As a parent, you are your child’s first teacher. The bond that you form with your child helps to build a strong foundation for your child’s healthy social and emotional development. Engaging in “serve and return” with your child (engaging with your child in play, conversation, and affection) contributes to a nurturing and supportive relationship. Social-emotional health is foundational to academic achievement, lifelong health and success.
One in five children and adolescents may have a mental health problem. Yet an estimated two-thirds of all young people with mental health problems are not getting the help they need, in part due to a shortage of quality early childhood mental health service. Roughly 13% of women experience depression after child birth. Maternal depression makes it harder for women to nurture their babies and impacts the overall quality of family life. There is growing evidence that mental health of fathers and other care-givers is as important to young children’s well-being.
As a parent, you can help to ensure that your child has a strong social-emotional foundation and that your own mental health care needs are met.
by Blanca Franco, Docs for Tots HMG-LI Family Resource Specialist I want to give big thanks to Help Me Grow – Long Island. They were a big part of my journey during my pregnancy. I was scared, nervous, to
