We Believe

Adapted from the Proclamation and Blueprint of the Alliance for Transforming the Lives of Children www.atlc.org.

The Alliance for Transforming the Lives of Children offers the following evidence-linked Principles for promoting optimal human development. A deep concern for children and parents is woven into each Principle. We invite you to ponder these Principles to motivate and inspire you. We encourage you to recognize and follow your intuitive knowledge and instincts. Our intent is to help you co-create with children a life that is practical, harmonious, and joyful.

1. All children are born with inherent physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual needs that, when met, foster optimal human development.
2. Every child needs to be securely bonded with at least one other person – optimally the mother.
3. All children are by nature social beings, born with the drive to play, learn, cooperate with others, and contribute to their world.
4. Each child carries within a unique pattern of development designed to unfold in accordance with the child's own rhythm and pace.
5. Young children communicate their needs through behavior that is strongly influenced by innate temperament, early experiences, the behavior modeled by others, and current circumstances.
6. The ability of parents and caregivers to nurture children is strongly influenced by their own birth, childhood, and life experiences.
7. Children depend upon their parents and caregivers to keep them safe and to protect them from emotional and physical neglect, violence, sexual abuse, and other toxic conditions.
8. A child who is nurtured in the womb of a healthy, loving, and tranquil mother receives the best possible start in life.
9. A natural birth affords significant benefits to mother and baby; therefore, both the potential benefits and risks of any intervention warrant careful consideration.
10. Breastfeeding, continual physical contact, and being carried on the body are necessary for optimal brain and immune system development, and promote the long-term health of the baby and mother.
11. A father's consistent, meaningful, and loving presence in a child's life is significant to the child, father, mother, and the well being of the family.
12. Parents create a strong foundation for family life when they consciously conceive, foster, or adopt a child, and are committed to understand and meet the child's needs
13. Single parents have a special need for a strong emotional and financial support system to effectively nurture their children.
14. Political, economic, and social structures either enhance or diminish parents' opportunities to nurture and sustain a secure bond with their children.
15. When children live in socially responsive families and communities, they receive a foundation for becoming socially responsible themselves.
16. Effective parenting is an art that can be learned.

By implementing these Principles through the Actions listed below, societies can transform themselves into dynamic, life-honoring cultures where children are loved, protected, respected, valued, and encouraged to joyfully participate in the vital life of family and community.

Actions for Parents, Caregivers and/or Society

1. Encourage prospective parents to carefully consider their readiness to assume the roles and responsibilities of becoming a parent.
2. Honor pregnancy as a natural event (not a medical condition) and recognize the importance of the mother's emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing; a safe environment; a strong support system; and communication with the unborn as an aware, sensitive being.
3. Consider all birthplace options, recognizing that birth experiences are enhanced in home, birth center, or hospital settings that support parents’ birthplan detailing their informed choices for labor, birthing, and the postpartum period.
4. Select a birthing environment that clearly supports the infant-parent attachment process, e.g., actively encouraging immediate and continual physical contact, breastfeeding, and the involvement of the father in supporting the mother and connecting with the newborn.
5. Support secure infant-parent bonding through the early days, weeks, and months by respecting attachment-promoting behaviors, e.g., breastfeeding on cue, carrying infants in arms or slings, avoiding substitutes for human contact–strollers, pacifiers, stuffed toys, etc.
6. Assist in building additional support for the single parent.
7. Recognize and nourish every child’s innate goodness and wholeness of spirit, innate motivation to learn, and unique rhythm of development.
8. Meet children’s innate needs for caregiver constancy, unconditional love, a nutritious diet, and security.
9. Protect children from harmful environments, e.g., physical or emotional trauma from people or media exposure, and environmental toxins and pollutants.
10. Minimize our own barriers to nurturing children as parents, caregivers, and a society by addressing any dysfunctional patterns caused by our own early unmet needs or traumatic experiences that occurred around pregnancy or birth.
11. Foster children's sense of belonging to a responsive and responsible community by providing them with opportunities to contribute to others.
12. Provide ready access to education and support for parenting.
13. Develop family-friendly economic, political, and social structures that clearly support and value the raising of children understanding they are the promise of our planet's wellbeing.