solve? You're tired. Yep. You're tired. Mentally tired at the end of the day or the end of that. And that is where the baby goes to sleep. And that is where you get to go to sleep. And that is how it's connected to slumber. We relate the babies brains in these different, engaging ways, and you are going to tire that baby out for the best nap ever, and you can go and do self-care, whatever that looks like for you.
Speaker (00:46:39)** ((-)) - - I love it because I teach parents to build sleep pressure through engaging the senses. So you just. Playing really well. Why that works. Yes. The most stimulating.
Speaker (00:46:50)** ((-)) - - Podcast on senses. Okay. I think we're doing talk about because it's visual and communication is all about senses and how you respond to how their senses. So. Oh yes.
Speaker (00:47:04)** ((-)) - - Oh good. We are going to do that then. Okay everyone look forward to this. I'm so excited. Okay. So that's your tip. I'm going to say you've got lots of tips today. But let's you know if we're we're on this podcast for sleep help. And there you go. That was awesome. Thank you so.
Speaker (00:47:22)** ((-)) - - Much. It tied it together and it truly works if you just, you know, again, think about your own mind and your own brain. Mental stimulation is a really good way to get tired. So learning how to engage and mentally stimulate the babies and toddlers.
Speaker (00:47:39)** ((-)) - - I'm going to be sharing this lesson with my students too.
Speaker (00:47:41)** ((-)) - - So everyone just got a little, you know, freebie bonus lesson for.
Speaker (00:47:46)** ((-)) - - I love.
Speaker (00:47:47)** ((-)) - - It. Oh my gosh, it was just so valuable. All the things that you just taught us. Thank you so much. I really enjoyed it.
Speaker (00:47:52)** ((-)) - - I want you to remember that as babies bloom, families blossom, and I would love for you to allow me to help your family blossom.
Speaker (00:48:04)** ((-)) - - Thank you. So a wonderful invitation. Where can they find you so they can get their hugs? Yes.
Speaker (00:48:10)** ((-)) - - So because my program, it's a very, very unique program, which I didn't even talk about. Basically I coach you through these strategies in the moment. So wherever you are virtually we do engage with your baby or toddler and I'm right there in your ear or, you know, telling you in the moment what to do. So it's a weekly program you sign up for however many weeks we think is going to be helpful. So baby blooming moments. Com is my website to be able to find out about all the different services that I provide because they're very unique, as I said, makes for great gift certificates as well.
Speaker (00:48:46)** ((-)) - - Really unique baby baby shower gifts. I am on all the social media Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube. They are all at baby blooming moments. You can find me on LinkedIn at Michelle Mints and my all done Binky book. Um, about weaning off of a pacifier is on Amazon. And I think I covered all those. Oh, no, you can call me. Don't call me. Because I give free 30 minute consultations either through zoom or the phone. And so I can really focus in on what it is that you and your family would like to do. So if you call me, that's (424) 226-2206. And of course email at Michelle at baby blooming moments. Com.
Speaker (00:49:37)** ((-)) - - There we go. We'll make sure we have all of that information in our notes. It means you have to email me your phone number.
Speaker (00:49:42)** ((-)) - - I'm good at communicating because I know how important it is.
Speaker (00:49:46)** ((-)) - - Yes, she is, but I'm.
Speaker (00:49:48)** ((-)) - - Not perfect, so I want to put that up with you. I do make mistakes, but yes.
Speaker (00:49:53)** ((-)) - - So learning how to communicate with your babies and toddlers, um, learning how to communicate with one another as, as new parents, um, and so that you can communicate and enrich your babies and toddlers lives. Some say it's never too late. I say it's never too early.
(((00:50:10))) - - - I love it. That's awesome. Thank you.
Speaker (00:50:14)** ((-)) - - Thanks for sharing your story and giving so much insight. You are amazing. I think you could just teach us for days on end, am I right?
Speaker (00:50:22)** ((-)) - - I can, but you got to call me. Let me coach you. Let me put this into reality for you. Because I'll tell you, it is one thing to listen to this and then go and try and do it. There is a whole nother ball game of doing it in the moment. And that's where I found with my speech therapy. That said, in the moment is really what's best, so I hope that I can help your families. I would love to.
Speaker (00:50:46)** ((-)) - - That's wonderful. So thank you again, Michelle, for being here.
Speaker (00:50:50)** ((-)) - - We really enjoyed having you.
Speaker (00:50:52)** ((-)) - - Oh thank you. I'm so happy to share all my tips and tricks and my great strategies. I just really want to help bloom better babies.
(((00:51:04))) - - - I love it.
Speaker (00:51:05)** ((-)) - - Thank you to my listeners for being here too. Don't forget to look up Michelle. Her website is Baby Blooming Moments. Com and you can find her on Instagram and Facebook at Baby Blooming Moments.
(((00:51:17))) - - - And email her.
Speaker (00:51:18)** ((-)) - - At Michelle at Baby Blooming moments.com. Until next time, we'll see you soon.
