Friday, September 20, 2013

Check your mood - Keep Smiling

I absolutely love and live by this piece of child rearing advice:

Cranky Baby?  Check Your Mood:

Children take many emotional cues from their parents. That’s why cheerfulness is one of the best ways to respond to a cranky child (newborn), and why a big smile is often the easiest way to sweeten a sour face. But it’s difficult to provide the emotional sunshine your child may need when you’re in a bad mood or when the pressures of the day are making you cranky and short-tempered yourself. If your child seems persistently unhappy, do a quick assessment to see if you may be part of the problem, and then take a few moments to calm your mind and reset your attitude.

When grand-baby Reef Indy gets fussy and cries, Oma first makes sure his needs are met (dry diaper . . . correct temperature . . .); then Oma just relaxes and talks to the newborn.  

It is important to remember that a crying baby who can't easily be soothed can put a lot of stress on the adult caretaker.  You need to remember that crying is normal and take the time to take a few good deep breathes before soothing the child.

Happy Grandson - No Crying
 Hello Oma - I am two weeks old today!
The more calm and confident you are in the situation, the easier it will be for your charge to return to his/her happy state.


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