Brand New Dad » Month By Month » 4 Months Old » Babies Respond to Angry and Happy Faces

A baby's social skills start to develop long before she can talk. So do her emotions. Babies quickly come to know emotions and to show them.

A four-month-old baby can tell a happy face when she sees it. And she can tell an angry face when she sees it. She is also aware of a face with no expression.

If there is a lot of yelling and screaming in the house, the noise and emotion will affect your baby.

Another step in learning social skills is that your baby will show when she is angry or sad. She'll do this when she doesn't get what she wants. Anger and sadness are normal. Even so, you don't want your baby to have any negative experiences that last a long time. Babies should have far more positive experiences than negative experiences.

Always be sure to comfort your baby quickly. It does more than provide relief. It also builds up the bond between you and your baby.

Babies differ in how social they want to be. Some babies want almost constant time with others. Other babies want more "alone" time. However, it can be very harmful to a baby to leave her alone too much or ignore her.

You should always respond to your baby's needs. This attention will make her happier. Her ability to think and know is tied to her emotions. Babies who feel good are more alert. They are also more attentive and responsive. They learn better. They remember better, too.

Learning about other people starts at an early age. Relating with people also starts early. It is a good start when your baby learns to trust and enjoy her parents and others who take care of her.

Next » Your Baby Learns from Experience