ATTACHMENT AND BRAIN

DEVELOPMENT

Created with lots of love by the

School City of Hobart

Parents as Teachers

Building stronger Brickies…One family at a time

WELCOME TO OUR

PARENT CAFÉ!

LEARN something new today

TALK things over with some old friends and some new ones

REFLECT on how new research fits into the way you parent your children

CREATE a tool for yourself and others to use based on your knowledge and experience

So why did we invite you here?

Okay, and maybe a little bit to drink your coffee in peace!

My Goals For Our Parent

Café • TEACH you something which I

hope you will find valuable as a parent

• LISTEN to your ideas and feedback

• UNDERSTAND that we all have different backgrounds and experiences that form our beliefs and make us the way we are

• VALUE what each of you has to contribute to our time together and to our communityAnd, yes, a small part of me wanted to show off my

sweet little guy, Andrew!

ATTACHMENTDEFINED FOR TODAY’S PURPOSE

The relationship that develops between a child and his or her main caregivers

Window of opportunity is from birth to age 2

Affects social, emotional, and intellectual development later in life

The fact that your child cries/falls-to-the floor/melts-

down/you-name-it when you leave

The way your child talks to his or her pacifier/blanket/Elmo-doll/toy-dinosaur/whatever-it-is-at-your-

house like a long lost friend and can’t possibly live life without it

What is attachment?

What is NOT attachment?

TYPES OF ATTACHMENT

Secure vs. Insecure When a parent

understands their child’s cues and responds warmly

A baby trusts that a parent will care for and comfort it

Parent interacts with the child during daily activities

Parent and child focus on the same activity

Parent does not learn to read the child’s cues

Parent does not comfort baby affectionately or in a timely manner

Baby has not learned to trust his parents to meet his needs

Child’s needs are met inconsistently or ignored

What kind of relationship do you have most of the time?

NOW TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MOTHER/CHILD PAIR AND MAKE

SOME OBSERVATIONS….

Use the reflection sheet provided for you to identify behaviors you see as they interact. Also consider…

• How they communicate with each other verbally?

• What kind of body language and gestures do they make to each other?

• What are each of them paying attention to?

• Has been a time when you’ve felt or acted similarly?

WHY IS ATTACHMENT IMPORTANT?

Developing new relationships

Gaining curiosity and confidence to

explore

BRAIN SIZE!

WHAT DOES RESEARCH SAY?

“New research by neuroscientists and child psychiatrists show that children

whose mothers nurtured them early in life have brains with a larger hippocampus. This is the first research of its kind to

show the link between a mother’s nurturing and changes in the

hippocampus, which is a key brain structure important to learning, memory

and stress response.”Source: Jim Dryden, Washington University School of MedicineSource: http://scitechdaily.com/mothers-nurturing-results-in-

larger-hippocampus-in-children/

WHAT IS A HIPPOCAMPUS?

• Part of the limbic system

• Regulates emotions

• Plays a major role in memory formation

• Controls response to stress

NOW TAKE A LOOK AT ANOTHER MOTHER/CHILD PAIR AND MAKE

MORE OBSERVATIONS….

Use the reflection sheet provided for you to identify behaviors you see as they interact. Also consider…

• How they communicate differently than the first pair we observed?

• What kind of body language and gestures do they make to each other?

• What are each of them paying attention to?

• Has there been a time when you’ve felt like your relationship with you child was at its very best?

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR CHILDREN?

Children who are nurtured in their early years have a brain that is physiologically different than children who are not nurtured (Luby, 2011)

A larger hippocampus is linked to Improved memory Improved ability to cope with stress Improved overall school performance

“This study validates something that seems to be intuitive, which is just how important nurturing parents are to creating adaptive human beings.”

-Joan L. Luby, MD, Professor of Child Psychiatry, Washington University

During this short video clip, watch for Parenting Behaviors one final time. You can also use this time to fill out the rest of the Parent Reflection Sheet which will be yours to take

home with you at the end of the Parent Café.

WHAT DOES THIS MEANFOR PARENTS?

Your Parenting Behaviors play a major role in the PHYSICAL growth of your child’s brain.

You can help your child achieve his or her greatest potential for memory, coping skills, adaptability, and more by creating a healthy, nurturing relationship between you.

You can make our community better by emulating positive Parenting Behaviors you see in others, as well as modeling those same behaviors for others.

TODAY’S TASK…• Collaborate with those at your table to identify

you TOP 3 NURTURING PARENTING BEHAVIORS that would create positive outcomes for kids and families. WRITE THESE ON YOUR CHART PAPER

• Take a look at everyone’s ideas. As a whole group, let’s choose TOP 5 NURTURING PARENTING BEHAVIORS. By taking an active role and purposefully living out these behaviors we are creating healthier families and a healthier community.

• Choose ONE of these behaviors that you want to focus on personally for the next month or so.

Nurturing Parenting Behaviors

Larger Hippocampus

Positive Outcomes for

Kids

Nurturing Parenting Behaviors

Thank you so much for coming to our first Parent Café and making it a success. Please turn your pink paper into the

basket by the door as you are leaving.

Hope you enjoyed our time together!