If you are a parent, I honor you.

God also said: “I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food; and to all the animals of the land... I give all the green plants for food.” (Genesis 1:29, 30)

I salute every individual out there who watches over kids of all ages—from a pregnant mother who takes care of herself and her baby even before she is born; to a yaya tasked to care for the child while the mother is away; and to all those who look after a newborn, an older infant, a toddler, a pre-schooler, a schoolchild and even a teenager.

Infancy is a very critical period of development.

It covers the period from birth to 1 year of age. On the other hand, toddlers are children ages 1 to 3 years old. During these periods, there is rapid growth and development, especially of the brain and the nervous system. It is also the time when relationships built on trust are formed between the baby and her caregiver, be it a biological parent, a foster parent, or even a hired hand.

Growth and development proceed from a cephalocaudal fashion, i.e., from the head down to the toe. Otherwise, you would walk on your head and have eyes on your feet.

Thus, it is very important that this progression continues without a hitch so the baby becomes healthy. As a parent, you have to create an environment where your child will be safe to roam and explore without being severely punished or ignored.

Guard and protect your child’s right to be loved and nurtured because an infant is a discoverer and not a destroyer.

---

Excerpt from "Wanted Perfect Yaya! 7 easy steps to equip your child's Caregiver"

Available at www.kerygmabooks.com