Who’s mummy’s little darling? How bond with mother in first 18 months can shape our love life

Daily Mail:

A baby’s relationship with their mother during the first 18 months of life affects their behaviour in future romances, a study has shown.

The ability to trust, love and work through arguments is defined early on in childhood.

A mistreated infant becomes a defensive arguer while the baby whose mother was attentive and supportive is able to work through problems with their partner.

And while attitudes can change with new relationships, old patterns rear up during times of stress.

A team studied 75 children of low-income mothers whom they had been assessing from birth into their early 30s, including their close friends and romantic partners.

The children – now adults – returned regularly for assessments of their emotional and social development.

The researchers focused on their skills and resilience in working through conflicts with school peers, teenage best friends and love partners.

Professor Jeffry Simpson at the University of Minnesota said: ‘It is the first real attachment that people have with another person and because of that it serves as a template for what will happen later in their life span.

Read the whole story: Daily Mail