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During last July’s 5.8 earthquake, 3-year-old Bronwyn told her 1-year-old sister, “We’re going for a wiggle.” READ MORE
Early Years (2-6)
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We’ve all heard it said that a baby’s mind is like a sponge. It is
truly amazing when you think that a 3-year-old child will have learned
more in those first crucial years than he will in all the subsequent
years of his life even if he lives to be 100! The fact that our
drooling, diaper-wetting dudes are super learners even before they
exit the womb is just one more fact to intimidate us into submission.
And like all of the other responsibilities we bear with grace, we must
put on a brave face as we embark upon educating our babies. One of the simplest, most enjoyable ways to stimulate your baby’s brain is to hit the books. Even before birth, research shows a baby can recognize books mom has read aloud once he makes it to the other side. In research conducted by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a sucking test confirmed babies preferred a familiar book read to them in utero (Dr. Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat”) over another poem read to them after birth. While my personal experimentation is somewhat less scientific in nature, I dare anyone to disprove my 6-month-old’s preference for “Snuggle Puppy,” a book my husband and I have read to him almost daily since birth. He squeals with delight each time I procure the baby-bitten board book from his pile of toys for another reading. Good habits (and bad ones) get started early, when our babies’ brains are still malleable. There’s plenty of research out there, in the scientific community and in your own neighborhood, which proves moms and dads who start reading to their children as early as infancy jump start their children’s literacy and language skills. I know what you’re thinking. In between diaper changes and late-night feedings, there’s precious little time for bonding over a good book. Don’t feel like you need to dedicate hours to reading. In fact, if your baby can sit still for five minutes, you’re doing great. I felt a little strange about reading aloud to my pregnant belly. (My husband already believed I was off my rocker, and this would only have given him fodder for sending me to the funny farm.) However, when I could cradle my newborn in my arms and feel how his body relaxed as I read “Love You Forever,” it was a joy to share my love of books with him. In “Smart-wiring Your Baby’s Brain” (Quill, 2001), author Winifred Conkling suggests reading daily to your baby, starting as early as six months. “Your child will probably understand more than you expect,” she writes. “… and even if she doesn’t, she will enjoy snuggling close to you and looking at the pictures.” Conkling goes on to say that what babies learn from their daily reading ritual goes beyond the story itself. They are picking up on the rhythm of language and on how sentences flow from left to right skills that will help them learn to read and write. Reading time should be fun and full of exploration. Reading material should be age appropriate and full of bright colors and interactive features that appeal to babies. More important than your child sitting absolutely still through each reading is making sure he looks forward to reading each day. Incorporate reading into your daily routine. Reading before naptime or bedtime can be a relaxing part of the winding-down process. My baby loves playing with a waterproof Baby Einstein book we keep in the bathroom with his tub toys. Baby Einstein also makes teething books that crackle when the pages are turned. We carry our copy along for entertainment during long car rides and shopping trips. Make reading a part of your family culture. Let your child catch you reading books, magazines and newspapers. If you have a favorite volume of nursery rhymes or fairy tales, choose a different story each day and read aloud to your child. When I was growing up, my mom read to us from a thick red hardback entitled “Uncle Wiggily’s Storybook.” I still remember those whimsical stories told by a wise old rabbit and hope to pass their lessons on to my son one day.m S. Danyelle Knight is a regular contributor to OC Family Magazine. Getting started By Michele Piazzoni • Are you experiencing Fidgety Fetus syndrome? This may be a good thing, especially if you also have gestational diabetes. Researchers in Santa Barbara found that fetal activity was a determinant of birth weight when they monitored expectant mothers and their newborn babies. They discovered that babies who were fidgety and active in utero seemed to minimize the impact of hyperglycemia on their birth weight. Fetuses of mothers diagnosed with gestational diabetes who were not considered active in utero were more likely to be born weighing in, at or above the 90th percentile. • Don’t be surprised if your pediatrician asks you if you own a paper shredder during your next well-baby appointment. A rising number of injuries (some very serious) among toddlers playing with household paper shredders led the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to conduct an investigation into this common piece of home office equipment and urge manufacturers to redesign current models and/or include safety alerts in their packaging. If you own a paper shredder, keep it unplugged and out of reach of toddlers. • A recent study in Israel found that children ages 6 months to 3 years old responded better to an alternating treatment of acetaminophen and ibuprofen, rather than one of the medications alone, when it came to treating fever. In the study, children with the alternating treatment experienced quicker fever reduction and spent less time home sick. |
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