TMW Center Newsletter September 2021
Dana Suskind’s “Parent Nation” to be Published April, 2022
The TMW Center is excited to announce the latest book from our founder and co-director Dana Suskind. Parent Nation: Unlocking Every Child’s Potential, Fulfilling Society’s Promise will be published April 26, 2022, by Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House. In celebration of the book and its inspiring, actionable recommendations, the TMW Center will launch a campaign called “Building a Parent Nation” next spring.
In Parent Nation, Dana offers a compelling look at the neuroscience of early childhood development—and how it can guide us toward a more prosperous and equitable future. Her prescription: More robust support for parents during the most critical years of their children’s development.
Despite the inherent power all parents possess to lay strong foundations for lifelong learning and healthy development in their children, the systems we have today have made it nearly impossible for far too many of us to do so. Weaving together the latest science on the developing brain with relatable and often heart-breaking stories of extraordinary families from all walks of life, Dana shows that the status quo—scores of parents left to shoulder the enormous responsibility of early childhood care, development, and education on their own without formal support or guidance—is not only unsustainable, but deeply detrimental to the wellbeing of children, families, and society.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated our inequities and revealed our nation’s fault lines, particularly around how we care for, nurture and educate our children. The time for reimagining our current structures is now, and this book offers a blueprint. Parent Nation calls on each of us to unite in spite of—indeed, in celebration of—our differences and build a brighter future for all children.
Informed by the science of foundational brain development as well as history, political science, and the lived experiences of families around the country, this book clearly outlines how society can and should help families meet the developmental needs of their children—and ensure that all children are afforded the promise of their promise.
The TMW Center looks forward to sharing this book with the nation through our Building a Parent Nation campaign. Together, this campaign and important volume will help shift political will in favor of championing families and giving all children an opportunity to thrive. And they will illuminate the actions needed to turn that support into reality.
To receive updates about the book, the campaign, and related events, please sign up for our Building a Parent Nation newsletter here.