Endearing communication

This is one of the pictures, I like to use to highlight the communication process between parents and young children.

The mother is reaching out to her son and the son is reaching out to his mother.

There are at least three messages we can pick up from this meeting between the mother and the child.

First is the look, where the eyes meet and exchange affection and joy. An engaging look draws the two into intimacy and trust. The look although  a physical activity evokes emotion, attachment and feelings of nearness.

Secondly, it is the way they are positioned- the mother with her flexed neck looking towards her son and the child lifting the head and looking at his mother. This position has a metaphorical meaning. Every parent has to reach out to the level of the child and it is then a child is enabled to bridge the gap that separates the two because of age, experience, understanding, etc. It is  along journey for any parent to be on this habit of connecting with the child and it is spontaneous for a child to reciprocate. Some children take longer time to respond and some do inconsistently. However this parent initiated engagement of infants and toddlers through play, verbal communication, physical intimacy, and occasions to build sense of belonging are foundational for the social and emotional maturity of young children.

The third is the way the child holds his hands during this engagement of communication. Most children are 'possessive'. They seek for private times with each parent. They communicate it by crying to be carried; showing restlessness to be played with, conveying anxiety by crying when taken to an unfamiliar public place or insisting on the proximity and presence of parents. These are transitional needs of infants and toddlers. These needs are inherent to their developmental evolution. When these needs are not met, they may eat less, sleep less, play less or show signs of irritability and social discomfort.  

A child may engage oneself in self play, watching TV, etc. They are lesser valuable substitutes to dynamic and effective communication between young children and parents in a leisurely and playful environment.

M.C.Mathew(text photo)