Just like how a nurturing gardener tends to their plants, parents who form loving bonds with their children sow the seeds of kindness and empathy that will bloom in later years. A recent study involving 10,000 people in the UK discovered a strong link between early parent-child relationships and positive social behavior in adolescence. Children who experienced warm and loving relationships with their parents at the age of three were not only less likely to have mental health difficulties, but also showed higher levels of ‘prosociality’ in their teenage years. Prosociality refers to behaviors that are socially desirable, such as being kind, empathetic, helpful, generous, and volunteering. In contrast, children who had difficult or abusive relationships with their parents during early childhood were less likely to develop these positive habits. This research highlights the importance of fostering strong parent-child bonds and suggests that targeted policies to support families may help establish these relationships.

A new study indicates a strong connection between early parent-child relationships and the likelihood that children will grow up to display socially-desirable characteristics like kindness and empathy. Using data from 10,000 people in the UK, researchers found that children who have a warm and loving bond with their parents at age three are not only less prone to mental health difficulties, but display heightened ‘prosociality’ by the time they reach adolescence. This refers to socially-desirable behaviors such as kindness, empathy, helpfulness, generosity and volunteering. Conversely, children whose early relationships with their parents were difficult or abusive were less likely to develop prosocial habits. The researchers argue that this strengthens the case for developing targeted policies to support young families within which it may be difficult to establish close early parent-child relationships.

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