Early Connections Matter
The Pause. Early Connections Matter campaign was created to raise awareness about the importance of infant and early child mental health. Parents and caregivers who provide a caring and responsive environment help to shape their infant’s developing brain promoting good mental health. Infants and children can never have too many positive caring adults in their lives. We all have a role to play in promoting and protecting infant and early child mental health.
Why do early connections matter?
Parents and caregivers play an important role in the development of the their baby’s brain and are their most important connection to the world. Healthy brain development happens when infants and children have parents and caregivers who respond to their needs in a positive, attentive, and caring way. When we meet their needs consistently , they feel an overall sense of trust and security. This sense of trust sets the stage for the infant or young child to feel confident to explore their environment and learn to take on new challenges and experiences that are necessary for healthy development.
Early experiences that are not positive—and that lack the presence of a supportive, caring relationship—shape how infants and young children respond and adapt to stressors that may arise later in life. Research has shown that toxic stress can negatively impact an infant’s healthy brain development and have lifelong implications for their health, learning, and well-being if these stressors are prolonged and recurring.
It is important that every infant and young child experience caring relationships to help buffer the negative effects of stress. These caring relationships help them to learn how to cope with stressful events and solve problems later in life. With the guidance of a caring parent or caregiver, positive stressors can be considered growth promoting and opportunities to learn and flourish.
What is the Pause. Early Connections Matter?
The campaign provides key messages on the topics of attachment, brain development, resiliency, sense of agency, self-regulation, and temperament. They are more than the building blocks for infant and early child mental health. These key messages encourage parents and caregivers to “pause” in the moment and learn how to support and model positive mental health by making the most of everyday moments.
Where do the concepts come from?
The Pause. Early Connection Matter campaign was adapted with permission from the Pause Moments Matter posters and tip sheets from Ottawa Child and Youth Initiative and the Ottawa Infant and Early Child Mental Health Initiative. To learn more about their initiative visit Pause. Moments Matter in the life of a child – Ottawa Child and Youth Initiative: Growing Up Great
Key Messages
Attachment
Here is what we know about attachment:
- Infants and children need to develop strong attachments to the people who care for them.
- Your baby needs to feel safe, loved, and protected, especially when they are feeling sick, upset, hurt, or scared.
- Children with secure attachments feel that they can trust their caregivers. This will help them explore and learn about the world around them.
- Some stress is a part of everyday life. Too much stress can affect a child’s health and development. You can help protect your child by responding in a caring and supportive way.
- A secure attachment with you can help your child build healthy relationships in the future. It also means your child will be more likely to grow and develop in a positive way.
As a parent or caregiver, think about a child’s age and developmental abilities so you can:
- Respond to your child’s feelings and needs. It is normal for children to express a wide range of emotions. You can label feelings and respond with understanding. For example, “I know it is hard to leave the park when you are having so much fun. Let’s hold hands while we walk home and you can tell me what you would like to do at the park tomorrow.”
- Plan daily routines to meet your child’s basic needs. Knowing what will happen next can help children feel safe and secure. For example, set regular times for eating, sleeping, playing, and outdoor time.
- Increase your connection to your child. Children learn best through real life moments. It is important to keep screen time to a minimum for you and your child. For example, the than 1 hour a day of screen time.
- Studies show less is always better. There is no evidence showing that screen time improves a child’s development.
- Provide ways for your child to play and explore their world. It is important to pay attention and comment on their play. This will reassure your child that you are interested and available if they need you. For example, while your baby is exploring on the floor, talk to them about what they are doing or seeing.
- Build a support system around you. Parenting is not always easy. Having support can help you get through challenging moments. For example, reach out to supportive family, friends, community programs, and resources.
- Know if your child’s development is on track for their age. It is important to have developmentally appropriate expectations of your child’s ability and behaviour.
Brain Development
Here is what we know about brain development:
- The brain starts developing during pregnancy and grows the most during the first 2000 days (5-6 years) of your child’s life.
- More than one million new brain connections are made each second. The brain continues to develop throughout childhood and into early adulthood.
- A child’s genes, their environment, early experiences, and relationships all work together to make these connections and build healthy brains.
- Some stress is part of everyday life. Too much stress, however, can affect a child’s brain development. You can help protect them by responding in a caring and supportive way.
- Healthy nutrition, sleep, and exercise are important for good brain development, health, and wellness.
As a parent or caregiver, think about a child’s age and developmental abilities, so you can:
- Build a secure and trusting relationship
- Respond to your child’s feelings and needs. It is normal for children to express a wide range of emotions. It is important to comfort your child when they are hurt, sick or upset. For example, soothing your child when they fall down.
- Increase your connection to your child. Children learn best through real life moments. It is important to keep screen time to a minimum for you and your child. For example, the Canadian Pediatric Society recommends that children: under 2 years old do not have any screen time and 2-5 year olds are limited to less than 1 hour a day of screen time. Studies show that less is always better. There is no evidence showing that screen time improves a child’s development.
- Build a support system around you. Parenting is not always easy. Having support can help you get through challenging moments.
- Know if your child’s development is on track for their.
Resiliency
Here is what we know about resiliency:
- It is the ability to steer through life’s challenges and bounce back from hard times in a positive way.
- It is developed throughout your life.
- Everyday interactions that are caring and positive build resilience skills.
- You play the biggest role in helping children develop strengths that support resilience.
- Research shows that resilience can be linked to higher levels of happiness, positive relationships, and greater success in school, work, and life.
As a parent or caregiver, think about a child’s age and developmental abilities, so you can:
- Take care of yourself to stay healthy during hard times.
- Practise staying calm when dealing with challenging behaviour or situations.
- Comfort children when they are upset.
- Encourage children to keep trying even when it is hard.
- Create opportunities to share the positive moments in your day.
- Build a support system around you.
- Know if your child’s development is on track for their age.
Self-Regulation
Here is what we know about self-regulation:
- It is how we deal with and recover from stressors.
- It is how we manage our feelings, thoughts and action so we can be in a calm, focused, alert state.
- Some examples of stressors children can experience are:
- Lack of sleep.
- Being hungry or not eating enough healthy foods.
- Feeling overwhelmed.
- Feeling unwell or being sick.
- Restlessness or needing to move.
- Using screens more than recommended.
- Being exposed to an environment that is not a good fit for them.
As a parent, think about a child’s age and developmental abilities, so you can:
- Support your child’s ability to cope in different environments.
- Help children understand, identify, and label their feelings and responses.
- Support them while they release emotions using time ins.
- Model and practise social skills and problem-solving abilities through the use of songs, stories and unstructured play.
- Build a support system.
- Know if your child’s development is on trach for their age.
Sense of Agency
Here is what we know about sense of agency:
- This is your child’s growing ability to make choices and decisions.
- There are the types of choices that say: “my opinion matters.”
- This sense of agency helps develop their sense of identity and they learn who they are.
- They discover their role in relationships, the community, and the world.
As a parent or caregiver, think about a child’s age and developmental abilities, so you can:
- Celebrate your child’s unique personality. Children express who they are in many different ways.
- Provide opportunities for your child to make decisions. Each day there are many moments for your child make choices or ask questions, think, and problem solve.
- Help your child learn to become independent in a safe way. Allow your child to do things for themselves.
- Create environments and opportunities for your child to take risks in a way that builds on their readiness, abilities, and interests. Children develop confidence and learn skills through play and trying things for themselves.
- Build a support system around you. Parenting is not always easy and having support can help you get through challenging moments.
- Know if your child’s development is on track for their age.
Temperament
Here is what we know about temperament:
- Every child is born with a unique personality and temperament.
- Temperament develops early in life and is influenced by both biology (genetics and epigenetics), experiences, and relationships. Temperament affects how a child behaves, reacts to situations, and gets along with others.
- Some common features of temperament are activity level, emotional intensity. Some children may have a hard time dealing with change or new situations or people and may be easily distracted or frustrated.
- While children are born with certain temperament traits, they can learn to overcome the aspects that are challenging.
As a parent or caregiver, think about a child’s age and developmental abilities, so you can:
- Learn about and understand your child’s unique temperament. A child’s temperament will affect how they experience the world.
- Explore different ways to support your child’s temperament. Some children are more sensitive and have intense feelings.
- Accept your child for who they are. Instead of focusing on changing your child’s temperament, focus on how you can help your child celebrate their unique traits.
- Support and comfort children if they are showing signs of stress or frustration. By building a trusting relationship with your infant and child, they will learn they can rely on you to help them in difficult times.
- Model ways to manage emotions and reactions to situations.
- How can you match your positive discipline style to your child’s temperament. Discipline your child with respect and try to have consistent routines and limits. Give an age-appropriate choice, redirect your child’s attention, and help them learn how to problem solve.
- Build a support system around you. Parenting is not always easy. Having a support can help you get through challenging moments. Reach out to supportive family, friends and community programs and resources.
- Know if your child’s temperament is on track for their age. It is important to have developmentally appropriate expectations of your child’s ability and behaviour.
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This item was last modified on March 14, 2024
