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ERIC Number: EJ745973
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004
Pages: 8
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1096-2506
EISSN: N/A
Strategies for Supporting Teenage Mothers
Wells, Robin A.; Thompson, Barbara
Young Exceptional Children, v7 n3 p20-27 2004
Programs for teenage mothers provided through school districts or community agencies often have their own curricular agenda for teaching teenage mothers about the proper care of and nutrition for infants and the typical stages of child development, but not all programs are successful in supporting the development of positive early relationships between mothers and their infants. This article delineates a process through which home visitors can reflect on: (1) the status of their program and the supports and services provided to teenage mothers in the program; (2) how current professional literature can be applied to enhance their supports to teenage mothers; and (3) specific strategies for supporting teenage mothers. Among the home visiting program strategies described herein are the "Model of Mutual Competence" and the "Seeing is Believing" model. Teenage mothers may not realize the impact they have on their baby's development. Learning about curricular topics, such as attachment and bonding, sensory systems, brain development, motor development, language development, and social/emotional development, is more meaningful when mothers are involved with their baby and are shown how each of these areas manifest in their daily routines (Project TACTICS, 1993). Learning how to encourage teenage mothers to expand their current parenting skills is a challenge. This task may seem even more daunting when a young mother's infant is at risk or has a disability.
Division for Early Childhood, Council for Exceptional Children. 27 Fort Missoula Road, Suite 2, Missoula, MT 59804. Tel: 406-543-0872; Fax: 406-543-0887; e-mail: dec@dec-sped.org; Web site: http://www.dec-sped.org/publications.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A