Attachment theory is the notion that in the first year of life, the ways in which a parent and caregiver respond to a child’s needs shape a child’s expectation of relationships across their lifespan.
Words have power, and what vocabulary you have at your disposal to describe your relationships with other people can shape what directions those relationships can take.
Psychologists have long focused on the importance of a secure attachment with a mother for healthy child development. A new look supports the value of attachment – but it doesn’t have to be with mom.
Parents or caregivers who a child can return to in times of distress to receive comfort or protection provide a secure base for the child from which they feel safe to explore the world.
While educators in Netflix’s ‘Matilda the Musical’ aren’t meant to be blueprints for contemporary teaching, they suggest the powerful ways attentive adults can make a difference in children’s lives.
Parenting is difficult and there can be added pressure and stress during holidays. Creating safe, secure, loving environments and being present with your children is the greatest gift you can give.
The Channel Nine program pits ten different parenting styles against each other. It may make for compelling TV, but parents need information, not extra pressure.
Exploring many contemporary cases of radical behaviour showed they had one thing in common: how the risk of radicalisation may be linked to fractured relationships.
Art can be a way to promote and support mental health in children, and understanding children’s experiences through the pandemic as seen through children’s art may help support them into the future.
You’ve probably heard of ‘attachment styles’ when it comes to relationships. They begin to develop as part of your early experiences with parents, and affect your relationships throughout life.
Children’s needs change as they grow and develop, so parents should attune themselves to talking to their children in age-appropriate ways that demonstrate ongoing care.
Professor, Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Child Development, Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary