This article challenges traditional approaches to emotion as a discreet biological or dialectic process in the early years. In doing so the proposition is made that emotion is an answerable social act of meaning-making and self-hood. Inspired by Bakhtinian philosophy, which resists separating emotion from cognition or the individual from their…

Pamela High, MS, MD, co-director of the Infant Behavior, Cry and Sleep Clinic at the Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, discusses the phenomena of infant crying and the impact it has on families. In most cases, infant crying will peak and resolve in the early months, but infant irritability can increase the risk of maternal…

This paper offers an overview of research on infants' early behavior toward televised images, followed by an account of the development of "representational competence" with video. Several aspects of representation are involved in young children's understanding and use of video. From a very young age, children form mental representations of the…

Betsy Lozoff is among the world's leading experts on iron deficiency and its effects on infant brain development and behavior. Iron deficiency is the most common single nutrient disorder in the world, affecting more than half of the world's infants and young children. Research by Lozoff and others has shown that there are long-lasting…

Babies thrive on security. In early months, secure feelings stem from being warm, cuddled closely, and comfortable in their tummies (and in having clean bottoms!). In this article, the author discusses how to soothe infants and toddlers. The strategies to help ease babies' distress are described. Some of the recommended strategies include: (1) to…

Toddlers may bite as a reaction to being forced to be part of a group. Toddlers communicate in a physical manner but do not always connect the social consequences with their actions. By analyzing the circumstances surrounding a biting incident, teachers can redirect the child's energy and avoid a situation where biting might occur. (PAM)

Offers examples of what infants and toddlers might do in early childhood settings, how these behaviors are related to mathematics, and what teachers can do to encourage the natural mathematical interests of this age group. Asserts that teachers' interactions with children are vitally important to children's understanding of early mathematics. (KB)

The ability to form secure attachments during early childhood promotes a lifetime of emotional health. This article describes emotional milestones for babies (i.e., activities that promote self-comfort and self-control), as well as for toddlers. In the case of toddlers, a profound emotional milestone that is accomplished during the first year is…

Rituals of calming and soothing children toward sleep are an important part of life in any child care program, just as bedtime routines are basic to family life. This article discusses three nap-time rituals developed for infants and toddlers that incorporate comforting, familiar routines and objects, soothing music, and the reassuring presence of…

Characterizes the Montessori work serving the first 3 years by recounting its genesis; describes early Montessori toddler programs, and the emergence of infant communities internationally in the early 1970s. Highlights ways parents can be supportive of the "spiritual embryo" in cooperation with the school. Suggests how parent education invites…

Training materials in special section include "Places for Babies: Infants and Toddlers in Groups," by Jim Greenman; "Bonding with Your Babies," by Alice S. Honig; "The Wonder of the Everyday," by Amy Laura Dombro; "The Dual Challenge: Meeting the Needs of Parents and Babies," by Karen Miller; and…