In this brief essay the authors reflect on the value of community participation and cultural adaptation in their evolving research on American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) infant and toddler development. They describe three concerns identified by their AI/AN community partners in adapting established research methodologies to work in AI/AN communities: (a) existing measures fail to capture specific culturally-based parenting practices or patterns in children's development; (b) power imbalance and control in the interpretation and dissemination of research findings; and (c) the question of whether research findings will allow communities to address the most basic and obvious needs of their infants, toddlers, and families. The authors offer a set of recommendations for researchers to address these concerns as they move forward to meaningfully address the needs of young AI/AN children and families.