How To Have Fun While Your Baby Is Boring

Yes, there is a period where your baby, as incredible as he might seem, will be as boring as guano.

Parents who have passed the adrenaline peak of birth and the first weeks at home may suddenly come to realise that their two-month-old is kind of boring. This lull in excitement generally occurs after routines have been established and the initial haze has work off but the cascade of milestones, like rolling over and crawling, are still to come.

Warning - It’s an easy phase for parents to start “phubbing” their child instead of making an active effort to have fun. But that’s usually because first-time parents often misunderstand the resilience and flexibility babies possess.

You see, regardless of whether your baby is interacting with you or even seeming to care at all what is going on around her, she does. Big Time. Every light, every sound, every movement and every texture is being recorded, catalogued and examined.

More importantly however, is that fact that while your life seems to revolve around the baby, you have far more flexibility than you might realise.

So what can you do with this "boring" baby.

Well, lots. For a start, you can get out of the house because babies are far more portable and hardy than we think and they can pretty much nap anywhere. 

Yes, that make me jealous too.

In my opinion, the best thing to do is go places and partake in (baby-safe) activities that give you joy. Go to places that interest you and light you up, especially if those places are outdoors and accommodate baby-wearing activities. Who knows, strapping on a baby might improve your golf swing.

Your baby will benefit from experiencing new things and feeling the happiness that you exude. You will benefit from not going stir-crazy and you will both benefit from bonding over a shared experience.

But while going out might help a parent relieve the boredom, there’s a bigger challenge for parents trying to engage a baby at home. But rising to that challenge with a specific intention to connect with a kid can lead to some special moments.

One of the cool things about babies is that for them, life is quite simple. This gives you an opportunity to practice being more uncomplicated in your approach to things by being present and offering focus to them. Talk to them, read to them, and sing to them. Even if you feel that the effort isn’t yielding entertaining results, it’s important to understand that this interaction will pay dividends down the road.

It’s a hard thing to do but it's well worth the effort. Even if they seem completely disengaged, your child still needs to make connections. It might not be a fun time, but it’s a very important time to be present.