Plenary Session 10:45 am - 12:00 pm
With Facilitator Rebecca Parlakian, ZERO TO THREE
Dr. Berry Brazelton has often said that parents have two questions: Is my child doing well? Am I doing well? All parents want to see their child succeed and grow up healthy, and want to do all they can to support this development. In this session, participants will explore and apply the results of two recent U.S. parent surveys (2016 and 2018) that asked Millennial parents of children aged birth to five about their beliefs and practices regarding child-rearing and parenting; the child-rearing topics they struggle with most; and the sources of information they seek out most frequently. Results from these surveys (one with a sample of 2000 parents and one with a sample of 1000 parents) will provide insight into parents’ concerns about child development and parenting, and offer a deeper understanding of how parents use the expert guidance they receive.
This session will begin by providing context on Millennial parents based on Canadian population data and Canadian parent surveys; these data offer insight into age of first-time parenthood, labour force participation trends, use of social media, social values, etc. Participants will then learn more about the surveys conducted by ZERO TO THREE on Millennial parents in the United States. These survey data provide a comprehensive picture of parents' questions about child development, beliefs about parenting, and preferred parenting practices. Examples of messaging and resources designed to engage Millennial parents and address their specific needs/questions will be provided as well. Participants in this session will understand important trends and differences in how Millennials approach parenting; what Millennial parents have identified as their greatest challenges in parenting; and what types of information vehicles seem to work best for Millennials and what tone these materials should take.
Rebecca Parklakian Biography:
Rebecca Parlakian serves as Senior Director of Programs at ZERO TO THREE, a national non-profit focused on promoting the healthy development of children from birth to three, where she directs a portfolio of federally- and privately-funded projects related to healthy child development and high quality teaching and care giving for children from birth to age five. Rebecca has co-authored three parenting education curricula and developed parenting resources on various topics and in various formats (including an app, podcasts, and videos).
Rebecca’s written work has appeared in a variety of publications including the ZERO TO THREE Journal and the peer-reviewed Young Children, journal of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. She has also spoken widely, both within the U.S. and internationally, on topics including brain development, early literacy and language development, parent coaching, children and media, and more. Rebecca holds a Master’s degree in Education and Human Development, with a concentration in infant-toddler special education, from the George Washington University, where she is currently serving as adjunct faculty.
Finally, Rebecca is the mother of two children, Ella, aged 16 and Ben, aged 13, who provide her with many opportunities to practice, and revise, her guidance on parenting.
November 8, 2018
10:45 AM
Gym | Murphys Community Center | 200 Richmond St, Charlottetown, PE C1A 1J2