Your responsibility as a parent intensifies the moment your baby is born. This is the time of their lives where they get to learn new things, meet other people, and build their character. As a parent, you’re responsible for your baby’s development to ensure that they’ll grow smart, healthy, and well-rounded. This article can help you achieve that goal easier and faster.
Aside from checking different baby resources online and asking for help from other parents, here are some things you need to know for your baby’s development:
- Start Before You Give Birth
As mentioned, your responsibility as a parent doesn’t begin once you give birth; your role as a parent actually starts at conception. During this time, you’re already expected to look after your baby since anything you do can contribute to their development. If you want to achieve one of the first milestones for babies, stay healthy while you’re pregnant. Ask your doctor which diet should you follow and inquire if you’re required to take any supplements during your pregnancy.
It’s also important to take note that certain drugs can be harmful to your baby’s brain. Babies who were born from a drug abusive mother can experience severe learning problems and even develop aggressive behaviors as they age. Unborn babies who are exposed to cigarette smoke will likely have issues with their reading scores the moment they attend school. Make sure that your kids don’t experience any of these by paying attention to your health throughout the entire pregnancy.
- Turn Up And Practice The Baby Talk
It’s common for mothers to baby talk with their unborn babies. Friends and family members of the pregnant woman will also do the same. And if you’re wondering why people do this, here’s the answer: delighted vocalizations from baby talk can help unborn babies draw out syllables.
Using a high-pitch and slow voice whenever you’re talking can help your baby absorb all the sounds of the language used. The area of your baby’s brain responsible for their speech understanding and language production requires your rich and consistent input – and regularly baby talking with them is one of the easiest ways of doing it.
- Play Games That Require Your Hands
You can play with your babies in a lot of ways. While some parents are happy to use stuffed toys with their babies, others are more comfortable in playing with interactive gadgets. If you’re looking for an educational and cheap way of playing with your kids, just put your baby in your well-cushioned bouncer and use your hands similar to what is shown in this video.
Some activities, such as peekaboo and puppets, can easily capture the attention of your babies. Games that require your hands help your kids understand how human beings physically interact with the world. Plus, hands-on activities are simply more fun for kids and parents to do together!
- Always Be Attentive
It’s common for kids to be curious. Regardless of where you are, they’ll have a lot of questions. They might be asking why certain flowers have yellow petals while others have red. They might even be curious about what happens inside a daycare facility or how pets are being trained. Make sure to follow your kid’s point with your gaze and take the time to comment on the items or events that they find interesting.
This joint attention can make your kids feel that their interests and observations are important to you as their parent. This practice will make them feel valued and appreciated.
- Immediately Respond Once Your Baby Cries
Your babies can’t communicate, yet. Because they’re still young, expect that they’ll not use their words to tell you that they’re hungry or tired. Instead, they’ll cry whenever they want your attention. This is their own way of telling you that they need “something” from you.
Whenever you hear your baby cry, immediately respond to them. Cuddle, nurture, soothe, and reassure your baby the moment they cry as this can build positive brain circuitry. Holding and cuddling your baby regularly can signal emotional security to their brain. In short, the sooner you respond to their cries, the better it’ll be for their brain development and emotional stability.
Think Long-Term
Molding your baby to become a better and smarter person is a long-term commitment. Follow all of the tips presented in this article and make sure that you’re persistent and patient with your efforts.
Doing all of these might be challenging at first, but once you’re able to see how active, extroverted, and smart your baby is, all of your efforts will be worth it in the end!
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