month 9:

Socializing and being together

Greetings

We are all social animals, and your baby is learning to become more social every day. At nine months of age, your baby may be starting to show more interest in the social activity around them. Their awareness of “intersubjectivity” is beginning to emerge—they're starting to look in the direction that you're looking, and they are also starting to direct your attention by pointing to things they want, like the food on your plate or a toy on the shelf. By taking time to watch and respond to these signals, you can greatly support this stage of your baby’s development and make it fun.

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Activities that you can do

Here are some activities that you can try with your baby this month.

1. Discovering the world together

Find a comfortable place to sit with your baby indoors or outdoors, then explore the surrounding world together. With your baby sitting upright on your lap, point to the things happening around you. Do you see children playing? Are cars driving past? Are birds flying overhead or singing in the trees? Talk to your baby about what you're both seeing.

2. Social interaction with an Oball

Sit a few feet away from your baby. Roll an Oball to them and encourage them to roll or throw the ball back to you. (An oball is a large hollow plastic ball with large finger holes to make it easy for a baby to grasp. You can buy one online or at a toy store.) If your baby simply chooses to hold the ball and look at it, that’s okay, too. Offer cheers and hurrahs even if they don’t understand the intention of the game.

Remember: If your baby begins to fuss or cry during any of these activities, it might be a sign that they're hungry or need a rest.

Tips for your own self-care

When you put self-care on the backburner for too long, it can lead to burnout. Trying to change this all at once with one big dose of "self-care" is like brushing your teeth for a full hour once a week. It sounds like a huge task, but it's not enough to prevent decay. It's much healthier to brush for two minutes, twice a day, every day. Likewise, you'll feel happier if you develop small, daily habits of self-care. Here’s how.

Things to watch for this month

These are some of the things that your baby might be doing this month:

Walking while holding furniture for support
Trying to climb or crawl up stairs
Passing objects from hand to hand

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Disclaimer: The activities provided in this newsletter are for educational purposes only. If you choose to proceed, do so with caution and at your own risk.

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