INFLUENCE OF MATERNAL BEHAVIOUR ON

CHILD DEVELOPMENT
• The behavior exhibited by mothers towards their young to aid
survival, growth, and development both physically and behavioral.
It is done through feeding, protection, warmth.
• Child development is a process in which a child transforms and
become more refined or better.

• Maternal behavior can affect the development of a child in

different domains which are physical, cognitive, socio-emotional
and also the personality and moral development of a child.
• The mother is part of the surrounding of the child which comforts
him, make him feel safe and warm. Loud noises and being dropped
or being held loosely frighten him and being kept waiting for his
food, this discomfort, makes him angry and anxious.
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
• Physical development is the increase in size or part of a child. It is
measurable or quantitative.
• Children have to eat, but not just anything will do. Children’s brains
and body develop optimal when they get a well-balanced and
varied diet. They are made up of foods from each food group.
• Breastfeed your babies for as long as possible for a healthy start to
life. Breastfeeding is important because it provides children with
nutrients and contains a balanced diet, which protects children
from infections. Once your child eats fruits, vegetables, dairy
product, proteins and whole grains, it provides their bodies with
nutrients they need to develop healthy bones, muscles, organs,
eyes and brain. This ensure normal physical development.
• Children who are not fed well are exposed to diseases such as
kwashiorkor, marasmus, night-blindness. Etc. This leads to a delay
in their growth and development
SOCIO-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• It includes the child’s experience, expression and management of
emotions and ability to establish positive and rewarding relationships with
others.
• Maternal bonding or mother to infant bonding is essential as it creates a
closeness between the mother and infant through constant carrying and
holding
• Maternal deprivations or separation of babies from their mothers has
been seen by some researchers as being related to later outcomes like
“failing to thrive” and indeed child abuse.
• Some early events have long lasting effects on the child .Partial
deprivation which is less damaging than complete deprivation can
produce acute anxiety, excessive need for love, powerful feelings of
revenge and arising from these last, guilt and depression.
• While complete deprivation has even more far-reaching effects on
character development and may cripple the capacity to make
relationships.
 PERSONALITY AND MORAL
DEVELOPMENT
• Focuses on the emergence, change and understanding of morality
from infancy through adulthood.
• Keeping your child safe is one of a primary job as a mother.
However if you engage in risky behaviors one increases the risk that
your child might copy those behaviors.
• Children are more likely to copy what their parents do because they
consider them as their role models. For example smoking in front of
children can make them think it is good behavior or healthy. Many
mothers have jobs that keep them from their children for long
periods of time hence not giving them attention. children who have
experienced this are more likely to turn to a life of crime and
violence as they want to be given attention, For example a mother
who goes to work early in the morning when a child is asleep and
comes back in the evening when the child has gone to school
 COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
• Relating to the part of mental functions that deals with
logic as opposed to affective which deals with emotions.
• Reading, singing, playing, bathing, eating together, taking a
walk or just spending time together are ways that you can
show your child that you love them, this also helps a child
develop mentally or cognitively. Children who grew up with
literate parents are exposed to learning at a very young age
, therefore they perform and reason very well.
• Mothers who are found to display higher sensitivity
towards their children were found to have achieving
children than those who display lower maternal sensitivity
 Conclusion
• It is therefore important for the mother to take
care of their young ones so that they can grow
and develop well in different domains.
• It is demonstrated that maternal care in infancy
and early childhood is essential for mental,
cognitive, socio-emotional developments. To
avoid delayed development of a child or infant,
mothers should take care time to nurse, groom
and feed their children well. The delay in the
developmental milestones are therefore avoided