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Feel The Love
Monday, February 14, 2011 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
Chances are, the love you feel for your child - espeically those first moments you held him/her - is like no other. If today is your first Valentine's Day with your newborn, savor the moment.
It's true; we love our significant other, our family, and our friends. Yet, the love of our munchkin may be somewhat indescribable.
Today's the day to celebrate. Looking for ideas on how to spend the day?
In addition to all the fun and festivities of Valentine's Day (do I hear a cupcake calling my name?!
), this day is a good one to recognize and celebrate your infant/toddler's social and emotional development.
One of the amazing (and sometimes bittersweet) adventures about being a parent is watching our kiddo grow. Physically, it's usually easy for us to see development. From baby's first grasps to their first steps, motor skills can be monumental.
Social emotional growth - or the way our little ones understand and express their emotions - may be a bit harder to recognize. It may even be more confusing to understand what is happening.
What does social emotional development look like?
You can see it everyday in:
*Smiles and other facial respones (smiles being our favorites, of course!)
*Coos and other verbal cues (listen to tone, pitch, etc.)
*Physical responses (especially true and most evident during toddlerhood...can you say "tantrum?"
)
*And, of course, with words once our kiddos acquire language skills
As with many areas of development, some of the best ways to support our munchkin is through example and also by encouraging signs of social emotional interactions.
Sometimes our days become a blur of eat, sleep (hopefully), and diaper/potty time.
Valentine's Day is a great reminder of taking time to settle in and snuggle up.
Take the time to celebrate the positive emotions and special bond that defines family.
Wishing you the warmest of Valentine's Days!
