Page 6 - BTC Yearbook 2016

these “Touchpoints.” And you can assure them that they will be even more self-
confident as a parent afterwards—understanding themselves and their baby even
better.
7. Predict the times when stresses will be even greater- 6 weeks, 4-5 months, 7 months, 9
months, 12 months in the first year and at least 1-2 times each year afterward.
8. Model ways for them to not only make relationships with parents but how to deepen
them, using the baby and his behavior as the most powerful way of reaching parents.
9. Be aware of what you bring to the relationship and how your past experiences will
affect your behavior with parents.
10. Gatekeeping—all of us have this in common. We all would prefer to have the baby or
child prefer us to anyone else. If one is aware of this, one is not at the mercy of it, and
you are free to reinforce the parent as the most important person for his/her child.
11. Never just speak to the mother, but always include the father in any demonstration or
discussion of the child.

I hope all of you are as proud of how far we’ve come as we all are at the “Touchpoints” Center, for
we are now reaching millions of underprivileged families and, with the new Office of Head
Start/Office of Child Care grant, we have the potential to reach 13 million families. But my goal is to
reach every family in the US and around the world with our support—so we have a long way to go
yet. So keep at it for we have a positive way of reaching and supporting families.

I’d like to thank a few key people who have made this possible.

Suzanne Otcasek, my administrative assistant and support for so many years.

Joshua Sparrow, MD, who followed me as the president of Brazelton Touchpoints Project,
Inc. (BTP) board.

Betty Bardige, chair of the BTP Board of Directors.

Board members Bill Harris, Susan Buffett, Max Stone, and Kate Buttenwieser, who have been
some of our most generous supporters.

Terry Ann Lunt, who has been such an important leader for our Touchpoints Project.

The original Touchpoints team: John Hornstein, Maureen O’Brien, Ann Stadtler, and Ed
Tronick.

And all of the BTC staff and partners who, over the past 20 years, continue to bring
Touchpoints to life every day.

T.Berry Brazelton, M.D.

July, 2016