Developing a strong emotional bond with the baby (age 9-12 months)

At this age, the baby is already very adept at moving, reaching and grabbing objects around him/her. He/she has clear behaviors through which he/she explores objects - he/she turns them, bangs them against the floor, throws them, puts them in his/her mouth, bangs them against each other, aligns, groups, drops them into a container and takes them out.

Each of these explorations brings the baby a wealth of new discoveries and new experiences, insights and feelings. That amount of new, however, can often be demanding and intimidating for the baby. He/she may need to calm down when he/she is very excited, a break from activities, a way to change activity - skills that a baby has not mastered yet. Hence, it is very important to have a lot of gentle, warm interactions with you that encourage him/her to explore further, but also help him/her understand what is around him/her, to calm down and rest. Amid all the exploration and learning, the connection with you is still the most important thing for the baby. The baby will want the exploration to happen with you and by your side - to show you what he/she is doing and to see that his/her interests are important to you, that you want to participate in them.

Here's how you can strengthen your emotional bond with your baby at this age:

respond to and name the baby's facial expressions or the ways in which he/she shows feelings. For example: "Oh my, isn't that rattle a bit too noisy?", or "Look how tender this teddy bear is!" This helps your baby to distinguish and understand what he/she is feeling and experiencing. Empathy and understanding of the world from the child's perspective strengthens the bond between you;
recognize what the child is interested in, what he/she is trying to do, and get involved. Always name - explain in words what the baby is doing. For example, if he/she points to a book, you can say: "It's a book. Do you want us to read a book?”
allow your baby to play near you. Make sure toys, books, and other things your baby plays with are accessible to him/her — place them low on shelves or in boxes from which the baby can take them — in the living room or kitchen.