The
following quote is from Janet Gonzales-Mena’s book, Infants, Toddlers, and Caregivers: A Curriculum of Respectful and
Responsive Care and Education.
Many psychotherapists attest to
the benefits of being fully present to another person without being directive; yet
most of us seldom get this kind of attention from the people in our lives.
Think for a moment of the delight of having someone’s whole attention at your
command for more than a moment or so.
This
kind of quality time is easy to give, but often not understood or valued. Caregivers
just sitting on the floor where babies and toddlers are playing sometimes feel
as though they are not doing their job. They want to play the role of teachers,
which they interpret as “teaching something.” It is very hard for some adults
to be around small children and not be directive. Being receptive and
responsive is a skill most adults need to learn; it doesn’t seem to just come
naturally. Try it yourself. Choose a time when you will not initiate, only
respond. See how long you can keep in the receptive, responsive mode.
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