Center Philosophy
The Sackler Lefcourt Center for Child Development is dedicated to parenting and the social-emotional development of children from birth to three years of age. Small Play Groups for children, Discussion Groups for mothers, and Developmental Consultations for parents are designed to enrich this important developmental phase and the evolving parent-child relationship.
Core Principles
- Play, alone and with others, is an essential way in which babies and young children learn about themselves, others and the world around them.
- Innate characteristics and life experiences contribute to the unique development of each child.
- Behavior can be understood in terms of its conscious, unconscious and developmental meanings.
- Parenting evokes memories of one's own childhood.
- Reflecting on one's own thoughts and feelings, and those of others, is an important aspect of the mental life of both adults and children.
These principles provide an informative and rewarding approach to parenting and the early parent-child relationship - its stresses, joys and satisfactions.