The Power of Parenting

Friday, 30 July 2010

Emotional Development: Your Baby at Three Months

You will hear many more sounds as your baby uses his voice to show his emotions. He will get better at conveying his feelings of happiness, sadness or discomfort. As you respond to his feelings, he will develop a stronger sense of self over time.

Typical Skills
  • Shows appropriate facial expressions in response to such emotions as anger, fear, joy
  • Reflects feelings of happiness with chortles or squeals; frustration with whimpers; and hunger with smacking lips
  • Begins to show sadness
  • Responds to familiar people; may stop or start crying according to who holds him.
  • Can distinguish and express discomfort
Emerging Skills
  • Starts to laugh
  • Starts to show anger when he cannot get what he desires
Comfort, Play & Teach™
 Comfort, Play & Teach™

Comfort
If you do this:
Your Baby will:

  • Respond to your baby with positive encouragement during interactions, for example, say “Good reaching,” when he reaches out for something
  • Provide soft toys, blankets and other “soothers” that your baby finds comforting
  • Develop a positive sense of self
  • Begin to quiet down on his own after an upset
Play
If you do this:
Your Baby will:

  • Know your baby’s signals when she has had enough
  • Build bits of exciting physical activity into your baby’s day
  • Learn to trust that you will not push her beyond the limits of what she enjoys
  • Learn how to get excited and then calm herself down
Teach
If you do this:
Your Baby will:

  • Be consistent with routines and responses
  • Be aware of toys and objects that comfort your baby and make them available whenever he is distressed
  • Feel secure as he learns to predict what comes next
  • Understand that his feelings count