Building Attachment
Attachment is a learned behavior that allows people to have significance to one another. It occurs over time through the consistency of the parent to meet the physical and emotional needs of the child. Secure attachment enables a child to develop a sense of safety and security, identity formation, logical thinking, socialization, and conscience. Having a secure and healthy attachment with your child is paramount. It is the building blocks for all subsequent relationships.
Attachment is a natural part of the parent child relationship. It develops when an infant communicates a need and the parents respond. As these needs are consistently met by the parents, the child learns that he is safe and secure; therefore, he can trust them to respond. Attachment is created through the cycle of consistently repeating itself with the same positive results.
For adopted children there may be breaks in the cycle of attachment, or underlying issues; medical or psychological, that can impede attachment. There are many ways that parents can actively work on building the bonds of attachment. Check back as well explore this topic in depth.