Attachment Between Infant and Caregiver

Definition

Infant attachment is the deep emotional connection that an infant forms with his or her primary caregiver, often the mother. It is a tie that binds them together, endures over time, and leads the infant to experience pleasure, joy, safety, and comfort in the caregiver's company. The baby feels distress when that person is absent. Soothing, comforting, and providing pleasure are primary elements of the relationship. Attachment theory holds that a consistent primary caregiver is necessary for a child's optimal development.

Description

Attachment theory originated in the early 1950s with John Bowlby, a child psychiatrist, and Mary Ainsworth, a psychologist, who both became interested in young children's responses to experiencing loss. They began studying the realms of attachment and bonding. Their theory was developed and integrated over the following 60 years by researchers around the world. (For attachment as it pertains to adoption, readers can consult the entry in this encyclopedia on adoption.)

Attachment theory is based on the idea that the bond between an infant and his or her primary caregiver is the crucial and primary influence in infant development and as such forms the basis of coping, the development of relationships, and the formation of personality. If the mother is absent or not available, a primary caregiver serves the role usually assumed by the mother. Attachment refers to a relationship that emerges over time from a history of caregiver-infant interactions. As adults nurture and interact with infants during the first year of life, infants organize their behavior around these caregivers. Attachment is a phenomenon involving physiological, emotional, cognitive, and social processes. The baby displays instinctual attachment behaviors that are activated by cues or signals from the caregiver. Therefore, the process of attachment is defined as a mutual regulatory system, in which the baby and the caregiver have an influence on one another over time. The caregiver's presence provides a feeling of safety and security for the infant. Once this relationship is established, the preference tends to remain stable, and a shift of attachment behavior to a new or strange person becomes more difficult.

Some theorists believe that the attachment system evolved to ensure that infants and caregivers remain physically close, and that the infant is protected. Thus, in order to survive, an infant must become attached to the primary caregiver, who is stronger and wiser regarding the dangers of the world. The caregiver is a safe refuge, a source of comfort and protection, and serves as a secure base from which the infant can explore.

Research has shown that babies and caregivers demonstrate an instinct to attach. Babies instinctively reach out for the safety and security of the safe haven they have with their primary caregiver, while parents usually instinctively protect and nurture their children. Children who

start their lives with the essential basis of secure attachment fare better in all aspects of functioning as their development progresses.

Attachment and Behavior

From a behavioral perspective, attachment is represented by a group of instinctive infant behaviors that serve to form the attachment bond, protect the child from fear and harm, and aid in the infant's protected exploration of the world. These behaviors include:

reaching crying grasping smiling vocalizing clinging sucking moving

All of these behaviors assist in facilitating the maximum physical and emotional development of the child. These particular behaviors may vary from one culture or society to others, but the attachment relationship appears to be universal.

Attachment and Emotions

From an emotional perspective, attachment is the development of a mutual bond in which the primary caregiver positively influences infant development through the interactions and relationship that person has with the child. Babies are unable to regulate themselves and become overwhelmed by their emotional states, including those of fear, pleasure, and sadness. Babies are unable to keep themselves in a state of equilibrium, as they lack the skills to control either the intensity or the duration of those emotions. In an attached relationship, babies rely on their primary caregiver to help them navigate the world. The primary caregiver serves as a secure base that is used for exploration and learning. At the same time, the infant forms the necessary skills of self-protection and intimacy.

Other important functions that a secure attachment between an infant and his or her caregiver serves for the developing child include the following:

learning basic trust, which serves as a basis for all future emotional relationships exploring the environment with feelings of safety and security, which leads to healthy

intellectual and social development developing the ability to control behavior, which results in effective management of

impulses and emotions creating a foundation for the development of identity, which includes a sense of

capability, self-worth, and a balance between dependence and independence establishing a moral framework that leads to empathy, compassion, and conscience generating a core set of beliefs providing a defense against stress and trauma

Children will display distinct attachment styles, which can be loosely defined as either secure or insecure. Secure styles show a child consistently connected to the primary caregiver, with a firmly established sense of trust and a nurturing response; however, insecure styles of attachment have features of instability.

Infancy

Several milestones occur over the course of their first year as infants form an attached relationship with their primary caregiver. These milestones include the following:

In the first two months of life, even though infants show little observable preference for a particular care-giver, the warm, sensitive, and reliable responses of the caregiver to the child set the stage for the developing attachment relationship.

From two to seven months, infants tend to interact differently with primary caregivers than they do with strangers but in general still do not display solid preferences.

By four to six months of age, infants begin to develop expectations of how their primary caregiver will respond to them when they are distressed.

Between seven months and one year, infants show a definite preference for their primary caregiver. They start to exhibit a wariness of strangers and symptoms of separation anxiety.

Toddlerhood

From 12 to 18 months, as they start to walk and crawl, children use their attachment figure as a secure base from which to go out and discover the world and as a safe haven to which to return when frightened or alarmed. Children with secure histories have been shown to be more determined, enthusiastic, and competent in problem-solving as toddlers.

Preschool

During this time, the attachment relationship is characterized by an increased tolerance for separation and an ability to cooperate with others. The child is learning to balance his or her need for independence, self-discipline, and exploration and the need for love and protection from the primary caregiver. However, as preschool approaches, children are still susceptible to a variety of dangers. Therefore, attachment behaviors, such as wanting to stay close to the primary caregiver and displaying occasional separation anxiety are adaptive processes, not regressive ones. Western culture has often portrayed this type of behavior as controlling or attention-seeking. Attachment theorists believe this is inaccurate, as these behaviors help serve to ensure the child's survival and socialization.

School Age

School-age children with a history of secured attachment histories demonstrate an ability to be more goal-oriented and often display positive leadership skills. Numerous long-term studies have shown that in the following areas securely attached children do better as they grow older:

self-esteem

autonomy ability to manage impulses and feelings long-term friendships positive relationships with parents, caregivers, and other authority figures effective coping skills trust, intimacy, and affection positive and hopeful belief systems academic success in school

Common Problems

Insecure attachment develops when a primary care-giver does not consistently respond in ways that are warm, affectionate, loving, dependable, and sensitive to the infant's needs. The three primary insecure types are resistant attachment, avoidant attachment, and disorganized attachment.

Resistant Attachment

This pattern is characterized by an emotional ambivalence in the child and a physical resistance to the primary caregiver. The infant is often hesitant to separate from the caregiver and is quick to display anxiety and distress in an unfamiliar setting. This classification is often referred to as anxious-ambivalent because the child will demonstrate anger towards the caregiver at the same time they are expressing their need for comforting. This type of insecure attachment may be an indicator of risk for the development of emotional, social, and behavioral problems in childhood and later in life.

Avoidant Attachment

The key behavior in this type of insecure attachment is an active avoidance of the primary caregiver when the infant is upset. These babies readily separate from their primary caregivers in order to explore and may be more affectionate with strangers than their own mother. They exhibit little preference for and appear emotionally distant from the primary caregiver.

Disorganized Attachment

In this type of insecure attachment, infants show a variety of confused and contradictory behaviors. For example, during a reunion with the primary caregiver, the child may look away or even display a blank stare when being held. Other babies may exhibit confusing patterns such as crying unexpectedly after being held or displaying odd, dazed expressions.

Parental Concerns

Healthy attachment is the key to healthy babies, and healthy babies are the key to healthy adults. It is crucial for parents, however, to understand that each parent faces times when things do not function flawlessly. What is important in the development of secure attachment is that the primary caregiver is available emotionally to the child and sensitive to the infant's needs.

When to Call the Doctor

Parents should call their doctor if their child exhibits any of the behaviors of an insecure attachment.

See also Adoption.

Resources

Books

Blackman, James A. Infant Development and Mental Health in Early Intervention. Austin, TX: PRO-ED Incorporated, 2005.

Bremner, J. Gavin, et al. The Blackwell Handbook of Infant Development. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing, 2004.

Lerner, Claire, et al. Bringing Up Baby: Three Steps to Making Good Decisions in Your Child's First Years. Washington, DC: Zero to Three Press, 2004.

Spitz, Rene A. First Year of Life: A Psychoanalytic Study of Normal and Deviant Behavior. Madison, CT: International Universities Press, 2005.

Periodicals

Carlson, Elizabeth A., Megan C. Sampson, and L. Alan Stroufe. "Implications of Attachment Theory and Research for Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics." Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics 24, no. 5 (October 2003): 364+.

Organizations

Attachment Parenting International. 2906 Berry Hill Drive, Nashville, TN 37204. Web site: www.attachmentparenting.org.

Web Sites

Palmer, Linda F. "The Chemistry of Attachment." API News 5, no. 2 (2002). Available online at www.attachmentparenting.org/artchemistry.shtml (accessed October 11, 2004).

Porter, Lauren Lindsey. "The Science of Attachment: The Biological Roots of Love-Family Living." Mothering (July-August 2003). Available online at www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0838/is_119/ai_105515898/ (accessed October 11, 2004).

Thurber, Christopher A. "Roots and Wings: how attachment and temperament shape development—Revolutionary Studies in Child Psychology." Camping Magazine (March-April 2003). Available online at www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1249/is_2_76/ai_98953747/ (accessed October 11, 2004).

7/08

The Center on the Social andEmotional Foundations for Early

Infant Toddler Module 2

Responsive Routines, Environments, andStrategies to Support Social EmotionalDevelopment in Infants and Toddlers

2This material was developed by the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Healthand Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (Cooperative Agreement N. PHS 90YD0215). The contents of this publication do not necessarilyreflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizationsimply endorsement by the U.S. Government. You may reproduce this material for training and information purposes. s

Brooke Foulds, Linda Eggbeer, Amy Hunter, Tweety Yates, Donna Wittmer, and Sandra PetersenChild CareBureauOffice ofHead StartAdministration forChildren & Families7/08 The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel P 2.1

Learner Objectives Suggested Agenda• Participants will be able todiscuss why it is important to

be intentional about supportingsocial emotional developmentin infants and toddlers• Participants will be able todescribe the importance ofcaregiving routines and identifystrategies for using them tosupport social emotionaldevelopment• Participants will be able toidentify key ways in which thephysical environment canpromote social emotionaldevelopment in infants andtoddlers• Participants will be able toexamine the environments inwhich they work and begin tomake plans to enhance themto meet the needs of infantsand toddlers in care• Participants will be able todefine emotional literacy anddescribe the kinds ofinteractions between adultsand infants and toddlers thatsupport emotional literacy• Participants will be able toidentify strategies for helping tobuild social skills in infants andtoddlersI. Introduction and Logistics 20 min.II. Brief Review of Module 1: Social EmotionalDevelopment within the Context of Relationships 30 min.III. Careful Observation: The First Step 30 min.in Responsive CaregivingIV. Responsive Routines and Schedules 45 min.V. Responsive Environments 60 min.VI. Strategies to Build Emotional Literacy 60 min.VII. Strategies to Build Social Skills 60 min.VIII. Working in Partnership with Families 45 min.IX. Bringing it All Together 20 min.X. Summary and Action Planning 10 min.Total Time 6 hrs. 20 min.

Materials NeededModule 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies_ Agenda_ PowerPoint Slides_ Facilitator’s Guide_ Books for infants and toddlers that focus on social emotional literacy.Provide enough books for everyone in the group attending training orask those attending to bring a book with them. A list of sample bookscan be found on the CSEFEL website athttp://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel._ Flip chart or white board and markers

_ Video Clips2.1 Observation of interaction between 9-month-old and two adults2.2 Responsive greeting2.3 Adult supporting children in difficult encounters2.4 Adult encouraging socialization2.5 Walk away2.6 Mom playing with her toddler_ Handouts2.1 Participant PowerPoint Slides2.2 Social Emotional Development within the Context ofRelationships Review2.3 Infant Toddler Video Observation Tool2.4 Responsive Routines Inventory2.5 Infant and Toddler Environments Planning Document2.6 Socialization Example (What Makes Me Laugh?)2.7 Using Books to Support Emotional Literacy2.8 Cooperation2.9 Infant and Toddler Peer Behavior2.10 Vignette I: Fernando2.11 Vignette II: Tomika2.12 Vignette III: Benji2.13 Tips on Nurturing Your Child’s Social Emotional Development_ 2.14 Session Evaluation FormI. Introduction andLogistics (20 minutes)A. Show Slide 1 and introduce Module 2 by name. Thenbegin with a welcome to the group; introduce all speakers;provide a brief overview of who you are; where you arefrom; and information about your background that isrelevant to this training event.B. Have each table of participants introduce themselves toeach other. Ask for a show of hands from the group toindicate what role in the early childhood community eachrepresents (e.g., teachers, assistants, home visitors, earlyinterventionists, family care providers, administrators,trainers). Or use another introductory strategy dependingon the size of the group, whether this is a group new toone another, and the time available.C. Slide 2: Agenda. Review the Agenda and LearnerObjectives (Slides 3 & 4).D. Distribute all handouts including Participant PowerPointslides (Handout 2.1) and other resources.E. Address logistical issues (e.g., breaks, bathrooms, lunchplans).F. Encourage participants to ask questions throughout or topost them in a specially marked place (parking lot).The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

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234A. Slides 5 & 6. Point out that the CSEFEL infant-toddlermodules are designed to help participants learn aboutbabies, toddlers, and families. The process by whichinfants and toddlers become socially and emotionallycompetent is full of challenges – challenges that occur innormal development, challenges that signal unmet needs,and challenges that are particularly difficult for childrenthemselves, their families, and for providers. Socialemotional development begins at birth and continuesthroughout life.B. Slide 7. CSEFEL Pyramid Model: Review the levels ofthe CSEFEL Pyramid. Remind participants that thePyramid is a model that represents components of adultbehavior and strategies that parents, early childhoodproviders and other professionals can use to assistchildren birth through five in developing social emotionalcompetence.The primary focus of the training is on promotion andprevention. We move on to individualized interventionsonly when the bottom of the Pyramid is in place and somechildren continue to engage in challenging behavior.B. Slide 8. CSEFEL Definition of Social EmotionalDevelopment. Ask participants to look again at theCSEFEL working definition of social emotionaldevelopment.1. Remind participants that in order to understand andeffectively respond to behavior that center and familyproviders, home visitors, and parents experience aschallenging, we all need to understand how typicalsocial emotional development unfolds during the firstthree years.2. Remind participants that we also need to spend sometime examining our own emotions when certain kinds ofbehavior persist despite our best efforts.3. State that this module will focus on making the most ofroutines with infants and toddlers; creating responsivephysical environments; and developing a repertoire ofstrategies to support the development of socialemotional skills in very young children. Also make thepoint that some of these skills will continue to developwell into the preschool and school years.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

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5678II. Brief Review of ModuleI: Social EmotionalDevelopment withinthe Context ofRelationships (30 min.)4. The goal is to become more intentional andresponsive in caregiving so that social-emotionaldevelopment can be promoted, problems in behaviorcan be anticipated and prevented more easily andthat individualized support can be given to childrenwho need it.D. Slide 9. Activity: Use Handout 2.2. Module 2: SocialEmotional Development within the Context ofRelationships Review. Have participants divide intogroups of four and work on the True/False review.1. Give the groups 10 minutes to discuss thestatements about infant-toddler social emotionaldevelopment and select the correct answer. Whentime is called, read each statement on the review.2. Ask the whole group to respond aloud with true orfalse to each statement. Verify the correct responseyourself. Use Slides 10, 11 and 12 to review theanswers and restate the major concepts covered inModule 1. Have fun with the questions. The goal is torevisit the importance of relationships for infants andtoddlers.3. You might provide the group with the most correctresponses with a prize (e.g., chocolate kisses,bookmarks with photos of babies, vases of flowersfor the table or any other small token). Be preparedfor multiple groups to have an equal number ofcorrect answers.4. Let the group know how pleased you are with theinformation they have retained from the last trainingday. Let them know that today the focus is on themany ways that infant-toddler providers can be moreintentional about developing and expandingrelationships with the infants and toddlers who areserved in their programs.5. As we have said before, caregivers who areintentional about providing responsive care have apowerful influence on the development of positiveThe Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.49101112(continued)Module 2 Handout 2.2: Relationships ReviewSocial Emotional Developmentwithin the Context of Relationships Review1) Few infants are born biologically ready for relationships.2) Even if a caregiver has had a very difficult upbringing, each newrelationship is a clean slate and working with infants andtoddlers will bring a caregiver an opportunity to make up for alifetime of unhappiness.3) We may not always know why we do something with youngchildren but there is a right way and a wrong way for children tobehave, even babies and toddlers.4) Three major elements of social emotional development ininfancy include experiencing, expressing and regulatingemotions; forming close and secure relationships; and beingable to explore and learn.5) Temperament is something that should be eliminated from achild who cannot stop crying.6) Attachment is something a baby either does have or doesn’thave when he meets other people.7) Regardless of a family’s cultural beliefs or what a family mightprefer, a parent should understand that infants and toddlersmust be expected to behave according to the care provider’svalues. They also must understand that all rules are put inwriting so that busy caregivers do not have to be delayed bytalking with parents.8) There are so many influences in children’s lives that the lovingmessages that a responsive, sensitive caregiver sends to aninfant or toddler cannot possibly impact that child for more thana brief time.Social Emotional Development True False

(Handout 2.2)early relationships which are so important for healthysocial emotional development. Responsivecaregiving involves following the lead of the child.There are multiple aspects to providing responsivecare and the first one we are going to think about isobservation.A. Introduce the subject of observation by noting that entirebooks have been written about the topic. Point out thatfor the purposes of this training, we will focus on twoparts to observation.1. The first step involves looking at and recording justwhat you see and hear without making any guessesabout what any of it means. In this first stage, it isimportant to train yourself not to assign meaning towhat you see.2. The second step is using this information, incombination with what you know about a child andhis family, to make guesses (which you will test out)about how that child is doing with regard to socialemotional development.3. Point out that when infant-toddler providers, homevisitors, or other adults observe, they should focuson the behavior, interactions, and activities of babiesand toddlers at different times of the day and withdifferent adults and peers. These observationsshould be done for all children in a setting and byeach caregiver. Really careful observation entails anongoing process of thoughtful looking, listening,questioning, and looking again. Observational dataare invaluable for planning and supporting the needsand interests of all children whether they are in asocialization experience, a center or home-basedprogram, or any other setting.4. Observations are critical in figuring out how toproceed with children for whom there is someconcern about development or behavior.a. When carefully examined, information from

repeated observations can help caregivers thinkthrough whether a baby’s or toddler’s actionsThe Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

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III. Careful Observation:The First Step inResponsiveCaregiving (30 min.)likely represent normal ups and downs in growthand development (e.g., a 2-year-old may becomemore clingy with a parent when a new babybrother is brought home from the hospital).b. Or perhaps this information will indicate tocaregivers that there are other needs that need tobe attended to (e.g., repeated biting episodes thathave become more frequent and during which a21/2-year-old who bites becomes increasinglyagitated). There will be much more about thistopic in Module 3.5. Observations of babies and toddlers interacting withtheir parents or family members at different points inthe day are important as well. Caregivers candiscuss these observations with parents and get theirinput and insight about their child’s development.This is particularly important if caregivers areconcerned about some aspect of development orbehavior.B. Slide 13: Activity: Use Handout 2.3 - Infant-ToddlerObservation Tool. Introduce Video 2.1 (Slide 14) as atypical interaction between a 9-month-old baby, hermother, and an Early Head Start home visitor.Obviously it captures just a few moments in time andonly begins to suggest some things about this little girl.1. Play the video clip. Ask participants to write downonly what they actually see and hear the baby doing.2. Play the video clip a second time. This time, askparticipants to write down what questions theobservation raises about the interactions the babyhas with her mother and the home visitor.3. Now ask participants to jot down how they think itfeels to be this little girl. How would they go aboutlearning more about how this child is doing withregard to social emotional development?The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies

7/08 P 2.61314Module 2 Handout 2.3: Video Observation ToolInfant Toddler Video Observation ToolRecord what you actually see or hear:Write down what questions the interactions the baby has with her mother and the homevisitor raise for you:How do you think it feels to be this little girl?How would you find out more about how this child is doing with regard to socialemotional development?

(Handout 2.3)4. Conduct a discussion with the whole group abouttheir responses to each step of the observation; thequestions the observation generated for them; andthe strategies they would use to find out more. Elicitthe following:• There are multiple relationships to pay attention toin this short clip - as there are in most situations inwhich you observe children.• Regularly observing infants and toddlers in care isan extremely important activity whether you are anindividual caregiver or are part of a team.• It’s not easy to stay focused on what you actuallysee and hear in a situation because there is atendency to quickly attach meaning to what isobserved.• It’s important to take the time to recordobservations so that you can go back and thinkabout them.• Make a list of questions you might ask yourselfabout a child to better understand the meaning ofhis/her behavior.• Take the time to observe a child in differentsettings with different people at various timesduring the day to get as clear a picture as possibleabout the context of children’s development andbehavior. Write these observations down and datethem so that you have an ongoing record.• Talk with the child’s parents and colleagues toincorporate their observations and thoughts abouthow the child is progressing.A. Make the point that our observations of the behavior ofinfants, toddlers or young children allow us to betterunderstand how they are getting along and what kinds ofexperiences will support their development.Observations are particularly useful when we arefocused on making the most of the opportunities to buildnurturing and responsive relationships.1. Frequent observations allow the sensitive caregiver togather information that will allow her to adapt her ownbehavior to follow the child’s lead. A 3-month-old maysignal by fussing that he needs a nap even thoughThe Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

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IV. Responsive Routinesand Schedules(45 min.)the caregiver had planned a nap for him later on. Acaregiver who is attentive to the 2-year-olds in hercenter group will notice when one of them needssome time away from other children. The sensitivecaregiver seeks to understand what the infant ortoddler is communicating and to respond in a waythat communicates his/her understanding of the cuesthe baby or toddler is sending. This way ofinteracting with infants and toddlers shows respectfor their unique needs and the intent to model therespect that we would like each child to show for theneeds of another.2. Responsive caregivers use every opportunity to “getin tune” with the infant or toddler. Being “in tune” isanother way to talk about responsive care that isbased on following the infant’s cues. Matching theinfant’s or toddler’s mood and pace of activity is anexample of getting in tune. A caregiver might move ina very slow gentle way and speak in a soft voice witha toddler just rousing from a deep sleep as she pickshim up and moves to the diaper table. She mightmove more quickly, use a higher, louder, more upbeatvoice with that same toddler if he was alreadywide awake and was jumping on his bed.B. Make the point that as we think about the needs andbehavior of infants and toddlers over the course of aday, it is important to think about the role of schedulesand routines in supporting social emotionaldevelopment. Responsive routines and schedules areones that are designed with close attention to thedevelopmental needs of all children in the setting andare adapted to the needs of individual children. If wewere talking about a schedule and routines for anindividual child in a home setting we would use thesame principles and supports with a parent to design aroutine based on the needs of the home and the needsof an individual child.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.8

Slide 15: How Schedules and Routines Support

Social Emotional Development.1. Make the point that for infants and toddlers, routinesthat arise from their care are the foundations of thecurriculum. By care, we mean such activities asfeeding, diapering or toileting, the things we do tomove infants and toddlers from wake to sleep andvice versa, the ways we greet them and their familiesin the mornings and say goodbye in the evenings, andthe things we do in transitions to and from one activityto another. By routines, we mean the regular andrepeated things we do and the way we do them dayby day.2. When we talk about schedules, we tend to mean whattime we do something. Generally with infants andtoddlers, the time is not really the issue, but rather thesequence or order for the routines of care. It is moreimportant for the very young child that we engage inthe major care activities in a regular order than it isthat we try to keep to a time schedule.3. Make the point that babies and toddlers learn aboutpeople and the way the world works through theirdaily routines. What people say, what they do, howthey say what they say and how they do what they do– all of this is the curriculum.4. Make the point that while for very young infantsindividualization is the name of the game, olderinfants and toddlers benefit from flexible routines andschedules. Routines and schedules createpredictability and help older infants and toddlersorganize themselves around what is coming next.Predictable routines, provided in the same way by thesame people, give infants and toddlers a sense ofcontrol and a sense of security. This sense of securityallows them to relax and to explore and learn fromtheir environment.Provide an example of the need humans tend to havefor predictability: For example, “Just think aboutyourself today. If this is the second time you haveattended the CSEFEL training, aren’t you a little moreThe Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.915relaxed now that you know what to expect? Younotice that we provide an agenda and a predictablestyle of presentation. If you feel more relaxed, it may

be because you feel more secure and have somesense of what’s coming next. Perhaps today you willnotice something different from what you did the lasttime and your learning will expand. Your ability torelax will affect what you can take in.”5. A child’s ability to predict what will happen next andhow he will be treated will lead to greater security.He will be freer to use his energies to explore hisenvironment and learn, which in turn, leads to asense of competence and feelings of confidenceabout his ability to be successful in his world. On theother hand, a child who is in a setting where adultsdo things suddenly, don’t provide some advancewarning about what’s coming next, or who don’t workto try to match their care to what they see the child isexperiencing, finds it more difficult to be prepared forwhat comes next.6. Responsive routines and schedules are used bycaregivers to enhance the quality of the relationshipbetween the infant and the adult caregiver. Thismeans that the sensitive caregiver uses herpresence – her voice, eye contact, her physicalproximity or nearness to the child, and her touch—toprovide security and to assure the baby that theworld is a safe and interesting place.C. Slide 16. Activity: Use Handout 2.4 ResponsiveRoutines Inventory.1. Tell the group that this is an opportunity to think moreabout routines of daily care for infants and toddlersand to look for ways to support the social emotionaldevelopment of each child. Show Slides 17 – 20 asexamples of typical routines.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.102016171819Module 2 Handout 2.4: Responsive Routines InventoryResponsive Routines InventoryImplement a flexible routine (eating, sleeping, insideoutside)so that toddlers learn to predictProvide a daily routine that follows each infant’s andtoddler’s need for feeding and sleepingUse routines as opportunities for emotionalinteraction and learningProvide primary caregiving

Responsive daily routines What I do now/ My plansProvide responsive routines for What I do now/My plansinfant feeding and toddler eatingProvide responsive routines for infant feedingand toddler eatingProvide a private place for family members tofeed an infant, if the family desires

(Handout 2.4)2. Show Slide 21 to give participants some ideas forusing routines to support social emotionaldevelopment. Discuss the following points. Ask if theyhave other ideas that they have used.• Allowing time for hellos and good-byes – Hellos

and good-byes can be hard for some children andadults. Our support as teachers and caregiverscan help make this an easier transition.• Special Good-Bye Area – Have a special part ofthe room or an area outside the door that is the“special good-bye area.” This will give a designatedspace for caregivers and children to say good-bye.Many centers and home based care settings havedecorated their special good-bye areas to make iteasier to say good-bye and start the day.• Family Photos/Objects – Have family photos orfavorite objects displayed around the room sochildren can see their families throughout the day,especially when they are feeling a little scared orlonely. Caregivers can point out the family pictures,talk about how loved the child is and remind himDad will be back to pick him up after snack time.• Talk about feelings – Acknowledge the feelings ofchildren and adults. Talk to the children about theirfeelings and what they can do to feel better.• Rituals – Talk to families about having a fun “goodbye”ritual that they can do everyday with theirchild. For example, mom might help her son hangup his back pack and then give good-bye butterflykisses while saying, “Here’s my special butterflykiss to last throughout the day, I’ll be back to pickyou up, so go and play!” Good-bye rituals becomea signal to the child that it is time to say good–byeand reassures them that Mom will be back later!• Games – Have a fun good-bye game that you playas infants and toddlers are dropped off in themorning. It might be a fun song or a big hug. Thisis a great way to get other children involved inhelping each other say good-bye as well aspractice social skills.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and StrategiesRev. 1/03 P 2.1121• Books – Make books about saying good-bye.The title for a book for a child who is dropped offby his Mom might be – “Mommy Comes Back.”The book goes through the schedule/routines ofthe day and shows the child leaving the homecare or center setting at the end of the day withMommy! You might also involve parents in

making the book and have them take pictures oftheir morning routines to add to the book (whathappens before the child comes to the center).3. Ask participants to reflect on the most importantroutines, from the perspective of social emotionaldevelopment, for children birth to three. Suggest thatparticipants gather in groups of four and, using thehandout to guide their thinking, identify specificthings they can do to enrich those routines. Eachgroup might want to select a specific routine to focuson or go through all routines with a specific agegroup in mind. The inventory includes routinesacross 5 areas: responsive daily routines, infantfeeding and toddler eating, diapering and toileting,sleeping and resting, and greeting and goodbyetimes.4. After about 20 minutes, ask participants to comeback together to discuss this activity. Ask forvolunteers to provide examples of what they woulddo to enrich routines in any of the five areas andspecify the age of the children they are referring to.D. Show Video 2.2 (Slide 22) to illustrate a responsivegreeting of a 15-month-old child and his parents.Ask participants to comment on what they see thiscaregiver doing to make the morning transition easier.Elicit from participants both what she does and how shedoes it, including the following points:• The caregiver stops what she is doing and greetsthe child by name.• She elicits information about how his morning hasbeen so far.• She expresses interest in what he hasexperienced since she last saw him and asksadditional questions of his parents to clarify.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.1222• She helps him say goodbye when his parentsleave.• Through these things, she lets his parents knowthat she has a genuine interest in their little boy.A. Ask participants to reflect on the following ideas:Caregivers decide what babies see, touch, and hear.They make decisions about how much fresh air, sunlight,and exercise the baby will have. Slide 22. Responsive

Environments. Caregivers of infants and toddlers createthe physical spaces, choose toys and other materialsand provide the interactions that make up their learningexperiences.B. Make the point that a well-designed infant-toddlerphysical environment can have a major impact not onlyon children’s social emotional development but also ontheir language, cognitive and motor development. ShowSlide 23. A Well Designed Infant-Toddler Environment.Go through the slide to review each of the criteria.C. Ask participants to add their requirements for aresponsive environment to this list. Write theadditional suggestions on the flip chart.D. Show slides 25-28. Ask participants to take 5minutes and talk with another person about how theenvironments pictured meet the criteria above.• Supports the social-emotional needs of infants andtoddlers as well as their language, cognitive, andmotor development—child-size furniture, soft spacesto sit or crawl, mirrors to see themselves alone andwith others, things posted on the wall at child’s level,things to climb on, places for one or two children to goto get away, blanket on floor for infants, etc.• Encourages responsive care from adults—rockingchairs for one-on-one time, adult-size couch for adultsto read to children, etc.• Supports peer relationships—spaces for two or morechildren to crawl into, child-size furniture, toys forchildren to play with together, hats for dress up, etc.• Is developmentally appropriate:• age appropriate—materials in environment lookage appropriate• individually appropriate—places for infants to beon blanket, places for toddlers to crawl, walk,climb, soft spaces, etc.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.132425262728V. ResponsiveEnvironments (60 min.)23E. Slide 29. Activity: Use Handout 2.5 - Infant and

Toddler Environments Planning Document.1. Go over the content of the planning documentdiscussing the support that each space and itscomponents provide to the social emotionaldevelopment of infants and toddlers. Use the criteriajust discussed to explain how the componentssupport a quality care environment.2. Ask participants to work with another person at theirtable to discuss the potential improvements to theenvironment that their program provides for infantsand toddlers.3. Give participants about 20 minutes to do theenvironment evaluation and planning. Some of thegroup may not have time to complete the evaluationor plan. Suggest that this tool may be finished laterand may be useful in their own work settings.4. Bring the large group back together and ask ifanyone came up with a take home idea that theymight add to their environment to make it moreresponsive to the needs of infants and toddlers orthat might be particularly helpful in addressing abehavior difficulty evolving from a limitation in theirinfant or toddler environment such as needing a softspace away from active play so toddlers aren’t aslikely to “run over” infants.A. Introduce the topic by saying that we have talked aboutthe importance of creating routines and environments inwhich infants and toddlers feel safe and confident. Nowwe are going to discuss strategies and ideas forproviding additional opportunities to support thedevelopment of specific social emotional skills.B. Ask participants for their definition of emotional literacy.Take responses from the group. Use Slides 30 & 31 tosummarize the responses.C. Make the point that emotional literacy refers toemotional communication or communication aboutemotion. Social emotional literacy in very young childrendevelops as a result of having respectful, caring,supportive relationships with adults.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.143031VI. Strategies to BuildEmotional Literacy

(60 min.)29Module 2 Handout 2.5: Infant and Toddler EnvironmentsPlanning DocumentAn environment that is• Safe and free from hazards• Clean• Has natural light from windows and other soft lighting• Aesthetically pleasing• Uncluttered• Individually, age, and culturally appropriate• Inviting and interesting to childrenSpecial places for nurturing childrenA comfortable space, away from active play for staff to sit on thefloor (with back support) and hold a child or children• A loft• An adult-sized couch• A mat on the floor against the wall with pillows with washablecovers• A rocking chair/gliderA quiet space for infants and toddlers• A soft space away from active play• A soft space for two children with family photographs books,dolls and blanket, soft toys, quiet toys, puppets, and books• A nest (or create a nest with an inner tube) with a blanket over it• A space with boxes large enough for a child or two to crawl inand out ofA space for infants and toddlers to use creative arts materials• A space for coloring or painting on paper on the floor (preferablynear a short sink not used for food preparation)• Short tables for clay, play dough, thick crayons, nontoxic paints,or finger paints• Paper and other interesting materials to manipulate and create• Large pieces of paper and other interesting materials to drawand paint on• Short easels and brushes for toddlers to use by themselves orwith other children• A low shelf with safe creative materials attractively displayed andavailable for children to use• A place to display children’s creative workSpaces for Infants and ToddlersYour Plan for Improvement ofthe Social EmotionalEnvironment

(Handout 2.5)D. Point out that while emotional literacy is not just aboutlanguage, language plays a large part in emotionalliteracy because language is so important in a socialworld. Language serves as a tool to communicate andmuch of what language communicates is our feelingsabout ourselves and our relationships with others.E. We use language to give common meaning tosomething, such as a feeling.1. An example of a parent teaching a 12-month-old themeaning for an emotional experience might be ascene such as this: A mother arrives at the endof the day to pick up her daughter who has been leftin care only for the third time. The mother makes eyecontact with the baby and smiles a greeting. As thebaby’s face brightens, she says “Oh Mia, you arehappy to see Mommy!” Then, as the baby’s facecrumples, and she starts to sob, her mom says asshe reaches for her daughter, “Oh, you waited solong and you were afraid Mommy might not come.”2. This mother read her baby’s cues, labeled heremotional communication to the mother, and thenacknowledged that the two of them understood howthe baby was feeling. This type of exchange, withinthe context of the relationship between the motherand the baby, is the primary strategy that we use todevelop emotional literacy in the first months.F. Talking about shared experiences, acknowledging andlabeling emotions, and letting infants and toddlers knowthat we see, hear, understand and accept their feelingsmany times a day are all major strategies that allcaregivers can use to develop emotional literacy ininfants and toddlers.G. The infant’s or toddler’s developmental level willdetermine what is said and what response the caregivercan expect from the child. The words used toacknowledge and label an emotion may be well aheadof the child’s level of speech but the expectations for thechild’s response must be in line with the infant’sor toddler’s developmental capacity. As the infantmatures and his understanding of the meaning of

The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.15

language expands, the caregiver intentionally extendsthe conversation about feelings to encompass newconcepts and words.H. The caregiver’s gentle, positive tone of voice is animportant part of the message of understanding andacceptance of emotion for all young children.1. Slides 32. Strategies to Develop EmotionalLiteracy in Infants and Toddlers. Go through eachstrategy and provide an example. Ask for examplesfrom the participants. Use the following examples ifneeded:Using the adult/child relationship to expand anindividual child’s awareness of his emotions orfeelings:a. Verbally acknowledging and labeling feelingsexpressed by children in care.• A feeding situation with a 10-month-old fussing ashe spits out food with a new texture: “Oh, Benji,you don’t like those beans, do you? Those beansmake you angry. You want the apple sauce thattastes good right now. It will be all right. We’llhave apple sauce next and you will feel better.”• Interrupting play to change a diaper: “Laura, let’sstop playing with the balls and I will change yourdiaper. Here we go up on the diaper table. I’msorry you’re mad. You wanted to keep playingwith the balls. Would you like to sing Itsy BitsySpider? Oh, there’s a smile. Are you happy now?”b. Assisting infants and toddlers with regulating theiremotions• Calming a baby who bumped his head: “OhEthan, you bumped your head and it hurt. Let mehold you for a few minutes. Aw, it hurt, didn’t it,and made you mad. We will go away from thatcounter and find something else to play with. Areyou feeling better?”The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.1632• Rocking a baby who is tired and can’t relax andgo to sleep: “I know you don’t want to go to sleepright now, but I will hold you and rock you until

you feel more relaxed.”c. Talking about the fact that feelings can change• Letting a child know that another child who bit himis still his friend: “Benji bit you, didn’t he, Tyrone?You wanted to touch his pretty monkey and he bityour arm. Ouch! You like Benji but he bit you andyou’re mad! “d. Using questions about feelings and wishes to seeif children can respond• Asking a toddler if he wishes he could play withmore bubbles: “Juan, I know that it is hard to stopplaying with the bubbles now. I can see that. Doyou wish you could take those bubbles with you?Do you wish you could put them in your pocket?They pop don’t they?2. Slide 33. Strategies to Develop EmotionalLiteracy in Infants and Toddlers. Discussstrategies and use the following examples or askparticipants for examples.Finding opportunity in the group setting to talk aboutfeelingsa. Taking advantage of teachable moments whenchildren experience difficulties with peers andneed adult support to resolve them• Speaking for two children who want the sametoy: “Juan wants the boat. Kiki wants the boat.Juan, I know you were playing with the boatand it makes you mad when Kiki takes it.Kiki, Juan was playing with the boat. You aresad you can’t have it. Let’s find another boat.Do you like red? Would you like playing witha red boat? ”The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.1733• When children become aware of things otherchildren have that seem attractive (e.g. haircolor or texture, clothing, hearing aids orwheel chairs, etc): “Kerry, I can see that youlike Misha’s glasses. Maybe you wish you hadsome yourself. You like to play with Misha andyou want her to let you play with her glasses.Maybe we could make a pair for you out ofthese circles here.”• When younger children have Binkies or bottles

or blankets that older children seem enviousof: “I can see that you pulled little Cora’s Binkyout of her mouth, John. Sometimes it might benice to have a Binky yourself, right? Is thathow you feel? We just have to be sure thatCora doesn’t lose hers so maybe you can helpme give it back to her.”• Staying near two children who want to pet thesame bunny: “Gentle with the bunny, Tim.Ethan likes the bunny, too. Tim is excitedabout the bunny, Ethan! He wants to pick itup. Tim, look at Ethan petting the bunny, too.Two boys petting the bunny!”b. Staying close and supporting children in difficultencounters with other children. Let’s take amoment and watch a quick video. Slide 34.Show Video 2.3 as an example of staying closeand providing support. Ask participants tocomment on what the caregiver does to helpthese children deal with what is a commonsituation in child care.c. Slide 35: Strategies to Develop EmotionalLiteracy in Infants and Toddlers. Discussstrategies using examples below or askparticipants for examples.Showing positive feelings for both children inconflict.• Putting your arms around both children whowant to sit on your lap while you read a story:The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.18

(continued)3534“Mia here is a place for you on this side andKiki, here is a place on this side. Mia likes toread this book, Kiki. Kiki wants to have thebook in her hands. Let me hug both of youand then we will read the story. Miss Peggyloves two girls on her lap.”d. Letting children know through your calm approachthat conflict is to be expected and that it can beresolved with help.• Telling three children that it is hard to share:“Children, we have lots of blocks for everyone

to share. We can figure this out. We will find aplace for everyone to play with the blocks andtrucks. Sometimes it is hard to share blocksand we get mad. One for you, one for you,and one for you. Everybody find a place to sit.We can all play with the blocks!”e. Helping children learn to put into words how theythink others are feeling and to express empathyfor those feelings.• Telling a child who is not crying why the childwho is unhappy is crying and then telling herhow to comfort the crying child: “Mia, Kiri iscrying because she wants her Mommy. Doyou think she would feel better if she had herBinky? Are you worried? Can we find herBinky? You could give her the Binky and thenshe might not be so sad. Do you think shefeels better? Do you feel better now that she’snot crying?”f. Encouraging children to negotiate so that theyfeel that they have been heard and their feelingshave been taken into consideration.• Telling both children you know they want to goon the rocking boat and that you will makesure each gets a turn: “Tyrone is riding in theThe Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.19

boat. Do you want to ride, too, Teddy? Tyrone,Teddy wants to ride. Teddy, tell Tyrone youwant to ride? Two more ups and downs,Tyrone, then it is Teddy’s turn for a ride.Tyrone, tell Teddy, two more ups and downs?”g. Clarifying rules.• Asking a child if she remembers that books arenot to tear: “Cate, I know you like the Oliviastory. Do you remember that we don’t tearbooks? Remember we take care of our booksso that we will be able to read them again.Let’s put that book back on the table and let’sfind another book for your grocery cart.”3. Slide 36: Strategies to Develop Emotional Literacyin Infants and Toddlers. Using enriching languagetoolsa. Choosing books, music and finger plays with arich vocabulary of feeling words. Ask participants if

they have favorite books, music, or finger playsthat they use with infants and toddlers.b. Using puppetry or felt board stories that retellcommon social experiences in the child caresetting and that emphasize feeling vocabulary andstories about conflict resolution (e.g. having twopuppets struggling over a favorite item or twopuppets that have pretty hair that no one cantouch).c. Reading stories about characters that children canidentify with who express a range of feelings (e.g.Baby Einstein for infants or See How I Feel storieslike The Rainbow Fish for older toddlers).d. Encouraging toddlers to draw pictures of theirdifficult or scary emotions (e.g. if a toddler heardthunder and saw lightening, talking about it beingfrightening and offering an opportunity to draw,then asking about the drawing).4. Slide 37: Strategies to Develop Emotional Literacyin Infants and Toddlers. Modeling positiverelationshipsThe Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.203736a. Between adults in the care setting• The emotional atmosphere among the adultsin a care setting sends a powerful message tovery young children. Speaking in kind voicesto one another; saying hello to everyone andgreeting parents with enthusiasm all carrymessages about how we treat someone.b. With children• Saying only positive and constructive things tochildren; letting them know what you likerather than what you don’t like; laughing withchildren and letting them know that you liketheir personality or their antics also sendsmessages about how we treat people.c. With parents and other adults in care settings• Refer participants to Handout 2.6 –Socialization Example: What Makes MeLaugh? Explain that this resource is from aproject called PIWI: Parents Interacting withInfants, which focuses on supporting

development through caregiver-childinteractions. This resource may be useful forsocialization time in Early Head Startprograms, for programs that offer parent-childplay groups, for home visits, for parentmeetings, and for adults in care settings.• Explain that this example focuses on havingparents follow their child’s lead and then joinin their child’s play to observe what makestheir child laugh! Point out that the examplebegins with an opening discussion to explainto parents what the focus of the group will beand why the topic is important. After theopening, the environment is set up for parentsto play with their child and observe what typesof activities, materials or interactions maketheir child laugh. After the observation/playperiod, everyone comes back together to talkabout what happened (the closing discussion).The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.21Module 2 Handout 2.6: PIWI/Developmental Observation Topic (DOT) PlanThe Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel H 2.6Age Range: Birth – 36 monthsDEVELOPMENTAL OBSERVATION TOPIC:What makes me laugh?ENVIRONMENT FOR PARENT-CHILD OBSERVATION:For today, prepare an interesting environment using objects andactivities that the parents and children have enjoyed together duringpast sessions. Some suggestions are: toys that have an element ofsurprise such as a jack-in-the-box; mirrors to make funny faces;“What Makes Me Laugh?” activity sheet taped to a mirror (includedin this handout); fun dress up materials like hats, scarves, boas,feathers; puppet box with puppets; music area with audio tapes of avariety of songs where parents and children can do silly dances;sheet hanging on a door or streamers on a box to play peek-a-boo;books.OPENING DISCUSSION:Hello Song:Hello (child’s name), Hello (parent’s name), How are you?, How are you? We’re so glad to seeyou! We’re so glad to see you! Come and play! Come and play!Introducing the Developmental Observation Topic: We have been talking about emotions andtrying to figure out our children’s signals and cues—what they are trying to tell us! Today we aregoing to have fun laughing together! We are going to talk about the different kinds of things thatmake our children laugh, and how these change as children get older. Think back over the pastweek or so—what can you think of that made your child laugh? (Facilitator: record the “laughing”situations on a big piece of paper that you can refer back to during the closing discussion).Often with very young children, laughter occurs mostly when you are doing something physical tothem, like moving their legs up and down or playing tickling games. They also like auditorystimulation, like when you make popping noises or growling sounds. Pretty soon they also begin tolaugh at games like “I’m gonna get you” because they begin to anticipate that tickle at the end!They also think it’s funny when you do something silly, like put on a funny hat or walk in a funnyway. When they get a little older, they laugh at things they see. And pretty soon they laugh at whatthey think is going to happen next! Often, these situations involve an adult or older child who isintent on making them laugh. Eventually, as they begin to develop language, they will becomevery interested in hearing and telling simple jokes. As children get older, they also begin to initiatetheir own funnies; for example, they will make up words for things, and then go into gales oflaughter. They begin to notice things going on around them, and to laugh at these as well. As theyget even older, they are thinking about what they see, and begin to see humor in ideas, just as wedo as adults.

Whatmakesmelaugh?

(Handout 2.6)The play group example gives some ideas forsetting up the environment. The primaryoutcome of the group is (1) for parents andchildren to have fun together, (2) for parents toobserve their child and see what makes themlaugh, (3) for parents to learn something newabout their child that will help them becomebetter supporters of their child’s socialemotional development (especially emotionalliteracy), and (4) for parents to learn fun newactivities and games to play with their child.• Give participants a few minutes to look over thehandout and ask questions. Suggest that adultsin care settings might use this same type ofenvironment to observe the infants and toddlersin their care, learn more about what makes themlaugh, and build on emotional literacy skills.J. Slide 38: Activity: There are many ways to be moreintentional about the development of emotional literacywith infants and toddlers. Reading with children is one of

the most powerful tools in expanding a child’s awarenessof his own feelings and expanding his awareness of thefeelings that others might have. Our goal with infants andyoung toddlers is to use language that links emotionallanguage to self, people, and things that happen.1. Ask the participants to divide themselves into smallgroups of 3 to 6 people.You may want to use tablegroups or smaller groups depending on the totalnumber of participants. Tell them that they are going topractice using books to support social emotionaldevelopment.2. Give each participant a book and ask each one totrade within their group and review at least threebooks. Then ask each person in the group to sharetheir reaction to at least one book and talk about howthey might use the book to enhance social emotionalliteracy in their infant or toddler setting. Ask that asThe Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.2238each book is discussed, the group identify the feelingwords used in the book or feeling words that mightbe used by the reader if it is a book that is notnecessarily focused on feelings.3. Use Slide 38 to remind participants about what theyare to do. Have each group choose a reporter to listthe feeling words and ideas for each book. (Note toTrainer: If you do not have enough books for eachperson, ask participants to bring a book with them tothe training that they think might enhance socialemotional development). If time does not permithaving each participant read 3 books, you mighthave each group look at one book and complete theactivity. Tell participants that the CSEFEL web sitehas a list of books for children birth through five thatwill be helpful in enhancing emotional literacy. Haveparticipants use Handout 2.7 to complete theactivity.K. Remind the group that an infant or younger toddler withdevelopmentally appropriate social emotional literacy isin a better position to expand his awareness of others,develop friendship skills, and move along toward ahigher level of social play. Older toddlers, with morelanguage and more opportunities to be with otherchildren, need to develop social emotional literacy skills

to manage or regulate their emotions and to besuccessful in solving the social problems that willnaturally evolve as they interact with other children.A. Slide 39. Strategies to Build Social Skills. Introducethis section by saying we want to talk more about thedevelopment of social skills in infants and toddlers.Begin this discussion by asking participants to describesome of the types of positive peer interactions they haveseen with infants and toddlers. Ask how they believethese interactions develop.1. Elicit from the group a short list of the caring andhelping behaviors of infants and toddlers thatdemonstrate their ability to understand what adultsand peers might want or feel. Ask for a specificdescription of the child’s behavior and when theytend to observe the behavior. Look for responsesThe Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.2339Module 2 Handout 2.7: Using Books to Support Emotional LiteracyThe Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel H 2.7With your small group, pick a book to read and then discuss the following questions:Name of Book:What feelings/emotions are discussed in the book?How would you use this book with infants and toddlers to support emotional literacy?7/08

(Handout 2.7)VII. Strategies to BuildSocial Skills (60 min.)from the group that identify behaviors that indicatethat the infant or toddler has the capacity toempathize (respond compassionately to the feelingsof others) and some understanding of the need tocomfort; the need to help with something or the needto cooperate.2. Build on comments from the group to make the pointthat peer relationships are complex. Make the pointthat when we think about social skills and thedevelopment of friendship skills, we often think ofolder children. Yet, how we as adults interact withchildren from the very beginning fosters socialdevelopment. The way we interact with childrenevery day, provides a model for how they learn tointeract. How we model interacting with others is howchildren learn to interact and behave toward others.B. Slide 40, 41, & 42: Development of Play Skills forInfants and Toddlers. Go through the age groups andtalk about and expand on the progressive developmentof play skills in the typically developing child. Remindparticipants that the primary play mode of the childunder three is playing alone with objects. His skills inlanguage and his desire to interact with others are

growing but he still has limited ability to negotiate orengage in extended interaction without the support ofadult caregivers.1. Make the point that we have talked about some ofthe ways we can support the development of moreadvanced cooperative play or friendship skills. UseSlide 43: Setting up the Environment for theDevelopment of Friendship Skills to highlight someof the things that have already been discussed in theroutines and environment sections of the Module.Give examples or have the group offer examples.Use the examples provided if needed.a. Examine the physical environment to ensure thatthere is enough space for infants, toddlers, andadults to engage in social activities. Examples: onthe floor, in soft nests where the adult issupported, rockers/sliders.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.2440414243b. Examine the physical environment for spaces fortwo or more children to enjoy side by side activityand for adults to be seated close by forsupervision. Examples: lofts, rocking boats, blockareas, climbing boxes or play houses.c. Examine the schedule for multiple opportunities todevelop play skills each day. Examples: readingtimes, eating times, play times.d. Look at equipment choices for items thatencourage two children to interact. Examples:grocery carts, doll strollers, blocks, trucks, kitchenequipment, books.e. Ensure that there are enough materials for two ormore children to use at a time. Examples:stacking toys, cars, dolls, puzzles, or othermanipulative materials.2. Slide 44: Promoting the Development ofFriendship Skills. Highlight other strategies that wecan use to encourage the development of friendshipskills in infants and toddlers. Provide examples orask for examples from the group. Use examplesprovided if necessary.a. Set up activities for two children rather than more

than two. Two toddlers together are more likely tosuccessfully interact than toddlers in groups ofthree or more children. Examples: getting readyfor snack, singing a song or reading a booktogether, dress up hats. Let’s look at a video(Video 2.4) that illustrates this point (Slide 45).Ask participants to discuss how the adult involvedboth children.b. Encourage toddlers to help each other and doroutines together. Examples: hand washing,brushing teeth, cleaning up toys.c. Provide positive guidance and verbal support forplaying together and helping each other.Examples: “Maria and Tasha, you are doing sucha good job rolling out the play doughtogether.” “Tasha, please hand Maria her spoon.”“Gabriel, will you take this book to Benji?”The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.254544d. Read books about friends, playing together,helping each other, etc.e. Practice turn-taking and sharing. Remindparticipants that turn taking is an importantexchange both between adults and infants andtoddlers and between two children. It is one of thebeginning concepts in infancy that will support anunderstanding of communication or conversationand is a beginning social skill. For example playgames that involve “your turn, my turn.” Wheninteracting with infants, play turn-taking games byimitating infants sounds and then waiting for aresponse back from the infant. This is how infantsstart to learn “your turn, my turn.” Ask forexamples from the group about how to helptoddlers learn to take turns.Remind participants that children learn aboutturn-taking and sharing gradually within thecontext of responsive and nurturing relationships.It is very important that we support toddlers asthey begin to learn about sharing and navigatingplay situations with others. We need to “teach”them what to do. As an example, haveparticipants watch Video 2.5, Slide 46. Explain

that the little girl in the video had been bitingchildren at her child care center when they gottoo close to her or tried to take a toy she wasplaying with. Ask participants to note what theparent does to support her child and teach herwhat to do. After watching the video, ask forobservations and comments. Make sure thatparticipants notice that Mom not only taught thechild to “walk away, ” but they also practicedwalking away. The same strategy was used inteaching her how to share.C. Tell participants that Handout 2.8: Cooperation andHandout 2.9: Infant and Toddler Peer Behavior maybe useful tools for staff and parents and may be helpfulas they do the following activity.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.2646Module 2 Handout 2.8: CooperationCooperation is the ability to balance one’s own needswith someone else’s. We often think of cooperation aschildren doing what adults want. That is compliance.True cooperation means a joint effort—a give and takethat is mutually satisfying. To develop a cooperativespirit in children, we need to help them understandhow our requests and rules are good for everyone.Following are examples of ways that cooperativenessgrows across the first three years of life:• A 3-month-old wakes and begins to cry for milk. Hismother, who is just putting the last dish in thedishwasher, says, “I’ll be with you in one minute,honey. I know you’re hungry.” The baby quiets abit and sucks on his fingers. This baby is learningthat while he may sometimes need to wait a bit, hisneeds are important and will be met.• A 14-month-old happily drops socks and t-shirtsfrom one laundry basket into the other. Hisgrandmother says, “Thank you for helping me sortthe laundry. Why don’t you come while I put it in thewashing machine? I’ll lift you up so you can pressthe button. Then we’ll go for a walk.” This youngtoddler is learning that part of being in a family isworking together to complete daily chores.• Two 30-month-olds reach for the same bright redshovel in the sand box. One grabs, the other grabs.Tears follow, while each assures the other: “Mine!”One child’s father steps in and gently separates thetwo, handing a red shovel to one and a plasticbulldozer to the other. He shows them how one canbulldoze a pile of dirt, which the other can shovelinto a bucket. These children are learning how toresolve conflict, cope with disappointment, and buildrelationships through cooperative play.Below are ways you can help your child experience therewards and develop the skill of cooperating.Take turns. Between 6 and 9 months, babies can beginto engage in back-and-forth interactions. They also learnto imitate. This is a great time to encourage turn-takingas you play with your baby. When you place a block inthe bucket, give him time to copy you. Take turns puttingobjects in the bucket and dumping them out. As he getsolder, take turns putting pieces in the puzzle, or shapesin the shape-sorter. When it’s time to clean up, make agame of taking turns placing toys back on the shelf.These experiences are opportunities for him to feel thepleasure of accomplishing something as a team.Explain your reasons for limits and requests. Atthree years old, most children use and understandlanguage well enough to handle simple explanations.Point out how rules benefit the whole family. "We allhelp clean up. Then we don’t lose our toys and we canfind them again." "When you help me put away thelaundry, I finish quicker and then we can play."Take time to problem-solve. You can help your oldertwo- and three-year-olds come up with solutions toeveryday dilemmas and encourage cooperation at thesame time. Here are steps to try to help you teachproblem-solving skills to your child:• State the problem. "You want to draw on the wall butmommy says no."• Ask a question. "Where else could you draw?"• Try a solution. Offer two options, both of which areacceptable to you—perhaps either paper or acardboard box. If she insists she wants to draw onthe refrigerator, set a limit. "I’ll put the crayons awayuntil we agree on a place to draw."• Then re-direct. Most young children need help findingacceptable ways they can channel their desires. "Youcan put magnetic letters on the refrigerator."Do chores together starting at an early age. Let yourchild grow up experiencing the benefits of cooperation.Together you can set the table, clean up toys, or washthe car. Point out the advantages of cooperating. "Lookhow fast we set the table. Now we have time to read abook before dinner." "Boy was it fun to wash the car withyou. You are a great scrubber! Look how bright andshiny you made our car!"

(Handout 2.8)Module 2 Handout 2.9: Infant and Toddler Peer Behavior0–4 Months• Infants like to look at each other.• Infants prefer to look at faces, especially at eyes.• By 2-3 months, an infant will smile at another infant.• A 3-month-old infant lying on his back will reach outto touch a peer next to him/her.4–8 Months• Infants may poke, push, pat, etc., another baby tosee what that other infant will do. They often lookvery surprised at the reaction they get.• Infants like to look at, approach other infants, andinitiate (Selby & Bradley, 2003).• Infants smile and laugh at each other.• Infants cooed at each other (Porter, 2003)• Infants as young as 6-months of age showed moreinterest in peer strangers than in adult strangers(Brooks & Lewis, 1976).• Six-month-olds showed more excitement at photos of6-month-olds than at photos of 9- and 12-month-olds(Sanefuji, Ohgami, & Hashiya, 2006)• Infants may interact with peers with their whole body:rolling into them, crawling over them, licking orsucking on them, or sitting on them.8–12 Months• Infants like to touch each other and crawl aroundbeside each other.• Nine-month-olds preferred to look at photos andmovies of babies their own age, rather than at 6- and9-month-olds (Sanefuji, Ohgami, & Hashiya, 2006).• Peek-a-boo is a favorite game at this age, but anadult may need to start the game.• When an infant is placed together with one otherinfant (pairs), more frequent, complex, and intensepeer interaction occurs than when an infant is withmany peers.• Infants can understand another’s goals and use thisawareness to govern their own behavior (Brownell,Ramani, & Zerwas, 2006).• Because infants are now more goal-oriented, theymay push another infant’s hand away from a toy orcrawl over another baby in order to get a toy.• Children begin to communicate in a variety of ways:actions that pacify, threatening actions, aggressiveactions, gestures of fear and retreat, actions thatproduce isolation (Montagner, 1984; Pines, 1984)12–18 Months• Infants may touch the object that a peer holds. Thismay be a positive initiation and interactive skill(Eckerman, Whatley, & McGehee, 1979).• Infants show or give a toy to another child (Porter,2003).• Infants may gesture or try to talk to another child.• Infants initiate play with another infant (Porter, 2003).• Infants will imitate each other at this stage (e.g.making a joyous symphony of spoons banging on thetable at meal time). They communicate with eachother by imitating (Trevarthen & Aitken, 2001).• Actions are carried out with the intention of attaininga goal; however, goals can change from moment tomoment (Jennings, 2004).• 10- to 12-month-olds prefered to look at other infantsof their own gender (Kujawski & Bower, 1993).• Toddlers communicate using their bodies (Lokken,2000; Porter, 2003).• Toddlers share at least 12 themes in their play (e.g.positive affect to share meaning). The children uselaughter to indicate understanding of each other’sactions. They encouraged each other to repeat theirperformances by laughing and/or smiling (Brenner &Mueller, 1982).• Prosocial behavior is present.• Friendships: preferences for another child beganaround 12 months (Howes, 2000).• 4-18-month-olds imitated 3-step sequences andimitated peers better than they imitated adults(Ryalls, Gul, & Gyalls, 2000).• 14- to 18-month-olds could imitate peers both 5minutes and 48 hours after they observed the peer(who had been taught particular actions with toys)(Hanna & Meltzoff, 1993).• Children are little scientists at this age, experimentingto see how things work. This affects how they “getalong” with peers. They are constantly doing things toother children to see what response they will get.• They will enjoy looking at books together by formingan informal group (this means they move in and outof the group) around the legs, lap, and arms of afavorite parent or teacher.• They love sand and water and playing with differentsizes of safe bottles and balls. When each has hisown bin or tub of water or sand, play goes moresmoothly.

(Handout 2.9)D. Slide 47. Activity: Ask participants to partner withsomeone. Suggest that they choose a child in the careof one of them, about whom the participant hasconcerns regarding social relationships with otherchildren. Ask that they discuss the child’s developmentalneeds and develop an informal action plan tointentionally promote the child’s social skills. Haveparticipants share some of their ideas or their actionplan.A. Point out that families play a huge role in supportingsocial emotional literacy in very young children. It is

within the family that children first begin to learn to readother people’s responses to their feelings and behaviors.1. Remind participants that from a very early age,children learn about how emotions can becommunicated by the ways they are expressed byfamily members.2. Children learn about acceptable social emotionalexpression not only from what family members saybut also from their facial expressions and bodylanguage.3. Slide 48. When parents talk to their babies andtoddlers and then pause for a response, they send amessage to the child that they are interested in hisresponse. Here is an example (Video 2.6) of aparent who asks questions and listens to theresponses of her toddler as they play together.4. When the baby responds and the parent mirrors thebaby’s tone and demeanor and responds in turn, thebaby learns that he is being heard and that what hehas to “say” is important.5. The baby learns that his efforts to communicate,initially through coos, grunts, and crying and thenincreasingly through words, are important to theadults he cares about. This “dance” ofcommunication tells him that he is worthy of attentionand that his parents will respond to his efforts tocommunicate.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

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VIII. Working inPartnership withFamilies (45 min.)4748B. This, of course, is not always the situation that babiesand toddlers encounter in their families. The challengesthat families face as a result of poverty, drug abuse,family violence, social isolation, and other stressors maymake them less than responsive to the social emotionalneeds of infants and toddlers. In such cases, infanttoddlercaregivers can play a very important role inpartnering with and supporting these families to bettermeet the needs of their young children.1. Make the point that in order to offer the most supportto the social emotional development of infants and

toddlers we need to first form an alliance with thechild’s parents.a. Our role is to assume that each parent wants thebest for his or her child and to respect theexpertise parents have about their children.b. An indication that you see yourself in the role of aloving secondary attachment figure rather than inthe role of the expert or teacher may be helpfulas you work to develop a bridge between thepractices in the home and the practices in thecare setting.c. The same skills used to develop relationshipswith infants and toddlers are needed to developrelationship with their parents. The developmentof respect and trust between parents andproviders of child care or home visitationservices may present the most challengingaspects of relationship building.C. Slide 49. Activity. Distribute Handouts 2.10, 2.11, 2.12.Divide the large group into smaller groups of 4 to 6. Ingeneral the goal of this exercise is to encourage theparticipants to consider the fact that there may bemultiple explanations for the behaviors we see betweenparents and children. Our goal is to partner in such away that we will be able to understand both the childrenand the parents.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.28Module 2 Handout 2.10: Vignette 1: FernandoQuestion 1: What questions do youhave about this situation?Question 2: What do you think thatFernando is experiencing?Question 3: What do you think thatFernando’s parents are feeling?Question 4: What do you think thatLilia is feeling? What do you dowhen you feel this way?Question 5: What suggestions doyou have for Lilia on how she mightfind a way to communicate with theparents? What strategies would youuse to engage with this family andaddress Fernando's needs? Howmight these strategies impact thedevelopment of Fernando’s socialemotional development?

Vignette 1. FernandoFernando is 15 months old and is cared for in the family child carehome of Lilia Potter. Fernando’s mother, Fatima, and father, Juan, areimmigrants from Central America; have little formal education; andspeak only minimal English. Lilia, who speaks only English, is prettysure that both parents understand more English than they can speak,but she is not clear about what they understand. When they drop offand pick up Fernando, they are brought by a social service agencyrepresentative and do not stay long. In the morning, when they arrive,Fernando’s mother usually does not make eye contact with Lilia as sheplaces Fernando on the carpet in the center of the room. Typically, shedoes not speak to Fernando and moves quickly out the door as hestarts crying. Fernando’s father is usually the one to pick him up in theafternoon. He just removes Fernando from whatever he is doing andgoes back out the door. Lilia has noticed that if he is fussing whenJuan arrives, Fernando stops crying immediately and stays focused asJuan approaches. Lilia usually speaks to both Juan and Fatima, butshe has not been able to get them to respond or stop to communicate.The parents do not bring anything, such as a special blanket or toy, forFernando and take nothing home at the end of the day.Fernando has been coming to child care less than week but has criedthe better part of most of those days. He cries when Lilia puts himdown and has done very little other than sleep in her arms. He will eatif she feeds him but does not drink from a cup and does not even takea bottle easily. He looks unhappy most of the time.Lilia, who takes referrals from a social service program, has agreed totake this toddler on an emergency basis, but is struggling to care forFernando and the other children in her home. She is wondering howshe can build a partnership with the parents to ensure that she will bemore able to understand and meet Fernando’s needs. She doesn’tknow how much longer this situation can go on.

Module 2 Handout 2.11: Vignette 2: TomikaQuestion 1: What questions do youhave about this situation?Question 2: What do you think thatTomika is experiencing?Question 3: What do you thinkLoretta is feeling?Question 4: What do you thinkNina is feeling? What do you dowhen you feel this way?Question 5: What strategies wouldyou use to develop a partnershipwith the mother in behalf of Tomika’ssocial emotional development? Howmight these strategies impact thedevelopment of Fernando’s socialemotional development?

Vignette 2. TomikaTomika, 6 months old, is lying on her back, while drinking her bottle.On the sofa at Tomika’s head, is her mother, Loretta, who is busypicking lint out of Tomika’s hair. Nina, a home visitor meeting Lorettaand Tomika for the first time, is sitting on a chair across from Tomikaand Loretta. Loretta has told the worker who enrolled her in thehome visiting program, that she is not sure she is a good mom butshe is not sure she needs someone coming to the house. Loretta’smother, her older brother, his girl friend and their baby, the othermembers of the family, are in the adjacent kitchen and in and out ofthe room where Nina is visiting Tomika and Loretta.Nina is concerned about the things she is hearing Loretta say toTomika, who just lies quietly, looking at the ceiling and drinking herbottle. Loretta’s voice is gruff and she is delivering one negativecomment after the other to Tomika as she pulls small bits fromTomika’s hair and gently combs the curls around her finger. “Youstink.” ”Eat your food. “ “Your head looks like a dust rag.” Lorettadoes not meet Nina’s eyes and does not respond when Nina saysshe has a blanket and some toys in her bag. She has not looked atthe program material that Nina has brought with her. She hasanswered some questions with one or two word answers. Nina isstruggling to think of a way to begin a partnership with Loretta.

(Handout 2.11)Module 2 Handout 2.12: Vignette 4: BenjiQuestion 1: What questions doyou have about this situation?Question 2: What do you thinkthat Benji is experiencing?Question 3: What do you thinkVivian is feeling?Question 4: What do you thinkClaire is feeling? What do you dowhen you feel this way?Question 5: What strategies wouldyou use to develop a partnershipwith Vivian in this situation? Whatdo you think the social emotionalissues are for Benji at this age?

Vignette 3. BenjiBenji is 25 months old. He is an active, exuberant boy. He racesinto the center everyday with a big smile and rushes up to grabwhatever is out on the tables. His mother Vivian, comes in behindhim, often fusses at him and drags him by his arm over to the cubiesto hang his coat and put away anything she has brought from home.She rarely has anything to say to the caregivers and will leavewithout saying good bye, though she usually looks at Benji absorbedin play, as she goes. Benji is always clean and usually has oncarefully pressed clothes. In the afternoon when Vivian picks him up,she always checks the menu or asks about lunch and oftencomments on the presence or lack of meat. Vivian, has never beenheard to ask Benji about his day but will frequently tell him that hehas gotten dirty.Benji is on the go all day and does not sit except for a brief time atlunch, snack and nap time. Benji’s use of language is minimal andhe uses single words to express his needs. While his mood is usuallypositive, Benji uses fleeting eye contact and stays with one activityfor only a short time. Efforts to engage him in exploration of objectsand more extended play usually are not successful and he will meltdown into a tantrum if he is held back from continuous activity. Hedoes fall asleep quickly when he is asked to lie down for a nap andtypically he sleeps longer than most children in the classroom.Vivian has begun to tell Benji that he is to use the toilet. She has notapproached Claire, the lead teacher in the classroom but hercomments have been loud enough now, for two days, that Claireknows she needs to plan a strategy for this situation with Benji andVivian. Claire knows that Benji is not ready to use the toilet. Hedrinks a great deal during the day and his diapers are almost alwayswet. His bowel movements are irregular and his ability to focus andtolerate frustration is limited.

(Handout 2.12)49(Handout 2.10)1. Ask participants to take a few minutes to read thevignettes and to think about how caregivers could

help support the parents in the vignettes in ways thatmight enhance the parent’s long term ability to attendto their children’s social emotional development.2. Ask that the small groups discuss a vignette andanswer the questions. Bring the large group backtogether and develop a discussion with the totalgroup about the role of the caregiver with the familyin each vignette. Write out responses on the flipchart.3. The following examples of responses may be used toguide the discussion about parent partnerships.• Vignette 1: FernandoQ1. How much English do the parentsunderstand? Who has been caring forFernando and in what situation? Do theparents know why he is crying? What does helike to eat and how does he sleep at home?Does he have a Binky or special blanket?What makes him happy and what does he liketo play with?Q2. Fernando may be feeling very muchabandoned by his parents. He may neverhave been away from his mother and father.He may believe his cries will bring his parentsto him. He may spend most of his time insomeone’s arms and he may be a breastfedbaby who sleeps in his parents’ bed. He maybe confused by the lack of communicationfrom his parents about the new care setting.Q3. Fatima and Juan may be very shy and/orfeel ashamed of leaving their child in someoneelse’s care. Their failure to respond to Liliamay be because they don’t understand whatshe is saying and they feel it is better to justleave. They may be so upset by leavingFernando that they cannot stand to hear himcry. Fatima, in particular may feel thatThe Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

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Fernando might begin to love and need Liliamore than he loves or needs her. They maynot bring anything for him because they do nothave a home and have had to abandon theirpossessions. They may have things for himbut no way to wash them and they are

ashamed, so they leave them where theysleep. They may think the caregiver’s housewhere he stays is so much nicer than theirs,that their things would be meaningless.Q4. Lilia may be feeling overwhelmed andangry that she agreed to take this child whocannot stop crying. She may feel that she caneventually comfort him but may be feelingguilty about the other children and impatientwith Fernando. She may be angry at theparents because they don’t try tocommunicate and they seem eager to getaway. She may feel angry because theagency is not offering more support. She maybe wondering if they are taking advantage ofher generosity.Q5. Lilia might want to take some videos orphotos of Fernando during the day on a digitalcamera. She might be ready to press theparents to sit before they leave to look at thecamera. She may want to get some Spanishlullabies to play during the day and to have onwhen the parents come. She may want tohave a friend or the agency translate a notethat she would write about his first days withher, though she will need to know if they areliterate in Spanish. She may first want to callthe agency and insist that there be someonewho can provide interpreter services by thenext day. If they do not have an interpreter,she may want to insist that they find someonewho can at least sit with her to do a parentinterview so that she can find out more aboutthe family, their circumstances, Fernando’seating habits, etc.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

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b. Vignette 2. TomikaQ1. How old is Loretta? What is her situationwith a job or school? Who takes care ofTomika on a regular basis? What does Tomikalike to do? How does the family feel abouthaving a stranger in their house? Does Lorettaread?Q2. Tomika might be enjoying having her

mother “play” with her hair. She might enjoyhaving her mother close by. She might havehad a hard night and like just resting. Shemight wonder who the stranger is in herhouse. She may be so used to her mother’svoice that she is not negatively affected by thewords or voice.Q3. Loretta may be very shy and uncertainabout having a home visitor. She may feelvery insecure about her ability to mother herdaughter. She may be afraid to say anythingfor fear that it might be the wrong thing andthat somehow she could lose custody of herbaby. She may feel that she does not havecontrol over anything in her life but the babyon the couch beside her. She may resentanyone she thinks may be trying to tell herwhat to do with her child. She may not havemuch to say to adults but she trusts that herdaughter loves her and listens to what shesays.Q4. Nina may not have much experienceworking in homes and may feel insecure. Shemay be very upset about what she hearsLoretta saying to Tomika. She may be gettingangry that Loretta is saying so little. She maybe frightened about what she is seeing in thehouse. She may feel very sad about seeingthis child and her mother with so little going onbetween them.Q5. It might be useful to try just making anobservation of Tomika and run a gentlenarrative: “Hi Tomika. I see you drinking yourThe Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

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bottle. I see you mommy fixing your hair. I betyou like having your mommy playing with yourhair. “It might be useful to try observing and findingwords for strengths such as talking about howcalm Tomika is and how well she is toleratingthe visit from a stranger. It might be useful totry wondering out loud if she plays with hercousin when she is not playing with hermommy.

It might be useful to empathize out loud withhow early it is to have a visitor, a stranger Idon’t know coming to my house. It might bewise not to stay long but plan to come back inless than a week and stay another short time.If Nina got any sign of interest such as eyecontact from either Tomika or Loretta, shemight try moving in a little closer with a book,sitting on the floor and reading it to Tomikaand Loretta.c. Vignette 3. BenjiQ1. Who are the members of Benji’s family?Does his mother talk care of him all byherself? Does Benji get to play and be activewhen he is away from the program? HasVivian ever left Benji in a group program?Q2. Benji may be feeling very happy to be atthe program where there are things to do andother children to be with. He may be happythat his mother brings him to play. Benji maybe anxious about other situations or otherrelationships that are challenging for hisdevelopmental level.Q3. Vivian may be feeling very overwhelmedwith the care of this active little boy. She maybe struggling to work and take care of him byherself. She may feel guilty for leaving himand may not be sure that the center will careenough about him to feed him well and keephim clean. She may use his cleanliness andhis behavior as measures of her self-worth.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

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She may be worried that there is somethingwrong with him because he is so active anddoes not talk more. She may feel she is not incontrol of him and barely in control of herself.She may feel inadequate in comparison to thestaff. She may be desperate about money andvery anxious not to have the expense ofdiapers. She may have other people in herlife that are pushing her to get Benji out ofdiapers.Q4. Claire may feel dread about having todeal with Vivian because she has negative

feelings about the interaction between Vivianand Benji. She may feel that Vivian will beangry if Claire asks her to wait to toilet trainBenji. She may worry that Vivian will feelnegative about Benji if she tells Vivian thatBenji is not ready. She may wonder how Benjiis treated at home and if his activity level is areaction to something going on at home.Claire may want Vivian to like her but ischallenged by what she views as Vivian’stendency to avoid her.Q5. It might be useful to arrange to be closeto the door when Benji arrives in order to greethim and help steer him back to say good byeto his mother and to help her get his coat off,etc. It might be useful to join in with her whenshe comes in the afternoon to examine thelunch menu and to empathize with her aboutthe dirty clothes. It might be helpful toacknowledge how nice he looks when shebrings him and how dirty he is when heleaves. Rather than being defensive orinstructive about the need for children to haveon play clothes, it might be helpful to firstsupport her perspective and her values. Itmight be useful to approach her and raise theThe Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

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issue of potty training and ask for anappointment to talk about a joint plan for Benji.Then when there is privacy and hopefully amore relaxed setting, it might be useful to talkthrough Benji’s development and hisreadiness for potty training.D. Point out that Handout 2.13 - Tips on Nurturing YourChild’s Social Emotional Development - may be auseful tool in assisting parents to support their children’ssocial emotional development.A. Remind participants that today we have been talkingabout the importance of relationships, responsive care,routines, physical environments, and being intentionalabout providing opportunities to support the socialemotional development of infants and toddlers.B. Slide 50. Activity. Ask participants to divide into sixsmall groups and give them each several sheets of chart

paper and several markers.1. Assign each group two letters in the word“relationship.” Ask each group to come up with all thewords they can think of having to do with socialemotional development that start with those twoletters. Remind participants that no matter whatwe are focusing on, whether it is setting upenvironments, schedules and routines, or promptingemotional literacy—it all goes back to relationships!2. Then ask them to create a bumper sticker, slogan, orjingle using as many of those words as they canwork in. They can make slogans that mix theassigned letters or do single letter slogans. Theproduct can be funny or silly or serious. The goal isto create something that will help them rememberhow important relationships are in working withinfants and toddlers. Example: R-words: read,respond, regulate, rock, respect. Slogan: Respond,Regulate and Respect = Rock’n Relationships.3. Ask the groups to share their results. If this group ismeeting again, it may be useful to keep the slogansto use in future training sessions.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.3450IX. Bringing it AllTogether (20 min.)Module 2 Handout 2.13: TipsThe Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/cse7/08HRelationships are the way babies come to know theworld and their place in it. They provide the lovingcontext necessary to comfort, protect, encourage, andoffer a buffer against stressful times. It is throughrelationships that young children develop socialemotional wellness, which includes the ability to formsatisfying relationships with others, play, communicate,learn, face challenges, and experience emotions. Inaddition, nurturing relationships are crucial for thedevelopment of trust, empathy, compassion, generosity,and conscience.Social-emotional wellness is often known as infantmental health by early childhood professionals. In anutshell, it is the developing capacity to experience andregulate emotions, form secure relationships, andexplore and learn—all in the context of the child's family,community and cultural background.Provide your child with responsive care.Elaine is feeding her 8-month-old daughter Jessicasome cereal. Jessica grabs the spoon out of her handand proceeds to feed herself. Elaine almost grabs thespoon back, but instead, waits to see what will happennext. Jessica's try at feeding herself is a little slow, andvery messy, but she manages to get a few spoonfulsinto her mouth. Elaine sees that Jessica is reallyinvolved in trying to feed herself, and also notices thatJessica is not actually getting too much food in hermouth. Her solution? She gets another spoon, andoffers Jessica cereal herself to supplement herdaughter's efforts.What Elaine did might seem simple, but it can be prettyhard. It takes time to slow down, and carefully look at,or observe, what your child is doing, in order to learnwhat the behavior might mean. In this case, Jessicawas saying, "Hey, I want to try to feed myself with aspoon! I can do it!" Elaine had to be willing and able totake the time, put up with some mess, and find a way torespond to Jessica's needs both for food (nutrition forher body) and for a chance to try something new(nutrition for her mind).How often do you observe what your child is doing?Sounds like a silly question with the answer being, "Iwatch him all the time!" However, we often are with ourchildren without really observing them. Observinginvolves looking at what your child is doing, listening towhat he is saying, and learning about your child'sindividual way of approaching the world (is he a jumpin and "let's go" child or a sit back and "take it slow"child; is he a "high reactor" who let's you know how hefeels when he feels it or a "low reactor" who's prettylaid back, etc.). Taking time to really sit and observewhat children do can tell us a lot. It provides us withclues about what makes our child tick. Those cluesallow us to make better educated guesses about whythey behave as they do, and help us as parents andcaregivers to respond in a way that is productive andsupports their development. When children feelresponded to and understood, they develop confidenceand good self-esteem.Be affectionate and nurturing.Sonya scoops little Jacob out of the tub. "You smell sogood! What a pretty baby you are!" she says as shewraps him in a soft, warm towel and gives him a hug.Jacob squeals with delight and then snuggles downinto mom's arms. Bath time is so much fun—whereelse can you splash and play each day in a big puddlewith toys and all of the attention focused on you?!Jacob loves his time in the tub where he has a ballplaying and where mom takes care of keeping himsafe and getting him clean. He knows he is safe andspecial to this person he trusts so much.The sight of a cute baby makes us want to coo, gurgle,and entertain to get that wonderful baby smile.Feelings of affection can be a little harder to come byduring prolonged crying spells or tantrums—butfortunately, most of us can find our feelings of love anddesire to nurture little ones even during trying times.Touching, holding, comforting, rocking, singing andtalking to babies are things that may seem to be thenatural way to play with a baby or to comfort adistressed young child. These interactions are morethan meets the eye—they also provide precisely thestimulation their growing brains need. Loving touches

Tips on Nurturing Your Child's Social-Emotional Development

(Handout 2.13)A. Slide 51. Major Messages to Take Home. Review as asummary of the day’s training.B. Review each message. Ask if participants have others toadd.C. Thank participants for coming and for their attention andparticipation.D. Ask the participants to complete the evaluation(Handout 2.14).ResourcesButterfield, P., Martin, C., & Prairie, P. (2003). Emotional

connections: How relationships guide early learning.Washington, DC: ZERO TO THREE Press.California Department of Education, Child DevelopmentLaboratory, Center for Child and Family Studies, (1990).The program for infant/toddler caregivers, Sacramento, CA.Im, J.H., Osborn, C.A., Sanchez, S.Y. & Thorp, E. K. (2007).Cradling literacy: Building teachers' skills to nurture earlylanguage and literacy from birth to five. Washington, D.C:ZERO TO THREE Press.Kostelnik, M., Whiren, A., Soderman, A., Gregory, K., &Stein, L. (2002). Guiding children's social development:Theory to practice. Fourth Edition. Albany, NY: Delmar.Lieberman, A. (1993).The emotional life of the toddler. NewYork: Free Press.Wittmer, D.S. & Petersen, S.H. (2006). Infant and toddlerdevelopment and responsive program planning: Arelationship-based approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ:Merrill Prentice-Hall.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.3551X. Summary and Closing(10 min.)Location: Date:Program Affiliation (check one);❑ Head Start ❑ Early Head Start ❑ Child Care ❑ Other (please list)Position (check one):❑ Administrator ❑ Education Coordinator ❑ Disability Coordinator ❑ Mental Health Consultant❑ Teacher ❑ Teacher Assistant ❑ Other (please list)Please respond to the following questions regarding this training:(8) The best features of this training session were….(9) My suggestions for improvement are…(10) Other comments and reactions I wish to offer (please use the back of this form forextra space):

Module 2 Session Evaluation Form08 The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel H 2:14Please take a moment to provide feedback on the training that you received. Check the box that correspondsin your opinion to each statement or check N/A if not applicable. Please add any additional comments that youmay have at the bottom of the page. When the survey is completed, leave it with your trainer.Please put an “X” in the box that best describes your opinionas a result of attending this training…(1) I have increased my understanding of the importance ofmy relationships with the infants and toddlers I work with.(2) I can describe the importance of being intentional aboutsupporting the social emotional competence of infants andtoddlers.(3) I have increased my understanding of the impact of theenvironment on the opportunity that infants and toddlershave to expand their social skills.(4) I have increased my appreciation of the importance ofusing routines of care to support the social emotional developmentof infants and toddlers..(5) I can define social emotional literacy and describe thekinds of interactions with infants and toddlers that will supportthe growth their social emotional literacy.(6) I have increased my awareness of strategies that can beused to build social skills in infants and toddlers.Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly N/AAgree Agree Disagree Disagree

(Handout 2.14)Video SourcesLearning Happens: 30 video vignettes of babies andtoddlers learning school readinesss skills through everydayinteractions (2007). Videos 2.4 and 2.6. Lerner & Parlakian.Washington, DC: ZERO TO THREE. Used with permissionand available at www.zerotothree.org.Cradling literacy: Building teachers' skills to nurture earlylanguage and literacy from birth to five (2007). Video 2.3.Im, Osborn, Sanchez, & Thorp. Washington, DC: ZERO TOTHREE. Used with permission and available atwww.zerotothree.org.Learning and growing together with families - Videopackage (2001). Videos 2.1 and 2.2. Washington, DC:ZERO TO THREE. Used with permission and available atwww.zerotothree.org.The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel

Module 2 Responsive Routines, Environments, and Strategies7/08 P 2.36