Protective Factors Articles: Schools

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. School Connectedness: Strategies for Inceasing Protective Factors Among Youth. Atlanta, Ga.: US. Department of Health and Human Services; 2009. Retrieved on March 12, 2012 from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/adolescenthealth/pdf/connectedness.pdf

"Families, schools, and communities all need to work together to create an environment that facilitates healthy development of children and adolescents." (CDC) This article looks at the connection between families, schools, and communities and how protective factors can be learned in school. Schools can play an important part in influencing children and adolescents. "School connectedness is the belief by students that adults and peers in the school care about their learning." This article looks at why school connectedness is important and beneficial to students.

This article is important to parents and teachers because it shows how schools and peers can influence students in positive ways if students feel that school is a safe environment and a place to learn. "Students are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors and succeed academically when they feel connected to school." (CDC)

Protective Factors Articles: Community

Youth Violence: Risk and Protective Factors (August 30, 2011) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved on March 11, 2012 from http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/youthviolence/riskprotectivefactors.html

This article looks at the protective factors for youth violence which affect many communities in cities across the country. "Protective factors buffer young people from the risks of becoming violent. These factors exist at various levels." (CDC) This article looks at individual/family protective factors and peer/social proctective factors. Many of the points for these protective factors such as a strong support in and from the community, commitment to school, and involvement in social activities help to build protective factors in the community.

This article is important for parents because it lists the protective factors that are beneficial not only to the family and individual child but also the community. If parents can see that they are providing or expecting the bulleted items listed then they will know that they are building protective factors which will be beneficial in the home, school, and community.

Protective Factors Articles: Community

A Cure for Child Abuse. (Dec. 7, 2010). Miller-McCune. Retrieved on March 11, 2012 from http://www.miller-mccune.com/a-cure-for-child-abuse-25882

"Asked to investigate the roots of child abuse, a group of social engineers focused not on its cause but its prevention." (Miller-McCune) This article discusses how the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation reached out to the Center for the Study of Social Policy "with a daunting request: Could it help develop an entirely new approach to the field, a strategy that wouldn't be small-bore, lead-footed, depressin?" (Miller-McCune) This article looks at the affect that programs have on families when they are effective and preventive. It discusses the importance of protective factors. "Their presence - or absence - actually can help predict good or bad outcomes. A family with all the signs of risk - but also all the strength of protective factors - has a strong chance of avoiding maltreatment." (Miller-McCune)

This article is important to parents and caretakes because it shows the measures taken to go further than preventing child support but the importance of building protective factors which would strengthen families making communities stronger.

Protective Factors Articles: School

KidsMatter Primary. Protective Factors for Children's Mental Health. Australia. Australian Government Department of Aging 2009. Retrieved on March 6, 2012 from http://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/

This article looks at how protective factors attempt to reduce influences which may affect a child's mental health. The state of a child's mental health can affect all aspects of their life. Family and school life can be positively affected with strong protective factors in place. "Positive connections between family and school support children's academic achievement and reduce the likelihood of failure." (KM) This article looks at how protective factors "can help to reduce the likelihood of developing mental health problems." (KM)
This article also discusses how protective factors counteract risk factors. "A caring relationship with a parent, caregiver and/or teacher provides children with a source of support to help them cope with difficulties." (KM) This article also breaks down how key protectors such as the child, family, school, life events, and society can influence children's mental health.

This article would be beneficial to parents and teachers because it can help them to understand how protective factors can be instrumental in having a positive affect on a child's mental health. Although this article focuses on how protective factors can reduce risk factors "it is important to note that while the factors listed above have been found to be associated with a reduction in the risk of mental health problems, this does not mean that a particular factor or combination of factors will necessarily be protective in all children." (KM)

Protective Factors Articles: Family

Strengthening Families Through Early Care & Education. How Are Protective Factors Built in Families? Washington, D.C. Center For The Study of Social Policy 2009. Retrieved on March 9, 2012 from www.CSSP.ORG/www.strengtheningfamilies.net

This article discusses the programs and strategies professionals use to build proctective factors in families and children. "The research behind Strengthening Families identified seven program strategies that exemplary early care and education centers used to build Protective Factors in families." (CSSP) This article explains how each of the strategies work based on the five protective factors. For parental resilence - facilitate friendship and mutual support "programs offer many opportunities for parents to get to know each other, develop mutual support systems and take leadership." (CSSP)
This article also discusses the strategies used to build protective factors in families. "Strategies included sponsoring sports teams, potlucks, classes, camping trips and field trips, advisory groups, board leadership and volunteer opportunities." (CSSP) To strengthen parenting "programs have many ways for parents to get help on parenting issues when they needed it: a class or a support group, opportunities to meet with teachers, family support workers or other staff, home visits or resources from a lending library." (CSSP) In facilitating children's social and emotional development "programs help children build the capacity to articulate their feelings and get along with others, often using a curriculum, such as "Second Step" or "I Can Solve." (CSSP)

I feel that this article would be beneficial to parents because it helps them to understand some of the strategies programs use to build protective factors in families and children. Parents can understand what to expect from the strategies of the program which can help them to be more susceptible to the program.

Proctective Factors Articles: Family

Strengthening Families Through Early Care & Education. What Are The Protective Factors? Washington, D.C. Center For the Study Of Social Policy 2009. Retrieved on March 9, 2012 from www.CSSP.ORG/www.strengtheningfamilies.net

This article discusses the five protective factors and explains why each of them are significant to families. The five proctective factors discussed in this article are parental resilience, social connections, concrete support in times of need, knowledge of parenting and child development, and social and emotional competence of children. "Parental resilience is the ability to constructively cope with and bounce back from all types of challenges." (CSSP) This is important to many families who are facing challenging times with loss of jobs, housing, and the everyday issues of meeting lifes challenges. "Friends, family members, neighbors, and other members of a community provide emotional support and concrete assistance to parents." Social connections are an important and crucial component in family protective factors. "Parents need access to the types of concrete supports and services that can minimize the stress of difficult situations, such as family crisis, a condition such as substance abuse, or stress associated with lack of resources." Ensuring that parents receive the support they need can help reassure them build protective factors.
Families today need resources and support to help them understand what services are available to them and for their situation. "Having accurate information about raising young children and appropriate expectations for their behavior help parents better understand and care for children." (CSSP) Finally, the article looks at why protective factors are important to the development of children. "A child's ability to interact positively with others, to self-regulate, and to effectively communicate his or her emotions has a great impact on the parent-child relationship." (CSSP)

This article would be beneficial to parents, caregivers, and teachers because it explains the concept of each protective factor. Families today are facing tremendous amounts of stress and this article details why each factor is important and provides good resources to parents.

Risk Factor Articles: Early Intervention for Young Children At-Risk for Learning Disabilities

Early Intervention for Young Children At-Risk for Learning Disabilities (2006). Coleman, Mary Ruth, Buysse, Virginia, Neitzel, Jennifer Retrieved on February 15, 2012 from http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CAT=none&TEMPLATE=/

This article looks at what is being done to improve the ways that learning disabilities are identified and to better the intervention programs for children. According to this article "a new system, Recognition and Response, is being developed that will help teachers and parents identify young children ages 3-5 who may be at risk for learning disabilities." This article points out the benefits of the Recognition and Response program and explains how it works. The Recognition and Response system builds on the works of another program called Response-to-Intervention. The basis for both of these programs is that "parents and teachers recognize that a young child may not be learning in an expected manner, they can take steps to enhance the child's early learning success." (Coleman, Buysse,Neitzel) The Recognition and Response system involves four elements: an intervention hierarchy entailing three tiers of instruction and intervention, screening, assessment, and progress monitoring to guide the teacher's decision to move a child from one tier to the next, research-based curriculum, instruction, and intervention, and also collaborative problem-solving.

Each four of these elements are explained in detail as well as the criteria for the three tiers that teachers must use in assessing children. "The Recognition & Response system is based on the RTI model for identifying learning disabilities, which allows for early and intensive interventions for struggling students." (Coleman, Buysse, Neitzel) This article strongly supports the use of the Recognition and Response system as well as the RTI system because it aims to provide help to children as soon as a problem is suspected or identified. Although the RTI method has many positive aspects there are issues about how the method is implemented that have not been addressed. "While researchers generally agree on RTI's key components and tiered implementation, there is less consensus about the nature and focus of interventions, the duration and intensity of the interventions, and the benchmarks used to determine when more intensive interventions are needed." (Coleman, Buysse, Neitzel) This article also expresses why services for young children are important and also lists recommendations for developing an early intervention system for them.

This article would be beneficial to parents and teachers because it explains and helps them understand the  Recognition and Response system. It explains for parents how instruction, screening, assessment, and progress monitoring is done to identify what type of intervention is needed for the child. For teachers this article is beneficial because it explains why research-based curriculum, instruction, and focused interventions can help children with or without disabilities. As a future teacher it gives an idea of why teachers must pay a keen attention to their students to pick up on any developmental problems children may exhibit in the classroom.

Risk Factor Articles: Learning Disabilities

Learning Disabilities in Children (January 2012). Kemp, Gina M.A., Segal, Jeanne Ph.D. Retrieved on February 15, 2012 from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/learning_disabilities.htm

This article explains what learning disabilities and disorders are and what the symptoms look like in children through various ages and grade levels. This article contains a wealth of information that is beneficial to parents, caregivers, and teachers. This article also looks at the different types of learning disabilities and disorders as well as other disorders that are often mistaken for learning disabilities. According to this article "learning disabilities, or learning disorders, are an umbrella term for a wide variety of learning problems. A learning disability is not a problem with intelligence or motivation." This article encourages parents to find support if they think that their child may have a problem and provides a checklist of common symptoms or red flags for learning disorders.

From preschool thru 8th grade children can face a myriad of struggles with learning which can lead to frustration and stress in the child. One of the most important steps in identifying learning disorders in children is "paying attention to normal developmental milestones for toddlers and preschoolers." (Kemp, Segal) If parents suspect a problem they can request an evaluation or ask their pediatrician for a developmental milestones chart. This article also identifies each learning disability by subject matters in school. Dyslexia is associated with learning disabilities in reading. Dyscalculia is associated with disabilities in math. Writing disabilities are known as dysgraphia. Other types of learning disabilities and disorders are dyspraxia which is associated with learning disabilities in motor skills. Aphasia/Dysphasia is associated with learning disabilities in language. ADHD and Autism are other disorders that can make learning difficult although they are not classified as learning disabilities or disorders. Also this article looks at ear and eye disorders (auditory processing disorder and visual processing disorder) that also affect learning in children.

This article would be very beneficial to parents because it points out the fact that there is hope for children with learning disabilities. Understanding the brain is key to understanding learning disorders. It offers ways for getting help for children with learning disabilities. Parents should "read and learn about your child's type of learning disability and find out how the disability affects the learning process and what cognitive skills are involved." (Kemp, Segal) Although this article does not look at risk factors or causes of learning disabilities it is very beneficial because it helps parents understand what the symptoms for learning disabilities are. After reading this article parents and teachers will understand what atypical developmental symptoms of learning disorders are so that they can intervene and get help for their children early. "You may experience some frustration trying to work with your child, and it can seem like an uphill battle when you don't have the information you need." (Kemp, Segal)

Risk Factor Articles: Child Abuse and Brain Development

Study Finds Child Abuse Can Lead to Stunted Brain Development (February 14, 2012) Medical Xpress Retrieved on February 15, 2012 from http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-child-abuse-stunted-brain.html

What affect does child abuse has on a developing brain? This article looks at the relationship between brain development and chilld abuse. The research was conducted through questionaires of volunteers between the ages of 18 and 25 year old healthy adults and brain scans. It was comprised of 73 men and 120 women. "All were given questionaires that delved into their childhood, specifically addressing issues of verbal, mental and physical abuse and other types of stresses such as the death of someone close to them or problems between parent." (MedicalXpress) Each volunteer was given a brain scan (MRI) which the research team "then compared the answers given on the questionaires to the possibly impacted areas in the hippocampus of each volunteer." (MedicalXpress) According to this article the researchers found that "the brain regions under study were 5.8 to 6.5 percent smaller than average for those that reported such childhood stresses."

Also according to this article "the researchers suggest that smaller brain regions due to childhood stress may help explain the abnormally high levels of mental illness (depression, bi-polarism, anxiety, etc.) seen in adults who have endured abuse as children and why so many wind up with drug dependency problems. The research conducted in this article shows how the affects of child abuse in children can cause mental problems in the adult stage of a child's life. Stress is also an enormous risk factor in child abuse and on the developing brain. "The researchers believe that increased stress leads to higher levels of the hormone cortisol, which in turn can slow or even stop the growth of new neurons in the brain which can result in permanently stunting certain brain regions." (MedicalXpress) Although this article does not give more information on the volunteers besides their age and that they are all healthy race and socioeconomic statuses are not reported as well as where the vounteers live. The goal of this research is to bring awareness to the "damage that is done when children are subjected to adverse living conditions, leading to earlier interventions and possibly a means for developing treatments that may aid in preventing the stunting of brain regions, thus helping to pave the way for a better quality of life for those that have been abused as children." (MedicalXpress)

This article is important to parents because it will help them to understand that abuse in any form can be detrimental to a child's developing brain which in turn can affect their lives all the way up into adulthood. Parent's may believe that abuse can leave physical and emotional scars but this article stands to prove the scars that can be left on the brain which can be permanent. Not only will parent's understand the damaging affects child abuse has on the brain but they will began to understand the mental problems that child

Risk Factor Articles: Child Abuse

Recognizing and Peventing Child Abuse (January 2012) Saisan, Joanna M.S.W, Smith, Melinda M.A, Segal, Jeanne Ph.D. Retrieved on February 11, 2012 from http://www.helpguide.org/

This article looks at the myths and facts of child abuse and neglect, the effects of child abuse and neglect. It describes the types of abuse, physical abuse vs. child abuse, sexual abuse, and the warning signs of child abuse and neglect, and sexual abuse. The five biggest myths of child abuse and neglect are dispelled and explained. "Child abuse is more than bruises or broken bones. While physical abuse is shocking due to the scars it leaves, not all child abuse is as obvious." (Saisan, Smith, Segal) The effects of child abuse and neglect can really harm a child both mentally and physically. These efffects can stay with children well into adulthood if therapy or any type of help is not offered early on. "All types of child abuse and neglect leaves lasting scars. "Some of these scars might be physical, but emotional scarring has long lasting effects throughout life, damaging a child's sense of self, ability to have healthy relationships, and ability to function at home, work and at school." (Saisan. Smith, Segal) These effects include lack of trust and relationship difficulties, core feelings of being "worthless" or "damaged", as well as trouble regulating emotions.
This article also looks at the types of child abuse which are emotional abuse, child neglect, physical child abuse. It also looks at physical abuse and discipline, and child sexual abuse which is a hidden type of abuse.
In the matter of child sexual abuse this article also looks at the problem of shame and guilt in child sexual abuse. According to this article, "aside from the physical damage that sexual abuse can cause, the emotional component is powerful and far-reaching."
This article is very resourceful in many ways. It gives immense details in the warning signs of every type of abuse from emotional, physical, neglect, and sexual abuse as well child abuse and reactive attachment disorder in which "severe abuse early in life can lead to reactive attachment disorder. Children with this disorder are so disrupted that they have extreme difficulty establishing normal relationships and attaining normal developmental milestones. They need special treatment and support." (Saisan, Smith, Segal) This article also looks at the risk factors for child abuse and neglect towards children. These risk factors include domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse, untreated mental illness, lack of parenting skills, and stress and lack of support.

This article would really be beneficial to parents not only for the numerous reasons listed above but also because it helps parents recognize abusive behavior within themselves. It suggests professional help to parents as well as provide access to resources for help. It helps parents to understand when they may have crossed the line. A parent has crossed the line when they can't stop the anger, they feel emotionally disconnected from their child, meeting the daily needs of their child seems impossible, and other people have expressed concern. "It is only as adults that we have the perspective to step back and take a hard look at what is normal and what is abusive." (Saisan, Smith, Segal) This article is also beneficial to teachers and caretakers because it looks at ways to help an abused or neglected child as well as ways to report abuse and neglect. The article has numerous links to other topics closely related to child abuse and neglect of children.

Risk Factor Articles: Early Child Development

Early Child Development (August 2009) World Health Organization Retrieved on February 11, 2012 from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs332/en/index.html

This article looks at the affects of environmental risk factors on the developing brain from the prenatal period to eight years of age. It covers early brain development, risk factors, interventions, and economic impact. It also discusses the WHO response to the issue. The article is informative because it details what happens to the brain during development and why reducing risk factors in early development of the brain is crucial to the well being of the child. "Many challenges faced by adults, such as mental health issues, obesity, heart disease, criminality, and poor literacy and numeracy, can be traced back to early childhood." (WHO)
This article also describes the type of environment a child needs is important to their brain's development as well as the care from parents and caregivers. "The more stimulating the early environment, the more a child develops and learns. Language and cognitive development are especially important during the first six months to three years of life." (WHO)
According to this article "four risk factors affect at least 20-25% of infants and young children in developing countries: malnutrition that is chronic and severe enough to cause growth stunting, inadequate stimulation or learning opportunities, iodine deficiency, and iron deficiency anaemia." (WHO) These are just a few risk factors that affect children as there are many more. Other risk factors include malaria, intrauterine growth restriction, maternal depression, exposure to violence, and exposure to heavy metals. This article also looks at interventions that can help children "to reach their potential, young children need to spend time in a caring, responsive environment that protects them from neglect and inappropriate disapproval and punishment." (WHO) The economic impact of children that experience risk factors that cause problems during the development of the brain can be avoided. "Early opportunities for learning in combination with improved nutrition, increases the likelihood that a child will attend school and become an adult with higher income, better health, lower crime rates, and lower levels of welfare dependence than those who do not receive early development support." (WHO)

This article would be beneficial to parents because it helps them understand the development of their child's brain during pregnancy and throughout childhood. It clearly lays out the risk factors and interventions. "Early child development (EDC) interventions provide direct learning experiences to children and families. They are targeted to young and disadvantaged children, high quality and long lasting, and integrated with family support, health, nutrition, or education systems and services." (WHO) Parents and caretakers alike can benefit from reading this article and they will learn how important the health care system and health care providers will also be beneficial in providing valuable resources to them to ensure that the child gets the help and support needed. "Health care providers are trusted sources of information for families and can give critical guidance about how to communicate with infants and children, ways to stimulate children for better growth, how to handle such common developmental problems as sleep, feeding, and discipline, and ways to reduce common childhood injuries." (WHO)

Risk Factor Articles: Risk Factors in Child Development

How A Child Develops (2008). CASRC Retrieved on February 11, 2012 from http://www.howkidsdevelop.com/developDevDelay.html

     This articles looks at the aspects of developmental delay in children and the what the steps that should be
     taken when there is a developmental delay in a child. This article walks parents, caregivers, and teachers
     through understanding what developmental delay is as well as the risk factors developmental  delays.    
     "Child development refers to the process in which children go through changes in skill development 
     during predictable time periods, called developmental milestones." It also helps parents understand
     how developmental delays affect areas in development and the risk factors for developmental delays.
     "Developmental delays can occur in all five areas of development or may just happen in one or more of   
     those areas." After reading this article parents, caregivers, and teachers will understand how  
     developmental delays are identified, why early interventions services are important, and also what parents
     can do if they think their child shows signs of developmental delay s. "Risk factors for developmental    
     problems fall into two categories: genetic or environmental." Developmental delays are identified "though
     two types of play-based assessments: developmental screening and developmental evaluation." The
     warning signs for developmental delays range from behavioral, gross motor, vision, and hearing. This   
     article also details what steps parents and teachers can take to accommodate school aged children to
    ensure that they receive the best education possible regardless of their disabilities.
   
     This article has information that would be extremely helpful not only to parents, but caregivers and  
     teachers also. The information in this article covers the risk factors and also provides information on what
     the plan of action should be if they suspect developmental delays in their child. "Risk factors have a  
     cumulative impact upon development. As the number of risk factors inceases, a child is put at greater risk
     for developmental delay." This article explains genetics and environmental risk factors that affect the
     development of children. "A good example of a genetic risk is Down syndrome, a disorder that causes
     developmental delay because of an abnormal chromosome. Environmental risk results from exposure to
     harmful agents either before or after birth, and also includes a child's life experiences." These life
    experiences range from premature births, severe poverty, a mother's depression, and poor nutrition.
    This article is also a great source of information for parents whose child may need early intervention.
     It shows the benefits of early intervention for a child as well as the parents. "Early intervention helps a
     child advance in all areas of development. Finally, early intervention is critical for the child to develop
     good self-esteem." As far as teachers this article shows the opportuinities they will have to work with the
     parents and child by starting the process of getting an IEP. Teachers can be very instrumental is helping
     parents and students get the full help they will need to ensure that the child recieves the best education.


 
   

Developmental Articles: Primary Grades

Typical and Atypical Motor Development (Nov 4, 2010). Christianson, Cassy, OTR/L Retrieved on January 21, 2012, from http://www.AbilityPath.org/areas-of-development/physical-development/motor-skills/articles/typical-and-atypical-motor-development.html

This article looks at typical and atypical development, how it is tracked, and what parents and family members should do if they notice issues with the developmental process of their child. It explains what typical development should be like in most children and explains what atypical development could be. In typical development "developmental milestones include physical or behavioral signs of physical, social, and cognitive progress that lead to mastery over one's environment." (Christianson) Abilities of typical development include smiling, crawling, manipulating objects, walking, and self-care. Most children achieve these milestones without complications while others do. In atypical development "you might be concerned if your child is not yet crawling or walking when many peers are already displaying this skill." (Christianson) This article also looks at what could cause developmental delays in some children and not in others. "The causes of motor delays are many. They include these factors: Genetics – Intrauterine and other environmental factors and prematurity. In some cases, the cause is unknown." (Christianson)

This information could be helpful for parents because it helps them to understand the developmental process in their child. It explains what parents may think is atypical behavior and how typical behavior can be slow to develop in some children. It also makes parents aware that "there are variations in typical development. That's why developmental milestones are noted as ranges." (Christianson) This article also informs parents of the evaluations and tests that their pediatrician may recommend. It provides a link to the more serious diagnosis that parents may face so that they can research them.

Developmental Articles: PreK-Kindergarten

"The Power of Magical Thinking." Wang, Shirley (December 22, 2009). The Wall Street Journal Retrieved January 21, 2012 from http://www.online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703344704574610002061841322.html

This article discusses why imagination is important to a child's cognitive development. "Is the Tooth Fairy real? How about the garbage man? Those questions may seem trivial, but how young children answer them in an important indicator of cognitive development." (Wang) The research compiled in this study looked at 91 children who were asked if certain people or characters are real. The responses and thoughts behind why children believe certain people or characters really exist were quite humorous, but the research gives insight into why children believe what they believe. Parents can influence what children believe is real or fairy tale. "The researchers found that while children as young as 3 understand the concept of what is real and what isn't, until they are about 7 kids can be easily misled by adults' persuasive words or by "evidence." (Wang) Imagination plays an important part in cognitive development for many reasons."The hope is that understanding how children's cognition typically develops will also help scientists better understand developmental delays and conditions such as autism." (Wang) This article also looks at how children understand what is impossible or improbable. "Early results suggest that 5-year olds don't yet have the ability to distinguish what is impossible from what is unlikely to happen but could technically happen." (Wang)

This article would be helpful to parents because it helps them understand the benefits of children experiencing fantasy play without requiring parents to encourage fantasy play. It helps parents deal with when to tell a child the truth about fairy tales or things that really don't exist. Introducing or engaging imaginative play to children can have many rewarding benefits. "Fantasy play is correlated with other positive attributes. In preschool children, for example, those who have imaginary friends are more creative, have greater social understanding and are better at taking the perspective of others." (Taylor)

    

Developmental Articles: Infant/Toddler

"Social-Emotional Development: Birth to 12 Months and 12 to 24 Months." Zero To Three National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. Copyright 2010 Retrieved on January 21, 2012 from http://www.zerotothree.org/child-development/social-emotional-development/social-emotional-development.html

Social-Emotional Development in infants and toddlers is an important stage of development because "loving relationships give young children a sense of comfort, safety, confidence, and encouragement." (Zero To Three) Learning these skills early on can determine how well children will develop socially and adjust to changes. These articles discuss how parents and caregivers should nurture and support infants and toddlers to promote strong social-emotional development "starting from birth, babies are learning who they are by how they are treated."(Zero To Three) These articles discuss in details things that parents and caregivers should do from providing babies with responsive care, supporting babies developing skills, encouraging infants and toddlers' developmental milestones, and being affectionate and nurturing. These articles also provide tips to parents on ways to make infants and toddlers feel safe and secure.

"You help your baby feel safe and secure when you respond to her cries and other communications – for example, picking your baby up when she lifts her arms in the air as if to say, "Up!" Babies also feel secure when they get lots of affection from you when their days are predictable. It is the love and trust you share that helps your child learn that you will always be there for her. This trust gives her confidence." (Zero To Three)

As a parent and future teacher I feel that this article would be helpful to parents because it provides parents with ways to help their infants and toddlers adjust to the social-emotional development stage. As infants and toddlers continue to grow and develop they will interact with caregivers and other children. They will experience emotions such as joy, sadness, anger, and fear. How they are nurtured and supported will play a major role in how they self regulate in a challenging situation. Many parents and caregivers can benefit from reading these articles as it will help them understand the cues that their infants and toddlers will give them. Infants and toddlers often communicate through their actions and emotions and these articles provide good information on what parents should look for as their children use their social and emotional skills as a way to communicate.