Wyoming Kids First

Families

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Wyoming Kids First recognizes parents and families as a child’s first and most important teachers, so we work hard to partner with families and with organizations that support them. The way a child is cared for and is treated by family members in his early years will influence the rest of his life. Consider:

• Even before a child is born, her mother’s health and happiness affect her development. Along with the rest of the child’s body, her brain is growing at a fast pace. The number of neurons peaks while she is still in the womb[1].
• Once born, a child has physical and emotional needs that must be met before he can focus on playing and learning.
• The typical babbling of a baby or toddler has a purpose[2]. By making these sounds, she is reaching out for interaction with others, and when parents and family members respond, they are actually helping her brain develop. We may separate physical, language, social, cognitive and emotional development, but the brain processes these functions together so that they all influence each other.
• Recurrent child abuse or neglect, parental substance abuse, or family violence act as stressors in the lives of young children; such stressors can cause a toxic stress response from children that can disrupt health brain development[3]. Stable, nurturing family environments can help minimize and/or mitigate the effects of stressful life experiences for young children.
• Children are more likely to be proficient readers themselves when their families read to them regularly[4]. High school graduation can be predicted with reasonable accuracy by how well a child reads at the end of third grade[5].