10 MONTHS GROWTYH AND DEVELOPMENT

New Attention Grabbers

Forget the toys. Babies are fascinated by everyday objects. Your baby would rather play with car keys, pots, pans and the remote control.

And soon she'll take this fascination to a new level. At around 10 months, babies start imitating everyday behaviour. So your 10-month-old may try to use the phone, brush her hair or stir her cereal with her finger. This is more than simply having fun. Your baby is learning through observation.

Social Communication
Most babies learn the meaning of the word "no" at around this age. And although your baby probably won't say it, she will understand it. Saying "no" firmly and clearly is a good way to set limits, especially when your baby's safety is at stake.

Don't be surprised if your 10-month-old starts shaking her head from side to side when she doesn't want to do something. This head shake is one of the earliest gestures babies make.

Separation Wariness
This month your baby may start acting a bit funny around strangers. What happened to your sweet, affectionate, outgoing child? "She's not usually like this," you say when she cowers and cries around relatives or friends.

Parents often feel embarrassed and anxious when their babies get "clingy." But stranger anxiety and its twin, separation anxiety, are actually healthy signs. The fact that she's experiencing them means your baby is learning the difference between familiar and unfamiliar situations.

She's also learning about object permanence. Meaning she's beginning to understand that things continue to exist even when she can't see them.

Separation anxiety occurs because your baby knows you're out there somewhere and she wants you back.




Help stimulate your baby's mental and language development by getting him involved in pretend play, like making a telephone call, having a tea party, or building a sand castle.
When you play with interactive things like pop-up toys, talk to your baby about the colours or movements. Ask him what he likes best about it.
Give your baby an empty box and lots of little toys. Slowly put each toy in the box, and then empty it. Help your baby fill the box and then dump it out, then let him play the game on his own.
Encourage your baby to pull himself to a standing position. Respond with lots of praise when he succeeds.
Let your baby hold onto your fingers and try to walk, always praising and encouraging him along the way.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 30, 2007 at 11:15 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.