Tips for Growing Your Baby's Brain
Developed by Kevin Karpowicz, M.D., Schenectady, New York
Tip #13: Keep Reading Your Baby
Childproof your home, distract your baby with something else. Don't yell or spank.
- At about age 6 months, your baby starts to communicate in many ways. Not with words, but with sounds, expressions, and gestures. And most of what your baby communicates is about feelings.
- How does your baby know how to do this? By listening and watching you! Your baby smiles...you smile...you laugh...your baby laughs...you handle your baby gently, speak softly...your baby's brain makes connections...you and your smile, voice and touch become associated with good feelings...happiness.
- Your baby will learn to express different feelings with his or her face – surprise, disappointment, joy, fear. Reaching out with the palms up – the baby wants something. By 6 months babies have different cries – mad, sad, hungry, fake, and the pain cry. The better you become at reading these cries and expressions, the better your baby will get at communicating.
- When your baby starts to crawl and explore, things change for everyone. What is your baby trying to do? Nothing bad. Exploring is a big need for all babies this age. Your baby is trying to grow and learn.
- But this can be difficult. If you get frustrated with your baby, don't yell or spank. This will confuse your baby and cause your baby to associate you with feeling afraid. Remember, your baby understands and associates feelings, not ideas or intentions.
- A baby reaches for lamp cord again... the parent yells... the baby sees the parent's angry face... hears the angry voice... the baby's brain makes connections... the parent's voice and face become associated with bad feelings... fear and maybe even pain.
- What happens to this baby? He may feel insecure, cry more, do less exploring, and learn less.
