A study done by the University of Turku and the University of California-Irvine has shown that the predictability of parental interaction is good for a child’s development. It’s not news that children need consistent, positive interaction with their parents, but the study does emphasize how important it is to be actively present in a child’s life.

Children model their behaviour from what they see at home. They rely on their guardians not only for survival, but also for learning how to be a human. How they see their parents interact with others is how they will believe the right way to behave is. Their self-esteem will depend on how their guardians treat them. Given all this, it’s important that parents are mentally ready for the task of shaping a child’s future.

The study used a specific method to objectively calculate interaction patterns and child development. While the research was done on animals, the logic still applies to humans. Researchers discovered that there was a link between the predictability of a parent’s interaction signals and the brain development of the offspring. The higher the predictability, the better the child was able to control and regulate their own behaviour, actions, and emotions.

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The results prove that it’s important for parents and children to have consistent, peaceful, and uninterrupted quality time every day. It’s quite difficult for a child to understand the world, so if a parent isn’t consistent in his or her responses to the same action, then the child gets confused. The better they are at being able to predict certain responses, the better their ability to identify emotions and social cues and how to respond properly.

This need for consistency highlights the importance of a parent’s mental health. When one is very stressed, their actions can become unpredictable. External stressors can make you irritable and quick-tempered, and these traits are not good for fostering a good learning environment for your kids. Researchers believe that parents of young children should be given all the support they need to help reduce stress and ignore certain pressures. Their self-regulation will affect their baby’s development in the early stages of life.