Abstract
For a child to grow up in a healthy and safe environment, he or she needs to develop a high level of trust with the caregiver. The situation is so if the child is an infant or in the early childhood stage. At these stages, the child's psychological development is still at the initial stages. Therefore, the primary emotion that gives them peace and comfort is trust. For this reason, anyone who interacts with the child must give them a feeling of comfort and safety for them to develop confidence. The feeling must come from both the environment and the interactions with the caregivers. The caregiver in this sense can be the parent, guardian or the nanny in a nursing home. This essay, therefore, attempts to discuss the relationship between Erickson's psychological theory and parenting skills that enhance a child's sense of trust.
Erickson’s psychological theory and parenting skills
Erickson’s psychological theory of human development considers the effect of external factors, society and parents on the development of personality right from infancy to adulthood. During the first two years of an infant’s life, the mother and father’s ability to nurture and care for the child has a strong emphasis. The importance is regarding touch and visual contact. In this case, the child develops trust, optimism, security and confidence if he or she receives proper care and handling. When children fail to experience trust, they might develop worthlessness, insecurity and a general sense of mistrust of the world. Erickson names this stage as "Basic Trust vs. Mistrust” (Rosenthal, Gurney & Moore, 1981).
Aspects of Parenting that Lead to Trust
The above theory has proven to be true about parenting aspects that lead to a sense of trust in young children. Parents should nurture their children with love, care and understanding. They are required to have the requisite skills to understand an infant's needs. Knowing the needs can be quite confusing, especially for first-time parents. When a child cries, the parents should know if the child is hungry, needs a diaper change or needs close holding. For instance, if a child cries with the arms wide open, it might mean that he or she needs carrying. On the other hand, if children cry while throwing themselves on the ground and kicking around, it says they are upset or want something. It might either be a toy or something the caregiver has denied them. During feeding times, the child must develop trust with the feeder. The situation is especially so if the child is in the care of a new, unfamiliar nanny. In the absence of trust, the child might decline to feed.
Before parents take their children to daycare, it is important that they first orient the child with the premise. Orientation is necessary because the daycare will be like the child's new home. The child also needs to be introduced to the new caregiver. The introduction enables the child to develop friendship and trust with the new nanny. Parents of the child should also give the nanny a bit of information regarding the child's character and temperament. Knowing this will help the nanny know how to deal with the child when it comes to meeting the needs.
Role of Physical Comfort, Lack of Fearful Situations, and Feeding
Physical comfort enables the child to relax and calm down. When a child is calm, it is easier to interact and build a strong bond with him or her. It is equally important that the child is not scared or anxious. Anxiety makes the child cry or start throwing tantrums. The moment, the child is in such a state, it becomes difficult to control or calm them down. Feeding the child, especially an infant is a must. The reason being that, infants are still not autonomous enough to feed on their own. Feeding also gives the child an assurance of love and care from the parents.
Parental Attentiveness
When parents are attentive to the children, it sends them a message that they are loved and their needs are given attention. Attentiveness of the parent can also prevent accidents that arise during feeding or play times. Such accidents include choking or injuries associated with falling.
Should the caregiver respond immediately to the infant’s cries?
Caregivers should immediately respond to an infant’s cries. To build more trust, the caregiver should respond to the child’s needs without delay. When the child needs a diaper change, they should be changed in a safe environment and then disposed of in a hygienic manner. Physical activity is also important in ensuring fitness and good health in young children. Furthermore, the children should be given enough time to play and rest. When children play and socialize, both the physical and psychological health develops (Howes, Phillips & Whitebook, 1992).
Development of Trust in Later-Born Children
Older children develop trust more quickly compared to younger children. Parents of older children tend to be more confident leaving their children at daycare. Children monitor the interactions of adults in the daycare. Therefore, if the parents and caregiver interact in a friendly and confident manner, the children get assured that the place is a secure one. Older children are also more psychologically developed. They can interact better with caregivers and other strangers compared to infants. For this reason, they can quickly develop good rapports with caregivers and form authentic relationships.
Being the First Born Child
Being a first born child has aspects that counteract advantages of experienced parents. A first born child probably has parents who lack the experience of child upbringing. The parents are also in the learning process. At times, they might not know how to deal with a situation without assistance from other experienced adults. They might delegate too much responsibility to caregivers. Such an occurrence might cause distress to the child especially the first time the parent leaves the child at a daycare institution.
References
Howes, C., Phillips, D. A., & Whitebook, M. (1992). Thresholds of quality: Implications for the social development of children in centre-based child care. Child development, 449-460.
Rosenthal, D. A., Gurney, R. M., & Moore, S. M. (1981). From trust on intimacy: A new inventory for examining Erikson's stages of psychosocial development. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 10(6), 525-537.
