"Without a mature hippocampus, babies and toddlers are mainly creatures of short-term memory. But the unconscious memories that they form right from the start my be the most important ones. These are the emotional patterns that we learn -- that we are safe, that when mom picks us up we feel happy, or that when we knock over a tower of blocks and turn to look at dad, he will be smiling back at us. This is why many people say that the first few years of life are the most important -- because way in the back of our brains is where we learn (unconsciously) that the world is a good place."This passage illustrates the importance of taking your baby places and doing things with him. I honestly wouldn't have known that. I was of the mindset of "why bother when he's so little; he won't even remember." Yet, he will get something out of trips to the zoo and walks through the park and all the other things the S.O. and I like to do that I thought would need to be put off until Baby was older. But other people manage. If they can do it, I can do it. (I'm a bit competitive that way.)
Calhoun concludes:
"If you let go of some idea of what your life is supposed to be like, of what your life used to be, you can really get into this new life. It's not so hard to feed and clothe and shelter another human being for eighteen years, because love makes you want to do all those things and inspires you to find ways to manage it."Bring it on, Baby!
No comments:
Post a Comment