children cling to the closest thing they have to a family.
when biological parents are absent, children tend to gravitate towards available sources of security and comfort in order to replace that absence.
in the context of the ‘attachment theory’ by John Bowlby, a child naturally & biologically forms strong emotional bonds towards their caregivers or guardians as means for survival and emotional regulation. he also stated that this first attachment serves the purpose as an internal working model, which influences how the child perceives themselves, others, and relationships while growing up.