Using Simple strategies, caregivers can learn to effectively communicate with infants through touch. This article offers suggestions and techniques for calming squirming babies of all types and ages who seem to be unable to find a comfortable position while being held. She begins by suggesting that care givers of very small babies be patient and…

When a baby screams, that is a signal that all is not well for the body of the baby, for her emotional well-being, and/or for the baby's relationship with the teacher. During the first year of life, infants learn that adults are in control of providing reassuring care. Adults will "make things better" when a baby's tummy feels horribly empty, when…

Some babies have a lot more separation anxiety than others. Between 9 and 16 months, some infants become very upset when separated from their parents. In this article, the author gives advice to caregivers on how to comfort and soothe infants who exhibit separation anxiety.

In this article, the author responds to a teacher's question on a baby's behavior who keeps banging on his high chair and laughs uncontrollably. The author states that young children pay close attention to adult's emotional responses. Their lives depend on knowing the best ways to get positive or at least neutral responses from grown-ups in charge…

Observed 81 caregivers from 24 urban centers interacting with 3- to 5-year olds. Interactions were categorized into negative/positive, language facilitation, concept promotion, and caregiving and cleaning-up domains. When all positive teacher interactions were combined, found that early childhood education/child development coursework accounted…

Based upon the view that parents, home visitors, and teachers in early childhood settings need tools for empowering young children to develop language, this paper examines what adults need to know to guide young children's language development and presents 20 suggestions for enhancing language growth. The paper maintains that adults need to know…

Discusses ingredients of quality infant/toddler caregiving; these include individualized attentive loving, respect for children's tempos and exploration needs, language mastery experiences, activities shared by caregiver and child, nutrition and health care, promotion of babies' altruism, continuity of care and cognitive facilitation. (BB)

This paper asserts that the more enriching the interactions and experiences that parents and child caregivers provide to very young children, the more chances they are providing for growing neural connections and pathways in the brain to support language, reasoning, and planning skills; mental health and emotional well-being; and motor…

Examines the quality of infant and toddler care as a prerequisite for the emotional well-being of children. Offers suggestions on how day-care providers can work toward understanding and generously meeting infant needs: hold and mold; be a responsive reciprocal partner; enhance noticing skills; learn ages and stages; apply developmental theories;…

Proposes that providing prosocial curricula in child care facilities will aid in resolving problems related to potential antisocial behaviors. Describes 30 teacher tools for creating a classroom environment to facilitate prosocial interactions and cognitive competence, including teaching words for feelings, using bibliotherapy, being aware of…

Argues caregivers play an important role in infant personality development and growth. Provides a review of theories on temperament styles, attachment relationships, sex role socialization, and the roots of prosocial and aggressive interactions. Describes how caregivers promote positive personality development through free play and responding to…

Examines singing as a tool for managing children's behaviors. Suggests that singing can be a powerful tool to soothe a baby, promote learning daily routines and cooperativeness, ease separation troubles, build trust and self-esteem, awake a love for poetry and imagery, stretch memorizing power, help develop humor, and build motor skills. Proposes…

Ratings of emotional responsiveness of preschool children revealed more aggression among males than females during the infant-toddler period, but no interaction effects of group care entry status and sex of child were found. When young males exhibit differentially more aggression and noncompliance than females in daycare settings, other factors…

This paper discusses infant attachment, which it defines as a long-lasting emotional bond revealed when a child under stress seeks out and tries to stay close to a specific figure. The paper addresses: (1) What is attachment? Who are the pioneers in attachment theory?; (2) How do we notice attachment in action?; (3) Is attachment the only…

Examined caregiver reading patterns with infants in metropolitan day care centers. Found effects for infant age, group size, and gender on caregiver's reading habits. Found that caregiver reading was quite brief for all ages and that caregivers found it easier to read to female than to male infants. Findings suggest the need for reading courses…