Deborah MacNamara, PhD, is a developmental counsellor and is on faculty at the Neufeld Institute. She makes sense of kids for the adults who are responsibile for them. Deborah is the author of Rest, Play, Grow: Making Sense of Preschoolers (or anyone who acts like one), and Nourished: Connection, Food, and Caring for our Kids (and everyone else we love).
Toddlers are highly dependent on others for caretaking, and staying close to you is one of their biggest jobs.
2. Solicit good intentions.
Rest matters because it frees our attention. When we don’t have to look for love, we can start to figure out who we are.
Come alongside them.
The more our children can feel, the more caring they will be.
Think of it as their shield.
It is the emotional mending of what has been broken that paves the way to being able to thrive and bounce back.
1. We often use the word emotion and feeling interchangeably, but they refer to different things.
You cannot truly care for a child who has not given their heart to you.
When children can take us for granted, they can leap into new surroundings of their own making.
When we get a young child on our side, it can prevent dealing with big reactions and upset in the moment.
