Elliot Haspel of The Parents Aren’t Alright chats with pediatric surgeon, social scientist, and best-selling author Dana Suskind in a conversation about how the neuroscience of the earliest years of human development can guide us toward a future in which every child has the opportunity to fulfill their potential.
Dana Suskind’s prescription for this more prosperous and equitable future, as clear as it is powerful, is more robust support for parents during the most critical years of their children’s development. In her poignant new book, Parent Nation (forthcoming, April 26, 2022), written with award-winning science writer Lydia Denworth, Dr. Suskind helps parents recognize both their collective identity and their formidable power as custodians of our next generation.
Weaving together the latest science on the developing brain with heart-breaking and relatable stories of families from all walks of life, Dr. Suskind shows that the status quo—scores of parents convinced they should be able to shoulder the enormous responsibility of early childhood care and education on their own—is not only unsustainable, but deeply detrimental to the wellbeing of children, families, and society.
Anyone looking for a blueprint for how to build a brighter future for our children will find one in Parent Nation. 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. Only then can we ensure that all children are able to enjoy the promise of their potential.
About Dana Suskind
Dr. Dana Suskind is Professor of Surgery at the University of Chicago, Director of the Pediatric Cochlear Implant Program, and Co-Director of the TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health. An internationally recognized thought leader, Dr. Suskind has dedicated her research and clinical life to optimizing foundational brain development and preventing early cognitive disparities and their lifelong impact. In 2013, Dana and her team led the first-ever Bridging the Thirty Million Word Gap convening at the request of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. She is the author of the bestselling book, Thirty Million Words: Building a Child’s Brain and of a forthcoming book, Parent Nation: Unlocking Every Child's Potential, Fulfilling Society's Promise, which empowers parents to use developmental neuroscience to build a society that works for families, not against them.