Alden’s mother drops him off at the center a little after 7:00am. While it is easier to leave him than it was a few weeks ago she still is reluctant to say goodbye and leave for work. She feels relieved once she has had a few minutes with center staff to let them know when he last ate, slept and was changed. She knows that at the end of the day she will get a full report from them as well.
Alden has recently started smiling and indulges his mother as she kisses him on the nose and waves goodbye. While Alden doesn’t appear to notice his mother’s departure what he is learning is to trust his caregivers to respond to his needs during the day. He knows that his cries will be attended to – he will be held when he is feeding – he will be rocked and cuddled when he is fussy.
When Alden is sleeping he will be placed on his back in his crib and he will be checked on frequently and removed from his crib as soon as he is awake. When Alden is awake his position will be changed often and he will spend a portion of his day on his “tummy”. This assures that he will develop the strength that will eventually help him to sit, crawl and walk.
While Alden follows his own schedule for eating and sleeping he gradually will adjust to the rhythm of the infant room and the routines the staff follow. This will help him feel secure and aid in his developing trust of his caregivers.
Alden’s mother returns around 4:00pm. Staff give her a written report of Alden’s day. The conversation between staff and mother center around Alden’s delight in the new mobile placed over his crib and his freely given smiles to the faces he has seen. She also knows that if she ever has any concerns or questions about Alden’s development she can ask the Family Support Worker who often stops by the infant room to introduce herself and visit with the babies.