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Roots of Empathy

October 23, 2017

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Mr. Blake and Room 18 have now met Baby Abigail twice.  Wow, Baby Abigail has grown and changed so much!  The theme this month was "Crying" and the different ways a child is trying to communicate through crying.  This theme is an excellent opportunity to reinforce that babies cry for a reason – they need something.  We emphasize that you cannot spoil a baby by responding to his or her cries.  Responding to an infant's cries can assist with brain development.  Research shows that quick response to a baby's cries builds trust and attachment – key factors in brain development!  Another important teaching this theme was the danger of shaking an infant.  A baby's brain is very delicate and permanent brain damage or even death may result from shaking a baby.  A crying baby is not a bad baby, just a baby with a problem.

During our family visit, Baby Abigail was all smiles.  She was holding her head up quite strongly and was actively kicking her legs and making small cooing sounds.  The kids were delighted to see her smile spontaneously and look at them with her bright blue eyes.  Mommy Kathleen and big sister Alisa, shared how they comfort and soothe Baby Abigail when she cries.