Studies show that babies thrive when they’re given attention. As a new parent, responsibilities can be exhausting and often overwhelming. Don’t forget that showing your baby extra attention is just as important as feeding, changing and bathing them.
Cuddling, talking, holding, singing and even kissing your baby cause their bodies to produce human growth hormone (HGH). Babies cannot grow and organs cannot develop without it. No matter what age your child is, it is very important to show them attention.
As they age, it becomes increasingly important. Don’t let the fact that they are becoming independent make you feel as if they don’t need as much attention. At every age, children need positive reinforcement to thrive, both physically and psychologically. Paying attention to them boosts their self-esteem, which is very important for them to develop self-worth and hit developmental milestones.
The human brain is more developed than other animals in social, speech and language areas. These parts of our brains only develop if constantly stimulated. You don’t always have to set up a play date for children to learn social skills. In the first two years of life, they are learning to be social with you. This means lots of eye contact, peek-a-boo, playing hand games and generally playing face to face.
One thing that you can do to foster your child’s development every day is to eat meals together as a family. They learn what is expected of them in a social situation. They get attention from the entire family. They learn about different textures, smells and tastes of foods. All of a child’s senses are stimulated at a meal. Be sure that you talk to each other and keep things positive at the table.
This can sometimes be difficult. Children that need more attention often exhibit the worst attention-getting behaviors at dinner. The important thing is to never give any attention for unwanted behaviors. Only give attention to positive behaviors. As long as the child is safe, you can ignore inappropriate behaviors.
Remember that a child’s body is growing. They crave the satiety that they feel when the human growth hormone is released. Their brains do not differentiate between positive and negative attention. If they begin to receive attention and satiety from negative behaviors, then they will always do what they know works. This is why harsh punishments, yelling and screaming make things much worse. They give the child an excess of attention, making them crave the punishment even more. They don’t understand why, and the confusion can be detrimental to them. When it is time for punishment, make sure that you are calm. When the punishment is over, explain to them why the punishment was necessary. Be careful not to give too much attention too soon after the punishable crime was committed.
Children also need to learn that hard work pays off. Developing cognitive skills depend on figuring things out. Give them age appropriate learning toys that are designed to foster development. Day care toys are often designed this way. Stringing beads, childrens rugs, soft play toys, and other preschool toys help your child figure things out on their own.
Appropriate, positive attention teaches kids to value themselves. It makes them to want to do the right thing. This helps them succeed at school, socially, and throughout their lives. Concentrate on building a positive self-image as a foundation for everything else they will need to know.
About the Author: Jim Ford is the President of KinderMark, a family owned and managed business which sells waiting room toys and waiting room furniture used in doctor’s offices, hospitals, auto dealers, dentists offices and libraries. Preschool toys such as an activity table and learning toys are favorites for pediatric offices.
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