From Bonding to Baby Talk
10 Baby Myths Revealed
By Lisa A. Goldstein
Babies have superb attention, interest and enthusiasm for everything in the environment. They pay attention to 10 things at once instead of focusing on one thing at a time like adults do, Doman says. This is one reason why they learn so quickly. "They may not pay attention to what we want them to pay attention to, and this may 
be frustrating to us," she says. "We would do better to find out what interests the baby and pay more attention to that with the baby."
The baby is actually trying to communicate almost all the time. It isn't easy because the baby can't make sounds that we adults understand as words. As a result, Doman says, we often assume the sounds he makes are meaningless. "The sounds the baby makes are not like language," she says. "They are language. All sounds are language. The baby does not waste his breath. Always listen to your baby. Be willing to wait for a response. Accept the fact that the baby decides whether to respond or not; it is his choice. Respond to what he says. Welcome enthusiastically every effort the baby makes to talk. It is vital for the baby to know that Mother knows that he is talking." "Learning begins at birth or before," Doman says. "The brain grows explosively between conception and age 6. Learning is actually an inverse function of age – the younger the baby is, the faster he will learn ... his happiness, health and general well-being are also significantly improved by stimulation and opportunity."
| If you're frustrated with parenthood, take heart: The myth that parents are the problem is decidedly not true. If anything, parents are the answer. Being a mother or father is the most important profession in the world, says Janet Doman. "Parents know their own child better than anyone else," she says. "Parents should never compromise or allow themselves to be bullied into doing anything they do not understand or with which they do not agree." | |
Want to see more?
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families. 
