Fredericksburg Parent

www.FredericksburgParent.NET 17 Provide true interaction. Tablets and screens are a bigger presence in young children's lives than they were several years ago. Increased screen time risks crowding out important interaction and hands-on play. Even the most engaging YouTube video cannot replicate "serve and return" interac- tions between a child and caregiver. Children build neural connections and important social skills when a caregiver responds to their sounds, gestures or cries. "It's a good social-emotional foundation for infants and toddlers, knowing who is going to respond to them. Learning early on that there are people they can rely on to respond to things helps them later in life, as well," says Alison Standring, Part C Coordinator for the Infant & Toddler Connection of the Rappahannock Area. It doesn't matter what activity you choose—read a book, knead play dough or stack some blocks—just make sure you are looking into your child's eyes, responding to them and limiting distractions from phones and devices. When it comes to toys, embrace analog. You don't need expensive gadgets to entertain your child. Play is the most important work of infants and young children, and the best "toys" for this work are simple items such as blocks and dolls, or even house- hold items like spoons and bowls. Haskell said she's seen an increasing number of children using electronic apps to color a picture with the touch of a finger. She says there's so much that a child learns from crayon-and-paper coloring that can't be replicated in an app. "They miss out on using their fingers, using a grasp, learning how to put enough pressure on a piece of paper," she says. "All of that is done through actually holding a pencil or crayon." It really does take a village. It's hard to overstate the value of having a strong sup- port network as a parent. Having a baby changes your life in many ways. Meeting other parents with children of similar ages can help you learn about community resources and fun family events, while giving your child a chance to interact with other children and build social skills. These are just a few of the experiences the Fredericksburg community offers for par- ents and young children to socialize and meet others. • Mary Washington Healthcare offers free Moms and Babies Groups on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. at the John F. Fick III Conference Center in Fredericksburg. Moms come with their infants, and a lactation consultant is available to answer questions. A baby scale is also available at the meetings. • The Central Rappahannock Regional Library offers weekly Mother Goose story times for children ages 0 to 2 and Toddler Time programs for ages 2-3 at its branches. Grow a Reader rooms in the branches are wonderful places to take your child, engage in literacy activities and meet other families. Visit librarypoint.org to learn about all of the free programming the library offers this age group. • MOPS International is a support group for mothers of preschoolers with local clubs meeting at several area churches. MOPS meetings offer childcare and are a great place to meet other parents. Many area churches also have programs to support parents of young children. Visit mops. org to find a MOPS group near you, or ask what may be available at your church. • Parks and recreation departments in Fredericksburg, Stafford and Spotsylvania have ongoing classes for children of all ages—and the parks themselves are a wonderful place to meet other families with children. Build a regular park visit into your weekly routine, and you're sure to make a connection or two. • The Rappahannock Area YMCA provides childcare for young children to member parents while they exercise on-site. The Y also offers preschool and swimming lessons for children as young as 6 months. We're Here to Help If you are worried that your child is not meeting developmental milestones (a good source for these is the CDC's "Milestone Tracker" app), please call us at 540-372-3561. Visit Rappahannockareacsb.org to learn more. 3 4 5 Children build neural connections and important social skills when a caregiver responds to their sounds, gestures or cries.

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