Parenting 101

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/19/opinion/parenting-101.html

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To the Editor:

Re “The Panic of American Parenthood” (Op-Ed, Oct. 15): Pamela Druckerman is right: The path to improve our country is investment in our society’s infants and young children and more assistance for their parents. But in addition to families’ need for support in work-life balance and financial assistance, our country would benefit from another type of assistance that most aren’t receiving: parenting education.

Research has shown the need. The earliest years of a child’s life, when the brain is rapidly developing, are critical in healthy emotional, cognitive and physical development.

Further, parents have the most important role in fostering such development during that period, but it arrives when they have the least experience and maturity as parents, and they often become anxious and confused by all the informal advice they receive.

Evidence-based parenting education, which can be delivered in a variety of formats, produces more competent parents and provides substantial long-term return on investment in terms of healthier children, better education, and lower crime and drug use.

Universal access to parenting education could result in significant human and financial cost savings for our country.

MEG AKABAS

New York

The writer is chairwoman-elect of the National Parenting Education Network.