Too often people think of “education” as something that begins when children enter kindergarten. Yet a wealth of research shows that a child’s success in school and life (in fact, the very architecture of a child’s brain) is shaped in powerful ways by experiences in the earliest months of life. Furthermore, economic research demonstrates that for every dollar invested in early childhood programs we reap a return on investment of about $16. Dr. Art Rolnick has been at the forefront of this research since his days as Vice President for Research at the Minneapolis Federal Reserve and continues to study and advocate for early childhood investment as Co-Director of the Human Capital Research Collaborative at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota. In this Mom Enough show he joins Marti & Erin for a lively discussion of this important topic.

 

Why do you think the earliest years of life are so important to lifelong health and learning? What did you hear in this Mom Enough show that made you think in new ways about how our society addresses the needs of children birth to 5? Share your thoughts in the comment space below!

 

To watch the "Pay Now or Pay Later" video from the U of M, click here.

For more information on the Perry Preschool Study, click here.

For information on the Early Learning Scholarships Program, click here.

For our interview on stress with Dr. Megan Gunnar, click here.