Roberts: Parent Coaching Can Relieve Stress, Bolster Babies’ Language Skills and Create a Deeper Sense of Community

Article Summary:

The early years of life are critical. Children who enter school with key readiness skills have an 82 percent chance of mastering basic skills by age 11, compared with 45 percent for young children who are not “kindergarten ready.” Yet too many enter school already at a disadvantage.

Parent coaching has been proven to be an effective strategy to bolster child development and support strong families. A little bit of coaching can make a big difference, and there are many secondary benefits, like the opportunity for parents to connect to each other.

All parents want to support their child, but not all have the tools and resources to translate that desire into action. This is especially true during a global pandemic that has left families with little support and disproportionately impacted Black and brown communities. Parents have always been a child’s first teachers and greatest champions. In 2020, bolstering that role is no longer optional; it’s integral to improving children’s outcomes.