API of East Portland, Oregon: Philosophy
Philosophy Meetings Membership Topic Calendar Links Home	Provide Consistent and Loving Care: The Eight Principles of Attachment Parenting The following is a condensed version of this Principle. If you have questions about this Principle or how to apply it to your family situation, please contact an API Leader near you. Babies and young children have an intense need for the physical presence of a consistent, loving, responsive caregiver: ideally a parent. Daily care and playful, loving interactions build strong bonds. By providing consistent, loving care from early infancy, parents strengthen their relationship with their child and build a healthy attachment. If neither parent can be a full-time caregiver, then a child needs someone who is not only consistent and loving, but has formed a bond with them and consciously provides care in a way that strengthens the attachment relationship. Create Schedules with Baby in Mind Instead of trying to fit baby into the existing pre-baby schedule, come up with creative ways to design new routines that include the baby Consider taking a sleeping baby along on date night, getting exercise by taking walks with baby in a sling, taking a trusted caregiver along for long evenings or special events, and working with employers to create a schedule that maximizes both parents' time with their child Practical Tips for Short Separations Use a trusted caregiver to whom the child is attached and who supports The Eight Principles of Attachment Parenting Respect the child's feelings and follow his lead about his readiness to separate, using creativity to avoid unnecessary anxious experiences Accept that even older children have occasional difficulties with separation Avoid using shame, fear, threats or intimidation to force the separation, or to attempt to prevent children from crying about it It is critically important that parents who are separated from their children spend very focused and intentional time reconnecting with their child after separation Different children are ready for separation at different ages, but research shows separations of longer than two nights can be very difficult for children under the age of three Daycare situations that exceed twenty hours a week can be extremely stressful and detrimental to the long-term health of children under the age of thirty months. In-home care, either by a trusted caregiver or parent, is preferable Working and Alternate Caregivers Explore a variety of economic and work arrangement options to permit your child to be cared for by one or both parents at all times It is extremely important to have continuity of care with a consistent, loving, caregiver Parents should expect and encourage their child to form an attachment to the caregiver Frequent turnover of caregivers can be very damaging to the attachment process Make the transition to a caregiver well in advance of any separation so that it is a gradual process and is comfortable for the child Minimizing the number of hours in non-parental care as much as possible provides the best opportunity for a child to build secure attachments with parents Holding and cuddling helps parents and babies reconnect after being apart. Include the child in day-to-day tasks, and spend non-work time with family
For further information about the group, please contact the Group Leader, Sara.