Parenting is one of the most meaningful roles we can undertake as we are shaping the future mental health of our children. Today I want to share two longitudinal studies that underscore the profound influence of early parental behaviors on children's long-term development.

The first one, by Maselko et al.,1 highlights the lasting impact of early parental affection on mental health 30 years later, and the second, by Kok et al.,2 brings to our attention the relationship between parental sensitivity and brain development.

The study by Maselko and colleagues objectively assessed mother-infant interactions at eight months and followed up with the participants into adulthood.

Based on the observations of the dyad’s interaction, researchers classified........

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