Parents and teachers engage in caring routines with infants and toddlers on a daily basis. Examples are feeding, washing, dressing, and diapering.
It is important for the child to gain independence by developing acceptance of who they are and what they need. Some suggestions to ease the implementation of the caring routines are:
- Be patient with the child as much as time permits.
- Talk to the child by letting him/her know what is going to happen and how.
- Propose options when the infant or toddler could contribute instead of doing everything for them. Have them take control of their bodies.
- Accept the bodily wastes of infants and toddlers and remain positive when changing a child. Explain to them what you are doing so they could transition to taking control of their urges in due time with acceptance.
- Respect children by not engaging in feeding or diapering while ignoring them. Feeding is the starting point of social communication with the child while taking meals as a family.
- Acknowledge that you might have feelings and cultural beliefs about how children should be raised and be willing to review them if they impact negatively on the child.
To read more, refer to:
Greenman, J., Stonehouse, A., & Schweikert, G. (2008). Prime times: A handbook for excellence in infant and toddler programs (2nd ed.). St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.
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