Time for Parents to Bond with Their Babies

The state where a baby is born makes a big difference in their chances for a strong start in life. For the first time, ZERO TO THREE and Child Trends are telling the state-by-state story of America’s babies. The data can be used by policymakers and advocates to identify and act on the challenges facing the youngest members of society.

This policy brief from NCSL provides an overview of recent state legislation that supports infants, toddlers and their families, including state laws that: improve access to and quality of child care, ensure parents have time to bond with young children, and empower parents to support their child’s healthy emotional and physical development.

A fact sheet developed by the National Partnership for Women and Families makes the case for strengthening Rhode Island's existing paid family leave policies. 

In partnership with the Think Babies campaign, the National Black Child Development Institute has published a resource providing tips to parents on practical ways to nurture their child’s healthy development, as well as how to become an advocate for policies that will help babies and families to thrive.

The National Partnership for Women and Families and ZERO TO THREE have revised a fact sheet that summarizes key research on the importance of paid leave to ensure that infants and young children have adequate bonding time with parents and primary caregivers, which is essential for their healthy brain and emotional development.

In June 2018, the National Governor’s Association (NGA) convened an expert roundtable conversation to review the latest research on early childhood development and current state efforts to support infants and toddlers and their families. In partnership with the Think Babies campaign, NGA recently released a report of that conversation that lays out what state leaders need to do to ensure strong futures for babies and their families.

La Guardia Cross, the creator of the viral YouTube series New Father Chronicles, has partnered with the National Partnership for Women and Families and the Think Babies campaign to release a new video about why working parents and their babies need paid leave.

This blog post from the Think Babies state partner, The Children’s Alliance summarizes the first Washington State Strolling Thunder event held on July 27, 2018 in Seattle WA.

This clip from Legislative Insight shows video coverage of Rhode Island’s May 16^th, 2018 Strolling Thunder event in Providence, RI.

This article from RI Parent Magazine summarizes the first Rhode Island state Strolling Thunder event which took place on May 16, 2018 in Providence, RI.