In the early days after birth, babies’ sight is very blurry, but it improves with time. According to Dr. Allison Gopnik, a professor of psychology and author of 'The Philosophical Baby,' a few weeks after birth babies recognize and prefer certain people over others, with their parents being at the top of this list. Once they acquire this skill, their preference can be seen in a simple way - your touch is enough to soothe crying that results from fear or confusion. This preference is the infant's primary way of saying that they love you, so it's a good idea to remember these moments when this changes in their teens.
About a month after they are born, babies begin to respond to facial expressions, something that makes all parents happy. At this stage, babies begin to express their preference and affection by a particularly sweet "flirtation" that includes small smiles, embarrassed looks, moving their head sideways and immediately back towards you. These little games can make anyone melt, which is exactly what babies try to do to keep you close to them.
According to Dr. Gopnik, around the age of one, many toddlers choose a particular item that they seem to be glued to, such as a blanket, doll or anything else that reminds them of you. Thanks to this item, they feel that they are at your side at all times, even when you are not physically around. Just be careful, washing these items in the washing machine or other means may lead to tantrums because the smell that clings to this item gets washed away once laundered.
When a stranger looks at us for a long time without taking their eyes off us it is definitely disturbing, but the situation is completely different with babies. Immediately after birth, although their vision is not 20/20, babies recognize their mother and her unique voice and scent. When their vision improves, they will start trying to make connections between your identifying signs and you - which will make them stare at you for a few moments without any apparent reason. This is actually the process by which babies learn and memorize the faces of the people they love most, so you should let them do this to strengthen your relationship.
All mothers are familiar with the slobbery kisses of young babies who sometimes sink their gums into whatever they try to kiss. Wet kisses of this kind, and other expressions of affection, such as rubbing noses or even small bites, symbolize the love babies have for the people in front of them in the sweetest and sloppiest way.
Being in the arms of a loved one provides a comforting feeling, and this is true not only for adults but also for children. When babies and toddlers prefer someone, they will raise their hands to symbolize that they want to be in their arms. This behavior expresses babies’ affection towards people who are close to them, and will often exhibit it when there are many people around so they can be picked up and feel warmth in the arms of a loved one.
This behavior, which seems strange to many parents, is actually a natural developmental stage in babies, according to Dr. Gopnik. When they start crawling, they are excited about their new ability and begin crawling away from you. Naturally, at some point, they’ll start feeling insecure while crawling, which will make them U-turn and crawl quickly back into the arms of a loved one who can comfort them.
For babies and toddlers, a few hours without the people they love seems like an eternity, so they are usually happy when they return. Babies respond to this longed-for return with enthusiasm that is expressed by jumping up and down, shrieks of joy, cheers, and quick movements that show how hard it is for them to conceal their excitement.
When babies and toddlers begin walking, they express their love by who they turn to in times of distress. For example, when babies are afraid, fall over or are injured, the first thing they’ll do (after bursting into tears) is run to a person they love who can console them. They know very well that you don’t have an immediate cure for what’s bothering them, but simply being picked up and comforted is enough.
When we’re around people with whom we are comfortable, we usually feel uninhibited and won’t be afraid to express our true character, with all its quirks. This is also true for infants and toddlers who can be "angels" around certain people and then completely different around the people they love. Although this is a particularly frustrating sign of love, if your child feels free to run wild when with you, then you’re probably his favorite person.
For babies and toddlers, their parents and the people they love are their whole world, making it difficult for them to part when necessary. When those loved ones leave the door for work or errands, infants and toddlers aged one to three will feel separation anxiety, which is a natural part of development and coping at this stage, and is expressed with tears and sadness. This stage passes with time, and children learn that the people they love will always come back. Then, they’ll start to express their love in a variety of different ways.
