In fact, recent studies have shown that if a baby’s parents are communicating in very angry speech within earshot, even when she is sleeping, the baby experiences an increase in neural responses across the parts of her brain that deal with emotion, stress reactivity, and regulation. She experiences threat rather than safety on a physiological level. That doesn’t mean that you and your partner should never argue. Conflict is unavoidable and, when done right, even healthy and necessary. But be mindful of your children and pay attention to how the adults in the house deal with conflict, and what
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