Now that you have an unborn you are probably feeling a bit of information fatigue, with advice and recommendations being hurled at you from every single direction. From control crying to the best twin prams on the market – your head is probably spinning. Everyone means well of course, but it’s hard to know which school of thought you should attach yourself to and what trends you shouldn’t be bothered with. Today we are only going to discuss socialization for newborns and why this is so important.

What do We mean by Socialization when it Comes to Newborns?

It might sound a little strange to discuss socialization for your newborn, as they can’t yet hold up their head, so what sort of socializing can they do? Well, it’s more prevalent than you think, and it actually starts from the moment they have skin to skin contact with both parents. It might not feel like you are socializing your newborn but this is their first interaction with you and it begins their cognitive learning and development, not to mention it’s such a great way to bond with a baby. Before you grab a pen and paper, note that socialization is not something you will have to teach, it is ingrained in your child and it happens all around them in every experience. 

They Learn Social Cues

We as humans know how to react most of the time because we have learned what social cues mean and how to perceive the world around us. This is what your newborn will grow to learn, and so you should feel encouraged to take your little one on outside expeditions and to interact with them face to face as much as possible. As they start to get older, you can expand these social situations even wider so that they can experience different settings and model behavior based on those settings and contextual cues. They may be small, but babies are sponges that are soaking up all the experiences and movements around them and adding them to their base of understanding.

Learn Empathy, Boundaries, and Sharing

If only we could press a button and the kids would stop fighting with one another and learn to show a bit of compassion to each other… The truth is that they are not trying to get in trouble, it’s just that they haven’t yet grasped that the world doesn’t revolve around them. Siblings are a great way to socialize your little one so that they can see and interact with a family and understand waiting, sharing, and other painful lessons! If you only have one child, you can still have them experience empathy in playgroups by apologizing and acting nicely with their peers, and you can teach them to respect boundaries in any setting.

It’s Important for You

Newborn socialization is also about you getting together with other people and enjoying that interaction. If you’re enriched socially then these mental benefits are only going to be passed onto your newborn, with this newfound energy allowing you to be a more present parent. You will also get to see your newborn in a new environment, interacting with others, and taking in their surroundings. Tunnel vision is an unfortunate reality for parents as we are so focused on looking for A and B that we don’t get to just enjoy their company and the company of others who also want to dote on your little one. 

The best part about child socialization is that you don’t need the most up to date baby book or accessory to make it happen, as it is happening every minute of every day, and you can make this as fun and meaningful as you like. Surround your little one with lots of loving faces and they will learn to be just as loving and respectful as they grow up.

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