Today’s article for review was submitted by Rosalind Sedacca, one of our specialists. It is called Working with Children with Attachment Issues and was written by Linda Ranson Jacobs.
Here is how Linda describes the essence of the problem:
A new report was just released by Princeton University that stated approximately 40 percent of children in the U.S. lack strong emotional bonds in their lives. A child’s primary attachments will form with their parents and begin very early in life. However, there are different levels of attachment that kids can form. In the absence of appropriate emotional bonds with their parents, many of these children can still bond with an alternate caregiver such as a grandparent, childcare staff or caring baby sitters. These “secondary bonds” allow these kids to move forward with only minimal attachment issues.
She continues with information about why this issue is so important.
“If children don’t form emotional bonds and connect with their primary care givers as infants, they will more than likely face behavior issues such as aggressiveness and defiance as children and hyperactivity as teens and adults.”
The full article
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tells many reasons for attachment issues. Also included are signs of this problem in children and ways to help.
Most of all, Linda tells us at the end what you can do to help any such deprived children to attach. She even goes so far as to resort to suggesting to attach to things. She wants us to understand that “attachment” is that important.
As with all positive interactions for children, the sooner the better; but as with help for all people “It is never too late to lend a hand.”
• A complete copy of the Princeton report can be downloaded at http://www.suttontrust.com/our-work/research/download/265.
Linda Ranson Jacobs is one of the forefront leaders in the area of children and divorce.
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Thanks for bringing attention to this important factor in child development for so many children. It’s wonderful to be having a conversation about ways we can better parent these children and help other families coping with these challenges.
Thanks for addressing a very important issue! So true never too late to lend a hand!
And Yes the research shows that if a child has at least one important mentor/caring adult in their life it’s a good predictor of success later in life!
There is a wonderful story that renowned Professor Urie Bronfenbrenner of Cornell University once told me. He has since passed away, He said that a particular statement that he had once made about early childhood experiences and later school success was his most quoted statement ever. Whenever asked to repeat it, all would make the same comment, “What does that mean?” He would then explain his truism like this. “Somebody has got to care about the kid.”
“Love” seems to be the secret salsa that is behind his well-researched and logical comment!
Yes so very true love is the secret ingredient but the good kind of love!
If only our culture sincerely put more effort into acknowledging the importance of early childhood nurturing and education and not mere lip service. Repeatedly programs are being cut, teachers disrespected for their value and the focus is on material values. It’s so sad.