Parent Nation

Join Parent Nation in building a future with paid parental leave so kids get the attention so critical in their first years. For kids 0-3 years old, quality time with parents greatly impacts brain development. Yet, 84% of U.S. private sector workers get no paid parental leave.

This isn’t just benign programming—it’s toddler misinformation, arriving at a time when children’s brains are being wired for life. Grateful for the chance to weigh in here.

Even if we know in an intellectual level we’re engaging with AI, we still attach because we’re social creatures. That’s what makes AI toys so risky for young children. Grateful to @thetimes for tackling this important topic and inviting me to weigh in. thetimes.com/life-style/par…

I’m grateful to @ericschmidt for endorsing my forthcoming book, HUMAN RAISED. My hope is we can talk about AI not as a force for good or bad, but as a tool that we can use when it supports human flourishing and avoid when it supports human replacement.

What a joy to spend the day with a room full of brain architects—educators, parents, policymakers—at #Sxswuedu The future isn’t pre-determined. It’s written by us, every time we choose real human connection over artificial, algorithmic perfection.

Michaeleen Doucleff’s book is about understanding the forces that shape our habits, our days and our family dynamics. For better or worse, writes @HeidiStevens13. trib.al/FkK2z4f

Swing by if you’re here! 🩵 #Sxswedu #sxsw #AI #BornToBeWired

AI's educational promise is vast, as shown here. But what we know about human intelligence—since the beginning of time—is that children learn best from human-to-human connection. I’m all for applications that enhance that. Wary of those that interrupt it. nytimes.com/2026/03/02/wor…

Serve and return perfection! 🎾 If you want to light up your baby’s developing brain, think like a tennis star - and volley back and forth. Start by getting up close, face to face. Repeat their vocalizations. Mimic facial expressions. And importantly, allow for wait time. This “tennis pro” dad - shared to IG by lydyaloha - is teaching a master class here. Notice how baby and dad “serve and return” on the “oh-ku” sound baby is making - trading it back and forth several times. It begins as a rapid exchange, but then when baby pauses, dad doesn’t rush to fill the silence. Instead, he allows for processing time - which is not only critical, but eventually yields a new sound with which to extend the game. Serve and return is something you can start at birth that gets better and better over time as your baby’s vision, vocal experimentation, and social skills advance. Give it a try!

Heading to #SXSWEDU 2026? I hope you’ll join @mlevine_jgcc and me for “Born to be Wired: 4 Rules for AI in Early Childhood” on Monday afternoon! We’ll explore AI's impact on brain architecture and how to protect the capacity for human connection 🧠 ➡️schedule.sxswedu.com/events/PP11485…

This is why I wrote HUMAN RAISED. So efficiency doesn’t become more important than humanity. 👉 penguinrandomhouse.com/books/811792/h…

Alabama’s preschool program is a paradigm for high-quality early childhood education, and shows the benefits of providing children with the opportunity to succeed. Learn more in our film #StartingAtZero: startingatzerofilm.com/host/

I cheered when Elana Meyers Taylor won gold. I cheered louder when she thanked her nannies. My column 🏅 chicagotribune.com/2026/02/18/hei…

As a surgeon and researcher, I’m driven by one mission: children’s healthy development, in the short- and long-term. The current approach to immigration is deeply detrimental to both. I’m grateful to @thehill for letting me weigh in on this crucial topic. thehill.com/opinion/immigr…

When the world feels like it’s breaking a little more each day, sports reminds us we’re all part of the same story. And we need to keep showing up for it. This is such a beautiful example why ♥️ chicagotribune.com/2026/02/08/opi…

Coming in July! “Human Raised: Nurturing Connection, Curiosity, and Lifelong Learning in the Age of AI” A troubling fear nags at me: that human connection—the one thing children need most—is at risk of becoming a rarity. My book, I hope, provides families a line of defense 💚

“When learning is active, meaningful, socially interactive, and joyful, children don’t just participate. They thrive.” — Psychologist Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Closing Plenary Speaker #StandForHeadStart #EarlyChildhoodEducation #HeadStart

“The risks of AI differ from its benefits—that is, these risks undermine children’s foundational development—and may prevent the benefits from being realized.” I was honored to help inform this @BrookingsInst report and its concrete recommendations. brookings.edu/articles/a-new…

We talk about ‘brain rot’ from too much screen time. With AI toys, I’m more concerned about ‘brain stunt.’ Children are encountering these toys when their brains are still being wired for a lifetime of learning and connection. My latest in @TIME time.com/7341181/ai-toy…

Parents/grandparents: this post could save your family hundreds of dollars. Did you know it’s possible for young children to have TOO MANY toys? 🧸 🎁 As Christmas approaches, grown ups often feel pressured to make the big day extra special - which can lead not only to over spending, but to more gifts than your little one can meaningfully engage. In a 2018 study, researchers observed two different toddler play settings - one with 16 toys and the other with only 4. What they found was that the children presented with fewer options actually engaged more deeply in play. They stayed focused longer and used the toys available to them in more imaginative ways. Which is just what we want, developmentally. Parents participating in the study were asked, meanwhile, to estimate the number of toys available in their homes. Some self reported 90 or more. 90 different choices! This holiday season I want to help both your baby and your credit rating… and assure you that this is a case where LESS can actually be more. When purchasing toys, focus on quality, not quantity. Here’s how: As you consider an item, take a moment to brainstorm a list of its potential uses. Is it something that your child might, with a little imagination, use in multiple types of play? Does it lend itself to sustained engagement? Will it help them to think, build, imagine, create, or problem solve? If the answer is yes, you have a winner. If the answer is no, leave it on the shelf. Your little one doesn’t require dozens of gift wrapped boxes. And buyer beware: they’re likely to be just as thrilled with the box as the item inside. This little guy and his favorite plaything were shared by mariavmcauley on TT.

When we’re surrounded by unsettling news, it gives me such hope to work with parents and caregivers, who are doing the love and labor necessary to keep our world on track. We just graduated a new Head Start cohort from our Let’s Talk program and they truly brightened my world ♥️