Yes, babies can miss their parents, especially as they develop object permanence.
Babies, particularly as they approach and move beyond the stage of developing object permanence, can indeed miss their parents or primary caregivers. This ability to miss someone stems from their cognitive development and the formation of strong emotional bonds. Separation anxiety is a common manifestation of this.
Object Permanence and Missing Parents
Object permanence is the understanding that objects (and people) continue to exist even when they are out of sight. Once a baby develops this understanding, they realize that when a parent leaves, they haven't ceased to exist. This realization is what allows them to miss the parent. The reference indicates that this development enables a baby to miss anyone they recognize and have formed a bond with.
Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is a natural and common stage in a baby's development, typically starting around 6-8 months of age and potentially continuing until around age 3. It’s a direct result of the baby understanding that their parents still exist even when not present, and the baby's desire for their continued presence.
Timeline Considerations
The ability to understand a parent's return and duration of absence increases around the age of 3, which may alleviate separation anxiety. However, even before this age, babies definitely miss their parents due to the object permanence they have developed.
