These relationships are the foundation for your baby’s development. Through these relationships, infants and young children learn to think, understand, communicate, and express emotions. In fact, giving and receiving a smile is the first step your child takes toward learning how to be sociable and build strong relationships.
The Importance of Smiling at Your Baby
Smiling at your baby is great for your early relationship with them. It helps you bond with your baby and makes them feel secure and safe. Additionally, when your baby smiles a lot, it communicates to them that the world is a safe, secure place where people are happy, friendly, and responsive to their needs.
Maybe you can’t help but smile at your child. And of course, seeing your baby smile at you also makes you feel happy! Smiles are positive experiences that are important right from the start. Smiling teaches your child so much about themselves and their world, especially when they are too young to understand words.
A Baby’s Smile is the First Foundation of Warm Relationships
When you and your baby laugh at each other, your bodies release chemicals that make you both feel happy and safe. On the other hand, if the baby feels insecure or stressed, the amount of stress hormones in their body will increase.
The Role of Chemicals in a Baby’s Development
Different chemicals interact with the baby’s nervous system in different ways and even play a role in how the brain grows and develops. For example, high levels of stress hormones can hinder a child’s learning and affect their development and overall health.
No Smile is Wasted
It’s worth remembering that a simple smile is the foundation of your relationship with your child. Your face is where your baby looks for comforting responses, comfort, and attention. Not every answer you give is important, but the more often you laugh with your baby, the better. So whenever you see your baby watching your face, a smile is a great way to tell them that you notice, appreciate, love, and cherish them.
