Decades of research have demonstrated that the parent-child dyad and the environment of the familyâ€"which includes all primary caregiversâ€"are at the foundation of children's well- being and healthy development. From birth, children are learning and rely on parents and the other caregivers in their lives to protect and care for them. The impact of parents may never be greater than during the earliest years of life, when a child's brain is rapidly developing and when nearly all of her or his experiences are created and shaped by parents and the family environment. Parents help children build and refine their knowledge and skills, charting a trajectory for their health and well-being during childhood and beyond. The experience of parenting also impacts parents themselves. For instance, parenting can enrich and give focus to parents' lives; generate stress or calm; and create any number of emotions, including feelings of happiness, sadness, fulfillment, and anger. Parenting of young children today takes place in the context of significant ongoing developments. These include: a rapidly growing body of science on early childhood, increases in funding for programs and services for families, changing demographics of the U.S. population, and greater diversity of family structure. Additionally, parenting is increasingly being shaped by technology and increased access to information about parenting. Parenting Matters identifies parenting knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with positive developmental outcomes in children ages 0-8; universal/preventive and targeted strategies used in a variety of settings that have been effective with parents of young children and that support the identified knowledge, attitudes, and practices; and barriers to and facilitators for parents' use of practices that lead to healthy child outcomes as well as their participation in effective programs and services. This report makes recommendations directed at an array of stakeholders, for promoting the wide-scale adoption of effective programs and services for parents and on areas that warrant further research to inform policy and practice. It is meant to serve as a roadmap for the future of parenting policy, research, and practice in the United States.

Small groups are a primary vehicle for effective parent learning and support, so understanding parent group process and managing group learning is a critical skill for parent education practice. Group Patent Education is devoted to training parent educators and family counsellors and represents a unique and important contribution to the growing field of parent education and support programmes. Campbell and Palm build upon the rich traditions of group parent education while incorporating contemporary theory and practice. Drawing upon their experiences as parent educators and their expertise as teacher educators, they combine different conceptual frameworks for understanding group process with practical strategies for leading parent groups that blend education and support. Group Parent Education leans toward the practical, with a skill development thrust and concrete examples as it attempts to address the complexity of working with diverse family groups. The book also includes a chapter on parent-child interaction time as a rich component that enhances parent discussion and learning in parent group settings. Campbell and Palm provide readers with resource material that should have

***INSTANT New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller*** 2023 Gold Winner — Nautilus Book Award World-class pediatric surgeon, social scientist, and best-selling author of Thirty Million Words Dr. Dana Suskind returns with a revelatory new look at the neuroscience of early childhood development—and how it can guide us toward a future in which every child has the opportunity to fulfill their potential. Her prescription for this more prosperous and equitable future, as clear as it is powerful, is more robust support for parents during the most critical years of their children’s development. In her poignant new book, Parent Nation, written with award-winning science writer Lydia Denworth, Dr. Suskind helps parents recognize both their collective identity and their formidable power as custodians of our next generation. Weaving together the latest science on the developing brain with heart-breaking and relatable stories of families from all walks of life, Dr. Suskind shows that the status quo—scores of parents convinced they should be able to shoulder the enormous responsibility of early childhood care and education on their own—is not only unsustainable, but deeply detrimental to the wellbeing of children, families, and society. Anyone looking for a blueprint for how to build a brighter future for our children will find one in Parent Nation. Informed by the science of foundational brain development as well as history, political science, and the lived experiences of families around the country, this book clearly outlines how society can and should help families meet the developmental needs of their children. Only then can we ensure that all children are able to enjoy the promise of their potential.

Why does your toddler get upset when his or her routine is disrupted? Why do they follow you from room to room and refuse to play on their own? Why are daily routines such as mealtimes, bath time, and bed time such a struggle? This accessible guide demystifies the difficult behaviors of anxious toddlers, offering tried-and-tested practical solutions to common parenting dilemmas. Each chapter begins with a real life example, clearly illustrating the behavior from the parent's and the toddler's perspective. Once the toddler's anxious behavior has been demystified and explained, new and effective parenting approaches are introduced to help parents tackle everyday difficulties and build up their child's resilience, independence, and coping mechanisms. Common difficulties with bath time, toileting, sleep, eating, transitions, social anxiety, separation anxiety, and sensory issues are solved, along with specific fears and phobias, and more extreme behaviors such as skin picking and hair pulling. A must-read for all parents of anxious toddlers, as well as for the professionals involved in supporting them.

First Published in 2000. The topic area of this book is amongst the priority items on this Government’s agenda and is a key part of social policy and strategies across government departments to enhance the quality of life for children and families.

This is the first book to provide a multidisciplinary, critical, and global overview of evidence-based parenting education (PEd) programs. Readers are introduced to the best practices for designing, implementing, and evaluating effective PEd programs in order to teach clients how to be effective parents. Noted contributors from various disciplines examine evidence –based programs from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, as well as web-based alternatives. The best practices used in a number of venues are explored, often by the developers themselves. Examples and discussion questions encourage application of the material. Critical guidance for those who wish to design, implement, and evaluate PEd programs in various settings is provided. All chapters feature learning goals, an introduction, conclusion, key points, discussion questions, and additional resources. In addition to these elements, chapters in Part III follow a consistent structure so readers can easily compare programs—theoretical foundations and history, needs assessment and target audience, program goals & objectives, curriculum issues, cultural Implications, evidence-based research and evaluation, and professional preparation and training issues. The editor has taught parenting and family life education courses for years. This book reviews the key information that his students needed to become competent professionals. Highlights of the book’s coverage include: Comprehensive summary of evidence-based PEd training programs in one volume. Prepares readers for professional practice as a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) by highlighting the fundamentals of developing and evaluating PEd programs. Exposes readers to models of parenting education from around the world. The book opens with a historical overview of PEd development. It is followed by 20 chapters divided in four parts. The initial six chapters focus on fundamentals of parenting education --program design, implementation, evaluation, the role of mediators and moderators, as well as the U.S. Cooperative Extension Parent Framework. The three chapters in Part II review the latest status of parenting education in Europe, Asia, and web-based alternatives. Part III presents ten stellar, evidence-based parenting programs offered around the world. In addition to the learning goals, introduction, conclusion, key points, discussion questions, and additional resources that are found in all chapters, those in Part III also consider theoretical foundations and history, needs assessment and target audience, program goals & objectives, curriculum issues, cultural Implications, evidence based research and evaluation, and professional preparation and training issues. Part IV reviews future directions. Ideal for advanced undergraduate or graduate courses in parent education, parent-child relations, parenting, early childhood or family life education, family therapy, and home, school, and community services taught in human development and family studies, psychology, social work, sociology, education, nursing, and more, the book also serves as a resource for practitioners, counselors, clergy members, and policy makers interested in evidence based PEd programs or those seeking to become CFLEs or Parent Educators.