Early relationships matter.
Welcome to Love from the Start, where we share about the profound impact caring adults have on the development of infants and young children.
From day one, your child looks to you for love, guidance, and security. Babies' brains are wired for relationships right from birth—growing within supportive connections.
The warmth of even one nurturing, caring relationship establishes the foundation for a lifetime of mental health.
What is Love from the Start?
Frederick Douglass's timeless wisdom echoes: "It is easier to build strong children than fix broken men.” But do we also ask ourselves, "What does it take to build strong children?” That is what Love from the Start is all about! We want to help more parents and caregivers in our area learn the tools needed to build strong children.
Start with love: A core human need.
When we consider "What do children and babies need?", we often prioritize external factors like food, shelter, clothing, and medicine—crucial elements for their survival and physical health. We seek to protect them from harm. However, what about their internal well-being—their heart and their brain? Their resilience?
Strong early attachments with caring adults are correlated with better mental health and fewer behavior challenges as children grow up and face difficulties. This campaign reminds adults of the greatest need: love. Dr. Carl C. Bell emphasizes, "Risk factors are not predictive factors because of protective factors." The data indicates that having a caring adult in their life is one of the most effective protective factors for a child—and this starts from birth!
What is infant and early childhood mental health?
Infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) focuses on the social-emotional development of children from birth through age 5. IECMH isn’t about putting babies on Sigmund Freud’s couch but rather focuses on the capacity of very young minds to experience emotions, form relationships, and learn.
Warm interactions foster confidence, resilience, and communication skills, vital for future problem-solving, stress management, and healthy relationships.
The caregiver/child relationship quality is crucial during the first years of brain development. The initial three years mark rapid brain development—Babies' brains create 1 million new neural connections every second, laying the foundation for overall well-being. Responsive interactions early in life set the stage for a lifetime of mental health.
Resource Library
Explore the resources below for insights, strategies, and support to nurture your young child's mental health during these important early years.
- Foundations for Infant Mental Health (InfoAboutKids.org)
- "All of baby’s experiences change their brain’s foundation and can help or hurt its growth."
- Serve and Return Interactions with Babies (Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University)
- "Yes, mental health includes babies" (Zero to Three)
- "What does trauma do to a baby's brain?" (Zero to Three)
- Developmental Milestones (CDC)
- "Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving 'bye bye' are called developmental milestones. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, act, and move."
- Early Brain Development and Health (CDC)
- "Dyadic therapy changes lives" (First 5 Center for Children's Policy)
- Relationships and Child Development, Ages 0-5 (raisingchildren.net.au)
- "By building a warm, positive and responsive relationship with your child now, you’re helping to shape the adult your child will become and giving your child a strong foundation for the rest of their life."
- "What is infant mental health?" (video) (Eastern Connecticut State University)
- "Simple ways to show your child you love them" (Parents)
- "Four powerful ways parents can express their love to their kids" (The Lincoln Center for Family & Youth)
- "10 simple ways parents can show love to their teens" (LoveToKnow)
- Place Matters: What Surrounds Us Shapes Us (Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University)
- The Pair of ACEs and Community Resilience (.pdf) (Center for Community Resilience at George Washington University)
- Josh Shipp: The Power of One Caring Adult (video)
- "The difference between a statistic and a success story is you."
- Risk and Protective Factors (.pdf) (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- "The science of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)" (Number Story)
- "Emotional literacy may be the key element in combating suicide in Black children" (Parents)
- "The Power of Positive Experiences" (video) (Number Story)
- The RULER Approach: A method of helping children develop emotional intelligence by learning to recognize, label, and regulate emotions.
Social Media Toolkit
Below you'll find ready-made images you can share to your networks on social media to share the importance of love in the lives of our youth. Together, let's build a foundation that lasts a lifetime—giving them Love from the Start.
We invite you to use the hashtag #LoveFromTheStart and to tag Healthi Kids in your posts.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Love from the Start is made possible through the generous support of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation and the Greater Rochester Health Foundation.