You rock your baby gently, whispering soothing words as their crying begins to ease. It might seem like a simple moment of comfort – but beneath the surface, something remarkable is happening. Your child’s brain is being shaped in real-time, wired through connection.
The earliest experiences in a child’s life aren’t just remembered – they’re biologically embedded. From the moment of birth, and even before, children’s brains are sculpted by the relationships and environments that surround them. And these experiences don’t just influence how they feel – they influence how they behave, learn, and relate to others for years to come.
Brains Grow in Relationship
Human infants are born deeply dependent. Unlike many other animals, our brains are far from fully developed at birth. In fact, more than 80% of brain development occurs after birth, with the most rapid growth happening in the first five years.
During this time, …