Resources for Infant
Educarers (R.I.E.)
R.I.E. is a training program for parents and caregivers
developed by Magda Gerber. This program emphasizes the need
for balance between adult stimulation and independent
exploration by the child. Infants are exposed to adult
stimulation during all caregiving activities (e.g. feeding,
bathing, dressing, etc.). These are unhurried activities,
pleasurable times for both adults and infants. Because
these activities occur during the necessary daily routines
of care, stimulation is constant and consistent. In
contrast, in the areas of gross-motor development and
fine-motor manipulation, adults do not interfere or
promote, but rather rely on maturation and development at
the child's own pace.
Adults place emphasis on observation,
anticipation and selective intervention. Parents and
caregivers who consciously observe children are more likely
to be correct in their perceptions and basic acceptance of
the child's needs. This, in turn helps in the
synchronization of the child's inner rhythms (sleep,
hunger, etc.) with the family's daily routines.
Anticipating each other's reactions fosters mutual
understanding, acceptance and basic trust for both adult
and child. Anticipation is the forerunner of communication.
Selective intervention is more about knowing when not to
intervene and is rather more difficult that intervening
indiscriminately.
R.I.E. presents
several principles that guide my work with infants and
toddlers:
1. Primary caregiving for at least two
years -- invest in quality time.
2. Involve infants and toddlers in things
that concern them.
3. Allow infants to achieve natural
stages of gross motor development.
4. Trust children as self-learners and
initiators.
5. Minimal interruption of the children's
play.
6. Independence for the child in physical
movement.
7. Talk to the children directly about
what is happening to them.
8. Learn a child's
unique way of communicating and teach them ours.
9. Be honest about your feelings.
10. Model the behaviors you want to
teach.
11. Be concerned about the quality of
development in each stage.
The goal is helping children reach
authenticity at whatever age or period of development. Our
caregiving practices must reflect a genuine respect for
each child. We can talk more about what these ideals look
like in actual practice. I do have video tapes of Magda
Gerber and her program that present these concepts...let me
know if you would like to view them.