Give your young ones space

Babies might seem to love all the attention you give them, but they too need their space. Infants are self-entertainers and can amuse themselves for almost 20 minutes without any human interaction.

More often than not, your need to hold the baby is higher than the baby’s need to be cuddled. While they do need a lot of love, attention and care, sometimes they like it better if supervised rather than carried. Babies are constant learners and absorb information throughout the day by observation. Talking about the importance of giving your baby some ‘alone time’, Dr Nisar Malik, a neonatologist at Lady Hospitals, says, “Babies cannot be left alone but also should not be interfered with all the time. Too much carrying results in dependency, which can affect the long term development of the child.”

Infants need some alone time to practise their cooing and observe their surroundings. Looking away during your peek-a-boo game could indicate over-stimulation, resulting in the child wanting some time alone. Dr Sulata Shenoy, a child psychologist at Turning Point Child Guidance Centre, says, “Floor time is essential for the child where one has to allow the child to lead.

This helps the child make more sense of his/her surroundings, helping mental growth. If you physically bind their posture by carrying them during their crawling phases, it can result in unhealthy physical and psychological dependency in the long run.”
Infants are always trying new things. Starting from trying to lift their head up to crawling they are always attempting to reach the next phase. So is little Irav, former model Shrutha Keerthi’s little one. She thinks it is necessary for parents to make conscious efforts not to attend to their babies at the drop of a hat. “It is important to leave them on a play mat or free area, where they can try their little tricks. It is only due to these tricks they are able to develop their muscles.”

Exploring time dominates a baby’s day. They do need supervision, but are largely self-sufficient and their personality formation begins from the very first stage. Independence, self-sufficiency, inquisitiveness, all of these are natural tendencies that develop the baby, which should not be curbed. “Children above the age of six months love to be independent,” says Dr. Nagesh A, a pediatrician at Jubilee Nursing Home. He says, “Overprotective parents protect the child of any injury and end up carrying them always, which could hamper their motor skills. It is important for them to be on their own and learn from their falls.” Be it a male or female toddler, all infants need some alone time to understand oneself and the surroundings. All it takes is a child- friendly environment and a good balance of cuddling and allowing free time for a baby, to grow up  well.