Emmi Pikler was a Hungarian physician and she observed children and babies for years. Also, she studied on the principles of how to be with children. Pikler was working as a family practioner between 1930-1940 in Budapest. After she focused on little children, she started to support parents. In 1946 Hungarian Government decided to establish a nursery for kids whose parents died because of war or tuberculosis and invited Pikler to run this nursery (Weber,2010). This nursery will be named Pickler-Loczy Institute afterward, and will be in actively working who does need it (Vamos,2015). After the beginning of institution, a team including Pikler, caretakers, doctors and other professionals observed more than 700 kids in 20 years (Weber,2010).
In those years, visitors might experience the calm and peaceful environment of the institution. But, how can children who lost their parents be seem that much happy? The method of Pikler, protect children from system establishments and provide them to be in a healthy physical and emotional state (Vamos,2015).
Pikler says healthy babies are active, skilful, and they are in peace. This peaceful state also includes living with people around them in peace. There are three main characters in Piklerian approach. The first principle is “Full Freedom of Movement” (Tados,2010). Pikler frankly says that, “If we give babies enough space and freedom to move, they move agile, confident, and at ease (Marlen,2017). It’s the most reformist principle of Pikler and it demonstrates that if we don’t interfere babies’ motor development it will be easier them to advance it. Pikler advised her conselee that they shouldn’t force their babies to sit, stand or walk before their children successful in them. Every step of motor development should be achieved by the baby (Tardos,2010).
The second principle emphasis the kind and respectful relationship between baby and the caregiver. Mother or the main caregiver is in a direct contact when they fulfil babies’ physical needs. Baby learn how does the adult react his or her signs. When Emmi Pikler visits houses, the main argument topic was the principles of baby care. After the establishment of nursery she collects these under the name of “therapotic care” and these are applied by Pikler and her team in the institution. She taught her team how to be respectful in their relationship with babies, when they talk and in their gestures, from the very first day of babies. Thus Pikler created a “culture” includes how to touch, hold, listen carefully and respond the signs of babies (Tardos,2010).
The third principle is about babies’ play area. Pikler suggests using toys that benefits in fine motor development and proper their age. Also steps and platforms or gadgets that they can climb will be good for gross motor development. The baby walkers or baby bouncer that pacifies children movement are not suggested. Furthermore the needs of babies and toddlers are different, their play area also should be different (Marlen,2017).
In short, Piklerian approach emphasis on providing free movement area and respecting child and make them feel this. If this approach were applied a place like nursery which includes so many children it can be achieved in our houses also. Please, provide our children some space and support them to be independent individuals.
Fatma Betül Yılmaz
Research Assistant
REFERENCES
Tardos, A. (2010). introducing the Piklerian developmental approach: history and principles.
Newsletter of the World Association for Infant Mantal Health , 18(3). Retrieved from https://thepiklercollection.weebly.com/uploads/9/4/5/3/9453622/signal3-4_2010.pdf
Weber, Susan. (2010). The Work of Emmi Pikler.
Research Bulletin. Retrieved from
https://www.waldorflibrary.org/images/stories/Journal_Articles/RB15_2weber.pdf
Vamos, J. (2015). Free to move, free to be.
The American Journal of Psychoanalysis,
75(1), 65-75.
Marlen, D. (2017). All about…: Pikler.
Nursery World,(5), 23-27.
