Touchpoints
Touchpoints For Parents
Touchpoints are times in a child’s development when they are gearing up for major new
growth and learning. Before the growth spurt, their behavior may change. They may get
more upset or experience some regression. These are normal stages in development, but
often confusing or frustrating times for parents. Touchpoints is also a philosophy,
developed by Dr. T. Berry Brazelton to assist professionals in understanding how they
can work with parents to anticipate and understand Touchpoints. Professionals and parents
can work together to create a nurturing environment that supports each child’s development.
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Parent Assumptions
- The parent is the expert on his/her child
- All parents have strengths
- All parents want to do well by their child
- All parents have something critical to share at each developmental stage
- All parents have ambivalent feelings
- Parenting is a process built on trial and error
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Touchpoints Guiding Principles
- Recognize what you bring to the interaction.
- Look for opportunities to support mastery.
- Use the behavior of the child as your language.
- Value and understand the relationship between you and the parent.
- Value disorganization as an opportunity for growth.
- Be willing to discuss matters that go beyond your traditional role.
- Focus on the parent-child relationship.
- Value passion wherever you find it.
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Touchpoints For Professionals
The Touchpoints philosophy, developed by Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, encourages professionals to assist
parents in understanding that development does not always occur in a systematic way and to assist
parents in anticipating and managing Touchpoints. Touchpoints are defined as times in a child’s
development when they are gearing up for major new growth and learning. Before the growth spurt,
their behavior may change. They may get more upset or experience some regression. These are normal
stages in development, but often confusing or frustrating times for parents. This time of
disorganization is an opportunity for providers to partner with parents, as parents are typically
more open to hearing information and accepting support.
By combining relationship building with child development information, parent-provider partnerships
become opportunities for shared solutions. They can work together to create a nurturing environment
that supports each child’s development.
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We offer workshops
for providers who are interested in strengthening their relationship with parents.
Following is a list of the workshops offerred at CPI. We can also offer a customized training at your
site. If you are interested in any of the following workshops, please call Nancy Sherman at CPI at 585-6108.
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Touchpoints Trainings
Fees based on class size & length
- An Introduction to Touchpoints: Build relationships with families & your own children as you help parents anticipate spurts and regressions (Touchpoints) in their child’s growth
- Prenatal & Newborn Touchpoints: Explore with expectant parents the birth of their child & their questions about the early weeks with a new baby
- Infant Cues & Behavior States: Understand the universal language of infant cues & behavior states; practice techniques to use infant behavior as the language for communicating with parents
- Infants, Toddlers & Discipline: The joys & challenges of the reciprocal “give & take” between parents, infants & toddlers and appropriate discipline as we grow together
- Preschool Age Children: Help parents find their own process to adjust to their child’s development and independence as their preschool child “steps out” into new territory
- Touchpoints with Fathers: Mastery of men’s role as fathers & relationship-building strategies for dads
- Customized Touchpoints for your unique interests and needs
All of the trainings are experiential and includes an interview with a family to allow providers an opportunity to practice working from the strengths of families and improving their skills of observation.
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National Touchpoints Web Site
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