7
seven essentials
Guiding Principles to Help Your Child Every Day
1 mentor 2 celebrate 3 rehearse 4 protect 5 communicate 6guide 7
encourage
exploration with all the senses, in familiar and new places, with others and alone, safely and with joy.
Example: Show your baby a new object and encourage him to feel its texture. Explore different types of music with your older child.
in basic skills, showing the whats and whens, the ins and outs of how things and people work. Example: Show your child how to kick a ball, change a flat tire on her bike or balance a checkbook.
Example: Smile and congratulate with hugs and kisses for accomplishments such as putting toys away or improved grades on a report card.
and extend new skills, showing your baby how to practice again and again, in the same and different ways, with new people and new things.
Example: Practice drinking from a cup, tying a bow, multiplication facts or role playing for a job interview.
from inappropriate disapproval, teasing, neglect, or punishment.
Example: Make sure your child, whether young or teenager, understands the dangers and consequences of breaking rules, bullying, abuse and neglect.
richly and responsively with sounds, songs, gestures, and words; bring your baby into the wonderful world of language and its many uses.
Example: Read books to your child daily. Talk to your child about his family history or cultural current events.
and limit behavior to keep your child safe and to teach what’s acceptable, and what’s not - the rules of being a cooperative, responsive, and caring person. Example: Keep builidng your child’s trust by responding to his/her needs. Set limits and expectations such as bedtime and curfew.
learn@cdl.org | 504-840-9786 | www.cdl.org
Seven Essentials reproduced from the book Going to School with permission of the authors, Craig T. Ramey, Ph.D. and Sharon L. Ramey, Ph.D. Examples adapted by CDL to include both young and older children. All rights reserved. Center for Development and Learning. 2004.
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