Supporting your baby’s emotional development
Between 6 to 12 months your baby may start to express discomfort or display emotions such as anger and fear. During this time, they will look to you for security especially in times of uncertainty. That’s why it is critical during this period to establish a strong bond with your little one and build a safe, secure and positive environment so that he can grow healthily.
Establish rules on behaviour
- Reinforce good behaviour by clapping your hands, smiling at him and praising his actions
- Discourage negative behaviour by using a firm tone and expression and ignore him for a while before reassuring him that you still love him
- Tell your little one what he should do and model that behaviour so that he can copy it
Build a happy and supportive environment
- Maintain a positive and supportive relationship among family members to promote positive emotions
- Avoid conflicts in front of your baby
- Encourage members of the family to engage and play with your baby to help him create happy memories and build self-confidence.
- Manage negative emotions and calm yourself down before you tend to your baby
Always remember that as your child grows and develops, he will also become more sensitive to his surroundings. That’s why it’s essential to help make him feel safe, loved and secured by maintaining a positive home environment, so he can grow up to be a well rounded individual.
Further Reading
After the intensity of labour, meeting your newborn baby for the first time is an overwhelming experience. You’ll be relieved, proud, amazed and sore in equal measure. Thanks to a rush of oxytocin, you’ll also be head-over-heels in love.
When it comes to introducing a sleep routine for your baby, it’s important to be realistic in your expectations. When they’re very young, they’ll simply sleep, wake and feed.
