Dr. Chrstina Cohen
October 2024
In the Certified RIE® classes held on Fridays at USP, Back Babies in class begin rolling to and from their bellies and Mobile babies tumble from pulling to stand on their newly found feet. This freedom of movement can sometimes leave us wondering, "Is this a good thing? I'm not sure what to do!"
One of a baby's most important tasks is to move. They are neurologically wired from before birth to move their mouths, their eyes, their hands and feet. Sometimes all of this movement feels like too much. Below are five steps for providing your child physical and emotional support while promoting their freedom of movement.
Though it might look or feel like RIE® parenting means doing nothing, once you start to carefully practice the below interventions, you'll see that you are doing oh so much.
When you're caught off guard or your fears of tumbles and stitches get the best of you, you're likely to have a "knee-jerk" reaction. These steps will help you--and your kid--keep your cool while still responding to the situation at hand.
Here are the levels of interventions I recommend, starting with the following:
1. EYES: Quiet, soft-faced observation. Maybe part of your attention is on reading a book if you're in a yes space. When you start with observation, you increase the likelihood that your intervention will be intentional and thought out--responsive not reactive.
You might be asking, "Is observation an intervention?" Answer me this: Have you ever altered your behavior because someone was watching you? I'm sure the answer is yes. We are social beings and we are impacted by the attention given to us by other people.
2. BODY: Physical proximity. I recommend sitting on the floor rather than up on the couch. You can even buy a meditation chair to sweeten the deal.
To me, this communicates, "I'm with you." While it may seem counterintuitive, feeling physically or emotionally close to their secure object (that's you) provides your child the confidence to explore beyond your lap.
3. VOICE: If a child makes a verbal bid for you, mirror them and verbally acknowledge it. For example you can stay in the present and say, "I hear you."
4. MOVEMENT: If the bid turns into continued bids, you might lean forward and touch a child who is laying on their back or slowly crawl closer to a mobile child. An active toddler might be asking for a greater level of support, i.e. you coming in closer. See this Janet Lansbury post for more examples.
5. COMBINATION: If the bidding remains and possibly escalates, I recommend using any combination of the above interventions.
Meet the child where they are as a way to let them know that they are seen and heard. If their tone of voice is severe, so is yours. "Oh wow, I hear you. Yes, I see." Remember to move slowly and calmly, pausing frequently to make space for more observation between your levels of intervention. This allows your child time to take in your initial intervention, think about it, and decide how to respond to it.
ABOUT SPORTSCASTING: A specific form of a combination intervention is called Sportscasting, a term coined by Magda Gerber.
Here's a great Janet Lansbury post about sportscasting, where you state "just the facts" of a situation.
As the bidding decreases, slowly remove another level of intervention until you are back to level one.
This excellent post breaks down the subtle distinction between acknowledging your child's emotions (not ignoring) while also not restructuring your day to accommodate your child's emotions (which might appear like you are ignoring their needs. Trust me, you're not.)
I can't wait to try this in class together! Hope to see you there!
RIE - Inspired Play Classes
Drop-in for our March RIE-inspired play classes, as students of RIE facilitate an hour-long play class.

MISSION AND PHILOSOPHY
Basics of RIE
Respect and authenticity!
RIE helps parents demonstrate respect for their babies in practical ways, every time we interact with them, thus helping them to become their true selves.
An authentic child is one who feels secure, autonomous, competent, and connected. When we help a child to feel secure, feel appreciated, feel that “somebody is deeply, truly interested in me,” by the way we just look, the way we just listen, we influence that child’s whole personality, the way that child sees life.
About Dr. Cohen
A seasoned Clinical Psychologist with a profound passion for the revolutionalry RIE parenting approach. Having discovered the transformative potential of RIE during her own parenting journey, Dr. Cohen seamlessly integrates her extensive expertise in psycology with her hands-on experience as a RIE facilitator.
Working equally with parents and children, Dr. Cohen helps families connect to each other and build a framework for understanding your baby, their needs and competencies, assessing their own values and needs, and putting those together in an intentional way.
