Life is one big emotional roller coaster — especially when you’re a parent.  

There’s a facinating three-part program on PBS this week about explores relationships and how our emotions can affect those relationships (for the good as well as the bad). The program also touches on how adults can become (as well as raise) more positive, resilient individuals. (For more information and to view the trailer, check out the feature column of this site.)

Dr. Jessica Zucker, a clinical psychologist and expert in early attachment, is featured on the series. She explains early attachment, why it’s important, and what parents can do: 
 
Q:  Why is early attachment so important?  
A:  The way that babies connect, bond and “attach” securely with their moms, dads and primary caregivers can help determine their future happiness and ability to connect with all people.  As scientists now know, social relationships – more than any other factor – are the key to human happiness.   If a child has an insecure attachment, she may be impulsive, lack self-confidence, and have difficulty relating to others throughout life.  Forming intentional, purposeful relational connections early in life lays the bedrock for the long-term parent-child relationship and other relationships later in life.  
 
Q:   What does “early attachment” really mean? 
A:  The building blocks of early attachment – establishing a healthy relationship – include:   consistency in behavior, predictability in care, relating and responding, creating an atmosphere of protection and safety, engaging in prolonged gazing and smiling, skin to skin gentle touch, cuddling and comforting, and thoughtful, reflective actions that build trust and affection.
 
Q:  Is attachment crucial for children during the years after infancy, too?   
A:  Although attachment ideally happens in the earliest moments of life, attachment can be developed and improved any time. Even if difficult life circumstances have interfered with attachment, it’s never too late to provide what babies and young children need to feel loved. Whether you are a new parent, a parent who has been reunited with your child, a parent in transition after divorce or other life circumstances, an adoptive or foster parent, a grandparent, or anyone else raising a child, there are tools, resources, and support networks—especially other parents—that can help.
 
Q:  What can parents do to improve this “skill” of attachment with their babies and children? 
A:  Having an open attitude and being willing to try new ways of parenting are important first steps to improving a child’s quality of attachment.  Research also reveals that understanding one’s own history can help parents make choices that feel more astute or better understood. Becoming a parent can stir up a whole host of feelings that have never been experienced before and may be uncomfortable. Addressing these feelings and old issues can create a smoother path to parenting. There are resources to help adults better meet children’s physical and emotional needs:
 
*Attend couples counseling to help build healthy communication patterns
*Attend individual counseling to help understand how childhood experiences might influence current parenting approaches
*Seek out books, magazines, and online resources at your local library (such as Parenting from the Inside Out by Daniel Siegel or Everyday Blessings by Jon Kabat-Zinn)
*Take parenting classes
*Talk to your child’s pediatrician or a nurse about parenting resources in your area
*Participate in a local parents’ group or community organization