# Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of _________

## Name: _______________________________________________________
## Child’s birth date: _____/_____/_____  
## Today’s date: _____/_____/_____

### INSTRUCTIONS: Look closely to see behaviors in a quiet parent. 
Frequency is more important than complexity, but complexity often includes several examples.

### Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes

Developed by Lori A. Roggman, Ph.D., Gina A. Cook, Ph.D., Mark S. Innocenti, Ph.D., Vonda Jump Norman, Ph.D., & Katie Christiansen, Ph.D., with Sheila Anderson, Ph.D.

### AFFECTION
Warmth, physical closeness, and positive expressions toward child

| # | Parent... | Observation guidelines | Absent | Barely | Clearly |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | speaks in a warm tone of voice | Parent's voice is positive in tone and may show enthusiasm or tenderness. A parent who speaks little but very warmly should be coded highly. | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | smiles at child | Parent directs smiles toward child, but parent and child do not need to be looking at each other when smile occurs. Includes small smiles. | 0 | 1 | 2 |

### RESPONSIVENESS
Responding to child’s cues, emotions, words, interests, and behaviors

| # | Parent... | Observation guidelines | Absent | Barely | Clearly |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | pays attention to what child is doing | Parent looks at and reacts to what child is doing by making comments, showing interest, helping or otherwise attending to child's actions. | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | changes pace or activity to meet child's interests or needs | Parent tries a new activity or speeds up or slows down an activity in response to where child looks, what child reaches for, what child says, or emotions child shows. | 0 | 1 | 2 |

### ENCOURAGEMENT
Active support of exploration, effort, skills, initiative, curiosity, creativity, and play

| # | Parent... | Observation guidelines | Absent | Barely | Clearly |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | explains reasons for something to child | Parent says something that could answer a 'why' question, whether child asks a question or not. | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | suggests activities to extend what child is doing | Parent says something child could do to add to what child is already doing but does not interrupt child's interests, actions, or play. | 0 | 1 | 2 |

| # |  | Parent... |  | Observation guidelines | Absent | Barely | Clearly |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 |  | waits for child's response after making a suggestion | Parent pauses after saying something the child could do and waits for child to answer or do something, whether child actually responds or not. | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 |  | encourages child to handle toys | Parent offers toys or says positive things when child shows obvious interest in toys. (Does not include preventing children from mouthing toys.) | 0 | 1 | 2 |