Do you ever get frustrated trying to hear a voice in a noisy restaurant or a crowded party? Babies have more difficulty distinguishing foreground sounds (such as calling his name), and background noise (TV, radio, or loud voices), than do adults and need a greater difference between the two in order to focus on the foreground sounds. A quiet setting allows them to hear language clearly, which stimulates the brain pathways for developing language. Providing a quiet environment for play during the first year can actually allow those discriminating skills to develop more easily.
When it’s time to play, turn off the TV, radio, electronic toys and music. Music is a wonderful listening experience for babies, but enjoy a separate music time where you focus on the songs, bang to the beat and sing along. Check with day care providers to make sure they have a quiet time or place for language exchange. Voices can be distracting background noise, too. A popular question from moms is, “When my husband comes home and he relaxes by watching TV, is that bad for my baby?” Obviously, parents are better parents when they have time to relax. Be aware that your baby is only awake and available for play for a short time, so it is wise to turn down the noise during your precious minutes of play.
In a quiet environment, very young babies are capable of hearing tiny differences between sounds. A researcher at Brown University showed that one-month-old babies could hear the difference between a “p” and “b” sound, which are very close acoustically. If you provide an environment with a quiet background, these discriminative abilities have a better chance to operate.
What if my baby isn’t interested in looking at a book?
I met a mom who sang the story to her three-month-old baby, after reading didn’t work. Her baby paid attention with the extra stimulation of music, changes in pitch and rhythm. Also, make sure you have books that are simple and geared toward your baby’s age. Often when I visit homes, parents show me their collection of books, many of which are geared toward an older age child. These won’t engage your baby. Don’t forget, when you’ve read or talked about a few pages, you’ve had a story time. Don’t force it. If your baby has had enough, stop and pick up a book later.
Do I have to read to my baby before bedtime? She’s fussy and won’t listen.
No, you want to read to your baby when she is relaxed and attentive, not fussy. You might find that before bedtime, after nap or the middle of the afternoon is the best time. Try to get into a routine but be flexible as her schedule changes. I was working with a mom who thought she had to read to her baby before bed but was frustrated because Maya was too fussy. Break the rules and see what your baby likes.
Is it okay for my baby to watch infant videos?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no TV viewing for children under two years of age. Children under two learn language through social interaction, not by viewing a TV screen. One of my favorite studies came out in July, 2003, where researchers from the University of Washington looked at how babies learn a foreign language. Comparing three groups, the researchers exposed nine-month-old American babies to just under five hours of Mandarin Chinese. The first group heard live native speakers, the second group listened to a professionally produced DVD of the same speakers, and the third group listened to an audio version. The babies in the first group (live speakers) were the only ones who could distinguish sounds in the foreign language. Infants learn language from live speakers through their everyday activities.
On the other hand, many moms have shared that popping in an infant DVD gives them a necessary break to take a shower or get dressed! Life is about balance and that is understandable. Just realize that research backs language learning through live experience, not through videos and TV for infants.
In addition, many infant videos are designed to be watched with a parent so you can narrate the action and relate it to your child’s experience. One mom used her duck puppet and matched it to the rubber duck on the video, talking to her baby while they watched together.
