When it comes to parenting, there are almost as many incorrect myths and pieces of bad advice as there are scientifically sound facts passed around. From the moment you announce your impending addition to the family, you will be overwhelmed with unsolicited advice of questionable authenticity. However, the child development facts listed below are among those you should arm yourself with in order to be prepared and well informed about your child’s growth.

Baby talk and silly faces are beneficial

It is a common misconception that parents should avoid baby talk and making silly faces, and only speak to their infants in complete sentences from the moment of their birth. Researchers have found that baby talk is a seemingly instinctual response which is crucial to infant development – its musicality, exaggerated tones and slow structure emphasize critical components of a language, making it easier for babies to grasp words. Similarly, when babies imitate the facial expression of their caregivers, it triggers the emotion in them, as well. This helps infants build on their innate understanding of emotional communication and it may explain why parents tend to make exaggerated happy or sad faces at their children, making them easier to mimic.

Education is important from an early age

From the moment babies enter the world, they have an innate desire to interact with their caregivers and a proclivity to direct their attention toward human voices and faces, especially the eyes. Nurturing face to face contact and stimulating verbal interactions in a social environment helps babies learn quickly about people’s behaviour and develop emotional intelligence. Infants only respond to what responds to them, which is why passively observing educational DVDs or TV shows won’t benefit a child’s development. Instead, a child needs an interactive environment that will respond to their cues. An exceptional playgroup in Hong Kong is a great example of a stimulating environment where children can develop their language, physical and cognitive ability, using a wide range of mediums and developed sensory activities.

Babbling is a signal of learning

Within their rights, infants do tend to focus, however momentarily, and when they do, they usually make a sound to convey their interest. In particular, the nonsense syllables babies spout, also known as babbling, are the acoustic version of a furrowed brow, which signals to adults that they are ready to learn. The only thing we know of that helps babies develop intelligence is talking to them, making a dialogue where parents respond within the pauses of an infant’s vocalizations the best way to help them learn.

Self-regulation is a crucial skill

Self-regulation is the most important skill a child should learn in early childhood, as it underlies everything else we focus on as parents. A well-regulated child will be able to pay attention, do better at school, be empathetic and get along well with others. As parents, we face tantrums, impulsiveness and big emotions on a daily basis – all of these things are caused by the immature self-regulation system in children that do not fully organize until the age of 3 and only fully matures at the age of 5. Then, the whole system reorganizes and goes through further development in adolescence and, by some estimates, doesn’t completely mature until the early 40s. But the foundation for all of that is set in early childhood, which is why it is crucial to learn how to foster self-regulation in children. Helping your child regulate stress, frustration or any other emotion is one of your main duties as a parent.

The developmental timeline is variable

Contrary to popular belief, development does not happen on a precise timetable or in concrete stages, and what appears to be true at one age can change over time. For example, babies who are born prematurely often show some developmental delays, but many catch up to their peers by the time they are in adolescence. Or for example, brain development occurs earlier in girls than in boys, hence the saying that girls mature faster, but boys do catch up. We don’t know how or why these things happen developmentally, but what we do know is that each child has their own course. There are many times in the development of a child when the brain is open to change and when development adjusts itself based on experience. Just remember that warmth, love and sensitivity can affect child development in a deeply positive way.

Understanding your child is one of the most important things that you should learn as a parent, as it is very helpful in becoming effective in guiding and nurturing your child as they grow and mature.

Changes are rarely easy, even those that are supposed to be for the better. We need to let go of well-established routines and create new ones or get used to new environments and people without actually knowing that such changes will be beneficial. Resistance to change usually grows as we get older, which is natural, but that only means we need to be more open-minded.

Nobody is perfect, as we all know, and we’ve all made many mistakes in our lives, some minor and reparable, others not so much. Still, only those who have been able to learn from them and adapt to new situations have been able to progress. So, what are some of the major changes that can actually improve our lifestyles?

Healthy lifestyle

No matter how busy you are, there is one thing that you need to look after and that is your health and I’m talking about both physical and mental health here. Even if you feel great, there is no reason why you should avoid regular check-ups or miss a dentist’s appointment. Also, pay attention to your mental health. Make sure you find time to relax and do the things that make you happy. Dust off the instrument you used to play, grab that book you’ve been meaning to read for ages or go out with your friends. You’ll feel great and fulfilled, which is very important for your health.

Improve living conditions

You may be living in a space that is not really suitable for you and your family, which can cause a lot of stress for everyone. If possible, change your home and find one that will be a better fit for you in terms of its size and/location. If that is not an option at the moment, consider redecorating and refurbishing your home, so that you make it more functional and modern. That will help you feel better while spending time at home and, again, relieve a lot of stress.

Change your car

If your current car is no longer meeting all your requirements or you believe it will soon become inefficient, it’s time to replace it. This is particularly true if you’re expecting your family to grow in size in the near future. Luckily, those things are now done much more easily than before. I decided to sell my car online through Carbiz and invested in a newer and safer model just before my family expanded and I’ve never looked back. The safety and comfort of a new car is something that you can’t put a price on.

Take up a hobby

No matter how old you are, it’s never too late to take up a hobby. Not only will you find something to occupy your mind, but you can get creative or meet new people who share similar interests. Whether you take up yoga classes, start learning a foreign language or learn to cook new dishes, the sense of achievement and learning new skills will be more than gratifying.

Career change

One of the biggest changes that can really help you be more satisfied with your life is a career change. If you feel you’re stuck in a never-changing routine and see no chance of being promoted, it’s time you considered changing your current job. The idea that you should hold onto one job in your life has long been abandoned and you should embrace every opportunity to develop professionally and hopefully increase your salary. If you manage to find a better, more enriching and fulfilling job, your mood will be boosted and you’ll feel much better about yourself. The increased self-esteem will positively reflect on all other aspects of your life as well.

They say that even the longest journey starts with a single step and there is no denying that it’s true. Improvements don’t come without changes and very often it is you who has to initiate them. So, think carefully about what you can do to improve your lifestyle and make a plan. Some changes may be more difficult to implement, but never forget what your ultimate goal is and stay focused. Only then can you expect great results.