Individual meetings with parents and their baby are scheduled prior to the beginning of the program in order to determine appropriate group placement. The Parent-toddler program provides play experiences for children appropriate to their development in the second year of life and offers information to parents about this important growth period. Parents observe their children at play and remain available to them. Play activities include toys, art materials, blocks, group games, music, story time, and snack. Parents' discussion group topics include toilets training, weaning, temper tantrums, limit setting, separation reactions, siblings, and language acquisition.
Groups meet one day a week for one hour.
There will be a maximum of seven parent-infant sets in each group, arranged according to age. Individual meetings with parents and their baby are scheduled prior to the beginning of the program in order to determine appropriate group placement. When a child is experiencing a behavioral or developmental difficulty or is facing a stressful situation that may require special attention, a consultation with an infant specialist provides the opportunity to arrive at individualized approaches. Specific problems with bonding, eating, sleeping, separation, language, toilet training, weaning, temper tantrums, sibling rivalry, aggressive behavior and gender can be clarified and discussed. Events such as the death of a loved one, physical disability, hospitalization, and divorce can be explored to determine their impact on the child and the parent-child relationship.