thrivalinternational

Envision a world where:
every child is wanted, welcomed, loved, and valued;
every family is prepared for and supported in practicing the art and science of nurturing children;
adults respect children and honor childhood:
children joyfully participate in the vital life of family and community; and
dynamic, resilient life-honoring cultures flourish.
We will create this world by:
recognizing that in nature’s design there are biological imperatives that must be fulfilled to support optimal human development;
identifying the evidence-linked principles that arise from these imperatives; and
acting on these principles that are essential for transforming the lives of children.
 
Too Many of Our Children Are in Crisis
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Solutions Abound
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Education Is Key
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Action Is Essential

Never before has one generation of American children been less healthy, less cared for, or less prepared for life than their parents were at the same age.
—National Association of State Boards of Education, 1990
Never before has there been such a wealth of information on keeping children healthy, caring for them, and preparing them for life.
—The Alliance for Transforming the Lives of Children, 2001
Families today face unprecedented challenges—isolation, loss of the extended family, conflicting advice about how to parent, and the stress of modern-day life. Even with these challenges, some children are thriving due to the love and commitment of their families and communities. What can we learn from them?
It is the birthright of every human being to be conceived, carried, birthed, and nurtured in the best possible way. By recognizing and responding to nature’s imperatives, individually and collectively, we foster optimal human development and a brighter future for our world.
A growing body of evidence now documents that the quality of a person’s earliest experiences of life has a major impact on that person’s entire life. It is therefore essential that we, as a society, give high priority to nurturing our children in accordance with nature’s design.
The Alliance for Transforming the Lives of Children is dedicated to ensuring that parents are supported in practicing the art and science of nurturing children and experiencing the joy of being parents.
 
Each of us is parent to every child.
How we treat the child, is how the child will treat the world.
Our children are the future of our world.
ATLC is committed to:
identifying the biological imperatives for optimal human development;
defining the principles and specific actions that arise from these biological imperatives;
making this information readily accessible and understandable to all parents and caregivers;
supporting families in implementing the actions essential for transforming the lives of children and adults; and
fostering dynamic, resilient, and life-honoring cultures.
ATLC invites you to get involved
Children Are in Crisis

Pregnant women subjected to physical or emotional violence
28%
Department of Women’s Health, World Health Organization
Infant male circumcisions that are medically indicated or beneficial
0%
American Medical Association, Council on Scientific Affairs
American infants denied the benefits of breastfeeding for the one-year minimum recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics
85.5%
Ross Laboratory’s Annual Mothers’ Survey, 1998
Children documented to have been physically struck by age 6 months
25%
Bearing Witness: Violence and Collective Responsibility, SL Bloom and M Richert
Number of preschoolers who must care for themselves
500,000
Report to US Attorney General 9/97, After School Crime or After School Programs
Number of infant and toddler facilities that fail to meet minimum standards
92%
U. of Colo., Denver, Economics Department: Cost, Quality, and Child Outcomes Study Team
US children under 18 estimated suffering from a psychiatric disorder that compromises their ability to function
9 million
National Institute of Mental Health
Links to aTLC core documents and extracts

Source:
© 1999-2011 by The Alliance for Transforming the Lives of Children
901 Preston Ave, Suite 400, Charlottesville, VA 22903 All rights reserved.
aTLC is a 501(c)(3) educational organization supported by your donations
info@atlc.org