Meet Dr. Catherine Tamis-LeMonda - LamazeLIVE! Keynote Speaking on Infant Learning
By: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE | 0 Comments
The 2019 LamazeLive! conference is a little less than two months away and planning is in full swing to make this event both very enjoyable and educational. April 11th through 13th, perinatal professionals will be gathering in Pittsburgh, PA to connect, learn and re-energize with our colleagues. Plenty of contact hour opportunities for certification renewal are available and an exhibit hall full of vendors with new and interesting products. The LamazeLIVE! format means that presentations are fast-paced, dynamic and jam-packed with information that is important to you and the families you work with. Early-bird registration ends March 8th, so don't delay in signing up so you can save on costs. Register today! If traveling to Pittsburgh is not an option for you, please consider signing up for the virtual portion of the event. LamazeLIVE! can come directly to you wherever you are. More info on attending virtually here.
Throughout the next weeks, Science & Sensibility will highlight some of the scheduled presenters and provide a sneak peek into their chosen topic. Today we talk with Catherine Tamis-LeMonda, Ph.D., who is presenting "Parental Responsiveness in Infancy: Building Blocks to Child Success", a keynote on April 12th. I asked Dr. Tamis-Lemonda a few questions to learn more about her topic. As childbirth educators, we have an opportunity to help get parents off on the right foot when it comes to establishing a life-long love of learning in their child.
Sharon Muza: With ever-increasing pressures on new parents to return to work and “normal” life as soon as possible, many parents may feel that they cannot meet the developmental needs of their young children with “activities" that increase learning potential and set up a young child for future success. What might you say to these families who feel this is just another stressor on their already stressful life.
Catherine Tamis-LeMonda: I would tell those parents there are effective ways to promote learning by incorporating play and language into everyday activities that are already a part of their lives! Infusing language into everyday routines such as mealtime, dressing, bathtime, and so forth is one way to do so. Name the foods while eating; count buttons on a coat; talk about socks and shoes and mittens while dressing a baby. Name body parts in the bathtub. If it's difficult to find the time to read, bring books to the table in between mealtime snacks, as an infant is seated, to show the pictures and talk. And, an important part of play is independent discovery. Put out boxes, and some cloth, keys, and a pot and wooden spoons. Let your child just play with whatever is around, as long as the spaces are safe. Children love playing with everything and anything.
SM: What is the most important thing that a new parent can do to help hardwire their child for positive behaviors around learning right from the start?
CTL: Talk to their infant with a warm tone. Look into their baby's face. Singing songs that rhyme or have intonation patterns are great because babies love the rhythm of a voice that shifts in beat and tempo and rhythm. Just talking soothes a baby, and infants will begin to pick out the regularities of speech and learn language as parents talk. As babies learn some words, around the start of the 2nd year, begin to point to things as they name them, so infants know what they are referring to. Also, name the things the baby is attending to and holding as a way to key into infant interests.
SM: How has all the increased availability of screens, electronic gadgets, and devices changed the way parents parent and expose their children to learning opportunities in recent years?
CTL: If there is one important thing parents can do for their infant it is to shut off the screens. Do not use a cell phone in front of the baby if possible. Don't use cell phones and other gadgets to entertain infants. Studies show that infants do not learn language from TV, electronic toys or other media. They need live interactions that are contingent or responsive to what they are doing. The baby may appear to be mesmerized by the screen, but don't confuse that for learning.
Published: February 25, 2019
Tags
Lamaze InternationalProfessional ResourcesSharon MuzaLamazeLIVE! 2019Catherine Tamis-LeMondaInfant Learning