Well the wind howled, and the rain poured, but 11 Dads/Male Carers and their babies came along to the second Rock & Roll Dads at Totnes Children’s Centre.
It was busy! And so amazing to see all these men and their babies together in one space. Very unusual in our culture, and very special to be offering this opportunity.
I’m finding my feet with this group, as numbers grow and we learn what works. Today we included:
- an invitation for everyone to spread out on the floor, have a roll and stretch for themselves.
- free-flow movement, in a big clear space, following the baby’s lead.
- Hanging out together, chatting, swapping experiences,
- I crawled about, talking about some of what is happening in babies nervous systems and how their movement is organised.
- Answering questions such as “Are bouncers OK?”, “Should I be holding my baby up to stand?”.
- Some group time doing simple massage – a great stimulation to developing nervous systems.
- time with lights low, and not talking, tuning in to babies movement.
- Sharing “What I love about being a Dad is …”
It was very moving to see the gentle interaction between Dads and babies, and to hear about what is special to them.
Some Comments so far:
What did you enjoy about your time at Rock & Roll Dads?
Loved it despite being tired.
spending time with my baby without distractions in a purpose-made big soft space
simply having undistracted bonding time
What did you notice about your baby?
She’s more free spirited than I thought.
Her movement is better and more fluid that I thought.
I’m very open to suggestions of things men would like to include in these sessions. So feel free to get in touch with comments, feedback and ideas.
Join us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date spread the word #RockandRollDadsTotnes
No Comments Yet