Babies and mirrors

mamma llama

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 2:46 pm

People say that it's considered a bad omen to dream that one is missing teeth, so we don't want to put that image into our babies' subconscious where it could chas v'shalom come back in their dreams when they are older. That's what I've heard. What

amother

Mistyrose

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 2:50 pm

mamma llama wrote:

Cute, but highly unlikely.

Anyone who's ever seen a baby (or a toothless old person) would have that image available to draw upon. Should we not look at babies until they grow teeth?

Not to mention that this theory relies upon the modern assumption of a subconscious.

Rappel

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 2:56 pm

Maybe...

Well, when my eldest was around two months old, I would hold him in front of a mirror, and he would get angry. I'm pretty sure he saw my reflection, thought I was holding another child, and got angry.

I remember a few months later, his perspective switched, and he was very happy to look in a mirror. Look at me, look at himself, look at me again, smile. It was a noticeable difference, and I think in the interim he gained the perception to understand that the mirror was his own reflection.

(Though he cut his first tooth at the same of 3 months, so that may have had an effect LOL

)

FranticFrummie

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 3:25 pm

I always let DD see herself in the mirror. I never heard of this silliness until many years later. She would look at me, look at the reflection, and back again. It was fun, but she was never obsessed with it.

BTW, she's 17 now, and is not even the tiniest bit vain. She has no interest in wearing makeup, and she doesn't fuss over her appearance. She's neat and tidy, and that's it.

I don't know if mirrors are important developmentally, or not. I'm sure kids have grown up without mirrors and done fine, too. It's just another experience in a world full of experiences. IMHO, parenting is hard enough on it's own. We don't need to add extra rules.

I worry more about things like babyproofing the house, child safety locks, and stuff like that. If you want a "segula" for a healthy child, put safety plugs in all of your unused electrical outlets. When DD was about a year old, I caught her trying to stick a metal fork in an outlet. Surprised

Odelyah

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 3:47 pm

amother [ Goldenrod ] wrote:

“Hold” is a yeshivishism

no it's supposed to mean "follow a certain valid halachic opinion according to my rav/yeshiva/mesora etc." it never means to follow a random superstition. other things could mean that though--like my bubbie/neighbor/babysitter said to never do xyz thing...

Odelyah

Mon, Nov 09 2020, 3:53 pm

the first time I heard of this was when I was picking up my oldest from his very sweet grandmotherly babysitter in flatbush who reacted with horror when I held him in front of her hallway mirror. (I always did it at home--smile together with baby in front of mirror--so much fun!) she reacted with horror--don't put him in front of the mirror! she told me it's a jewish thing--al pi kabbala maybe? but I asked my husband who asked a rebbe of his who told him there is no source for this anywhere, but I shouldn't upset the babysitter Smile

WitchKitty

Tue, Nov 10 2020, 5:10 pm

My mother taught me this but I never believed in all these. Also not walking over someone.
I always thought that it mixes up the baby because he sees his body(hands and stuff) and the person who's holding him, twice.
My baby loves when I hold him by the mirror. I don't know why. He smiles at me more when it's in the mirror Smile