Snuggle Time
So many children with RAD missed out on baby snuggle time when they were little. They might not ever have had someone who held and rocked them, sang them silly songs, tickled their toes, or told them nursery rhymes.
A huge part of connecting with children with attachment disorder is through daily Snuggle Time; a time of taking your child back to baby or toddler hood and filling them up with the nurturing that they missed out on.
Children need 20 – 30 minutes of snuggle time, EVERY DAY. Some children can’t handle that amount of nurturing all at once, and parents can break it up into smaller chunks and spread it throughout the day.
Feed your child sweet milk sugars while holding them in your arms as you would a little baby, rocking them and telling stories or singing to them. Lactose is a very big part of infant bonding! When your child looks into your eyes put a bit of a treat into their mouth while smiling into their eyes.
Snuggle time should be a time full of laughter and fun, with the parent ALWAYS being in control; children need to be quiet so they can soak in their parents’ love.
(This time is NOT the time to lecture your child about their misdeeds of the day, nor to expound to them on how to do things better!)
For a few minutes (10 – 20) a day, rock your child in your lap, playing soft music and stroking their hair or cheek while smiling lovingly into their eyes. After waking up or before bedtime is a great time to do this!
Here are some ideas to get you started:
(Tune: the Farmer in the Dell)
1. My Mommy keeps me safe,
My Mommy keeps me safe,
Hey HO! That’s great to know!
My Mommy keeps me safe.
2. My Mommy is in charge…
3. My Mommy watches out…
4. My Mommy loves me so…
5. My Mommy comes back…
Popular Children’s Songs
- This Little Light of Mine
- Little Red Wagon, Paint it ____
- I’m a Little Tea Pot
- Row, Row, Row Your Boat
- Humpty Dumpty
- She’ll be Coming ‘Round the Mountain
- Jesus Loves Me
- Old McDonald Had a Farm
- Little White Duck, Swimming in the Water
- I Love You, You Love Me
- My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
- Ten Little Indians
- Baa, Baa Black Sheep
- My God is So Big
- If Your Happy and You Know It
- The Farmer in the Dell
- Five Little Monkeys
- Five Little Ducks
- Hey Diddle Diddle
- I’ve Been Working on the Railroad
- How Much is the Doggy in the Window
- Hush Little Baby
- Rock-a-Bye Baby
- Mary Had a Little Lamb
- This Old Man
- Pop Goes the Weasel
- I Have Something In My Pocket
- Jesus Loves The Little Children
- Wee Willie Winkie
- The Muffin Man
- Sing a Song of Sixpence
- Rub-a-Dub Dub
- Little Bo Peep
- Diddle Diddle Dumpling
- Jack and Jill
- Three Blind Mice
- Polly Put the Kettle On
- London Bridge
- Little Miss Muffet
- Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
- Hush Little Baby
- Braham’s Lullaby
- Morning Town Ride
- Peter, James, and John
- Kookaburra
- Sweetly Sings the Donkey
- Why Doesn’t My Goose
- Ol’ King Cole
- The Duke of York
Baby Games
- This Little Piggy
- Pat-a-Cake
- Ring Around the Rosie
- Peek-a-Boo
- Light Tickling
Sweet Milk Sugar
- Caramels
- Vanilla ice cream
- Vanilla or butterscotch pudding
- Raisins or Craisins*
*Use these with children that have dairy allergies or intolerances
CDs and Songs to Play While Rocking
- Mozart for Babies (YouTube, CDs)
- How Could Anyone, song by Shania Noll
- Arms, song by Christina Perri
- You Raise Me Up, song by Josh Groban
- Songs For the Inner Child, album by Shania Noll
- How Deep the Father’s Love For Us, song by Stuart Townend
- Bedtime With the Beatles, (instrumental version), album by The Beatles
I’ll Love you Forever, I’ll Love you for Always,
As long as I’m living, My Baby you’ll be.”
Robert Munsch