By Julie Leduc

Whenever a child does something for the first time or reaches a new milestone, their parents shower them with praise and make a big fuss. This kind of encouragement is important for the child’s development.

“It’s perfectly normal for parents to make a big deal of their child’s firsts. Their excitement is an expression of love, but also one of pride,” says psychologist Marie-Ève Brabant. “Parents play an active role in their little ones’ learning; they’re proud of their children’s accomplishments.” It’s also good for kids to see their parents react so positively, she adds. “It makes them feel proud and capable, and it boosts their self-esteem.” All of which encourages them to continue exploring and trying new things.

A child’s firsts are also reassuring for the parents, says Brabant. “Parents are bombarded with information about child development, so it’s comforting to see their child take their first steps or get their first teeth.” These are welcome signs that things are on the right track.

One speed doesn’t fit all

That said, there’s no need to worry if your child talks less than a chatterbox cousin of the same age. “Every child is unique and develops at their own pace,” explains Brabant. “Their temperament and their interactions with the people in their life are key factors. Some children, for example, just happen to learn to walk early and start talking later."

Loving parents and a safe, happy environment are generally all a child needs to develop properly. Your role is simply to give your child the opportunity to explore their environment every day. But if ever you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to bring it up with a professional.

Parents never forget their baby’s first smile! It marks the beginning of an intimate bond between parent and child.

Babies usually begin smiling around the age of 2 months (between 6 and 8 weeks). “Babies smile when they see people’s faces, usually those of their parents,” says psychologist Marie-Ève Brabant. “They react when you make funny faces and may mimic you when you smile, for instance.” After about 4 months, babies also start to laugh.

A baby’s first smiles are a wonderful way for parents to bond and communicate with their little one. Marie-Claude, mother of 22-month-old Mathis and 3-month-old Gabriel, still melts each time her youngest smiles.

“The moment I look at Gabriel, his face lights up,” she says. “It’s such a great feeling to know that he recognizes me and is happy to see me. I love him so much! And ever since he started smiling, it’s as if he’s saying that he loves me too! Sometimes, when I’m nursing him, he’ll stop and give me a big smile. It’s magical!”

Monkey business

After about 16 to 18 months, your baby will begin to develop a sense of humour. “It’s around this age that babies start goofing around,” says Brabant. For example, they might pick up a toy bucket and use it as a hat to make you laugh. “Babies take after their parents,” Brabant continues. “If you’re being silly and cracking jokes, your little one is likely to develop a sense of humour early on.”

Mathis knows just how to make his parents laugh. “He loves to dance,” says Marie-Claude, “and seeing him bust a move cracks us up. The more we laugh, the more he hams it up and tries to put on a show!”

How to make your little one smile

Babies naturally seek a connection with their parents. Here are a few tricks to get your little one to crack a smile:

• Lean in close to your baby and talk to them, pull faces, or make funny sounds (e.g., mimic animal noises, a revving engine, or snoring).
• Blow softly on their face or belly.
• Plant little kisses on their neck and stomach.
• Tickle their feet, neck, and underarms.
• Sing nursery rhymes with actions, like “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” or “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”
• Play peekaboo.

New parents dream of the day their child finally starts sleeping through the night. Patience is key, however, as that day can take a while to come around.

“We celebrate when Marguerite sleeps for 3 hours in a row!” says Louis-Guillaume of his youngest, who is 1½ months old. But, as the father of another little girl, 19-month-old Béatrice, he is not easily discouraged. “We’ve been through this before, so we know it’s just a matter of time,” he says.

It does, in fact, take some time for babies to develop a regular sleeping pattern. “During the first month, babies sleep intermittently,” says Evelyne Martello, nurse clinician and author of the book Enfin je dors... et mes parents aussi. Even if they spend 19 hours a day sleeping, it’s sleep interspersed with periods of being awake. “Their sleep cycles are still developing,” she says. “You have to be ready for anything. A baby might sleep for 10 minutes or for 2 hours straight.”

Week by week, babies will begin sleeping for longer periods. After about 3 months, they may well stay down for 6 hours and give their parents a pleasant surprise. “Of course, for me, the first full night’s sleep is when a baby sleeps from night to morning,” says the nurse clinician. Louis-Guillaume remembers the first time Béatrice slept through the night, when she was about 6 months old. “We woke up at the same time the next morning. What a great way to start the day!”

Sleep strategy

As Martello notes, no two babies are alike. “Some sleep for hours right off the bat, while it takes others longer to establish regular sleeping patterns.”

However, setting up a bedtime routine, as Louis-Guillaume and his partner did with their eldest child, helps little ones get a good night’s sleep. “Every night, after her bath, we tell Béatrice stories,” he says. “Then, we sing one or two lullabies before putting her in her bed, where she falls asleep by herself. We’re planning to start a routine with Marguerite soon, too.”

So that’s why your little one suddenly wants to chew everything in sight—their first tooth has come in! It’s the first step in the long journey to a full set of pearly whites.

It wasn’t very long ago that little Claire, aged 10 months, got her first tooth. “It came in when Claire was 8½ months old,” says her mom, Annie-Claude. “Her second tooth appeared a week later, and I can already feel another one coming in at the top.”

A baby’s first tooth usually appears around the age of 6 months. “That’s on average,” says Dr. Thao Phan, a pediatric dentist. “Some babies get their first tooth at 4 months, others after a year. The two small bottom teeth are the first to erupt, followed by the two middle upper teeth.” Those on the sides come in gradually, and children usually have their full set of 20 baby teeth by around age 3.

Easing teething pains

Teething can be uncomfortable, but it won’t make your child sick. “Parents report all kinds of symptoms,” says Dr. Phan, “but there’s no study that demonstrates a link between teething and issues such as diaper rash or fever.”

These symptoms could be the result of another health problem, such as a cold. However, one thing is certain: teething babies produce a lot of saliva and need something to chew on. “We give Claire a toy made specifically for teething pains,” says Annie-Claude. “And we have to keep an eye on her because she tries to put everything in her mouth. One time we found her chewing on a flip-flop!”

To help ease teething pains, Dr. Phan recommends gently massaging your child’s gums with your finger (make sure to wash your hands first), using a face towel soaked in cold water, or trying a teething ring that’s been chilled in the fridge.

As a baby’s first set of teeth comes in, 32 permanent teeth are forming behind them in the gums. Children lose their first tooth around the age of 6 or 7 to begin making room for the adult set. Baby teeth fall out in the same order in which they erupted, and adult teeth emerge gradually until about age 16.

Parents are always delighted to hear their baby’s first words—especially when those words are Mommy or Daddy!

Nadège, mom to 22-month-old Médérik and 6-month-old Dérek, was over the moon when her firstborn said “Mommy.” “I was glad that was his first word because I was with him all the time,” she says. “But Daddy was his second word!”

Like all babies, Médérik had lots of practice before saying “Mommy.” “Babies start babbling at around 3 to 4 months,” explains speech therapist Christine L’Heureux. “This includes making simple vowel sounds, like ahhh, in different tones or giving little shouts as they get a feel for their voice. After about 6 months, they start saying things like papapa, mamama, and bababa.”

Speech develops as babies learn to associate sounds they make with the meaning of the words. For example, if your child always makes the same sounds when they see certain animals (e.g., “Meow” when they see a cat and “Woof” when they see a dog), these sounds can be considered words. “This typically happens between 12 and 15 months,” says L’Heureux.

First words

Since parents say “Mommy” and “Daddy” a lot, and both are easy to pronounce, these are often a child’s first words. First words are a way of naming useful objects, frequent social routines (e.g., “Bye”), and important people.

“Babies use them because they create a response or reaction,” L’Heureux explains. “They also tend to say words that they hear often.” That’s why words like milk, hi, baby, bye, sleepytime, bath, blankie, and doggy are common first words. The objects and activities that babies are interested in also influence their first words. For example, Nadège recalls that Médérik learned to say “music” early on. “I often put on music to dance with him,” she says.

The more words babies hear, the more they are able to understand and say. Between the ages of 18 and 24 months, babies begin uttering short sentences by pairing words together. Now almost 2, Mérérik knows how to get a point across. “He makes wonderful sentences,” says Nadège. “He’ll say things like ‘I want milk’ or ‘I want a book.’ He’s always around people; my husband’s two older boys often play with him. That encourages him to talk.”

Before little ones take their first steps, they spend a lot of time in their parents’ arms. It’s a special moment to see them walking on their own!

Médérik, 22 months old, took his first steps around the time he turned 1, recalls his dad, Yanick.
“At first, he would brace himself against the wall. Then one day, he just stood up and started walking all by himself. It was great to watch him go; I was so proud of him,” Yanick says. “It was funny because Médérik would take two or three steps, stop, bend his knees and do a little dance, then take off again. We like to say that he was dancing before he learned to walk!”

Like Médérik, one in two children will start walking around their first birthday, but little ones may take their first steps anywhere between 10 and 18 months. Before learning to walk, children usually start by creeping, then move on to crawling on all fours. “These two stages help babies develop their balance and learn to move around,” says Sonya Côté, an occupational therapist. “They’re also strengthening their necks, legs, stomachs, and backs so they can eventually hold themselves upright.”

If your baby skips any of these steps, it’s okay to let them walk. However, it’s still a good idea to try some games that get them creeping and crawling.

How can you help?

“Every stage of motor development prepares babies for walking,” Côté says. “For example, tummy time works their neck muscles, building the strength they’ll need to hold their head up as they learn to creep, crawl, and then walk upright.”

To get your baby ready for walking, Côté recommends giving them plenty of opportunities to play freely on the floor. “Working against gravity helps strengthen their muscles and explore different movements,” she says.

Yanick’s youngest child, 6-month-old Dérek, hasn’t started creeping yet. But his dad knows it’s only a matter of time. “He’s a sturdy baby. We’ll plop him down on the floor and he won’t move—he’s like a rock,” Yanick jokes. “But seriously, he has no trouble rolling from his back onto his stomach, and if you put a toy near him, he’ll reach for it. We give him lots of playtime on the floor. He still likes when we carry him, but I know he’ll start creeping eventually.”

Children are curious by nature, so when they spot an object within their reach, they naturally want to move closer to touch it. Little by little, they’ll become more mobile, first creeping on their tummy, then racing around on all fours. Before you know it, they’ll be on their feet, ready to take their first steps!

The first time your little one uses the potty turns the page on an entire chapter of growing up. But even if you can’t wait to ditch the diapers, it’s important not to rush things.

Parents aren’t the ones who decide when it’s time for potty training. “Children become potty trained when they’re ready,” says psychologist Marie-Ève Brabant. This happens when they gain control over their bladder and bowels, between the ages of 2 and 4. “To figure out when to begin potty training, parents should look for signs that their child is ready,” she adds.

Here are a few clues to watch for:

• Your child seems interested in what goes on in the bathroom (e.g., they follow you when you go in).
• Their diaper stays dry for several hours.
• They can partially undress without your help.
• They can understand simple instructions and express their needs (e.g., “Want milk.”)

“If you’ve noticed these signs, you can start potty training your child,” say Brabant. “But if things don’t go well—for example, they refuse to sit on the potty—wait a few months and try again.”

That’s exactly what Marc and his wife did with their 2½-year-old daughter, Olivia. They made a first attempt to get her interested in using the potty last summer, but to no avail. So, they decided to take a break and give it another go in the fall.

“We took advantage of the Thanksgiving long weekend to get Olivia to try wearing underwear,” Marc says. “Of course, there were a few accidents, but it helped her recognize when she needed to go. We also pinned a potty-training chart in the kitchen at her eye level. It says ‘Olivia’s Potty Chart!’ Every time she pees in the potty, she gets to add a sticker to it. It’s a great way to keep her motivated.”

There’s no point rushing a child who isn’t ready to be potty trained, reiterates Brabant. “Your toddler might lose interest in using the potty. That could also cause problems with constipation, making your child want to use it even less.”

Patience and support

Some children will become nighttime and daytime potty trained at the same time. As Brabant explains, however, “There’s often a time lag between the two. Sleep can affect a child’s ability to hold it in, so nighttime potty training may take a few months longer.” It’s also worth noting that even when potty training is going well, accidents can still happen. “Olivia sometimes has an accident,” Marc says, “But we never scold her for it. Instead, we make sure to give her extra praise when she goes the whole day without any accidents.”

Your child’s first friends are important. They don’t just play together—they learn how to get along.

Marianne, aged 4, met her friend Victoria at daycare. “The girls used to play a lot together at daycare,” says her mom, Véronique. “But I’d say Victoria really became her friend last summer, when she invited Marianne over to her house.”

Children generally begin to develop friendships at age 3 or 4. “It’s around this age that they start enjoying interacting with other kids and forming relationships with people other than their parents and family members,” says psychologist Marie-Ève Brabant. “A good parent-child bond also helps your child make friends. When a child feels loved and self-assured, they’re more open to others.”

At this age, your toddler is developing an identity. They’ll tend to hang out with children who look like them and share the same interests. “That’s why boys will mostly befriend other boys and girls, other girls,” explains Brabant. Indeed, Véronique notes that Marianne and Victoria have similar personalities. “They’re both even-tempered girls with big imaginations who like to dress up and make up stories.”

Learning with friends

“When your child plays with other kids, they continue to develop the social skills it takes to get along with others,” says Brabant. “Having friends encourages them to share, cooperate, wait their turn, and resolve small conflicts.” These situations also foster emotional development, because your child experiences different emotions. With the support of an adult, kids can learn to name their emotions and find strategies to deal with them.

Véronique has seen her daughter mature with her friend around. “We invited Victoria to our house at one point,” she says, “and it was great to see Marianne play host. She gave her a tour of the house. With her big sister, who’s 10, Marianne doesn’t always like to share, but she opened up her toy box for her friend and let her try all her costumes. She was so polite and generous!”

Source: Naître et grandir magazine, January–February 2018 Research and copywriting: Julie Leduc Scientific review: Solène Bourque, psychoeducator Updated: November 2023

Photo: Maxim Morin, Gettyimages/Alija