0-3 Months Old: Social Development
Babies are very social creatures, which love to be touched, held and smiled at. Your baby will enjoy watching your face, and may try to mimic you. As your child's first contact with people, you are the one who teaches her how to relate to others and to react to situations. You are your child's first playmate and thus, your relationship will be the model she uses to relate to other people. "Most mothers worry that they will not be able to protect their children adequately from a cruel world," says Michelle Carelse.
So what can you do to offer the love and support that will build a strong emotional core in your child? "Hold her child often and talk to her in a soothing way," Rene said. "Hold your child when you introduce her to strangers, but encourage her to reach out and interact with them so she begins to feel comfortable with meeting new people. If you are holding something interesting -say keys or a shiny trinket -share it with your child so he understands that interesting items are meant to be shared. This will help him prepare for the time when he is expected to share his own things. Play with your child in front of a mirror. This will not only give her a better grasp of who she is, but encourages positive emotional development."
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Damaria Senne is a freelance writer based in Phokeng, South Africa. Her work has been published in regional and national magazines in South Africa, as well as online magazines. She writes about parenting, work-at-home, career and women's issues.
