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Essay on Attachment
Attachment is important because it provides the basis for all future relationships and according to researchers is also the basis for subsequent mental health. Attachment is the strength of the bond between parent or primary caregiver and child. It helps the child develop both socially and emotionally. It is the basis of how they relate to others. It’s the basis for even how we see our spouse. Studies show that kids who have difficulty with attachments when they’re young, are more likely to later become divorced and have difficulty in relating to others.
Attachment is also related to developing a sense of trust – trust that the child’s needs will be met, that they’ll be taken care of and protected, and that the world is a safe and welcoming place. For example, babies who are left screaming for long periods because they’re hungry come to see the world as an unfriendly place. They can’t trust that anyone will take care of them (Katie, 1999). Babies communicate with us through all types of signals. There’s different types of cries that providers need to be aware of that tell the caregiver what the baby needs. There are cautionary ones and signals you can teach other parents and providers to look out for.
A child who gives no response or a child who’s been abandoned doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t need to be held. They either cry too much or they don’t cry at all. But you don’t want a child to go to either extreme. Some people say, “The child never cries, so he never bothers me.” But they don’t realize that child still needs to be held. Just because a baby’s quiet doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to be picked up and comforted (Katie, 1999).Research shows that playing with children helps to facilitate attachment. Insecurely attached babies had parents who were not playful......
