National Survey Finds 59% of Parents are Concerned about Their Child’s Development

Most Parents Consider Preschools a Crucial Support System in their Child’s First Five Years

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ATLANTA (April 2, 2024) – A new study has found parents are deeply concerned about their child’s academic and character development before they turn 5 years old.

The poll of 2,000 parents of children ages five and younger found 59% are concerned about their children’s academic and character development, citing concerns about whether their children will learn to play fairly and cooperate with others (50%), communicate well with others (49%) and be able to appropriately express themselves (47%).

Parents listed several challenges they face to support their children’s development, including creating a routine (38%), teaching positive behaviors (30%), planning activities (25%), providing a consistent environment (23%) and building early literacy and math skills (23%).

Commissioned by Primrose Schools^® and conducted by OnePoll, the study revealed a large majority (98%) of parents understand the importance the first five years of life play in a child’s development and future successes.

According to Dr. Amy Jackson, chief early learning strategy officer at Primrose Schools, research shows a child’s brain develops more rapidly in their first five years than any other time in their life. In fact, more than one million new neural connections form every second, and the brain is never more receptive to learning than it is during this time.

“Learning will never be this easy again,” added Jackson. “The environment and experiences children have in their first five years will shape their academic, physical and social-emotional development. These critical years form the foundation for learning and ultimately, who a child will become.”

When it comes to support systems for parents, 82% of parents consider preschools to be a part of their support systems — alongside immediate family (88%), extended family (37%) and friends (33%). When looking at preschools, parents said they look for a place that offers a safe place where their child can feel like they belong (28%), qualified teachers invested in their child’s development (24%) and kindergarten readiness (15%).

“It’s clear that parents want their children to learn these important academic and character development skills while their brains are most receptive to learning, but we know many worry about finding the right approach,” said Jackson. “At Primrose Schools, our research-informed Balanced Learning^® curriculum taps into children’s natural learning processes by combining purposeful play with nurturing guidance from trained teachers.”

Learn more about how Primrose Schools makes the first five years The Beginning of Something Big ^SM. Parents interested in enrolling their child in a premier preschool can find a Primrose school here.

About Primrose Schools^®
Primrose Schools is the leader in providing premier early education and care to children and families in the United States. Founded in 1982, there are more than 500 Primrose schools in 34 states today. Each school is independently owned and operated by Franchise Owners who partner with parents to help children build the right foundation for future learning and life. Primrose believes who children become is as important as what they know. The exclusive Primrose Balanced Learning^® approach is created from the best early education wisdom and balances purposeful play with nurturing guidance from teachers to encourage curiosity, creativity, confidence and compassion. For more information, visit www.PrimroseSchools.com, connect with us on Facebook and X, explore our blog, sign up for our emails and find a Primrose school near you.