Listening to her means that you may need to slow down and wait for her communication. No parent can understand every cry and coo their baby makes. However, two things happen when you listen attentively and try to figure out your baby s message. First, your baby has the experience of someone being interested in her ideas and feelings. Secondly, through listening over time and trial and error, you eventually do figure out most of children s cues.
Babies also learn about communication through crying.
In the first year, crying is a central part of their communication system. When we respond to their cries, our babies learn that they will be listened to and that the world is a safe place where their needs will be met. They coo, look at you and wait. You coo and they coo back. In that simple interaction, they practice the structure of conversation and they learn that they will be responded to when they reach out to communicate.