Two Open Windows: Brain Science and Expanding Opportunity for New Parents

Explore the fascinating intersection of neuroscience and early childhood development in this 1-hour 22-minute conference talk from The Aspen Institute. Delve into the groundbreaking research on brain changes in both infants and new parents, uncovering the shared period of opportunity and vulnerability during early parenthood. Learn about the science of inequity, the biology of resilience, and sensitive periods in development. Discover how to promote resilience, improve outcomes, and move families forward by reducing the cost of adversity. Examine the neurological impacts of parenting, including changes in reward circuits, structural growth, and emotion regulation. Gain insights into innovative early childhood intervention programs and their impact on families. Understand why parenting is not merely an intellectual exercise and how this knowledge can inform better support systems for new parents and their children.

Introduction
Two central ideas
Science of inequity
Interactions
How to Promote Resilience
Biology of Resilience
Sensitive Periods
Families Change
Improving Outcomes
Moving the Family Forward
Reduce the Cost of Adversity
Regrow telomeres
Parenting changes your brain
Stress
Reward Circuit
Structural Growth
Social Information Circuit
Emotion Regulation
caregiving
data
takeaways
thank you
the unit of intervention
early childhood innovation network
Healthy Steps
The Arc
How many families are served at The Arc
Fathers are asking for different services
Changes in new parents brain
Matts thoughts
Parenting is not an intellectual exercise
Audience Question