Searching for Developmental Info & Raising Happy/Wonder Baby

[NinasMommy]

Hi Friends!

I'm searching for good reading - either online or bookish - or viewing (or even listening!) about baby's developmental stages, beyond the basics of "at 6 mos. your baby should reach such&such milestone, etc"... you know what I mean?

Also looking for material on raising a happy, wonder-full, sensitive, compassionate, intelligent, creative, child. I got one good idea on a Montessori book, and I also ran across a title that I don't remember... something about "fostering joy and wonder"...

My baby is almost 7 months old... I want to keep up with her and be ready for the next stage!

I will be searching the website and MDC more, but wanted to check in with people.

Thanks, and love!

[momof3tobe]

I love the book "Baby Magic".  The author has a great philosophy on raising children.

[babymommy2]

I like the book " what's going on in there, How the brain and mind develop in the first 5 years of life"

Each chapter covers a different development area, speech, memory, hearing, motor, social, etc. It even goes into prenatal, and how birth affects development. It is basically a literature review of all the studies out there.  Very interesting and very comprehensive.

[LynnS6]

"What's going on in there" is a great book.

I really like "How Babies Talk", and "The Scientist in the Crib" is good too.

I like Stanley Greenspan's work. Two books to start with are: "Great Kids: Helping Your Baby and Child Develop the 10 Essential Qualities for a Happy Healthy Life." There's an 'older' version called "Building Healthy Minds: The Six Experiences that Create Intelligence and Emotional Growth in Babies and Young Children."

I heard about a new book on NPR today: Welcome to Your Child's Brain, but I haven't read it so I can't comment beyond that.

The Emotional Life of the Toddler is good (looking forward a bit).

And then Mindful Parenting.

And a good book on zen/relaxation for you -- you can't MAKE a child have any of the qualities you would love them to have. You can help them unfold, but your happy-go-lucky baby might well turn into a somewhat difficult 7 year old, despite your best efforts. (Let me just say that it's hard to be a 7 year old who knows how the world should be run, since no one will follow your lead... my happy-go-lucky toddler didn't care). The best you can do is understand development and love them through it.

[hildare]

i like that one too!

Originally Posted by LynnS6 

"What's going on in there" is a great book.

[NinasMommy]

thanks lynn! 

after reading my post again, i realized it kind of sounded like i'm trying to mold my baby in a certain way... oops! that's not my intention... just want to make sure i don't neglect her wonderful spirit in the midst of everything else that happens in a day. 

 

And a good book on zen/relaxation for you -- you can't MAKE a child have any of the qualities you would love them to have. You can help them unfold, but your happy-go-lucky baby might well turn into a somewhat difficult 7 year old, despite your best efforts. (Let me just say that it's hard to be a 7 year old who knows how the world should be run, since no one will follow your lead... my happy-go-lucky toddler didn't care). The best you can do is understand development and love them through it.

[NinasMommy]

thanks for the replies, everyone!