THE JOURNEY SO FAR

KEY CONCEPTS – FOUNDATIONS

COMMUNICATION

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Language exposure in the back half of the first year lays foundations for a lifetime of language.

Time to bring everything together and apply it on language and sound exposure. Babbling, sounds, facial expressions, and vocal range (fast, slow, loud, soft) are all part of this. Sounds are one of the most powerful “non-contact” connections we have so use that as you see fit. But language is also processed in specific ways during this time. The brain uses “statistics” to search for patterns to stumble upon what language means over time. Four ways to help the baby do this more efficiently are to: slow down your speech from time to time, segment out the important words, use gestures like pointing to connect the dots, and emphasize words that are location, action, noun, and shape oriented.

Of course the content matters too. The words we use will play a part in shaping their identity. Using words that help and build vs limit or hinder is a noble undertaking.

Becoming and raising a master of conversation is one of the closest things we have to super powers. During the language window, consider watching and adjusting the language you use. Some families like to explore mantras or affirmations like “you are strong, tough, capable, and hard working”.

As food is introduced and kids explore more things with their mouths – these are new ways to develop the mouth and airway muscles. Since we make most sounds with our mouth – food play and funny sounds is the daily way to do this. Give them a cup. Move past purees to some texture.

Babies don’t really speak until around 12 months with a language explosion typically around 18 months, so consider this an investment, even though the return isn’t for a year from now.

Keeping It Going:
Be extra expressionate through month 9. Make eye contact. Keep the conversations going. Look at food and sounds as a way to build speech muscles.

SENSES

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The initial sight and vision windows ramped to a close, giving way to a language window. Aspects of vision will continue to develop well into adulthood, but at this point – baby can focus, track objects well, see color, and have depth perception. They are fully oriented to the world visually.

The introduction of food is also an incredible sensory building experience. From the sights, textures, scents, and sounds – early food experiences can be a fun way to play, explore, and build bonds.

Keeping It Going:
Daddy Art Gallery – art as its own experience is a great way to work in language and explore thinking and feeling. High contrast images, bright solid colors, motion – all work well in the first year, but you will know your kid best in terms of what makes a good activity. Send us a picture of your Daddy Art Gallery if you’d like to share.

MOVEMENT

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Around the 6 month mark and onward, almost all movement is with intention and goal directed. The eyes lead, the head turns, the desire to reach, to explore, to roll, to sit – is kicking into high gear with a focus on more coordinated efforts, more transitions, and linking things together.

And as food is introduced – it’s a daily activity to explore all the senses as well as movement. From sitting in a chair, to grabbing, to pinching, using the mouth, drinking – these are all areas of movement development that are great for social connection (the social side of food) and allow the little scientist to do their exploration thing. Use slow controlled breathing to help with the mess (unless you have a dog that can help).

Keeping It Going:
Move with variety, move daily, move with progressions – but don’t force development. Help them through the transitions and more complex moments, but don’t make it too easy for them. Try on that “Dad as Coach” hat.

DUDE TO DAD

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Building some frustration tolerance is a good thing. If life is too easy all the time, what perspective might that create? Help with reaching and grabbing and sitting and rolling, but learn to let them explore both success and failure. Build a mindset and set up the environment such that failure or challenge can happen with low risk.

This is very much inline with almost every successful coaching model for learning anything – especially in elite sports. Here’s the exact recipe followed in my career in sport science. Bake @ 350degF until lightly toasted.

Motivation – intrinsic goal directed behavior (often the hardest part!)
Repetition – good environment for regular practice/exposure
Progression – ability to be pushed; not too easy, not too hard
Feedback – good coach / support system / learning iteration loop
Mindset – the ability to try other things and be open – mainly that failure is okay and frustration/friction is part of learning (ie enjoy the journey)

And when it comes together it’s magical. Below is modern day Evel Knievel, Robbie Maddison, progressing to what would become his impossible motorcycle jump to the 164ft top of the Arc de Triomphe at the Paris Las Vegas. [YouTube, 1min 31sec]

To be more effective in “Dad as Coach” roles – much of it comes down to our own frustration tolerance. Kids rely on this co-regulation heavily the first 5-7 years, learning calmness through togetherness. This simply comes down to how we build our resources so that we can handle stressors. And since stressors are pretty dynamic, the more resources we build the more resilience we unlock.

Keeping It Going:
One of the best ways to manage stress response in the moment is through slow controlled breathing. But if we are going to use breath to build resilience, might as well train up a more complete approach. Dad Moves: Breathing Progression Video Playlist Here.

In the end, it’s all about finding that place where the stress response is managed in ways we can use the energy – and there are a lot of ways to do that.

This section has tidbits from around the web that are typically on Dads minds.

Visual Assessment

Not to be a downer… about 20% of children under the age of 3 years have a vision disorder that can negatively impact learning and behavior. InfantSEE is no-cost comprehensive eye assessment for babies between the ages of 6 and 12 months old. Identifying vision disorders early in life is important for managing them. The InfantSEE organization is backed by the American Optometric Association.