Written in response to Sadje’s Sunday Poser where she asks “What is the first thing a child should be taught?”
I believe the first thing a child should be taught is that they can trust that they are secure, cherished, or safe or protected, however you would word it. If a child feels safe, they can thrive.
When you bring home a newborn, you swaddle that baby and wrap him up tight so he feels secure. When he cries, you feed him, so he knows he can trust his world to give him what he needs. When he is in pain, you hold him and comfort him, so he knows that you care and he can depend on you.
It is heartbreakingly true that some parents can hardly provide this security because they are living in an unstable situation. Their country could be at war or they may be fleeing an unbearable situation. In this case, I think you should still try to instill in the child a belief that you will try to protect them, no matter what.
A Little Bit of Everything, With Love 