It's unfortunate when parents don't realize that their babies are actually little people in the making. I don't like to see or hear when parents treat babies like "babies"-unknowing, uneducated creatures that just eat, sleep and cry. The way parents interact (or don't interact) with their little ones HAS an effect on their development.
People keep telling me that my baby is so happy and social. Let me tell, we interact with her to help develop her as such. I spend pretty much the whole day entertaining, playing or teaching my baby. I sing for her. I dance for her. We exercise together. She on her activity mat, I on my yoga mat beside her. I conversate with her which means I talk to her AND allow pauses for her to reply even though it may just be a squeal. I read to her everyday. We play games. She has soft blocks, one with letters and one with numbers. With the letter block we take turns rolling it and whatever letter it lands on I point/show her things in the room that start with that letter. And I repeat those things three times to help it stick. With the number block we just roll and whoever gets the higher number wins. I do a little cheer at each win. We get fresh air everyday. I allow her to have play time in the bath so as to prevent bath time from becoming this yucky thing one has to do to get clean. And I am constantly smiling and laughing with her. And other such things.
Now I say those things not to brag but to show that interaction does affect their development. I wish more parents could take some time to treat babies as equals and not dumb little things. I mean, ya, babies aren't born knowing all of the ways of life but it is parents responsibility to teach and protect and most of all love and enjoy each day with the little ones.
