Independent Security

In 1944, Blatz wrote about independent security as follows:

> Independent security can be attained only in one way, by the acquisition of a skill through learning. Whenever an individual is presented with a situation for which he is inadequately prepared or whenever he is striving for something and finds that his preparation is inadequate, he must make one of two choices, either to retreat or to attack. This situation is emotionally charged, but there is more than the emotional content in such situations. The individual must, if he is to attack, emerge from the security of a dependent sort and accept the state of insecurity. His attack, of course, will result in learning; the degree of skill which he acquires will depend on his persistence. But once having learned, he will meet this situation in the future with assurance, because now he possesses a behaviour pattern which makes it possible for him to adapt himself satisfactorily. Furthermore, he has become familiar with the consequences of his advance and is willing to face them. Such a skill, having been acquired through his own effort cannot be subject to the same kind of crisis as the other agents which have been described. (p. 167)

Blatz as quoted in The Secure Child, Richard Volpe (Editor)