First 1,000 days: Responsibility of First Educators

Artika Tyner

The first 1,000 days are the period from conception to a child’s second birthday. Studies show this period is a child’s most important developmental stage. During this period, children tend to be sensitive to their environment. Therefore, the provision of safer, more stable environments is essential. The nurturing received early in life has a direct impact on the development of the child’s cognitive, physical, emotional, and relational skills.

This article highlights the importance of the role played by First Educators in the stimulation and development of a child’s brain. “Foundation for what comes later for these children would be built in the first three years of their lives, the first 1,000 days,” according to Professor of Pediatrics Dr. Judith B. Van Ginkel. By a child’s third birthday, approximately 80% of their brain is developed. Therefore, intentionality in everyday activities such as feeding, conversations, even before the child utters their first words, will help shape the child’s ability to speak, think, feel, and build healthy social relations.

Although First Educators bear the basic responsibility in ensuring their children are ready for the world, well-thought-out policies, implemented in a coordinated way, create an enabling environment for effective parenting. These policies support nutrition, health, and early childhood education.

Nourishing the body, stimulating the brain
A child whose parents provide the best care in the first 1,000 days is ready to learn. These 1,000 days start with conception; thus, parents taking good care of themselves during the pregnancy is particularly important to the development of a child. The mother should have a good diet, take all prescribed supplements, and attend prenatal care. After birth, doctors recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. Breast milk has all the essential nutrients required by a baby to grow. At no point in a child’s life should nutrition be compromised.

Also, babies should be immunized, and parents should take sanitation very seriously. Good sanitation practices keep children healthy. If these measures are adhered to, illnesses that can lead to delayed growth, which impairs both physical and cognitive growth, are prevented. Parents should have conversations with the children even while they are in the womb. Babies are like sponges and absorb whatever content is shared. Opportunities to engage babies usually arise during bath time and feeding. Here, the First Educators can sing songs, tell stories, and even share picture books. Engaging children during this window strengthens the brain connections needed for speech, thought, and future literacy.

Cultivating Safe Spaces
Children respond positively to love and affection. This helps them to learn a particularly important lesson early on: trust. When parents or caregivers dote on their children, they embrace the reality that their world is safe. This makes them feel loved and feel they matter. This bond is the foundation on which confidence is built, and healthy relationships are nurtured. Children gravitate towards safe spaces. First Educators can therefore use this trust gained positively by drawing children closer, supervising, and keeping them away from harm.

First Educators, I must highlight, are not mothers only. Fathers, grandparents, siblings, caregivers, and all members of a household teach children through their actions and inactions. Support is received from health workers, early childhood centers when accessible, social workers, and the community. First Educators ought to be empowered to improve their abilities to support their families. Through home visit programs, family support is received through dissemination of vital child development information, promoting safe environments for children. This creates opportunities where children have interactions with adults in a controlled environment. There should be an increase in economic resources available to families in order to provide safe and stable home environments.

Call to Action
First Educator: refers to the fundamental primary role that parents and caregivers play in a person’s early development and education. They instill essential life skills, morals and behaviors.

• Attend prenatal and postnatal visits: Register for these appointments in the first trimester and attend every scheduled visit. A healthy birth is linked to optimal child development. Essential time is lost when these processes are not started on time. This may delay brain stimulation in a child, possibly stunting development.

• Balanced diet for brain development: Breastfeed exclusively for six months, then add nutritious foods. After six months, a baby needs additional nutrition. Parents should incorporate nutritious foods into the diet of their children, providing essential nutrients such as iron and zinc needed for continuous brain and muscle development. This protects children from developmental delays and long-term health complications that may hinder cognitive development.

• Talking, singing and playing daily: First Educators are urged to engage children daily through talking, singing, playing, and reading. This activity can begin at conception and continue throughout the first 1,000 days and beyond. Engaging children at this stage builds neural connections that are essential for language skills, thought, and literacy in the future. You should institute a routine where these activities are repeated and hence become a culture in the home. These repeated activities stimulate brain development during the brain’s most critical growth stage.

• Safe Environments: First Educators should provide care that makes the child feel valued and safe. Working to eliminate physical barriers and shielding children from emotional stress gives children a safe space to thrive. Toxic stress in early childhood has negative impacts on brain development. An enabling environment keeps pressure off a child’s brain and focuses on far more important developmental milestones instead of entering survival mode.
The first 1,000 days come by quickly, but it is the most important brain development stage; what is learned lasts a lifetime. Parents and caregivers do not need formal training or certification to teach their children. They need to show up; they must engage actively, acting as participants, not merely onlookers. They must take part actively in the day-to-day lives of their children. Actively playing their role as First Educators, parents or caregivers allow every child to succeed in school and life in general.

Through her organization, Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute, Dr. Artika Tyner offers resources to foster literacy and education.