Importance of Nurturing Relationships

Parents can sometimes underestimate their role in their child’s life, believing that children are only educated at school. It’s important for all parents to realize that they posses the key for healthy brain development. Even before they can speak, babies are learning from their parents.

In the academic realm, attachment theory refers to the idea that babies need to develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver in order to survive, and for healthy social and emotional development to occur. Research shows that human infants can develop attachment relationships with more than one caregiver. Nurturing relationships are characterized by the parent or caregiver engaging with the child and responding to his or her actions. Fundamental to this type of relationship are serve and return interactions. When parents are attentive to their child’s attempts to seek help, the child feels seen and valued.

T. Berry Brazelton and Stanley Greenspan wrote a book titled The Irreducible Needs of Children: What Every Child Must Have to Grow, Learn, and Flourish, and they outline the seven fundamental needs that children have.

1. Protection of the future

2. Stable, supporting communities and cultural continuity

3. Settings, structures, and expectations

4. Developmentally appropriate experiences

5. Experiences tailored to individual differences

6. Physical protection, safety, and regulation

7. Ongoing, nurturing relationships—this is the most important, the most fundamental need for children. It is paramount for building a healthy brain.

Additional reading: Five things that you might not know about attachment between parents and kids