Congratulations on your newborn, now what?

I recently started writing a monthly column, Ask the Expert, in Macaroni Kid Brandon's newsletter. There are so many parents wondering about their child's development. What age should my child ___________? Is it normal for my child to _____________? I hope you will take a moment to send your questions in to Macaroni Kid. In the meantime, I would like to do a blog series on social development of young children. Let's start today with the newborn babies.

Have you ever wondered what it must have been like to be a newborn? There you are, all snugly and warm inside your mother's womb and suddenly...LIGHTS, SOUNDS, TEMPERATURE CHANGE, COLOR! From the start, your newborn baby is very busy making sense of the world around them. Since they lack mobility at this stage of development, they will spend a great deal of time watching, listening, and learning! You will seem them studying everything from your face, to the ceiling fan, to that little speck of lint on the floor next to them. :) Around three months old, they will even begin to coo and vocalize to all of these objects. Use this time during your baby's development for lots of face-to-face interaction and talking. In a Kindermusik class, the youngest babies and mommies enjoy activities such as Peek-a-boo, infant massage, nursery rhymes, and lullabies. It's a special time of bonding and laying the earliest foundation for learning with your new little one.
 
I look forward to answering many more of your developmental questions in the coming months.