Karen Restivo
In Other Words....
When entering the world, newborns are fully dependent on their parents or caregivers 100%.
Holding their own heads up is an impossibility without the support of loved ones.
Regardless of when they reach 1-3 years of age, a toddler is fully dependent on their physical and nutritional needs; however, at the height of their vulnerability, serious intel is coming online shaping their rapid growth in physical, cognitive, social, and emotional skills.
It’s like receiving a bag full of toys from Santa with no instructional manual (quick guide) on how to fully run this human at full capacity.
For sustenance, pushing past priming the stomach pump by skipping over bland foods and introducing French fries clogs up the digestive process in the new baby model.
Encouraging a toddler to skip the crawling stage for the upright mobile stage throws a kink in their essential core strength, balance and nervous system connections ultimately weakening their muscle balance.
At this point of accelerated childhood growth, maybe we should ask, “What is the rush?”
There’s a reason for life stages.
Granted, some children leap through many growth stages with little or no drawbacks; however, that’s not the norm across the board.
According to the website londonwaitingroom.nhs.uk, “Understanding life stages helps individuals navigate transitions, embrace growth, and make informed decisions eventually through their personal and professional lives.”
Each stage stimulates growth and autonomy all the while preparing for the next level up stage.
The website unlocks the serious ramification of rushing through life’s stages saying, “Early childhood is often considered pivotal, as it is when core foundations for emotional, social and cognitive development are built.
During these formative years, children learn critical skills like trust, empathy and communication, and they form the attachments and self-esteem that guide them through future challenges.” Based on this explanation of the life stage dynamics, emotional intelligence must be introduced at an early age.
In other words, early childhood nurturing and support stages in life are imperative to create a strong foundation for resilience, wellbeing and success in later life stages.
As parents or primary caregivers, we initially hold the keys to their early emotional intelligence way before they ever step out the front door to engage with the outside world.
Author Matthew Hussey on a recent interview (found on Instagram) with Drew Barrymore puts it beautifully, “Imagine this: Before you were born, our spirit made a sacred vow. It looked upon this body - this human you now inhabit - and said, I will be its guardian.
“I will love it, care for it, and walk with it through every joy and every sorrow.
“I will not abandon it, for it is my vessel, my home, my partner in this journey of existence.
“And yet, somewhere along the way, we forgot.
“We got lost in the noise of expectations, comparisons, and self-judgment…But what if we remembered that loving yourself isn’t a luxury or an afterthought - it’s your only job.
“Your human is the reason you can taste, touch, laugh, cry, create, and experience this world.
“Without it, there is no journey.
“And so, your spirit calls you back to the truth: Care for this human. Honor it. Speak to it with kindness. Move it with joy. Nourish it with love.”
All along we were destined to have custody of our human.
Karenrestivo57@gmail.com