The research topic that I have chosen is "The Social and Emotional Connections of Infants in Relationship with Adults". I chose this because everything begins in infancy and the social connections that infants have with adults and the emotional attachments that they have with adults reflect how they will respond to others in life and it sets the course of their character. This intrigues me because as I work with infant teachers, I find that they struggle with infants who constantly cry and the teachers resolution is "they are spoiled and want too much attention". I want to find out if infants can get spoiled. Most articles that I have read states that they do not but I want to be able to provide teachers with concrete evidence or at least tangible evidence that they will accept and respect.
If any of my colleagues have any literature or books or websites that will be helpful on this subject please share with me. Also, give me your opinion or tell me about your experience with your own infant. I look forward to our dialogue.
All the research I have heard so far says that you cannot spoil an infat under the age of 6 months. Their brains just can't process that way until then. Dr Harvey Karp says 3 months, what he terms the fourth trimester. I will see if I can come up with any concrete references for you - I tell parents all the time, based on our PAT curriculum handouts.
ReplyDeleteI am thrilled to have someone else as passionate about the infants as I am!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteYou may want to look for material in the following journals, all of which can be located through the Walden Library link - "Maternal and Child Health Journal" and "Journal of Early Childhood Research".
I don't think you can ever spoil an infant with too much attention. Children sense and feel anxiety and discomfort in those around them and perhaps they cry because these teachers are anxious at holding them and connecting with them. I think the same holds true for children as they grow older; they are very intuitive to the world and people around them and I believe they respond accordingly; with positive interactions as well as with negative interactions.