Enhancing Baby's Brain Development

These are basic steps for making sure your baby's brain has the opportunity to develop in an optimal way. We know today that the influences begin before birth, and that even subtle things that may not seem important to you affect your baby's brain. The neural pathways are formed for lifelong stress response at this time, so please take the time to understand the responsibility you have.

* Good nutrition in pregnancy is key. Eat the very best diet you can, and of course, refrain from any toxic substances (tobacco, alcohol, etc.)

* Insure your baby's safety and well-being. A dangerous environment or a lack of response to baby's stress create a series of effects that can actually slow brain development. Responding lovingly and consistently to your baby's cries and giving her attention to insure that she does not experience this type of stress.

* Talk to your baby throughout the day, describing what you're seeing, what you're doing. The interaction actually builds brain connections, readies her for language skills, and creates a healthy emotional bond.

* Start reading aloud to your baby as early as possible. In addition to helping brian development of language connections, you spend time together and instill a lifelong love of books.

* Choose high quality childcare. There is a huge range of quality within childcare options, and selecting an environment that is sensitive, loving, and appropriately stimulating will greatly enhance your baby's brain development.

* Get the information and resources you need. Learn about your baby's development, ask questions at check-up time, and find the resources you need. The 0-3 year old time is a unique opportunity to shape your child's entire life by carefully choosing what environment you provide.

Parental Core Beliefs Shape Your Baby

Beliefs and even suggestions that you entertain constantly impact your baby. It's an ominous responsibility to understand, and it also explains how babies assimilate their view of the world. Is the world hostile or loving? Is the stranger a potential friend or potential threat? Does the new day bring frustration or joy? These any many more subtle variations are programming the subconscious of your baby and young child.

I cannot stress enough the importance of the mother's and father's emotional life, and how they impact the baby's health and well-being. This by no means implies that parents should 'put on a happy face' for their babies. The artificiality does not fool your baby for a moment. The motivation to do something about your own frustrations and challenges, and the compassion and wisdom to integrate your own growth into your parenting is the valuable approach.

Your fears, worries, and anxieties are communicated to your baby without so much as a word being spoken. It's the ultimate inspiration to take action to calm yourself, explore your support options, and consistently apply the principles of growing yourself. In this way, what you project onto your baby will move in the direction of more and more healthy parenting.

Please comment on my blog. I'd appreciate it!

Ingrid Johnson

Pre- & Early Parenting Educator-at-Large

http://www.babyshaman.com/

303.776.8100

Exploding the Myth of the Terrible Twos - There's NO Such Thing

Nothing currently known about babies' and toddlers' development substantiates the currently widespread misconception of "terrible twos". I know that flies in the face of most all parenting "education" in this country. You may want to stop reading right here if you are committed to subscribing to this mis-guided theory. That something suddenly "happens" at this age that precipitates tantrums and unacceptable behavior is just plain false.

Unless you're ready to look at yourself and your parenting objectively, you probably won't like what you're about to read. It is, in fact, your responses to and conditioning of your baby and toddler that lead her to exhibit certain behaviors at age 2. Developmentally for the child, there is individuation and the move toward some independence at this age. Of course, the need for connection and reassurance are also present, as strong as ever. Parents who expect a 2 year old to behave the same as she was behaving at 18 months, or the same as some other child (including sibs), are in for a rude awakening. However, labelling it "terrible twos" and buying into all the generalized misinformation that comes with those terms are sad substitutes for good parenting.

Creating an effective and evolving way to parent the 2 year old would be infinitely more beneficial to the child and parent. This need does not start at age 2, but it can be significantly improved upon at this age. Instead of attaching a worn-out and disempowering label, parents could look for new ways to connect with the emerging independence in their toddler. Creating simple, highly reassuring ways for the sometimes fiercely independent toddler to return to nurturing and supported babyhood would allow the 2 year old to go back and forth between dependence and independence. This, in fact, is what needs to happen in order for individuation to occur.

It's amazing how many different ways this simple method can be employed in parenting. If you focus your energy on giving your child exactly what she needs in the present moment (by which I mean attention, not physical objects), you often expedite developmental stages. If you do not attach a dysfuntional label to the reaction you get from your child when you are not offering appropriate attention and care, you may end up getting a lot less challenging behaviors. It was infinitely more pleasant for all involved parenting my 3 now adult kids, who grew up as individuals with different temperaments, styles, and needs.