Here are some hopefully helpful hints in regard to infancy and early childhood development. Every person, including the children we work with and you and I, develop some early modalities which serve each of us throughout our lives.

ome persons tend to be “scanners” and observe whatever is happening around them, they tend to take it all in and apparently case out what it going on and what influence it may have on their immediate lives. Others tend to have a “go-go” type mentality where every moment they have to act as though they are in a football game and have to control the situation in order to manage their lives at that time. There is another group that we may call the “me first” persons. They act as though their life depended on their moving forward, as though they were in a competition with everyone else and have to move ahead at all times.

In contrast there are also individuals who prefer to hold back and interact from a safe distance. They are recognized as the safe ones in the end, or the “you first” persons.

Of course there are several other forms of modalities from early infancy and throughout life. Along with “scanners”, “go-go”, “me first” and “you first” modalities are the “party-poopers” for whom the two letter word “NO” is their essential reaction to any approach presented to them. And then there are persons who tend to be active and willing respondents to any overture, they are the "party crashers" and will respond to almost any approach and invitation to be active.

Now the challenge ahead of us is to determine which category each of the youngsters in our care (and we ourselves) belong. Whatever it is we need to accept the fact that each of us and the children in our care may posses any one of these modalities throughout life.

Are we “scanners”, “go-go”, “me first”, “you first”, “party pooper” or “party crasher” type persons? Regardless, enjoy each one for its own unique and special qualities.

Good Cheers, Henry

Email: hwmaier@aol.com