Recently I bumped into a friend at the supermarket and over a cup of tea we talked about our children. Her thirteen-year-old son lives in a cocoon, preferring his own company and his music. But every now and then, she said, she can catch a glimpse of the person he is becoming. She has got to a point where she perceives him as an "other" person and no longer as part of herself. And she described how amazed and happy she is when she discovers something new and unexpected in her son. On the basis of the security of their mutual bonding she is ready to give him his space, to let go.
Bonding is important for the development of the child - this is a fact according to husband-and-wife psychologists Helmut and Ursula Johnson. Children and young people who are placed in out-of-home care often suffer from attachment disorders. The article "Attachment: the key to development" gives a short introduction to the attachment theory and describes the symptoms of attachment disorders and how affected children and youths can be supported.
In her article "BASE: Growing up on a secure base", Donna Pido presents a model aimed at fostering the self-esteem of our children and young people and their ability to form attachments. All SOS Children's Village co-workers are called upon to reflect on their actions. Do they support the establishment of a BASE-friendly atmosphere that allows children and young people to grow into self-confident, strong and competent adults?
Today, nobody doubts that work with the biological family is important. Gaby Martínez points out the path SOS Children's Villages Bolivia has chosen in its work with SOS mothers. It is not always an easy task to convince SOS mothers and biological mothers that their co-operation can turn into "A successful cooperation".
In our "Alternative Interview" we have asked Indrajani Prawoto how bonding is lived and expressed in the cultural context of Indonesian society. The sociologist and anthropologist grew up "between cultures" herself. Born in Vienna, she and her mother soon moved to Java: her father had already gone back there after finishing his university studies.
The book "Your competent child" which we review at the end of this issue deals with the question of how children can be supported in growing up. What can we do to help our children grow into strong, self-confident adults?