Child's First Year

The first year of life is a very interesting one.  It is full of surprises, pleasures and hardships.  With the right knowledge, it becomes easy to tackle certain problems and avoid others.  Here are some general developments to expect from your child and how to deal with them:

0 – 3 months: at this early time, a baby will start to communicate with you through sounds and gestures.  At this phase also, the baby will show some interest in playing.  Try to encourage your baby’s communication at this time by imitating her sounds and gestures.

3 – 6 months: your baby will recognize certain people and make some response.  Such responses become more distinct, in response to certain events.  The baby will have more control and develop the ability to play with objects.  In this phase try to talk to the baby and give her more toys to play with to increase her experience.

6 – 9 months: certain words will refer to certain meanings the baby can understand.  At this phase babies become more mobile, they either crawl or walk.  They also become aware of strangers.  Here is a development of social skills, and it is useful to give the baby a chance to mix with other babies.

9 – 12 months: babies will learn and use a few words, enjoy songs and games, and are better able to move more energetically.  It is important to repeat words as this helps the baby identify objects more easily.  With all the energy at this stage, taking your baby to play areas is a good way to develop the baby’s physical abilities.