An Important Bond:
Your Child and Your Caregiver
Have you ever seen a child cling to a caregiver when his parents
arrive to pick him up at a child care center? How about a child
who greets her parents happily then returns to her activity, in
no rush to go home? While such close attachments to caregivers and
child care settings may make some parents initially uneasy, these
bonds are an important part of children's development and learning.
Working together, parents and caregivers can ensure that children
see their educational settings as safe places where adults other
than their parents support and care for them.
Caregivers with a strong knowledge of child development recognize
how important it is for children to have a sense of belonging, being
loved, and trust in their environments. Warm and caring relationships
with adults provide children with the basis for all types of learning.
For instance, studies show the presence of attentive caregivers
encourages children to explore their worlds. Responsive adults help
children extend their learning and reach out to other children and
adults.
Specific training in early childhood education is critical because
even the most supportive caregivers may not fully understand children's
needs at different stages of their development. Also, working with
groups of young children is very different from relating to one's
own child or neighbor's child. Caregivers who attend workshops,
courses, and staff development programs are better able to create
strong bonds with children. In addition, these caregivers are more
sensitive and responsive to all children in their care.
Because very young children have limited ability to communicate
their wants and needs, it takes a skilled adult who knows the child
well to recognize different signals and respond appropriately. Caregivers
should be sensitive to each child's learning needs, a unique combination
of individual, developmental, and cultural characteristics. Such
attention helps children develop self-confidence and self-worth.
Good caregivers know that children's learning occurs in informal
activities as much as in formal instruction. Children's language
development, for example, begins with their earliest human interactions.
Attentive caregivers help children learn the words to communicate
their needs effectively. They see everyday caring routines as opportunities
for expanding children's language skills.
Parents can help strengthen the bond between children and caregivers
by helping to communicate an attitude of trust. Mention the caregiver's
name in conversations at home, and show interest in your child's
interactions with her/him. Say goodbye confidently to children to
make their transition more comfortable.
Parents will find the best caregivers by recognizing signs of early
childhood expertise. As communications between parents and caregivers
develop, the bonds between children and caregivers will grow. A
caregiver who understands the educational needs of each individual
child can help parents make early years the best learning years
possible.
What helps strengthen the ties...
- Small groups of children. For babies, NAEYC recommends
no more than 6 to 8; for toddlers, 6 to 10; for pre-schoolers,
16 to 20 - and always with at least 2 adults.
- A primary caregiver assigned to infants and toddlers
to promote consistency and responsiveness.
- Scheduling that keeps groups of children with the same
caregivers for extended periods of time, rather than changing
with the traditional school year, or even more frequently.
- Low staff turnover to reduce any anxiety caused by
changing faces and styles of handling. Ask programs about rate
of turnover and steps taken to recruit and retain qualified staff.
- Active parent participation. Close communication with
caregivers may ease parents' initial concerns and help children
benefit most from their experience.
Resources:
Greenburg, P. 1991. Character Development: Encouraging self-esteem
& self-discipline in infants, toddlers, & two-year olds.
NAEYC #175/ $8.
Koralek, D.G., L.J. Colker, & D.T. Dodge. 1993. The what,
why and how of high-quality early childhood education. NAEYC
#336/ $7.
NAEYC. 1990. How to choose a good early childhood program.
#525/ 10 for $100; 50¢ each.
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