The first 3 years are the most important

Hey mama, it's proven that if you get the first 3 years right, your baby will have the foundations for a lifelong healthy life, dramatically influencing brain development, future learning, behavior and health.

The early stages of your baby's life can be the most critical to their future success. Research shows 80% of a child's brain is developed by the time they’re 3 years old. 

But how do you do it? What is most important to focus on? It's actually quite simple. 

Here are the top 5 simple things that are most important to get right in the first 3 years for a strong future foundation: 

• Stress Free Life
• Unconditional Love
• Spontaneous Play
• Speak & Sing
• Reading Time

How can I create a stress free life for my baby?

As a mama, it's your job as their primary caregiver to make your baby's life as stress free as possible with a safe and calm family home. This means you need to work on your own traumas (ideally before the baby is born), work on your relationship, show your baby what a healthy home and relationship with others looks like. 

Your baby may not understand exactly what you are saying yet, but they pick up on energy and feelings from as early as 3 months old. 

Does unconditional love mean I can't tell them right from wrong?

Your baby has basic needs, it's your role as their mama to understand what they are and how you can cater to them. A baby needs to feel supported and safe as they go through life and learn about their emotions. You can ensure this feeling by showing them unconditional love and acceptance as their mama. 

There is always a place for kind and firm parenting and you must teach your child right from wrong.  However, no matter the situation you must allow your baby to show emotion (both positive and negative), don't force them to suppress how they feel. Always talk openly about emotions and acknowledge how they are feeling and why. 

What is spontaneous play?

Spontaneous play is exactly that, free play in nature using the most simple objects to learn about how the world works, explore and problem solve with little hand holding or time limits. 

Babies and toddlers need time to explore and learn about the world around them, this means more free play and less devices (ideally no devices) in the first 3 years of life. 

Introduce simple objects such as wooden toys, a box, coloring pencils and paper, activity books, a bucket and spade at the beach for example. Less battery powered, more baby powered to really encourage free play and discovery. 

So mama, get rid of the devices, screens, and phones. Studies show that screen time can lead to delayed development, increased frustration, emotional outbursts and disengagement on other activities. Babies and toddlers get no learning from a screen and the blue light increases cortisol levels in their brain (the stress hormone) which reduces sleep.

Finally, don't be on your phone around them (anyone both child or adult who is around someone on their phone, gets the impression the device is more important than them). 

My baby doesn't understand me, should I really speak and sing to them?

Yes mama, although they don't speak your lingo just yet,  babies are learning from every single human interaction. You should speak and sing to your baby all of the time, even if you're just telling them about the dishes you're washing or what you are planning to do with your day together. 

When you talk to your baby, it makes them feel safe, they start to recognise and love your  voice, it promotes communication and language development including facial expressions and body language. 

You also don't have to sing nursery rhymes on repeat, your baby won't mind until they are a little older and start repeating everything! Any songs will do at first, so get your motown classics on and dance around the living room together if that is what tickles your fancy.

What is the point in reading when they don't even know their ABCs yet?

Yes mama, although they don't know their ABCs just yet, babies are learning from every single human interaction. Just like you speak to your baby, you should read to them as much as possible too. 

Reading together helps develop your baby's vocabulary and helps them make associations to words you read and pictures you describe. It's always recommended that you face your baby while reading so they can see how you sound out the words as well as point to each word on the page. 

Babies learn by imitating the behavior of others as they explore the world around them, so it's important you shape these positive experiences. The quality of a child's experiences in the first few years of life (positive and negative) helps shape how their brain develops.

Remember, every baby is different, so it's essential to pay attention to your baby's basic needs and adjust your techniques accordingly. You know your baby better than anyone and what works for you.

Check out our baby play range for some spontaneous play options. 

 

 

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