One of my primary duties as a pediatrician is to increase the likelihood young parents are successful in the practice of parenting by encouraging positive childrearing practices and promoting activities that enhance child development.
Parenthood is tough, even for the most prepared among us. Some families need more help than others. The research in this area is strong. Positive parenting approaches and nurturing a child’s development in the first several years of life is likely to have sustained benefits as a child moves through adolescence and adulthood. In addition, research also supports the use of evidence-based home visiting programs as a means to positively influence the life course of parents and their children. That is why I support evidence-based home visiting.