Children require sensitive, responsive care in order to develop well. Child sexual abuse betrays these principles. This article contrasts sensitive and responsive care.
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Sensitive, Responsive Care
Sensitive caregivers are emotionally available
Children require sensitive, responsive care in order to develop well. Sensitive care givers are emotionally available to children. They are responsive to children’s cues when, for example, children want to interact with adults or are hungry, lonely, or sad, or when children want a break from interacting with parents. They help children to express their thoughts and feelings and soothe children when children are stressed.
Sensitive adults do not demand more from children than children are able to give.
what parents and other care providers expect from children fits with children’s levels of social, emotional, sexual, and physical development.
Sensitive, responsive parents provide children what they need to learn the skills of everyday living, such as how to let others know what they want and do not want and how to be responsive and sensitive themselves. Not only do parents model these behaviors but they treat children with such care that children internalize these behaviors and value them.
When children experience adversities, their parents and communities help them to cope. Parents and other significant people not only are psychologically and physically available but they show what to do by example. With such care, children become resilient.
Sensitive, responsive teach children and show by example how to deal with everyday problems that come up. They are savvy problem-solvers who seek to understand the issues and consider the consequences of their actions before they act.
Through sensitive, responsive care, children learn to trust themselves, trust
others, and how to figure out who is trustworthy and who is not. Trust is the foundation for healthy development.
Parents Must Cope with Their Own Issues
Research has shown that children can develop well in a wide range of socio-
economic and ethnic settings. It is a myth that poverty automatically means inadequate care. Income is not a predictor of good developmental outcomes for children. Parents who do not have much money can and do provide responsive care that promotes children’s optimal development. Conversely, parents with adequate and high incomes are not automatically sensitive and responsive. The sensitive attunement of parents to their children is the most important factor in healthy child development.
Parents with mental illnesses, chemical dependency issues, and histories of
trauma such as abuse and neglect can parent well as long as they manage the effects of these conditions. Whatever issues parents have, they must deal with them effectively if they are to parent their children adequately. The support and understanding of family and friends, therapy, support groups, self-help groups, psychoeducation, and reading are just some of the ways that parents can manage their own issues.
Parents as Effective Teachers
Infants are dependent upon adults for their survival. Over time, children learn
to walk, talk, feed and dress themselves. Sensitive adults provide support for children’s age-appropriate activities and are effective teachers. They structure tasks so children can learn how to do them. They are respectful of the developing child’s autonomy and allow children to explore and attempt tasks without adult interference, but are ready to help when children need it. They present children with new tasks that challenge children but that children can attain.
Sensitive, responsive care givers provide gentle supervision and guidance. They
set firm, consistent limits so that children can learn how to behave appropriately. They catch children for doing something right and immediately praise them. Penalties are brief and clear. Children feel safe and protected when parents are warm and sensitive, provide clear guidelines, and set clear limits.
On this topic
How to Make More Money Writing with Oboulo
Sensitive, Responsive Care
Sensitive caregivers are emotionally available
Children require sensitive, responsive care in order to develop well. Sensitive care givers are emotionally available to children. They are responsive to children’s cues when, for example, children want to interact with adults or are hungry, lonely, or sad, or when children want a break from interacting with parents. They help children to express their thoughts and feelings and soothe children when children are stressed.
Sensitive adults do not demand more from children than children are able to give.
what parents and other care providers expect from children fits with children’s levels of social, emotional, sexual, and physical development.
Sensitive, responsive parents provide children what they need to learn the skills of everyday living, such as how to let others know what they want and do not want and how to be responsive and sensitive themselves. Not only do parents model these behaviors but they treat children with such care that children internalize these behaviors and value them.
When children experience adversities, their parents and communities help them to cope. Parents and other significant people not only are psychologically and physically available but they show what to do by example. With such care, children become resilient.
Sensitive, responsive teach children and show by example how to deal with everyday problems that come up. They are savvy problem-solvers who seek to understand the issues and consider the consequences of their actions before they act.
Through sensitive, responsive care, children learn to trust themselves, trust
others, and how to figure out who is trustworthy and who is not. Trust is the foundation for healthy development.
Parents Must Cope with Their Own Issues
Research has shown that children can develop well in a wide range of socio-
economic and ethnic settings. It is a myth that poverty automatically means inadequate care. Income is not a predictor of good developmental outcomes for children. Parents who do not have much money can and do provide responsive care that promotes children’s optimal development. Conversely, parents with adequate and high incomes are not automatically sensitive and responsive. The sensitive attunement of parents to their children is the most important factor in healthy child development.
Parents with mental illnesses, chemical dependency issues, and histories of
trauma such as abuse and neglect can parent well as long as they manage the effects of these conditions. Whatever issues parents have, they must deal with them effectively if they are to parent their children adequately. The support and understanding of family and friends, therapy, support groups, self-help groups, psychoeducation, and reading are just some of the ways that parents can manage their own issues.
Parents as Effective Teachers
Infants are dependent upon adults for their survival. Over time, children learn
to walk, talk, feed and dress themselves. Sensitive adults provide support for children’s age-appropriate activities and are effective teachers. They structure tasks so children can learn how to do them. They are respectful of the developing child’s autonomy and allow children to explore and attempt tasks without adult interference, but are ready to help when children need it. They present children with new tasks that challenge children but that children can attain.
Sensitive, responsive care givers provide gentle supervision and guidance. They
set firm, consistent limits so that children can learn how to behave appropriately. They catch children for doing something right and immediately praise them. Penalties are brief and clear. Children feel safe and protected when parents are warm and sensitive, provide clear guidelines, and set clear limits.