• Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
24/7 Health News
No Result
View All Result
Home Article

The key to raising secure children: Why parental sensitivity matters for fathers and mothers

June 13, 2024
in Article
The key to raising secure children: Why parental sensitivity matters for fathers and mothers
By engaging in sensitive caregiving, we are helping children feel safe, secure and loved. (Shutterstock)

Have you ever heard of children’s attachment or attachment theory? If you are a parent, caregiver or an educator, chances are that it rings a bell. Children’s attachment refers to a strong emotional bond that children develop toward people who care for them.

A lot of research in recent decades highlights the importance of positive attachment — what scientists call a “secure attachment.”

Secure attachment acts like a superpower for children. When established, it can set the stage for positive outcomes, such as strong academic performance, learning, empathy, emotional regulation and well-being.

As a result, many parents and caregivers want their children to develop a secure attachment. But how can parents and caregivers achieve this?

In our recent study, a synthesis of 174 studies including more than 22,000 parents and children, we confirmed that when parents’ behaviour shows more sensitivity to children’s needs, their child is far more likely to develop secure attachment.

Table of Contents

    • Being present and attentive
    • Being sensitive fosters trust and security
    • Strategies to be more sensitive
  • 1) Recognize children’s signals
  • 2) Respond to children’s signals
  • 3) Respect children’s pace
  • 4) Be kind to yourself

Being present and attentive

As children grow, they face different situations where they need support from their parents. For example, infants may cry because they are hungry, be uncomfortable or feel scared because they heard a loud noise. Older children may scrape their knee falling off their bike or fear a monster in the closet.

A “sensitive” parent is someone who notices when their child needs attention and responds promptly in a way that comforts and reassures the child.

Video about understanding children’s attachment needs from Circle of Security International.

An “insensitive” parent may not notice that their child is in need, or may feel less interested in supporting them. This could happen for multiple reasons. Their attention may be drawn elsewhere: they may be preoccupied with work or personal issues or their phones; they may also have a history of being insensitively parented and lack the knowledge and skills to recognize and respond to their child’s cues effectively.

Being sensitive fosters trust and security

Our study, published in Psychological Bulletin, highlights how sensitive and responsive parenting behaviours are key ingredients to achieving secure attachment.

Importantly, this link was present for children of all ages, as well as for girls and boys.

This study tells us that sensitive behaviours show children that they can rely on their parent in moments of need and trust them to help, which fosters secure attachment.

Children’s sense of secure attachment with their parents or first caregivers is also the foundation for relationships with many other caregivers as children grow up, such as grandparents and educators. By having a caregiver who responds to their needs, children learn that when things get hard, they can rely on others for support and comfort.

A father with baby on his chest.
Children signal their needs differently based on their age.
(Shutterstock)

Many people may primarily think of mothers when it comes to comforting a distressed child. However, our study reiterates that sensitive parenting matters for mothers and fathers alike. Being able to recognize and respond to a child’s needs is about being attentive and caring for the child, and this can be achieved by any caregiver.

Strategies to be more sensitive

Given the importance of sensitive behaviours, parents, grandparents and/or educators may wonder how they can engage in more sensitively with children. Here are four strategies to help.

1) Recognize children’s signals

Try to watch children and pick up on their signals of interest or need. Children signal their needs differently based on their age. For example, babies cry, whimper or grimace to signal their needs. Babies also babble to show their interest in making sounds and to have those sounds be repeated back to them. Older children may cry, openly state their needs or refer to physical symptoms that may signal needs. It’s important to remember that all kids are different, and it may take some time and patience to recognize each child’s specific signals.

2) Respond to children’s signals

Once you recognize the child’s signals, it’s time to respond. It’s like playing a game of tennis — when a child cries or babbles, they are serving the ball. As the caregiver, your job is to watch that ball, and then respond by returning that serve back over the net. This back and forth exchange, often called “serve and return” interactions, fosters secure attachment and positive child development.

Video about the importance of back-and-forth or ‘serve and return’ interactions with children from Alberta Family Wellness.

3) Respect children’s pace

It’s important to let the child take the lead. Allow the child set the pace and direction when you interact with them. For example, a small child might want to stop and inspect every rock or flower on a short walk, which might seem slow or dull to a parent, but is a fascinating adventure to a small child whose brain is rapidly developing. By letting children take the lead during play, encouraging their exploration and commenting on what they are interested in, you are helping them understand their world better.




Read more:
How caregivers can help build children’s emerging language skills


4) Be kind to yourself

Caregivers can sometimes experience pressure to be the “perfect parent.” However, it can sometimes be difficult to respond sensitively when we are feeling stressed or pulled in all directions. So, while we aim for consistency in our caregiving responses, it’s also important to be kind to ourselves and understand that we are human too.

Parenting is a learning journey. By engaging in sensitive caregiving, we are helping children feel safe, secure and loved. These experiences shape their trust and confidence in caregivers, others and the world around them, which can have lasting effects on their well-being.

The Conversation

Audrey-Ann Deneault receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Centre de recherche universitaire sur les jeunes et les familles.

Sheri Madigan receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, an anonymous donor, and the Canada Research Chairs program.

ShareTweetSharePin
Next Post

Another national park season is here. Let’s help the parks embrace our arrival

Most Read

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

December 15, 2022
morning back pain

Morning Again Ache Trigger Is Not the Mattress

October 11, 2021

4 steps to building a healthier relationship with your phone

January 28, 2025

Why Circadian Rhythms Matter for Your Health

July 30, 2024
lower back pain relief exercises

5 decrease again ache aid workouts

October 11, 2021
Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

December 14, 2022
bleeding in gum

When The Bleeding in gum Is Severe ?

October 11, 2021
Good Night Sleep

6 Causes of Good Evening Sleep

October 11, 2021
3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

October 15, 2021
Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

January 3, 2023
Biden is getting prostate cancer treatment, but that’s not the best choice for all men − a cancer researcher describes how she helped her father decide

Biden is getting prostate cancer treatment, but that’s not the best choice for all men − a cancer researcher describes how she helped her father decide

May 20, 2025
Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

October 12, 2021

COVID vaccines: how one can pace up rollout in poorer international locations

October 5, 2021

Maximize Your Performance – Sync with Your Circadian Rhythms

August 9, 2024
Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

December 30, 2022

This Simple Hygiene Habit Could Cut Your Risk of Stroke, New Research Reveals

February 1, 2025

Multiple sclerosis: the link with earlier infection just got stronger – new study

October 12, 2021
Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

December 16, 2021
Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

December 1, 2021
woman covered with white blanket

Exploring the Impact of Sleep Patterns on Mental Health

August 4, 2024
Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

December 2, 2022
News of war can impact your mental health — here’s how to cope

Binge-eating disorder is more common than many realise, yet it’s rarely discussed – here’s what you need to know

December 2, 2022
FDA limits access to COVID-19 vaccine to older adults and other high-risk groups – a public health expert explains the new rules

FDA limits access to COVID-19 vaccine to older adults and other high-risk groups – a public health expert explains the new rules

May 21, 2025
As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

December 14, 2022
GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

December 16, 2022
Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

December 22, 2022
Nutrition advice is rife with misinformation − a medical education specialist explains how to tell valid health information from pseudoscience

Nutrition advice is rife with misinformation − a medical education specialist explains how to tell valid health information from pseudoscience

January 28, 2025
How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

July 6, 2022
How regulatory agencies, not the courts, are imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates

How regulatory agencies, not the courts, are imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates

October 24, 2021
The promise of repairing bones and tendons with human-made materials

The promise of repairing bones and tendons with human-made materials

January 4, 2022
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS

  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS