Investing in tots a smart move

I read the BDN’s recent editorial supporting the anticipated recommendations of the Commission to Develop a Strategic Priorities Plan for Maine’s Young Children with great interest and approval of its recognition that much attention and resources are given to kindergarten through 12th grade and higher education. While those in the field of early childhood have beaten the drum for increased resources for infants, toddlers and preschoolers for many decades, the sacred cow for investment in young people has continued to be kindergarten through 12th grade and higher ed.

Because babies and toddlers are small in size, we overlook the critical nature of their development laid down in the first five years of life. Given our insufficient understanding of the crucial first five years we do not understand the lasting value of investing early in these little people. We should move beyond their smallness in size to an understanding about why the positive development of our youngest is worth shifting priorities.

Economic, neurobiologic and developmental research is now so compelling that it is reasonable to reconsider long-held investment practices. The field of economics is weighing in on the value of investing early. Art Rolnick, senior vice president and director of research, and Rob Grunewald, regional economic analyst, both at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minnesota, make the case for early investments from hardheaded economic analysis. “The conventional view of economic development typically includes company headquarters, office towers, entertainment centers and professional sports stadiums and arenas. … We argue that in the future any proposed economic development list should have early childhood development at the top. The return on investment from early childhood development is extraordinary, resulting in better working public schools, more educated workers and less crime.”

The neurobiologic sciences are clear about the importance of early brain development. Most of the brain’s architecture is established by the age of 5. Neurobiology and developmental psychology research demonstrate the relational aspects of brain development and the importance of positive nurturing for birth to 5-year-olds. Helping Young Children Succeed, a publication from the National Center for State Legislatures and the National Zero to Three gives insight to why the social and emotional aspects of early development are so important.

“Gaining social and emotional skills enables children to learn from teachers, make friends, express thoughts and feelings, and cope with frustration. These kinds of skills, in turn, directly influence cognitive learning such as early literacy, numeracy and language skills. A child who cannot remain calm, focus on a task and stick with it will not be able to take advantage of an opportunity to interact with an adult who is reading her a story – an activity that effectively promotes early language and literacy skills.” Quite simply, the young child’s positive social and emotional state leads the child to be a better learner, do better in school and at work, and be a better – and less costly – citizen when he or she grows older.

The editorial stressed child care. That is one system that needs increased and stable investment. Others are Maine’s home visiting program for firstborns, which should exist for every newborn. Our system for young children with developmental delays and disabilities needs serious attention, including more focus for those on the autism spectrum. Pediatric services within our public health system could do much more to identify social and emotional problems at much younger ages. The child welfare system needs attention to help young children in troubled families.

As economists Rolnick and Grunewald write, “Early childhood development programs are rarely portrayed as economic development initiatives, and we think that is a mistake. Such programs, if they appear at all, are at the bottom of the economic priority lists for state and local governments. They should be at the top.”

Maine should heed this advice, and in January the Legislature should look carefully at the recommendations that come from this commission.

Jane Weil of Steuben is a board member of the Maine Association for Infant Mental Health.