The first three years of a baby’s life shape all the rest. In that short time period, babies form more than one million new neural connections every second. That’s a whole lot of brainpower.
Over the last ten years, I have seen firsthand how nurturing experience with caregivers, families, and the community, allow children to thrive and reach their full potential.
America’s future depends on quality child care. It not only fuels our country’s economic engine by allowing parents to work, but also builds the workforce of the future
That’s why ZERO TO THREE created the Think Babies campaign: to make their potential our national priority.
When babies don’t get what their growing brains need to thrive; they don’t develop as they should. This leads to poor life-long developmental, educational, social, and health challenges. Every minute we waste not making our voices heard, another child runs the risk of not ever reaching her full potential. That’s not good for families, and that’s not good for our future.
We need to
MAKE SURE EVERY FAMILY WHO NEEDS IT HAS ACCESS TO QUALITY, AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE FOR THEIR INFANTS AND TODDLERS THAT OFFER ONE-ON-ONE RELATIONSHIPS WITH CARING ADULTS AND STRONG EARLY LEARNING EXPERIENCES.
GIVE PARENTS DEDICATED TIME TO BOND WITH THEIR BABIES IN THE EARLIEST MONTHS, WHEN SO MUCH OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT IS AT STAKE.
REACH PARENTS WITH THE RESOURCES AND SERVICES THEY WANT AND NEED TO NURTURE THEIR BABY’S HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT AND SET THEM UP FOR A HEALTHY LIFE.
ENSURE FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO NUTRITION AND OTHER HEALTH SERVICES THAT CAN GIVE THEM A HEALTHY START IN LIFE.
Here at McNeilly Center for Children, we see examples daily of how access to high-quality childcare allows our families to thrive. We recently had a parent finish their degree through our family empowerment program and become employed because they had access to childcare.
Quality child care can set children living in families with low-income on a path to:
Higher reading and math achievement;
Complete elementary and high school on time;
Attend and complete college;
Increased earnings;
Greater employment; and
Better health as adults.
These are the ingredients to give babies enriching early experiences, promote healthy brain development from the start, and create a better future for our nation.
Be part of the team that’s fighting for their future. Sign up for campaign updates.