
"Parents are intimidated by a cultural pressure which says, don't leave the child for any time or he may develop emotional problems. The mother feels she must be there to stimulate, touch, and cuddle."
"But, it's the quality of the mothering that's important, not the quantity."
"Nobody can give both for three years - always giving without feeling frustration and without feeling that they would like to be somewhere else. Both baby and mother need a private time of their own.The baby needs to play by himself and explore."
"Even a super mother with a super child may find it difficult to cope. Nobody is just a mother and nothing else. It's the on-goingness of a dependent child - the constancy of it- that can sometimes be overwhelming for a parent."
Excerpted from the LA Times article, Babies do their own thing in CHC Program by Ken Yimm, October 12, 1974
"But, it's the quality of the mothering that's important, not the quantity."
"Nobody can give both for three years - always giving without feeling frustration and without feeling that they would like to be somewhere else. Both baby and mother need a private time of their own.The baby needs to play by himself and explore."
"Even a super mother with a super child may find it difficult to cope. Nobody is just a mother and nothing else. It's the on-goingness of a dependent child - the constancy of it- that can sometimes be overwhelming for a parent."
Excerpted from the LA Times article, Babies do their own thing in CHC Program by Ken Yimm, October 12, 1974

The solution?
"Set aside predictable, regular times to give full attention without being distracted by other concerns while also creating a safe, familiar place for baby to spend time playing alone."

The Importance of Quality of Attention-
Early on in her career, Magda primarily worked with autistic children. She recalled working with a small boy who drew nothing but thick black lines constantly."He was a schizophrenic child, and not making progress." Magda said she concentrated when working with the child and was usually exhausted from the acute attention she paid during her sessions with him.
One day, the boy asked her, "Gerber where are you?" "I wanted to answer in the conventional, 'I am behind you.' 'I am beside you', but I realized that he was aware that my concentration was not with him. Henry was asking in that split second where my attention was."
"In that moment, I had been thinking about what I would prepare for dinner that evening. I had been thinking of tomato soup. And to this day whenever I open a can of tomato soup, I think of Henry."
Excerpted from the Daily Times, St. Cloud, Minn. article, 'Authentic' infant is hard to find, by Dave Zunker, May 10, 1978
Early on in her career, Magda primarily worked with autistic children. She recalled working with a small boy who drew nothing but thick black lines constantly."He was a schizophrenic child, and not making progress." Magda said she concentrated when working with the child and was usually exhausted from the acute attention she paid during her sessions with him.
One day, the boy asked her, "Gerber where are you?" "I wanted to answer in the conventional, 'I am behind you.' 'I am beside you', but I realized that he was aware that my concentration was not with him. Henry was asking in that split second where my attention was."
"In that moment, I had been thinking about what I would prepare for dinner that evening. I had been thinking of tomato soup. And to this day whenever I open a can of tomato soup, I think of Henry."
Excerpted from the Daily Times, St. Cloud, Minn. article, 'Authentic' infant is hard to find, by Dave Zunker, May 10, 1978