2 A sense of self

Babies are social beings from birth. You saw in Week 1 how they can initiate interactions and respond to others’ reactions, and how this recognition of the impact of their actions helps them to develop their idea of themselves as individuals. By the time they are toddlers they are able to recognise themselves in pictures, they can talk about ‘me’ and see family members and objects as theirs (‘my mum’, ‘my teddy’).

This sense of self is developed through the experiences and interactions the babies and toddlers have. They need to have opportunities to use their bodies to explore their environment and the objects within it, and share these experiences with others to form relationships. When a baby gets a response or reaction from an adult that shows they understand how they are feeling, this helps them feel valued. This feeling of being valued and understood encourages the baby to continue exploring ways of expressing themselves and creating connections which gives them the skills to form relationships.

Activity 1 Positive early relationships

Timing: Allow about 5 minutes

The earliest connections that a baby makes are with its parents. The video below explains the impact that building those positive early relationships has on the development of the baby’s sense of self and the impact this has on their future.

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Transcript: Video 1

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SPEAKER

Attachment and bonding is the physical and emotional connection that you have with your baby. Do you ever get the feeling that you know what your baby is feeling just by looking at them? Well, that’s all part of attachment and bonding. We can think of bonding as an intense and positive relationship that develops over time. And a secure attachment is a healthy two-way relationship that protects your baby, makes them feel loved, and believe it or not, actually helps them to learn.

Bonding is very important for your baby’s wellbeing. The way that you respond to your baby’s signals will have an effect on their emotional, social, and intellectual development. When you pay attention to your baby’s crying in a consistent way, your baby forms a strong sense of security and belonging. Once your child feels secure and looked after, they are better able to control their reactions to situations that they find scary or stressful.

Being able to control our feelings is an important part of emotional and intellectual development. We know that the bonds that develop between parents and their infants provides a baby with its first model for close relationships and helps young children to form positive relationships throughout their childhood and on into adulthood.

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Comment

In the video you saw how having a secure attachment enables babies and young children to be confident in exploring their emotions and their environment, and how it allows them to become curious and interested in what is happening around them. Having a strong bond also allows babies and young children to develop resilience and perseverance, knowing that it is ok to fail and try again because they have someone to support and reassure them. All these aspects are essential life skills that we all need.

Having a secure attachment helps children to feel confident and to deal with the full range of emotions they will experience, including those that can seem overwhelming.