Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, has penned a powerful op-ed calling for more to be done to support parents and children - especially in their early childhood development. The mother of three wrote a column for The Telegraph discussing the first five years of a child’s life, writing that they were crucial to preventing later challenges in a child’s adult development.
She revealed she had spoken to a number of experts over the past decade about everything from mental health to physical challenges. She said, “I have become more and more sure of one thing: if we are going to create a healthier and happier society for future generations, we must start by understanding and acknowledging the unique importance of the first five years of life."
“Early childhood, from pregnancy to the age of five, fundamentally impacts our whole lives, establishing the core foundations which allow us to go on to thrive as individuals, with one another, as a community and as a society,” she continued.
She also wrote, “But not enough is being done. If we are going to tackle the sorts of complex challenges we face today like homelessness, violence and addiction, which are so often underpinned by poverty and poor mental health, we have to fully appreciate those most preventative years and do everything we can to nurture our children and those who care for them.”
While Middleton did not share any solutions to the issue, she did say that there was an “incredible opportunity” for experts to make a “huge difference” to future generations.
She finished, “I am determined to continue to shine a light on this issue and to do everything I can to secure much greater focus on those first crucial few years for the youngest members of our society - they are, after all, our future.”
Middleton has previously appeared on parenting podcasts such as Giovanna Fletcher’s iHappy Mum, Happy Baby and visited schools over the years to shine a light on the significance of early childhood development. Last year, she called learning about how human brains develop over the years a “real passion of mine” and also launched the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.
