Don’t worry about your baby developing bad habits yet. Babies this age create clutter. Healthy 10-month-olds are explorers. Your baby pulls things out of drawers, turns furniture over, drags toys all over the house, and examines everything she can touch She is trying to figure out how everything works. Make the most of this fun stage. Drawer and cupboard latches will keep her out of things she shouldn’t have. Make special drawers or shelves just for your baby. Fill them with plastic bowls, wooden spoons, special toys or surprises that will keep her interested in staying in one place. You are right to let her explore. Now, you just have to be clever enough to guide her to explore the places you have set aside for her. Studies have shown that mothers with children who do well in school talk with their babies, even when they are busy. They encourage their children to explore, rather than restricting them. They are more relaxed about housekeeping and spend more time enjoying their children. They also enforce the few rules they set. Your efforts now to help expand your baby’s horizons will pay off in the future.

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