Understanding the Power of Connection in Early Childhood
Image: The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood
This week, a powerful new essay by the Princess of Wales and Harvard’s Professor Robert Waldinger has sparked national conversation about the importance of connection in the early years and how family relationships shape lifelong wellbeing.
A National Conversation About Early Relationships
Yesterday morning, BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme explored a new essay by The Princess of Wales and Professor Robert Waldinger of Harvard, titled The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World.
The essay draws on findings from the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which has followed people for more than 80 years. It shows that happiness and health depend more on the quality of our relationships than anything else. The Princess and Professor Waldinger warn that although technology connects us, it can also create an “epidemic of disconnection.” They call for parents to protect small, everyday moments of real presence such as meals, play, and eye contact, especially in the early years when children’s brains are developing fastest.
On the programme, neuroscientist Professor Sam Wass explained that young children’s brains thrive on slow, predictable, face-to-face interactions, not fast-paced digital experiences. Shared moments, like reading or play, can even help a parent and child’s heartbeat and brain rhythms sync.
Connection at the Heart of Babyzone
At Babyzone, this message sits at the heart of what we do.
In our community hubs, parents and babies come together to play, learn and connect. Our practitioners and staff members support parents to engage with their children more deeply through serve-and-return interactions, scaffolding and co-regulating.
Beyond our physical hubs, we share tips through WhatsApp communities and our Global Awareness Campaign, and we develop programmes for families and early-years settings to enhance understanding of children’s emotional and social development. Through these channels, parents can access trusted, evidence-based guidance that fosters real-world connection and helps them remain emotionally present in everyday interactions with their children.
As the Princess of Wales writes:
“Look the people you care about in the eye and be fully there, because that is where love begins.”
Whether in our hubs or online, Babyzone helps parents build confidence and connection in the first five years. 💛
Practice creates knowledge, knowledge creates confidence, and confidence creates change.
Learn more
📖 Read the essay, The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World, to explore the research behind early relationships and why small moments of connection matter most.
🎧 Listen to the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme discussion to hear how experts unpack the essay’s findings and explore what true connection means for families today.