– According to a survey sponsored by “Zero to Three” and the “Bezos Family Foundation,” new parents underestimate how strongly the first years can influence their children’s destiny and are confused about what happens during this so critical period. The study also showed that many parents worry about discipline. Half of them said they would like to know more effective ways to discipline their kids and nearly as many of them said they would like to control better their own emotions and reactions.
– 700 neural connections form every second in the brain during the first 1,000 days of a child and interactions with adults at this time “can shape brain architecture for life.” Unfortunately, when it comes to understanding developmental milestones “a notable portion” of parents “get it wrong by months and sometimes by years,” said Claire Lerner, a senior parenting strategist for Zero to Three.
– A sizable chunk of parents involved in the survey thought the most important time of a child’s development occurs between ages 3 and 5. In fact, science has shown that the right answer is between 0 to 3 years. For example, some parents believe they should start talking directly to their children from the first birthday when that should be done… from birth!
Baby & Mother by Fritz Zuber-Bühler (Wikimedia Commons)
