Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Infants

1.) "Many young children spend more waking hours with caregivers than they do with their primary families" (Swim & Watson, 2011, p. 16). Based on the information presented on pages 9-21 of your course text, explain how the combination of family groupings, continuity of care, primary caregiving, and rich partnerships with families enhance healthy infant development and learning in the context of infant care.

A.) The combination of family groups, continuity of care, primary caregiving, and rich partnership with families enhance healthy infant development and learning. "Family groups for infants and toddlers involves having a small number of children of different ages in the same classroom" (Swim & Watson, 2011, p.16). Allowing an infant to be in a family group enables the infant to have interactions similar to those that come naturally at home. If an infant does get placed in care they need time to create positive emotional bonds with the caregiver(s). Having a child be with the same teacher for a three year period promotes strong attachment. This form of care is known as continuity care.

Infants can also form bonds thru using a primary caregiving system. This method allows for just one caregiver to be primarily responsible for half of the children and the other caregiver takes care of the rest. This allows the teacher to focus more of her attention on a smaller group of children and she is able to focus on their development more. Also parents know what is best for their child. An infant should transition between home and school smoothly and to achieve a smooth transition, caregivers need to partner up with families. Becoming partners allows each person to bring his/her strengths to the relationship. When you recognize, support, and utilize families this improves your effectiveness as a caregiver. You must value each family's childrearing practices and guide/help them along the way.

"Family grouping, continuity of care, primary caregiving, and creating partnerships with families are ways to minimize the effects on children of long hours away from family members" (Swim & Watson, 2011, p.26). Respectful teachers and the best practice possible for the infant is necessary to promote interest, acceptance, and pride among children and families.

2.) Developmentally appropriate practice in infant settings requires understanding the bidirectional and reciprocal relationship between the child and his or her environment. Based on Chapters 1 & 2 of your course text, provide a total of three examples of bidirectional and reciprocal relationships that exist between infants, families and child care settings. Based on these examples, describe the role infant settings can play in supporting infant and family development.

A.) One example of bidirectional and reciprocal relationship is the interaction between infants and their mothers. The