Raising a child up to a year: main tips for parents

Parenting is best started from the first weeks of his life. From birth to one year, this is the time of the active physical development of the baby, its adaptation to the environment and the acquisition of experience. Only twelve months will be needed for the crumb to learn how to smile, howl, recognize the voices of parents, distinguish intonations and respond to their mood. During infancy, parents focus on adherence to diet and proper care, but the upbringing of the child should also not be forgotten. It is up to a year on the subconscious level that the basic habits of the baby are laid, his inclinations and personality characteristics are formed. The further development of the child largely depends on his upbringing up to a year. Conventionally, in this period 4 stages are usually distinguished, each of which covers three months.

Raising a child up to a year: four main periods

1. From birth to three months.
2. Three to six months.
3. Six to nine months.
4. From nine months to a year.

First period

The first stage lasts from the moment of the birth of the baby until the completion of three months. During this period, parents should form good habits in the baby and prevent the appearance of harmful habits, lay the foundation for communication, and develop sensory perception. Also, during this period, parents need to properly organize a diet, this is important for normal weight gain and the formation of a habit of regimen. In the first three months, the baby should develop the following habits:

• fall asleep on the street without a dummy;
• hold the head;
• spend some time in the bed, entertaining yourself;
• show signs of dissatisfaction with the need to replace the diaper;
• fall asleep without motion sickness;
• navigate in space, reacting to sounds and light.

Particular attention must be paid to the hygiene of the baby. Every morning should begin with a friendly smile from mom and conduct hygiene procedures. They consist in washing the face and pens, changing the diaper and washing. Daily routines will form a healthy habit of cleanliness in the baby. It is unacceptable that the remains of urine or feces irritate the skin of the child, so diapers should be replaced every three hours. Since children's skin is very delicate, its surface is treated with cream or powder.

To form a habit of holding the baby’s head, it is necessary to lay it on the tummy, even if it expresses dissatisfaction.Gradually, this procedure will become a habit in him, the muscles of the neck and back will be trained. Every day he will spend more and more time on his stomach and contemplate the world around him from a different position.

How to develop the habit of talking? In order for the child to begin to aguy, you need to play with him. It’s good that when the baby hears songs and nursery rhymes. Each action that is directly related to the child should be commented on, how panties are put on, a blouse, how the diaper changes. When talking with your child, you should smile, in this way a culture of communication will be laid.

Important article: newborn baby hygiene

Ok so the main tips and recommendations that you need to adhere to:

• For the normal development of the children's psyche, it is necessary to constantly talk with the baby, sing songs, tell nurseries, turn on music to listen. For the first games with a crumb, it is worth choosing toys that contribute to the development of sensory perception;
• When the baby reaches the age of one and a half months, to strengthen physical health it is necessary to lay the baby on the stomach daily, do exercises and massage;
• An important educational moment is the need to teach a child to sleep in his own crib and spend some time on it independently. (See useful material.how to teach a child to sleep separately);
• In order for the baby to not have a bad habit in the future, do not let him suck fingers.

Toys and games from the age of 0 to 3 months

For babies up to 3 months, educational psychologists recommend toys that develop sensory, hearing, vision and motor coordination:

• Rattles, bells, bells, etc. To develop hearing, ring the rattle at one ear of the crumbs, then at the other. Soon the baby will begin to turn his head toward the sound source;
• Bright toys from a variety of materialsthat can be grabbed, stroked. At first, they are shown to the baby, stroked on the baby’s body, put into the pen. Soon the crumb himself will begin to grab them and hold them confidently;
• A variety of mobiles (carousels), which are mounted above the crib crib. Toys are placed at a small distance from the eyes of the baby (approximately 15-20 cm).See the article on music crib mobiles;
• Bell braceletwhich can be worn alternately on different handles;
• Balloonwhich can be attached to the hand. Soon, the baby will understand that the ball moves due to the movements of his hand;
• Schematic representation of a human face. Breasts are very fond of looking at such images. If you place the picture at a small distance from the baby's eyes (approximately 25-30 cm), it will be interesting for him to study it while the mother is not nearby.

Second period

It lasts from the third to the sixth month, at which time there is an active sensory, auditory and visual perception and development. The second stage includes preparing the baby for future speech. To do this, he can include music of different genres, the main thing is that it be light and melodic. Classics, children's songs, modern stage, folk motifs - everything will do. In order for the baby to walk, babble, squeak, his attention must be paid to other sounds. The child needs to be introduced to the world around him, drawing his attention to the rustle of leaves, the chirping of sparrows, the sound of flowing water - this is knowledge (for example: here the rain is knocking on the windowsill, the birds are chirping, but the tractor is rattling, etc.).

The mental development of a baby of this age begins with communication. Parents should play with the child, developing their visual, tactile and auditory perception. Classes with the child should begin during the period of active wakefulness, when the child is cheerful and does not bother him. Otherwise, classes will not give the expected result. The child should enjoy the activities / games, therefore, it should be abandoned if the baby is hungry, sick or naughty.During this period, the foundations of moral and aesthetic education are laid, which the baby receives through communication with adults.

Joy and love presented to the baby will become the foundation for the formation of moral and aesthetic education.

In the daily routine of the child must be present massage and exercise. During this period, exercises become more diverse and prepare the baby for crawling. We recommend you to see the section massage

Toys and games from the age of 3 to 6 months

For games with a baby, all toys that were used before the age of 3 months are suitable. It is worth adding to them:

• Teething and other toys for chewing and sucking, because at this time the first teeth begin to be cut in the children (how to choose teething teeth);
• Convenient for gripping a ball. Already at the age of six months, the little one can play with him, sitting in a stroller or in the arms of her mother;
• Soft large cubes with different pictures on the edges. Kids are happy to grab them, toss them up, examine pictures;
• Rubber and cloth figures of various animals. At this age, it is useful to play the game "Who does how?" With the baby. We show the dog and voice it: "woof-woof", etc. Soon the baby himself will “call” the toy with the appropriate sounds;
• Half-year-old kids love tear paper, give the kid old magazines, let him satisfy his curiosity;

• It will be entertaining for crumbs finger performance. Put finger toys on your hands (they can be bought in the toy department or made at home) and arrange a performance for the baby;
• The baby begins to know his body. For this you need show small and name body parts: eyes, ears, nose, legs, handles ...

Third period

The third period in raising a child up to a year covers the age of 6 to 9 months. At this stage, the little one becomes restless and inquisitive .. In children of this age, activity increases significantly. Since the kids already know how to crawl, sit down, try to get up, and some walk, it's time to pay attention to physical fitness.

Give your child the freedom to move around the house. To do this, you need to secure all rooms (remove wires, breaking objects, household appliances). All children at this time seek to study the contents of the cabinets. Do not interfere with the baby, just remove all dangerous objects and fill the cabinets with toys and things that the baby can play with.

For good physical condition, we continue to engage in exercises and massage, including new movements and exercises.

Do not put the child in a walker, such devices for learning to walk are harmful to the fragile spine. All pros and cons of walkers are described in this article. Only YOU decide. Disputes over the walker will never end.

At this stage, you can begin to accustom the child to the potty, sitting him after sleep and feeding, before and after the walk. After a while, the child will understand why this is done. We are reading a very useful article on how to properly teach a pot - https://kid.htgetrid.com/en/razvitie-rebenka-do-goda/kak-priuchit-rebenka-k-gorshku.html

From about seven months old, you need to teach your baby to wash pens before eating. After some time, the baby will get used to this procedure, and will independently substitute the handles under a stream of water. So the concept of cleanliness is developed.

Putting on the bibs before feeding and immediately changing the soiled clothes to clean, the mother instills the habit of accuracy. Moreover, parents should say and explain each of their actions: walking in dirty things is ugly and indecent, so now we change into clean clothes.

Teach your baby to eat with a bib, explaining why this item is needed. Before eating, wash your hands to a little one, this will eventually turn into a good habit.

After six months, the teeth begin to erupt in children.To care for the oral cavity, it is necessary to purchase a special toothbrush for babies designed for children up to a year, and to teach a little toothpick to use it daily.

Play activity for the child is important at any age, not excluding the age of up to a year. So kids learn the world. From six months old, you can already show your baby the frogs and a bell, commenting on each movement. From seven to eight months they demonstrate how the simplest toys act: the ball rolls, the wheels of the machine spin, the yule spins in one place. At the same time, you can begin to show parts of the face: nose, eyes, teeth, ears, forehead. Of course, understanding will not come immediately, at first the children will find them with their parents and toys, and only then - at home. You can come up with the simplest song for which the child will happily demonstrate his knowledge. You need to deal with children of this age every day.

At this stage, in order to prevent bad deeds, it is necessary to introduce the child to the words "not" and “Not allowed”. If the child fights during the game, you need to take his hands and say the word “Not allowed”with explanations (it hurts me, it’s unpleasant for me). The reason to explain is necessary so that the child learns to respond to the forbidden word, otherwise, he simply will not notice it.

We read an article on the topic: how to tell the child is NOT

At the expense of the word “Not allowed”look in the video:

Starting from 6 months, the child actively develops the first speech skills. Read rhymes and nursery rhymes to the kid, consider pictures, play small representations with toys, constantly talk with the child kindly and kindly, without distorting the correct pronunciation of words.

Toys and games from the age of 6 to 9 months

Pay attention to new educational toys:

• Musical centersdeveloping auditory attention and coordination of movements. Often, such toys are voiced by various animals, musical instruments, etc. Show the baby how to press the buttons, he will quickly master the toy and will deal with it for a long time;
• Musical toys (pipe, xylophone, drum) help to develop coordination of movements and auditory representations;
• Game centers for the development of fine motor skills. Your little one will be happy to manipulate various shapes and study them;
• Books made of fabric, plastic, cardboard help to form understanding of speech, fine motor skills and cognitive interest;
• Bath toys. Ducks, boats, fish - these floating animals develop cognitive abilities and motor skills (how to choose bathing toys);
• Almost all children of this age are happy playing in the kitchen with dishes. Share plastic containers, spoons, pans, pans, and tins with your baby.

The fourth period

Raising a child from nine months to a year covers all areas of the baby's activity: during this period of time he actively communicates with adults and tries to walk independently. Encourage your little one when he gets to his feet. Lead the child, holding first both, and then one hand. Finally, there will come a moment when the child can stay a few seconds in a standing position without support. Interest him for this with a toy that you need to put in both pens. (teaching your child to walk - 10 important tips) You can not forbid the child to rise where it is convenient, otherwise he will feel that standing on the legs is forbidden in general and will stop making attempts.

The mental development of the child is to instill the ability to perform actions with objects. It is necessary to show the kid how to beat the drum, roll the machine, blow the whistle, take and eat the apple, etc. Theatrical performance with fingertip toys develops the child’s imagination, memory and speech well, even if they are the simplest.

Closer to the year of the child they are introduced to different forms of objects, their sizes and material. You can sort cubes with cubes, and balls with balls, search only for wooden or plastic objects.It is easier to choose according to the ratio when the pyramid develops or the matryoshka is assembled. How surprised a child is when inside one pupa there is another, smaller one!

Full-fledged education includes close communication with the baby. You need to talk with your child constantly, but copying his speech and talking is not recommended. Thus, it is possible to provoke the development of a speech defect, which then will have to be corrected using a speech therapist. The kid should not think that distorted sounds are correct, he should only hear pure speech.

Nurture in your child a good example to relatives, animals and the world around you by your own example and method of explanation. Praise and encourage good deeds, stop negative actions. It is necessary to create a friendly atmosphere in the family, so the style of your relationship will become a model for the child. If during games a child starts to fight and push, you need to stop these actions without a smile using the word “Not allowed”. The ban should sound strictly and categorically, so that the baby drew attention to him and took these words seriously. It should be remembered that children in everything copy the behavior of adults who are nearby. Sometimes it’s the behavior of parents that provokes bad actions towards other children, so before you introduce a ban, you should reconsider your behavior.

Continue exercising with new exercises.

To develop speech, memory, attention, continue to read poetry with your child (the best examples will be the works of A. Barto, K. Chukovsky), play finger games, arrange mini-performances with finger puppets, and conduct music classes.

Closer to the age of one year, the baby should show himself various parts of the body, make “little things”, wave “bye-bye”, learn how to play with toys correctly (carry a car, roll a ball, blow a pipe, etc.). Teach your child to eat first with his hands, and then use a mug and spoon.

Toys and games from the age of 9 to 12 months

In the last trimester of toys for the development of crumbs will be relevant:

• Pyramids. By the age of one year, the baby can already string the pyramid rings if he is shown how to do it;
• Cubes. Show the little one how to build a tower from them, and then break it down;
• Clockwork toys;
• Matryoshka dolls;
• Cars will be useful to both boys and young princesses. With their help, the baby must learn to play correctly with similar toys;
• Rocking horse and wheelchair, in which you can ride, pushing your legs, will contribute to physical development;
• Wheelchairs with a long handle will develop coordination of movements and walking skills;
• An excellent tool for studying various parts of the face and body will be big  doll (it is desirable that it be made of soft material).

Defining principles in raising a child up to a year

Often, young parents believe that a child up to a year does not understand or understand anything. This belief is deeply mistaken, since it was at this time that the foundations of education were laid, bad and good habits were fixed. Based on this, in your communication with the baby you need to be guided by the following principles:

• the upbringing of the child should fall on both parents, since it is during this period that the idea of ​​the family is formed. Undoubtedly, the main person in the first months of a child’s life is mom, father’s main task is to provide all possible help, because mom should gain strength and rest. Calm and happy mom - a healthy baby!
• close contact of the child with the mother is very important. Irritation, unwillingness to communicate, insufficient attention from the side of the closest person can lead to the malaise of the baby, however, it’s also not worthwhile to accustom your hands;
• from the first days it is necessary that the baby hear the correct and calm speech of the parents, this develops the memory and hearing of the crumbs;
• the prerequisites for a sound and healthy sleep are a ventilated room, an evening walk and a bath with herbal infusions;
• up to a year, a mother can sleep with her baby, his sleep from this will only be stronger. If the mother herself sleeps restlessly, you can wait until the baby falls asleep soundly, and then carry him to the crib;
• breast milk is suitable for proper and complete nutrition; after six months, complementary foods in the form of vegetable purees and cereals are required;
• physical education should match the capabilities of the child's body. For example, sitting down is not recommended for up to three months, you should not help the baby sit down, turn the head and get up ahead of time - these actions can lead to pathology, since the bones and muscles have not yet been strengthened;
• after nine months, the child develops behavioral skills with strangers and unknown objects, and a strong relationship is established with people who spend more time with him. By about 9-11 months, the baby begins to be afraid of strangers, he is more attached to the one whom he sees constantly. For example, if a nanny looks after a child, she may well become a closer person to him than her parents.

“Important little things” for education

Most often, this happens - before the child is one and a half years old, parents are most concerned about his bathing, feeding and swaddling. It does not occur to them to think about education, but everything changes only when the child does not want to eat or dress, walks after mom as attached, whimpers and does not let her out of the apartment, clutching at the hem. There is nothing surprising in this - all character traits in 3-4 years are formed already from birth, which means that upbringing up to a year plays a decisive role. In addition to the general line of behavior of parents, significant nuances are significant.

• Confidence

Mom must be confident, convinced that everything is in order with the health of the child. If every cry and sniffling of the baby causes her concern, the baby involuntarily enters into the set program “something is wrong with my health, I’m probably sick” and also starts to get nervous. The installation “you are full and calm because your mother is next to you” works much more successfully when the child is in the arms of a loved one.

Unfortunately, young mothers do not yet have such an experience, and therefore they are often worried that the child is screaming and nervous. They wind themselves up, anxiously searching for the cause of the non-existent malaise, trying to change the diaper or put on another vest, putting it on their chest or rocking on their hands. It seems to them that it is necessary to guess the desires of the child and then everything will work out, in fact, the nervous situation does not affect the baby in the best way. In such cases, calm down and stop fussing is necessary, first of all, to mom. We recommend that you read the article about the basic fears of a young mother -https://kid.htgetrid.com/en/posle-rodov-dlya-mamyi/osnovnyie-strahi-molodoy-mamyi.html

• Breast-feeding

With breastfeeding, young mothers often have many problems.

“With my first child, I was sure that I was lucky, and I have no problems - after all, there was enough milk, and everything was wonderful. And only with my second child did I realize that just feeding the baby is not enough. ”

Mom forms the child’s attitude to the breast, his behavior, and in the future the baby’s attitude to the mother herself. If you experience problems with breastfeeding, your mother should immediately consult a consultant. Better yet, do not wait for problems, but simply immediately after the birth of the baby, invite a consultant home.

Besides proper attachment to the chest, it is important to remember that it is the mother who must teach the child how to handle breasts. It is the mother who decides in which position to feed the baby and which breasts. Mom determines the acceptable behavior, for example, whether to allow the baby to touch the other breast during feeding or to feed not sitting, but sitting. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the fundamental tips about the correct organization of HB from experienced nursing mothers -https://kid.htgetrid.com/en/kormlenie-grudyu/grudnoe-vskarmlivanie.html

• Procrastination

The child has a need to be with his mother constantly, more often he wants to be on handles near his chest.It is necessary to accustom the baby to the fact that he can spend some time alone, when his mother will be very close. Closer to three months, postponement while awake becomes mandatory for the future physical development of the baby. In this way, motor skills develop, the child trains in turning and crawling. It is best to lay the child on the back and put a bright toy next to it. If parents hang a carousel from above, then the child does not have a need to roll over and crawl - he will just lie and look up.

There are times when a child expresses strong protest against procrastination. Of course, it is hardly possible to “spoil” wearing, but mom may have things that cannot be done with the baby in her arms - it is unlikely that it will be convenient to turn over hot meatballs or to get baked chicken from the oven. Even if mom uses sling, taking a shower with her child is unlikely to succeed. It is simply necessary to accustom the baby to procrastination, otherwise, having matured, he will so actively object to the removal of his mother that this will become a real problem. If you instill the baby’s habit of independence gradually, mom will be able to calmly leave him on the rug and do urgent things, his own hygiene or cooking.

Mom decides

It is she who decides how best to feed the baby (lying or sitting) and how to hold him in her arms. Of course, the child likes to eat more when his mother sits, but at night it is more convenient to do it lying down. The baby prefers to be worn in a column, but if at the moment it is more convenient for mother to hold him in a cradle position, then the main line of behavior will be the mother. The most important need for a child is next to his own person, mother, and it is up to her to decide which position she will choose for this.

However, strictness is not always necessary. During feeding, you can talk with the baby, even while eating, he will hear his mother's gentle voice. At this moment, rudeness is unacceptable, even if it is directed towards another person. Too loud a voice scares the baby, he can become nervous and capricious. The manifestation of love and affection at these moments forms a further attitude to the mother, and in boys - in general to all women.

Parent Behavior

In the first months of his life, a child cannot express his desires and needs, however, like a sponge, he absorbs the surrounding information. A huge responsibility rests with the parents, as their behavior is decisive in building the character of the baby. Everything seen and heard in infancy is postponed in the subconscious for life, changing and correcting these memories in the future will be impossible. Parents should make it a rule to self-control and filter events that occur around their own child.

A constantly nervous mother talking in raised tones should not be surprised if after a while the child will apply the exact same method in a conversation with her. A father who drinks and smokes, conveying his thoughts with the help of a mat, brings up associative behavior in a child at a more conscious age, and in the future he will receive a drinking companion.

The age of a child up to a year is considered a kind of foundation, so parents should think in advance about what behavior to choose. Joint listening to music, funny songs, dancing with the baby in her arms - these moments will help in the further development of the baby. Scientists have proved that a child who was told fairy tales and constantly talked begins to speak much earlier than children who were not given proper attention. And the earlier development of speech positively affects the intellectual level of the baby.

We also read:

• “I educate as I see fit!” or 5 parenting myths
• 7 parenting mistakes that prevent children from succeeding
• 10 most effective child-rearing practices

The problem of grandparents

The older generation is often involved in raising a child up to a year, which in some cases is reasonable.Not always a young mother is able to cope with the problems that have fallen on her alone. The first bath, the first swaddling after the hospital, the first feeding in the native walls is a small test not only for the child, but also for his young parents. It will be ideal here that grandparents can come to the rescue.

The problem arises later, and it consists in a divergence of views on methods of education. Talking and arguing about this can ruin any good relationship. To avoid this, you should not shift too much on the shoulders of grandmothers, and if you need to leave them with your child - gently but confidently state your requirements for the diet and mode of the baby. Do not forget that the responsibility for further behavior will rest entirely with the parents.

We also read: the role of grandparents in raising a child

The main principle of the full upbringing of a child up to a year is the participation of both parents in this process. It was at this time that the child developed family attachments, formed ideas about the environment and people close to him. Despite their busyness, the child’s mom and dad must constantly be in the mode of searching for new information, reading print media, studying psychological articles, communicating in forums and in life. Improving, they will be able to become the first and most authoritative people in the life of their baby.

Recommended on the topic of education:

1. Features of the psychology of parenting up to a year
2. Vagaries of the child (how to react and how to deal with them?)
3. It happens that parents very often break down at their child and constantly shout at him, we recommend that you read the article on this subject: What should I do if I constantly scream at the child

Good luck to you! And raised children)

Yeah, this is an approach to education 🙂

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