Putting Affirmations for Your Infant Into Practice
BY ARLENE F. HARDER, MA, MFT
"Cultural expectations shade and color the images that parents-to-be form. The baby product ads, showing a woman serenely holding her child, looking blissfully and mysteriously contented, or the television parents, wisely and humorously solving problems, influence parents-to-be."
—Ellen Galinsky
The first step in helping your child learn about being and trust is to recognize those traits are important skills for this stage of development. The second step is finding a way to express those qualities so that she learns them. Here are some excellent resources to get you started, beginning with some short videos packed with great information. And speaking of videos, be sure to read Will Baby Einstein Videos Turn Your Child Into a Genius?
The Talaris Research Institute has created one-minute videos of what they call their "crib notes" on the latest scientific findings of early brain development. These videos give you a short introduction to other material they provide in written form. On their research spotlights page, you will find videos on: Getting in Tune with Baby, It's a Stressful Life!, Mommy, Is This OK?, Imitative Behavior, Hypothesis Testing, and Speaking Parentese.
The following articles have lots of information to help you teach your child the importance of being and trust.
 Nurturing Your Child’s Development
This is an excellent resource to help you understand exactly how you can best support your child’s healthy development and growing brain. These handouts, developed to coincide with well-baby check-ups, are based on "Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development," a report by the National Academy of Sciences. They were created by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the ZERO TO THREE organization and are in the form of easy-to-use PDF files.
The Magic of Everyday Moments® Campaign
This is a another program of the ZERO TO THREE organization, though this one was developed in partnership with the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute. It is designed to help you and other caregivers understand how to use simple, everyday moments to promote your child's social, emotional, and intellectual development.
Seven Reasons Babies Cry and how to Soothe Them
You can't get around it. Your newborn is going to cry because she's trying to tell you something and hasn't yet learned the words. But you'll manage quite well if you follow these clues to uncovering her crying patterns and learn to anticipate her needs.
Brain Quiz
Test yourself to see what facts and misinformation you have heard concerning infants and brain development research.
Look Who’s Talking
Is that babbling and cooing designed just to make you melt? Or is your baby learning language?
Getting in Tune With Baby
This is an excellent article that describes the importance of connecting with your child in a meaningful way by learning how to read the clues to his thoughts and needs as he is learning how to read you.
It’s a Stressful Life!
What is the effect of stress on your baby? While it may seem that babies have it easy, what with all that eating and sleeping and no taxes to pay. But stress is a part of life and the stress in your life can impact your baby in significant ways. |
