Quartz: A groundbreaking study offers undeniable proof that the fight against inequality starts with moms
“…The resulting studies found that children whose mothers received coaching [to help them become better teachers to their babies and to increase stimulation and play] made significant developmental gains, and not just in the short term. Twenty-two years later, the kids from one group who had received those home visits as young children not only had higher scores on tests of reading, math, and general knowledge, they had stayed in school longer. They were less likely to exhibit violent behavior, less likely to experience depression, and had better social skills. They also earned 25 percent more on average than a control group of kids whose mothers had not received the coaching. The highly influential Jamaica studies have influenced the way many countries think about investing in early childhood development. Brazil, Guatemala, Zimbabwe, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Bangladesh, and India are all trying parent coaching programs — many based on the Jamaica model…” (Anderson, 2/21).