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Attachment and early childhood development

One of the most important things to occur in your newborn's life is attachment and early childhood development has alot to do with attachment to a parent. This emotional bond between the baby and its parents sets the foundation for the way the infant, and later on the adult will view the world and its relationships in the world.

The newborn is acutely aware of its surroundings and no other factor holds as much importance to the newborn as its parents. When the parent speaks, cuddles, touches, or feeds the baby the infant is bonding with its caregivers. When this type of caring is given consistently by one or two specific people, the infant comes to rely on that caregiver for all its needs. This attachment and early childhood development will shape the way that infant views the world.

If the care has been given in a loving, gentle manner the infant will view the world as a pleasant place in which to live. If the care is mechanical and uninvolved the infant will experience stress, stress that can have a negative impact on their continual development. Studies have shown that infants that have not had the chance to bond with their caretakers experience developmental delays and don't progress as well as other children.

This information can be disconcerting to some parents, especially those who have to work outside the home. However, studies have shown that infants can attach to others that are not their parents without harming their development as long as the parents take the time to love them, care for them, and nurture them when they are home.

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20 Aug 2008 at 9:29am
The giant playroom of the Parenting Center buzzed with activity as children took advantage of playing with their peers and siblings as moms, aunts, babysitters and nannies looked on. Then pizza time arrived, complete with party hats. The first Wednesday pizza lunch is a tradition at the center, where birthdays for that month are celebrated by all.