Stepping Stone School at Crestview / Allandale 1710 Richcreek Rd
Austin, TX 78757 (512) 459-0247
Stepping Stone School at Northcross / Domain 8419 Bowling Green Dr
Austin, TX 78757 (512) 453-2951
Stepping Stone School at McNeil / Jollyville 6616 McNeil Dr
Austin, TX 78729 (512) 258-9141
Stepping Stone School at Anderson Mill / Westwood 9914 Woodland Village Dr
Austin, TX 78750 (512) 258-4800
Stepping Stone School at Pflugerville 2001 Wells Branch Pkwy
Austin, TX 78728 (512) 990-0044
Stepping Stone School at Lakeline / Westwood 12301 Hymeadow Dr
Austin, TX 78750 (512) 331-4801
Stepping Stone School at University / Post Oak 900 University Oaks Blvd
College Station, TX 77840 (979) 693-0074
Stepping Stone School at Round Rock / Cat Hollow 7601 O'Connor Dr
Round Rock, TX 78681 (512) 246-8344
Stepping Stone School at Shoal Creek / Domain 8121 Shoal Creek Blvd
Austin, TX 78757 (512) 371-1777
>Stepping Stone School at Leander / Cedar Park 225 Block House Dr
Leander, TX 78641 (512) 259-3459
Stepping Stone School at Mueller / UT 3811 Harmon Avenue
Austin TX, 78751 (512) 814-0653
Stepping Stone School at Parmer / McNeil 7700 W Parmer Ln
Austin, TX 78729 (512) 336-5237
Stepping Stone School at Brodie / Circle C 9405 Brodie Ln
Austin, TX 78748 (512) 233-4944
Stepping Stone School at Round Rock / Grimes 2301 N A W Grimes Blvd
Round Rock, TX 78665 (512) 733-1313
Stepping Stone School at Round Rock / Teravista 651 Teravista Pkwy
Round Rock, TX 78665 (512) 341-8080
Stepping Stone School at Hyde Park 1007 E 40th St
Austin, TX 78751 (512) 474-1919
Stepping Stone School at Southpark Meadows / Onion Creek 9325 Alice Mae Ln
Austin, TX 78748 (512)420-0632
Stepping Stone School at Kyle / San Marcos 4624 Ratcliffe Dr
Kyle, TX 78640 (512) 268-0123
Stepping Stone School at Rock Prairie / South College Station 205 Rock Prairie Rd
College Station, TX 77845 (979) 694-9999
Stepping Stone School at Plum Creek / Buda 1020 Lightfoot Street
Kyle, TX 78640 (512) 262-7409
3 Important Ways to Communicate with Your Infant
Published on Monday, April 8th, 2019 Published by Sara Westkamp
For a new parent, it can be frustrating not knowing what your infant’s wants and needs are. What does a loud screeching cry mean? Does it mean that he is hungry or hurt? What about a soft cry? Aside from the crying, what do her body signals mean, such as arching her back, rubbing her ears, or moving her arms around? These are all questions that go through a parent’s mind on a daily basis when they are caring for their infant. Infants communicate well before they are able to speak and are born with the ability to express many different, and rather important, emotions. Here are some general principles that are useful in decoding those cues.
1.) Making Faces: Infants have many different facial expressions, from frowns to wrinkled foreheads, they can be momentary and go unnoticed. Gaze aversion happens when an infant turns his face away when he needs a break from eye contact. Infants will disconnect when they feel overwhelmed, or overstimulated. When this happens, it is best to respect her downtime, wait patiently and quietly until she turns back to you, then smile and re-engage. Smiling occurs between six and eight weeks and likely signals that he is content. When your infant smiles at you, smile back and react positively, even if she does not understand your words, she will get the message.
2.) Body Language: About 90 percent of communication between infants and adults is non-verbal. Body language, such as your infant making fists when he is hungry, plays a significant part in staying in tune with his needs. One common body language cue is your infant arching her back. This is usually a sign of discomfort, or often happens when she has had enough to eat and is trying to get in a more comfortable position. This cue can be responded to by switching positions for her, or giving her some free time to move around on the floor. Crying is the most abrupt way for your infant to let you know that she is hungry, in pain, upset, or tired. A hungry cry is generally a low-pitched cry that does not usually last longer than over a second. Respond by picking her up and feeding her right away as it is important for them to know that you are there for her needs. Another type of crying is a pain cry, which is usually sudden and continuous and does not change pitch. Make sure to go through a mental checklist to determine why she is experiencing discomfort.
3.) Early Language: Infants usually start communicating verbally, between two and three months. This is also when your infant will start to mimic your pitch and tone. He will express a range of emotions, such as being happy, sad, mad, irritated, or satisfied through cooing, babbling and laughing. It is best to narrate your activities to her throughout the day, giving her the chance to respond and babble back to you. This encourages her to develop her communication skills which are crucial for her development.
As difficult as it may be at times to decode these infant cues, taking the time to learn what they mean and respond in a positive way makes an incredible difference. A wonderful app for new parents is Wonder Weeks and has proven to be right on point in helping parents to decipher what their child is trying to tell them!