# Introduction DVD for a 6 month old - ideas please???



## KJB1978 (Nov 23, 2010)

Hi Ladies,

We have to make a DVD for our LO to start watching at Introductions.  He is only 6 months old and I have asked the SW for guidelines, help, assistance, examples, anything really and all I was told was to be creative and interesting and it should be about 10 minutes long.

I have absolutely no idea where to start.  

We don't know what he likes as we haven't met him or the FC yet and I am pretty sure he wont watch a 10 minute DVD.  We only have a film setting on our camera so the quality is going to be rubbish or are we supposed to go out and spend even more money on a camcorder and editing software to make it look half decent??

Arrrrgggghhhhhh - rant over

Any suggestions would be gratefully received

Thanks
K


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## custard (Jan 20, 2006)

I would imagine that the main point is for the LO to hear your voices and see your faces. At 6 months I wouldn't imagine anything else much matters!
I suggest sticking to something simple. Either prop your camera up somewhere and then sit together and talk, or see if a friend would come over to film for you. Then just have a go at chatting away, as if you would if there was a little one there. It's going to feel weird, but just try to relax and let him hear your relaxed and happy voices.
Hope that's of some help!
Jen x


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## keemjay (Jan 19, 2004)

this sort of nonsense makes me cross..like you need all this stress at the moment..what on earth is a 6 month old baby going to get from a video   and for goodness sake, has no-one (professional) read the guidelines for chidren under 3 watching tv  


can you borrow a video camera from a friend..and borrow the friend too to film you?


I would heavily focus on your faces and perhaps singing songs to him, your voices and faces should feature a lot..video you in his new bedroom and show toys to the camera, make them sing too..if theres a particular toy that plays a nice tune maybe that could feature? be silly and fun.
its a shame you cant talk to the fc to find out if theres anything thats would be special for him.
i honestly cant think of anything else that a baby is going to take the slightest interest in  


kj x


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## sevsxp (Oct 1, 2012)

We start our introductions next week with a 9 month old, we decided against doing a DVD, because couldnt see the point.

We had a soft photo cube made up, which he can look at and play with etc..... it can be with him most of the day......


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## watakerfuffle (Jan 26, 2011)

we told our sw we didn'y have access to a camcorder and phone one was to poor quality and suggested to her we did the tomy talking album which she agreed was a better idea!! LO looked at it every day and apparently loved it. He was 14 months.


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## keemjay (Jan 19, 2004)

i've been growling about this in my head for the past hour..i LOVE the idea of a photo cube..SO much more appropriate..or the talking album..or both. I would do what waterkerfuffle did, email your sw and explain you dot have the equipment and add in some links to the cube and album and say we think this is more AGE APPROPRIATE for our LO


kj x


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## Anjelissa (Jan 11, 2007)

Hi KJB,

Congratulations once again!  

I must admit I agree with the others. I'm so glad the replies matched exactly what I was thinking!
My first reaction when I read your post was, 'Why are they making you do a DVD for a 6 month old baby!?'  , yes he may get benefit from hearing your voices and therefore becoming more familiar with them, but as others have said, there are far more age appropriate ways to achieve this. As I have said in another thread recently, I sometimes feel that there is so much pressure on sw's to 'tick all the boxes' etc that certain fundamental points get lost or forgotten altogether!, the main one here is that your little boy is 6 months old!   
Our little boy was 11 months old and luckily our SW had the sense to say there's no point in doing a lot of the things that are suggested for intros due to the fact that he was a little young for them. We all worked together to gear our intro activities and tools around his age.
There are so many other age appropriate things that can be done to help start and encourage the attachment and bonding process during intros.

Feel free to rant away hun, as you can see from everyone's reactions you're not alone in your views on this point.      
Hopefully they'll see sense and agree to let you use an alternative   

Anj x


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## KJB1978 (Nov 23, 2010)

Thanks Ladies for your suggestions - we have to do the TOMY speaking photo album too which is fine and I understand the reasoning behind that and we have been advised to get a build a bear as you can record a little message so he can hear us and again I can see the point.

I'm just so frustrated as I keep asking for guidelines and help and they just keep saying be creative.  Ive even googled it and cant find much.

We have a friend who may be able to help record it so fingers crossed with that one.  I think its the editing of it which panic's me as I have no idea how to do it and I know I couldn't do 10 minutes straight without saying something stupid.

I was thinking of using his Build a bear in the video, doing a little tour of the house, finishing in his room and then use the bear to read a story (or is that lame?!?!?!?)  then maybe going to the local park, maybe show a picture of the school his big sister will go to as we will be doing the school run and maybe the church we go to but then I change my mind and I think is that too much

Has anyone had to do one?  With no assistance from their SW?


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## Kestra (Sep 7, 2009)

Hi 

I got a book from Hallmark (they do a series of different ones) where you read the story aloud and as you turn the pages it automatically starts. I got one called ' Guess how much I love you' and it meant that my lo got to hear my voice and we used it when he first moved in.

Good luck x


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## keemjay (Jan 19, 2004)

ADVISED TO GET A BUILD A BEAR?? i think i'm going to explode   they cost at least £20 and theres no more gain from that than the talking book..


i think your ideas sound great..esp the church..record the singing, that would be lovely..personally i would skip the out and about bits, just keep it simple..your family home, your voices, stories and singing. it is going to feel weird and false but hey ho..




you'll laugh about all this in time, i promise, just grit your teeth and let them tick their damn boxes  


kj x


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## aaa is a MUMMY (Oct 13, 2009)

Hi our little girl was just a year when we met her. Our sw was insistent that we made a dvd her suggestion was reading story or nursery rhymes. Fc had other ideas and he didn't see point of them for young children. We did make it but she didn't  watch it. We did tomy photo album and she loved it also a4 lamanated photos which she actually carried everywhere. We brought a toy for her which we took on first day and it was in all the photos. Have fun Xx


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## Duckling (Oct 5, 2009)

We made a Talking Tomy Book, but were also asked to make a DVD. Don't stress too much about content - our sws didn't look at it, doubt yours will. So silly at 6 months! 
Ours only lasted a few minutes, very much the same stuff as our book - hello ... This is daddy ... Introduced a toy bunny which we then gave to the FC to open before showing lo the DVD. This is your bedroom, can you see Bunny? Then I read a story which was a bit forced. We put the camera on the table in front of us. It only lasted a few minutes, definitely not 10! 
You have enough to do that will really matter to your lo. Don't stress.   
Sorry this is a bit rambling, my thought processes are being interrupted by a little someone shouting 'no sleepy byes!' from the other room   .
Loads of luck, Duckling xx


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## AoC (Oct 28, 2008)

We dreaded this, but it turned out okay.  Our LO is 2, so it's a bit more age appropriate with him.  We used DH's camera which has a vid function, and our PC turned out to have Windows Movie Maker on it, so with that and a bit of googling we figured out the editing.  We started outside, waving at the camera, saying hello to him, telling him we were mummy and daddy.  Then went into the living room with the camera, and daddy introduced himself again and invited LO to sit on the sofa with him, then he filmed me going into the kitchen, and up to stairs to LO's room, then I took over for a daddy showing him his room  and we ended with both of us on the sofa saying see you soon.

Really basic, not at all creative (grrrr!), but easier than we thought.

Good luck and hugs!


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## nutmeg (Aug 21, 2009)

Another one who thinks its pretty ridiculous! Our SWr mentioned this at our meeting with FC this week but luckily FC thought it was pointless and told him so    We're just doing a tomy book. I'm sure whatever you do I'm sure it will be great.


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## peacelily (Feb 24, 2006)

Our LO was a similar age - we just did A4 laminated photos of us to go in his cot (they're now in his memory box!) but both FC and SWs thought he was to young even for the Tomy Talking Album 

Peacelily xx


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## thespouses (Jan 5, 2006)

Can you talk to your LA/VA medical advisor about how it is damaging for babies under 2 or 3 to watch TV? perhaps that will change their minds! This is madness - babies of this age don't understand photos or video.


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## someday (Sep 11, 2008)

is this the one you talk about? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tomy-Discovery-Forget-Photo-Album/dp/B0019RC632/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353864357&sr=8-1

/links


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## snapdragon (Jun 27, 2011)

someday: yes thats it.


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## someday (Sep 11, 2008)

snapdragon said:


> someday: yes thats it.


isn't there one for an older child too?


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## snapdragon (Jun 27, 2011)

As far as I know thats the only one.


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## KJB1978 (Nov 23, 2010)

Well today was cringewothingly embarrassing but we made our LO's DVD.

Thanks for everyoone's input, ideas and suggestions.  I still think it is insanity as he is now only 7 months old and I doubt he will gain anything from it but it is yet another box ticked on the way to getting him home.  

My DD loved making it and we all had a giggle.  We started by introducing us and said a bit about what we do and what we like doing then introduced LO's big sister and she did a great job (albeit a bit quiet).  We introduced his new build a bear teddy with his special recorded voice message from us in it and then showed him the toys, his bedroom, his bathroom, DD's room, the play room, the guinea pigs and ended with the three of us snuggled up on the sofa reading The Hungry Caterpillar as the FC's said he liked that.

DH is cutting it tonight to make it flow nicely so am hoping it is all ready by the end of the weekend so I can forget about it.

Phew one thing less to do ... now we have to do the Tomy forget me not album, laminate place settings and photos for him.... mmmmmmm


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