things they have seen older children do, not recognizing that the activity is not safe.
• Can you leave an infant on the couch and leave the room? (No; infants require constant watching.)
– Infants require constant watching. They may roll over and sit up and could easily fall off the couch.
How many of you are here because you are or will be watching an infant? [Wait for participants to raise their hands.]
Good! We’re going to start by talking about caring for infants. Let’s look at page 8. The most important instruction on this page is the very first line: Every baby is a unique individual, so don’t expect your grandchild to behave like your son or daughter did as an infant. Every child is born with a distinct personality and temperament.
Have you ever seen a happy, well-behaved baby out in public and wondered what that parent was doing right? [Pause to let participants respond.] If so, you’re not alone. But the reality is, some babies are born with easy-going temperaments. They make their parents look good! Other babies tend to be quiet and slow to warm up to things. Finally, some babies are fussy. They may be light sleepers that wake up easily, and if they don’t like something, they’ll let you know about it with a loud wail. Those babies may require a little more patience.
Infants haven’t changed much over the past forty years, but our understanding of infant behavior and the impact of care on their development has. How many of you remember hearing that you’re not supposed to pick up a baby every time it cries because that will spoil the baby? [Wait for participants to raise their hands.]
We now know that it’s important to meet the needs of infants – their emotional needs as well as their physical needs. You would never deprive a baby of physical nourishment when they’re hungry. Likewise, you shouldn’t deprive them of holding and cuddling when they feel lonely or scared.
How often do you think you should pick up a baby when he cries? (Every time, if possible.)
Research has now shown that holding and cuddling infants when they cry helps them to grow into happy, secure, well-adjusted children. Remember: comfort will not spoil a child.
Let’s look at pages 9 and 10, where it says Caring for Infants at the top. These pages list some important safety reminders when caring for infants. Take a moment and read through the list.
What things on these pages are different from when you cared for your own children or stepchildren? [If time allows, give participants a few minutes to respond.]
Let’s talk about PURPLE crying. Raise your hand if you have heard of colic. [Wait for participants to raise their hands.]
GRANDPARENTS: GETTING STARTED INSTRUCTOR MANUAL | PAGE 7
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