“I could literally show you 20 charts, and 19 of them would show no relationship between the amount of parents’ time and children’s outcomes. .?.?. Nada. Zippo,” said Melissa Milkie, a sociologist at the University of Toronto and one of the report’s authors.
"That’s not to say that parent time isn’t important. Plenty of studies have shown links between quality parent time — such as reading to a child, sharing meals, talking with them or otherwise engaging with them one-on-one — and positive outcomes for kids. The same is true for parents’ warmth and sensitivity toward their children. It’s just that the quantity of time doesn’t appear to matter."
via Making time for kids? Study says quality trumps quantity. - The Washington Post.
It is clear to me now, two kids and two different experiences later: our babies are born ready. All they need is for us to be ready to listen, and respond.
I had no idea how infuriating the question “how can I help?” would be when there was a sink full of bottles and an empty fridge. Mom friends to the rescue.
Beyond knowing how to handle a tantrum to avoid public embarrassment, we can begin to view them as a valuable opportunity to teach our children life skills.
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