The connection between mothers and babies is a powerful one.
When we are born, we donโt have the ability to take care of ourselves. As a result, we have to rely on our parents to teach us how to navigate the world, how to walk, how to eat and how to communicate. In the early stages of life, we rely on our mothers maybe more than anyone else as our source of life.
Still, babiesโ brains are much more active than we give them credit for.
According to online sources, babies have about 50 trillion synapses or connections in their brainโby the time they are one year old, that number goes up to 1000 trillion! Having so many connections may make babies able to absorb and process more information than an adult.
Enough, say, to understand the emotions in a song without speaking.
In one incredible clip, 10-month-old baby Mary Lynne Leroux gets ready to hear a song.
Baby Maryโs mother addresses her in the beginning of the video to let her know whatโs happening. โDo you want mommy to sing a song, honey?โ she asks. After Mary giggles, her mother begins.
Once her mom starts singing, little Maryโs eyes start welling with tears.
The song is โMy Heart Canโt Tell You Noโ originally performed by Rod Stewartโand Mary seems to love it.
As the motherโs voice rises and falls, tension in the song buildsโand Mary gets more and more emotional. By the end, she even takes a little gasp like sheโs about to start sobbing! Finally, mom speaks up:
โAw, you feel the pain in the song, honey?โ
At this, baby Mary giggles a little bit and the spell is broken.
Despite the tears, Mary seems to enjoy the songโeven if itโs sad.
Who can blame her? The motherโs voice is soulful and soothing, and we can all use a good cry sometimes! On a more serious note, this clip may be an instance of an amazing phenomenon called โemotional contagion.โ As explained in an article on Psychology Today, the mother, Amanda, makes sure to explain to her child whatโs going onโall without language.
By picking up on her motherโs tone and facial expressions, baby Mary is able to understand!
Needless to say, the clip has gone enormously viral.
More than a testament to the love between a mother and child, itโs also a fascinating look into how babies and little children communicate while they are still pre-verbal. Itโs also an inspiring look at a caring and patient mom taking time to share her talent with her baby.
No matter how you watch, itโs sure to bring tears to your eyes too!
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