Your Relationship With Your Partner (Adapted from Healthy Steps)

Having a child has certainly brought major changes to your life, and to your relationship with your partner! Many of these changes are probably joyous ones, but children also bring challenges to their parents' relationship.

Your child is also affected by your relationship with your partner. Watching parents interact is one way that children learn how to love and care for others, but also to solve problems, resolve disagreements, and handle anger. Even very young babies are aware of their parents' moods, emotions, facial expressions, and tone of voice.

During periods of family stress or difficulty, some babies may become distressed, become more fussy, or show changes in sleep or eating. Toddlers may begin testing limits and disobeying more often, or may seem to "go backwards" in their development (for example, having difficulties with toileting even though already toilet trained). Still other children may seem to cope very well with periods of family stress, but may demonstrate difficulties after the period of stress is over.

Adapted from Healthy Steps. Edited and Compiled by the Center for Promotion of Child Development Through Primary Care 2011