32.2.1: Relationships and Curriculum

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Amanda Taintor

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Start with Relationships

The everyday interactions with infants and toddlers form the foundation for quality care. It is only within the context of secure, nurturing relationships with parents, family members, and other caring adults that healthy infant and toddler development and learning happen. Infants are biologically programmed to expect those in their world to care for them, protect them, and do so in a loving way. (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000) Individualizing care and curriculum involves tailoring to each child's needs. No 2 infants or toddlers are the same; each child is unique, making a "one size" curriculum, experience, or interaction a poor fit for all infants and toddlers. Creating a custom fit curriculum requires observation, engagement with families, and knowledge of child development. This knowledge guides how caregivers interact and respond. Caregivers read each child's cues and react in nurturing ways. They also consider individual characteristics, such as the child's age, abilities, needs, and interests, as well as temperament, home language, and family culture.