Behaviour
Attachment
Children who are looked after in a warm and caring way in the first few years of life form closer relationships with the people who look after them. This is called attachment. Children who form close relationships early in life are better able to learn and cope with stress. They also have fewer behaviour problems and are more likely to have better social skills.
To build a close relationship, you and your baby need to learn to communicate with each other. When your baby is young, she cannot talk, so she shows you what she wants or how she feels with sounds, actions, and facial expressions. By watching your baby closely you will learn what she is “saying” and how to respond in a way that meets her needs.
The more you learn to read and respond to your baby’s signals or cues, the more your baby will respond to you. This is the beginning of a warm and loving relationship between you and your baby.
Reading your baby’s cues
The following signs tell you that your baby wants attention:
- Crying (See Why babies cry)
- Becoming fussy
- Smiling
- Cooing/babbling
- Looking at you
- Making sucking sounds
This is a good time to smile, talk, sing, play or feed your baby. The following signs tell you your baby needs to rest or have some time away from what she is doing:
For more information:
Region of Peel — Public Health
905-799-7700
Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Caledon residents call free of charge at 905-584-2216
To speak with a Public Health Nurse
Behaviour