Attachment: “An enduring emotional tie that unites the child to the caregiver and has far reaching effects on development” (406). We can form emotional ties with our family, friends, teachers, and Heavenly Father that will enable us to create meaningful relationships and thrive.

Gender: “Gender differences in physical abilities increase:boys more often join organized sports programs.

Gender: I wonder if organized sports programs are an important way for boys to develop healthy attachments. I also wonder if more girls are able to create healthy attachments with one another through friendships

Piaget: “As children grow intellectually, they integrate principles of logic into their thinking, first in everyday situations and later when imagining the future and other abstract topics” (202)pic

Piaget: I wonder if adolescents are able to think critically about their attachments, especially if the teacher provided explicit instruction. I think its important to explore this topic before young people look for a marriage partner.Subtopic

Vygotsky: “Vygotsky placed greater importance on interactions with adults and to some degree older children (who could support performance on challenging tasks and introduce mature interpretations)” (229)

Vygotsky: I think young people and adults underestimate the importance of forming healthing attachments with one another. For some people, the pandemic further isolated people who have a difficult time creating healthy attachments. Teacher can play an important role in creating healthy attachments in the classroom.

Theatre: A theatrical production.

As cast members work together to become characters and create authentic scenes, they learn to depend on one another.

P.E.: Intramural teams

As team members play together, they learn to support one another in order to win the game.

Chorus: Concert

As each section (sopranos, altos, tenors, bases) sing their part, they support one another

“Emerging expectations are facilitated by maturation, cognitive development, and social experience. Bowlby believed that there are four phases in attachment development” (406) As children develop intellectually and socially, they can develop healthy attachments.

Pre-Attachment: “Infants begin to recognize selected caregivers who respond affectionately to them” (407)

When caregivers are present with the infants and respond positively to their “bids” the infants begin to form attachments with them.

Attachment in the Making: “Turn to a few special people who regularly care for them…Attachments can be seen when infants reach out to be picked up by adored caregivers, protest when separated from them, and wriggle and coo when they walk into the room” (407).

As infants become familiar with their caregivers they begin to respond to their efforts to engage them.

Clear-Cut Attachment: “Infants show a full-fledged attachment to one person” (407).

These infants respond happily when their caregiver picks them up.

Reciprocal Relationships: “working models of attachments, which he considered to be rough templates for how activities with caregivers unfold…Infants now actively participate in their relationships, taking turns in a conversation” (407).

The infant anticipates the interaction with the caregiver. They respond to peek a boo or begin running away and laughing when their caregiver says “I’m going to get you”

“Infants who exhibit secure attachment use caregivers as a secure base” (408). When the adults in their lives are dedicated and consistent, children can form secure attachments

“Sensitive attention shifts from hands-on care (e.g., with feeding, diapering, and physically soothing the baby) to guidance with rules” (410).

A wise mother of twelve taught me that if a child had received the love, nourishment, and care they needed in the first twelve months of their lives, they would begin to be independent as young as 18 months. A misconception might occur if parents believe that children no longer need sensitive attention. At all ages and stages, children need thoughtful care, hugs, and someone to listen to them.

“Continuous contact with parents is no longer necessary” (407).

Wise parents rejoice when their children don’t need to constantly be with them and the children feel secure and confident to go out into the world. A misconception might occur is parents believe that their children will no longer want or need to spend time with them. At all stages of life, children will enjoy and even long to be with their parents.

“In their desire for autonomy and close bonds with peers, teens prepare (consciously or not) for departure from the family nest” (408).

As parents, our goal is to develop children who become independent, secure, and prepared to marry and create their own family. A misconception might occur when parents perceive that their children are unhappy at home or with their parents' rules.

Non-Example: Insecure- avoidant “Oblivious to caregiver’s presence” (408)

Infants don’t notice if the caregiver has left the room; they don’t respond to the caregiver’s arrival

Non-Example: Insecure-resistant “Pre-occupied with their caregivers, but not comforted” (408)

The infant hangs on to the caregiver; however, they don’t feel comforted.

Non-Example: “Disorganized and disoriented “Infants lack a coherent way of responding to worrisome events”(408)

The infants are stressed and they’re comforted one minute and unhappy the next.

Example: Secure Attachment: “Use caregivers as a secure base” (408)

Infants feel comfortable playing with toys in the room as they periodically check on their caregiver or crawl over to them.

Over: “They do not run to every whimper, but they do notice and respond to infants’ basic emotional reactions and are faithfully available when infants are in true anguish” (411)

Helicopter parenting is an example of over reacting. When parents hover over their children and respond to every whimper, they’re demonstrating a lack of faith in the child’s ability to form healthy attachments,

Under: “teachers and caregivers should guard against taking single responses from a child as an undisputable indicator of attachment security” (409).

We should avoid categorizing a child in a specific type of attachment classification during the first few weeks of class. They may have extenuating circumstances we’re not aware of.

Pre: What do you know about the student? What do you wnat to know? How will you assess the student’s attachment style? How will you foster a secure attachment?

Post: Look back at the initial assessment and analyze what you’ve learned about the student. What kind of attachments did the student form with you and their peers? What strategies did you use to foster secure attachments? How will you revise your strategies for the next class?