Laying the Foundation for Success

 Two toddlers push toy trucks through the sand at their neighborhood playground.

An infant turns toward a familiar voice and sees a smiling face.

A grandmother sings the same lullaby her mother and grandmother sang to her.

These everyday experiences, brief and seemingly insignificant, are all helping to lay the foundation for critical brain development. Much like the construction of a house, the developing brain builds upon a strong foundation - adding layers, skills, and complex operations on top of a strong base. This brain architecture relies upon early positive experiences, interactions that happen in the community, at child care programs, and at home.

Thom Child and Family Services is excited to be part of a campaign helping to raise the public's awareness of the numerous opportunities we all have to support our next generation of parents, teachers, leaders, and advisors. Our state's future workforce cannot yet vote or drive. They may not be emailing or texting, but they are communicating and learning. When we read a story to a group of preschoolers, when we help ensure neighborhood playgrounds are clean and safe, when we encourage others to learn more about early childhood initiatives, we invest in our collective future. To learn more about the Brain Building in Progress campaign, an initiative of the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care and the United Way, visit www.brainbuildinginprogress.org. You can also watch a video below.