Research has shown that children need strong attachments to the adults in their lives for healthy brain development to occur. It is crucial that children, especially those in their preschool years, are surrounded by caregivers that understand their developmental needs. If children have established healthy relationships with their caregivers, their sense of curiosity will emerge, they will push their own boundaries and they will feel free to express their most authentic selves. Therefore, our approach to child care is one that places the importance on first cultivating meaningful relationships with children.
As early childhood educators, we have the responsibility of nurturing children through the most influential and developmentally significant time of their lives, so our model of child care is inspired by Dr. Gordon Neufeld’s attachment-based developmental approach. This approach teaches that the quality of children's attachments to caregivers and the conditions in which they are raised are the key influences in their development. The goal is to help attachment figures understand the inner workings of the children in their care so they can help these children become the best versions of themselves. Through the guidance of strong attachment figures operating in a comfortable environment that fosters emergent play, we believe that children will develop into happy and resilient individuals, ultimately preparing them for school and the real world.
What do our preschoolers need from us? They need to be connected to their caregivers, they need the freedom to truly play, and they need us to be patient as they reach maturity.