Recent research about how rapidly babies' brains grow and develop underscores the importance of the first three years for getting your baby off to a good start. We now understand that, contrary to previous widely held beliefs, the human brain is not fully developed at birth. Taken together, they form a complex control center for sensing the world and enabling the baby not only to see, hear, move, taste and touch but also to think, feel, and behave in particular ways. In other words, the baby's and young child's brain is vastly more active and complex than previously known. Neuroscientists are not only trying to learn more about the physical structure and functioning of the brain but are also beginning to focus their attention on the ways in which early nurturing experiences such as holding, feeding, and comforting impact the way a baby's brain develops.
Parents can, and do, influence all areas of their babies' development in countless ways every day.
Most parents understand the value of loving, secure relationships and age-appropriate and interesting experiences in fostering children's physical, psychological and intellectual development. They learn about the uniqueness of their babies in terms of temperament, preferences, the way they like to be held, what soothes them when they're upset, how they like to explore the world, what makes them smile. Parents' growing knowledge, combined with their unqualified commitment to their babies' well being, makes them their babies' most powerful teachers and advocates. The more you as a parent learn about brain development, the more you will realize that all of the things that you quite naturally do with your baby in response to his or her unique signals foster healthy development. Feel free to browse all 3 sites.