James Van Der Beek has a clever little acronym for calming a crying baby.
“Age-old question: What do you do with a crying baby — as he was just minutes ago?” James asked in one of his most recent Instagram posts. “I’ve got an acronym for you.”
While holding his newborn son Jeremiah “Remi” Van Der Beek in his arms, Van Der Beek spells out C-A-L-L-L-M.
“The first C is connection. Recognize that every moment is an opportunity for connection with your baby,” he said. “That includes smiling, laughing, having a good time and also crying. You’re showing them that you’re able to be there.”
The “A” is for acceptance. James says “a lot of peace can come from acceptance,” instead of trying to change what is happening.
“They have something to say and you’re there for them,” James noted.
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The first L is love. Van Der Beek encouraged viewers to pull from the emotions you felt at your child’s first ultrasound and then injecting “some of that love and appreciation” into what can be a frustrating situation.
The second L stands for listen. “Listen from your heart, what is your baby trying to tell you? What to do they need?” James said.
And the third L is for list. Van Der Beek’s list includes questions such as “Are they tired?” “Are they cold?” “Did they mess their diaper?”
“You finally get to the M, which is magic,” Van Der Beek shared. “That is something you as their parent can offer… it’s your own magic. Maybe it’s’ your own special song, it’s your own way of holding them, it’s your own way of rocking.”
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He and his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, are also parents of Olivia, 11, Joshua, 9, Annabel, 6, Emilia, 4, and Gwendolyn, 3.
The couple announced just last month that they had secretly welcomed their sixth child.
“Humbled and overjoyed to announce the safe, happy arrival of Jeremiah Van Der Beek ❤️ (We’ve been calling him Remi, btw – not “dinosaur” ????),” the post read in part. “After experiencing late-term #pregnancyloss twice in a row (both at 17+ weeks), we kept this one quiet. Truthfully, I was terrified when I found out.”
“Each child brings their own energy, their own manifestation of consciousness, their own lessons. The ones we lost each gifted us with different pieces of the puzzle… leaving us that much more grateful for the ongoing master class we get to enjoy with this sweet, wise little one.”
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